Lincoln Center, a cultural hub designed by various renowned architects, transformed the former San Juan Hill in New York City. This redevelopment, initiated in the 1960s by Robert Moses, replaced a vibrant African-American community with a prominent arts complex. The area, once crowded and culturally rich, faced demolition post-WWII, leading to the creation of public housing.
The modernized Lincoln Center, completed with major renovations in 2012, now features enhanced pedestrian access and continues to honor its musical legacy through venues like Jazz at Lincoln Center. Key architects involved in the design include Philip Johnson (New York State Theater, now David H. Koch Theater), Eero Saarinen (Vivian Beaumont Theater), Wallace K. Harrison (Metropolitan Opera House), Max Abramovitz (Avery Fisher Hall, now David Geffen Hall), Gordon Bunshaft (The Library and Museum of the Performing Arts, now the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts), and Pietro Belluschi (Juilliard School building). Additionally, numerous other architects have contributed to the development and renovation of this iconic cultural institution.
Lincoln Center’s present-day elegance hides the rich history of the neighborhood it replaced. Once a vibrant community, the lively San Juan Hill neighborhood was demolished to make way for the cultural center. This transformation in the 1960s bears the mark of Robert Moses, known for reshaping neighborhoods in the name of progress.
San Juan Hill’s history, overshadowed by the more infamous Hell’s Kitchen, was erased by urban planning. As New York City grew, immigrant communities, including African Americans, moved northward. This migration began in Five Points, shifted to Greenwich Village, then the Tenderloin, Hell’s Kitchen, and eventually the area now known as Lincoln Center. Originally settled by the Dutch as Blooming Dale, it featured aristocratic homes before becoming San Juan Hill.
San Juan Hill likely references an 1898 battle in Cuba involving the Buffalo Soldiers, an all-black regiment. By the late 19th century, it housed the largest black population in New York City. Marcy S. Sacks, in “Before Harlem: The Black Experience in New York City Before World War I,” describes it as one of the city’s most crowded areas, with one block housing over five thousand residents. Despite its tough conditions, it was a mix of vice and daily life. Reformers noted the diverse experiences, from lewd behaviors to hardworking families.
San Juan Hill inspired the setting of “West Side Story,” and its demolition scenes were shot there before the film’s 1961 release. The neighborhood was also a cultural hub, home to clubs like The Jungle’s Casino, where the Charleston dance originated. Jazz legend Thelonius Monk lived there, contributing to its musical legacy, which continues at Jazz at Lincoln Center.
In 1940, the New York City Housing Authority labeled San Juan Hill “the worst slum section,” paving the way for its redevelopment. Demolition began post-WWII, and by the 1950s, much of the neighborhood was gone, replaced by public housing projects like Amsterdam Houses. The Lincoln Center arts complex, driven by John D. Rockefeller, required $184 million, with significant contributions from him. The Metropolitan Opera, seeking a new home since the 1920s, found its place here, and other institutions like the New York Philharmonic and Fordham University soon joined.
The original buildings remained unchanged until a major redevelopment began in 2012 by architecture firms Diller Scofidio + Renfro, FXFOWLE Architects, and Beyer Blinder Belle. They modernized Lincoln Center, enhancing pedestrian access and streetscape. Changes included a new building on 65th Street with a curved, green roof, the Elinor Bunin Monroe Film Center, and improved pedestrian access. Alice Tully Hall was renovated, and the iconic fountain was updated.
Despite these changes, remnants of the old San Juan Hill remain. The Church of the Good Shepard, built in 1887 by J. Cleveland Cady, still serves as a church and concert venue. The neo-Gothic Hotel des Artistes and the Church of St. Paul the Apostle also stand as testaments to the area’s past.
Robert Moses’ influence waned with opposition to projects like the LOMEX expressway and his feud with Jane Jacobs. Lincoln Center eventually became a cohesive neighborhood, transforming into a bustling cultural corridor by the late 1990s and 2000s. Luxury high-rises now dominate the landscape, stretching from Central Park West to Riverside Park, cementing Lincoln Center’s place in the 21st century.
