Archive for the ‘Astoria’ Category
Project Firebox 33
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Somewhere in that part of Astoria north of the Grand Central and East of the tracks of the Hells Gate Extension is found this moribund character. An unnatural pallor and complexion distinguishes it, making it seem like the star of some Universal Horror movie of the 1930’s, with natural ruddiness only hinted at by its root. Loathe to complain despite a visage of gray and graffiti, this Firebox is nevertheless functional and ready to sound the alarum should some passing weather or torch bearing mob accidentally set fire to its charges in that atavist and triangular section of the ancient village which it is sworn to protect.
Soldier on, zombie firebox, soldier on.
contradictory desire
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The organization which owns this hoary structure, found at 41-05 Newtown Road amidst the trackless sands of Astoria, is a local Democratic club which boasts an influential and famous list of members and associates.
My understanding is that Peter Vallone is associated with the group, which makes it a frequent target for vandals and graffiti artists (Mr. Vallone of the New York City Council is an outspoken critic of graffiti and has legislated heavily to increase fines and legal penalties for “writers”. In doing so, he has become a target and foil for proponents of “street art”. Locales that he is associated with, such as the area around his offices or this building, are frequently “bombed” with graffiti tags).
That’s local politics, of course, and your humble narrator is aloof about such things, as I’m mainly interested in this two story structure which seems “stuck in time”.
from wikipedia
Chief Powhatan (died 1618), whose proper name was Wahunsenacawh (sometimes spelled Wahunsonacock), was the paramount chief of Tsenacommacah, an alliance of Algonquian-speaking Virginia Indians in the Tidewater region of Virginia at the time English settlers landed at Jamestown in 1607. Powhatan, who represented the main political and military power facing the early colonists, was the father of Pocahontas and probably the older brother of Opechancanough, who led attacks against the English in 1622 and 1644.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The 2nd story windows look modern- energy efficient vinyl sashes, but everything else about this place harkens back to the early 20th century. I’ve been told by old timers that a lot of the building stock in Astoria and Long Island City on the whole used to look like this except, obviously, for the sign. Information is fairly scarce on the group or structure in the public record, other than the usual “food drives“, “charities”, “voter registration”- political mainstays that all such organizations put on their resume’s.
In the case of this group, however, I’ve found references to them that date back to the days of Mayor Seth Low.
from qgazette.com
Since its founding in 1900, the Powhatan-Pocahontas Regular Democratic Club has served and represented Democrats in Western Queens, promoting the political development and awareness of local residents while fighting for the needs of the voters it serves…
It is one of the oldest political organizations in the nation.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Notice the neat herringbone brickwork on the cornices, and those crazy lights meant to illuminate the sign. Wish I could tell you more, or reveal some deeply hidden political secret about the place, but as mentioned earlier- that’s not my bag. Go ask a politician or wannabe aspirant, they can probably hand you a list of sins and accomplishments a mile long.
According to the Department of Buildings (whose records on anything outside of Manhattan are absolute crap, btw.) this structure was either erected in 1909 or 1921. 1921 would make more sense given the age of surrounding building stock (which includes an amazing block of double sided Matthews Model Flats) and the arrival of the subways on nearby Broadway ca. 1922.
Also:
Your humble narrator will be narrating humbly on Friday, February 24th at 7:30 P.M. for the “Ridgewood Democratic Club, 60-70 Putnam Avenue, Ridgewood, NY 11385” as the “Newtown Creek Magic Lantern Show” is presented to their esteemed group. The club hosts a public meeting, with guests and neighbors welcome, and say that refreshments will be served.
The “Magic Lantern Show” is actually a slideshow, packed with informative text and graphics, wherein we approach and explore the entire Newtown Creek. Every tributary, bridge, and significant spot are examined and illustrated with photography. This virtual tour will be augmented by personal observation and recollection by yours truly, with a question and answer period following.
For those of you who might have seen it last year, the presentation has been streamlined, augmented with new views, and updated with some of the emerging stories about Newtown Creek which have been exclusively reported on at this- your Newtown Pentacle.
For more information, please contact me here.
maternal ancestry
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Old world mysteries, primeval prejudices, and certain racial memories which might lead one back to those days before Rome put its torch to the world are extant in Western Queens. Here amongst the seething hills of noble Astoria, one may ask and sometimes receive an answer to questions about certain bizarre conceptions and hear rumors of supernatural forces run amok.
The Cretan might tell you about the Kallikantzaros which followed them here, or the Egyptian might share with you tales about those things which lurk just beyond the village.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Stout Croat and Romani alike shudder at the mention of Strigoi having entered the area, and the Mexican and Ecuadorean communities close ranks when questioned about the power of the Brujas who have followed their people here. The imitative hipster finds sanguine amusement at the notion of hauntings that have plagued certain buildings, apartment houses, and riverside spots for generations- chalking up these stories to quaint superstition and ironic interpretation.
Even the Museum of the Moving Image is meant to host a spectral resident, after all.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Buddhist invocations, Hindu mysticism, Brazilian peasant magicks- the hidden arts of Imam and Priest- these things are never discussed by area wags.
Many fear that such talk might reduce property value and cause new residents to choose other and less ancient locales in which to rent or buy real estate. It is when night comes to the ancient Dutch village that the odd things become obvious, begin to happen, and the later it gets the wilder things might become.
Also:
Your humble narrator will be narrating humbly on Friday, February 24th at 7:30 P.M. for the “Ridgewood Democratic Club, 60-70 Putnam Avenue, Ridgewood, NY 11385” as the “Newtown Creek Magic Lantern Show” is presented to their esteemed group. The club hosts a public meeting, with guests and neighbors welcome, and say that refreshments will be served.
The “Magic Lantern Show” is actually a slideshow, packed with informative text and graphics, wherein we approach and explore the entire Newtown Creek. Every tributary, bridge, and significant spot are examined and illustrated with photography. This virtual tour will be augmented by personal observation and recollection by yours truly, with a question and answer period following.
For those of you who might have seen it last year, the presentation has been streamlined, augmented with new views, and updated with some of the emerging stories about Newtown Creek which have been exclusively reported on at this- your Newtown Pentacle.
For more information, please contact me here.
interest and speculation
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A humble narrator can never be 100% sure about anything, as I live in a hallucinatory dreamscape of thwarted ambition where angles that appear obtuse are often in fact acute, but this would seem to be the head of a tunnel boring machine at the Sunnyside Yards. The device is of Byzantine complexity and cyclopean size, but sits suspended.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
These shots are from the middle of January, the 18th to be exact (which is also Robert Anton Wilson’s birthday), and were captured at a fortuitous moment when the burning thermonuclear eye of god itself was hanging low in the sky.
A video of the second avenue subway project’s tunnel crew bursting through the the skin of the earth is extant upon the interwebs, and I believe this to be the front of that mechanism which has been grinding out its subterranean course for the last several years.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
It is a rare thing to see equipment like this out in the open, let alone suspended above the ground by steel spars erected by the estimable engineers of Bay Crane. A mere week later, the device was entirely disassembled into constituent parts, no doubt to allow it to be easily shipped off to the location of its next task.
Project Firebox 29
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Sleek, styled, and svelte- witness the sentinel which stands at the corner of Astoria Boulevard and 70th street here in noble Astoria. The Grand Central Parkway was driven into the land here by Robert Moses, sundering a long ago Dutch village called Astoria into distinctly differing sections.
On one side of the road is St. Michael’s Cemetery- with row and apartment houses stretching out beyond its southern gates. To the north, a residential neighborhood is surrounded by highways, trains, and industrial concerns- but whether itinerant workman or long time resident, all may find succor at the silvery side of this guardian of the public trust.
The Newtown Pentacle 