Note: We’ve been looking back thru the DumboNYC archive and unearthing some gems. We’ll republish from time to time. Enjoy!

This post was originally published July 23, 2007.

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It’s been a while since I’ve posted “Dumbo Streetscapes Then and Now” photos. Here, we are looking north down Jay Street (towards Manhattan) from Front Street. Step outside to the right out of the York Street Station on the F train and this is the view you see. In the first photo, the 68 Jay Street building is front and center with a sliver of 20 Jay Street behind it and a faint view of the Empire State Building across the river. This 70 year photo (1937), by photographer, Percy Loomis Sperr, show the water towers on the 68 Jay Street building (currently removed, except for the base). On the right side of the photo, there are buildings which no longer exist. The Jehovah’s Witness lot (85 Jay Street) currently occupies a parking lot there. On the back of the photo:

Jay Street, west side, north from a point south of Front Street, to the East River. In order, are the buildings occupied by the Grant Union Tea Co.; the John Maury Paint Co.; and the Arbuckle Bros. Coffee Co. In the background towering over Manhattan, is the Empire State Building. (March 9, 1937)

1937

July 21, 2007

A similar photo, dated April 4, 1938, is shown below. On back: “Jay Street, west side, south from Front Street. (Eugene L. Armbruster Collection)”. This photo has the two and three story buildings on the left side of Jay Street, now occupied by J Condo (100 Jay Street). The advertisements on the water towers note “Lofts for Rent, 68 Jay Street”.

1938

{New York Public Library photo of Jay Street N. Front Street, 1937}
{New York Public Library photo of Jay Street and Front Street, 1938}
{Google StreetView}
{Dumbo Then and Now, series, DumboNYC}