REAL REAL GONE in Sunnyside

by Kevin Walsh

In a photo that didn’t make the upcoming Forgotten Queens book, a general store stands on the corner of Borden Avenue and 45th Street in the Fabulous Forties. This site is now smack in a tangle of spaghetti ramps where the Queens-Midtown and Brooklyn-Queens Expressways merge.

8/10/13

9 comments

Peter August 10, 2013 - 2:11 pm

1940’s? It seems much older.

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George Cassidy August 11, 2013 - 5:25 am

“40s” refers to the street numbers, not the year.

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Sandy Saltzman August 10, 2013 - 6:18 pm

The streetlight mounted on the wood pole at the corner looks to be almost the same (the arm is longer) as one of the lights that still exist mounted on the New York Connecting Railroad viaduct at 23rd avenue and 37th street. It is a shame that there is no way to preserve these lights. With the condition of the viaduct at this location,I have no doubt that these lights will end up the same as the two vintage lights that once adorned the viaduct section that was reconstructed on 31st street: in the dumpster, or some construction workers’ back yard.

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Kevin Walsh August 10, 2013 - 8:30 pm

Yes, some of them can still be found on the side streets under the viaduct en route to the Hell Gate

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Tom August 10, 2013 - 7:45 pm

When is Forgotten Queens going to be on sale? I’ve seen a lot of pics of old Queens, 1st time for this one.

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Kevin Walsh August 10, 2013 - 8:29 pm

December 9

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Tal Barzilai August 11, 2013 - 6:38 pm

Is anything in that photo still there today or is it all gone?

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Kevin Walsh August 11, 2013 - 9:30 pm

Not a thing left

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Hart Sastrowardoyo August 12, 2013 - 12:41 am

Just for kicks, would like to see this photo next to a photo of what’s there now, even if it is a confluence of ramps. Contrast would be interesting.

Reply

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