10. West End Avenue
West End Avenue and the surrounding neighborhood is full of unexpected surprises, from hidden housing complexes to NYC’s smallest park. Holdout buildings from various periods and styles can be found on West End Avenue. 249 West End Avenue is only one example. The remaining one of four near-identical townhouses lining this West End Avenue block, the house belonged to Mary Cook. She repeatedly declined offers to sell the house, despite the changing landscape and new high-rise apartments that eventually made up the entire block.
In the 1930s, the Continental Club based their headquarters here. The Club also housed the Uptown Gallery, where contemporary and up-and-coming artists often had their earliest shows, Mark Rothko being a notable artist of the Gallery.
Next, check out the latest holdout building we found in Harlem!
If you are interested in learning more about New York City holdout buildings, you can read Andrew Alpern and Seymour Durst’s book Holdouts! The Buildings that Got in the Way.  For more architectural curiosities, check out these 8 buildings that have been literally moved in NYC!