I grew up in one of two floor-through apartments on the second floor at 535 East 82nd St., just off East End Avenue.  The five storey brownstone was part of “The Astor Houses, ”  a block of  buildings extending from 533, 535, down to the corner and then several more facing  East End proper running up the Avenue toward 83rd St.

These buildings were part of Vincent Astor’s real estate holdings and could be considered upscale or genteel tenements–  Which is what they were.  Vincent Astor is noted now mainly for having been the husband of the late Brooke Astor, one of New York’s most revered benefactresses, and also an East End Avenue resident.

In those years during and just after WWII The Avenue was a mix of residential and commercial properties.  There were the tall, doorman tended, apartment houses which blocked the view of and access to the East River from the tenements, tennis courts, a block long junk yard, an “ice house,” a cigar factory, as well as other small commercial properties: two grocery markets, a liquor store,  clothes cleaners, candy store and soda shop.  The Brearley School for girls, in a ten storey building, also shared the view of the river with the residents of those tall pre-war high-rises.

Robt. Moses’ River Drive-81st St. Brearley School tall bldg. on left

There was also the newly created, WPA funded, park, conjured up by Robert Moses, New York’s “Master Builder” and raper of neighborhoods, to sit atop his recent extension of the East River Drive from Lower Manhattan, north to “his” Triborough Bridge.

East End Ave.& 82nd St. ice house, junk yard, parking lot, etc. Dan Weiner photo

Carl Shurz Park under const.1940.Doctor’s Hospital and East End Ave on left. Gracie Mansion top center.

His original plan was:  To have this new roadway jog inland from its run up along the shore and to commandeer the East End Avenue right of way for his needs.  His “plan” was thwarted mainly because to do so would have run a four lane highway past 19th century Gracie Mansion.  Small but historically important, this estate overlooked Hell Gate, the turbulent estuary formed by the confluence of the East River, The Harlem River, and the western end of Long Island Sound.  It was City owned property and, at the time, also the residence of Mayor La Guardia.

New York’s Mayor and Gracie Mansion resident