West Brighton Projects Project Part 6: West side of Broadway, between West Union and Henderson

I remembered that I hadn't finished recreating the neighborhood wiped out to build the West Brighton Houses. Some of it's because I've had a little trouble pulling all the pictures together. In others, like with today's post, it's because I've forgotten to do it. So, without further ado, Broadway between the no-longer-extant West Union Street and Henderson Avenue.

As usual, I'm somewhat fascinated by the closeness of significant commercial buildings to actual houses. Modern building doesn't seem to do this in any way. I guess the goal of suburban development is to keep the two at more of an arm's length, save for the deli or drycleaner you can walk to. It's also, obviously, a result of carcentric planning. Cars allow you to build the something like the old Penney's Plaza on Forest and Barrett and assume the people from West New Brighton will go there. They don't need a major shopping and dining area outside their door. I'm surprised no one seems to be suggesting this sort of old fashioned building as an antidote to heavy traffic. I would much rather walk to a store than have to take the bus or ride a bike any day of the week. Is this sort of pedestrian friendly development even allowed anymore? Seriously, does anyone know?

1917 Map

NYC 1924 Aerial Map

2012 Google Maps

West New Brighton - Henderson Avenue from Broadway to Alaska Street

I find these blocks of Henderson Avenue pretty interesting. Even though these buildings weren't demolished to make way for the West Brighton Projects, not a single one remains on the block  between Broadway and Chappell, except for the AME church. Presumably, they some were torn down for the construction of Cpl. Thompson Park in the mid-seventies.

On the second block, between Chappell and Alaska, all three buildings remain. The first, Lot 27, has even had a little building built alongside it.

The original A.M.E. Zion Church, now Shiloh A.M.E. Zion Church. It looks as if the present day building was added to and bricked over. Or maybe they just built the brick building on the original foundation.

This building confounds me. It was big, really big, and now it's completely gone. It's not on the 1917 map and now it's completely gone. Corporal Thompson Park was started in the mid-seventies, so how long was this building in existence? Forty, fifty years? It seems strange for such a big building to come and go so shortly. If you have any idea of what it was, please let me know.

Snug Harbor Randall Memorial Church

   Many readers of this site (or group) know that Snug Harbor used to have a beautiful church standing next to the theater: the Randall Memorial Church. As the number of sailors resident declined the church fell into disuse. Unused, it also fell into disrepair. According to Wikipedia, after a plan to turn it into a community center fell through, in 1952, the building was torn down. Today, it's the crappy parking lot next to the theater.

interior images showing the apse and altar

the church was located in the bottom left of the lower picture, around where the cars are parked.

One of the things I only really thought about a few years ago was that I never really understood what Snug Harbor is supposed to look like. The location of the trees were deliberately planned and not just scattered around randomly. All the forested section along Henderson Avenue?  All just new growth following the end of farming at the Harbor.  

L. P. Gratacap and a house I almost bought

Louis P. Gratacap




Before I bought the glorious "Good Prospect" I now live in, I saw several other properties. All were too expensive, entailed the responsibility of being a landlord and in need of way too much repair. The only one I entertained any thought of maybe buying if I wanted to live in probably not so genteel poverty for the rest of my life was on the east side of Bement Avenue just north of Henderson Avenue.


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It's a huge, beautiful 19th century home. It was divided into several units and has an amazing front lawn. Unfortunately, it also had a beautiful side yard that wasn't for sale and had already been subdivided and plans submitted to and accepted by the City's Department of Buildings. You can see the right of two homes that have been subsequently built on that lot.

The imminence of those coming houses right up along the house in question meant there was no way I was going to beggar myself in order to have neighbors looking in my kitchen.


Louis P. Gratacap home - 1924 - circled in red


A recent map tour showed it had belonged to one L.P. Gratacap. An odd sounding name, I immediately googled it and, quickly enough I found out who he was.

Born in Gowanus,New York, Louis P. Gatacarp was the curator of the New York Mineralogical Club and the mineralogy curator at the Museum of Natural History as well. He died, unexpectedly, in 1917 at the age of 67.

Today his once lovely house sits surrounded too closely by newer homes. Still, it stands as reminder of less crowded times on the Island.

An Unpaved and Vacant Lot

Town of Castleton's Village Hall



Built in 1871, this building was the center of municipal operations for the town of Castleton that once existed as a unique entity along the north shore of Staten Island. Until a few years ago it was one of three remaining village halls that once operated in Staten Island and Queens. Now only the one in Stapleton and another in Queens remain.

In the recent past this once beautiful building, then crumbling, was demolished for safety's sake. The firm that had purchased it to convert into residential units in 1985 had walked away from the expense and responsibility entailed in owning a landmarked property.

All through the earliest days of my childhood this red and slate building had marked the the last leg of the bus trip to my grandmother's house on Henderson Avenue. We'd take the #5 bus from the corner of Victory and Cebra, ride over the hill and get off at Jersey and Richmond Terrace. There'd we'd transfer to the #102 and ride west along the Terrace and turn left on Lafayette and then onto Henderson and my grandma's.

The Village Hall was visible as soon as you turned onto Lafayette and my eyes were usually drawn to it. It was imposing, decayed and had the look of adventure in it. That I, nor my friends, never tried to enter it may seem odd based on the few other adventures I've mentioned but it was far from home by foot and not really in a neighborhood we'd end up in by accident.

Today nothing but an overgrown fenced in lot remains of building.


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Castleton Village Hall from Mike Dominowski's site