The Hidden Parts of Manhattan
Even if you’re a native New Yorker, you can never know every inch of it. We’ve lived and worked in Manhattan for years and can safely say that we know the city incredibly well -- driving to clients’ homes from the Upper West Side to the West Village to the Financial District. But there are parts of New York City that you may have never seen or even heard about. Here are a few lesser known, well worth seeing locations in NYC.
We Won’t Spare Any Details
Photo courtesy of Untapped Cities Michelle Young
The Frick’s European art collection is usually housed inside the former mansion of Henry Clay Frick on East 70th Street. The museum’s collection can currently be found at their temporary home on Madison and 75th Street while the mansion’s interior is being meticulously restored to its original 1914 design. The historic building on East 70th Street is scheduled to reopen in late 2024. The mansion has so many surprises, but one of the coolest is the private bowling alley in the basement that Frick added in 1914. In 1997, the two-lane bowling alley was restored to its original design. The alley used a revolutionary ball return technology that relied on physics and gravity. This made it possible for player to stay in place and not run down the alley to retrieve the ball. Unfortunately, you can only see this hidden gem in photos or videos, since there’s only one way to enter and exit the area, making it a fire/safety hazard.
The Secret Apartment inside Radio City Music Hall
Photo Courtesy of MSG Entertainment
Very few parts of the city have stayed untouched, except for the art deco apartment inside Radio City built for entertainer “Samuel “Roxy” Rothafel. The Roxy Suite looks much as it did in 1936. Unless you’re a celebrity, the only way to see it is to take the Radio City Stage Door Tour. Check out the 20-foot-high golden leaf ceilings, period furniture and ceiling-to-floor drapes. Fun fact from Secret NYC: The dining room is a perfect dome intended to make it easier for guests to speak to each other across the table and hear one another with ease above the noise of whatever performance is taking place on the stage below.
Abandoned Subway Stations
Photo by Augustin Pasquet
The very first subway line, the IRT, opened in 1904, from City Hall to 145th Street. The City Hall Station was built as the “crown jewel” of the system as part of the City Beautiful architectural movement. The thinking was that a gorgeous space could help create a better civic society. It’s been closed since 1945 due to soaring subway ridership. The curved shape of the station couldn’t accommodate longer trains. If you want to see the Guastavino vaulted tile ceilings, spectacular skylights, and sparkling chandeliers of this magnificent stop, book a tour with the New York Transit Museum.
Photo by Klaus-Peter Statz
Another secret station platform exists under the Waldorf-Astoria. The abandoned line was used to discreetly transport famous guests such as (legend has it) Franklin Delano Roosevelt and General Pershing. Supposedly Andy Warhol used it as an event space in 1965. Untapped New York offers great tours of these and other out of the way above and below ground New York City sites.
Upper West Side Walk Back in Time
The Tudor-style micro-neighborhood, Pomander Walk, was built to resemble the London street depicted in a 1910 play of the same name. It was also recently featured in the 2022 book “This Time Tomorrow.” Built in 1921, this private community was designated a city landmark in 1982. It’s only accessible to residents, but you can get a glimpse of its private gardens and charming homes through the iron gate on West 95th Street off of Broadway. Many theater and creative people have called the street home, including Woody Allen and Humphrey Bogart. In fact, there’s still a little green shed that was supposedly the old guardhouse used by Bogart’s bodyguard.
The Midtown Rain Forest
Photo courtesy of Alana Beyer
Built in 1967, the 12-story tall atrium garden at The Ford Foundation building on East 43rd Street boasts 40 species of trees, vines, and shrubs, not to mention a peaceful reflecting pool and sensory garden. The glass walls and ceiling help it to act as a greenhouse. The roof collects rainwater and transforms it into steam condensation to water the plants and fill the pools. It’s open to the public Monday through Saturday from 11 am to 6 pm.
One of the things we love about Manhattan is that there’s always more to learn and explore. We’d love to hear about your favorite forgotten or off the beaten path parts of New York. We’ll see you on our travels around this amazing city.
Gary Mindlin is co-founder and owner of Top Hat Home Services, a full-service property care and management company. Top Hat services homes in Manhattan and are known as experts in every aspect of building management, maintenance and repair, as well as renovation and construction supervision.