Central Harlem Historic District Passes City Council

HARLEM, NY — A proposal to designate several Central Harlem blocks as a historic district was approved Wednesday by the New York City Council. The city Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the district in May, but it still needed city approval to take effect.

The Central Harlem – West 130-132nd Street Historic District extends landmark protection to row houses located on West 130th, 131st and 132nd street between Lenox Avenue and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard, according to the LPC.

Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer congratulated neighborhood activists who pushed for the historic district and said "landmarking isn't just for a select group of neighborhoods in mid- and lower Manhattan," in a statement.

"We can and should use the Landmarks Law to protect superior architecture and historically significant buildings and spaces in every corner of all five boroughs. I'm glad to see this area in Central Harlem will be granted the protected status it deserves," Brewer said in a statement.

The homes in this stretch of Central Harlem exemplify late 19th century row-house architecture and reflect Harlem's past. The area "is rich with significant African American cultural history, from the Harlem Renaissance to the Civil Rights movement," according to an LPC announcement from when the district was designated.

The district includes the headquarters for New Amsterdam Musical Association, the oldest African-American musical association in the county, and groups involved in the passage of the Civil Rights act also had headquarters in the district — like Friendship Baptist Church and National Headquarters for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, according to the city.

Aside from the headquarters of groups, the district also has the former home of composer and pianist Scott Joplin, who was dubbed the "King of Ragtime," the LPC said.

To highlight the history of the area, the LPC created an online story map with photos, text, maps and video to tell the story of the buildings and its residents.

Photo courtesy Landmarks Preservation Commission