Somehow in 1887 Martin B. Brown convinced William Milne Grinnell to design the new headquarters for his Excelsior Power Company. Grinnell, while trained as an architect at Yale, never practiced. According to the 1922 State of New York Thirty-Third Annual Report of the State Hospital Commission, “He devoted himself largely to travel and the collections of works of art, and having a penchant for oriental art, spent much time in Egypt, Algiers, Tunis and Persia, occasionally extending his trips to China and Japan.”
Nonetheless, Grinnell paused in his travels long enough to design Brown’s building.
Brown’s firm, originally called the Excelsior Steam Power Company at 13 Spring Street, converted steam to electricity. As the population became familiar with electricity and its safety became more apparent, demand increased. Brown, who was also the printer for the City of New York, needed a more suitable building. (The very interesting Brown was also Fire Commissioner, President of the Queens Ice Company, Vice President of the 19th Ward National Bank, invented the steering wheel for fire trucks and built the first “cable road” in New York at 125th Street.)
The seven-story building at 33-38 Gold Street was completed in 1888, a sturdy red-brick Romanesque design with Queen Anne touches. Red terra cotta tiles, rough-cut stone blocks and multiple heavy arches gave interest to the substantial façade.
Above the entrance a cast-metal sign pronounced the building’s name over the terra cotta date – perhaps the structure’s single most interesting feature. Writing in the AIGA Journal of Design over a century later, Paul Shaw called the sign a“gutsy nameplate” and said “the proto-Art Nouveau letters, one of the great examples of architectural lettering in New York, are cast in metal and affixed by screws. Oddly, the date does not match the nameplate. Instead, it is cast in terracotta in Gothic revival style.”
Photo AIGA Journal of Design
Along with the power company and his printing business, Brown filled the building with other printing firms and jewelry manufacturers. In September of 1891, an exhibition was held here demonstrating a new printing press that “will print 24,000 to 40,000 shop bills in an hour and will use two miles of paper in that time.”
Other tenants included Patterson Press, Clark & Zagalla printers, C. P. Goldsmith jewelers and Stern Brothers & Co., a jewelry manufacturer who remained for decades.
In the first decades the new building seemed cursed by fire. A fire on Fulton Street on July 29, 1894 damaged the rear of the building. Four years later, on June 1, 1898 the Clark and Zugalla company on the fourth floor caught fire doing $3000 damage. Again, on January 25, 1901 the building caught fire. Through it all the substantial building never sustained serious structural damage.
The Excelsion Power Company building in 1895 — “King’s Photographic Views of New York” — author’s collection
No. 33 Gold Street’s back luck was not limited to fire. On September 10, 1892, 15-year old Frank Cowey got his hand caught in a pipe-cutting machine in the shop of E. F. Keating. The boy walked, with help, to the Chambers Street Hospital where doctors performed an amputation of a finger. When the ether cup was removed from his face, the boy was dead. At the inquest a week later, the jury exonerated the doctor from all blame in the matter. It decided that “death was caused by an injection of cocaine administered by Dr. Cushing with proper judgment and was in a measure due to ‘a peculiar unknown existing idiosyncrasy.’”
Another boy died at No. 33 Gold when 16-year old Francis Faeth, a worker at Stern Brothers, climbed out on the fire escape on the 6th floor to witness the excitement of a jewelers strike on the street below. The boy fell to his death.
Here, in 1921 Special Deputy Commissioner Carleton Simon seized a large quantity of opium and counterfeit revenue stamps in the jewelry firm of Sebastian Fagella. A few months later Fagella was arrested again, this time for producing forged fight tickets for the Dempsey-Carpentier bout.
The narrowness of Gold Street, originally laid out for horse carts and pedestrians, discouraged the growth of retail or office space. No. 33 Gold Street, therefore, retained nearly all of its architectural integrity – never being seriously altered with shop windows or pseudo-modern fronts.
Photo Wally Gobetz
Now converted to residences, its over-sized entrance arch has been bricked up, the original windows have been replaced by an unsympathetic modern mish-mash, and a truly unfortunate choice of a metal “Dutch door” with scalloped edges around the window serves as an entrance.
Nevertheless, one of William Milne Grinnell’s rare buildings – if not his only one – survives remarkably intact and essentially overlooked.
THOMAS ALVA EDISON REMEMBERED ON SITE AT 257 PEARL STREET
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DAYTONIAN IN MANHATTAN
JUDITH BERDY ESTHER COHEN
All image are copyrighted (c) Roosevelt Island Historical Society unless otherwise indicated THIS PUBLICATION FUNDED BY DISCRETIONARY FUNDS FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBER JULIE MENIN & ROOSEVELT ISLAND OPERATING CORPORATION PUBLIC PURPOSE FUNDS.
DO YOU RECEIVE CALENDARS FROM ORGANIZATIONS? INSTEAD OF DISCARDING THEM, DONATE THEM TO THE COLER RESIDENTS. THE CALENDARS ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED LEAVE THEM AT THE 531 MAIN STREET DOOR STATION FOR JUDITH BERDY THANK YOU
The 1908 New York to Paris Race crossed continents and was spoofed by Hollywood. The great international auto race traversed the United States and Asia, finally concluding the five-month contest in Paris.
At a time when the automobile industry was still in its infancy and superhighways were years in the future, this race was an event of epic proportions.
On February 12, 1908, six automobiles representing four countries embarked from Times Square in New York City. The event, sponsored by the New York Times and the French newspaper, Le Matin, attracted almost 250,000 spectators at the kick-off is is considered the longest motorsport event ever held.
Prior to the start of the race, a band in the grandstands played each participating nation’s anthem. America’s greatest adventurer President, Theodore Roosevelt, inaugurated the century’s greatest adventure.
The vehicles were decorated with flags, postcards and paraphernalia designating their respective country. An article in the Amsterdam Evening Recorder described the cars as the “queerest looking machines ever devised for motoring purposes.
With their heavy equipment of stores and camp utensils, they resemble an old prairie schooner. One resembled a hook and ladder truck, with long running boards on either side, equipped with axes, shovels, ropes and a dozen other articles.”
The drivers must have been a quite a sight as their “clothing… varied from black bear skins to the pure white fur outfit and head dress of a French team.” Although given the time of year and the topless design of the vehicles, it is no wonder they dressed as though in Siberia (through which the a later leg of the race would travel).
Given the time of year, they would often be traveling on snow-filled and mud-bogged roads. Gas stations few, there was often great distance between settled areas, and communication was poor. The motorists needed to be prepared for almost any situation they might have possibly encountered.
The American car, driven at the start by Montague Roberts, was a four cylinder, four speed, sixty horsepower 1907 Thomas Flyer manufactured by the E.R. Thomas Motor Company in Buffalo. The car was removed from the manufacturer’s showroom floor as a last-minute entry to the race, and equipped with extra gas tanks for the journey.
Traffic in Times Square had ceased a half-hour before the green flag. At the start of the race, the cars (three French, one German, one Italian, and one U.S.) left Times Square at Broadway and 42nd Street and headed north on the road to Albany.
The plan called for the automobiles to drive across New York State to Buffalo, go through Cleveland and Toledo in Ohio, Chicago to Omaha, Nebraska, through Reno to San Francisco.
It was intended, because the race began in February, that the teams would drive from San Francisco north through Seattle and cross the frozen Bering Straits from Alaska to Russia. However, the wintry weather proved some difficulty for the motorists.
According to the Amsterdam Evening Recorder, on the second day of the race, February 13th, three of the automobiles passed through Amsterdam, NY and the Mohawk Valley.
While the remaining three cars encountered heavy snowdrifts and ice in the Hudson Valley, the American, Italian and one of the French cars arrived in Montgomery County “over the Erie towpath” due to the heavy snow drifting in the roadways.
The American and Italian vehicles in the lead followed the pilot car, a 1908 Oldsmobile from Schenectady’s Stevenson & Swift garage, up the towpath.
When the pilot car turned onto River Street at the lower canal bridge, however, not realizing they reached their scheduled stopover in Amsterdam, the racers continued straight ahead. Once the drivers of the pilot car realized the error, they tried unsuccessfully to pursue the racers, instead hitting ice and skidding off an embankment.
The contestants eventually reached Fultonville, crossed the Mohawk River and spent the night in Fonda. Unfortunately, it’s still unknown where in Fonda they stayed over.
The driver of the third place French De Dion-Bouton car lodged at the Hotel Warner in Amsterdam, all continuing their journey through the Mohawk Valley the morning of the 14th.
Because there were no highways crossing the United States at that time, race contestants were forced to travel back roads, across creek beds, and even along the railroad ties of the Union Pacific Railroad.
It was fortunate if one of the members of their racing teams was a mechanic because contestants had to make their own repairs, and from accounts, the repairs were numerous.
People across the globe were hungry for reports of the contestants’ progress as journalists transmitting daily accounts back to their respective newspapers accompanied some of the teams. The accounts included reports on vehicle breakdowns, facing frontier bandits and encounters with wildlife.
Only three of the six original cars finished the 1908 race in Paris. The German car, Protos, arrived in Paris in July, four days before the American car, driven by New York native and E.R. Thomas employee, George Schuster.
The transcontinental race had taken approximately five months and over 22,000 miles to complete. Not, however, without controversy.
Because they rode the train rails (risking possible disqualification) from Ogden, Utah to Seattle, the German team received a penalty of fifteen days being added on to the length of their trip.
The American team, on the other hand, had fifteen days taken off of their time as a reward for attempting to take the original route from San Francisco up to Alaska before the wintry weather forced them back to Seattle to be shipped across the Pacific Ocean to Japan.
Ultimately, the American car was declared the winner.
The Thomas Flyer, after winning the race, disappeared for a number of years until collector Bill Harrah located the car in the 1950s and restored it. The vintage automobile is now exhibited at the National Auto Museum in Reno, Nevada.
As Schuster recounted tales of the race to his great-grandchildren, one of the highlights was lunching with “Buffalo Bill” Cody at his home in Nebraska.
Hollywood took a turn at depicting this event in the 1960s comedy film, The Great Race, starring Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon.
HAVE A SEAT ON ARLINE’S BENCH, OUTSIDE GALLERY RIVAA
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Illustrations, from above: 1908 New York to Paris Race starting line in Times Square with De Dion-Bouton (in front), Protos and Motobloc; The New York car Thomas Flyer; Map of the route of the Great Race of 1908; the De Dion-Bouton car at Utica during the race; and the Thomas Flyer on display in Reno, Nevada.
A version of his essay fires appear on the website of he Montgomery County Department of History & Archives. Housed in the 1836 Old Courthouse, the department’s genealogical and historical research library contains a voluminous amount of records that are accessible to the public. Not a lending library, the Dept. of History & Archives welcomes visitors from all over the country in search of their heritage. Click here to make an appointment
NEW YORK ALMANACK JUDITH BERDY ESTHER COHEN
All image are copyrighted (c) Roosevelt Island Historical Society unless otherwise indicated THIS PUBLICATION FUNDED BY DISCRETIONARY FUNDS FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBER JULIE MENIN & ROOSEVELT ISLAND OPERATING CORPORATION PUBLIC PURPOSE FUNDS.
Now in its 40th year, the Preservation League of NYS‘s annual Excellence Awards program shines a light on the people who are using historic preservation to make all our lives better — through exemplary restoration projects, indispensable publications, individual action, and organizational distinction.
Recipients of the Excellence Award represent the very best of what the League stands for and supports in historic preservation. They exemplify best practices in the field and demonstrate how preservation is integral to building stronger neighborhoods, boosting local economies, tackling the affordable housing crisis, mitigating climate change, opening our eyes to overlooked history, and saving the places that are special to all of us. The Excellence Awards celebrate those who work so hard to protect that shared heritage.
This year’s Award winners will be recognized at a public reception in New York City on Friday, November 15. Event details can be found here.
2024 Awardees include:
Reynold’s Way, Elmira, Chemung County
Located in the heart of Elmira‘s civic historic district, the Reynold’s Way project is comprised of four very different buildings that had all been vacant for many years. Taken together, Reynold’s Way now houses 41 affordable apartments.
“As one of many partners who brought this development to fruition, we are grateful that historic preservation projects such as this one provide much-needed supply to meet the demands of affordable housing,” said Susan Bull, President and CEO of Arbor Housing and Development. “We are thankful for the team of partners who shared in the vision of transforming the buildings and giving residents a beautiful space to call home.”
Little Caribbean, Brooklyn, Kings County
CaribBEING is an organization working at the intersection of Caribbean culture, community and commerce. Since 2017, when CaribBeing organized to get the official designation of the “Little Caribbean” neighborhood in Flatbush, Brooklyn, they have worked to sustain local businesses and support systems to ensure that Caribbean and Caribbean-American communities in Brooklyn and beyond can continue to thrive.
Little Caribbean is home to the largest Caribbean Diaspora community and residents have been making history here for decades. CaribBEING reinforces the fabric of small enterprises that make a neighborhood, and build links between entrepreneurs, larger funders, and developers to center well-being, arts and culture, commerce, and community. They do this through events, exhibits, tours, corporate partnerships, directories, maps, publicity and publications, and network building.
Town of Avon Opera Hall Rehabilitation, Livingston County
The Avon Opera Building is one of the most historically significant structures in the village, occupying a prominent place in the heart of the business district. The Italianate style Opera Hall was built in 1876, and despite suffering vacancy and disrepair for many years, the structure maintained a much of its architectural integrity in both the exterior and interior.
The Town purchased the Opera House and adjoining Bank of Avon buildings in 2005. Initial rehabilitation work joined the two structures from the inside by installing a new central stairwell. Before work began on the third floor Opera Hall, the first and second floor spaces were repurposed for use as local government offices and community service, now home to Avon’s Town Hall.
Restoration of the Opera Hall performance space was the final stage in bringing this historic building back to life. The building is now a jewel in the center of town, creating a sense of community pride. Completing the performance hall renovation, preserving the building’s architectural character and history, was like putting the “cherry on the sundae.”
Canal Commons, Rochester, Monroe County
Canal Commons is a $64 million affordable housing project that has changed the Rochester, NY landscape. Located in the historic Susan B. Anthony neighborhood, Canal Commons was a long-vacant historic warehouse building, which has been converted into a 123-unit apartment building.
The rehabilitation was made possible through incentives including Low Income Housing Tax Credits and Historic Tax Credits. In addition to providing high quality affordable housing, most Canal Commons apartments are reserved for residents who have experienced chronic homelessness or are in recovery from mental health and substance use disorders.
The creation of this supportive housing was made possible through the Empire State Housing Initiative (ESSHI) administered through the NYS Office of Mental Health. This project is a mixed-income development that serves families earning up to 60% of the Area Median Income. The project also participated in the NYS Brownfield Cleanup Program and in NYSERDA’s Multifamily New Construction Program, significantly improving the viability of the neighborhood and of Canal Street.
Still Standing: The Barns of J.T. Wells and Sons, Pittsford, Monroe County
Still Standing: The Barns of J.T. Wells & Sons strategically highlights the history, heritage, and present-day plight of Western New York’s agriculturally and architecturally significant Wells barns. This television documentary, produced by Churchbell Creative, LLC., creatively explores ways that remaining barns can regain their relevance through adaptive reuse while fostering community engagement in their preservation before these barns disappear from the landscape entirely due to development, decay, and obsolescence. The documentary is being offered for free to all NYS Public Television Stations courtesy of Rochester-based WXXI Public Media.
Roosevelt Island Lighthouse Restoration, New York County
A comprehensive restoration of the Roosevelt Island Lighthouse led by the team at Thomas A. Fenniman, Architect has ensured that this James Renwick Jr.-designed beacon will continue shining for many more years to come. The project included restoring brick, stone, windows, and doors.
Site improvements at the Lighthouse include installation of a new metal spiral staircase, new electrical and LED accent lighting, resetting and installation of new and salvaged stone pavers and curb stones, and the installation of new recessed ground lighting and controls. The project was completed by the construction team of The LIRO Group and ICC Commonwealth.
Moyer Carriage Lofts, Syracuse, Onondaga County
Syracuse‘s iconic “factory with a house on the roof” was built in stages from 1882-1909. The building where luxury cars were once made has found new life thanks to a careful rehabilitation that has transformed the former factory into 128 affordable apartments — the largest affordable housing project in the city.
Newburgh East End II, Orange County
Completed in 2023, Newburgh‘s East End II is RUPCO’s largest project to date. This $37-million scattered-site development includes 24 building sites spread across a 7-block radius located in New York State’s second-largest historic district. East End II includes the restoration of 10 vacant historic buildings and added new construction on 12 vacant lots – creating a total of 61 new, mixed-income homes plus a community space.
The project includes ten apartments for formerly unhoused persons who now receive rental subsidy and case management services from an Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative (ESSHI) grant through the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports. In addition, RUPCO partnered with local nonprofit LYNC to adapt and reuse the former United Methodist Church as a commercial and community service hub called “Highpoint.”
Most Precious Blood Roman Catholic Church, Astoria, Queens County
The restoration of the Art Deco masterpiece Most Precious Blood Church was a monumental 15-year effort aimed at preserving a historic landmark while ensuring its continued service to the community. Key aspects of the restoration included the complete renovation of the exterior facades, belfry, and roof, as well as the careful repair and preservation of the interior Art Deco elements.
The team worked diligently to restore the iconic geometric stained glass windows, the monumental steel frames, and the intricate terrazzo flooring, all of which are critical to the church’s unique character. The aluminum pinnacle adorned with a stylized peacock screen — a symbol of Christian rebirth — was also restored, ensuring it continues to be a beacon of hope against the night sky.
“It is incredibly rewarding to see our team’s hard work and dedication recognized by the Preservation League of NYS,” said Project Architect Carlo Zaskorski. “This award is a testament to our commitment to excellence in preservation, and it reflects the collaborative spirit and expertise that our firm brings to every project.”
Revive 65 Phila, Saratoga Springs, Saratoga County
Through a strategic grassroots campaign, Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation successfully preserved 65 Phila Street, which had fallen into severe neglect. After years of advocating against demolition and working with the city to enforce property maintenance codes, the Foundation acquired the building in May 2021 with the assistance of Mark Haworth, a long-time member of the Foundation.
The Foundation undertook a comprehensive rehabilitation, including environmental remediation, structural stabilization, and exterior restoration. Through monetary and in-kind donations, the “Revive 65” campaign raised over $500,000.
The project, completed in 2024, removed long-standing blight, increased property tax revenue, and demonstrated the community and economic benefits of historic preservation. The property is now on the market, with proceeds going to the Foundation’s Historic Property Redevelopment Fund.
COLER HAS WONDERFUL ART!! MANY TALENTED RESIDENTS ARE TALENTED ARTISTS. THIS PAINTING IS IN THE COLER AUXILIARY OFFICE.
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GALLERY RIVAA JUDITH BERDY ESTHER COHEN
All image are copyrighted (c) Roosevelt Island Historical Society unless otherwise indicated THIS PUBLICATION FUNDED BY DISCRETIONARY FUNDS FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBER JULIE MENIN & ROOSEVELT ISLAND OPERATING CORPORATION PUBLIC PURPOSE FUNDS.
Today, September 18th would have been Arline Jacoby’s 100th birthday.
Her daughters, grandchildren and many friends gathered tonight to celebrate her life and tell stories of her life, the formation of RIVAA and her contributions to the arts and Island community.
Arline’s daughter decorated the bench outside Gallery RIVAA in honor of her mother.. A plaque commemorating has been placed on the bench. What a wonderful way to celebrate the founder of the Gallery and so many arts programs. (Check out the plaque as you pass by).
Arline’s daughters, grandchildren and friends spoke of their memories.
Many of us remembered her garden and how she would find volunteers to help her there, sometimes for the entire summer.
Working with Alyce Russo to bring sculptures to the island every summer.
Everyone commented that Arline was a force of nature that could not be stopped!
Convincing RIOC President Robert Ryan to give Gallery the former pharmacy space in Rivercross.
Teaching art classes on and off the island.
Arranging one of the best exhibits at RIVAA on red, white and blue aner her solo exhibits that were memorable.
Arline, Isa, Anise and Grand-daughter here for her 95th celebration. The Blintz Club: Linda Pickett, Helen Roht, Maxine Sealy, Arline Jacoby
Great friends: Arline and Judy Berdy, Arline and Ashton Barfield
Arline and Tad Sudol commemorating friend Helen Roht.
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GALLERY RIVAA JUDITH BERDY ESTHER COHEN
All image are copyrighted (c) Roosevelt Island Historical Society unless otherwise indicated THIS PUBLICATION FUNDED BY DISCRETIONARY FUNDS FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBER JULIE MENIN & ROOSEVELT ISLAND OPERATING CORPORATION PUBLIC PURPOSE FUNDS.
This request arrived in the mail the other day. Do you have a suggestion for a new home?
Hi, I inherited 2 beautiful pastel portraits of my ancestors recently. They belong in a museum. Abijah Pell built the house at 311 East 58th Street. Would someone in your historical society have interest in finding a proper place for the portraits?
The frame of Eliza is in poor condition resulting in the tearing of the very fragile old paper but both could be restored.
If you’d like to call my tel# is xxxxxxxx. Please leave a message if I don’t pick up an unknown call. Thank you and I look forward to a response. Best regards,
THE HOUSE AT 311 EAST 58 STREET STILL EXISTS
The Abijah Pell House – 311 East 58th Street
Abijah Pell, Jr. was born in New York City on November 8, 1811. His was an important family, tracing its roots in America to the 17th century. John Pell inherited the Pelham estate from his uncle, Thomas Pell, in 1670, and became the first lord of Pelham Manor.
Abijah’s parents, Abijah and Mary Baldwin Pell, owned considerable land in Greenwich Village and when the elder Abijah died in 1826 his seven children–five sons and a daughter–shared equally in the sizable estate.
In the decade before the outbreak of Civil War spotty development was taking place along East 58th Street near the East River; until only recently green farmland. Tax records indicate a house appeared by 1857 at what could be numbered 311 East 58th Street, when title to the property was in name of Charles Shute Pell.
It does not appear that Charles ever lived in the quaint brick-faced house. He and his wife, both educators, were appointed superintendents of the New-York Orphan Asylum by 1857 and as such would have living quarters there.
Instead his brother, Abijah, listed his address as “East 58th near 2nd” in the early 1860s. As a matter of fact, it may have been Abijah who constructed the house. He was described as “a leading builder of his day” by The Memorial Cyclopedia decades later. Pell was married to Eliza Brown Ward. She was the first cousin of New Jersey Governor Marcus Ward. The couple had three sons, Abijah, William and Charles. Despite their lofty pedigree, the extended Pell family was apparently well in tune with the condition of the less fortunate. Both Charles and Abijah were long-term members of The New York Association for the Improvement of the Condition of the Poor, for instance. Nevertheless, they moved socially among their peers. All the Pell brothers were members of the venerable St. Nicholas Society which included only men descended from New York’s earliest families.
When Abijah’s 48-year old brother, Aaron, died on November 8, 1861 of consumption, his funeral was held in the 58th Street house two days later.
Abijah had joined the Union Army only a month earlier. When a comrade, John R. Hobby, died “of disease contracted in the army,” on October 20, 1865, once again a funeral was held in the Pells’ parlor. The notice instructed mourners it was “second house east of 2d-av.”
In the spring of 1870 the Park Commissioners directed the North and East River Company and the Central Park Railroad Company to lay “double tracks in Fifty-eighth-street.” The intention was to provide a crosstown connection between the First Avenue and Eleventh Avenue streetcars. Local protest was quick and forceful, with Abijah Pell leading the charge.
On May 7 “a large number of property-owners” met at the Terrace Garden, on 58th Street near Third Avenue. The New York Times reported they gathered “for the purpose of protesting against the laying of a track for a horse-car railroad in that street.”
Abijah Pell presided that evening. Among the results of the meeting was the formation of a committee to raise funds for an expected legal battle.
Three years later Abijah Pell died in a bizarre and tragic accident in Newark, New Jersey. On Saturday morning, April 19, 1873, was run over by the “pusher,” or engine used to move train cars. He died the following day.
The 58th Street house was sold to John B. Huse and his wife, Emma. Huse was a printer with a shop on Hudson Street. He also apparently dabbled in real estate. In September 1873 he advertised “A store to let on Seventh Avenue–inquire at 311 East Fifty-eighth street, or in confectionery, No. 9 Seventh avenue.” Huse was adamant that his property would not be used as a saloon. His ad stressed “will not be rented for liquor store.”
On September 1, 1877 Huse sold the “two-story brick dwelling” to Henry S. Cohn for $8,000–just under $190,000 today. Cohn flipped the house for a tidy profit, selling it four weeks later, on October 5, to Mathias Down for $10,000.
Although the Prussian-born Down was listed as a merchant, his main income most likely came from the several tenements he owned throughout the city. In February 1890 he commissioned architect Charles Stagmeyer to add a two-story extension to the rear at a cost of $1,500. The enlargement may have had to do with Down’s grandson, Mathias Herman J. Weiden’s moving in. Both Down and Weiden were listed in the house in the 1890s.
Weiden (who went by the name Herman) and his wife, Margaret, had one child, Josephine, who was born in 1906. He was active in New York’s German community and served on the Executive Committee of the National Federation of German-American Catholics during the World War I years. Despite anti-German sentiments during the war, it often went by the name of the Catholic Central Verein of America. Weiden would remain an active member through the 1950s.
It appears that Margaret had died by 1920 when only Weiden and Josephine were listed as living in the 58th Street house. His marriage on Wednesday, February 15, 1928 was marred by tragedy when Catherine McMurray, his new mother-in-law, died two days later in her Brooklyn home.
In 1928, the year Weiden remarried, the house looked little different than it does today. photograph from the collection of the New York Public Library On December 30, 1950 The New York Times reported “After seventy-three years in the family of Mathias Weiden, the two story brick dwelling…at 311 East Fifty-eighth Street has been purchased by Charles Jones, music composer, for occupancy.”
The musician moved in with his wife, Sally. Born in Canada in 1910, he had come to the United States at the age of 18 to study violin at the Juilliard School (his father, incidentally, was an American citizen). He became a pupil of, and then assistant to Darius Milhaud at Mills College in Oakland, California. The two worked together at the Aspen Music School where Jones became Director in 1970.
Throughout his career he also taught at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, the Juilliard School and the Mannes College of Music. His compositions included an oratorio on Piers Plowman, four symphonies, and nine string quartets.
Jones was still teaching composition at Mannes and Juilliard when he died from complications of heart surgery in June 1997. The remarkably-surviving little house was sold the following year to The Philip Colleck Gallery for $1.1 million. The gallery, established in the 1930s, deals in 18th century English antiques.
According to the firm’s president, Mark Jacoby, several months after the purchase “Part of the charm of the building is that it has its original doors, mahogany banisters and wide pine floors, all of which we’re keeping. We’re keeping the room configurations as well. There are seven different fireplaces on the three floors, and a large rear garden that we’re going to beautify.”
The new owners hired architect Peter M. Bernholz to design the gallery. At the same time the coat of what Jacoby described as “old blueberry-yogurt paint” was removed from the brickwork.
As if the history of the house were not amazing enough, local lore insists that Tennessee Williams rented a room here in the 1930s. In fact, he lived across the street at No. 316. And that is perfectly fine. The remarkable survivor does not need a celebrity to stand out; its excruciating charm is enough.
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DAYTONIAN IN NEW YORK JUDITH BERDY ESTHER COHEN
All image are copyrighted (c) Roosevelt Island Historical Society unless otherwise indicated THIS PUBLICATION FUNDED BY DISCRETIONARY FUNDS FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBER JULIE MENIN & ROOSEVELT ISLAND OPERATING CORPORATION PUBLIC PURPOSE FUNDS.
1. The Hell Gate Bridge is Comprised of Three Bridges
New York City’s Hell Gate Bridge sits on the north end of the East River, between Astoria, Queens, and Randall’s Island. The bridge is named for the once-dangerous channel it crosses, derived from the Dutch word hellegat, which means “hell channel.” Infrastructure aficionados marked the span’s centennial year with cake and events in 2017.
Hell Gate also happens to be a favorite of Dave Frieder, “the Bridge Man” and author of The Magnificent Bridges of New York City. Frieder has been documenting sights from atop the city’s bridges for over two decades. With his help and that of our Chief Experience Officer, Justin Rivers, we bring you ten fun facts and secrets about the Hell Gate Bridge. Want more? Join us for our upcoming Powering NYC: East River Ferry Tour, where you’ll learn more about Hell Gate’s “explosive” past and sail past multiple bridges, abandoned islands, waterfront power plants, and more!
The Hell Gate Bridge is actually a complex of three bridges: the well-known Steel Arch, an inverted bowstring arch that spans a former water-filled channel (Little Hell Gate) between Wards and Randall’s Islands, and a small truss bridge, which would have been a double bascule-type bridge that goes over a small “Kill” between the Bronx and Randall’s Island.
In 2015, a pedestrian and bike route was opened beneath arches of the truss bridge, providing a pleasant and easy way to connect between the Port Morris in the Bronx and Randall’s Island. The bridge was the result of years of activism by groups like South Bronx Unite and others who have been advocating for healthier urban design for a community adversely affected by continued industrial waterfront conversion.
2. Hell Gate Bridge Was Once the Longest Steel Arch Bridge in the World
The Bayonne Bridge was inspired by the design of Hell Gate
The Hell Gate Bridge was the longest steel arch bridge in the world when it was dedicated in March 1917. While it’s not the most recognized span in New York City, it did serve as the design inspiration for the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia, the Tyne Bridge in England, and the Bayonne Bridge, which connects Staten Island and New Jersey.
According to Dave Frieder, the Bayonne Bridge uses suspender ropes to support the roadway, while the Sydney Harbour and the Hell Gate use I-beams due to the extreme “live loads” (traffic) they carry. The Bayonne Bridge has also had a significant design change when the roadway was raised from 151 feet to 215 feet to accommodate larger freight ships coming into the ports of New York and New Jersey.
3. Part of the Hell Gate Bridge Sits on Shallow Bedrock
The Queens-side tower of the Hell Gate Bridge sits on solid bedrock, reaching only 15 to 38 feet below ground level. The Wards Island side was a completely different story because it lay near upturned rock strata that made the Hell Gate so treacherous to navigate by water. Also, a gas line that had run under the river prior to the bridge’s construction revealed a fissure in the bedrock which made creating a uniform bridge foundation nearly impossible.
Bridge engineer Gustav Lindenthal’s solution for the Wards Island tower was to utilize fifteen 18-foot diameter caissons to provide solid footing. It took sandhogs (excavation workers) several weeks to dig deep enough to find the reported fissure. It was much deeper than they had originally thought based on initial borings. The solution was one Lindenthal had already used closer to the surface. He used concrete to secure one of the caissons where the fissure passed through its center and, where the fissure lay at a connection point of two other caissons, he bridged the gap with a concrete cantilever. It was the first time this practice was employed in bridge building. In comparison to the Queens tower, the Wards Island tower caissons reach down anywhere from 94 to 123 feet.
4. The Hell Gate Bridge Can Carry Sixty 200-Ton locomotives
The Hell Gate’s “live load” capacity is 24,000-pounds per foot (that is 12 tons per foot), one of the most extreme load capacities for a bridge. In fact, Lindenthal designed the bridge so that sixty 200-ton locomotives could be placed end to end and the structure would easily take the weight.
Yet throughout the bridge’s history, it has never come close to testing that capacity. According to Sharon Reier’s book The Bridges of New York City, on the very day the Hell Gate Bridge opened in April 1917 the future of private rail in the United States was being called into question. A mere two days later the United States declared war on Germany and a year later all rail was nationalized for the war effort. The Pennsylvania Railroad would have a hard time bouncing back from this over the next fifty years. At its height, the PRR ran about 65 trains daily over the bridge. That number plummeted to four after the failure of Penn Central in 1970. Currently, Amtrak runs approximately 40 trains over the bridge.
5. The Hell Gate Bridge Could Last Over 1000 Years
The “grip” of a bridge rivet (or mechanical fastener) is the thickness of the steel it holds together. The rivets of the Hell Gate Bridge happen to have the longest grip of any bridge in New York City: over nine inches. Due to the high carbon steel it is constructed out of, the span could last well over a thousand years.
Unfortunately that 1000 year guarantee does not include the paint job. By the early 1990’s the steel’s coating was in rough shape. With the urging of Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, the US Congress allocated $55 million to re-paint the bridge for the first time since it was built. The color chosen was a deep red called “Hell Gate Red.” But there was a problem, the clear urethane top coating wasn’t formulated to withstand UV bombardment from the sun. This, in turn, faded the red undercoating which was already fading before the paint job was finished. Amtrak chose to use the same paint in the late 1990’s to patch up the damage but it too began to fade. The bridge has undergone multiple paint jobs since.
In 2000, one of bridge’s four tracks was removed because it was not being used. Amtrak thought about installing a roadway for service vehicles, but that idea never came to fruition. When the bridge was originally constructed, Lindenthal wanted to put in two pedestrian walkways on each side of the span for maintenance, but the idea was scrapped due to budget issues.
Today, two tracks are reserved for Amtrak trains, while the other one is for CSX Freight trains. When you take Amtrak to and from Boston, you will see the Hell Gate Bridge up close when it crosses over the span.
7. The Hell Gate Could Have Been A Different Kind of Bridge Altogether
A close up of the Hell Gate Bridge’s top chord. Photo by Dave Frieder
The Hell Gate was almost built as a crescent-arched bridge, but Gustav Lindenthal felt a spandrel arch would make the structure appear stronger. In this design, the upper chord or arch reverses its curve as it comes close to the towers.
Dave Frieder tells us that the stone towers of the bridge, which sit above the road deck, serve no real structural function. They’re purely decorative. Early tower renderings by Henry Hornbostel (who worked with Lindenthal on the Queensboro Bridge) showed lavish Beaux-arts towers with separated arch abutments above the roadway. Those were scaled down to the connected arched towers we have today. In a New York Times article, Allan Renz, the grandson of Gustav Lindenthal, reveals that his grandfather “wanted the bridge to look a particular way” and that “the [stone towers] made it look right.” Yet even the chain of masonry arches that lead to the span and are structurally functional were celebrated for their beauty. According toThe Bridges of New York City, one journalist wrote that the piers were almost unmistakably Egyptian and they felt as if “you are standing in the portico of a mammoth unfinished temple.”
When it was completed in 1917, the Hell Gate Bridge was part of the New York Connecting Railroad and Pennsylvania Railroad. The PRR, which entirely funded the project, originally owned the bridge. Now, it’s owned and maintained by Amtrak.
Photographer Dave Frieder is an old friend of the RIHS and a wonderful bridge photographer. Enjoy his work!!!
FROM THE ART ON THE RIVERCROSS LAWN
THE HIGH HOLIDAYS ARE SOON.
CREDITS
UNTAPPED NEW YORK JUDITH BERDY ESTHER COHEN DAVE FRIEDER
All image are copyrighted (c) Roosevelt Island Historical Society unless otherwise indicated THIS PUBLICATION FUNDED BY DISCRETIONARY FUNDS FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBER JULIE MENIN & ROOSEVELT ISLAND OPERATING CORPORATION PUBLIC PURPOSE FUNDS.
New York City’s Hell Gate Bridge sits on the north end of the East River, between Astoria, Queens, and Randall’s Island. The bridge is named for the once-dangerous channel it crosses, derived from the Dutch word hellegat, which means “hell channel.” Infrastructure aficionados marked the span’s centennial year with cake and events in 2017.
Hell Gate also happens to be a favorite of Dave Frieder, “the Bridge Man” and author of The Magnificent Bridges of New York City. Frieder has been documenting sights from atop the city’s bridges for over two decades. With his help and that of our Chief Experience Officer, Justin Rivers, we bring you ten fun facts and secrets about the Hell Gate Bridge. Want more? Join us for our upcoming Powering NYC: East River Ferry Tour, where you’ll learn more about Hell Gate’s “explosive” past and sail past multiple bridges, abandoned islands, waterfront power plants, and more!
The Hell Gate Bridge is actually a complex of three bridges: the well-known Steel Arch, an inverted bowstring arch that spans a former water-filled channel (Little Hell Gate) between Wards and Randall’s Islands, and a small truss bridge, which would have been a double bascule-type bridge that goes over a small “Kill” between the Bronx and Randall’s Island.
In 2015, a pedestrian and bike route was opened beneath arches of the truss bridge, providing a pleasant and easy way to connect between the Port Morris in the Bronx and Randall’s Island. The bridge was the result of years of activism by groups like South Bronx Unite and others who have been advocating for healthier urban design for a community adversely affected by continued industrial waterfront conversion.
The Bayonne Bridge was inspired by the design of Hell Gate
The Queens-side tower of the Hell Gate Bridge sits on solid bedrock, reaching only 15 to 38 feet below ground level. The Wards Island side was a completely different story because it lay near upturned rock strata that made the Hell Gate so treacherous to navigate by water. Also, a gas line that had run under the river prior to the bridge’s construction revealed a fissure in the bedrock which made creating a uniform bridge foundation nearly impossible.
Bridge engineer Gustav Lindenthal’s solution for the Wards Island tower was to utilize fifteen 18-foot diameter caissons to provide solid footing. It took sandhogs (excavation workers) several weeks to dig deep enough to find the reported fissure. It was much deeper than they had originally thought based on initial borings. The solution was one Lindenthal had already used closer to the surface. He used concrete to secure one of the caissons where the fissure passed through its center and, where the fissure lay at a connection point of two other caissons, he bridged the gap with a concrete cantilever. It was the first time this practice was employed in bridge building. In comparison to the Queens tower, the Wards Island tower caissons reach down anywhere from 94 to 123 feet.
The Hell Gate’s “live load” capacity is 24,000-pounds per foot (that is 12 tons per foot), one of the most extreme load capacities for a bridge. In fact, Lindenthal designed the bridge so that sixty 200-ton locomotives could be placed end to end and the structure would easily take the weight.
Yet throughout the bridge’s history, it has never come close to testing that capacity. According to Sharon Reier’s book The Bridges of New York City, on the very day the Hell Gate Bridge opened in April 1917 the future of private rail in the United States was being called into question. A mere two days later the United States declared war on Germany and a year later all rail was nationalized for the war effort. The Pennsylvania Railroad would have a hard time bouncing back from this over the next fifty years. At its height, the PRR ran about 65 trains daily over the bridge. That number plummeted to four after the failure of Penn Central in 1970. Currently, Amtrak runs approximately 40 trains over the bridge.
The “grip” of a bridge rivet (or mechanical fastener) is the thickness of the steel it holds together. The rivets of the Hell Gate Bridge happen to have the longest grip of any bridge in New York City: over nine inches. Due to the high carbon steel it is constructed out of, the span could last well over a thousand years.
Unfortunately that 1000 year guarantee does not include the paint job. By the early 1990’s the steel’s coating was in rough shape. With the urging of Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, the US Congress allocated $55 million to re-paint the bridge for the first time since it was built. The color chosen was a deep red called “Hell Gate Red.” But there was a problem, the clear urethane top coating wasn’t formulated to withstand UV bombardment from the sun. This, in turn, faded the red undercoating which was already fading before the paint job was finished. Amtrak chose to use the same paint in the late 1990’s to patch up the damage but it too began to fade. The bridge has undergone multiple paint jobs since.
Part 2 Tomorrow
Blooms came and went, not a well planned event. It is sad that the great CJ Hendry flower event was poorly planned and went viral.
Only once before did this happen, the great Cherry Blossom crowds. Time for FDR State Park, FDR Four Freedoms Foundation, State Parks, RIOC, PSD and NYPD should better plan for any event in the park. Social media should be considered if the event could attract thousands.
Meanwhile, our neighbors were enjoying great Jazz at the Library garden and our neighbors were showing their artistic talents painting the panels in Blackwell Park.
THE HIGH HOLIDAYS ARE SOON.
CREDITS
JUDITH BERDY ESTHER COHEN THE SHOP
Untapped New York
All image are copyrighted (c) Roosevelt Island Historical Society unless otherwise indicated THIS PUBLICATION FUNDED BY DISCRETIONARY FUNDS FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBER JULIE MENIN & ROOSEVELT ISLAND OPERATING CORPORATION PUBLIC PURPOSE FUNDS.
Vintage Bus #6, which is at least 15 years old is back in service. The bus may not look spiffy, but it runs and has the advantage of parallel seating and lots of aisle space.
SOMETHING NEW
C J HENDRY FLOWER MARKET
THE LAWN AT FOUR FREEDOMS FDR STATE PARK FREE TO THE PUBLIC FRIDAY- SUNDAY 10 A.M. TO 4 P.M. EVERY GUEST GETS ONE FREE FLOWER ADDITIONAL FLOWERS AND MERCHANDISE ON SALE
SOMETHING BRONZE
Maybe it is brown, but let’s call it bronze. The roof of our subway station has lost its ugly raw steel look with a fresh coat of paint. Why this color, only the MTA knows.
SOMETHING BLUE
A NEW MAILBOX IS FINALLY BACK OUTSIDE OUR POST OFFICE.
PREVIOUS PHOTO OF THE DAY
ABOVE PHOTO IS OF THE ORIGINAL GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL WHICH WAS DEMOLISHED TO MAKE WAY FOR THE CURRENT STRUCTURE IN 1913
CREDITS
JUDITH BERDY NYS URBAN DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION JUDITH BERDY
All image are copyrighted (c) Roosevelt Island Historical Society unless otherwise indicated THIS PUBLICATION FUNDED BY DISCRETIONARY FUNDS FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBER JULIE MENIN & ROOSEVELT ISLAND OPERATING CORPORATION PUBLIC PURPOSE FUNDS.
BUILDING A NEW COMMUNITY THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2024
ISSUE # 1305
JUDITH BERDY
(OF COURSE IN HELVETICA RED)
THE PRESERVATION LEAGUE OF NE W YORK
Excellence Award Spotlight: Roosevelt Island Lighthouse
The Roosevelt Island Lighthouse restoration was completed in 2022 after a years-long project initiated by the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation. The project included restoring brick, stone, windows, and doors. Site improvements at the Lighthouse include installation of a new metal spiral staircase, new electrical and LED accent lighting, resetting and installation of new and salvaged stone pavers and curb stones, and the installation of new recessed ground lighting and controls. The project was completed by the construction team of The LIRO Group and ICC Commonwealth. The League is thrilled to recognize this work with a 2024 Excellence in Historic Preservation Award.
Designed by James Renwick Jr., the Roosevelt Island lighthouse was constructed in 1872 on the northern tip of the island to aid ships navigating the then-treacherous waters of the East River. It was decommissioned in 1940. In 1976, it was designated a New York City landmark and incorporated into the 3-acre Lighthouse Park. Over the years, it had fallen into disrepair and was subject to inappropriate repairs and alterations.
In 2019, Thomas A. Fenniman Architect was hired to create construction documents to help increase the useful life of the structure, eliminate potentially unsafe conditions, and reduce operating and maintenance expenses.
The original Renwick-designed lantern top was removed sometime during the 1920s and replaced with a “standard issue” cast iron lantern. During this project’s planning stages, the team explored the options of either restoring the extant lantern or creating a new lantern, inspired by the original Renwick design. In the end, it was decided to create a new lantern that would bring the Lighthouse design back to its original intent. This new structural glass and blackened stainless steel lantern provides a more sustainable structure to withstand the elements with less maintenance and operating costs.
The restoration and new lantern design were approved by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission under a public review.
The team behind the restoration of the Roosevelt Island Lighthouse thoughtfully considered the history, significance, and current use of the site, breathing new life into a beloved local landmark.
Project team Owner: Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC); Architect: Thomas A Fenniman, Principal and Samuel Harris, Project Architect, Thomas A. Fenniman Architect; Owners Representative: The LiRo Group; Structural & Electrical Engineer: Norfast Engineering, PLLC; Laser Scanning & Drone Images: Berkshire Dimensions; General Contractor: ICC Commonwealth; Electrical Contractor: AMJ Electric Corp.; Stone Fabricator: Traditional Cut Stone; Metal Fabricator: Tymetal Corp.; Structural Glass Lantern Fabricator: SADEV USA; Light Fixture Manufacturer: Lumenpulse.
This Award from the Preservation League follows a 2023 Lucy Moses Award from the New York Landmarks Conservancy and a 2023 Rehabilitation Award from Friends of the Upper East Side Historic Districts.
Work in progress: The new lantern being installed.
FROM THE ARCHIVES:THIS COULD HAVE BEEN SOUTHPOINT PARK
LATE 1970’S WESTVIEW IN THE BACKGROUND WITH THE ORGINAL COMMUNITY GARDENS IN THE FOREGROUND. GARDENS WERE PLACED ON THE SITE OF THE FORMER FDNY TRAINING CENTER.
JOIN US NEXT TUESDAY FOR A CONTINUING JOURNEY THRU ISLAND HISTORY
“Many of us have lived here for decades and have accumulated vast amounts of information (and some mis-information…)
Join Judith Berdy, long time resident. She takes us on a history trip. She explains how the community developed. She discusses how it became the Roosevelt Island we live in today.
“This is a great introduction for our new residents who have many questions about our community,” Judy says. “Join us for a fun evening of facts, fiction and fantasy.”
When: September 17th, @ 6:30 p.m.
Where: New York Public Library Branch, 504 Main Street *This is a free public program of the Roosevelt Island Historical Society (RIHS).
YOU CAN’T BE LATE IF YOU ARE IN THIS ATRIUM THE HUGH, THE FORMER CITICORP CENTER ON 53RD BETWEEN THIRD AND LEX
CREDITS
PRESERVATION LEAGUE OF NEW YROK NYS URBAN DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION JUDITH BERDY
All image are copyrighted (c) Roosevelt Island Historical Society unless otherwise indicated THIS PUBLICATION FUNDED BY DISCRETIONARY FUNDS FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBER JULIE MENIN & ROOSEVELT ISLAND OPERATING CORPORATION PUBLIC PURPOSE FUNDS.
BUILDING A NEW COMMUNITY WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2024
ISSUE # 1304
JUDITH BERDY
(OF COURSE IN HELVETICA RED)
LATE 1970’S WESTVIEW IN THE BACKGROUND WITH THE ORGINAL COMMUNITY GARDENS IN THE FOREGROUND. GARDENS WERE PLACED ON THE SITE OF THE FORMER FDNY TRAINING CENTER.
1977 WHEN RIVERCROSS WAS REALLY AFFORDABLE.
JOIN US NEXT TUESDAY FOR A CONTINUING JOURNEY THRU ISLAND HISTORY
“Many of us have lived here for decades and have accumulated vast amounts of information (and some mis-information…)
Join Judith Berdy, long time resident. She takes us on a history trip. She explains how the community developed. She discusses how it became the Roosevelt Island we live in today.
“This is a great introduction for our new residents who have many questions about our community,” Judy says. “Join us for a fun evening of facts, fiction and fantasy.”
When: September 17th, @ 6:30 p.m.
Where: New York Public Library Branch, 504 Main Street *This is a free public program of the Roosevelt Island Historical Society (RIHS).
All image are copyrighted (c) Roosevelt Island Historical Society unless otherwise indicated THIS PUBLICATION FUNDED BY DISCRETIONARY FUNDS FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBER JULIE MENIN & ROOSEVELT ISLAND OPERATING CORPORATION PUBLIC PURPOSE FUNDS.
