36 Comments
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Joseph Pozo's avatar

The best! My favorite newsletter

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Rob Stephenson's avatar

Thank you!

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David Perlmutter's avatar

Clubber Williams, so named because of his proficiency with a nightstick, was the original Bad Cop. He regularly supplemented his policeman's salary with bribes and "protection" payments, which only protected the businesses associated with them from his wrath.

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Rob Stephenson's avatar

Yeah, he seemed like a real swell guy. Would like to see the body cam footage from his reign of terror.

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Sophie's avatar

Your newsletters are a treasure!

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Rob Stephenson's avatar

Thanks Sophie!

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Julie Grahame's avatar

My office was a 2000 sq ft loft on 25th opposite the Serbian Cathedral. I think the rent was $15,000 a month in 2001...

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Rob Stephenson's avatar

😬

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dp's avatar

Love this piece, and this series! One quick correction — the Liberty haven't played at MSG since 2017 (when the Dolan family put the team up for sale, sent them up to play in Westchester in the interim, and they got bought by the Tsais, sending them across the East River to Barclays Center).

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Rob Stephenson's avatar

You think I would have caught that since I live 10 minutes away from Barclays...

Thanks!

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Eden's avatar

Teddy Ruxpin mention brought back lots of memories. When my kindergarten class had a "bring your teddy to school" day, I brought in my Teddy Ruxpin and thought I was the baddest bitch around 😎

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Rob Stephenson's avatar

That's the stuffed animal equivalent of bringing a gun to a knife fight!

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Eden's avatar

🔫🧸

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Will Cruttenden's avatar

The pussy sign is one thing, but you should know that ‘dogging’ means something very different in the UK. In other news, it would nice to read about a neighbourhood I have actually walked around, albeit a long time ago.

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Rob Stephenson's avatar

Looked it up. Not what I expected! I'm not sure what a guy looking for a new cat has to do with exhibitionism though.

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Robert's avatar

Might be too current, but I was hoping to read some more details on that god forsaken skyscraper blocking the view of the Empire State Building

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Rob Stephenson's avatar

Definitely not too current and I meant to at least acknowledge it in that last photo. Just ran out of space/time when I went down that pedestrianism rabbit hole. It is incredible how the ESB completely disappears behind it. The view wrecking 860-foot-tall building is going to have 56 stories and just 26 apartments!

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Keris Fox's avatar

Wonderful post. I particularly love the audio - feel like I’m there when I’m actually sitting on my sofa in the UK. Pussy guy tho 🥴

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Rob Stephenson's avatar

Haha! I thought about leaving him out but....Thanks Keris!

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Gary Heppell's avatar

I love these stories, although I am not a New Yorker. You have so much history to explore.

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Rob Stephenson's avatar

Thanks Gary! You are right, there is so much to learn and write about in this city. Sometimes my biggest challenge is deciding when to stop!

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Asad Dandia's avatar

As a New York City community historian and tour guide I cannot tell you how much I benefit and learn from these posts. They are all so incredible. Thank you so much!

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Rob Stephenson's avatar

Thanks so much Asad! Glad you are following along!

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Anne Kadet's avatar

To clear up the mystery, I believe MLB did not drop the Lincoln Impersonator Requirement for teams until 1902.

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Anne Kadet's avatar

A fauteuil, btw, is a seat, not a variety of French baked good as I had originally supposed.

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Rob Stephenson's avatar

Well you can always enjoy a feuilleté while you recline on your fauteuil.

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Anne Kadet's avatar

Please explain Charles Rowell’s walking attire.

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Rob Stephenson's avatar

It's a jaunty number for sure, but nothing compared to the favored attire of the original bad boy of Pedestrianism, Edward Payson Weston. He was known to wear a "frilled shirt and black leather leggings with a blue sash and a white walking stick." He also once spent 41 hours walking backwards for 200 miles around St. Louis and walked (presumably forwards) from NYC to San Francisco in 100 days when he was 70!

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Anne Kadet's avatar

OK now I see a big glossy coffee table book, "The Bad Boys of Pedestrianism."

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Rob Stephenson's avatar

😂

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Mladena's avatar

Thank you, Rob, for a great story! I learned and enjoyed it so much!

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Rob Stephenson's avatar

Thanks for reading!

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Julie Grahame's avatar

Another outstanding newsletter. I had forgotten it was the Toy District, I guess we'd renamed it amongst ourselves as the Photo District.

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Rob Stephenson's avatar

I can’t imagine too many photographers can afford the rent these days

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TIM CARRY's avatar

I have been told that the Flat Iron building’s height caused the city planners to pass the set-back rules (tiering back a building after rising more than 12 floors) to ensure that tall buildings did not entirely block the sun. This rule gave birth to art deco designed sky scrapers. If you do stand on 23rd where Broadway and 5th intersect and look south you see mostly tenement buildings aligning the two avenues. Turning your view north you see the first set-back buildings with art deco design dominating your view. Is this all bullshit or true?

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Ana Teixeira's avatar

Another great article filled with entertaining stories and curiosities that make the history of the neighborhood so rich!

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