Video: The History of Cadman Plaza
Check out this fascinating video about the history of Cadman that Karl Junkersfeld put together for the Brooklyn Heights Blog. Great stuff!
Check out this fascinating video about the history of Cadman that Karl Junkersfeld put together for the Brooklyn Heights Blog. Great stuff!
Montrosse, it is interesting that the much reviled supreme court building (1957) was designed by the firm of Shreve Lamb & Harmon who designed the Empire State building 36 years earlier. Francis Morrone describes the building as a “beached limestone whale”. What more can one say?
Maybe it’s not so pie-in-the-sky to think that the LIRR Atlantic Ave El could be torn down. Would be nice.
ugh…
down on its heels urban center with public transit/access to areas now not served at all is stripped for a sterile park.
pretty much destroyed any crosstown public transit in brooklyn.
might not have needed renaissance plaza or metrotech if we didnt give up these areas.
What Minard said.
Brooklyn won some needed open space, but lost a couple of great buildings, especially the Eagle Building. The Supreme Court building is not an example of great architecture of any period.
Lots of research and great photos. Good job, Mr. Junkerfeld! I like how pulling back from a still photo actually gives the illusion of film. Nice touch.
Great video, Hope to see more of these.
The story of cadman plaza and Brooklyn’s civic center is really interesting. In the 1950’s and 60’s the Cadman towers and houses constituted one of the biggest urban renewal projects in the city. They also spurred the locals to push for historic district status for the Heights, and not a moment too soon!
I for one believe the net result of the work done after 1930 has been for the better. There is no question that the area surrounding Boro Hall looks and feels much better today than a hundred years ago when soot from the elevated trains rained down amidst the noise and gloom. It must have been pretty gross.
But some of the historic buildings that were lost such as the old municipal courthouse with its egg-shaped dome and the Brooklyn Eagle Building were important, beautiful buildings and so there is also the sense of loss. It could have been done better, but I am grateful it turned out as well as it did.
People who say that Cadman Plaza park is crappy or whatever are either depressed or they have not been there very often. I think it is very lovely urban park and a much-needed green oasis in the area. It is also surprisingly large.
The Brooklyn Public Library – GAP – has a phenomenal photo collection. You have to make an appt. to see/look through it, but it’s WELL worth the effort. Did it one year to help someone with a project. Spent hours pouring over wonderful old photos and ephemera.
Sweet
Even more amazing is how fast infrastructure went up back in the day – today it takes 10 years to build a single story building.
Biff I second that about the music and might I add that the “unsteady” cam work in the beginning had me seasick.
That aside he collection of photos is absolutely incredible and worth the nausea.