Miriam & Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and
Photographs
Art & Architecture
Collection
Blueprints, Plans and Maps
In obtaining a floor plan for a building can be a bit of
a struggle, but here are some of the best places to go about locating a
plan:
Department
of Buildings
Maintain files containing
construction applications, building permits, architectural drawings,
blue prints and plans. Their Building
Information System (BIS) provides a property overview, as well as violation
and complaint information, actions and inspections. They began keeping records from 1865 onward
and the boroughs began in 1898
Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals
An index to architectural periodicals,
which includes archaeology, decorative arts, interior design, furniture,
landscape architecture and city planning, as well as architects’ obituaries. The
best resource to obtain information, drawings, plans and photographs
on a building
Municipal Archives
Microfilm collections of the Department
of Buildings docket books, landbooks, and
records for new building and alteration applications
for Manhattan from
1866 to 1959. Also the Assessed Valuation of Real Estate 1789-1979 collection that contains the name of the owner (or occupant)
with a description of the property and its assessed valuation, which
is useful for structures built prior to the Department of Buildings in
1866
Lionel Pincus and
Princess Firyal Map Division
Bromley and Sanborn Maps, Fire Insurance
Maps, Block and Lot Maps, and Property Atlases, which will provide information
on a building from the dimensions, buildings footprint and materials
used in construction
Sanborn Maps, 1867-1970
Provides online maps
for towns and cities in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. An online database
available onsite in the HSSL Library
Books
on Architectural Firm or Building
There may be a book or pamphlet on the building,
architect or architectural firm. Search
the Library's online catalog by
the name of the building (unless known by address) or the name of architect
under ‘Subject‘, ‘Author’ or ‘Keyword’
Artist Files
A clippings file of ephemera on
microfiche, located in the Art & Architecture Division,
Room 300. It provides entries
for architects, as well as architectural firms
Art Index RetrospectiveIndex to articles in major art and
architecture periodicals and bulletins from 1929-1984. It is preceded by Art Full Text for 1984 to the
present
