Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Robert Moses gaveth and taketh away


We lost the Flushing Park fountain in the 1940s thanks to Robert Moses. Long Island and NYC Places That Are No More has the entire story.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Robert Moses was a bastard that destroyed the Rockaways & the Bronx.

Anonymous said...

I'd be curious what proposals anyone has to replace projects Moses did.

What were/are the alternatives?

Queens Crapper said...

Why did he have to get rid of the fountain? Why not renovate it?

Gary the Agnostic said...

Anon No. 2:

Well, for one thing, building the Cross Bronx Expressway on a different route that wouldn't have wrecked as many houses and neighborhoods. It was proposed, but he refused to do it.

Anonymous said...

I have a copy of the same picture (B&W) in my "Olde Flushing" book by Harriet Dondero Lawson (1952), but she didn't say where it was. I thought it looked like Northern Blvd. around the Armory or Town Hall. Is that where it was?

Anonymous said...

Whoops, forgot to click on the link. Never mind . . . .

Anonymous said...

Actually read something that the locals wanted to get rid of it thinking it was old fashioned and taking up too much parking spaces.

Anonymous said...

There are parking spaces in the middle of the traffic islands of Northern Blvd? You're an idiot.

FlushingRepresenter said...

Robert Moses was a gentile (non-jew) hating urban blighter. The effects of his evil plans can still be felt today in areas such as the Bronx and the Rockaways.

Anonymous said...

Anon No. 8:

I'm not defending it- this was a terrible thing to do, but what Anon No. 7 probably meant was that this action was to widen Northern Boulevard's roadway to allow for more traffic and keep parking spaces there. Typical Moses thinking.