Public School 109
Why it's listed
Built in 1898 on East 99th Street in East Harlem, Public School 109 is a five-story, H-plan school in the Collegiate Gothic style, designed by architect C.B.J. Snyder. Its brick walls rest on a limestone base and are decorated with terra cotta, steeply pitched gables, ornate dormers, turrets and a copper-clad spire. Beneath the Gothic detail is a steel and cast-iron frame with brick barrel-vault floors, and the turrets and spire serve as part of the original ventilation system. It is the only survivor of the area's pre-urban-renewal streetscape. The school was among those the city erected in immigrant districts as enrollment grew and compulsory education spread, and it reflects the investment made in quality school design. It is also an excellent early example of Snyder's work. The building is now vacant. Work begun in 1999 in preparation for demolition removed some terra cotta and windows, but an engineering survey found it could be rehabilitated.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is significant under Criterion A in education as a representative example of the many schools New York City built in the late nineteenth century in poor immigrant neighborhoods. It is also significant under Criterion C as a distinctive Collegiate Gothic school and an excellent early work of architect C.B.J. Snyder, who reformed the city's school design and construction.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 00001159, listed September 22, 2000. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 215 East 99th St., New York |
|---|---|
| County | Manhattan |
| Listed | September 22, 2000 |
| Reference number | 00001159 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1898-1950 |
| Architect / builder | Snyder, Charles B.J. |
| Architectural style | Late 19th Century Revival: Collegiate Gothic |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Education |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed current function is vacant/not in use. Demolition preparations began in 1999, including removal of some terra cotta dormer units and window sashes and a temporarily sealed roof. A 1999 engineering survey found no immediate danger of collapse. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.78698, -73.94698 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 00001159.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q17986850
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.