Ralph S. Townsend's 1888 172 West 130th Street

 

In March 1887, architect Ralph Samuel Townsend filed plans for a "five-story Philadelphia brick tenement" at the southeast corner of Seventh Avenue and 130th Street.  for Franklin A. Thurston.  He projected that construction would cost developer Franklin A. Thurston $18,000, or about $595,000 in 2024.  (The term "tenement" referred to any multi-family dwelling, and did not necessarily mean the crowded, unsanitary buildings associated with it today.)

Interestingly, on the same day that The Sanitary Engineer and Construction Record reported the filing, the Record & Guide announced that Thurston had sold the vacant property with "new tenement projected" to R. Clarence Dorsett for the equivalent of $1.16 million today.

The five-story building, faced in red brick and trimmed in stone, was completed in 1888.  Townsend splashed his overall neo-Grec design with touches of Renaissance Revival (in the complex terra cotta panels of swirling vines and flowers, for instance) and Queen Anne.  The latter style appeared in the delightful cast iron railing of the fourth floor balcony, which took the form of a garden of sunflowers, and in the basketweave terra cotta panels directly below it.  A store faced Seventh Avenue (renamed Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard in 1974), while the residential entrance was located around the corner at 172 West 130th Street.

The store became home to the J. Phelan & Co. grocery.  Phelan remained through 1892, when William and Hannah Grad took over the business and moved into an apartment upstairs.  Residents could choose apartments of five or seven rooms with a bath.  An advertisement boasted "steam heated."  In 1890, a seven-room apartment on the second floor leased for $42, and a five-room suite for $26.  (The monthly rent for the less expensive apartment would equal about $898 today.)

The financially comfortable residents employed at least one servant.  On January 11, 1898, for instance, the Otto family advertised, "Housework--Wanted, young girl for general housework in small flat; family of two; sleep home.  Mrs. Otto, 172 West 130th st."  ("Sleep home" meant that the maid would not live in the apartment.)  And on December 7, 1899, the Taylor family advertised, "Nurse--Little girl, about 13, to assist with child; comfortable home."

Among the residents in 1908 were Alonzo Powell, his wife Mary, and their unmarried daughter May.  The Powell's married son, Alonzo Jr., was a lieutenant with the Police Department and lived elsewhere.  On the evening of September 24 that year, Mary and May visited friends.  They were walking home along St. Nicholas Avenue near 143rd Street when May was attacked.

With the racism inherent in newspaper accounts of the period, the New-York Tribune reported that May "wore a diamond studded watch on her breast, and it is supposed that this display invited the negro's cupidity."  The article said, "The negro struck her a stunning blow on the back of the head, and after grabbing her watch and chatelaine purse, disappeared in the darkness."

Mary was already screaming when May pulled herself together and joined in.  Two blocks away, Patrolman Leis heard the cries and "after a long run captured the man."  The robber had thrown the watch and purse into a vacant lot and were recovered.  The newspaper said, "Miss Powell and her mother at once identified the negro, who broke down and confessed."

Alonzo Powell died at the age of 75 on March 15, 1911.  His funeral was held in the apartment here two days later.

Among the Powells' neighbors were the Hogan family.  Mary Hogan was 18 years old in 1910.  She attended the season's opening of the Clason Point Yacht Club on May 18 that year.  The New York Evening Post reported it was "attended by more than a thousand persons.  Shortly after midnight dancing started."  At one point, William Hyde offered to take Mary and two friends, Harriett Wilson and Gertrude Higgins, for a ride on the river in his launch.  He took along his brother John and Edward Petty.

The article said, "It was a clear night and everything went along nicely, but the occupants failed to notice that the carburetor was leaking."  The gasoline flowed to the rear of the launch where it was ignited by a small oil lamp.  Mary Hogan rushed to the rear of the boat and tried to pull in a small rowboat they had been pulling and in doing so fell overboard.  "William Hyde leaned over the side, held by Petty and his younger brother, seized the young woman by the hair, and pulled her aboard."  Mary's time back on board would be short.  The flames forced all six of the passengers into the small rowboat.

"In the meantime, there was considerable excitement on the shore, as the fire was visible to those in  the hall," said the New York Evening Post.  A motorboat rescued the party.  When it arrived Mary Hogan was unconscious.  The launch was burned to the water line and Mary Hogan's night of dancing and romance had turned to one of terror.

On March 8, 1919, The New York Age reported that Mrs. Maude Dixon had married Captain Alonzo Myers "of Philadelphia" a week earlier.  Myers had served in Cuba during the Spanish-American War and in the Philippines.  During World War I he served in France with the 24th Infantry of the U.S. Colored Troops.

Captain Alonzo "David" Myers (original source unknown)

Maude was the widow of William H. "Will" Dixon, who had died in 1917.  A well-known milliner, she was known professionally as Madame Seay.  A 1909 article in The Broad Ax said she was "very popular and well known among the best class of Colored people."

Maude and Alonzo Myers began dealing in Harlem real estate, buying and selling numerous buildings.  Among their first purchases was 172 West 130th Street, which also became the couple's home.  

Maude's fame as a hostess and milliner was wide-spread.  On November 14, 1925, The Pittsburgh Courier wrote, "The many friends of Mrs. Maude Meyers [sic], of 172 West 130th street, regret her present illness and wish her a speedy recovery.  Mrs. Meyers [sic], who is the mother of the talented Miss Frankie Dixon, was at one time the owner of one of our most exclusive and well-known hat shops and is still a creator of exquisite chapeaux."

Maude Seay Dixon Myers wearing one of her creations (original source unknown)

By then, Alonzo's career--which had ranged from policeman to soldier to real estate man--had taken a new turn.  He was a chiropractor.  But his career was nearly cut short in the summer of 1927.  On July 13, The New York Amsterdam News titled an article, "Capt. Meyers [sic] Found By Accident In Room, Unconscious."

The article explained that six days earlier at around 2:00, electrical inspector J. J. Hines of the New York Edison Company, was about to "knock off and call it a day," when, by "a sudden impulse," he decided to inspect one more building--172 West 130th Street.  "Arriving at Meyers [sic] door on the top floor, he said, the odor of escaping gas was very strong.  A woman in a neighboring apartment had told him that she had smelled gas since early in the day."

Police battered down the apartment door and Myers was found unconscious on the kitchen floor.  The New York Amsterdam News reported, "the police found five gas jets turned on with windows and door tightly closed."  Myers spent six days in the Harlem Hospital after what police called "attempted suicide."

The following year, on May 22, 1928, the New York Sun reported that Maude Myers had sold the building to the newly formed 2197 Seventh Avenue Corporation.  Maude Myers was its treasurer.

In the meantime, the former grocery store had become a social hall, the Utopia Club Rooms.  On January 28, 1928, The New York Age reported, "the newly elected corps of officers of the New York City Federation of Colored Women's Clubs were installed into office on Friday evening...at the Utopia Club Rooms, 172 West 130th street."

A year later, on April 13, 1929, the newspaper reported on the wedding of Jessie Redmond Fauset, "talented author and linguist," to Herbert E. Harris.  The article said, "Seldom are we treated to so beautiful a social event."  The reception was held in the Utopia Club Rooms afterward.

The Utopia Club Rooms was relatively short lived.  By 1931 the space was once again a grocery store, run by Christopher Catacosinoz.  It was the scene of a frightening attempted robbery by two armed men on the night of May 14, 1931.

The New York Times reported, "Four women were in the grocery store when the pair entered, each with a pistol."  Although the sidewalk was crowded with pedestrians, the crooks ordered the women into a rear room.  Passersby noticed Christopher Catacosinoz standing behind the counter with his hands up and ran to find Patrolmen Peter J. Taley and Fred Johnson.  They raced to the store with their guns drawn.

The officers rushed in and ordered the men to drop their weapons.  The New York Sun reported, "Instead of obeying, the Negroes wheeled and opened fire."  A terrifying gunfight followed.  The Times said, "Taley and Johnson returned the shots.  All four continued firing until their pistols were empty.  Then Taley and Johnson rushed the robbers."  Although both were shot, they "put up a stiff fight" that lasted for ten minutes.

In the meantime, a crowd estimated by The New York Times at 2,000 had gathered outside the store, blocking traffic.  The two would-be robbers, 18-year-old Frank Williams and 20-year-old Charles Moore were arrested.

In January 1933, Maude Myers renewed Catacosinoz's lease for ten years.  The rent for the first five years was $2,400 per year, and dropped to $2,100 per year for the balance of the lease.  (The latter amount would translate to about $50,000 today.)

The cast iron, sunflower-themed balcony on the fourth floor, seen here in 1941, was lost for a modern fire escape.  Image via the NYC Dept of Records & Information Services.

James and Sadie Cox, who lived here during the Great Depression, were socially active.  In 1935, James E. Cox was president of the Royal Roosters club; and the following year, on October 3, The New York Age reported that the Kings & Queens of Virginia "held their business meeting Monday night at the home of Mrs. Sadie E. Cox, business manager of the group."  That night the club laid plans for its first fall dance and carnival which was to be held at the New York Checker Club at 2493 Seventh Avenue on October 9.

Although the building was renovated in 1950, the configuration of two apartments per floor was preserved.  The store became home to the Tops All Super Market.  In 1999 a second commercial space was installed at the far end of the building.  Other than the altered storefront and sadly lost balcony, after more than 135 years, Ralph S. Townsend's handsome building is externally little changed.

many thanks to reader Lawrence Levens for requesting this post

photographs by the author

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