New York Rising is an illustrated history of real estate development
in Manhattan, a story of speculation and innovation - of the big ideas,
big personalities, and big risks that collectively shaped a city like no
other.
From the first European settlement in the seventeenth century through
the skyscrapers and large-scale urban planning schemes of the late
twentieth century, this book presents a broad historical survey,
illustrated with images drawn largely from the rich archival resources
of the Durst Collection at Avery Architectural & Fine Arts Library,
Columbia University.
The patriarch of one of New York City's most prominent real estate
families, Seymour B. Durst, was a bibliophile and an avid collector of
New York memorabilia. His archival holdings - once known as the Old York
Library and now the Durst Collection - reflect his fascination with the
city's street grid, mass transit, port, parks and open spaces, as well
as its monumental buildings and signature skyline.
Ten leading scholars - the late Hilary Ballon, Ann Buttenwieser, Andrew
Dolkart, David King, Reinhold Martin, Richard Plunz, Lynne B. Sagalyn,
Hilary Sample, Russell Shorto, and Carol Willis - delved into the
collection to select objects that reflect their own areas of interest
and expertise.
Using these materials, they have created visual narratives on specific
topics, focusing on the Dutch and English governance of Manhattan, the
growth of the city according to the Commissioners' Plan of 1811, the
emergence of the public transit system, the "race for height," the rise
of multi-family and affordable housing, the transformation of Midtown
into a commercial center, urban renewal in the Moses era, the revival of
Times Square, and the reclaiming of the waterfront as public space.
Essays by Kate Ascher and Thomas Mellins provide a framework for
exploring these topics. New York Rising is published in association with
The Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation and Avery
Architectural & Fine Arts Library, Columbia University.
