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Pines Modern is a brand-new, non-profit 501(c)(3) endeavor dedicated to the rediscovery of all that the Pines has created, particularly its mid-century architectural and cultural heritage. We ask for your support in the form of tax deductible contributions to help us to continue discovering, documenting, and sharing the best that Fire Island Pines has to offer. There is much more to document! Our significant expenses include professional photography, drum-scanning of vintage images, creation and maintenance of the web site, required non-profit insurance, preservation consultations with homeowners, and the staffing of Pines Modern functions. Our officers are not paid for their efforts.
Donors at the $50 annual level and above will receive priority notification for house tours and other Pines Modern events. Each donor who contributes $150 and above will receive a free ticket to the next Pines Modern house tour. Please contact us if you would like to place an advertisement on our site.
For support regarding donations, send your message here.
2019 Contributors
Adam Wade
Pines Modern is a brand-new, non-profit 501(c)(3) endeavor dedicated to the rediscovery of all that the Pines has created, particularly its mid-century architectural and cultural heritage. We ask for your support in the form of tax deductible contributions to help us to continue discovering, documenting, and sharing the best that Fire Island Pines has to offer. There is much more to document! Our significant expenses include professional photography, drum-scanning of vintage images, creation and maintenance of the web site, required non-profit insurance, preservation consultations with homeowners, and the staffing of Pines Modern functions. Our officers are not paid for their efforts.
Donors at the $50 annual level and above will receive priority notification for house tours and other Pines Modern events. Each donor who contributes $150 and above will receive a free ticket to the next Pines Modern house tour. Please contact us if you would like to place an advertisement on our site.
For support regarding donations, send your message here.
2019 Contributors
Adam Wade
LOST MODERN 517 PORGIE WALK
Architect: HARRY BATES, c. 1961.
517 Porgie Walk, like many homes in the Pines, sheltered outsize talents within an understated cube that faced the Great South Bay.
Jimmy Daniels (1908-84) was a widely known cabaret singer and night-club host, holding court at a series of European and New York City clubs. During the 1930’s his lover was the architect Philip Johnson. By the 1950’s, Daniels was sharing a townhouse on Bank Street in Greenwich Village with fashion designer Rex Madsen, who dressed a celebrity clientele and found his wares displayed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Harry Bates’ double-height, double-staired, and double-cat-walked cube practically demanded performances from its outgoing owners. Bates later marveled that “No one, for all the WILD parties, EVER fell off! It’s amazing.” Each stair led to an upper bedroom, with a kitchen and a study tucked below. Every room accessed a terrace through sliding glass doors.
517 Porgie Walk still stands but it has been significantly altered.
House Photos: Bill Maris ©ESTO. Daniels portrait: Huffington Post. Daniels and Madsen portrait: Amistad Research Center.
