1509 - A New Lift for a Manhattan Brownstone
November 8-14, 2004 | May 9-15, 2005
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HI, I'M BOB VILA.
WELCOME "HOME AGAIN"
TO THE START OF ANOTHER
BRAND-NEW PROJECT.
THIS TIME
THE JOB'S IN MANHATTAN.
WE'RE ON THE UPPER WEST SIDE
OF NEW YORK,
AND TODAY WE'LL GIVE YOU A LOOK
AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD
AND THE APARTMENT
IN AN OLD BROWNSTONE
THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE TAKING
INTO THE 21st CENTURY.
WE'LL ALSO TAKE A WALK
IN CENTRAL PARK.
STICK AROUND,
IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU
"HOME AGAIN."
CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY
SEARS
Vila: MANHATTAN'S
UPPER WEST SIDE IN
CENTRAL PARK WEST
WAS FULLY DEVELOPED
IN THE LAST QUARTER
OF THE 19th CENTURY,
AND MANY OF THE BUILDINGS
THAT ARE STILL HERE TODAY
WERE BUILT WITH THE SAME KIND OF
QUALITY AND THE SAME AESTHETICS
OF ANY OF THE FINEST BUILDINGS
IN PARIS
AND ANY
OF THE EUROPEAN CAPITALS.
BUT THE SIDE STREETS
WERE SOMETHING ELSE.
IN THE 1890s,
MANY OF THESE SIDE STREETS
WERE STILL EMPTY LOTS,
PERFECT FOR PRIVATE DEVELOPERS
TO BUY TWO OR FOUR OR SIX
AND PUT UP
SPECULATIVE ROW HOUSES.
MANY OF THEM SURVIVE
IN BRILLIANT CONDITION,
AS YOU CAN SEE BEHIND ME.
THEY'RE BROWNSTONE,
USUALLY STONE THAT WAS
QUARRIED OUT IN CONNECTICUT.
THEY'RE CARVED AND WORKED
SO THAT THE THE DETAILING
IS VERY HIGH-END VICTORIAN,
AND HIGH-END IS THE TIPOFF,
BECAUSE THIS WAS MEANT TO BE
LUXURY HOUSING
FOR WEALTHY PEOPLE
WHO DID NOT WANT
TO LIVE IN APARTMENTS
OVER ON THE MAIN STREETS,
BUT WHO WANTED TO HAVE
THE PRIVACY AND CONVENIENCE
OF A BIG FAMILY HOUSE
IN THE CITY.
BUT YOU FOUND NEW TECHNOLOGIES:
SPEAKING TUBES
BETWEEN THE FLOORS,
HOT AND COLD RUNNING WATER,
AND IN SOME OF THEM
YOU EVEN HAD ELEVATORS.
THIS PARTICULAR ROW
OF 6 BUILDINGS,
BUILT IN 1892
BY DEVELOPER SAM UMBERFIELD,
IT WAS DESIGNED BY AN ARCHITECT
NAMED GEORGE WALDGROVE.
AND ALL OF THEM HAVE A LOT
OF THE IDENTICAL DETAILING
THAT INVOLVES THE BROWNSTONE
AND THE TRIM
AND THE WROUGHT IRON,
BUT MUCH HAS CHANGED
IN THE ENSUING 100 YEARS.
ALL OF THEM HAVE LOST
THEIR FRONT STOOPS,
BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL
ARCHITECTURE
INCLUDED A SET
OF BROWNSTONE STEPS
THAT WENT UP TO THE FIRST FLOOR,
WHICH, IN THE CONVERSIONS,
BECAME THE SECOND FLOOR.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT
IN ALL OF THESE NOW
IS TWO OR 3 STEPS DOWN
TO AN ENTRANCE,
AND A CONVERSION TO MAYBE
6 OR 8 OR EVEN 10 APARTMENTS.
AND A LOT OF THE ORIGINAL
DETAILING WAS DESTROYED
IN THE PROCESS.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE,
THOUGH, IS A FEW SURVIVORS
LIKE THESE EXCELLENT DOORS,
WHICH MOST LIKELY WERE UP THERE
AS THE MAIN ENTRANCE DOORS.
BUT THEN THERE'S
A LOT OF OTHER MATERIALS
THAT ARE TOTALLY INAPPROPRIATE.
THESE CASEMENT WINDOWS
THAT WERE PUT IN
SPEAK OF THE 1940s.
THEY'RE IRON, SINGLE-GLAZED,
AND OBVIOUSLY OBSOLETE.
AND OTHER DETAILING,
LIKE THIS ALUMINUM RAILING,
WHICH IS TOTALLY INAPPROPRIATE
FOR AN ENTRANCE
THAT INVOLVES SO MUCH
BEAUTIFUL WROUGHT IRON.
LET'S GO INSIDE
AND TAKE A CLOSER LOOK.
AND FORTUNATELY,
THE PEOPLE THAT
DID THE CONVERSION
HAD THE GOOD SENSE
TO TAKE THESE DOORS,
WHICH WERE PROBABLY UP THERE,
AS I SAID A SECOND AGO,
AND REINSTALL THEM DOWN HERE.
THIS IS REALLY QUALITY
WROUGHT IRON WORK
FROM THE 1890s,
AND IT CAN OBVIOUSLY
STAND ANOTHER CENTURY
OF USE IN THIS AREA.
THE AREA THAT THEY CREATED HERE
AS A LITTLE FOYER
HAS WHAT I LIKE TO CALL
"EARLY LAMINATE."
THIS IS A TYPE OF--
I DON'T KNOW WHAT MANUFACTURER
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN,
WE CALL IT ALL FORMICA,
BUT IT'S MEANT
TO LOOK LIKE MARBLE.
IT SURE DOES.
WE'VE STARTED
PROTECTING THE AREA
SO THAT WHEN WE DO
THE DEMOLITION,
WE DON'T DAMAGE
ANYTHING THAT'S STILL HERE.
THIS PROBABLY WAS
THE INNER DOOR UPSTAIRS,
AGAIN WITH A CORRESPONDING
INSERT OF IRON.
AND THE ONE THING THAT IS
A TELLTALE SIGN OF THE FORTIES
IS THIS VERY UTILITARIAN
AND UNATTRACTIVE STEEL
STAIRCASE,
WHICH DOES THE JOB,
MEETS THE FIRE CODE,
BUT IT'S NOT
PARTICULARLY ELEGANT.
LET'S GO UP TO THE FIRST FLOOR.
[CREAKING]
THE DOOR'S A LITTLE CREAKY,
BUT THE ENTRANCEWAY
REALLY CONTINUES TO TELL
THE STORIES
OF A 1940's RENOVATION
IF YOU LOOK AT ALL
THESE CURVED SPACES ON THE TOP,
AND EVEN A LITTLE DETAIL
LIKE THIS.
THERE WAS A BAR IN PLACE HERE
THAT THE PREVIOUS FAMILY
TOOK WITH THEM,
BUT THEY COULDN'T TAKE THIS.
IT'S AN UNUSUAL FEATURE.
BUT ANYWAY,
MY SON CHRIS IS WORKING WITH ME.
WE'RE REMODELING
THIS PLACE TOGETHER.
HEY, DAD.
AND HOW ARE YOU?
LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT
THE DEMOLITION CREW
HAS ALREADY STARTED.
I MEAN, THEY'VE JUMPED
THE GUN A LITTLE BIT,
HAVEN'T THEY?
WELL, WE GOT A LITTLE
AHEAD OF OURSELVES YESTERDAY.
WE BASICALLY
SPENT AN ENTIRE DAY
DOING ALL OF THE CAPPING,
ALL THE SHUTOFFS,
ALL THE PLUMBING'S
BEEN CAPPED,
THE GAS LINES, POWER,
SO THERE'S NO RISK
OF ANYBODY HURTING
THEMSELVES.
SO THE WATER'S SHUT OFF,
THE POWER'S SHUT OFF.
WE SHUT EVERYTHING.
SO BASICALLY THE LIGHTS
THAT WE'VE GOT IN HERE
ARE ALL COMING IN
FROM A SEPARATE SOURCE.
SO THERE'S NO RISK
OF ANYBODY HURTING THEMSELVES
IN TERMS
OF ALL THE DEMOLITION
WE'RE GOING
TO GET INTO TOMORROW.
AND THE DEMOLITION
PERMIT'S IN PLACE.
BUT THEY'RE ALREADY
TAKING STUFF OFF
THE WALLS.
WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME
TAKING OFF ALL
THE SURFACE MOLDING.
YOU'VE GOT WIRE MOLDING HERE,
OLD FLUORESCENT LIGHT FIXTURES,
SOME SORT OF
AN OLD DOORBELL HERE.
SO YOU'VE GOT YEARS AND YEARS
OF ACCUMULATION,
OF PEOPLE JUST NAILING
AND PUTTING THINGS ON
AND PLASTERING IN LAYERS,
SO WE'RE SORT OF TAKING
THAT ALL BACK NOW.
BUT ARE THERE ANY 1890s
DETAILS WORTH SAVING?
NOTHING.
NOT EVEN A MANTELPIECE.
THERE ACTUALLY USED TO BE
A CHIMNEY HERE,
BUT OVER THE YEARS,
IT'S GOTTEN ALL COVERED IN
AND THAT'S
WHAT'S LEFT OF IT.
AND THERE ARE
NO CEILING MOLDINGS?
THEY PROBABLY DROPPED
THIS CEILING.
YUP. THIS CEILING ACTUALLY
WAS DROPPED ABOUT A FOOT
COMPARED TO THE REAR
AND THE FRONT OF THE UNIT.
NO DOOR MOLDINGS
OR ANYTHING?
NOTHING. NOT A THING.
THIS LOOKS INTERESTING.
RIGHT. WELL,
THIS IS THE ORIGINAL FLOORING.
AND IT'S THE ONLY AREA HERE
WHERE YOU CAN SEE IT,
BECAUSE THE REST
OF THE APARTMENT'S
BEEN COVERED OVER
WITH LAYERS OF VINYL TILE.
MM-HMM.
LAYERS BELOW THAT,
SO WE'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY
TRY TO SALVAGE
AS MUCH OF THIS FLOORING
AS POSSIBLE.
CHRIS, WHAT'S
THE SQUARE FOOTAGE?
A LITTLE UNDER
2,000 SQUARE FEET.
OK. WELL,
LET'S WALK AROUND
AND GET AN IDEA OF
THE EXISTING FLOOR PLAN
BEFORE THE DEMO BEGINS.
Vila: HEY, IT SURE
IS BRIGHT IN HERE.
Chris: IT'S VERY PINK
IN THIS ROOM.
RIGHT.
THESE ARE ACTUALLY
BEING SALVAGED.
THESE ARE
FROM THE FIFTIES.
GLASS AND STEEL
CABINETS.
AND YOU'VE ACTUALLY
GOT THIS GREAT LIGHT
THAT WOULD LIGHT
EVERYTHING UP
ON THE INSIDE,
SO IT MUST HAVE
BEEN SOMETHING.
IT'S VERY "JETSONS."
AND SOMEBODY BRUSHED ON
A COAT OF PAINT,
BUT I BET YOU COULD STRIP IT
AND THEN SPRAY ON--
THIS COULD BE STRIPPED
DOWN AND LOOK GREAT
IF YOU REALLY
SPRAYED IT INSTEAD
OF BRUSH-PAINTING IT.
YOU'VE GOT THAT
AND THESE BEHIND ME,
THAT'S NICE.
THAT'S WORTH
SALVAGING.
THIS IS
THE ORIGINAL DOOR
FROM WHAT WAS
THE FRONT APARTMENT.
SO YOU HAD
TWO APARTMENTS HERE.
AND THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN
THE DEMARCATION BETWEEN
FRONT AND BACK.
SO IN THE FRONT,
WE HAVE A SMALL SPACE
THAT COULD HAVE BEEN
THEIR--
THIS WAS THE KITCHEN.
AND ACTUALLY WE'VE GOT
THE OLD INTERCOM.
IT'S KIND OF
A NICE LITTLE DETAIL.
HASN'T WORKED IN YEARS.
NOT IN YEARS, NO.
CONTINUING IN
THE PINK THEME...[SIGHS]
WE'VE GOT, YEAH,
SOME SALVAGEABLE
THINGS IN HERE.
THIS SINK IS ACTUALLY
VERY OF-THE-MOMENT.
WHAT WOULD HAVE
CONVINCED SOMEBODY
TO PLACE A BATHROOM
THIS ELABORATE
RIGHT IN
THE FRONT WINDOW THERE,
RIGHT PRACTICALLY
ON THE STREET?
WELL, YOU'RE RIGHT,
I WOULD DEFINITELY
SALVAGE THAT SINK.
I'M NOT SURE...
DEFINITELY THE LEGS
AND THE FIXTURES.
IT'S VERY HIGH-QUALITY
STUFF,
THE BATHTUB,
THE GLASS DOORS,
AND OBVIOUSLY THE TILE
HAS BEEN PUT DOWN
ON A FULL MUD JOB.
THAT WILL BE TOUGH
TO STRIP OUT OF THERE.
AND THEN THIS ROOM
IS VERY NICE.
WHAT DO YOU SUPPOSE
THE CEILING HEIGHTS
ARE IN HERE?
EASILY 12 FEET IN HERE.
I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT
A REALLY GREAT SPACE,
NICE DETAILING.
AND THEY CHOPPED IT UP.
THAT WALL, OK.
AND THE WINDOWS,
WE WERE LOOKING AT THESE
FROM THE STREET.
THESE CASEMENT WINDOWS,
PROBABLY PUT IN
IN THE FORTIES.
AND EVENTUALLY
WE'LL BE CHANGING THESE,
BUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS
GET LANDMARKS' APPROVAL HERE.
WELL, LET'S GO LOOK
AT THE BACK END
OF THE APARTMENT.
Vila, voice-over: NEXT
WE'LL TALK WITH AN ARCHITECT
ABOUT BRINGING THE APARTMENT
INTO THE 21st CENTURY.
ALL RIGHT, SO,
INTO THE BACK AREA
WE'VE GOT WHAT
IS ESSENTIALLY
THE MASTER BEDROOM SUITE.
YEAH, WE'VE GOT
THE MASTER SUITE.
THIS HAS BEEN HERE
FOR A LONG TIME.
THIS IS
ORIGINAL WALLPAPER.
YEAH, VERY OLD.
RIGHT, VERY VICTORIAN
IF YOU LOOK AT IT.
BUT IT'S FUNNY
THE DIFFERENT THINGS
THAT HAPPENED,
I MEAN,
THIS PURPLE PAINT--
WE HAD A MIRROR ORIGINALLY
COVERING THIS--
--WHICH WAS TAKEN,
IT WAS KIND OF A DECO MIRROR
WHICH WAS PULLED OUT.
THAT LOOKS VERY OLD,
THE CLOSET.
VERY. WE'VE GOT SORT OF
A QUILTED PINK CLOSET.
BUT I MEANT
THE BUILT-IN.
THAT'S ORIGINAL.
THAT'S DEFINITELY ORIGINAL.
AND THE VERY OLD
LINOLEUM FLOOR.
RIGHT.
AND THEN WE'VE GOT
A BATHROOM OPPOSITE
THAT IS MAYBE
30-YEARS-OLD.
THIS WAS REDONE,
YOU CAN TELL,
BECAUSE THE ACTUAL--
THE SINK USED TO BE
OVER THERE ON THE FAR SIDE.
THAT WAS THEN MOVED.
IT'S A TOUGH PLAN,
BUT THERE IS
A LITTLE WINDOW.
IT'S A SMALL WINDOW.
AND WE'VE STILL GOT
ONE MORE MIRROR
TO TAKE DOWN.
RIGHT.
AND THEN WHAT IS
ESSENTIALLY NOT
HUGE SPACE--
NOT HUGE, BUT AGAIN,
THE TALL CEILINGS.
12 FEET.
AND AN ARCHITECT
IS IN OUR MIDST.
RIGHT, BRIAN O'KEEFE.
HI, CHRIS.
WHO I'VE BEEN
WORKING WITH.
HI, BOB.
HOW ARE YOU,
BRIAN?
SO IT'S KIND OF
A RABBIT WARREN
THE WAY THIS IS
ALL LAID OUT.
ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT
TO TRY TO ADDRESS.
YEAH, BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT
SPACES THAT ONCE SERVED
AS TWO SEPARATE
RENTAL UNITS
THAT WERE THEN COMBINED,
WE DON'T KNOW WHEN,
AND RIGHT NOW,
AS WE'VE BEEN TOURING,
THERE'S A LOT OF WALLS
THAT YOU KEEP BUMPING
WE ALSO HAVE
THIS AREA IN THE FRONT
WHICH HAS TONS OF LIGHT,
AND WE WANT TO KIND OF
OPEN THAT UP THROUGHOUT,
SO THAT'S WHAT BRIAN AND I
HAVE BEEN TRYING
TO TAKE CARE OF.
SHOW US
YOUR PROPOSAL,
BRIAN.
OK, IN ORDER
TO TAKE ADVANTAGE
OF THAT GREAT LIGHT,
THE WIDTH OF THE BUILDING,
THE HEIGHT OF THIS
PARTICULAR FLOOR HERE,
WE REALLY WANT TO TRY
AND OPEN THIS UP,
BECAUSE THAT'S
WHAT PEOPLE TODAY,
HOW THEY LIVE
AND WANT TO DO
WITH THIS SPACE.
SO IN THIS PARTICULAR PLAN,
WE'VE PUT THE KITCHEN
TOWARDS THE WINDOWS HERE.
PEOPLE REALLY LIKE
TO BE IN THE KITCHEN--
Chris: SO THAT'S
THE BATHROOM NOW.
THIS IS WHERE
THAT PINK BATHROOM
IS CURRENTLY
LOCATED.
CORRECT. CORRECT.
SO WE OPENED THAT ALL UP
AND MADE THAT INTO
A LARGE EAT-IN KITCHEN.
SORT OF
A LIVE-IN KITCHEN.
THAT'S THE KEY.
IT'S NOT JUST
AN EAT-IN KITCHEN
BUT A LIVE-IN
KITCHEN,
BECAUSE THERE'S
PLENTY OF OPEN SPACE
FOR FURNITURE, TV,
OR WHATEVER.
ABSOLUTELY.
AND THEN THE NEXT SPACE
WOULD BE THE DINING ROOM.
MOST PEOPLE WOULD PROBABLY
PUT THAT TO THE FRONT,
BUT PEOPLE REALLY HANG OUT
IN THEIR KITCHEN THESE DAYS,
AND SO WE PUT
THE DINING ROOM
TO THE INTERIOR,
AND THAT CONNECTS
TO THE LIVING ROOM.
AND, OF COURSE,
THE DINING ROOM
IN MANY SITUATIONS
IS REALLY CONSIDERED
OBSOLETE,
SO THAT IT'S A SPACE
THAT CAN BE USED FOR
OTHER PURPOSES.
ABSOLUTELY.
Chris:
WE'VE ALSO GOT THIS--
ANOTHER DOORWAY HEADING
INTO THE DINING ROOM.
WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT--
YOU DON'T NEED IT
FOR CODE PURPOSES,
DO YOU?
YOU DON'T NEED
TWO SEPARATE MEANS
OF EGRESS HERE?
I DON'T BELIEVE SO.
OK. AND THEN WE'VE
GOT THE ELEVATOR
IN THIS AREA HERE,
AND WHAT'S THAT?
THAT IS ACTUALLY A CHASE
CONTAINING THE MECHANICALS
AND THE RISERS
AND SO FORTH.
AND THEN
WHAT DO WE DO
IN THE BIG, BIG,
HUGE ROOM?
THE BIG LIVING ROOM THERE
WE WANT TO PUT IN--
WE WANT TO SEE
THE CONDITION OF THE FLOOR.
HOPEFULLY, THEY HAVE
SOME NICE, BEAUTIFUL
WOOD FLOORS DOWN THERE.
WE THINK THERE'S
A DROPPED CEILING
IN THERE.
YEAH, WE WANT TO SEE
IF THERE'S THIS NICE HIGH
12'6" OR WHATEVER CEILING.
WE TALKED ABOUT PUTTING
A FIREPLACE IN AS WELL.
AND THEN WE JUST
WALKED THROUGH HERE.
YOU'RE BASICALLY
NOT MAKING
TOO MANY CHANGES
THERE, BRIAN.
NO, WE'RE NOT.
REFIT THE CLOSET
TO A LITTLE MORE EFFICIENT
AND THEN WE WANT
TO REWORK THE BATHROOM,
SLIDE THE BATHTUB DOWN
AND ACCESS THE LINEN CLOSET
FROM THE HALLWAY.
FROM THE HALL,
AND PUT IN A NEW
PEDESTAL FIXTURE
AND A WATER CLOSET.
AND THEN YOU'RE
TEARING DOWN
THE CLOSETS
THAT EXIST RIGHT
HERE BEHIND YOU.
SO IT'S CREATING
ONE BIG ROOM.
ONE BIGGER
SPACE.
AND THEN WILL BE--
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO,
FRENCH DOORS HERE,
OPENING ONTO THIS DECK?
OH, ONTO THAT
LITTLE BALCONY.
TO THE BALCONY.
NOW, ONE QUESTION:
WHAT ABOUT--
I SEE "STRIP" WRITTEN
DOWN ON THE WALLS
EVERYWHERE.
DOES IT MAKE SENSE
TO TRY TO SALVAGE
SOME OF THESE
PLASTER WALLS?
NOT FOR THE EXTENT
THAT WE'RE DOING,
ABSOLUTELY NOT.
WOULD THAT JUST
GET MORE IN OUR WAY
IF WE TRIED TO KEEP
THOSE IN PLACE?
IT IS NOT COST EFFICIENT
FOR THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT
WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING:
RUNNING NEW ELECTRICAL,
NEW PLUMBING, NEW MECHANICALS.
[BANGING]
IT'S BETTER TO GET IT
OUT OF THE WAY.
IT SOUNDS LIKE
THEY'RE GETTING
STARTED.
WE'RE GETTING STARTED
IN THE BACK NOW.
THANKS, BRIAN.
THANK YOU.
I'LL SEE
YOU GUYS LATER.
BYE-BYE.
Vila: OK, WELL,
THE DEMO CREW IS BUSY IN THERE.
JIM KWESKIN IS HERE
FROM FORT HILL CONSTRUCTION.
HEY, BOB,
HOW ARE YOU?
GOOD TO SEE YOU, JIM.
GOOD TO SEE YOU.
SO WHAT HAVE YOU GOT
GOING IN HERE?
WELL, WE'RE TAKING OUT
THIS SINK.
WE'RE SALVAGING
THIS SINK.
MARIO FROM PAGANO PLUMBING
IS PULLING IT OUT RIGHT NOW.
IT'S VALUABLE, ACTUALLY.
IT'S AN ANTIQUE.
DON'T DROP IT, MARIO!
I'LL TRY NOT TO.
NOW DO YOU FIND OBJECTS
LIKE THIS VERY OFTEN?
NOT REALLY. THIS IS ONE
OF THE STRANGEST ONES,
SO WE'D LIKE TO
REALLY SALVAGE IT.
MAYBE SOMEBODY WILL
NEED IT AND USE IT
SOMEWHERE.
WHAT ABOUT
THAT FAUCET?
FAUCET IS
EXTREMELY RARE.
I'VE NEVER
SEEN ONE MYSELF.
BUT THEN AGAIN,
IT'S ALWAYS GOOD
TO SAVE THINGS
LIKE THIS.
THANKS FOR TAKING
GOOD CARE OF IT.
NO PROBLEM.
HEY, JIM, YOU'VE GOT
THIS CREW GOING.
HAVE THERE BEEN
ANY SLOWDOWNS
IN TERMS OF GETTING
DEMOLITION PERMITS
AND THAT SORT OF THING?
THE ONLY THING WAS
THAT THE ASBESTOS
THAT WE DISCOVERED
UNDER--
THERE WERE 3 LAYERS
OF VINYL TILE
IN THE KITCHEN,
SO UNDER THE FIRST TWO,
WE'RE FINE,
BUT THE LAST ONE
AT THE BOTTOM
HAD ASBESTOS IN IT,
SO WE HAD TO BRING
AN ASBESTOS ABATEMENT
COMPANY IN HERE
TO TAKE
THE ASBESTOS OUT.
AND THEN WE GOT
THE PERMIT.
THAT WAS
A SPECIAL PERMIT.
AND, OF COURSE,
THAT'S BIG BUCKS
AND A BIG PERIOD OF TIME
TO GET IT DONE.
NOT BIG BUCKS,
BUT A LITTLE MORE MONEY.
IT'S A SPECIAL COMPANY
AND IT DID SLOW US DOWN
A LITTLE BIT.
AND NOW
THE DEMO CONTRACTOR IS HERE,
BASICALLY STRIPPING
ALL THE SPACE.
Kweskin: CUTTING IT.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?
LESS THAN A WEEK.
OK, THAT'S NOT TOO BAD.
GOOD! WELL,
WE'LL BE SEEING YOU
ALONG THE WAY.
GREAT!
Vila, voice-over:
WHEN WE COME BACK,
WE'LL TAKE A WALK
IN CENTRAL PARK
UNDER THE SPECTACULAR
AMERICAN ELMS.
Vila, voice-over: NEXT TIME
ON "BOB VILA'S HOME AGAIN,"
WE'RE STARTING A NEW PROJECT
ON MANHATTAN'S UPPER WEST SIDE.
WE'RE TAKING
AN OLD BROWNSTONE APARTMENT,
AND UPDATING IT
FOR THE 21st CENTURY.
WE'LL LOOK AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD,
MEET THE ARCHITECT,
AND THEN GET STARTED
ON DEMOLITION.
WE'LL ALSO TAKE A WALK
IN CENTRAL PARK,
AND SEE HOW
THE CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY
AND NEW YORK CITIZENS
HAVE RECLAIMED THEIR PARK.
DON'T MISS IT.
THAT'S NEXT TIME
ON "HOME AGAIN."
Vila, voice-over: NEXT TIME
ON "BOB VILA'S HOME AGAIN,"
WE'RE STARTING A NEW PROJECT:
RENOVATING A TIRED BROWNSTONE
ON MANHATTAN'S UPPER WEST SIDE.
DON'T MISS IT.
MOST NEW YORKERS
WOULD PROBABLY AGREE
THAT CENTRAL PARK IS
THE CITY'S MOST IMPORTANT ASSET,
A REAL TREASURE.
WHETHER YOU LIVE
ON THE WEST SIDE
OR THE EAST SIDE,
UP IN HARLEM OR WAY DOWNTOWN
A SUBWAY RIDE AWAY,
THIS IS THE PLACE
TO GET AWAY FROM IT ALL.
IT WASN'T ALWAYS LIKE THIS,
OF COURSE.
THIS 800-PLUS ACRE TRACT
OF BEAUTIFUL LAND TODAY
WAS ONCE REALLY NOTHING
BUT ROCKY OUTCROPPINGS
AND SWAMPY LAND
FILLED WITH
INDIGENTS' SHANTYTOWNS.
BUT BACK IN THE 1870s,
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
FREDERICK LAW OLMSTED
AND CALVERT VAUX
DEVISED A "GREENSWARD PLAN"
THAT WAS TO CHANGE ALL OF THIS.
AND IT TOOK 20 YEARS
TO ACCOMPLISH.
OVER 10 MILLION CARTLOADS
OF SOIL FROM NEW JERSEY,
PLANTS AND STONES,
BUT BEFORE THEY WERE DONE,
THEY HAD CREATED AN AMAZING PARK
THAT REPLICATED PERHAPS
THE ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE,
BUT STILL ADDRESSED
THE TRAFFIC NEEDS
OF A BIG METROPOLIS
BY PROVIDING ACCESS
TO HORSES AND CARRIAGES
SEPARATE FROM WALKWAYS
FOR PEDESTRIANS.
THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT
ASPECTS OF THE PARK
THAT ARE ABSOLUTELY
SHINING TODAY
100 AND SOME ODD YEARS
AFTER THEY WERE BUILT.
WE'RE STANDING ON A HILLSIDE
ABOVE THE BETHESDA TERRACE,
AND WE'RE GOING TO GO DOWN THERE
NOW AND LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE
ABOUT WHAT
THE CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY
HAS DONE IN THE LAST
15 OR 20 YEARS
TO REALLY MAKE THE PARK SHINE.
WE'RE VISITING
WITH DOUG BLONSKY,
WHO'S THE CHIEF
OPERATING OFFICER
FOR THE CENTRAL PARK
CONSERVANCY.
AND WE'RE AT
THE BETHESDA TERRACE,
ONE OF THE MOST
OUTSTANDING ELEMENTS
ARCHITECTURALLY
OF THE WHOLE PARK,
RIGHT?
ABSOLUTELY, BOB.
IT IS BY FAR THE MOST FORMAL
ELEMENT IN CENTRAL PARK.
CENTRAL PARK, OBVIOUSLY,
EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT
THE ROLLING MEADOWS
AND THE PASTORAL NATURE
AND THE WOODLANDS,
BUT BETHESDA IS REALLY
THE HEART OF THE PARK.
IT'S REALLY KIND OF WHERE
THE FORMALITY OF THE PARK
COMES TOGETHER
AND REALLY MEETS
THE NATURAL,
AND YOU HAVE THE WOODLANDS
AND THE RAMBLE
ON THE OTHER SIDE.
RIGHT. AND IT'S ONE
OF THE PLACES WHERE
RESTORATION
HAS ALWAYS BEEN KIND OF
AN ONGOING THING.
BUT LET'S TALK
FIRST ABOUT THE JOB
OF THE CONSERVANCY.
CENTRAL PARK REALLY WAS
KIND OF AT ITS LOWEST POINT
IN THE LATE SEVENTIES
AND EARLY EIGHTIES.
THE CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY,
WHICH WAS FOUNDED IN 1980,
REALLY CAME WITH THE MISSION
OF RESTORING AND REBUILDING
AND KIND OF BRINGING
SOME MANAGEMENT BACK
INTO CENTRAL PARK.
AND OVER THE LAST
NEARLY 25 YEARS,
WE'VE RAISED
OVER $300 MILLION
AND PROBABLY RESTORED
ABOUT 75 PERCENT
OF THE PARK.
300 MILLION.
LET'S TALK ABOUT
SOME OF THE WORK
THAT'S ONGOING
WITH THE BRONZE
STATUARY
HERE IN FRONT
OF THE TERRACE.
WE HAVE OVER 50 MONUMENTS
IN THE PARK,
AND EVERY MONUMENT
WE LIKE TO DO MAINTENANCE
EVERY YEAR.
WE LIKE TO DO
A CONSERVATION
EVERY YEAR ON THEM.
NOW THIS PARTICULAR
STATUE AND FOUNTAIN
IS ONE OF THE FIRST
PIECES PUT IN THE PARK,
RIGHT?
ACTUALLY,
IT WAS THE ONLY ONE
THAT OLMSTED AND VAUX
WANTED IN THE PARK,
AND THE REST WERE
KIND OF GIVEN TO THE PARK
AS GIFTS LATER ON.
OK. SO THIS DATES
TO WHAT YEAR?
1867 WAS THE UNVEILING
OF THIS MONUMENT.
IT REALLY CELEBRATED WATER
COMING TO NEW YORK CITY.
WHAT'S THE NAME
OF THE STATUE?
WELL, IT'S REALLY
"ANGEL ON THE WATER."
BUT EVERYBODY REALLY REFERS
TO IT AS THE BETHESDA ANGEL.
AND THE SCULPTOR WAS
ACTUALLY A WOMAN, RIGHT?
VERY INTERESTING.
EMMA STEBBINS WAS
THE WOMAN WHO SCULPTED THIS,
AND HER BROTHER WAS
ACTUALLY THE PRESIDENT
OF THE COMMISSION
FOR CENTRAL PARK.
BUT SHE DID
A FANTASTIC JOB REGARDLESS.
SHE DID INDEED.
NOW IN TERMS
OF THE ONGOING
RESTORATION WORK,
WHAT IS IT THAT
THEY HAVE TO DO
TO THESE BRONZES
EVERY YEAR?
WELL, BECAUSE IT'S BRONZE
AND IT DOES CORRODE
UNDER THE WEATHER,
AND WE GET
AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT
OF PIGEONS
THAT LIKE TO SIT
ON THAT STATUE,
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THIS
TO GET WASHED EVERY YEAR,
AND CLEANED THOROUGHLY.
WHAT YOU'RE SEEING
OUR STAFF DO RIGHT NOW
IS REALLY JUST GIVING
A THOROUGH WASHING
WITH A VERY MILD SOAP
AND VERY SOFT BRUSHES.
AND THEN THEY'LL DO
A POWER WASHING AS WELL.
OTHER STATUES HAVE TO HAVE
A PROTECTIVE COATING
PUT ON AFTER THAT.
THIS ONE HAS ONE NOW
THAT'S OK FOR A FEW MORE YEARS.
BUT YOU MIGHT USE JUST
A BASIC BUTCHERS' WAX
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT,
JUST TO HAVE THAT
CLEAN BRONZE STAY CLEAN.
RIGHT. I KNOW
WE ALSO HAVE ELMS.
I WANT TO TAKE
A LOOK AT THOSE.
NOW, DOUG,
HOW MANY TREES
DO YOU HAVE
TO KEEP TRACK OF
IN CENTRAL PARK?
WE HAVE 26,000 TREES
IN CENTRAL PARK,
SO IT KEEPS US BUSY.
YEAH. AND WE'RE
WALKING ON THE MALL,
AS IT'S CALLED,
WHICH IS THE ONLY
STRAIGHT ROAD IN
THE WHOLE PARK.
THAT'S RIGHT,
IT'S THE ONLY
STRAIGHT PATHWAY.
EVERY OTHER PATHWAY
KIND OF MEANDERS,
FOR PEOPLE TO GET LOST,
BUT THIS ONE
TAKES YOU RIGHT
TO BETHESDA TERRACE.
AND IT'S BEEN NICKNAMED
"THE LITERARY WALK," RIGHT?
BECAUSE OF ALL THE BRONZES
OF LITERARY FIGURES.
THAT'S RIGHT.
BUT THE MAIN THING
IS THESE INCREDIBLE
AMERICAN ELMS.
I THINK THIS IS ONE
OF THE GREATEST STANDS,
AND ONE OF THE LAST STANDS,
UNFORTUNATELY,
IN THE UNITED STATES,
OF AMERICAN ELMS.
WHEN WAS
THE DUTCH ELM DISEASE
FIRST PREVALENT
IN THE STATES?
WE REALLY STARTED
SEEING IT SHOW UP
IN THE THIRTIES,
BUT IT WAS PROBABLY IN
IN THE TWENTIES.
IT REALLY DECIMATED
MOST OF THE ELMS
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
SO HERE IN THE PARK,
WE'RE LOOKING AT ONE
OF THE LAST SURVIVING
GREAT STANDS,
BUT ARE THESE TREES THAT
WERE ACTUALLY PLANTED
BACK IN THE 1800s?
MANY OF THESE ARE ALMOST
THIRD GENERATION TREES.
WE KEEP PLANTING
THE AMERICAN ELM.
THE DUTCH ELM DISEASE
AND THE ELM BARK BEETLE
IS REALLY
WHAT DESTROYS IT,
BUT WE FORTUNATELY
HAVE A VERY GOOD
TREE CARE PROGRAM
THAT REALLY LOOKS OUT
FOR THE DISEASE.
AND WHEN WE SEE
THE DISEASE,
WE TAKE OUT THE TREE
IF WE HAVE TO,
OR WE CUT OFF
THE INFECTED BRANCHES.
GREAT. WELL,
THANKS FOR THE TOUR.
WE'LL BE BACK
TO LOOK AT
SOME OF THE OTHER
RESTORATION WORK
GOING ON IN THE PARK.
GREAT, BOB. THANKS.
Vila, voice-over:
WE'LL BE BACK IN MOMENT
WITH A PREVIEW OF OUR NEXT SHOW.
STICK AROUND.
OK, THE ONLY PART
OF THE APARTMENT
THAT WE HAVEN'T SHOWN YOU
IS OUR BALCONY OFF IN THE BACK
WITH ALL THIS COLORFUL STUFF.
WE'LL BE MAKING SOME CHANGES.
WE'RE OUT OF TIME.
COME "HOME AGAIN" NEXT TIME,
WHEN WE'LL BE...
BACK ON THE UPPER WEST SIDE
OF NEW YORK CITY,
REACTIVATING A FIREPLACE,
AND INSTALLING A NEW SUB-FLOOR.
TILL THEN, I'M BOB VILA.
IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU
"HOME AGAIN."
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