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1951 Stuyvesant Town Rental Plot Plan, New York City
StuyvesantTown-administrationoffice-1951$200.00
Title
Stuyvesant Town, Borough of Manhattan. Renting Plot Plan No. 1.
1951 (dated) 17 x 22 in (43.18 x 55.88 cm) 1 : 1550
1951 (dated) 17 x 22 in (43.18 x 55.88 cm) 1 : 1550
Description
A rare and fascinating 1951 map of Stuyvesant Town (popularly known as StuyTown), a large housing complex in New York City, produced by the project's Administration Office. The project is one of the most recognizable housing projects in the city, though its creation was marred by controversy.
The site chosen for the projects was previously known as the 'Gas House District' for the very large gas containers housed there from the mid-19th century, which had become defunct by the 1940s. It had attained a reputation as a crime-ridden slum, though locals disputed that characterization. Some 11,000 residents were forced to move from the area to clear space for the new projects.
Although Stuyvesant Town was a private project (developed by Metropolitan Life Insurance Company), it was given key support from city and state officials, especially the legendary 'power broker' Robert Moses (it later evolved into a public-private partnership). It was a controversial project from the start, due to the destruction of the pre-existing Gas House District, a characteristic Moses project which critics charged with steaming ahead at full clip without consulting local communities. StuyTown was also condemned for provisions that initially barred African Americans from renting. In recent years, increasing housing prices in Manhattan have made the apartments much more valuable, and Met Life sold it in 2006 for $5.4 billion, though its value briefly took a dive following the 2008-2009 financial and housing crisis.
A Closer Look
The map displays the entirety of the Stuyvesant Town complex, bordered by First Avenue, Avenue C, and the FDR Drive on its sides and E. 14th and E. 20th St. on top and bottom. Aside from eighty-nine apartment towers, shops, playgrounds, and common areas are also illustrated, along with the buildings' postal addresses. Bus lines on adjoining streets are also noted. On a second sheet, schematics for typical apartments of various sizes are exhibited along with their rental prices.Stuyvesant Town
Stuyvesant Town, along with its neighboring partner project, Peter Cooper Village, is one of the largest housing sites in New York City (together, the two sites contain 11,250 apartments). Both it and Peter Cooper were planned during World War II (1939 - 1945), with the expectation that they would house returning veterans, who were given preference in renting. Due to the location of the apartments, demand quickly outstripped supply and the apartments' managers received thousands of applications each year.The site chosen for the projects was previously known as the 'Gas House District' for the very large gas containers housed there from the mid-19th century, which had become defunct by the 1940s. It had attained a reputation as a crime-ridden slum, though locals disputed that characterization. Some 11,000 residents were forced to move from the area to clear space for the new projects.
Although Stuyvesant Town was a private project (developed by Metropolitan Life Insurance Company), it was given key support from city and state officials, especially the legendary 'power broker' Robert Moses (it later evolved into a public-private partnership). It was a controversial project from the start, due to the destruction of the pre-existing Gas House District, a characteristic Moses project which critics charged with steaming ahead at full clip without consulting local communities. StuyTown was also condemned for provisions that initially barred African Americans from renting. In recent years, increasing housing prices in Manhattan have made the apartments much more valuable, and Met Life sold it in 2006 for $5.4 billion, though its value briefly took a dive following the 2008-2009 financial and housing crisis.
Publication History and Census
This map was produced by the Stuyvesant Town project's Administration Office, presumably to hand out to potential tenants. Handwritten annotations date it to 1951, though it is likely that the map was originally printed in 1947, when the apartments opened for rental applications. There are no other known examples of this map in institutional collections or on the market.Condition
Good. Uneven toning at top-right and some discoloration along the fold line. Tears repaired on the verso at the fold line and elsewhere along the edge.