The block association was founded in 1970 in reaction to a rising tide of street crime on the block and in the belief that unified neighbors contribute importantly to the quality of life on the block. The block association collected funds from block residents to hire a security guard to patrol the block in the evenings. At the same time, the association developed block beautification and social programs. All three programs continue to this day.
During the 1970s, the City awarded the block association a grant to improve block security. The money was used to heighten backyard fences, install intercoms in various buildings, make lobby doors stronger, and install alarm boxes in the outer lobby of each building. The block association also purchased, planted and now maintains the block’s trees, metal tree guards, and annual floral plantings.
We encourage our block’s landlords to replace their deteriorating sidewalks in the interest of promoting the safety of our residents.
Block association board members serve on the boards of local social service institutions as representatives of the block.
Explore Neighborhood History
From Grid to Grade: An Architectural History of Our Block
Gil Tauber, an urban planner and historian, is co-author of The New York City Handbook and a contributor to the Encyclopedia of New York City. He has conducted walking tours for the West 104th St. Block Association, the Columbus-Amsterdam BID, and other groups. Noreen Whysel created this timeline in Verite’s Timeline JS. See more of Gil’s work at oldstreets.com and Noreen’s at whysel.com.
Humphrey Bogart Place
In 2006, West 103rd Street between Broadway and West End Avenue was given the secondary name Humphrey Bogart Place. Read about the naming ceremony (which was attended by Lauren Bacall) and the campaign by block resident Gary Dennis to make the naming possible. View photos.
Landmark West!
Read about LW!’s effort to landmark the 104th St. Automat. Listen to Mark Foley’s “Automat-ic Pie” song, which was inspired by and recorded in the 104th St. Automat.
New York City Subway System
An unofficial web site on the history of city subway systems around the world. Chock full of info for both the train buff and the City history fan.
OldStreets.com
Oldstreets.com helps you identify Manhattan locations mentioned in old books, articles, and documents relating to New York City. It contains more than 1,600 old names of streets and other urban features that are no longer on the map. The site was compiled and annotated by block resident, Gil Tauber.
Resident Reminiscences
Sweet Music to Our Ears
by Sid Herzfeld
When my wife and I married in 1960, we were very fortunate to get an apartment in the “C” line at 895 West End Avenue. Apartments were so hard to come by that we did not mind that we could not see anything from our windows but a melancholic brick wall and some brownstone rooftops. We could not catch sight of any city street nor hear any street noises. A mausoleum would have appeared noisy in comparison. Ten years later, an apartment facing 104th Street became vacant. We rented it sight unseen. When, on the first morning, metal garbage can lids came crashing to the ground, it seems like sweet music to our ears. Then, as now, we were allergic to the din of urban living, bur we could never again survive without being able to hear garbage trucks, fire engines, ambulances, street fairs, and other manifestations of a vibrant city. Now, after a lapse of another thirty years, when sanitation men come early in the morning and softly deposit plastic lids onto the sidewalk, we become somewhat nostalgic for the good old days. We heartily recommend our experience to anybody who has not yet become enamored of our city’s wonderful garbage collection operations.