Click on images to enlarge Methodist Church Home for the Aged 4499 Manhattan College Parkway The Bronx, N.Y. 10471 www.methodisthome4aged.com Organ Specifications: 4499 Manhattan College Parkway (since 1929) ► II/12 Hillgreen, Lane & Company, Op. 953 (1929) 225 West 42nd Street – Manhattan (1860-1929) • unknown if any 16 Horatio Street – Manhattan (1850-1860) • unknown if any The Methodist Episcopal Church Home for the Aged was established in 1850, opening in a rented house at 16 Horatio Street in Manhattan. Ten years later, in 1860, the society erected its own building at 225 West Forty-second Street. By the late 1920s, the Times Square area had become the new theatre district, and the decision was made to relocate the Home to the Bronx. A site was purchased in Riverdale, at 4499 Spuytin Duyvil Parkway (now called Manhattan College Parkway), and Julius Gregory was hired to design the new facility. Included in the project was Pfeiffer Chapel, the gift of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Pfeiffer in memory of their parents. On December 15, 1929, the building and chapel were dedicated by Bishop Francis J. McConnell.
Hillgreen, Lane & Company Alliance, Ohio – Opus 953 (1929) Electro-pneumatic action 2 manuals, 22 registers, 12 stops, 12 ranks On June 1, 1929, a contract was signed with Hillgreen, Lane & Company to build a two-manual organ for the chapel of the Methodist Episcopal Church Home for the Aged. The organ was to be ready on or about September 15, 1929, and would cost $5,000. Payment was not to be made until the organ was completely installed and accepted by the architect, but not before November 15, 1929 — a date only two weeks after the stock market crashed.                 Great Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed (5" pressure) 8   Diapason 73 4   Hohl Floete 73 8   Dulciana 73 8   Cornopean 73 8   Melodia 73                     Swell Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed (5" pressure) 16   Sub Dolce 97 4   Harmonic Flute 73 8   Salicional 73 4   Dolcette (fr. 16') — 8   Vox Celeste (TC) 61 2 2/3   Quint Dolce (fr. 16') — 8   Dolce (fr. 16') — 2   Super Dolce (fr. 16') — 8   Dolce Celeste [no pipes] —   Dolce Mixture III ranks (fr. 16') — 8   Stopped Flute 73 8   Vox Humana 73                 Pedal Organ – 32 notes (5" pressure) 32   Contra Dolce Resultant derived 8   Octave Bourdon (fr. 16') — 16   Bourdon 44 8   Octave Dolce SW 16   Dolce Bass SW                     Couplers     Great to Pedal 8'       Great to Great 16', 4', Unison Off     Swell to Pedal 8', 4'       Swell to Swell 16', 4', Unison Off     Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'                           Combinations     3 pistons to Pedal, placed at left under Great Keys     4 pistons to Great, placed under Great Keys     6 pistons to Swell, placed under Swell Keys     4 pistons to General, placed over Swell Keys, affecting all stops and couplers                 Accessories     Tremolo to Great   Wind Indicator     Tremolo to Swell   Crescendo Indicator     Coupler Cancel   Sforzando Indicator                 Pedal Movements     Great to Pedal Reversible         Great Expression         Swell Expression       Crescendo       Sforzando
Sources:      "Home For The Aged Is A Centenarian," The New York Times (Nov. 14, 1950).      " Home Marks 100th Year," The New York Times (Nov. 20, 1950).      "Topics of Interest to the Churchgoer. Pfeiffer Chapel to Be Dedicated Tomorrow," The New York Times (Dec. 14, 1929).      Trupiano, Larry. Factory Specification of Hillgren, Lane & Company Organ, Op. 953 (1929). Illustrations:      Jensen-Moulton, Albert. Chapel interior; console of Hillgreen, Lane & Co. organ, Op. 953 (1929).

| NYC AGO Home Page | Back to NYC Organ Project List |