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About Us

Carnegie Hill Neighbors is a non profit neighborhood organization, 501 (c)(3), that preserves, protects, and advocates on behalf of Carnegie Hill and its residents.

One of New York City’s most attractive and varied neighborhoods, Carnegie Hill has been likened to a village within our great city. Peppered with a wide range of architectural styles, from Civil War-era clapboard houses to late 19th century rowhouses, from early 20th century mansions, remnants of industrial revolution wealth, to the quintessential pre-war apartment building, replete with beamed ceilings and wide plank floors. The area is also home to several significant institutions both secular and religious, cultural and educational. Finally, Carnegie Hill boasts an array of schools to serve all ages, in the public, private and parochial school systems.

Nearing our fiftieth year, Carnegie Hill Neighbors was formed in response to the threat of high rise construction and to preserve the historic character and architecture of the neighborhood. Today, we continue this work as the voice of the neighborhood, at work to influence the scale and context of new building proposals, and to ensure sensitive renovations and alterations to landmarked buildings. We also work to enforce the zoning laws where infractions can have a pronounced impact on the character of our neighborhood.

Since its founding, Carnegie Hill Neighbors has developed and deployed numerous quality of life programs, including: security patrols, environmental guidance, cleaner streets, landscaping, tree care, and a host of community events. Chief among our aims is to remain a volunteer-centered organization, dedicated to maintaining our area. Carnegie Hill Neighbors has proved that by working together, active and engaged residents can shape their neighborhood into a truly satisfying place in which to live.

Our Historic District

The Carnegie Hill catchment area extends from 86th Street to 98th Street, from the east side of Fifth Avenue to just west of Third Avenue. The map, shown to the left, highlights the  historic districts within Carnegie Hill. The two original designations between 91st and 95th streets were made in 1974. In 1993, an explained district was made to incorporate the two into a larger whole, and last, in 1998 the jewelbox district of Hardenbergh-Rhinelander was designated five years later.

The Carnegie Hill Architectural Guide, published by CHN in 2008, describes in detail close to 400 buildings in the neighborhood. This paperback volume is packed with information both historical and decorative and even as the neighborhood changes, the historical detail of the landmarks described within remain the same. Sturdy and portable, the book furnishes the reader with a collection of visual cues to look out for as well as a menu of self guided walking tours to follow alone or with a companion.

The Carnegie Hill Architectural Guide is good source material for students of architecture and design, the decorative and applied arts as well as students of New York City history among other academics pursuits, both accredited and as one’s hobby or passion.

Mission Statement

Carnegie Hill Neighbors serves the community that spans the blocks from 86th street up to 98th street and the avenues in between, from the [east side of] Fifth Avenue up to, but including, [the west side of] Third Avenue. Since 1970, it has been the organization’s endeavor to preserve the residential character and architectural heritage of Carnegie Hill through education and advocacy.

Quality of life programs address quotidian concerns such as the beauty and security of the area.  Speaker forums and community meetings educate homeowners and co-operative agencies on topics to do with the maintenance and care of their properties.

CHN Board of Directors

Because Carnegie Hill Neighbors is a staffed organization, active on many fronts with a community-minded board of directors, it is in the best position to address neighborhood concerns—from dirty sidewalks to threatening towers.

The CHN Board of Directors oversees the work of the organization. It is a working board with most members in charge of a committee or activity.  The board is comprised of members who are passionate about the community and their areas of interest, be it landmarks, streetscape, tree care, the environment, safety, fund raising, membership development, communications or just spreading the word about how CHN protects and improves Carnegie Hill every day.

Lo van der Valk* – President
Mark Goldsmith* – Vice President
Samantha Fremont Smith* – Secretary

David Stoll* – Chairman

Suzie Aijala
Irene Aldridge
Sarah Bramwell
Heather Brandes
Mark Brookes
Jenifer Brooks
Barbara Coffey*
Dixie De Luca

Jennifer Garrett
Susan Gottridge*
Anne Haubenstricker
Julie Herzig
Jurate Kazickas
Linda Kurtz
Virginia B. Pitman

Patricia Preston
Molly Rand
Kevin Roe
April Shelton
George Stonbely
Greg Warner

Emeritus:
David Balderston
Cynthia MacGrath
Ronald Spencer

*Executive Committee

Letter from the Executive Director

From the vantage point at Carnegie Hill Neighbors, our mission to preserve and protect is increasingly timely. In 2020, we will celebrate five decades delivering quality of life programming and neighborhood advocacy to the hill. Our organizations’ mission has become the neighborhood culture; cleanliness, historic character, and that small village feel, with charming promenades and small business at the street level, each possess connotations for Carnegie Hill.

This is the result of listening to your thoughtful voices, accepting your support and enlisting you as volunteers to improve our home. Every program we run at Carnegie Hill Neighbors is in recognition of a need – our 2017 launch of CHN Clean Streets responded to increased streetscape attention and a bolster to ten years of our Graffiti and Sticker Removal.  To experience fresh air, vibrant color and growth with forty years of planting seasonal flower displays on the Park Avenue Malls.  Come and revel with us, as we roll out new community events and old favorites; from our May 2 Spring Benefit, to our Meet CHN Breakfast Series; to the second Annual Film Fete in September and our tenth Spooktacular on Halloween. When we work this diligently , we need to have some fun too!

Why do we do all of these things?

Because it’s our home.

Joanna Cawley
Executive Director, Carnegie Hill Neighbors

Staff

1326 Madison Ave
Garden Level
New York, NY | 10128
Tel: 212-996-5520

Lo van der Valk – President
lovandervalk@chneighbors.org​

Joanna Cawley – Executive Director
joanna@chneighbors.org​

Jeancarlo Sotomayor – Member Relations Manager
jeancarlo@chneighbors.org

Josephine Mazur – Quality of Life Manager
josephine@chneighbors.org

Haiba Hamilton – Bookkeeper
haiba@chneighbors.org

Events
events@chneighbors.org​​

General Inquiries
info@chneighbors.org