Alfred Pommer
285 Avenue C #6F
New York, NY  10009
(212) 979-2388
e-mail  pommerwalk@rcn.com
web pages: www.nycwalk.com  nycslideshow.com  gargoyleprints.com
Links to Alfred Pommer's author page at:
amazon.com & at: goodreads

I am: a college graduate, an author, a self employed licensed New York City guide and a native New Yorker born, raised and educated in New York City. Since 1990 I have created and hosted over 26 neighborhood walking tours in Manhattan's many diverse neighborhoods. For information about lectures or walking tour consultation call 212 979 2388.

Every neighborhood tour features landmarks, history and architecture, along with interesting pictures and stories which illustrate the past of a particular Manhattan neighborhood. It is this combination of elements that gives each tour a distinctive set of characteristics and allows for the unique integration of each area's past with its present. This is the theme of all my neighborhood walking tours.

My specialized tours usually cross the boundaries of various neighborhoods and focus on any one of a number of different subjects such as: Gargoyles of Manhattan Walking Tour (spotlights gargoyles in seven neighborhoods), The Irish Heritage and The Jewish Heritage and The Italian Heritage walking tours (focus on the history of those groups on Manhattan's lower east side), The Midtown Architectural Walking Tour (takes us from the past to the present by focusing on the wide variety of historic and anti-historic architectural styles in one section of Midtown Manhattan along with history and interesting stories.)

" A Walking Tour of the Original West Village" is a neighborhood walking tour that includes history of the neighborhood, new and old architecture, stories about an undefeated heavyweight champion who was raised in the West Village and information about a number of writers who at various times lived in the West Village. And The Rockefeller Center's Public Art Tour focuses on its public art and the many renowned artists that created the art, plus its history and its architecture along with some interesting stories and pictures that help us understand its past.

I have been doing private walking tours, in Manhattan, for individuals, groups and institutions for over 30 years. Literally, thousands of people have taken walking tours with me over the years and most of my private walking tours now come from word of mouth recommendations. On a regular basis I used to do walking tours for Hofstra University - College of Continuing Education, Harvard Business School Alumnus Association, Second Stage Theater and I have also conducted walking tours for: Fordham Alumni, Stern College of New York, The Woman's Travel Club amd Maxima Tours just to mention a few institutions that have used me. I also offer walking tour slide shows for individuals, groups or institutions.

I retired as a supervisor for the New York City Parks Department in 1991 after 25 years of service. Over that period of time I supervised and sometimes trained small groups of employees in various Park Department districts such as: Manhattan Forestry, Mobile Security in Manhattan, Washington Square Park, Riverside Park, The Manhattan Training Center, Thomas Jefferson Pool/Park, and Queens Forestry. Even before I started to work for the New York City Parks Department I had an interest in the architecture and history of New York City and I was collecting information and pictures especially about interesting buildings and locations in Manhattan. It was a hobby that I talked about on my job which prompted fellow employees to ask me to show their visiting friends or relatives around. Whether it was a tour of Art Deco buildings, historically styled turn of the century mansions, Rockefeller Center, Midtown or neighborhoods like Greenwich Village, Chelsea, Murray Hill, Little Italy or the Lower East Side I was always prepared. In the 1980's I started scheduling public walking tours on my days off and when I retired in 1991, I turned this part-time pursuit of giving walking tours in Manhattan into my full time occupation. During the time I worked for the Parks Department for several years I was involved in union activities which led me into studying Labor Studies and prompted me to go to college part-time evenings and weekends. I became more interested in learning and I developed other interests but throughout all my different endeavors I never lost my love of New York City and its unique history and architecture - it is where I ended up and it is what I do.