Holdouts: A NYC Architecture Walking Tour
Holdouts: A NYC Architecture Walking Tour
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Highlights
This 2.5 hour walking tour around the Midtown Manhattan shows-and-tells the fascinating stories of holdouts—the intriguing side effect of Manhattan's pressure cooker real estate industry: when a property owner (or lease holder) refused to sell to a developer, forced them to rework their plans, and forever changed the city streetscape. Stories, like the elderly lady who never knew any other home; or the poker player-like landlord who overplayed his hand; or the restauranteur whose long term lease (justifiably) demanded budget-busting sums, all add a human dimension to these transactional anomalies. And personal stories that were otherwise lost, are awesomely amplified by the everlasting impression left behind: seemingly ill-planned entrances for skyscrapers, odd shaped buildings, 20-story tall notches in office towers, are just some of the 16 examples of holdouts we'll see.
This tour is based on the book, Holdouts! By Alpern and Durst.
Itinerary
TPR Holdings
15 minsAdmission Ticket FreeWe start in lower lobby of this distinctive building where we'll lay the groundwork for the tour, where we'll go and what we'll see. The building itself is the result of holdouts, and our first subject.Lipstick Building(Pass by)
Admission Ticket FreeA fascinating ego buildingCiticorp Center(Pass by)
Admission Ticket FreeNot a holdout, but a fascinating story is associated with the construction of this building, whose main pillar supports are not in the corners, but in the middle of the side.Wollensky's Grill
5 minsAdmission Ticket FreeAn old buggy whip factory, and a holdout.Amster Yard
5 minsAdmission Ticket FreeIf this oases is open at the time of the tour, we stop in for a moment. A time capsule where histories clash and the city meets the suburbs - - a much earlier one!Sparks Steak House
5 minsAdmission Ticket FreeThis notorious site of a mob hit is next door to an interesting holdout.Chrysler Building(Pass by)
Admission Ticket FreeStunning views of this stunning landmark are had along here.United Nations Headquarters(Pass by)
Admission Ticket FreeWe view the Secretariet Building down the block as we continue to pass and discuss holdouts and how they've influenced the streetscapes today.42nd Street
5 minsAdmission Ticket FreeWe end our downtown part of the walk at 42nd Street, where a single holdout survived history.Grand Central Terminal
5 minsAdmission Ticket FreeAs we make our way to the west side and the uptown portion of the tour we will pass through Grand Central. While not associated with a any holdouts, a mini-tour of this iconic landmark is very possible.One Vanderbilt(Pass by)
Admission Ticket FreeThis city-in-a-building was still under construction at this writing.Brooks Brothers
5 minsAdmission Ticket FreeThis historic New York City institution had a holdout as a neighbor.Bank of America Tower(Pass by)
Admission Ticket FreeWe view this crystal shard-iceberg mashup of a building from the sideThe Roosevelt Hotel(Pass by)
Admission Ticket FreeWe pass by this sole survivor of Terminal City, from a time before air travel when Grand Central linked to three hotels to receive cross-country travelers. We continue our tour passing fascinating ways holdouts have changed the look of the city.Diamond District(Pass by)
Admission Ticket FreeWorth noting the block where $440 million in diamonds are traded daily. The entrance a block to the north as we cross Fifth Avenue is flanked by 12' diamond sculptures.Rockefeller Center
10 minsAdmission Ticket FreeRockefeller Center's rich history includes a number of interesting, thought provoking holdouts.Papillon Bistro & Bar
5 minsAdmission Ticket FreeWe end the tour here, one of the most compelling examples of a holdout, and is more appropriately a hold-IN. Here a restaurant proprietor negotiated additional square footage to expand his restaurant into the future skyscraper. You can enter the skyscraper today and stand within the walls of a 19th century brownstone.
What's included
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Additional information
Location
Provider
Manhattan Unlocked Historical and Architectural Walking Tours
USD 59.19
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