1960's NYC In Black & White

[Radiohead]

Breathtaking photos, Radiolab! Have you ever published a book of them?

Millie, I think you're confusing this with this. Easy mistake

Actually, most of these are public domain or photos taken by others. If I did publish a book of them, any and all profits would be used to pay lawyer and copyright infringement fees.

As mentioned in the '70's pic thread, Wavz13 over at Flickr has some good NYC pics, including some some from the '60's.

1967


Below are 1967 pics of the area that was soon to be cleared to make way for the WTC

Washington & Chambers St


Caroline St (near Jay & West St)


West & Chambers St


West & Warren St


West St between Duane & Reed Sts


West St between Jay & Duane Sts



West St & WSH 1966


Construction on the WTC soon to begin

[brianac]

Vivian Cherry's book "Helluva Town" of 1940's and 50's New York is still avaiable.

VIDEO OF VIVIAN CHERRY TALKING ABOUT HER NEW YORK PHOTOGRAHS

MORE ABOUT VIVIAN CHERRY

[lofter1]

SHADOWS, an improvisation inspired film by John Cassavetes (1959), shown last night on TCM and available in a restored version, has some terrific sequences shot around Times Square and Central Park. And this scene, shot in the MoMA sculpture garden:

[Fabrizio]

^ When people were cool in 1959, they were really cool.

[ablarc]

Shadows: the original indie movie.

[Merry]

[mariab]

Very cool, Merry. I wonder what ever became of the man sitting on the bench on the ped walkway on the Bklyn Brdg. Looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. Also the elderly woman walking up the street uphill. Interesting window into what looks like early 60s NY.

[lofter1]

Amazing to see that as late as 1968 Broadway south of 8th Street was covered in belgian block. Lafayette Street, too. And cool to see Washington Square Park before the 70's make over (at a time shortly after traffic stopped passing through from north to south).

Not to mention there's not a tourist in sight.

[Radiohead]

Hunts Point Market Cocktail Bar, Bronx
ENLARGE


Neglected 1857 cast iron building at Broadway & Broome, 1966
ENLARGE


It thankfully survived the wrecking ball and is now landmarked. More on it here.


We see a lot of photos of the NYC skyline from that period. How about some hi-res photos from inside a luxury 1960's high rise apartment. Here's the Kaiser residence from 1967 (courtesy of the LOC)
ENLARGE


ENLARGE


ENLARGE

[mariab]

Beautiful building. Glad they gave her a bath. The inside looked like a high-end groovy love den. Wonder if the water tower is still there.

[lofter1]

As much as I'd love to tell you otherwise, the interior seen above has no relation to the old cast iron building. That one is the grand Haughwout Building at 490 Broadway (Broome).

When I first moved down this way she was still that great old gnarly black, all peeling and decrepit, like something out of Dickens. Around 1990 she was given more than just a bath, she got a whole paint job. She's since been re-painted that tannish-beige color; she's now a much more appropriate grey (although a darker shade would be better). The water tower is still up top.

Here's how she looked about a year ago, when the latest exterior restoration was nearly complete.

Up until a couple of months ago she still had one of the oldest elevators in town. Otis installed the very first passenger elevator ever here back in 1857, but it was upgraded in the 1890s. The old wood and wrought iron cage could be seen just inside the doorway along Broadway. The northernmost bay held a freight elevator that opened onto the street. Lately that whole area has been covered in plywood while renovations take place. I fear they're taking out the old stuff and giving it all an upgrade:

[mariab]

Cast iron?!? That's an architectural first for me. That top color wouldn't have been so bad if not for the peeling paint & the dirty (painted?) windows. This new gray reminds me of a garage floor. I've only seen one outside entrance to an elevator, in New Brunswick. This is the second. Hopefully they can keep it vintage with new mechanisms. Had no idea this was Otis' first. What is the street address of that 60s mod apartment?

[lofter1]

Sad to say, but when I walked past today I saw that they'd removed the cast iron cross piece where it says ELEVATOR

[mariab]

That was unnecessary. Unless they're planning to shut that elevator down. Wouldn't make sense. Maybe they'll save the elevator piece for somewhere inside the building, but again, wishful thinking.

[MidtownGuy]

I had a wow moment looking at the photos of the "Kaiser residence"!