This picture was made of the corner of 40th St and 1st Ave before everything was demolished in preparation for the construction of No. 5, Windsor Tower. The sign on the right, regrettably cut off, says much the same.
a picture blog about a landmark Manhattan enclave
July 5, 2026
Old Pictures Again
To celebrate our nation's 250th birthday, here are some long ago pictures of Tudor City and its environs.
First up is this moody portrait of the East River, which contrasts the scraggly, mostly industrial confines of Queens with Manhattan's more tony Crystal Office building and the Tudor City complex.
This picture was made of the corner of 40th St and 1st Ave before everything was demolished in preparation for the construction of No. 5, Windsor Tower. The sign on the right, regrettably cut off, says much the same.
Southwestern view from the 42nd St station platform of the 2nd Ave El; the Daily News building is at top, with vertical stripes along its window lines.
In this photo from 1929, ghostlike images of The Woodstock, No. 25 and No. 45 hover over the otherwise humdrum scene at 1st Ave and 39th St. The picture was taken by Percy Loomis Sperr, who recorded what was being torn down (and what replaced it) for the New York Public Library.
Lastly, there's this impressive aerial view of the complex ‒ and the nearby Daily News building ‒ in the 1930s.
This picture was made of the corner of 40th St and 1st Ave before everything was demolished in preparation for the construction of No. 5, Windsor Tower. The sign on the right, regrettably cut off, says much the same.
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How did you determine the subway track photo was not taken from 3rd Ave El rather than 2nd Ave El? Was that building on the left a school?
ReplyDeleteYes, it looks like the 3rd Ave El looking east - the photo is reversed. The old high school was on the site of the hotel.
DeleteDaily News building between 2nd and 3rd.
ReplyDeleteThere are many buildings and a great deal of space between the EL and Daily News building. The Daily News building abuts and is perpendicular to Second Ave., however, photo appears to show Daily News parallel to the EL. The present day Pfizer buildings are across from (North of) Daily News. What school was that.? Is this possibly an eastern view?
DeleteCentral Commercial High School
ReplyDeleteIt was located at 214 East 42nd Street (near Second Avenue). It was a public high school focused on business, bookkeeping, stenography, typing, and commercial subjects—training many students for office and clerical careers. It was operating there during the 1920s and later evolved into what became Norman Thomas High School.
As photo appears to show #214 on North odd #) side of 42nd, photo may be reversed.
Correction - #214 would be where the driveway of the former Helmsley Harley Hotel now sits east of The Daily News Bldg. The office building housingvthe Gap store sits to the east and abuts 3rd
ReplyDelete