Comments on: Where & When: Game 19

By: Chyll Will

Chyll Will — Mon, 18 Nov 2013 23:39:37 +0000

[11] Nice! I knew the date had to be somewhere. It’s still a very opulent building on the exterior, but I’ve never been inside yet. I like that the Terminal City plan worked out, though throwing a big modernist shoebox between two classical styles was probably not part of it. I also find it interesting that Donald Trump and Grand Hyatt Hotel decided to cover the Commodore Hotel with a golden erector set and cheese wrap. To each their own?

By: rbj

rbj — Mon, 18 Nov 2013 21:27:40 +0000

[11] Thanks. Only off by a couple of years.

By: RIYank

RIYank — Mon, 18 Nov 2013 21:00:12 +0000

[10] It's on this page. I mean, that's not where Will found it, but that page does give a date.

By: rbj

rbj — Mon, 18 Nov 2013 19:58:32 +0000

Not finding the photo anywhere, I’ll go with 1950.

By: Bronx Boy in NC

Bronx Boy in NC — Mon, 18 Nov 2013 19:11:02 +0000

[5] Not replaced – just cruelly overshadowed.

By: TheGreenMan

TheGreenMan — Mon, 18 Nov 2013 16:36:20 +0000

And, interestingly, per the agreement with the building’s namesake the name of the building will never be re-named through any subsequent sale. So Leona will live forever! Ahem…

By: TheGreenMan

TheGreenMan — Mon, 18 Nov 2013 16:34:08 +0000

The current owner is listed as Goldman Sachs on Wiki, but I’m sure if that is up-to-date.

By: TheGreenMan

TheGreenMan — Mon, 18 Nov 2013 16:30:04 +0000

[2] Clever. I couldn’t find the date that one became the other either.

By: GaryfromChevyChase

GaryfromChevyChase — Mon, 18 Nov 2013 15:26:55 +0000

Actually figured this one out (tough, since I didn’t live in Manhatten, and left NY in ’68). But I do remember when it was replaced by the “new” building named after that defunct airline. Year? somehwere in the early 50’s.

By: Bronx Boy in NC

Bronx Boy in NC — Mon, 18 Nov 2013 15:11:40 +0000

That’s the Helmsley Building as seen looking south from Park Avenue somewhere in the 50s (streets, not decade).

There’s no sign of the Pan Am building, so we’re pre-1958, and none of those cabs appears to be ‘classic’ Checker A8s, so we’re pre-1956. There seems to be some pre-war sheet metal out there, so I can’t contradict the earlier guesses of about 1950. And the trees make me think springtime.

Someone over at forgotten-ny.com could probably have a field day with the streetlamps. Tough to work on the buildings lining the avenue, thanks to what appears to be some telephoto compression. No sign of Lever House but I think our vantage point is too far south for that.

By: rbj

rbj — Mon, 18 Nov 2013 14:39:09 +0000

Have the where, as to the when. . . looks post WWII

By: RIYank

RIYank — Mon, 18 Nov 2013 14:20:29 +0000

Hm, I'm not 100% sure what it was called in 1950. The building has had three names. I hinted at the current name [1], but it didn't have that name in 1950. Just not sure. I know in a general way but there is a central issue I have not resolved.

By: RIYank

RIYank — Mon, 18 Nov 2013 14:12:40 +0000

Hah! This is the easiest one yet for me. I actually did see this scene (with another prominent object, that wasn't built when this picture was taken) most days of my life, when I was growing up. We're movin' on up to the East Side! The picture is from 1950. I've found a copy (which is easy to do when you know the building's name) with a date on it. This one.