Dumbo Then and Now: Front Street East Garrison St
September 23rd, 2009
1938
September, 2009
In this series of “Dumbo Streetscapes Then and Now”, a 1938 photograph by photographer P.L. Sperr is looking down Front Street from what used to be known as Garrison Street (renamed York Street since the addition of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway). The building on the right is 70 Washington Street, and the center/left building is 45 Main Street. The far building in the center is the existing 55 Washington Street.
The original caption in the back of the photo reads: “Front Street, east from Garrison Street. April 4, 1938″
Today’s view, 71 years later, is pretty similar to the 1938 photo at first glance. The building structures are pretty much in tact, and the lot in front of 70 Washington was used as parking, just as it is now. The parking lot is owned by the Jehovah’s Witness (aka The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society). Because the Landmarks Preservation Commission granted landmark status to these buildings in Dumbo, the building exterior won’t change much in the future as well. However, the parking lot sits outside of the LPC boundaries for the Dumbo Historic District, which means the land owners may be allowed to build something on that plot someday.
One observation is the advertising for lofts on top of the 45 Main Street building in 1938 is similar to what it is today. in 1938, the ad space states: “Realty Corp. Lofts to-let”. Today, the building owner, Two Trees Management, has a sign that states: “Live. Work. Play. DUMBO” (Flickr photo)
{New York Public Library photo of Front Street – Garrison Street (1938)}
{Dumbo Then and Now, series, DumboNYC}
{Google Street View, from York St}
14 Responses to “Dumbo Then and Now: Front Street East Garrison St”
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September 23rd, 2009 at 11:43 pm
Awesome! more please.
September 24th, 2009 at 12:15 am
Thanks!
September 25th, 2009 at 6:40 am
Love the then and now pictures. I think you mean brooklyn-queens expressway, not bronx.
September 25th, 2009 at 6:41 am
Love the then and now pictures. I think you mean brooklyn-queens expressway, not bronx.
September 25th, 2009 at 7:18 am
Oops. Thanks for the correction.
September 25th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
Opportunity for improvement: if you make a mistake you should correct it publicly. It is usual to strike-through the mistake and insert the corrected version (while leaving the strikethrough visible). It seems like you corrected the post above so these comments don't make sense. cheers.
September 25th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
Noted. Thanks for the feedback.
September 27th, 2009 at 7:23 pm
seeing these makes me want to weep! this neighborhood is being ruined by ugliness!
so sad to remember what a great place and LOCAL pub the Between the bridges was…and now…yuck :(
September 27th, 2009 at 8:24 pm
Be careful almert, the occupiers will not look kindly on reminiscing about the past. Better to accept the revisionist history that Dumbo was a crime infested minority jungle village.
yours,
loose stool
September 28th, 2009 at 8:24 am
indeed! except some of us knew what a load of bull that is! it was at least free of designer baby strollers and condos promising “lifestyle” living….sigh….
September 28th, 2009 at 8:38 am
as a yuppie condi dweller, i gladly say f u :)
September 28th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
indeed! except some of us knew what a load of bull that is! it was at least free of designer baby strollers and condos promising “lifestyle” living….sigh….
September 28th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
as a yuppie condi dweller, i gladly say f u :)
October 12th, 2010 at 3:26 pm
[...] The 160,000 cars passing Dumbo on the BQE each day will see a new sign on top of 45 Main Street. The Dumbo sign was swapped for a new one this morning. There’s some history behind that sign area. The ad space in 1938 said: “Realty Corp. Lofts to-let” (as posted about previously). [...]