Exploring the Neighborhood of Astoria
By Jun Huang, Justin Bischof, Kyle Arnold, and Victor Carrano
Astoria Point of Interests:
1. Steinway & Sons piano factory 2. Socrates Sculpture Park 3. Hell Gate Bridge 4. Astoria Park 5. Museum of the Moving Image 6. Robert F. Kennedy Bridge Walkway 7. Bohemian Beer Hall and Garden 8. Variety of Greek Food Restaurants
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History of Astoria
Astoria is a neighborhood located in the Northwestern region of Queens, New York. Since its foundation, it has became much more essential to the city than it has ever been. Before it was known as Astoria, William Hallett, who first settled in this region in 1652, named it Hallett’s
Cove. At the time, the population was primarily Dutch, but that soon changed when Henry
Engelhard Steinway settled there in 1853 (“Factory Tours USA”). As the founder of the
Steinway & Sons piano company, he eventually created a company town that eventually evolved into the Astoria we see today. In 1869, the German United Cabinet Workers settled there and
purchased four farms, allowing the
German population to grow even further
(“Astoria History”). Soon after that,
Astoria officially became part of Long
Island City. However, it was not until
1898 did Long Island City, with Astoria
included, did it finally become a part of
New York City (“History Topics”).
Throughout that time period, Astoria
received tremendous population growth.
Over thousands of New Yorkers moved
and settled in Astoria. Despite the notable
growth, it did not make Astoria truly a
part of New York City, at least not until
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1909. In 1909, the Queensboro Bridge was constructed, linking lower Astoria directly to
Midtown Manhattan. In addition to the inclusion of Astoria as part of NYC, the completion of the Queensboro Bridge was a significant year as it marked the beginning of Astoria and NYC’s history. In 1916, following the construction of the Queensboro bridge, the Hellgate Bridge was completed.
While the Queensboro Bridge connected
Manhattan to lower Astoria, the Hellgate
Bridge connected Randall’s Island to upper Astoria, which is now known as
Astoria Ditmars. Although it was not as significant as the Queensboro Bridge, it has definitely made Astoria more accessible to Manhattan and Bronx residents. Since then, the neighborhood has enjoyed astounding ethnic and cultural diversity. In 1945, right after the end of World War II, Astoria faced a massive influx of
Italians (“Astoria History”). Twenty years later, Greeks have migrated to this neighborhood. By the 1980s, over a third of the population are Greeks. Today, Greek, Italian, Dutch, German, and other white populations combine to roughly half of the total population in Astoria. The remaining half consists of Hispanic, Asian, Black, and other minority races. Compared to its early years, Astoria has definitely become a much more racially diverse neighborhood.
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Famous Residents
Tony Bennett
Legendary singer Tony Bennett was born on August 3, 1926 in
Astoria. His best hits include “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” and
“What a Good Life”. Bennett has won 5 Grammy Awards and 2
Primetime Emmy Awards over the course of his career. He and his
wife Susan founded the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts (FSSA) in
partnership with NYC Department of Education in Astoria in 2001.
Christopher Walken
Actor Christopher Walken was born in Astoria on March 31, 1943.
Walken won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his performance
in The Deer Hunter (1978). He has featured in several other films such as Annie Hall (1977), A View to Kill (1985), and Catch Me If You Can (2002). Ethel Merman
Actress Ethel Merman was born on January 16, 1908 in Astoria.
Merman was one of the earliest stars of Broadway musical comedy.
She debuted in Crazy Girl (1930) and starred in many great musicals and films. Merman won a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy
or Musical for her performance in Call Me Madam (1953). She died on February 15, 1984 at the age of 76.
Honorable Mentions: Gordon Willis (Cinematographer), Robert Davi (Actor), Whitey Ford (Baseball Pitcher), Alvey A. Adee (Acting U.S. Secretary of State) (IMDb.com)
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Historic Events
● 1614: Astoria was first discovered by the Dutch explorer Adriaen Block when he became the first person to navigate Hell’s Gate from the East River and into the Long Island
sound.
● 1839: Fur merchant Stephen A. Halsey petitioned the New York State legislature to rename the neighborhood after John Jacob Astor - then the wealthiest man in America -
with the hope of persuading him to invest in the neighborhood.
● 1870: Astoria consolidated with three other neighborhoods to form Long Island City. ● 1917: Astoria’s first rapid transit line, the Astoria elevated, opened on 31st Street on February 1st; The Hell Gate Bridge opened on March 9th.
● 1920: Motion picture studios were opened by Famous Players - Lasky Corporation (later known as Paramount) at 35th Avenue between 34th and 37th streets, forming the Astoria
Studio Complex.
● 1936: The Triborough Bridge (Now known as the RFK Bridge) and Astoria Pool both opened in July after their construction was overseen by New York Parks Commissioner
Robert Moses and the Works Progress Administration; Astoria Pool hosted the U.S.
Olympic trials in swimming and diving prior to the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin.
● 1952 and 1964: Astoria Pool hosted the U.S. Olympic trials in swimming and diving two more times.
● 1965: The influx of Greek residents to Astoria began to rapidly increase. ● 1988: The Museum of the Moving Image opened in the Astoria Studio Complex. (“Astoria History”)
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Cultural Overview
According to the latest census, Astoria, Queens has a population of nearly 80,000 residents. These residents are part of a wide variety of cultures and ethnicities represented throughout the neighborhood. Although, since the 1980s, Astoria has been predominantly a mix between Greek and Arab ethnicities (“Astoria History”). In Astoria, it is not uncommon to find a
Greek diner on one corner and a hookah bar on the following corner. But where did these cultures come from? Since the 1960s, Greek immigrants have flocked to the neighborhood, mostly escaping from economic hardships in mainland Greece. On the other hand, the 1970s saw a resurgence of immigration from Arab nations such as Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, Yemen,
Tunisia, Morocco, and Algeria. In fact, Steinway Street—because of its development of numerous traditional Arabic shops and restaurants—has become known unofficially as “Little
Egypt.” With that being said, the neighborhood of Astoria is still diverse in its cultures and is home to people from countless backgrounds
(“Astoria
History”).
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Steinway & Sons piano factory (Steinway Pl, Queens, NY 11105)
Background: One of the must see point of interests in Astoria is the Steinway & Sons piano factory. Since its establishment in
1853, the company has expanded to be a major producer and distributor of high end pianos. Despite only having two factories, with one in Northeastern Astoria and the other in Hamburg, Germany, nearly 80% of modern high end pianos are produced by Steinway. Today, their factory in Astoria distributes pianos across the Western Hemisphere while the other factory supplies the rest of the world.
Price: Free Availability: Spots are extremely limited as tours are only available on Tuesdays from
9:30 am to 12:00 pm at the beginning of
September throughout June. Tours are available from July and August. In addition, each tour can only take a maximum of 15 people. As a result, reservations are usually made at least two months ahead of time.
Source: “www.factorytoursusa.com/state/new-york/steinway-sons/
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Socrates Sculpture Park (32-01 Vernon Boulevard, Astoria, Queens, NY 11106)
Background: The park was first founded by American sculptor Mark di Suvero in 1986. At first, the four acre park was an illegal dumpsite and landfill. For over fourteen years the park
continued to operate as a temporary
park. Finally, in 1988, it finally
recognized as an official city park.
Now, it is a five acre public park that
is home to contemporary art
exhibition and education.
Price: Free for every activity except for the guided tour ($150)
Open hours: All days from 9am to 6pm Programs And Activities:
● Community Works Initiative
○ Employment training and
opportunities for local
residents
● Art education workshops for all ages
● Healthy living Initiative
○ Includes yoga, Tai Chi, farming, kayaking/canoeing lessons, and much more!
● Festivals and performances throughout the year
Source: www.nycgovparks.org/parks/astoria-park
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Hell Gate Bridge
The Hell Gate Bridge is a 3.2-mile-long railroad bridge that runs from Astoria Queens to the South Bronx. When it was completed, the steel-arch span of the bridge was 1,017 feet and 6 inches long, the longest of its kind at the time. The four concrete towers surrounding the bridge measure 250 feet high and frame the steel-arch. One of the reasons it is still referred to as the
Hell Gate Bridge today is because of the treacherous currents it crosses separating queens from Ward’s Island
(nycroads.com). Since this bridge’s conception, a number of other projects have been
inspired by the bridge’s architectural feats. Most famously, the Sydney Harbour Bridge in
Australia was directly modeled after New York’s Hell Gate Bridge.
Today, the bridge not only benefits New Yorkers with the locomotive traffic it brings in and out of the city but it also offers beautiful views of its architecture from Astoria and Randall’s
Island. The Hell Gate Bridge is one of New York City’s greatest architectural marvels and is said that if humans were to all disappear tomorrow, would be the final bridge in New York City to collapse, taking at least a millennium to do so. The color of the bridge as we see it today was actually recently painted a bright “Hell Gate Red” in 1996 but quickly faded due to a problem with the paint formula (nycroads.com).
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Astoria Park
Located on the Northeast side of Astoria along the East River, Astoria Park offers a number of recreational activities for residents and tourists to enjoy. The park is most known for its spectacular public pool, which is still the oldest and largest in the city. Aside from swimming opportunities, Astoria Park also offers tennis courts, a track, a bandstand, a skatepark, multiple
tails, and basketball courts to those
who visit. There is also a beautiful
bike and walking trail that runs
down along the East River that
features views of both the Hell Gate
Bridge and the Triborough Bridge.
Along this trail are benches and
parking spots which allow for easy
access to the views. For those who
may not be interested in such active
activities at the park are also invited
to lounge and or picnic on one of the
enormous grass lawns the park
offers (Astoria).
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Museum of the Moving Image (36-01 35th Ave, Astoria, NY 11106)
The Museum of the Moving Image educates people about the art, history, technique, and technology of film, television, and digital media through its exhibitions, programs, moving-image works, and artifacts. The museum opened in 1988 and is the only museum of its kind in the United States.
It occupies one of the thirteen buildings that made up the former Astoria Studio complex.
The museum features one of the largest, most comprehensive, and most important collections of artifacts relating to moving images in the country and the world, with more than
130,000 artifacts today. The core exhibition of the museum called Behind the Screen introduces visitors to the process of creating moving images with its 1,400 artifacts, interactive experiences, and artwork. The museum also features various large and small-scale changing exhibitions.
The Museum of the Moving Image screens over 400 films each year. It features a diverse screening program that includes silent films with live music, restored films, and new films from the international festival circuit
(www.movingimage.us).
Hours
Wed-Thu: 10:30am - 5:00pm
Fri: 10:30am - 8:00pm
Sat-Sun: 10:30am - 6:00pm
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The Robert F. Kennedy Bridge Walkway
The Robert F. Kennedy Bridge
(formerly known as the
Triborough Bridge) is made up of three bridges that meet on
Randall’s Island and connect the boroughs of Manhattan,
Queens, and the Bronx. Its longest span is the East River
Suspension Bridge to Queens that connects to Astoria. The bridge opened in 1936 and includes 14 miles of approach roads. It features pedestrian walkways along all three of its spans (MTA).
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Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden
The Bohemian Hall
and Beer Garden is located
at 29-19 24th Avenue
Astoria, New York 11102.
It is home to a huge, family
friendly outdoor seating area
surrounded by trees and picnic tables. It is almost an oasis from the usual busy city. The Bohemian Hall and Beer
Garden offers traditional Czech food, along with a wide assortment of beers on tap. Not only that, the garden is also home to one of the most bizarre ways of partying. Dubbed “Quiet
Clubbing,” partygoers are given a pair of headphones that a DJ plays music through, rather than using loud speakers, which, in the past, created too much noise and led to complaints from residents.
More information can be found at the Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden’s website: http://bohemianhall.com/
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Greek Food
Astoria is also home to some of the best Greek cuisine in New York City. For starters,
Taverna Kyclades is a Greek restaurant that is famous for its seafood and Mediterranean dishes.
Priding themselves
in service and
delicious food,
Taverna Kyclades is
the perfect place to
sit down and enjoy
a traditional Greek
meal.
On the other hand, the
Neptune Diner offers more of a variety of food. From diner Greek classics like gyros to the typical diner burger, Neptune Diner has been a staple of the culture of
Astoria and offers plenty of good eats.
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Bibliography
“Astoria History.” astoria.org, www.astoria.org/astoria-history.html. Accessed 5 November 2017.
“Astoria Park.” Astoria Park : NYC Parks, NYC Parks, www.nycgovparks.org/parks/astoria-park. “Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden.” www.bohemianhall.com. “Hell Gate Bridge.” Hell Gate Bridge, Eastern Roads, www.nycroads.com/crossings/hell-gate/. “History Topics.” Greater Astoria Historical Society, http://www.astorialic.org/topics /topics_p.php. Accessed 5 November 2017. “Factory Tours USA.” Steinway & Sons, www.factorytoursusa.com/state/new-york/steinway -sons/. Accessed 5 November 2017. “Most Popular People Born In ‘Astoria/+New+York/+USA.’” IMDb, IMDb.com,
http://www.imdb.com/search/name?birth_place=Astoria,%20New%20York,%20USA&r
ef_marker=rlm&sort=starmeter,asc
Museum of the Moving Image, www.movingimage.us/. “Nostalgia for Astoria Pool, an Early Robert Moses Project with a High Diving, Olympic-Sized
History.” The Bowery Boys: New York City History, 29 Sept. 2017,
www.boweryboyshistory.com/2012/05/nostalgia-for-astoria-pool-early-robert.html.
“Robert F. Kennedy Bridge.” MTA, web.mta.info/bandt/html/rfk.html. “Socrates Sculpture Park.” Socrates Sculpture Park, socratessculpturepark.org/. Accessed 5 November 2017.
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