---
title: "Holdouts: A NYC Architecture Walking Tour"
lang: en
type: tour
city: New York
country: United States
price: 53
currency: EUR
price_unit: per_person
availability: bookable
rating: 4.86
reviews: 36
duration_minutes: 120
duration_max_minutes: 180
languages: [en]
free_cancellation: "true"
rank_in_category: 51 of 71 (Walking Tours)
schedule_checked: 2026-10-21
data_updated: 2026-10-21
canonical: https://guidekin.com/usa/new-york/tours/holdouts-a-nyc-architecture-walking-tour/
---

# Holdouts: A NYC Architecture Walking Tour

In our comparison: #51 of 71 in Walking Tours, by rating weighted by review volume (table below).

## Overview

This 2.5 hour walking tour around the Midtown Manhattan shows-and-tells the fascinating stories of holdouts—the intriguing side effect of Manhattan's pressure cooker real estate industry: when a property owner (or lease holder) refused to sell to a developer, forced them to rework their plans, and forever changed the city streetscape. Stories, like the elderly lady who never knew any other home; or the poker player-like landlord who overplayed his hand; or the restauranteur whose long term lease (justifiably) demanded budget-busting sums, all add a human dimension to these transactional anomalies. And personal stories that were otherwise lost, are awesomely amplified by the everlasting impression left behind: seemingly ill-planned entrances for skyscrapers, odd shaped buildings, 20-story tall notches in office towers, are just some of the 16 examples of holdouts we'll see.

This tour is based on the book, Holdouts! By Alpern and Durst.

## Before you book

- Meeting point: Lower level lobby
- Starts 10:00, 14:00: 2 departures a day
- Wheelchair accessible: operator-marked
- Strollers OK: infants accepted

**Pickup:** No hotel pickup: everyone meets at the start point

## Key facts

- Price: from €53 per person
- Duration: 2h–3h
- Rating: 4.86/5 from 36 reviews (collected from Guidekin & Viator & Tripadvisor)
- Free cancellation (see policy below)
- Operator: Manhattan Unlocked Historical and Architectural Walking Tours
- Group: Shared tour
- Guide languages: English
- Start times: 10:00, 14:00
- Booking: Instant confirmation, mobile ticket
- Price checked on Viator: 2026-10-21

## Reviews

4.86 from 36 ratings on Guidekin, Viator & Tripadvisor.
97% of ratings with a star breakdown are 4 or 5 stars: 35 of 36.

- 5 stars: 34 (94%)
- 4 stars: 1 (3%)
- 3 stars: 0 (0%)
- 2 stars: 0 (0%)
- 1 star: 1 (3%)

## What's included

- Professional guide

## Not included

- Gratuities

## Itinerary

1. **We start in lower lobby of this distinctive building where we'll lay the grou...** (15m) - We start in lower lobby of this distinctive building where we'll lay the groundwork for the tour, where we'll go and what we'll see. The building itself is the result of holdouts, and our first subject.
2. **A fascinating ego building** (pass by, no stop)
3. **Citicorp Center** (pass by, no stop) - Not a holdout, but a fascinating story is associated with the construction of this building, whose main pillar supports are not in the corners, but in the middle of the side.
4. **An old buggy whip factory, and a holdout** (5m)
5. **Amster Yard** (5m) - If this oases is open at the time of the tour, we stop in for a moment. A time capsule where histories clash and the city meets the suburbs - - a much earlier one!
6. **This notorious site of a mob hit is next door to an interesting holdout** (5m)
7. **Chrysler Building** (pass by, no stop) - Stunning views of this stunning landmark are had along here.
8. **United Nations Headquarters** (pass by, no stop) - We view the Secretariet Building down the block as we continue to pass and discuss holdouts and how they've influenced the streetscapes today.
9. **42nd Street** (5m) - We end our downtown part of the walk at 42nd Street, where a single holdout survived history.
10. **Grand Central Terminal** (5m) - As we make our way to the west side and the uptown portion of the tour we will pass through Grand Central. While not associated with a any holdouts, a mini-tour of this iconic landmark is very possible.
11. **This city-in-a-building was still under construction at this writing** (pass by, no stop)
12. **Brooks Brothers** (5m) - This historic New York City institution had a holdout as a neighbor.
13. **We view this crystal shard-iceberg mashup of a building from the side** (pass by, no stop)
14. **We pass by this sole survivor of Terminal City, from a time before air travel...** (pass by, no stop) - We pass by this sole survivor of Terminal City, from a time before air travel when Grand Central linked to three hotels to receive cross-country travelers. We continue our tour passing fascinating ways holdouts have changed the look of the city.
15. **Diamond District** (pass by, no stop) - Worth noting the block where $440 million in diamonds are traded daily. The entrance a block to the north as we cross Fifth Avenue is flanked by 12' diamond sculptures.
16. **Rockefeller Center's rich history includes a number of interesting, thought p...** (10m) - Rockefeller Center's rich history includes a number of interesting, thought provoking holdouts.
17. **We end the tour here, one of the most compelling examples of a holdout, and i...** (5m) - We end the tour here, one of the most compelling examples of a holdout, and is more appropriately a hold-IN. Here a restaurant proprietor negotiated additional square footage to expand his restaurant into the future skyscraper. You can enter the skyscraper today and stand...

## Schedule

- Runs: Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat
- Departures: 10:00, 14:00
- Schedule last checked: 2026-10-21
- These are published departures, not a live seat count; availability is confirmed at checkout.

## Cancellation

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

## Meeting point

Lower level lobby

Ends: Papillion Restaurant

## Good to know

- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- It is recommended to wear comfortable shoes

## Compared with other Walking Tours

| Tour | Price | Duration | Rating | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **This tour · #51 of 71** | €53 | 2h–3h | 4.86 (36) | shared |
| [Manhattan Adventure Sightseeing Boat Tour - from Chelsea Piers](/usa/new-york/tours/manhattan-adventure-sightseeing-boat-tour-from-chelsea-piers/?format=md) | €90 | 1h | 4.99 (727) | shared |
| [Hamilton and Washington Revolutionary Walking Tour](/usa/new-york/tours/hamilton-and-washington-revolutionary-walking-tour/?format=md) | €48 | 3h | 5.0 (217) | shared |
| [NYC Private Walking Tour](/usa/new-york/tours/nyc-private-walking-tour/?format=md) | €1541 per group | 4h | 5.0 (185) | private |

Ranked #51 of 71 in Walking Tours by Guidekin score (rating weighted by review volume). Prices here run from €23 to €180, median €44; typical length 2h. 15 of 71 are private. Figures are live from the tour cards; the rubric is our handpicked set, not the whole market.

Full list: https://guidekin.com/usa/new-york/nyc-walking-tours/?format=md

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