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Manhattan Unlocked Historical and Architectural Walking Tours

Discover hidden-in-plain-sight history and decode the streetscapes of Manhattan on our multi-faceted walking tours where history and architecture meld. Manhattan Unlocked answers the question every New Yorker has asked, "why is this building next to that building, and that building next to this building?" We take that question to its logical conclusion and let the built environment--the city itself--tell its own story!

We realized there's more to the million-and-one things to be seen on the surface of the city today. Manhattan Unlocked takes into account ancient geography and historic transit, in addition to commerce, architecture, immigration and everything else, to explain the city's growth and development. In fact, New York City can only be understood from an all-of-history, holistic point of view.

About Us

Manhattan Unlocked began as a blog over a decade ago to decode and make sense of the streetwalls of the city. What most people consider New York City is an architectural complex and constellation of neighborhoods stretching almost 5 miles from the Battery to Central Park through the island's core. Yet, what looks like a jumble of buildings on any given block (we realized long ago) couldn't be random. There had to be a logic to the blocks; patterns to the neighborhoods. Neighborhoods comprising cast iron buildings or skyscrapers had to be part of some overarching narrative. There had to be a way that Tribeca and Museum Mile were part of the same story.

We soon realized that in the search for "unified theory" behind New York's instantly recognizable, yet enigmatic streetscape, we needed to hit the pavement so to speak. Manhattan Unlocked Historical and Architectural Walking Tours was born (thank you Viator and TripAdvisor, but now bookings can be made directly!). The blog had been put on hiatus, but we hope to begin updating again soon, and with a new look! Join us on a walking tour, and we look forward to uploading new and interesting posts soon.

Thanks for visiting!!!

To see details and book a walking tour click the big blue button below. Check out our TripAdvisor reviews! But you'll save a few dollars by clicking below.

  • Midtown Manhattan Art and Architecture Walking Tour

    • Midtown West, Times Square, Rockefeller Center & Park Avenue

  • Holdouts! Based on the Book by Alpern & Durst

    • Midtown East, Grand Central & Rockefeller Center

  • Recreate the Most Requested Walking Tour of 1840s New York

    • Astor Place, NoHo, SoHo, Chinatown & the Civic Center (Foley Square)

  • Tenement Housing and Immigrant Life: A Lower East Side Story
    • (starts May 15, 2024)

    Foley Square, Chinatown & The Lower East Side

  • Explore the Ruins of a Forgotten City in the Middle of Manhattan
    • (starts May 29, 2024)

    Madison Square, Nomad, the Flatiron District & Chelsea

The old blog remains below....(sorry any shortcomings in our early years of research).

Click Here to See Tours

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Pawn Stars, Carlo Gambino & SGS Associates

Just a quick, fun post.  I was watching Pawn Stars and a guy walked in with a canceled check signed by Carlo Gambino from 1962.  It was from S.G.S. Associates, and you could see the address on the check: 141 East 44th Street.  So I Google Earthed it…The Fitzpatrick Grand Hotel.  I originally thought the flag out front was Italian--my bad,  it's the Irish flag.  Still, they're close (orange instead of a red stripe).

141 East 44th Street
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7 comments:

  1. AnonymousMay 29, 2011 at 4:11 AM

    When was that converted into a hotel? Was that an office building before? Otherwise how could a corporation operate out of a hotel?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Robert AmellJune 1, 2011 at 1:06 PM

    I couldn't find out much online about the history of the building, so I called the hotel directly and you are exactly right. They informed me the hotel took over the space in 1998, and before that it was an office building. Thanks so much for reading!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Albert GAugust 9, 2011 at 9:56 PM

    Nice post. I saw Pawn Stars as well. I'm working across the street from this building.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousOctober 31, 2011 at 1:24 PM

    Funny That there is another for sale for $2499.00. Rick got his for $500.00. See for yourself http://www.historyforsale.com/html/prodetails.asp?bw=1&documentid=283128

    ReplyDelete
  5. onlyonerodMarch 25, 2018 at 4:36 PM

    Manhattan Boys

    ReplyDelete
  6. UnknownNovember 15, 2018 at 9:00 AM

    That's a great post and people may not be aware of this address fact and its original location. deals for cheap park and fly

    ReplyDelete
  7. borerJanuary 12, 2023 at 11:34 AM

    thanks

    ReplyDelete

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