Andrew Alpern papers
Call Number
Date
Creator
Extent
Language of Materials
Abstract
This collection consists of the reference files and reports authored and/or maintained by New York architect, historian and attorney Andrew Alpern. The files primarily include photographs, articles, and newspaper clippings. Included are reference files for Alpern's 2001 book The New York Apartment Houses of Rosario Candela and James Carpenter as well as his 2015 book The Dakota: A History of the World's Best Known Apartment Building. The collection also includes reports related to New York City landmark designation cases prepared by Andrew Alpern.
Biographical/Historical Note
Andrew Alpern (b. 1938) is a New York architect, architectural historian, and attorney. He is the author of four books about apartment houses in New York City, including Apartments for the Affluent: A Historical Survey of Buildings in New York, (NY, McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1975) and The New York Apartment Houses of Rosario Candela and James Carpenter, (NY, Acanthus Press, 2001).
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in eight series by subject and/or format:
Series I: Building and Neighborhood Reference Files 1920-2001
Series II: Series II: Reference Files for The New York Apartments of Rosario Candela and James Carpenter
Series III: Copy Negatives
Series IV: Slides
Series V: Reports related to NYC landmark designation cases, 1987-2008
Series VI: 2018 Accrual - Reports/Research Files 1920-2015
Series VII: 2018 Accrual - Reports by Christopher Gray 1977-2009
Series VIII: 2018 Accrual - Reference Files for The Dakota: A History of the World's Best Known Apartment Building
Scope and Contents
This collection is made up of the reference files maintained by Andrew Alpern.
Series I is focused on specific New York City buildings and neighborhoods. These files primarily include photographs, articles, and newspaper clippings.
Series II contains the reference files maintained by Andrew Alpern for the book The New York Apartments of Rosario Candela and James Carpenter. The files include images, articles, newspaper clippings, promotional materials and correspondence related to the book.
Series III consists of copy negatives. They are mainly images of the NYC buildings featured in the reference files, identified on their outer envelopes.
Series IV consists of 62 slides of New York City buildings featured in Alpern's 1975 book Apartments for the Affluent.
Series V consists of reports related to New York City landmark designation cases. The reports were prepared by Andrew Alpern between 1987-2008.
Series VI contains reference files focused on specific New York City buildings and neighborhoods, donated in 2018. These files primarily include photographs, articles, and newspaper clippings.
Series VII consists of research and reports completed by Christopher Gray (1950-2017).
Series VIII contains the reference files maintained by Andrew Alpern for the 2015 book The Dakota: A History of the World's Best Known Apartment Building . The files include images, articles, newspaper clippings, promotional materials and correspondence related to the book.
This finding aid is based on the inventory written by Andrew Alpern. All descriptions and identifications were provided by Mr. Alpern. The bulk of the collection consists of reproductions (photocopies of articles, contemporary copy negatives of historical photographs, etc.). The dates of the collection reference the dates of the original material from which the copies were made.
Subjects
Access Restrictions
Materials in this collection may be stored offsite. For more information on making arrangements to consult them, please visit www.nyhistory.org/library/visit.
The videotapes and CDs are restricted because of their fragility and because N-YHS has no equipment on which to play them.
Use Restrictions
Taking images of documents from the library collections for reference purposes by using hand-held cameras and in accordance with the library's photography guidelines is encouraged. As an alternative, patrons may request up to 20 images per day from staff.
Application to use images from this collection for publication should be made in writing to: Department of Rights and Reproductions, The New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024-5194, rightsandrepro@nyhistory.org. Phone: (212) 873-3400 ext. 282.
Copyrights and other proprietary rights may subsist in individuals and entities other than the New-York Historical Society, in which case the patron is responsible for securing permission from those parties. For fuller information about rights and reproductions from N-YHS visit: https://www.nyhistory.org/about/rights-reproductions
Preferred Citation
This collection should be cited as Andrew Alpern Papers, PR 324, Department of Prints, Photographs, and Architectural Collections, New-York Historical Society.
Location of Materials
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Andrew Alpern, 2015, 2016, 2018.
About this Guide
Processing Information
This finding aid is based on the inventory written by Andrew Alpern. All descriptions and identifications were provided by Mr. Alpern.