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Look past the bricks and mortar and discover the history of some of the most famous buildings on Blueprint NYC. Each episode offers a nuts-and-bolts perspective behind storied sites, like the Wonder Theaters and the Highline, with walking tours and interviews with experts who have a passion for the history and architecture of New York City.
Situated in the heart of Brooklyn, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden is a collection of gardens that stretch over 52 acres and contain more than 10,000 varieties of plants. These “gardens within a garden” are dedicated to education, research and the display of horticulture. Let’s take a walk through this living museum.
The Brooklyn Academy of Music is celebrated for its rich history, its sophisticated yet playful architecture and decades of groundbreaking performances. Nestled in the heart of Fort Greene, it is a beacon to performers and arts lovers from around the world. Join us as we visit a place that has enriched the Blueprint of New York City.
Wave Hill is a spectacular public garden and cultural center located in the Riverdale section of the Bronx. Overlooking the Hudson River and the Palisades, its twenty-eight acres feature gardens, greenhouses and woodlands and provide an oasis of serenity throughout the year. Join us as we celebrate the seasons at Wave Hill.
Take a tour down the heart of Brooklyn on Flatbush Avenue. Visit the Williamsburg Savings Bank tower, with its breathtaking views and exceptionally ornate banking hall. Get an up-close look at the art and architecture of Grand Army Plaza, including the Soldier's & Sailor's Memorial Arch and the Brooklyn Public Library. Look into Brooklyn's agricultural past at the 18th century Lefferts Historic House and visit Floyd Bennett Field, where Amelia Earhart and Howard Hughes made aviation history.
Few would disagree that Central Park is the most visionary piece of urban planning this world has seen; and with millions of visitors each year, fewer still can imagine New York City without it. In this episode of 'Blueprint NYC' we trace the history of Manhattan's green oasis: from the inception of its uniquely American design, to its decline and rebirth.
Brooklyn Heights became New York City's first neighborhood to be designated as an historic district, and for good reason - it was the heart of the abolitionist movement and the homes and churches that adorn its streets, are some of the finest examples of American architecture. With the help of the Brooklyn Historical Society, 'Blueprint NYC' tells the story of this remarkable neighborhood: from Henry Ward Beecher's Plymouth Church to the construction of the Brooklyn Heights Promenade.
New York City's City Hall is the oldest city hall in the nation still used today as a center for city government. For 200, years this building has been at the center of politics, protests and civic celebrations. This landmark is one of the building blocks on the blueprint for the greatest city in the world.
Since 1941 Gracie Mansion has been the official residence of nine New York City mayors and their families. However, the history of the site goes back much further - to 1646. Gracie Mansion is a fixture in the annals of great New York City landmarks.
When Sailors' Snug Harbor opened its gates on Staten Island in 1833 it was the first maritime home and hospital for retired seamen in the United States. Today the Snug Harbor Cultural Center is an 83-acre landmark historic district offering museums, performance spaces, gardens and artists' studios. Join us for a tour of this magnificent center for the arts.
New York City is widely regarded as the cultural capital of the world and nothing better represents this than the Brooklyn Museum. Located on Eastern Parkway in Central Brooklyn, its collections represent almost every culture and corner of the world ranging from ancient Egyptian masterpieces to contemporary art. Join us for a tour of one of the nation's premier art institutions.
In the middle of New York Harbor sits one of the most historic places in America. Governor's Island helped secure our independence, witnessed thousands of men being sent off to war and hosted a conference that helped end the Cold War. Join us for a tour of one of New York City's most unique landmarks.
Blueprint NYC: Parks chronicles the history of the City's flagship parks in each borough. These parks include Central Park in Manhattan, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens, Prospect Park in Brooklyn, the Greenbelt in Staten Island, and Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx.
When a part of the Brooklyn coastline was transformed into some of the earliest great amusement parks, Coney Island became the birthplace of American leisure.
For more than a century, the Staten Island Ferry has shuttled millions of passengers annually across the NY Harbor.
Discover the amazing story behind one of America’s most beloved and iconic landmarks -- The Statue of Liberty. Watch how the statue was painstakingly built from the time that she was conceived by a lofty French artist, through the various stages of miraculous engineering required before it was finally ready to greet the world.
Nearly 40% of Americans can connect their family history to Ellis Island, which served as the gateway to the country for more than sixty years. Experience Ellis Island the way more than 12 million immigrants did, as they endured what was the nation’s busiest immigration station in pursuit of the American dream.
St. John The Divine in Morningside Heights is one of the largest cathedrals in the world and has been under construction for more than 125 years.
Discover one of the Nation's first rural cemeteries, Green-Wood. This National Historic Landmark in the Gowanus Hills of Brooklyn is celebrated for architecture, horticulture and art. It even inspired the City's most iconic public parks.
2015
In the 1920s, four movie palaces were built in New York City. They were opulent, over the top and for a quarter, could make you feel like a King. Blueprint NYC takes you through the heyday of the Loews Wonder Theaters, the magic way in which they were constructed and reveals two that are having a surprising “second act.
The David N Dinkins Manhattan Municipal Building is one of New York’s first skyscrapers – an architectural marvel and a nightmare to build. It's an impressive building that many people know nothing about. Blueprint NYC digs into the construction and turn-of-the-century innovations that made this unique structure possible.
Seabury Tredwell and his family moved into an East Village townhouse on East 4th Street in 1832 and nothing inside or out has changed since then. The Merchant’s House is a time capsule hiding in plain sight. Blueprint reveals how the merchant class and their servants lived in 19th century New York—in many ways it’s like they never left!
Blueprint looks at the unlikely story of how Manhattan's High Line was saved and transformed into New York's "Park in the Sky."
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