Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Roosevelt Island
Afour-minutetramrideistheroutetothisEastRiverenclave.Onceknownas“Wel-
fare Island,” when it was home to a prison, poor house, and hospital for the insane,
the147-acreislandwasrenamedandredevelopedinthe1970saccordingtoamaster
plandrawnupbyPhilipJohnsonandJohnBurgee,intendedtocreateaquiet,almost
traffic-free residential community. The plan was not fully developed, although more
than3,000apartmentswerebuilt,andwhilethereisasubwaystopfromManhattan,
the only auto access is via a bridge in Queens.
• Trams every 15 mins from TramPlaza, 2nd Ave at 59th St
Park Avenue Armory
ThesociallyprominentmembersoftheSeventhRegiment,formedin1806construc-
ted a remarkable armory in 1877-89, with a drill room 200 by 300 feet (60 by 90
m) and 100 feet (30 m) high, and an administration building in the form of a medi-
eval fortress. Interior decoration was by Louis Comfort Tiffany, Stanford White, and
others, and the result is opulent rooms with lavish Victorian furnishings. The drill
room is used for the prestigious Winter Antiques Show every January. Following a
$150-millionrenovationproject,thespacenowallowsforthedevelopmentofuncon-
ventional performing and visual art.
• 643 Park Ave at 66th St
•
212 616 3930
• Open noon-8pm Tue-Fri, noon-6pm Mon, Sat, Sun
Henderson Place Historic District
Built in 1881 by the developer John C. Henderson for “persons of moderate means,”
these winning Queen Anne houses made of brick and stone are embellished with
towers, bays, gables, dormers, and slate roofs. They were an investment and re-
mained in Henderson's family until the 20th century. Today they are unique in the
city and rank among the most desirable places to live. Each block front was com-
posed as a unit, with small towers at the end. Twenty-four of the original 32 units
remain.
• East End Ave, between 86th & 87th sts
