Sesame Street, New York, New York
Encyclopedia
Sesame Street is a fictional street located in the Manhattan
neighborhood of New York, New York. The street serves as the location for the American children's television series
, Sesame Street
, which is primarily set at 123 Sesame Street, a fictional apartment building.
staff agree, the specific neighborhood that it is supposed to represent is still disagreed upon by staff. Art director
Victor DiNapoli
has stated that it is supposed to be located on the Upper West Side
. Sesame Street's founder, Joan Ganz Cooney
, stated in 1994 that she originally wanted to call the show 123 Avenue B, after the Alphabet City
area of the Lower East Side
and East Village
.
. The house is a two-story building with a daylight basement, totaling three apartments On the first floor lives the Robinson family, on the second floor lives the Rodriguez family, and Bert & Ernie live in the basement. The building was meant to appear typical of New York neighborhood brownstones, being described as a "survivor of gentrification
by art director Victor DiNapoli.
To the left of 123 a forecourt
which serves as the entrance to a carriage house
.The forecourt, called the Arbor, serves as a playground
, and separates 123 from a tenement
. To the right of 123 is a fence
made of old salvaged doors; in front of those doors is where Oscar the Grouch
's trash can sits. Behind the doors is where Big Bird
lives in his birds nest. Hooper's Store
is located down the street from 123. In the late 1990's the characters decided that the neighborhood needed more green space and built a garden
in a vacant lot behind the Arbor.
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
neighborhood of New York, New York. The street serves as the location for the American children's television series
Children's television series
Children's television series, are commercial television programs designed for, and marketed to children, normally scheduled for broadcast during the morning and afternoon when children are awake. They can sometimes run in the early evening, for the children that go to school...
, Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
, which is primarily set at 123 Sesame Street, a fictional apartment building.
Location
The fictional Sesame Street is set to represent a neighborhood of New York City. While Sesame WorkshopSesame Workshop
Sesame Workshop, formerly known as the Children's Television Workshop , is a Worldwide American non-profit organization behind the production of several educational children's programs that have run on public broadcasting around the world...
staff agree, the specific neighborhood that it is supposed to represent is still disagreed upon by staff. Art director
Art director
The art director is a person who supervise the creative process of a design.The term 'art director' is a blanket title for a variety of similar job functions in advertising, publishing, film and television, the Internet, and video games....
Victor DiNapoli
Victor DiNapoli
Victor DiNapoli is an American television director and production designer. He is sometimes credited as Victor Di Napoli.-Positions held:* Senior Scenic Artist on Sesame Street* Art Director on Barney Live! In New York City...
has stated that it is supposed to be located on the Upper West Side
Upper West Side
The Upper West Side is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan, New York City, that lies between Central Park and the Hudson River and between West 59th Street and West 125th Street...
. Sesame Street's founder, Joan Ganz Cooney
Joan Ganz Cooney
Joan Ganz Cooney is an American television producer. She is one of the founders of the Children's Television Workshop , the organization famous for the creation of the children's television show Sesame Street. Cooney received her B.A...
, stated in 1994 that she originally wanted to call the show 123 Avenue B, after the Alphabet City
Alphabet City, Manhattan
Alphabet City is a neighborhood located within the Lower East Side and East Village in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is also known as Loisaida, a Spanglish adaptation of 'Lower East Side'. Its name comes from Avenues A, B, C, and D, the only avenues in Manhattan to have single-letter...
area of the Lower East Side
Lower East Side
The Lower East Side, LES, is a neighborhood in the southeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is roughly bounded by Allen Street, East Houston Street, Essex Street, Canal Street, Eldridge Street, East Broadway, and Grand Street....
and East Village
East Village, Manhattan
The East Village is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, lying east of Greenwich Village, south of Gramercy and Stuyvesant Town, and north of the Lower East Side...
.
Notable locations on Sesame Street
Sesame Street primarily revolves around a row house, 123 Sesame Street, a brownstoneBrownstone
Brownstone is a brown Triassic or Jurassic sandstone which was once a popular building material. The term is also used in the United States to refer to a terraced house clad in this material.-Types:-Apostle Island brownstone:...
. The house is a two-story building with a daylight basement, totaling three apartments On the first floor lives the Robinson family, on the second floor lives the Rodriguez family, and Bert & Ernie live in the basement. The building was meant to appear typical of New York neighborhood brownstones, being described as a "survivor of gentrification
Gentrification
Gentrification and urban gentrification refer to the changes that result when wealthier people acquire or rent property in low income and working class communities. Urban gentrification is associated with movement. Consequent to gentrification, the average income increases and average family size...
by art director Victor DiNapoli.
To the left of 123 a forecourt
Forecourt
In architecture a forecourt is an open area in front of a structure's entrance.In archaeology, forecourt is the name given to the area in front of certain types of chamber tomb...
which serves as the entrance to a carriage house
Carriage house
A carriage house, also called remise or coach house, is an outbuilding which was originally built to house horse-drawn carriages and the related tack.In Great Britain the farm building was called a Cart Shed...
.The forecourt, called the Arbor, serves as a playground
Playground
A playground or play area is a place with a specific design for children be able to play there. It may be indoors but is typically outdoors...
, and separates 123 from a tenement
Tenement
A tenement is, in most English-speaking areas, a substandard multi-family dwelling, usually old, occupied by the poor.-History:Originally the term tenement referred to tenancy and therefore to any rented accommodation...
. To the right of 123 is a fence
Fence
A fence is a freestanding structure designed to restrict or prevent movement across a boundary. It is generally distinguished from a wall by the lightness of its construction: a wall is usually restricted to such barriers made from solid brick or concrete, blocking vision as well as passage .Fences...
made of old salvaged doors; in front of those doors is where Oscar the Grouch
Oscar the Grouch
Oscar the Grouch is a Muppet character on the television program Sesame Street. He has a green body , has no nose , and lives in a trash can. His favorite thing in life is trash; evidence for this is the song "I Love Trash". A running theme is his compulsive hoarding of seemingly useless items...
's trash can sits. Behind the doors is where Big Bird
Big Bird
Big Bird is a protagonist of the children's television show Sesame Street. Big Bird, like many of the other Sesame Street characters, is a Muppet character. He is sometimes referred to simply as "Bird" by his friends....
lives in his birds nest. Hooper's Store
Hooper's Store
Mr. Hooper's Store is an integral business and meeting-place on the television show Sesame Street. Its owners have been Mr. Hooper, David, Mr. Handford, and Alan; these managers have been assisted by Tom, Cookie Monster, Bert, Petey, Gina, Carlo, Natalie, and Gabby at times.-Overview:Founded by Mr...
is located down the street from 123. In the late 1990's the characters decided that the neighborhood needed more green space and built a garden
Garden
A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The garden can incorporate both natural and man-made materials. The most common form today is known as a residential garden, but the term garden has...
in a vacant lot behind the Arbor.