NYC Architectural Sights, 1

Between our American Folk Art Museum visit and the walk in Central Park, we took in a few more great old buildings of interest, mostly on the west side. 

From a day or two earlier, the very distinctive American
Radiator building, on about 41st St.

Seen from Bryant Park, with its taller 34th St. neighbor

We were headed for the Pythian building, but the
Ansonia Hotel caught our attention

Lincoln Center, Julliard, Carnegie, all nearby...

The Pythian is your basic Egyptian Revival Art Deco--which we've

seen before--and certainly has the most interesting back story

of them all...also concerning music

Click to enlarge and read...the Pythians were a mid-19th to -20th
century secret society/service club, very large, especially in NYC,
where they built this, their Temple, one of the earlier skyscrapers

The really interesting part of the story is that the
Pythian Temple had a large auditorium--for all the
Pythian pageantry--which in the waning years was
leased to Decca Records...and it was on this stage that
Buddy Holly did his last recordings and on which Bill
Haley and His Comets recorded Rock Around the Clock;
among others

Alas, most of the street level facade was under scaffolding,
but I did get this

And this

Further alas, the security guy explained that, apart from
a few trappings left in the lobby, all the interior art deco
stuff was gone, as was the auditorium, sound stage, and
so on on; and that nobody cared about Bill Haley and the
Comets and Buddy Holley anyway; and on your way out
please do not bother any of the tenants...

Top story columns, matching those down on the street;
oh well...

The Dakota..."Strawberry Fields Forever..."

The Majestic

The San Remo...all of these old wonders and others form the west
backdrop of the park; more to come