Eminent Domain and the Verrazano Bridge
Given that eminent domain is on everyone’s mind these days, we were interested to come across this video about the history of the Verrazano Bridge, which began construction in 1959 and was finished in 1963. As it turns out, over 800 homes were destroyed and 7,000 people displaced to make way for the bridge. We…
Given that eminent domain is on everyone’s mind these days, we were interested to come across this video about the history of the Verrazano Bridge, which began construction in 1959 and was finished in 1963. As it turns out, over 800 homes were destroyed and 7,000 people displaced to make way for the bridge. We wonder how much public outcry at the time, which was towards the end of Robert Moses’ reign.
Verrazano Bridge a Brief History [YouTube]
Nice 11:15 – you bravely attack my wife behind the annonimity of a web log because you dont like my opinion.
I’d be more then happy to have a ‘negotiation’ in person with you when you like – just contact Brownstoner directly – he knows how to reach me.
BTW – if she was only $20 I’d be a much happier man, besides its the emotional cost that you pu$$y’s would never be able to handle.
>>I’m waiting for Kevin from Forgotten NY to weigh in, as the the approaches were built basically outside of his front door.<<< I was too little to pay attention to the controversy but yes, they leveled everything across the street from me (6th Ave and 83rd Street) I do remember stories that they cleared the buildings out a good 3 years before construction started, so there was block after block of empty lots for quite awhile. For pics of ongoing construction... http://www.forgotten-ny.com/STREET%20SCENES/verrazanoconstruction/bridge.html
donatella, you wrote:
“I will look up that Gay Talese article, which sounds very interesting.”
I did a quick google search after my previous post. Gay Talese’s story is actually a book, not a mere magazine article. I read it quite a while ago and recall truly enjoying it.
It’s available through Amazon and other on-line book venues.
Oh come on…surely he has 20 bucks lying around somewhere.
Anon 10:18 – if you knew my wife, you’d know that there is no way you could afford such a proposition –
Most of the outcry against the bridge came from the Bay Ridge side. It wasn’t that the locals were against the bridge per se, but the fact that Moses seemed to choose the route that would obliterate the most homes and cut the neighborhood up (much like he did w/the Cross Bronx Expressway a few years prior): running the highway (basically) right up Ft. Hamilton Parkway instead of around the edge of the neighborhood, by Shore Road. In the end, the neighborhood survived (unlike the South Bronx), although those displaced didn’t really get all they were owed for their homes. And, most ended up in Staten Island.
I’m waiting for Kevin from Forgotten NY to weigh in, as the the approaches were built basically outside of his front door.
Unfortunately, I am unable to access your video… I will look up that Gay Talese article, which sounds very interesting.
I remember that time very clearly in 1963, though not from the perspective of being a home owner, more like a excited teenager and participant in the party that was the ribbon cutting and the connecting of Staten Island to NYC.
People were extremely excited about the whole thing, though some of the older Islanders complained about the influx of new residents and enormous amount of development it brought. The development was disruptive to the bucolic life there, beautiful
woodlands and, trees and established neighborhoods with attractive old housing stock. By the way, there was an active farming community in SI post WW II and the area which became the Fresh Kills landfill inhabited part of what used to be truck farms there.
But I don’t remember any controversy about the value of the project. Staten Island had been very isolated and connected to NJ by 3 bridges but to the rest of NYC only by the ferry. The bridge opened the borough commercially to the rest of the city and the rest of the city — Brooklyn especially—to SI for housing. The building of the Verrazano was obviously a public project of major proportions which has paid for itself years and years ago and is a huge source of income and has led to enormous economic growth.
Re eminent domain, the difficulty in its use comes with our understanding of the “public good†and who decides. I don’t think that there is (was) much disagreement on the public value of the Verrazano as a major piece of public transportation infrastructure;
obviously the understanding of the public good in use of eminent domain with AY has been much more controversial.
David, allow me to screw your wife and I’ll compensate you at 2X the market value.
Regarding The Bridge, you asked:
“We wonder how much public outcry at the time, which was towards the end of Robert Moses’ reign.”
Some of the best writing about The Bridge came from Gay Talese who wrote a terrific piece addressing all the issues and the impact of The Bridge on Bay Ridge. I think it was originally published in Esquire, and it was included in a collection of his writings called “Fame and Obscurity.”
The title of the artice was “The Bridge.”