Walking tour reveals hidden Art Deco architecture beyond the Bronx’s Grand Concourse

Art Deco enthusiasts rejoiced June 7, for a walking tour in the Kingsbridge Heights and Fordham Manor section of the Bronx.

Led by John Howard, creator of the Bronx Art Deco Apartment House Archive, the 90-minute tour, Art Deco Beyond The Grand Concourse, took attendees on a journey into the eclectic, modernist art style’s roots in the borough. 

Art Deco, originating in France in the early 1910s, rose to international acclaim in the 20s and 30s after it was first displayed in Paris during the 1925 exhibition “Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes.”

The style, known for its bold geometric ornamentation, use of decorative materials and symmetrical lines, emerged before the first world war and helped pave the way for the Modern Movement in architecture. 

From its birthplace in France to migrating its way to the U.S., the Art Deco style wasted no time inserting itself in New York City architecture. With mainstream examples such as the Chrysler Building, Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center, it was only a matter of time before Art Deco-style found itself a home in the Bronx. 

“There’s many famous buildings in the Bronx on the Grand Concourse and that’s part of what’s called the Grand Concourse Historic District,” said Roger McCormack, director of education at the Bronx County Historical Society, who partnered up with Howard to bring awareness to the Art Deco designed buildings. 

The Grand Concourse is often seen as the main attraction for architectural history in the borough, as many of the buildings along the boulevard are Art Deco and Art Moderne style apartments. Designed by French civil engineer, Louis Aloys Risse, the Grand Concourse was inspired by Parisian boulevards, with the majority of the structures built between 1916 to 1941.

The Grand Concourse was designated a historic district in 2011 by the city, recognizing its architectural significance in history. But Howard argues there are more Art Deco buildings beyond the Grand Concourse that deserve such recognition. 

“His focus is on lesser-known Art Deco buildings not designated landmarks and could be destroyed essentially for new housing if the city wanted to do it,” McCormack said. 

Howard developed interest in archiving Bronx Art Deco apartment houses in the borough two decades ago after learning the Bronx may house the most Art Deco-style apartments than any other borough — and potentially in the world — however, he realized there was a lack of evidence to support this claim. 

“When I first developed this interest in 2005, I figured I’d try and find out how many Art Deco buildings there were actually in the Bronx and, in my archive, I’ve collected so far about 350,” Howard said during his lecture for the Historic Districts Council’s Preservation School series.

Since starting his archival work and compiling his findings onto his website, Howard has drawn interest from the likes of historical preservationists and curious residents looking to understand the borough’s overlooked design legacy.  

McCormack, whose work at The Bronx County Historical Society centers on preserving the Bronx’s layered history, emphasized the need for Howard’s documentation. 

“I think it’s very important because the Art Deco-style was emblematic to me of the Bronx of the 20th century,” he said. “It represented a faith in progress, that the future would be better than the past.”

McCormack said many who resided in these Art Deco-style apartments, especially within the Grand Concourse, were working-class immigrants, many Jewish, and the culture and spirit of those early immigrant communities remain deeply relevant to the Bronx’s identity today. 

“This kind of immigrant character, rags to riches, working up from nothing, essentially, and living somewhat of the myth of the American dream … sheds a lot of light on the middle-class ideology of that era and, I think, it sheds a lot of light on the urbanization of the Bronx,” McCormack said.

Currently, owners of such Art Deco-style buildings can apply to the historic preservation grant program offered by the city’s Preservation Commission. 

The LPC, known for being the largest municipal preservation agency in the nation, can offer not-for-profit organizations and income-eligible owners grants of $10,000 to $30,000 in funding toward facade restoration and landmark or historic district status. 

When asked why preservation matters, Howard emphasized the greater impact it has on communities. 

“ When we preserve these buildings, everybody benefits,” he said. “I think that the neighborhoods become more stable. The landlords are more concerned about their buildings. They take better care of them and, by taking better care of the fabric, they also take better care of the tenants. I think that the net effects are all positive.”

Howard also pointed to a common misconception of the borough’s cultural value.

“The problem with the Bronx is that everybody kind of dismisses the Bronx as a place of any culture at all,” he said, “and it’s to be found in surprising places.” 

For those who couldn’t attend the walking tour and or are interested in learning more about the more than 350 Art Deco buildings in the Bronx, Howard’s website badaha.org and check out his lecture, Preservation School – Art Deco in the Bronx, uploaded on HDC’s YouTube channel.