Derelict and abandoned 370 Jay Street, owned by the City and leased by the MTA, has been called a "blight on the neighborhood" and worse.But we are not here today to curse the 13-story Downtown Brooklyn building, but rather to admire the relief map highlighting WWII theaters of action, located on a wall facing Jay Street, near the dismal stairs that go down into the subway.
Very few of the hundreds who hustle by every day ever look at this map. One woman told me she worked in the building for years but never saw it. "What is it?" she asked. Once she learned it commemorated WWII, she wanted to get her own camera and take a photo of it.
The building went up in 1950. Urban commentator Lewis Mumford was quoted as saying that the building "set the right precedent for a modern office building, and I am hopeful that its sobriety and efficiency will leave a mark on the whole neighborhood." (Manhattan Institute)Photos by MK Metz
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What are the names listed? Brooklynites who dies in each theater?
ReplyDeleteWe can't find any explanation about the names on the map. We do know that the Brooklyn War Memorial building in Cadman Park contains a memorial hall with an honor roll listing the names of those who died serving during the war.
ReplyDeleteUPDATE: There are more than 7,000 names listed on the Brooklyn War Memorial honor roll in Cadman Park.
ReplyDeleteI tried to find out what the deal is with that map and all I found was you asking the same question
ReplyDeletehttp://whatyourdonotknowbecauseyouarenotme.blogspot.com/2009/12/what-is-deal-with-this-cool-map.html
Finally - an explanation.
ReplyDeletehttp://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/26/as-transit-building-is-remade-a-stirring-memorial-will-be-removed/