AIA Guide to New York City

One Customer Review says, "The latest edition, even in paperback, is so expanded and comprehensive that carrying it on a walking tour is unthinkable." Not true. I have toured New York four days during the past month since buying the book. Each day was twelve hours or more of walking with book in hand, constantly flipping from map to text-entry and back. Its tall narrow shape makes it handle like a small book. Both hands can support the spine while one thumb flips pages forward and the other back. Mine still looks new after 50 hours of this.The paperback edition's covers, and the pages, seem able to withstand outdoor use. Last Friday afternoon while I was taking a break in Madison Square a pigeon dropping splatted all over the back cover of my book. It was a minute at least before I could acquire some napkins, but when I did it wiped off cleanly. The mess did not even begin soaking through and there is no warping of the cover or discoloration. It didn't even smell.That same day I happened to cross paths with a New Yorker (I'm a tourist) who came up and spoke to me while I was standing, book in hand, looking up at 36 Gramercy Park East in the "Union Square to Grammercy Park" walking tour. He was carrying the very same book. He said he uses it regularly. I'm just saying, carrying this book is not "unthinkable."The walking tours are efficiently laid out. Sticking to them, I have found, saves steps. It's not easy for me to travel to New York so the days I can get there I start walking early, stay late, and try to cover as much ground as possible. Last Friday (Sept 16 2011) for example, I began the 71-site "Ladies Mile" walking tour at 7 am and finished at 2:30 in the afternoon, a rate of 10 sites per hour including a half-hour lunch. After my (necessary) nap in Madison Square with the pigeons perching overhead I continued on to the 38 sites of the "Union Square to Gramercy Park" walking tour, finishing at 7 pm, again a rate of 10 per hour. So in 12 hours I covered 109 sites and completed 2 of the book's walking tours.It is so nice to arrive in the morning with one conception of New York and leave at night with a substantially expanded view. That's what this book does really well for me. Especially appreciated is the history-of-occupancy of buildings. Here's an example: "Onetime Manufacturer's Hanover Trust Company branch / originally New York County National Bank / now Nickel Spa for Men." (H14 on page 210 in the "Chelsea" walking tour).The book contains, by my quick count, somewhere around 1500 sites in Manhattan below 59th Street, 2500 sites in Manhattan as a whole, 900 in Brooklyn, 400 in the Bronx, and 350 in Queens. I'm only counting the numbered sites and not the lettered subheadings that sometimes occur under a number, and I'm not counting Staten Island. Every site is on one of the walking tours, of which there are around 200.Another Customer Review says, "... there are errors, both of omission and commission." (That reviewer didn't specify any). I can't speak for "omissions" but I do occasionally find minor errors. They have not been bothersome. I haven't found any that couldn't be figured out on the spot. Here are the seven I've found in my first four 12-hour walks covering eight of the walking tours:Page 75: Site 36 on the "Civic Center" walking tour, 415 Broadway, National City Bank of New York. Should be located between Canal St and Lispenard St, one block north of where this map shows it.Page 88: Site 8 on the "Chinatown/Little Italy" walking tour, First Shearith Israel Graveyard. Should be located between Oliver St and James St, one block north of where this map shows it.Page 132: The heading at the top left of this page should read "The Villages" instead of "Lower Manhattan."Page 206: At the southern end of the High Line, "Horatio St" should be "Gransevoort St" and "Gransevoort St" should be "Horatio St."Page 207: Site 8 on the "Chelsea" walking tour. Should be located on the south side of West 22 Street instead of the north side.Page 230: Site 12 on the "Ladies Mile" walking tour, the Westminster, 180 West 20 Street. The entry says the building is located "along 7th Avenue to 21st St" but it is actually located between 20th and 19th Street. The map on the next page shows it correctly.Page 233: The picture labeled "L24" should be "L26."

A prospective reader may ask, "How is it possible to build an architectural survey of New York?" This book is the answer.This book is about breadth rather than depth. There are thousands of entries from all five boroughs, but Manhattan figures most prominently. Though important modern examples are included, the emphasis here is definitely on architectural history. Each entry includes a tiny black & white photograph and a sentence or two of descriptive text. Though it all sounds rather summary, it actually works quite well. The photographs are good enough to show you how each building looks from the street, and the text is surprisingly insightful. The somewhat snarky tone of the author makes what could easily be a dry list of sites a really good book.There are maps and introductory essays for each neighborhood. About 50 sites that hold exceptional landmark status are featured with a more detailed description and a larger, more revealing photo.The book treats the World Trade Center site particularly well, including entries for what "was" and what "will be." Very nice. The authors are also sensitive to important lost landmarks, including them in separate sections entitled "necrology." I just love the wit and wisdom!The book is only loosely arranged in "tours," and is broken down into neighborhoods which can be explored on foot. New Jersey and suburbs are not part of the catalog.No city on earth even approaches the urban ensemble of 19th and 20th century architecture that is New York. It is truly a sight to behold. Here's a book that will introduce you properly, and provides the necessary foundation from which to extend your exploration. This is also the best reference work you are going to find on this topic.

Gives great details about many buildings all around NYC (includes the boroughs) and includes some pictures as well. Not really for tourists who just want a quick overview of famous NYC buildings. Perfect for times when you're walking down the street and want to learn a bit more about some of the buildings you see.

My only complaint is that the book isn't updated very often. This one is over 10 years since an update, but that's not as big a problem as it sounds. Plenty of buildings are well beyond a 10 year update!

If this was a restaurant review, "AIA Guide to New York City" would no doubt be described as a succulent dish.Each of the 955 pages of maps and listings is filled with succinct wit, wisdom, photos - a rare blend of facts, opinion and history in an exceptionally well-organized package. The level of detail is amazing. The book also contains a helpful glossary (this is under the imprint of the American Institute of Architects, and uses an architect's vocabulary) and exhaustive subject and address indexes. Among the wonders of the AIA Guide, is that the volume works so well on so many levels. You can use it as a literal guide - 54 walking tours in Manhattan alone - or you can use it as a reference (when was the Woolworth Building erected?) - or you can read it as a history of New York's architectural evolution.As guidebooks go, "AIA Guide to New York City" is a skyscraper and a landmark.

Simply the best and most concise book there is on the architecture of New York City. It really is the closest equivalent to the Pevsner Buildings of England series, which are the bench mark for such architecture books. The sister publication on Chicago is likewise a must if visiting that city. Don't leave for New York City without a copy.

This is the big one! Thick and authoritative, though this newest edition is now so heavy as to be rather less portable. Don't expect to read a lot about each building, but instead you'll find a huge number of NYC buildings covered briefly and effectively. Now up to date through 2010. Indispensable.

I'm an architect from Canada who loves NYC. When I travel to the big apple, I like to set up an architectural agenda (free!) and this book is required reading. Why not 5 stars? I think that the hard copy should be combined with an electronic version. The actual book is great reading around home and looks good, however, it is not the sort of thing that you can walk around with. Editorially, more should be made of the various "villages" around the city. Overall fun to read and useful.Doug Hawes

Formidably comprehensive and authoritative - sharply researched and written; with well known NYC icons lurking unobtrusively amongst far lesser well known examples. Quite a heavy book so not ideal for taking with you in your rucksack when trekking out to see these wonders in the flesh . . .