Spanish tiles, New York YMCA, Majolica
Spanish Tiles in New York
18/10/10 15:44 Filed in: Special Features
Spain’s history with the YMCA dates back to 1929, when King Alfonso XIII of Spain donated the original artistic tilework, the year the Great Depression hit America and building screeched to a halt - to achieve the Moorish interiors architect Dwight James Baum wanted to create. And although this legacy was clearly a motivation to help with the tile restoration, without the one-woman catalyst who brought the project to Spain’s attention, it ís unlikely it would have come about. So this is also the account of one woman, Caridad Lopez, Spanish expatriate and West Side Y member, who made it her business to help restore what ís considered to be an architectural masterpiece ñ the 63rd Street YMCA. Her reason, this place reminds her of home. READ MORE ....