Holdouts: A NYC Architecture Walking Tour

Overview

This 2.5 hour walking tour around the Midtown Manhattan shows-and-tells the fascinating stories of holdouts—the intriguing side effect of Manhattan's pressure cooker real estate industry: when a property owner (or lease holder) refused to sell to a developer, forced them to rework their plans, and forever changed the city streetscape. Stories, like the elderly lady who never knew any other home; or the poker player-like landlord who overplayed his hand; or the restauranteur whose long term lease (justifiably) demanded budget-busting sums, all add a human dimension to these transactional anomalies. And personal stories that were otherwise lost, are awesomely amplified by the everlasting impression left behind: seemingly ill-planned entrances for skyscrapers, odd shaped buildings, 20-story tall notches in office towers, are just some of the 16 examples of holdouts we'll see.

This tour is based on the book, Holdouts! By Alpern and Durst.

City: New York City

Sat 26 Apr

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $79.00

Make a reservation

Sat 26 Apr

Starting at $79.00

Make a reservation

New York City Tours

Unique Activities (21) Transfers & Transportation (175) Tours, Sightseeing & Cruises (252) Entry Tickets (96) Sporting Events (4) Good for Small Groups (27) Seasonal & Holiday Tours (113) Walking Tours (705) Outdoor Activities (48) Limitied Availability Tours (29) LGBT Friendly Tours (9) Family-friendly Activities (8) Wildlife Activities (6) Solo Travelers' Tours (147) Food & Drinks (96) Travelers recommend (174) Good for Groups (32) Top Activities (75) Guided Audio Tours (10) Art, Culture & History (406) Attractions to explore (43) Sustainable Tours (1) Limousine Transfers (5) Donut Walking Tour (2) Virtual Experiences (1) Additional fees (7) DSA non-compliant (17)

What's Included

Professional guide

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
It is recommended to wear comfortable shoes

What To Expect

Citicorp Center

Not a holdout, but a fascinating story is associated with the construction of this building, whose main pillar supports are not in the corners, but in the middle of the side.

Amster Yard

If this oases is open at the time of the tour, we stop in for a moment. A time capsule where histories clash and the city meets the suburbs - - a much earlier one!

Chrysler Building

Stunning views of this stunning landmark are had along here.

United Nations Headquarters

We view the Secretariet Building down the block as we continue to pass and discuss holdouts and how they've influenced the streetscapes today.

42nd Street

We end our downtown part of the walk at 42nd Street, where a single holdout survived history.

Grand Central Terminal

As we make our way to the west side and the uptown portion of the tour we will pass through Grand Central. While not associated with a any holdouts, a mini-tour of this iconic landmark is very possible.

Brooks Brothers

This historic New York City institution had a holdout as a neighbor.

Diamond District

Worth noting the block where $440 million in diamonds are traded daily. The entrance a block to the north as we cross Fifth Avenue is flanked by 12' diamond sculptures.

Show 5 more stops

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (29)

Jennifer_M

Jun 2024

Such a great in depth tour! Very interesting and engaging day. We enjoyed all the stories the guide had to share!

Response from Host

Jun 2024

Thank you and it would be awesome to see you on another tour!

Alice I

Jun 2024

If you are curious about architecture, history and love good story telling, this is the tour for you. I’ve been on a dozen New York City, walking tours and hands-down This is the one I learned the most on. It changed the way I see our built environment and the evolution of NYC

Response from Host

Jun 2024

Thank you for the of the best reviews ever! It was awesome taking you around and telling you about the city!

Jess_Z

May 2024

This is one of the best walking tours I've ever been on - Rob was a fantastic tour guide! He has encyclopedic knowledge of all things NYC history, and was able to tailor our discussion to the topics we were most interested in, or explore additional tangents related to whatever building he happened to be in front of. We learned a ton, both about holdouts and about the general history of NYC and the phases of its evolution. Would definitely recommend this tour, and I'm planning to do more of them with Rob next time I visit!

Response from Host

May 2024

It was absoutely awesome taking you around and thank you for taking the time to leave such a nice review! See you next time you're in New York : )