Public School 166

PUBLIC SCHOOL 166

ONE OF THE FEW EXTANT 19TH-CENTURY INSTITUTIONAL
BUILDINGS ON THE UPPER WEST SIDE. PUBLIC SCHOOL 166 WAS
BUILT IN 1897-99 AS PART OF THE VAST CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM
TO MEET THE NEEDS OF NEW YORK'S RAPID POPULATION GROWTH.
C.B.J. SNYDER, INFLUENTIAL AND LONG-TIME SUPERINTENDENT
OF SCHOOL BUILDINGS FOR THE NEW YORK CITY BOARD OF
EDUCATION, USED THIS COLLEGIATE GOTHIC STYLE AS A MODEL
FOR FOUR OTHER CITY SCHOOLS. P.S. 166 IS ONE OF NEW YORK'S
EARLY PUBLIC BUILDINGS THAT UTILIZED TERRA COTTA FOR ITS
PREDOMINANT CLADDING MATERIAL. THE MAIN FACADE
FEATURES A TURRETED CENTRAL BAY WITH A TUDOR-ARCHED
ENTRANCE, LARGE WINDOW GROUPINGS WITH DRIP MOLDINGS
AND PROMINENT GABLES WITH STEEPLY PITCHED ROOFS. IN THE
1990S, THE SCHOOL WAS DESIGNATED THE MANHATTAN SCHOOL
OF ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY

NEW YORK LANDMARKS PRESERVATION FOUNDATION
2000