" Manhattan's upper west side in Central Park west was fully developed in the last quarter of the nineteenth century and many of the buildings that are still here today we're built with the same kind of quality and the same aesthetics of any of the finest buildings in Paris and any of the European capitals but the side streets were somethin' else. In the 1890s many of these side streets were still empty lots perfect for private developers to bike tour for six and put up speculative row houses many of them survive in brilliant condition as you can see behind me. Their brownstone usually stone that was -- in Connecticut there carved -- so that the detailing is very high -- Victorian and high end is the tip off because this was meant to be luxury housing for wealthy people who did not want to live in apartments over on the main streets but who wanted to have the privacy and convenience of the big family house in the city but you found new technologies speaking -- between the floors hot and cold running water and has some of them even had elevators. This particular row of six buildings. Built in 1892. By developers Sam number field was designed by an architect named George wall growth and all of them have a lot of the identical detailing that involves. The brownstone and the trim and the wrought iron but much has changed in the ensuing 200 years. All of them have lost their front stoops is the original architecture included a set of brownstone steps that went up. To the first floor. Which in the conversions became the second floor and so what we're looking at in all of these now is to three steps down to an entrance. And a conversion to maybe six -- even ten apartments and a lot of the original detailing was destroyed in the process. What we're looking at here though is a few survivors like these excellent doors which more most likely work. Up there as the main entrance doors but then there's a lot of other materials that are totally inappropriate. These casement windows that were put in. Speak of the 1940s there iron single single glazed and obviously obsolete and other detailing like this aluminum railing which is totally inappropriate for. An entrance that involves so much beautiful wrought iron must go inside take a closer look. And fortunately the people who did the conversion. Had a good sense to take these stores which were probably up there -- that a second ago and reinstall them down here this is really quality wrought iron work. From the 1890s and he can obviously stand another century abuse in this area the the area that you're creating here as a little warrior class what I like to call early -- and it. This is a type of I don't know what manufacturer would have been we call all Formica what. It's meant to look like marble it sure does we started protecting the area so that when we do the demolition we don't damage and he's still here. This probably with the inner door upstairs again with a corresponding insert. Of iron. And the the one thing that is a telltale. Sign of the forties it's this very utilitarian and unattractive steel staircase which you know does the job meets the park -- but it's not particularly elegant."