#urbexnyc

[historysisco]

Last night (early this morning actually 🥱🥱) took the 2 train home from work and got off at the Simpson Street station. On the corner of Simpson St. and Westchester Avenue is the awesome mural by the talented @tatscru highlighting some of the historic places and events from the Bronx. Since the building is being renovated, I wanted to take a picture of it in case it gets removed.

Hope you enjoy the pictures of the Bronx-centric images.

[jayro-photo]

Balance, Symmetry and Simplicity are ready to heal your painful disproportions; you were meant for completeness. ~Bryant McGill ___________________________________________ #symmetry #symmetrykillers #symmetricalmonsters #symmetryhunters #nycprimeshot #primeshotmag #urbexnyc #nyc_explorers #nyc_explorers_cinematic #newyorklife #visitnyc #pr0ject_uno #thestreetpr0ject #rsa_streetview #rsa_symmetrical (at New York, New York) https://www.instagram.com/p/CNisg37pLzd/?igshid=1oyj9mjbaytl8

[unsaucyy]

The further I get, the further I want to go.

[historysisco]

Today's Urban Exploration post takes me to the Bronx with a look at this magnificent church: St. Raymond's Catholic Church located at 1759 Castle Hill Avenue at East Tremont Avenue.

The parish was established in 1842 in the then Westchester Village in what was part of Westchester County. The area would become part of the Bronx in 1895. St. Raymond's has the distinction of being the first Catholic Church in the Bronx.

The original church was built in a converted barn and its first priest was Rev. Felix Villanis. With the unflux of Irish, German and Italian immigrants to the area the parish woulr outgrow their first church.

Set behind the original, Archbishop Corrigan laid the cornerstone for the present church on October 10, 1897. The church was designed by George H. Streeton in the Byzantine Revival-style. Amazingly the church was dedicated on October 23, 1898.

The church would grow to include an elementary school (1908), convent (1928), rectory (1931), brothers residence (1942), boys high school,Academy for girls (high school) and an auditorium and gymnasium that is still in operation today. St. Raymond Cemetery is the only Catholic cemetery in the Bronx.

#StRaymondsCatholicChuch #BronxHistory #ReligiousHistory #UrbanExploration #UrbanHistory #ArchitecturalHistory #EngineeringHistory #TouristInNY #History #Historia #Histoire #Geschichte #HistorySisco #SiscoVanilla

[historysisco]

Was at Westchester Square (East Tremont Avenue and Westchester Avenue) in the Bronx today and noticed an old sign peeking out behind the sign for this newsstand.

What I find curious is that next to the old school 7-Up logo is the word "Midget." Was that part of the name of the previous newsstand/soda shoppe that was located there? Any old school Bronxites know what the "Midget." was?

#WestchesterSquare #UrbExNYC #Bronx #TheBronx #BronxHistory #OldSigns #History #Historia #Histoire #Geschichte #HistorySisco (at Westchester Square–East Tremont Avenue)

https://www.instagram.com/p/Ce1neJ3u9uq/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[historysisco]

Today #UrbExNYC post comes from the County of Kings in the form of the iconic Coney Island landmark Nathan’s Famous, on the corner of Stillwell and Surf Avenues.

Polish immigrant Nathan Handwerker opened his first nickle hotdog stand in 1916 and the original stand has expanded to the location you see here. As of 2019, Nathan's had 213 locations worldwide.

#NathansFamous #NathanHandwerker #UrbanExploration #BrooklynHistory #NewYorkHistory #NYHistory #NYCHistory #CulinaryHistory #FoodHistory #History #Historia #Histoire #Geschichte #HistorySisco (at Nathan’s Famous)

https://www.instagram.com/p/CdytRZEu47w/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[historysisco]

Today's Urban Exploration post focuses on The Hell's Gate Bridge (originally named the New York Connecting Railroad Bridge or the East River Arch Bridge,) which is an icon of the Astoria landscape.

Connecting Astoria Queens and Randall's and Wards Islands, the bridge crosses over the Hell Gate waterway which is a small but very treacherous stretch of water. Named by the Dutch as Hellegat (hell channel), many a ship throughout the centuries has met their demise there. Rumor has it that Hell Gate is the home to sunken treasure that came from the 1780 shipwreck of the British ship H.M.S. Hussar.

The bridge was designed by famed civil engineer Gustav Lindenthal and built by the American Bridge company for the Pennsylvania Railroad. Construction started in 1912, Hell's Gate Bridge was completed in 1916. It would be dedicated and opened on March 9, 1917.

The main arch is 305 feet above the river’s average high-level water mark. The bridge deck is 135 feet above the average high-level water mark, and the deck is 93 feet wide. Measuring at 1,017 feet in length, the Hell's Gate Bridge was the longest steel arch bridge in the world. It held that title until 1933 with the completion of the Bayonne Bridge that connects Bayonne, New Jersey and Staten Island, New York. One cool feature of the bridge's arches is that you can walk under them while walking the footpath on Randall's and Wards Islands.

In total three bridges make up the Hell Gate Bridge. The other two span over Randall's and Wards Island and the Bronx Kill (Dutch for Little Stream.) The bridge connects New York and New England rail traffic for Amtrak and the CSX freight line.

#HellsGateBridge #HellGate #Hellegat #TransportationHistory #EngineeringHistory #ArchitecturalHistory #NewYorkHistory #NYHistory #NYCHistory #AstoriaQueens #QueensHistory #UrbanHistory #UrbanExploration #TouristInNY #History #Historia #Histoire #Geschichte #HistorySisco #SiscoVanilla

[historysisco]

Beautiful Springtime view of the Bronx Whitestone and Throgs Neck Bridges from Classon Point Park.

The Bronx Whitestone Bridge was completed in 1939, in time for the 1939 World's Fair. The Throgs Neck Bridge was completed in 1961. Both bridges were designed by Swiss-American architect Othmar Ammann. Amman also designed the George Washington, Triborough and Verrazano Narrows Bridges in New York City.

Also still in the hunt for more information on the shipwreck to the right of the picture. Any leads?

#UrbanExploration #Bronx #TheBronx #BronxWhitestoneBridge #ThrogsNeckBridge #NewYorkCity #NYC #NewYorkHistory #NYHistory #NYCHistory #AmericanHistory #USHistory #History #Historia #Histoire #Geschichte #HistorySisco (at Clasons Point Park)

https://www.instagram.com/p/CcTGBo9OP9w/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[historysisco]

Today's #UrbanExploration post takes us to the Financial District to the building known as 1 Wall Street Court aka the Beaver Building aka the Cocoa Exchange aka to John Wick fans as The Continental Hotel.

The building was designed by Clinton and Russell in the Renaissance Revival style and was completed in 1904. Tenants included the The building served as the headquarters of the Munson Steamship Line Company from 1904 until 1921 and the New York Cocoa Exchange from 1931 to 1972.

The building became a NYC in 1995 by being recognized by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission and was added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 2005. In 2006 it was converted to residential condominiums.

#1WallStreetCourt #BeaverBuilding #NewYorkCocoaExchange #JohnWick #TheContinentalHotel #ArchitecturalHistory #EngineeringHistory #NewYorkHistory #NYHistory #NYCHistory #AmericanHistory #USHistory #History #Historia #Histoire #Geschichte #HistorySisco (at 1 Wall Street Court)

https://www.instagram.com/p/CcZF1ncuGuS/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[historysisco]

Today's #UrbanExploration post takes us to the Marine Air Terminal aka LaGuardia Airport's Terminal A.

The Marine Air Terminal (the MAT) was built during the hey day of the water boats. The terminal is an Art Deco building that was designed by William Delano of the firm Delano & Aldri in 1939 and was dedicated in March 1940. The first flight to leave the Terminal was a Lisbon, Portugal bound Pan American Airways' Yankee Clipper.

Since 1940, the MAT has been transformed from servicing seaplanes to current jet airplanes.

#MarineAirTerminal #LaGuardiaAirport #ArtDeco #ArchitecturalHistory  #EngineeringHistory #QueensHistory #NewYorkHistory #NYHistory #NYCHistory #AmericanHistory #USHistory #History #Historia #Histoire #Geschichte #HistorySisco (at Marine Air Terminal)

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cb9GMBwOxHo/?utm_medium=tumblr

[historysisco]

You ever walk by a building and think to yourself "Man, that building looks like an old movie theater." I've walked by the building on the bottom for years now in my neck of the woods in the Bronx and thought that it looked like an old movie theater. For today's #UrbanExploration post, it seems that I was right.

On Randall Avenue between Beach, Taylor and Soundview Avenues the church known as Casa De La Fe/House of Faith is located in the former Beach Theater.

The Beach Theater had a rather short life on Randall Avenue. The theater was built around 1938 and was in use until 1969. In 1970 it was converted into a place of worship. The above picture is a NYC Tax photo from 1940. The bottom one is from last week.

I really haven't found out more about the old Beach Theater. When I do, I'll update the post. I also have a series of old movie theaters throughout NYC in the works. So keep an eye open for it.

#UrbanExploration #BronxHistory #NewYorkHistory #NYHistory #NYCHistory #TheaterHistory #CinematicHistory #TouristInNY #History #Historia #Histoire #Geschichte #HistorySisco (at Bronx New York)

https://www.instagram.com/p/CYr1XLUO08K/?utm_medium=tumblr

[historysisco]

Today's Urban Exploration post keeps us in the Borough of Kings: Brooklyn. On display is the Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower located at 1 Hanson Place between Ashland Place and St. Felix Street.

The building was designed in the neo-romanesque style by the firm of Halsey, McCormack & Helmer and was completed in 1929 at 37 stories, 512 feet (156 meters) tall. Built as the headquarters for the Williamsburgh Savings Bank, the tower was the tallest building in Brooklyn holding that title for 81 years until it was surpassed by the building boom that was happening in Brooklyn in the early 2000's.

In 2010, The Brooklyner located at 111 Lawrence Street took the title of being the tallest building in Brooklyn (which it lost 4 years later.) The Williamsburgh Savings Bank tower has a four sided clock tower which is adorned by four clocks measuring in at 17 feet (5.2 m.)

The Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the building a landmark in 1977. At the turn of the 21st century, the building would be transformed from business to residential commanding some of the highest prices in Brooklyn for its condominiums. Its name would be changed to the Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower as One Hanson.

#WilliamsburghSavingsBankTower #OneHansonPlace #ArchitecturalHistory #EngineeringHistory #Skyscrapers #BrooklynHistory #NewYorkHistory #NYHistory #NYCHistory #AmericanHistory #USHistory #History #Historia #Histoire #Geschichte #HistorySisco

https://www.instagram.com/p/CYpBYCaO8al/?utm_medium=tumblr

[historysisco]

Today's UrbanExploration post takes us to the Borough of Kings for a nighttime photo. Here is the legendary and beloved Brooklyn eatery Junior's Restaurant on the corner of at DeKalb Avenue and Flatbush Avenue Extension. I did a little research on Junior's and I was surprised at what I found out.

I thought Junior's was older than it is. Though a restaurant has stood on this corner since 1929 (The Enduro Cafe) the restaurant called Junior's has been there since 1950. Owner Harry Rosen named the restaurant Junior's after his son's Walter and Marvin.

Junior's beloved cheesecake gained world wide fame in the 1970s with the moniker "The World's Most Fabulous Cheesecake." It was featured in a number of different print mediums, all proclaiming the greatness that is Junior's cheesecake.

With the changes to Brooklyn in terms of demographics and financial decline of the city of New York, Juniors stayed servicing the neighborhood. Even a fire that destroyed the top level and kitchen in 1981 couldn't topple Junior's from their famed cheesecake from their perch at DeKalb Avenue and Flatbush Avenue Extension. The restaurant reopened with full renovations on May 27th, 1982 and has never looked back.

Now with the neighborhood having a massive upswing, Junior's is stronger than ever. The company has expanded to two restaurants in the Times Square/Theater District and one at the Fox Tower Hotel at Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut. The future is bright as the light bulbs that adorn the Junior's sign.

#Juniors #JuniorsRestaurant #JuniorsCheesecake #HarryRosen #BrooklynHistory #NewYorkHistory #NYHistory #NYCHistory #CulinaryHistory #NightlifeHistory #BarHistory #History #Historia #Histoire #Geschichte #HistorySisco (at Junior's Restaurant & Cheesecake)

https://www.instagram.com/p/CYe6TXyOZLg/?utm_medium=tumblr

[historysisco]

I recently found the top picture of the Broadway Shopping Center in Astoria on the wall of the Samaria pizzeria. The picture is roughly from the late 1960s/early 1970s.

I took the bottom one today from roughly the same spot (give or take.) The dry cleaners, the pizzeria and the supermarket are all still there. Carvel, KFC and the fish and chips spot (which I don’t remember from my childhood) are long gone.

#Astoria #AstoriaQueens #QueensHistory #NewYorkHistory #NYHistory #NYCHistory #AmericanHistory #USHistory #History #Historia #Histoire #Geschichte #HistorySisco (at Astoria, Queens)

https://www.instagram.com/p/CUQ0U2FA4ds/?utm_medium=tumblr

[unsaucyy]

She had this stare that bore into my soul. A gaze into the trench of my heart. Her eyes like stygian pools that just peered into my body and lit the warmth of my zeal. Times passes, and we exchange words, smiles and passion on this bridge we used to sit on during our slow days. She wanted to leave, but kept our fire and encased it; and when she hugged me it was much harder than before. Our rope was tied.

— Acceptance 7.08

[historysisco]

Took a walk from the Ferry Point Park @nycferry stop and came across the September 11 Living Memorial Grove.

The idea is that the flowing plants would represent those who lost their lives on September 11, 2011. That the yearly blooms would honor their memory from a vantage point that overlooked the Twin Towers. Five spots, one in each Borough was chosen. This is the Bronx's vantage spot.

It is definitely a breathtaking location. Look forward to seeing the view when the footprint lights are on.

#FerryPointPark #UrbanExploration #UrbExNYC #UrbExBronx #Bronx #September11LivingMemorialGrove #September11Memorial #NewYorkHistory #NYHistory #NYCHistory #History #Historia #Histoire #Geschichte #HistorySisco (at Ferry Point Park)

https://www.instagram.com/p/CgNG6x3ugC6/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=