Brooklyn Sites

Rudd Playground, located at Bushwick Ave. and Aberdeen St. in Brooklyn, was one of seven Works Progress Administration (WPA) playgrounds opened in New York City on November 22, 1935.

Samuel Tilden High School in Brooklyn, New York originally opened in 1930. However, an addition to the facility was constructed in 1938-9 with as a New Deal project. The Public Works Administration (PWA) provided a $471,600 grant for the addition, whose total construction cost was $788,100. PWA Docket No. NY 1554

"The WPA would make another addition to the Samuel J. Tilden High School, this time in the form of a mural for the auditorium. The project took nearly two years to complete, as muralist Abraham Lishinsky, working with his colleague Irving A. Block, designed and painted a 2,400-square-foot mural depicting “Major Influences in Civilization” for the auditorium. Among the six assistants they employed over time was the artist Abram "Al" Lerner."

On July 9, 1941, the Department of Parks announced the completion of what is now the Eugene Sarsfield Playground in Brooklyn. The press release announcing the park's opening reported: "To provide a flat play surface it was necessary to construct a concrete retaining wall of variable height along the north property line with a short stairway access provided from Avenue "M". An 8' chain link boundary fence has been placed on top of this wall and along the entire property line. A second entrance leads from Flatlands Avenue near the corner of Ryder Street. Seventeen 2½-3" diameter Norway maples have been planted...

This site was acquired by the city through condemnation in 1929 and 1930 and became parkland shortly thereafter. In August 1935, the Department of Parks announced the opening of a new playground at the site, which included "a wading pool and the usual play apparatus." It used to be known as the Lafayette High School Playground after the nearby school and was renamed the John S. Scarangella Playground in 1992. The playground was renovated in 1997. As researcher Frank da Cruz explains here, almost all New York City Parks Department projects between 1934 and 1943 were accomplished with New Deal funds...

The Department of Health medical center at 62 Second Place in Brooklyn was constructed with Works Progress Administration (WPA) labor. This was one of three infant health stations in Brooklyn dedicated by Mayor La Guardia on May 10, 1939. The buildings cost about $50,000 each, with the WPA paying 60% and the city paying 40% of the costs. The building continues to serve health purposes, though the operations are now privately owned.

This five-acre playground in Brooklyn was first established in 1924. In 1941 the WPA completed an extensive reconstruction of the main area of the park as well as the addition of a new 1/4 acre sitting area (Bealin Triangle) separated from the rest of the park by Stillwell Ave. The Department of Parks press release announcing the opening described the WPA's work: "The kindergarten area has been reduced in size and resurfaced. The existing seesaws and swings were relocated and... the school has been provided with new swings, slides and an exercise unit. The wading pool and comfort station area required minor...

This modest playground near the Northern edge of Brooklyn was developed under the New Deal. A Department of Parks press release from April 1, 1935 announced the opening of this playground "constructed with Work Relief Funds" and went on to describe the park's development and new facilities: "The playground at Vandervoort Avenue and Cherry Street has an area of nearly an acre. The land was acquired by the Sinking Fund Commission by purchase at a cost of £22,500 and it was turned over to the Department of Parks on April 3, 1924, for development as a playground, but the land lay...

In the late 1930s, the WPA rebuilt the piers along Emmons Avenue and the pedestrian footbridge spanning Sheepshead Bay. The footbridge connects Emmons Avenue with Shore Boulevard and Manhattan Beach. Excerpt from the (1939) WPA Guide to New York City, Federal Writers Project: The Sheepshead Bay Neighborhood, whose low wooden houses spread north of Emmons Avenue from the basin, has drawn metropolitan anglers and epicures since its founding in the early 1800's. Fronting the bay are many restaurants noted for their shore dinners. Best known are Lundy's, Villepigue's, Seidel's, the Beau Rivage, and Tappen's.   The Sheephead Bay fishing "fleet," consisting of about fifty boats,...

The New York Times reported that five playgrounds had been constructed by WPA labor within Shore Park along Brooklyn's Narrows, alongside the recently constructed Belt Parkway. The playgrounds were located at 79th St., 83rd St., Ridge Blvd., 99th St., and 3rd Ave. They were meant to accommodate people of all ages, providing "sandpits, swings and slides ..., court games ..., and athletic fields with field houses ..." The long 'shoestring park' was also equipped with promenades and bicycle paths. Facilities at this location are still in use today.

The New York Times reported that five playgrounds had been constructed by WPA labor within Shore Park along Brooklyn's Narrows, alongside the recently constructed Belt Parkway. The playgrounds were located at 79th St., 83rd St., Ridge Blvd., 99th St., and 3rd Ave. They were meant to accommodate people of all ages, providing "sandpits, swings and slides ..., court games ..., and athletic fields with field houses ..." The long 'shoestring park' was also equipped with promenades and bicycle paths. The 79th Street Playground is still in use today.

The New York Times reported that five playgrounds had been constructed by WPA labor within Shore Park along Brooklyn's Narrows, alongside the recently constructed Belt Parkway. The playgrounds were located at 79th St., 83rd St., Ridge Blvd., 99th St., and 3rd Ave. They were meant to accommodate people of all ages, providing "sandpits, swings and slides ..., court games ..., and athletic fields with field houses ..." The long 'shoestring park' was also equipped with promenades and bicycle paths. Athletic fields are still in use at this location.

The New York Times reported that five playgrounds had been constructed by WPA labor within Shore Park along Brooklyn's Narrows, alongside the recently constructed Belt Parkway. The playgrounds were located at 79th St., 83rd St., Ridge Blvd., 99th St., and 3rd Ave. They were meant to accommodate people of all ages, providing "sandpits, swings and slides ..., court games ..., and athletic fields with field houses ..." The long 'shoestring park' was also equipped with promenades and bicycle paths. Facilities at this location are still in use today.

The New York Times reported that five playgrounds had been constructed by WPA labor within Shore Park along Brooklyn's Narrows, alongside the recently constructed Belt Parkway. The playgrounds were located at 79th St., 83rd St., Ridge Blvd., 99th St., and 3rd Ave. They were meant to accommodate people of all ages, providing "sandpits, swings and slides ..., court games ..., and athletic fields with field houses ..." The long 'shoestring park' was also equipped with promenades and bicycle paths. Facilities at this location are still in use today.

The WPA and the Department of Parks together developed an extensive park and parkway area (sometimes known as Shore Road Park and sometimes as Shore Park) along the shore adjacent to the Belt Parkway. The area eventually developed extended from Owl's Head Park south to Fort Hamilton, and included multiple playgrounds and athletic fields. In August 1941, Parks announced the completion of the first section of the Shore Road Park development stretching from Bay Ridge Ave. to 72nd St. The WPA's work included: "remov a considerable quantity of old paving, benches and drinking fountains. The new promenade along the west side...

"Originally acquired by the City in 1934 in connection with the construction of a subway, this site was owned by the Board of Transportation until it was assigned to Parks in 1961. In 1935, workers in the brand-new Works Progress Administration (WPA) planned and constructed Sixteen Sycamores Playground... Sixteen Sycamores Playground opened to the public on June 6, 1935. The playground, bursting with green foliage around its perimeter, offers several sets of play equipment with safety surfacing, handball courts, swings, and a comfort station. A yardarm flagpole stands in the center of the playground, and benches offer a peaceful spot to...

The Department of Health medical center at 8658 16th Ave. in Brooklyn was constructed with Works Progress Administration (WPA) labor. This was one of three infant health stations in Brooklyn dedicated by Mayor La Guardia on May 10, 1939. The buildings cost about $50,000 each, with the WPA paying 60% and the city paying 40% of the costs. Google Street View imagery of the site suggests that the building is presently vacant.

Smith Street was widened in the 1930s as a Public Works Administration (PWA) project.

The federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) undertook a sizable public building improvement project in Brooklyn, New York beginning in 1935.  The project involved the "Improvement of Public Buildings and Offices" at more than 30 locations, including the old Snyder Avenue Court Building at 27-to-31 Snyder Ave. Living New Deal believes the building is no longer extant.

The federal Work Projects Administration (WPA) undertook several road improvement projects along roads in Brooklyn, New York. One such project involved the widening of South 5th Street from Marcy Ave. to Union Ave. This project likely improved the flow of vehicular traffic entering Brooklyn via the Williamsburg Bridge.

On July 28, 1937, the Department of Parks announced the opening of "five playgrounds, constructed by the Department of Parks with relief labor and funds," noting that "These playgrounds are five of the twenty-four sites in neglected areas selected by the Commissioner of Parks and acquired by condemnation after authorization by the Board of Estimate and Apportionment on July 15, 1936." One of these five playgrounds was the South Pacific Playground. It is still extant. Although the 1937 press release does not mention which New Deal agencies were involved, researcher Frank da Cruz explains here that almost all New York City Parks...

St. Mary's Playground in stretches along Smith St. between Huntington St. and Nelson St., and Nelson St. and Luquer St. in Brooklyn. It sits at the border of three neighborhoods: Gowanus, Red Hook and Carroll Gardens. The NYC Parks site explains the origin of the playground: "The two parcels of land for this park were acquired by the New York Department of Transportation in 1934 as part of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s (1882-1945) Works Progress Administration’s urban revitalization initiative. Originally they were to be utilized for the new Gowanus Expressway (1941), but many in the community thought the land straddling...

In the 1930s Works Progress Administration laborers undertook a sewer construction project on Stanley Avenue in the Jamaica Bay section of Brooklyn. Pictured here are WPA crews at work on the sewer project at the intersection of Stanley and New Jersey Avenues (WPA - Five Boroughs Project).

William Sunners Playground, located in the Flatlands section of Brooklyn, was constructed using WPA materials and labor. New York City's Parks Department writes: "This playground was acquired by the City in 1940 and first opened to the public on April 12, 1941. It was one of four separate parcels in the area that were obtained by the City for park purpose, in response to a local need for more parkland. At the time, this triangular parcel was valued at approximately $8,000. Each of the four park parcels were laid out as playgrounds by Parks designers and developed with materials and labor provided...

Sunset Park in Brooklyn was improved by the WPA in 1935 (when a small children's playground was added) and, more extensively, in 1940. A press release announced the completion of the later project: "In Sunset Park, the westerly portion located at Fifth Avenue, 41 to 42 Streets, has been redesigned and reconstructed. The new work consists of the rearrangement of new bituminous walks, curbs, concrete stairs, entrances, concrete walls, new overlooks, benches, chain link and wrought iron fencing, a small children's play area with sand pit and play apparatus, and a new modern comfort station. The opening of these park areas designed...

The massive 259-foot-by-162-foot (3.5-foot-deep) outdoor pool in Sunset Park was one of 11 constructed with the help of the federal Work Projects Administration in New York City. "In the summer months, Sunset Park and its pool become home to swimmers and sun worshipers.  Designed in a neoclassical/Art Deco style, the pool first opened its waters to the public in 1936. It has since then offered to the Sunset Park community and visitors from all across New York City a range of recreational activities. Programs include Learn-to-Swim classes for all ages, free After School swimming instruction, and Adult Lap times.  The Brooklyn...

The Thirteenth Avenue Retail Market in Borough Park was constructed in the 1930s as a Public Works Administration (PWA) project. Much of the structure's visual presence is still intact.

When the Department of Parks first developed a playground at Degraw and 3rd Ave. in 1935, it was leasing the property from a private owner. A press release announced the 1935 opening along with the opening of six other playgrounds, one of which was attended by WPA administrator Harry Hopkins. The City of New York formally acquired the property in 1938 and soon opened a larger, more developed playground on the site "occupying the entire block bounded by Douglass Street, DeGraw Street, Nevins Street and Third Avenue." The press release announcing the opening on October 8, 1939 explained: "This playground, planned to accommodate...

The federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) undertook a sizable public building improvement project in Brooklyn, New York beginning in 1935.  The project involved the "Improvement of Public Buildings and Offices" at more than 30 locations, including the no-longer-extant Traffic Court Building at the corner of Bedford Ave. and Lafayette Ave.

The New York Times reported in 1941 that the WPA was to be involved with several street improvements in Brooklyn, including the "elimination of a mile-long traffic hazard on Utica Avenue between the trolley track areas." A trolley line ran along a 4.2-mile stretch of Utica Avenue between Fulton Street and Avenue N, making it difficult to determine the stretch of Utica Avenue affected by this project.

The Washington at Valley Forge memorial is an equestrian statue of George Washington   (1732–1799), Commander in Chief and first President of the United States (1789–97), sculpted by Henry Merwin Shrady in 1901.  It is the centerpiece of Brooklyn’s Continental Army Plaza. In the 1930s, the memorial was restored with New Deal funding, initially from the Public Works of Art Project and later by the WPA.  The work was overseen by Karl Gruppe, chief sculptor of the Monument Restoration Project of the New York City Parks Department from 1934 to 1937.  The restoration work was filmed and can be found here. The sculpture and...

The bridge carrying Washington Avenue in Brooklyn over the railroad tracks by Prospect Park was rebuilt during the 1930s as a Public Works Administration (PWA) project.

According to a budget report, New York City's massive Water Tunnel No. 2 was completed in 1936, in part with funds granted by the Public Works Administration (PWA).

This small Brooklyn playground was opened by the Department of Parks in December 1935. The press release announcing the opening explained that it, and the other 12 playgrounds opened on the same day, collectively contained: "88 small swings; 72 large swings; 36 seesaws; 14 playhouses; 15 large slides; 11 sand tables; 10 garden swings; 7 small slides; 7 small tables; 6 handball courts; 6 jungle gyms; 5 shuffleboard courts; 5 wading pools; 4 parallel bars; 3 horizontal bars; 3 horizontal ladders; 3 horseshoe pitching, etc.; 2 basketball courts, 1 shower." As researcher Frank da Cruz explains here, almost all New York...

William J. Gaynor Junior High School, I.S. 49, in Brooklyn, New York, was constructed during the 1930s with Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. The PWA docket number was NY 1075R. The building is still in use today.

NYC Parks' website explains that "The City purchased this land for park purposes in 1934, and Adolf A. Berle, Jr. signed the deed as trustee of the War Memorial Fund, which donated the playground in Sheridan’s name. One of nine memorial playgrounds, it was dedicated on July 15, 1934." This was one of nine playgrounds constructed with War Memorial and TERA funds in 1934.

According to a digitized project card at the National Archives, the WPA dedicated more than $400,000 in 1935 toward the construction of a new roadway on the Williamsburg Bridge, which connects Brooklyn to Manhattan in New York City. Among the improvements, was the construction of a new eastbound lane. WPA Official Project No. 65-97-34. There were no records in The New York Times confirming WPA involvement with the Williamsburg Bridge. However, newspaper records and National Archives documents prove Public Works Administration (PWA) involvement with such a project, which occurred in 1938-9. The PWA provided a $239,319 grant for the roadway reconstruction; the total project cost was...

Originally called the Williamsburg-Greenpoint Health Center, it was the fourth of eight clinics to be built in New York City with federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funding during the Great Depression. The project was part of a city-wide public health initiative that focused on providing low-cost health care in poor neighborhoods where residents could not afford their own doctors. The Brownstoner reports that "..it was state of the art, and the only health center built in the entire country by the PWA that had a complete range of health and educational programs." The 1937 opening was presided over by Mayor LaGuardia, and, according to the...

The Williamsburg Houses were opened in 1937, one of three huge public housing projects in New York City funded by the Public Works Administration (PWA), along with First Houses and Harlem River Houses in Manhattan.  New York City was the unchallenged leader in the creation of public housing in the United States, beginning in the 1920s, and the New Deal allowed the city to continue to built high-quality public housing that has stood the test of time. The official PWA history, published in 1939, described the project in detail: "Williamsburg Houses, the 'city-within-a-city' slum-clearance project, erected in the heart of the historic Williamsburg...

The federal Works Progress Administration undertook a $93,900 project starting in 1935 to modernize and otherwise improve several public (now-former) bath facilities in Brooklyn, NY. The public baths at Wilson Ave. and Willoughby Ave. were constructed in 1908; the building has since been demolished. The facilities identified as part of the WPA project were: 209 Wilson Ave. Municipal Baths, Coney Island Duffield Street Hicks Street Pitkin Ave. Huron St. Montrose Ave.