South of Union Square logo
South of Union Square
Place
681 Park Avenue

Posts & Stories(3)

117 East 69th Street image

117 East 69th Street
Post

117 East 69th Street, date unknown (post 1929). The neo-Federal building at no. 117 is a relative newbie in this neighborhood. While a number of other neo-Federals are the early 20th century renovations of original 19th-century rowhouses, this one was a brand new construction in 1928-9. Designed by Julius Gayler for the lawyer, banker, and one-time Governor of Puerto Rico (1904-07) Beekman Winthrop, the house has a huge skylight and dramatic spiral staircase. In 1977 the home was purchased by Jim Henson and became the New York headquarters of the Jim Henson Company and The Muppet Workshop. While it served this function, the home was supposedly extravagantly decorated to reflect the playful work of its occupants. Henson passed away in 1990 and the Henson business moved out of the building in 2003.
Thomas Hunter Hall, Hunter College image

Thomas Hunter Hall, Hunter College
Post

Thomas Hunter Hall, Hunter College, ca. 1978. The Female Normal and High School was founded in 1870 by Thomas Hunter, who served as its first president and, eventually, its namesake. “Normal” schools were predecessors of teacher’s colleges, where instruction prepared students — almost exclusively women — for careers as teachers. In 1873, the school moved to its present Lenox Hill location. This building, Thomas Hunter Hall, was designed by C.B.J. Snyder to replace the school’s previous Gothic main hall. Snyder’s neo-Gothic structure was completed in 1914, the same year the school adopted the name Hunter College, in honor of its founder. Today’s Hunter College High School was separated from the collegiate-level school in 1903, though both continued to share the same campus. The high school occupied several campus buildings, including Thomas Hunter Hall, before moving to a new campus on the former site of the Squadron A Armory in 1977. The school started admitting male students in 1974. Hunter College High School alumni/ae include a broad array of distinguished figures, from Supreme Court Justice Elana Kagan (‘77) to Lin-Manuel Miranda (‘98).

Photos(56)

Thomas Hunter Hall, Hunter College image

Thomas Hunter Hall, Hunter College

Manhattan: Park Avenue - 68th Street (East) Park Avenue, east sde, north from East 68th to 69th Streets, showing the old Normal College for Women, erected about 1870. This is now a part of Hunter College and is under demolition (early 1938) Note, on the right of No. 1, The Thomas Hunter Hall on Lexington Avenue, and on the left of No. 2, the building at the N.F. corner of Park Avenue and 89th Street that became the home of the Union Club in 1933. The New York Times of August 2, 1938, in an article on Page 21 announces the ceremonies to be held here on the construction of a new building that will cost $6,414,OO0, of which the City's share ia $3,527,700 and the P.W.A's $2,886,300. Charles H. Tuttle will preside and speeches will be made by the Mayor, Howard A. Gray, Coloiel M.E. Gilmore and Mrs. Walter S. Mack. This new structure will be 16 stories high and accommodate 5,000 students in 1O0 class rooms. Included also will be a library, cafeteria, auditorium, gymnasium, swimming poo1, theatre and laboratories. Sept. 11, 1931. View 2: June 12, 1937.
Thomas Hunter Hall, Hunter College image

Thomas Hunter Hall, Hunter College

Manhattan: 68th Street (East) - Park Avenue East 68th Street, Aest from Lexington, to Park (left) Avenues, showing the southerly side of Thomas Hunter Hall (right) and the old Normal College for Women (now Hunter College). The latter, in 1938, is demolished, having been severely damaged by a fire in 1936\. The New York Times of Aug. 2, 1938, in an article on Page 21 announces the ceremonies to be held here on the construction of a new building that will cost $6,414,000. of which the City's share $3,527,700 and the P.W.A's $2,886,300. Charles H. Tuttle will preside and speeches will be made by the Mayor, Howard A. Gray, Colonel k. E. Gilmore and Mrs. Walter S. Mack. This new structure will be 16 stories high and accommodate 5,0O0 students in 100 class rooms. Included also will be a library, auditorium, gymnasium, swimming pool, theatre and laboratories. For further views of this structure see, Park and Lexington Avenues, and East 69th Street. June 12, 1937 P.L. Sperr No. 3 is a more inclusive view, from a point to the east of Lexington Avenue and across name. Note the transportation and facilities at this point. April 25, 1938
Thomas Hunter Hall, Hunter College image

Thomas Hunter Hall, Hunter College

Manhattan: 68th Street (East) - Park Avenue East 68th Street, Aest from Lexington, to Park (left) Avenues, showing the southerly side of Thomas Hunter Hall (right) and the old Normal College for Women (now Hunter College). The latter, in 1938, is demolished, having been severely damaged by a fire in 1936\. The New York Times of Aug. 2, 1938, in an article on Page 21 announces the ceremonies to be held here on the construction of a new building that will cost $6,414,000. of which the City's share $3,527,700 and the P.W.A's $2,886,300. Charles H. Tuttle will preside and speeches will be made by the Mayor, Howard A. Gray, Colonel k. E. Gilmore and Mrs. Walter S. Mack. This new structure will be 16 stories high and accommodate 5,0O0 students in 100 class rooms. Included also will be a library, auditorium, gymnasium, swimming pool, theatre and laboratories. For further views of this structure see, Park and Lexington Avenues, and East 69th Street. June 12, 1937 P.L. Sperr No. 3 is a more inclusive view, from a point to the east of Lexington Avenue and across name. Note the transportation and facilities at this point. April 25, 1938