Life on Steinway Street - 'Introduction' (A True N.Y.C. 1950's Story)
I'm about to start posting a multi-part series about my recollections of family life in the 1950's, called 'Life on Steinway Street' that I hope some of you enjoy.
The series will be re-written excerpts from an unpublished book I wrote under the same title...the book remains unfinished, as far as I'm concerned; perhaps one day it will be a completed work.
Steinway Street is a main, two lane artery running the entire length of Astoria, New York from about 18th Ave. near the Steinway Piano factory and Mansion) to Northern Blvd. It bears the name of the world famous Steinway Piano family from Germany, who in 1870 opened a large manufacturing facility in Astoria, Queens where it still operates.
Around 1870–80, William Steinway (born Wilhelm Steinweg, a son of Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg) established a professional community, the company townSteinway Village, in what is now the Astoria neighborhood of Queens in New York City.[12] Steinway Village was built as its own town, and included a new factory (still used today) with its own foundry and sawmill, houses for employees, kindergarten, lending library, post office, volunteer fire department, and parks. Steinway Village later became part of Long Island City. Steinway Street, one of the major streets in the Astoria and Long Island City neighborhoods of Queens, is named after the company.[2]
Astoria New York, is where I was born and raised. It was a predominantly blue collar, working class neighborhood which has in part gentrified over the past ten or fifteen years. Rent for a typical apartment has risen from $35. - $50. per month when I was a child, to $1,800. plus...with the newer high-rise prices being $3,000. plus per month.
The six movie theaters are all gone, the butcher shops, shoemakers, candy stores, 5 & 10 Cents stores and so many other old type businesses which dotted the landscape. They have been replaced by Banks, Boutiques, Cafe's and a host of other establishments.
The gentrification of Astoria is matched by the same transformation taking place in the adjoining Long Island City area, and parts of Brooklyn which are places within close proximity to Manhattan, with easy, fast access by car, or Subway trains.
Anyway...that's about it for an introduction post; short and sweet, just like I like my...(No...I ain't saying it...) but, you know what I mean.
I'm outta here...
Ciao
Hey @angryman there is no doubt we will enjoy it! Luckily, I didn't read your blog in the last month, and there are some really good posts as I can see. - But dont hesitate too much with this serial.
Hi @hidden84 ... thank you for the note of encouragement. I should be posting the first part of new series within a couple of hours. Regards; I hope you are well.
Where you been bro, I was thinking about you 2 nights back, and also had a nose on steemd to see if you had been online, you seemed to go awol for 8 days, hope everything is okay your end?.
Take it easy my friend.
Good to hear from you; I'm doing okay...just took a break from being too glued to the platform and neglecting other duties. Even when I wasn't posting, I was spending way too much time scrolling and reading stuff.
It was beginning to feel too much like a 'job' instead of a fun pass-time; I don't like jobs...
Hope all is well with you.
I hear ya on that bro, it does get to be a chore at times, hence why I do 1 morning post, 1 evening and check out in the day time.
All good here, just trying to teach steemians how to rob banks. :-)