El Barrio – GothamToGo

El Barrio’s People’s Church Off the Landmark Calendar for Now

1st Spanish United Methodist Church in El Barrio

On the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission agenda this week was a discussion on the 1st Spanish United Methodist Church becoming an Individual Landmark. Also known as The People’s Church, the discussion is not for its architectural merit, but for its historic cultural significance, located in the heart of El Barrio, associated with the Young Lords occupation in 1969 and 1970. On Tuesday, December 12, 2018, it was determined that the history of the Young Lords still divides the community, and both the Church and the local Council Member would like more time to allow for more community dialogue.

The 1st Spanish United Methodist Church will be removed from the calendar, per time limits established by Section 25-303(1) of the Landmarks Law, and can be considered for designation at a future date.

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Meet Melody Capote ~ New Executive Director of CCCADI

CCCADI, El Barrio

The Board of Directors of the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute (CCCADI) are excited to usher in a new chapter in the organization’s evolution with the unanimous appointment of Melody Capote as Executive Director.

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Moving Forward with La Marqueta Renovation Project in El Barrio

El Barrio, La Marqueta

The historic La Marqueta open-air events and retail space located under the Park Avenue viaduct at 115th Street will be getting a well-needed makeover.

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The Graffiti Hall of Fame ~ 38th Edition ~ El Barrio

El Barrio, Graffiti, Graffiti Hall of Fame, Street Art

The Graffiti Hall of Fame stretches between 106th and 107th Streets, alongside the elevated Metro North train on Park Avenue in El Barrio. Known to Street Artists since 1980, and now a tourist destination, it is rarely open (except by private tour) to the public. But once a year, James Top, Executive Director of this iconic Wall, selects a theme and invites artists for a two-day emersion. This year’s theme ~ The Subway Edition, with artists from the 1980s subway era.

We were there from start (Saturday, August 24th at Noon) to end of day on Sunday, August 25th. The 38th Edition of Graffiti Hall of Fame, El Barrio. Check it out.

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#100GatesProject + NHEMA in El Barrio 2017-2018

100 Gates Project, East Harlem, El Barrio, Graffiti, Street Art

Artist Andrew Haley at Bazaar 125 in East Harlem for #100GatesProject. Image courtesy of the artist.

During the summer of 2017, The 100 Gates Project and New Harlem East Merchant Association (NHEMA) teamed up to bring local artists together with local merchants, beautifying gates in and around East Harlem. The project, which also includes Staten Island, is part of the New York City Department of Small Business Service’s Neighborhood 360 grant opportunity program.

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CCCADI ~ Making Music in El Barrio

Art, CCCADI, East Harlem, El Barrio

The Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute (CCCADI) moved into a historic firehouse in East Harlem in 2016. Since then, a plethora of art, education and entertainment have filled the floors within. Here are a few events coming up that caught our eye.

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Dream Street Park ~ East Harlem

Art in the Parks, East Harlem, El Barrio, Graffiti, Street Art

Who wouldn’t want to live on ~ Dream Street. Well, in this case, we’re on 124th Street between Second and Third Avenues ~ and the dreamy mural is a depiction of a multi-cultural city painted by local children, most of them homeless.

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Buy Local East Harlem Meet & Greet ~ March 6th

#BuyLocalEastHarlem, El Barrio

Sprinkle Splash ~ one of the many local businesses in La Marqueta

Buy Local East Harlem Meet & Greet is a chance to create sustainable relationships between local merchants and local companies & institutions in East Harlem. Come and meet your neighbors ~ the owners of local businesses ~ the people who make the community unique, and the people who call East Harlem ~ Home.

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Disillusionment: Perspectives Beyond at Taller Boricua Gallery, East Harlem

Art Exhibit, East Harlem, El Barrio

Moving into Women’s History Month, Taller Boricua Gallery invited 25 women artists to create art about present conditions of ‘Disillusionment.’ “Addressing issues of deception, falseness, unfaithfulness, betrayal and treachery ~ with reference to wearing, inhabiting, being veiled, clothed, draped, revealed, exposed or wrapped in disillusion” and they created the exhibit, Disillusionment: Perspectives Beyond.

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It’s a New Season at CCCADI in East Harlem

East Harlem, El Barrio, Event

It’s a new season of African Heritage SouSou: Always Africa! at Caribbean Cultural Center (CCCADI), and it begins on Saturday, February 10th.

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Landmarks Preservation Commission to hold Public Hearings on 3 East Harlem Buildings ~ February 13th

East Harlem, El Barrio, Preservation

Connie Lee, Landmark East Harlem, President of the Marcus Garvey Park Alliance, and Public Art Initiative, December 2014 in front of Richard Webber Harlem Packing House, 207-215 East 119th Street in East Harlem

The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) has scheduled a public hearing for February 13, 2018, on three buildings in East Harlem.

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CITICIEN ~ 100 Puerto Rican Artists @ Taller Boricua Gallery in East Harlem

Art Exhibit, East Harlem, El Barrio

CITICIEN: El Barrio NYC, an exhibit featuring 100 artworks highlighting the historical and present-day impact of the Jones Act, will open at Taller Boricua Gallery on January 12, 2018.

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#100 Gates Behind the Scenes in El Barrio

100 Gates Project, East Harlem, El Barrio

100 Gates Project Celebrating the completion of 50 gates in East Harlem

If you want to see the Gates, be prepared to get up really early or stay up really late. GothamToGo met up with #100Gates past Project Director, Natalie Raben and the Commissioner of NYC SBS, Gregg Bishop early in front of the not-yet-open El Nuevo Caridad, on the corner of Second Avenue and 116th Street, to check out 17 of the 50 Gates that make up the #100GatesProject in El Barrio.

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El Barrio in the ’80s by Photographer, Joseph Rodriguez ~ Book Launch at the Museum of the City of New York on December 12

Book Launch, East Harlem, El Barrio, Museums

Image via Joseph Rodriguez

On the heals of the opening reception of the documentary film, Joseph Rodriguez | Spanish Harlem: El Barrio in the ’80s at The Bronx Documentary Center, The Museum of the City of New York, in partnership with Union Settlement, will host a reception and book signing to celebrate the launch of the photographer’s new book, Spanish Harlem: El Barrio in the ’80s on December 12 from 6:30-8:30pm.

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East Harlem Skatepark at Thomas Jefferson Park Opens!

East Harlem, El Barrio, Skatepark

It’s Opening Day at the new skatepark adjacent to the basketball courts in Thomas Jefferson Park, East Harlem.

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Honors Jesús “Tato” Laviera with new Mural at Taino Towers in El Barrio

East Harlem, El Barrio, Graffiti, Street Art

Mural of Nuyorican poet Jesus ‘Tato’ Laviera by @donrimx at Taino Towers #ElBarrio

El Barrio’s Taino Towers celebrates the life of Nuyorican poet, author, playwright, and activist, Jesús “Tato” Laviera, with a mural created by well-known street artist Don Rimx.

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The Public Art Initiative Presents the ~ #WhiteParkArtWall

East Harlem, El Barrio, Street Art, White Park Mural

Artists from L-R, Jeremy Vega @BadGarcia; Giannina Gutierrez @artbygia; and Ralph Serrano @ARTeoMuerto ~ The White Park Mural, East Harlem

Save the Date ~ October 15th from 3-5pm, Opening Reception for the Art Wall in White Park.

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GothamToGo ~ Looking Back

East Harlem, El Barrio, Looking Back, Photography

East Harlem c.1871

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Design Trust for Public Space Finalists Selected……and the Winners Are!

Bronx, Design Trust, East Harlem, El Barrio

Andy Wiley-Schwartz with Carey King and Laura Hansen

Out of 105 initial responses to the 2017 Call for Project Ideas presented by Design Trust for Public Space, two winners emerged. The New East Harlem Merchant Association (NHEMA) and South Bronx Unite. On Saturday, December 2nd, South Bronx Unite and Design Trust for Public Space will kick-off Power in Place: Building Community Wealth and Well Being in Mott Haven-Port Morris – a community asset mapping and planning project, with an open house and celebration. The Event will take place from 3:00-5:00pm at Metropolitan College of New York, 463 East 149th Street in the Bronx. Community members will learn important information on how they can participate in this project.

See you there!

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