| Near St.
Martin's Episcopal Church at West 122nd Street, it is remarkable
how the uniform design of the facades still lends a rhythm
and scale to the street. The addresses are...
a. 200 to 218 Malcolm X Boulevard
With mansard roofs, classical architectural
elements and a hint of Dutch design influence, this series
of townhouses by the firm of de Meuron and Smith in 1888
recalls the late 19th-century residential character of the
Boulevard. The interiors of such houses were usually as
grand if not more so than the exteriors, with carved wood
balusters and heavy paneling on the formal floors, well
designed built-in storage on each floor, and gracious gardens
at the rear.
b. 220-228 Malcolm X Boulevard
These structures amazingly still
have their original stoops, bearing witness to the majesty
of the Boulevard at the turn of the century. The formality
of the entrance functions as a strong design element along
a wide street such as this. It also serves as a means of
establishing a hierarchy of private versus public space
and classifying those who enter the home by social level,
servants versus family and friends. The service entrance
is located beneath the stair landing, hence the term "upstairs,
downstairs."
c. 240-248 Malcolm X Boulevard
These five beautiful Victorian
rowhouses are a perfect example of what a difference careful
renovation can make in the appearance of the street. The
building on the corner has been lovingly restored; the four
adjacent buildings going north on Malcolm X Blvd. are of
identical design, but survive in varying degrees of disrepair.
However, they serve as a record of each other's missing
elements. For example, by studying all five, one notices
that the front of the restored corner version is missing
an original bay window but has had the cast iron cresting
detail replaced on the roof edge.
|
a. Victorian Row 200 to 218
b. Victorian Row 220-228
c. Victorian Row 240 to 248
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