Rediscovering New York

[EPISODE] The Woolworth Building and Rockefeller Center

Join us this week for a special episode, when we will visit two iconic New York landmarks: The Woolworth Building, and Rockefeller Center.

My Guests will be Rediscovering New York regular David Griffin, founder and CEO of Landmark Branding, and Phil Desiere, founder and owner of Walkabout New York.

Segment 1

Jeff introduces regular guest David Griffin, as they discuss the Woolworth Building.  There were hundreds of Woolworth stores across the country when the company built at the time the world’s tallest building. Woolworth was so profitable that they were able to finance the construction of the building completely with cash. Cass Gilbert, who designed the Woolworth was a very famous and talented architect, who also designed the US Supreme Court. Frank Winfield Woolworth decided to build the skyscraper in order to garner attention for owning such a magnificent and massive building.  

Segment 2

David details the time and manpower that it took in order to build the Woolworth Building. The construction process lasted from 1910-1913 and used hundreds of workers. It was the tallest building in the world until 1930, when the Chrysler building was erected. David and Jeff detail the magnificent lobby and interior architecture. If you want to experience this there is a tour which is held by Cass Gilbert’s granddaughter. When it opened the Woolworth had many attractions for the public. Another interesting fact is that the Woolworth was one of the first buildings to have an exterior lighting program, which was revolutionary at the time. The Woolworth was massively influential in the real and fictional architectural world. 

Segment 3

Jeff introduces his first guest Phil Desiere. They discuss the origins of the Rockefeller Center. Phil says that the Rockefeller was created by John D. Rockefeller Jr. with the money from his father. He purchased the land originally from Columbia University. His plan with the land fell through after all of his leases fell through as the economy was failing. That’s when he decided to create the Rockefeller Center, it’s own magnificent strip of buildings. Originally, the Rockefeller had 14 buildings and in the present day it has expanded to 19. It was almost not named after the wealthy family, as they didn’t want any major projects directly associated with them. 

Segment 4

Jeff and Phi come back by discussing the art of Rockefeller Center. The Man At The Crossroads was a mural that was originally commissioned to be at the Rockefeller. Diego Rivera was commissioned to Rockefeller Jr.’s son, Nelson Rockefeller who became a four term governor of NY. There was a disagreement on the design of the painting and Rivera declined to finish it. There are many pieces of art throughout the Rockefeller Center that have Greek mythology origins.

[EPISODE] Fort Greene

Join us this week for a journey to a great Brooklyn neighborhood, Fort Greene!

My guests will be historian Greg Trupiano, founder and director of the Walt Whitman Project, and Jill Lindsey, community activist and business owner of a business named – you guessed it - “Jill Lindsey”.

Segment 1

Jeff introduces his first guest Greg Trupiano, who is a Brooklyn native growing up in the Kensington neighborhood. Greg explains how he first got involved in sharing neighborhood history with people. This initially started with his passion for the famous American poet Walt Whitman. Through the Walt Whitman Project, Greg gives tours across Brooklyn. Greg then goes into the early history of Fort Greene. Under the British rule, Fort Greene and all of Brooklyn was mainly rural farmland. Fort Greene saw a lot of action during the Revolutionary War, the most famous of which was the Battle of Brooklyn. During this time, the British were using the Brooklyn Navy Yard as a place to put American prisoners on ships. In addition, there was a lot of abolitionist work going on in Fort Greene after the war. There was a large African-American population due to the ending of slavery in 1827. 

Segment 2

Greg discusses the importance of the implementation of L trains through Fort Greene. Many historic buildings are located in Fort Greene, including the Brooklyn Academy of Music and the oldest hospital in Brooklyn. The Williamsburg Saving Banks Tower is another significant piece of architecture, for at least half a century was the tallest building in the borough. Jeff then brings up the decline of Fort Greene in the mid-1900s. After the Brooklyn Navy Yard was decommissioned in 1966, the neighborhood lost a lot of its population and wealth. Greg says that In the 1980s the neighborhood was revitalized and people began repopulating the area. 

Segment 3

Jeff returns to the show by introducing Jill Lindsey and having her give a little bit about herself and how she found herself in Brooklyn with her store. Jill explains the hardships she went through and the exhaustive search for a living and business space. Jill enjoys Fort Greene’s small business focused attitude and economy. She finds it conducive to her multifront business model as it creates an environment with the freedom for it. On top of this she claims Fort Greene to be very diverse in the people that live there. She also finds it to be very community driven.

Segment 4

Jeff comes back to the show asking Jill a bit about her store only to move on to the current vibe of Fort Greene. Jill mentions a number of different organizations and events she has scheduled for in her cafe. On top of this, Jill has a number of workshops ranging from femininity in the workplace to manifestation of goals. Jeff asks Jill about her future business endeavours to which she mentions a plan for safe kind of communal lounge in Fort Greene.

[EPISODE] Harlem

Our guests this week as we journey to Harlem will be Rediscovering New York regular Joyce Gold of Joyce Gold History tours, and Harlem resident and business owner Karl Franz Williams, of 67 Orange Street, and Solomon and Kuff.

Segment 1

Jeff introduces his first guest, Joyce Gold of Joyce Gold History Tours, a regular on the show. Joyce goes into the early history of Harlem. The Delaware Indians were the original residents of Harlem when the Dutch first arrived in the area. Harlem was a farming community for much of the Dutch period during the 1650s. Harlem is named after a well-known town in the Netherlands. The British tried to change the name of Harlem but New Yorkers did not allow this to happen. One of the founding fathers, Alexander Hamilton, purchased a hill in Harlem and built a magnificent home in the area in the early. This area is now called Harlem Heights. In the late 18th and 19th century, Harlem was mostly a rural community until the introduction of advanced transportation.    

Segment 2

Jeff returns the show to Harlem and brings up the lesser known ethnic communities that lived in Harlem. Joyce goes into the different groups Harlem hosted. Joyce mentions houses of worship and food stays in neighborhoods the longest. Jeff explains how there was both active Jewish and Italian mafia in Harlem at once. Joyce goes on to describe the history discrimination in Harlem including when Penn Station was established it caused the uprooting of many African American families sparking riots. In the 1920’s, Joyce explains, Harlem was the center of many social justice movements. Over the Depression Harlem faced a lot of trouble. Residents often resorted to rent parties to survive. 

Segment 3

The second interview is with Karl Franz Williams. Karl talks about his education as an engineer and his surprising jump from engineering to marketing with Procter and Gamble. Karl recalls how while living in Puerto Rico the inspiration for 67 Orange Street was planted. Years later, after first opening and running Society Coffee, Karl opened 67 Orange Street in Harlem. Karl speaks on his time with PepsiCo about his work on the innovation team. Jeff recalls his positive experience at 67 Orange Street, particularity the variety of cocktails and spirits.

Segment 4

Karl talks about the history of Harlem, its wide streets and  parks all being factors of what makes the area attractive to him. He talks about how he still loves the parks in the area and how he is able to take his family to enjoy them as well. Karl talks about the different personalities you can find in Harlem from someone working out on the corner to the legendary Dapper Dan and the sense of community found among all these characters. Karl discusses the changes he’s seen in Harlem over the years from vacant lots being turned into buildings to drug activity transforming into families. He talks about his feelings on gentrification and the fear of it being about displacement, as well as how he’s been accused of being a gentrifier in the area.

[EPISODE] Windsor Terrace

This week we journey to Windsor Terrace, in Brooklyn.

My guests will be Rediscovering New York regular David Griffin, Founder and CEO of Landmark Branding, and Jeremiah Fox, Windsor Terrace resident and owner of many businesses, including Della Restaurant, and Juice Box Wine and Spirits.

Segment 1

Jeff and his first guest David Griffin begin by talking about the boundaries of Windsor Terrace. Prospect Park and Green-Wood Cemetery are two of the most well known locations. They then go into some of the history behind Windsor Terrace. The largest American Revolutionary battle was fought in the area. After the war, the land was extremely valuable because it’s located close to Downtown Brooklyn. John Vanderbilt and his wealthy family owned much of the land in the area. After Vanderbilt left, his land was sold to William Bell who renamed the area to what it is now. David then talks about some of the changes in Windsor Terrace after the Civil War.  

Segment 2

David talks about why the buildings in Windsor Terrace are so well preserved. The area is close to train stations but it’s just far enough from major landmarks in the city that there is a lot of privacy. David compares it to it’s a small town in New England. The residents cherish this area and dedicate themselves to keeping the appearance up. David compares the architecture between Park Slope and Windsor Terrace. Windsor Terrace has always been aimed at more of a middle class demographic than Park Slope and other neighboring areas. There was also a zoning change in Windsor Terrace in the 1980s, which limited the height of apartments. This was done to preserve the small-town feeling of the area. Windsor Terrace is home to a horse stable in the area, where people can get horse riding lessons. Farrell's Bar and Grill is a popular bar in the area and was one of the first bars open after the prohibition period ended. 

Segment 3

Jeremiah talks about his upbringing and how he decided to move to New York for school studying music. He talks about how his wife fell in love with Windsor Terrace after they stayed with a friend and how that made them decide to move there. Jeremiah talks about opening his businesses up in Windsor Terrace, which included a pop up wine bar subtleting out of a different business and the connection between the  pop up shop’s name and the history of Windsor Terrace. He describes more of his food and beverages businesses including The Prospector, The Fox and the Crepes, Della and a food co-op. Jeremiah talks about other businesses he’s involved in such as music and a martial arts studio. He describes the vibe of Windsor Terrace and what he likes about the area. 

Segment 4

Jeremih talks about some of the foods available at Della. He talks about how Windsor Terrace has changed over the years but also how it’s stayed the same. He talks about the mix of local and non-local customers that he gets and how the support of the community is necessary to the survival of Della. Jeremiah talks about other kinds of businesses he’d like to open up including a tattoo parlour. He gives advice to anyone looking to open up a business in the area and urges them to think about outside sources of revenue and be dynamic. Jeremiah talks about things he’s struggled with in Windsor Terrace and things he wishes were there that aren’t.

[EPISODE] Roosevelt Island

On this episode we will journey to Roosevelt Island, which is part of Manhattan and probably the borough’s best kept neighborhood secret.

My guests will be Kevin Draper, Director of New York Historical Tours, and Janet Falk, longtime Roosevelt Island resident and owner of Falk Communications and Research.

Segment 1

Jeff greets the audience by introducing our first guest, Kevin Draper. Kevin explains his inspiration for going into the touring business. His story stretches back to childhood. The two move to the origins and early history of Roosevelt Island. Kevin explains how the state eventually acquired Roosevelt Island.

Segment 2

Jeff returns to the show asking about Kevin’s tours before coming back to Roosevelt Island. Kevin goes on to explain how the first slums were in New York. Charles Dickens’ was shocked at the sight of New York slums. Nellie Bly was pivotal in the exposing of the mental asylums when she underwent getting arrested and reporting on the inside. Despite the thin channels Roosevelt Island hosts one of the strongest currents in the country. On January 6 1941 an address was given on the island outlining goals of FDR. 

Segment 3

Jeff comes back by introducing his second guest Janet Falk as they discuss the reason for moving to Roosevelt Island. Janet’s husband worked for NYU and Roosevelt Island supplied apartments to the university's faculty. Janet talks about her work on the resident’s association and the multiple issues that she wanted to address. She then goes into the different residential areas on the island and their origins. Janet loves the feeling of the small town of Roosevelt Island within the massive city of New York. There is a lot more light, space and air in this neighborhood in comparison to the rest of the city.

Segment 4

Janet talks about the community movement in the 1980s to create a public library. She says that is what makes Roosevelt Island special; if something needs to be done, the people there roll up their sleeves and do it. Janet also talks about the feral cat population on the island. It is often a destination for people to leave unwanted cats, but the community has put efforts towards rescuing them.

The residents of the island have also participated in a lot of community activism. One example is pushing to keep the local post office on the island and they were successful. Something that surprises Janet is the fact that when she gives people her business card they often have little or no idea about Roosevelt Island.

[EPISODE] Hell's Kitchen

Join me this week as we journey to Hell's Kitchen.

My guests will be Joyce Gold, founder of Joyce Gold History Tours, and Vincent Gardino, native of Hell’s Kitchen and Vice President of Straus Media, publisher of The West Side Spirit.

Segment 1

Jeff introduces his first guest, Joyce Gold, who is the founder of Joyce Gold History Tours. Jeff and Joyce begin their discussion on Hell’s Kitchen and how the neighborhood is referred to today, and where its streets begin and end. Joyce explains the true meaning behind the name “Hell’s Kitchen,” and goes to talk about the deep history of the streams throughout Manhattan. Joyce talks about “the Astor approach” and how one family began to buy and sell the majority of land in Manhattan. Joyce continues to discuss the Irish immigrants in the area and the project to get clean water in the mid-1800s. They finish up the conversation by mentioning the Hudson River Railroad.

Segment 2

Joyce comes back on the air to talk more about the various tours she has available, including private tours and private events. Joyce talks about the changes in the neighborhood in the midst of the Civil War, and the rise of gangs in the area. Joyce tells Jeff of the different gang names and famous mobsters. They move on to the times of prohibition, and the role it played in Hell’s Kitchen when speakeasies started to pop up. Joyce continues to tell the story of different gangs including the “cape man.” Jeff brings up the theater district and how it meshes together with Hell’s Kitchen. 

Segment 3

Jeff welcomes Vincent Gardino to the air and launches into the story of how Vincent wound up in Hell’s Kitchen. Vincent tells how his family started on the East Side near NYU, but after some moving around found himself in Hell’s Kitchen. The Irish dominated the population in Hell’s Kitchen, and Vincent recounts the tough gritty nature of the neighborhood when he was growing up. Though there were definitely some rough aspects to living in Hell’s Kitchen the children of the area still found ways to make it more palatable with street games.

Segment 4

Returning to the air Vincent gives a brief rundown of his soon to be released book Grave Trippers. The book focuses on interesting characters throughout history buried in cemeteries including maps to the different graves. Moving to Vincent’s radio background and his moving from different radio networks through the years, and started at Straus Media in April 2014. Vincent speaks on the current vibe of the neighborhood, claiming it to be a very young vibe. He notes the myriad of great restaurants in Hell’s Kitchen. Moving to the copious amount of off-broadway theaters popping up around the neighborhood. Hell’s Kitchen has variety and really everything you need.

[EPISODE] Forest Hills

On this show we will journey to Forest Hills in Queens, including the charming Forest Hills Gardens.

My guests will be David Griffin, founder and CEO of Landmark Branding, and Leslie Brown, president of the Forest Hills Chamber of Commerce.

Segment 1

Jeff and David discuss the landscape of Forest Hills before it was settled and how it changed into farmland once it was established. David explains how Forest Hills gained its name and its connection with Brooklyn. He talks about the Cord Meyer Development company, its impact on the development of Forest Hills and how it transformed the landscape into what it is now. Jeff and David talk about the beauty and history of the Forest Hills Garden. David explains restrictions that were placed around Forest Hills Gardens and about the covenants who were placing them.

Segment 2

David talks about Landmark Branding, the work he does there and his blog “Every Building on 5th.” Jeff and David discuss Station Square’s opening and how it helped drive urbanization of the area.  They discuss Forest Hills and the Westside Tennis Club’s history with the U.S. Open and how the area was synonymous with tennis for years. David talks about celebrities who have performed in Forest Hills including The Beatles and Mumford & Sons and celebrities from Forest Hills, including The Ramones and Spiderman.

Segment 3

Jeff comes back from break by introducing his next guest, Leslie Brown who is the president of the Forest Hills Chamber of Commerce. Leslie talks about her background and her parents and family being involved in music. Leslie continues to talk about Forest Hills and the vibe of the neighborhood feeling like a small town in the middle of a big city. She talks about the things that bring people in, from the clothing stores to the fresh food. Jeff and Leslie talk about how the people of Forest Hills have become a lot of small families because of the great schools.

Segment 4

Leslie comes back on the mic to talk about all Forest Hills has to offer in relation to its business. She brings up the way to reach her at, [email protected] and starts to talk about “Jazz Thursdays.” Leslie started this 15 years ago as something people could do on restaurant row, a street of restaurants in the midst of Forest Hills.

Both Jeff and Leslie talk about the Queens jazz trail and how some of the best jazz artists came out of Queens. They continue to talk about Louis Armstrong and the fact that he lived in Corona, Queens for a large portion of his life. Speaking of attractions, Leslie brings up Helen Keller, who also lived in Forest Hills for the majority of her life, and how she was a vibrant community member. Jeff brings up the Festival of Cinema, a ten day film showcase in its third year of existence.

[EPISODE] The Stonewall Uprising and the Lesbian Community

A History of Activism & Engagement

 

In our third and final show honoring the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, my guests will be author and educator Karla Jay, Flavia Rando, archivist and coordinator with the Lesbian Herstory Archives, and poet and artist Fran Winant.

Segment 1

Jeff talks about Karla’s experience and her involvement in the lebsians and gay rights movement. In 1974, she worked for Pace University in the english department and she taught english as a second language. During 1984, Pace established their LGBTQ programs, which was started by Karla. The LGBTQ students created a program called doing with difference and they each counted the number of letters so the numbers can appear only in the letters and not in their transcript. They were afraid they wouldn't be accepted so they decided to keep their door closed during their program. 

Karla changed her name in 1969, as part of the women's movement and she didn’t like her last name because it reminded her of the Berlin Wall. Due to the Vietnam war, the students took over the Pace University building for about 10 days. The guys wanted the women to make food and sleep with them to get through there revolution. Since that situation occurred, Karla became a feminist. She joined the Red stockings, a feminist group that developed awareness about homosexuals. At first, she liked what the group did for lesbians, but later the group only focused on heterosexual woman, so Karla felt like she didn't fit in. Karla wants to organize a lesbian and bi organization in other schools so everyone can feel accepted.

Segment 2

Jeff and Karla talk about the night of the stonewall uprising. Karla says she went to the second night of the stone wall to see what's happening and when she arrived everything was the same. On the door it stated “everyone cooperated with the police and go home” and she said everyone remained peaceful so she had no idea what was going on. In addition, Karla talks about GLF and when she met GLF it made her feel like she was home. She considers the Gay Liberation for Women family. She also joined the radical lesbians and later the action they took was called lavender mineses action. The Radical Lesbians and Gay Liberation For women became one big group. They created “women identify women’’ as a group effort to voice their opinion about gay rights. She joined other organizations, such as the Rat magazine, which was a counter cultural women magazine talking about the women's movement. Karla tried to make people happy in their own skin and wanted people to join her groups.

Segment 3

Flavia Rando, an accomplished scholar and activist in queer activities and lesbian affairs and Fran Winant, an award winning poet and painter (Looking at Women (1971), Dyke Jacket (1976), and Goddess of Lesbian Dreams (1980)), join us on the show tonight.

For many years Flavia ran an art editing business, but went back and got her graduate degree to start teaching after growing bored of her time as an editor. One of the elements of the lesbian revolution was the huge cultural renaissance and explosion of art in the community. Before stonewall lesbian life was an extremely difficult time laced with turmoil, abuse, and violence. Stonewall had a drastic and immediate improvement on the quality of lesbian life, as it gave way to incredible strides in the forming of communities and alliances and exposure of culture. The villages were  both lesbian culture centers of New York producing art and culture. Moving up to Harlem we see the celebration of drag balls, though it is uncertain if women took roles in these balls. However, Harlem was another center of Lesbian activity.

[EPISODE] SOHO and The Beginnings of An Amazing New York Museum

On this show we will journey to SOHO, on our second special episode in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion. My guests will be Joyce Gold of Joyce Gold History Tours, and Charles Leslie, longtime SOHO resident (really pioneer) and founder of the Leslie Lohman Museum, the country’s and indeed the world’s pre-eminent museum of LGBTQ art.

Segment 1

Jeff kicks off the show by introducing his first guest, Joyce Gold, of Joyce Gold History Tours. Both Jeff and Joyce discuss the shorthand name of South Houston, or SoHo. Joyce talks about how the neighborhood dates back to the mid 1600s, and how it went from a hilly neighborhood to a very leveled place. Joyce continues about how SoHo became one of the most residential places in 1820s, and turned to shopping, industries, and today we know it for art. Joyce continues about the history of shopping in the neighborhood, and mentions the history of the African Grove Theater. Jeff and Joyce go back and forth with other industries that got their start in SoHo.

Segment 2

Joyce talks about the tours that she has coming up, including one of the Bowery, a Gilded Age tour, and tour of Greenwich Village. Jeff brings up the architectural structures in SoHo, and Joyce continues about the popular cast iron architecture in the 1850's, and the process it took to create these structures. Joyce brings up the Haughwout building in SoHo, and the excitement around the first elevator. She continues by talking about the evolution of structures in SoHo, and mentions the Puck Building and all it’s been used for. Joyce talks about city planner, Robert Moses, and how artists began to come to the neighborhood.

Segment 3

Jeff returns with mentioning sponsors, followed by a plug of Good Morning New York with Vince Rocco. Introduction of second guest, Charles Leslie. Jeff gives a brief overview of Charles’ different contributions to the queer arts communities, and an introduction of Charles himself. Jeff discusses Charles’ inspiration for leaving home and early life to his experience in Europe. Jeff focuses briefly on Charles’ time in Marrakech after the revolution. Charles moved to SoHo after discovering a passion for film editing, as real estate was plentiful and accessible. Charles discusses his impact on zoning of SoHo. Jeff and Charles discuss his interest, collection, and exhibition of gay art, drawing inspiration to greco-roman nudes. The two transition to Charles’ experience with and diffusing of the Stonewall riot. Jeff returns to Charles’ exhibition shows of gay art and the increase in frequency following the events of Stonewall. Culminating in the formation of a commercial art museum (Leslie-Lohman Museum).

Segment 4

Returns with the current exhibits at the Leslie-Lohman Museum - record of what happened after stonewall. Jeff transitions to the AIDS crisis and the subsequent temporary closing of the museum. Leslie and Fritz has worked quite successfully to the preservation of endangered gay art. Charles speaks of the popularization of larger canvas work, for commercial purposes, and thus the search for larger spaces to work. Artists would often buy large spaces for not very much money. Jeff and Charles speaks of the current “vibe” of SoHo and the change that brought this new vibe. Charles remarks of how SoHo has become more of a comfortable and clean neighborhood, though there is no clear future of the neighborhood. Jeff and Charles closes with any tips for landlords in the SoHo area - “think twice about retail space”.

[EPISODE]  The Stonewall Uprising and the Beginning of the Modern Gay Rights Movement

Join me for our first special episode in honor of the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, the beginning of the modern gay rights movement in the United States, and the neighborhood where it took place.

My guests will be Michael Venturiello, founder and owner of Christopher Street Tours, and Stonewall veteran and longtime village resident Michael Levine.

Segment 1

Jeff starts out the show by talking about the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising and introduces his first guest, Micheal Venturiello. The two talk about the start of gay life and gay communities before Stonewall dating back to the 1800s. Michael goes from 20s and the expression of drag in Harlem to the 40s and 50s to when President Esienhower made in clear in writing that the queer community could be discriminated against. Michael discusses gay advocacy and gay bars before Stonewall, and the power of being in a public place.

Segment 2

Michael starts this segment by talking about the types of tours they offer at Christopher Street Tours. Michael continues by talking about the night of Stonewall and why the gay community felt 1969 was the time for their uprising. Michael and Jeff talk about LGBTQ life in the village before the 6 nights of Stonewall. Michael talks about the way that several LGBTQ organizations started up because they were inspired by New York. Michael tells of how the LBGTQ community has changed through the years.

Segment 3

Jeff kicks off this segment by introducing his second guest Michael Levine. Michael talks about his move to Manhattan in 1967 and his start in urban planning. Jeff and Michael talk about Michael being closeted at work and his first few nights going into Stonewall. Micheal remembers his nights at Stonewall very fondly and talks about the “urban legend” that was the death of Judy Garland causing part of the riots.

Segment 4

Michael talks about the actual night of Stonewall and how it started for him as a date. Michael continues about the moment the police showed up at the bar and his main fear of being discovered as a gay man. He notes the main difference of this raid from others– people weren’t leaving, and instead decided to dance in the street. Michael discusses night three, which was the first night the tactical police force showed up and news hit the papers. Michael tells Jeff how Stonewall truly affected his life positively, made him proud, and made him no longer a closeted gay man.