Landmarks designates new Inwood historic district

The city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission voted today to designate the Park Terrace West-West 217th Street Historic District in the Inwood section of Manhattan. The historic district features an enclave of picturesque early 20th-century houses with landscaped topography that stand out among the neighborhood’s apartment buildings.

The newly-landmarked blocks are comprised of 15 of the sort of two-story houses with yards and garages that are more commonly found in the city’s other boroughs. Their small scale–and the suburban nature of the district–can be traced to the later development of this part of Inwood, which was occupied by large estate properties or farms that often did not change hands until the 20th century.

With homes designed between 1920 and 1935 by architects Moore & Landsiedel, Benjamin Driesler, Louis Kurtz, C. G. de Neergaard and A. H. Zacharius, the district illustrates the popularity of eclectic revival styles and the influence of the Arts and Crafts style in American residential architecture during those years. The area presents a collection of houses–most of them remarkably well-preserved and with most of their original design and materials intact–unified by their scale, similar architectural styles, and use of landscaped gardens.

Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer said of the designation, “Historic districts are one of our best tools to preserve the heritage of neighborhoods built decades or even centuries ago, and the Park Terrace West – West 217th Street Historic District is a great example of that. These fifteen buildings, with their charming Craftsman-style details, form a matched set in a style rarely seen in the rest of the borough.”

The local community board has been encouraging the LPC to advance the designation of historic districts and individual buildings throughout Washington Heights and Inwood for more than a decade. David Thom, spokesperson for the Park Terrace North Block Association said, “These much-loved buildings are an intrinsic part of the neighborhood’s unique character in spring, summer, winter and fall. We are grateful for this designation and hope that expansion and additional districts will be possible in the near future.”

RELATED:

• 59-block Inwood rezoning vote draws protests from residents who fear its character will be lost
• LPC’s new interactive map shows pending and issued permits for landmarked buildings
• Historic districts and landmarking: What they mean and how they could affect you
• The best affordable and student-friendly off-campus neighborhoods in NYC