Tuesday, May 24, 2016-Queens

Yesterday we spent the day in Queens. Named after Catherine, Queen of England in the 1600s(?). It was a hinterland, still into the early 20th century, but of course exploded. We met a real estate agent who talked about the buildings, the history, and the comings and goings.

At night, after dinner, we walked around Rockafeller Center. 19 buildings and all the public financing fell through when Rockafeller started to build it in 1929 (the Depression). So he finance it himself and then was convinced to name it after himself so people would have confidence in it. It was 100% occupied in 15 years, which was very successful. He started the project as a place for the Metropolitan Opera, but they backed out. This building was the last hold-out as the buildings/land was being purchased by Rockafeller. They thought they could get more. But Rockafeller built his building around them. 

Mosaic above the entry door. Lots of words in it--politics above the cloud, thought under his feet and more throughout the mosaic.

This is a replica of the first plane, the Question Mark, to fly non-stop from Paris to New York in 1930. Made of silver by Cartier. This was 3 years after Lindbergh flew from the US to Paris in 1927.

Not your average tree surround!

One of the niches in St. Patrick's Cathedral, directly across the street from Rockafeller Center. 

This was another niche.

Atlas being built.

Bike and other storage on the balconies. 

We are pretty sure this is the new Louis Armstrong stadium being built at the Billie Jean King US Tennis complex. And the roof is about half-way covered (retractable) on Ashe. (We did get our tickets yesterday for the Open!)

This is American Folklore according to William Gropper. It was on display at the Queens Museum, just behind the Open. At one time the UN was in this building. This was also one of the buildings during the 1934 and 1964-65 World's Fairs.

After the tour, we all found a place to sit. They were closed to the public, so we were okay to sit on the stairs. 

A room, about 100 x 200 feet, is a scale replica of the skyline of NYC. It is amazing in its detail. 

It was being cleaned for a movie shoot next week.

And painted. Three of them were working on the water yesterday.

And I am sure this is Fiesta from the 1934 World's Fair! 

The futuristic curve of the benches, left over from the 1964-65 World's Fair. Which wasn't officially a World's Fair as the US promoter couldn't get the authority from the governing group, but it he called it that anyway.

One of the areas used to shoot the French Connection in the 1970s.

Going into the real estate tour guides apartment/co-op complex. You buy your apartment and pay maintenance fees to the co-op. The space for the common green space inside is a relic and would probably never happen again (land values are too high).

Common space inside. Big apartments, (NYC standards) with three and four exposures. Most are five room or more. 

A very good looking parking garage. This is in Queens.