Rooting himself less in a strictly academic tradition and more in an observed, on-the-street context, architecture author and researcher Christopher Gray catalogued what he considered to be beautiful and surprising for The New York Times from 1987 to 2014 in his "Streetscapes" column. He also started a kind of architectural detective business known as the Office for Metropolitan History in 1975, which would research the history, deeds, old photographs and any other paperwork connected with a particular building in the days before the instant compendium of the internet. His work was often used to add depth and context to the work of other architects/critics including Robert A.M. Stern, who The New York Times quoted as saying about Gray that he "was generous with his time and always willing to share what seemed like his almost infinite knowledge of the city’s architectural and social history.” Gray, who died Friday at age 66 from complications due to pneumonia, leaves behind over 1,400 columns preserving his particular blend of wit, humor, and curiosity.