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The Claremont Riding Academy on West 89th St. between Columbus and Amsterdam Aves. is closing this Sunday after the weekend's riding is done. Opened in 1892, Claremont is the oldest continuously operated horse stable in the U.S. It was initially used as a livery stable, but was turned into a riding academy in the 1920s. Riding lessons are given in a small ring on the main floor, while stables occupy the basement and upper floors, which horses reach via ramps. Owner Paul Novograd said he was closing the business because pedestrian traffic was becoming too congested along Central Park's bridle trails, making it difficult to ride. Homes will be found for the roughly 45 horses that currently stable on 89th St.
The building that houses the Claremont Riding Academy is located at 175 West 89th St. on the north side of the street. It was designed 115 years ago by Frank A. Rooke, who also built The Gershwin Hotel on East 27th St. According to the AIA Guide to New York City, the structure narrowly escaped destruction in the 1960s when urban renewal advocates called for its removal from the neighborhood and replacement as part of a consolidated stable facility inside Central Park, but preservationists prevailed. 175 West 89th is now a New York City Landmark and on the National Register of Historic Places, so any alterations will have to be approved by the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission. We imagine that after washing away 115 years of horse smell, the four-story building could be worth a lot of money as a residential conversion project.
Last year we wrote about how luxury condo developers got the jump on the Landmarks Preservation Commission by removing the facade of the Dakota Stable on 77th st. and Amsterdam Ave. before the building could be landmarked, thus removing any reason for it to be landmarked. The stables at West 89th should avoid this fate because the building is already landmarked. Urban equestrians may now have to decamp to Brooklyn's Kensington Stables located in Prospect Park, which has well-used bridle trails. And although information is fairly difficult to come by, there is a horseback riding facility on Ward's Island.
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Novograd's full of crap... or in this case manure, I guess. My daughter rides up there every week and not once have I heard the park riders complain about pedestrians on the bridle path. The occasional mountain biker, maybe, but certainly not enough to impede business. As a matter of fact, with the nicer weather folks seemed to be coming out of the woodwork to take the horses out into the park.
On the other hand, there had been at least two rumors a year that Mr. N. was going to sell to developers... figures have been in the range of $10 million... and so I guess he finally decided to take one.
It's funny, but for a small stable the horses were all very healthy and very well cared-for, they were truly loved. Hopefully they will all be sent off to good homes.
I'm sure the newly-arrived yupsters who live up there will be happy to be rid of the horse poop and stable smell (of course, they did buy a place on a block with a stable, but I digress...) but this is actually very, very sad. There is (was?) a decent-sized riding community in the city that was based out of Claremont, both adults and younger girls, and they've all grown very attached to the horses and their teachers, and that's what makes this particularly heartbreaking for them. As for the rest of us, when the economy and the real estate market of this city can't support a place like Claremont, which in addition to being so beloved was also a boon for tourists (and we all know how important they are), then you have to wonder how much more of the great city's soul is going to fall to the wrecker's ball. As the Daily News said this morning, call it progress, call it sad.
Tim N., I totally agree w/everything you said. Especially the fact that "you have to wonder how much more of the great city's soul is going to fall to the wrecker's ball." Well said.
However, I find it wierd that you throw around the word "yupster" when your daughter rides horses in Central Park twice a week. I dunno, I mean wouldn't you be in a similar financial bracket to them, but just a bit older? I don't see much of a difference.
Sorry, I'm just sayin'.
Um, probably more than a bit older... and a far as financial stuff goes? Debt, dude, debt... and anywho, I sort of like the horse, um, accoutremon. But a fair point. I suppose I am addressing myself to a class of people who seem to be all appetitie and no taste, and we all know you don't need money to be like that.
aren't the park's auxiliary corps' Clydesdales kept in that stable? where are they going to go?
they've got to be my favorite volunteer organization in the city.
I couldn't believe this myself. I have been riding at Claremont since the age of 8 and now I am 15 going on 16. I have come to love these horses and know all about them. Who else will know the great talent Confetti has in unzippering jackets? What happens to the kids who signed up for camp? Why does this have to happen and why now? Claremont is what makes NYC unique. I hope somebody can stop this from happening. I know that plenty of people are trying to. So it would be great if you could gather as many people as possible by posting your email addresses.
PEOPLE ON THE BRIDDLE PATH, NOT A GOOD EXCUSE FOR CLOSING!
I am an avid tourist that comes all the way from the Caribbean to visit New York and spend some good bucks over here during thanksgiving weekend and in the winter coming back from skying up north.
My ride last year was the ride of a lifetime and I was preparing to bring along a few other friends to enjoy the unbelievable experience of riding in the park!
I suppose the money talks and everything else walks?
I agree with the previous comments that the excuse of having people walking on the briddle path is a louse reason for closing.
I had a great ride and the kids love the horses. I even had to stop a few times for people to take pictures with me and the horse!
Please, somebody out there make a good offer to buy the building! Maybe donate it to the city and keep this valuable asset alive as a foundation!
WHAT HAPPENED TO MY COMMENTS?
I had positive and constructive criticism about what happened with the closing of Claremont, from the point of view of a tourist that loves New York.
What happenend to it?
I think it helps the cause if you know that the repercussions of the closing of Claremont hurts many of us that do not live in New York.
Randall Croes
Thank you
[7] I'm guessing you got caught up in the sometimes minutes-long time delay between comments being posted and then actually shown on the site. I believe your positive and constructive criticism re: the closing are the ones posted at [6], and thank you for them.
[5] I've never ridden a horse from Claremont, or any horse for that matter, but can imagine how upsetting this is going to be to a lot of people who derive a great deal of satisfaction in dealing with horses. I certainly hope some organization will be able to step in and purchase the property for continued use as a working stable.
I certainly don't want to be a locus of organization regarding this issue, but if someone formed a group working to forestall the closing of Claremont, I would be sure to forward any emails received here to that person, or append this post to include his or her contact information. My email is daveh[at]gothamist.com
I have grown up with horses and have never been to New York but I have alway dreamed of visiting and seeing the park on horseback. This is horrible and an absolutaly rediculous reason for shutting down the stable and I second that about the police horses.
i live across the street from the stable and yes it will be missed.my question since the stable was really an elitist place,why didnt the clientle get together and buy the site and keep it running.
"Elitist place"? Excuse me? I am a librarian for NYPL-- if you saw my paystub, you could *hardly* call me "elitist"-- and I rode there for years. If you love something, you find a way to do it. I have had to cut a lot of corners in order to ride, but I did it. Many of Claremont's customers were working and middle-class individuals. Horses don't care what's in your wallet.
Additionally, the clients *DID* try to pool their resources and buy the site. One gentleman, a businessman who has been riding their for over 50 years offered $10.2 MILLION and was still outbid by developers.
I think it's a bit selfish to make these horses live in dank urban stalls so they can be ridden in traffic and breathe automobile exhaust...simply for the convenience of (mostly) wealthy New Yorkers don't have to go out to the country to ride their horses. Don't you think it will be better for the horses when they can be let loose in a corral or a pasture?
I understand the historical significance of Claremont, but this isn't the 19th century, ya know.
I'm from New York, living my for the past 18 years in Louisville, Ky., and I was devastated to hear about Claremont's closing.
Has anything developed since April to help save the stable? It's on the Landmarks list so how could Mr. N. have sold the property to condo delopers?
Strangely, while I was able to rid regularly in N.Y., in Kentucky, you either own your own horse or have to go to a public park where the horses are very sorrowful
Judy A., Louisville, Ky