Treasures Uncovered as Construction Begins at Levittown’s Historic Grandstand Location
As reported in May 2013, a developer received approved from the Town of Hempstead to build four houses on the 2.5 acre plot which included historic site of the Vanderbilt Cup Race grandstand and officials' stand/press box and the Long Island Motor Parkway. In a special Kleiner's Korner report, Levittown resident and Long Island Motor Parkway Preservation Society member Art Kleiner documents that construction has begun unveiling new Motor Parkway artifacts.
July 3, 2014
Progress (unfortunately!) is being made at the Crocus Lane Motor Parkway site by the developer of the four homes.
July 4, 2014-North Side
They still had a bit to go in clearing the property but lots of old roadway pieces fill the mounds of dirt dug so far.
The site is being cleared with all trees and bushes having been removed which unveiled 4, possibly 5 new Motor Parkway posts (guess that's the silver lining)!
July 4, 2014- South Side
And on the south side one more post lying on its side.
I've never seen these documented before, as I've also never encountered them in my many walks at the site these last 10 years! Another discovery!
July 7, 2014
I was invited to walk around with the general contractor. There were many slabs of Motor Parkway roadway in multiple piles as you can see in the pics.
July 10, 2014
I'm glad I helped myself to a small piece of roadway as going back today the whole area has been cleared with no Parkway slabs remaining! I guess my wife wouldn't have appreciated a few slabs "decorating" my back yard anyway.
Hope still abounds however, as the rear part of the site doesn't seem to have been dug up yet.
More information and photos can be found on Art's wonderful Motor Parkway website.
The Grandstand Area in 2006
Comments
There’s construction going on also where the parkway crossed pinelawn…wonder if any mementos were unearthed…
I’m starting to get very concerned about the stretch of the Parkway just west of Roosevelt Field. I’m seeing some development of what could be office buildings or a side growth of retail space in this precious abandoned run of the roadway.
Does anyone know any details?
Can’t win ‘em all, eh?
Howard, I could swear you and I saw those posts ‘way back when we first met and started trekking the RoW. As I recall, it was you who spotted them and pointed them out to me. ??? My own personal chunk of paving is from Deadman’s Curve, at the south end of North Hermann, shown at:
http://sbiii.com/limpkwy5.html#deadman
(scroll ‘way down).
Save the posts! ‘Way back, I “rescued” a concrete post that was about to be carted off, just west of the Half Hollow Hills Public Library - Bob Miller has it now.
Sam, III
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Hi Sam, I remember seeing only two posts in the area. See the above 2006 photo. Hope all is well in Boston!
Howard I
Thanks to Art for being on top of the construction work to monitor the process so as to preserve anything that might be uncovered. As for the posts I think they should be extracted and preserved since the new homeowners might find them to be ugly pieces of concrete without any regard for their historical value.