The End of Tin Pan Alley

Just as New York's economy crashes, Tin Pan Alley, which helped make the City a haven for good times, hits the fiscal chopping block. As originally reported by Brooks of Sheffield at Lost City,the historic block of five buildings on West 28^th Street that constituted Tin Pan Alley are up for sale. That’s just like New York under Bloomberg, isn’t it? Abandoning the historic parts of the City for more glass and steel condos. But it's gone too far. Surely the ghosts of Irving Berlin, George and Ira Gershwin, Hoagy Carmichael, Scott Joplin, Cole Porter, Fats Waller and the other greats who created America’s original soundtrack are flinching in their skeletons. I spoke with one resident senior citizen sitting on her stoop who said she fully expects the tenants to be either evicted or bought out prior to the block being razed.

From Lost City: “The listing has been up since September. One can only hope that, with the current economy, the seller doesn't have a chance in hell of making that price. Lost City has previously decried the fact that these buildings—once home to music publishers that fostered the talents of songwriters Gershwin, Berlin, Donaldson, Carmichael, Warren, Waller, Kahn, Cohan, Mercer, Youmans and dozens more—have been left to rot, with nothing marking their significance to American culture save a small plaque. They don't enjoy landmark status. No pocket museum or tourism bureau marks their presence. It's a positive shanda!"

Here is a partial list of standards that were written in Tin Pan Alley:

* "The Band Played On," 1895 * "A Hot Time In The Old Town Tonight," 1896 * "Hello! Ma Baby (Hello Ma Ragtime Gal)," 1899 * "Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home," 1902 * "In The Good Old Summertime," 1902 * "Give My Regards To Broadway," 1904 * "Shine On Harvest Moon," 1908 * "Take Me Out To The Ballgame," 1908 * "By The Light Of The Silvery Moon," 1909 * "Down By The Old Mill Stream," 1910 * "Let Me Call You Sweetheart," 1910 * "Alexander's Ragtime Band," 1911 * "God Bless America," 1918 * "Swanee," 1919 * "Way Down Yonder In New Orleans," 1922 * "Sweet Georgia Brown," 1925 * "Ain't She Sweet," 1927 * "Happy Days Are Here Again," 1930

A view inside 49 West 28th...

The tile over which the Gershwins once tapped their toes...