Grammar School No. 9

Grammar School No. 9, one of eight public schools built between 1888 and 1899 on the burgeoning Upper West Side, was part of the vast school construction program launched to meet the needs of the city’s rapidly expanding population just prior to consolidation of Greater New York in 1898. It replaced a wooden school on the same site that may have been built as early as 1829, and which was demolished in 1890.

The feature of stepped and curved gables was repeated by architects of many subsequent houses, as well as on the West End Collegiate Church (1892-93, Robert W. Gibson) and Grammar School No. 9. In the 1910-20s, most of the buildings of this first period of development along West End Avenue were replaced by large-scale apartment buildings, additionally making Grammar School No. 9 a rare survivor.

The five-story structure has two major facades, is clad in yellow ironspot Roman brick with grey limestone trim above a limestone base, features stoops on both sides (with a porch on West End Avenue) and a picturesque roofline composed of stepped gables, finial-topped dormers, and chimneys stacks.

STATUS Designated Individual Landmark

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The Neighborhood

Upper West Side

The Upper West Side is located along the western side of Central Park from 59th Street to 110th Street. The Upper West Side has several Historic Districts and Individual Landmarks.

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“I don’t know what the City would be without HDC. [They] testified before LPC time after time and helped us focus on the right issues. We would not be an historic district without HDC! ”

Doreen Gallo: DUMBO Neighborhood Alliance

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“Use HDC as a resource because they know what they are doing and can offer advice on how to go about creating a district from every front: architectural, political, LPC, and the media. I had floundered prior to my involvement with this invaluable organization.”

Fern Luskin: Lamartine Place Historic District; Friends of Lamartine Place & Gibbons Underground Railroad Site

Local Voices

“HDC provided guidance and shared information during that process—we knew which Council members were going one way or another and we changed a few minds. I don’t think NoHo would have had as cohesive a district had it not been for HDC’s aid.”

Zella Jones: NoHo Historic District; NoHo East; and NoHo Extension

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“I remember Richard saying at a meeting, we have someone here from HDC, Nadezhda Williams, Director of Preservation and Research, to help us. She said to us, ‘You are not the only ones going through this.’ HDC included us in an enormous community”

Erika Petersen: West End Preservation Society

Local Voices

"HDC has begun a series of projects to highlight the Bronx's architectural and cultural history. From booklet's and research highlighting specific sites and historic districts to the HDC's symposium in October 2018 to the latest community-based committee to look into further possible sites to qualify for landmarking, the HDC has established projects that will serve the Bronx community well."

Elena Martinez
City Lore, Folklorist
Bronx Music Heritage Center, Co-Artistic Director

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"Welcome2TheBronx is grateful for the advocacy done by the Historic Districts Council on behalf of the people of The Bronx. Through their deep connections and understanding of the importance of preserving our local histories, The Bronx has been able to have several spotlights shown on endangered communities as gentrification creeps into the borough."

Ed García Conde,
founder and Executive Director,
Welcome2TheBronx