First Church of Christ, Scientist, October, 1928.

In the closing decades of the 19th century, New York underwent a profound physical and cultural transformation. Fueled by the wealth of the exploding financial and manufacturing sectors, the city rapidly evolved into a world-class metropolis. The bold ambitions of civic and business leaders, architects, and engineers of the era manifested in landmarks such as the vast Cathedral of St. John the Divine, the stately U.S. Custom House, the towering Municipal Building, and the original terminus of New York City’s first official subway line—the ornate City Hall stop. The sweeping interior spaces common to all of these structures, and hundreds of others, depended upon a venerable Mediterranean building technology adapted to contemporary American construction: arched tile ceilings—or vaults—that were not only self-supporting but could also bear the weight of floors or roofs above them. These vaults were designed and built by a single New York firm, founded by Spanish immigrant Rafael Guastavino (1842-1908) and later headed by his son Rafael Jr. (1872-1950). The Guastavinos’ patented system for building domes and vaults involved multiple layers of thin ceramic tiles bonded with quick-drying mortar. The resulting structures were not only exceptionally strong, but also lightweight, easy to build, and inherently beautiful, thanks to intricate patterns of exposed tile that formed finished, decorative surfaces. Guastavino vaults figured prominently in more than 1,000 projects across the nation, including 200 in Manhattan alone. During its 73-year history, the Guastavino Company helped build some of the most impressive interior spaces in America—veritable palaces for the people. This list based on MCNY's exhibition Palaces for the People, contains many of Guastavino's masterpieces in the five boroughs, both those that remain and those that have been lost to the wrecking ball.

First Church of Christ, Scientist ARCHITECT: Carrère & Hastings DATE: 1899-1903 STYLE: Beaux-Arts The First Church of Christ, Scientist, built in 1899-1903 at the northwest of Central Park West and 96th Street was designed in the finest tradition of Beaux-Arts classicism. Although the architects of his church designed a few churches, the Christian Science building is very much in keeping with its designs for other public buildings.

Take a walk in the beautiful Upper West Side. Start at Columbus Circle and discover the cultural and religious landmarks and the extravagant apartment buildings of this affluent neighborhood.

First Church of Christ, Scientist, ca. 1990. The First Church of Christ, Scientist, was designed by Carrère & Hastings and built between 1899-1903. The firm’s imposing Beaux-Arts design fulfilled an intriguing commission: to create a grand ecclesiastical architecture for a relatively young religion. The design incorporates a large central auditorium, in addition to two upper stories of offices and areas for study. The building is notable for its large stained glass windows, especially those facing Central Park. In 2004, the church was sold to the California-based Crenshaw Christian Center. Ten years later, it was sold again, this time to a private developer. A planned adaptive redevelopment/condominium conversion project was later rejected, and in early 2018 the Children's Museum of Manhattan announced that it had acquired the building.