Public School 11
Why it's listed
Public School 11 occupies a triangular block at Ogden Avenue, Merriam Avenue and West 169th Street in the western Bronx. The brick and stone complex has three parts. The oldest, built in 1889 to designs by school superintendent George W. DeBevoise, has a central entrance tower, a mansard roof and contrasting stone and brick, all hallmarks of the Romanesque Revival style. In 1905 his successor, C.B.J. Snyder, added a six-bay wing to the south with plainer ornament but matching materials and lines. A gymnasium-auditorium by an unknown architect followed in 1930, and a 1937 interior mural of the Bronx's development was added under a W.P.A. arts project. The school replaced an 1852 building as the area's population grew after annexation to New York City. It was listed as an exceptional academic building with harmonizing additions and as a rare surviving example of its type and period in the Bronx.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the school is one of the finest Romanesque Revival buildings in the Bronx and an intact example of late nineteenth century academic architecture in New York City. Its 1889 and 1905 sections were designed by successive superintendents of public school buildings, George W. DeBevoise and C.B.J. Snyder. The additions harmonize with the original design and reflect the school's growth with its neighborhood.
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 83001642, listed September 8, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1257 Ogden Ave., New York |
|---|---|
| County | The Bronx |
| Listed | September 8, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83001642 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899, 1900- (specific dates 1889; additions 1905, 1930) |
| Architect / builder | George W. DeBevoise (1889); C.B.J. Snyder (1905); unknown (1930) |
| Architectural style | Romanesque Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied and in educational use; condition marked good and altered, on its original site. |
| Acreage | 1.5 |
| Within district | Grand Concourse Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.83975, -73.92602 (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.
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 83001642.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7257549
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.