Kathleen Soricelli
Molloy College
Robert Moses Impact on New York City
Robert Moses Impact on New York City
New York City has been a city of importance, a center of commerce, military grounds during the Revolutionary war, a place for entertainment and everyday life for many years. Ever since the 1920’s, master builder Robert Moses has impacted the growth of New York City to what we know it as today. He shaped the physical environment of New York more than any other political figure in the twentieth century. Moses made extremely controversial decisions that affected his popularity in the public eye, but he got jobs done faster than anyone ever could today. He envisioned New York in his own way and he believed that it should be a city of open parks, skyscrapers, highways, and beaches creating the current landscape that the city has.
Robert Moses began his projects during the 1920’s on Long Island when he was appointed president to the Long Island Parks Commission. He created beaches and highways making long island dependable on the automobile because he saw it as the transportation of the future. In 1934 while still maintaining his state government positions, Moses was named by New York City Mayor Fiorello La Guardia as the chairman of the Triborough Bridge Authority, and as Commissioner of the New York City Parks Department ("Robert moses biography," 2013). The Triborough Bridge connected the Bronx, Manhattan, and Queens at three different points. This made it easier for New Yorkers to travel to different boroughs in the city without so much traffic. Moses began creating projects in the city that would completely change the landscape of New York to make it easier for people to travel by automobile. In order to pay for the funding for the bridge, Moses created tolls which would be used to pay off construction and fund new projects across New York City and this enabled Moses to begin more projects.
Robert Moses did not wait on politics or government to recreate New York during the Great Depression. He knew that his projects would create jobs and revenue for the city so he took charge in building up New York (Rodgers, 1952). New York City was a place of over populated areas where people were living in tenements in the slums. Robert Moses began creating parks and playgrounds in areas where the people needed this refuge the most while creating more highways, beaches, and bridges. He wanted to clean up the slums and give New York City a fresh start and he wanted the residents of the city to be opened up to the lands around them (Caro, 1974). Robert Moses created highways all throughout Queens making the borough automobile dependent. He built highways there such as the Grand Central Parkway, Jackie Robinson Parkway, Long Island Expressway, Cross Island Parkway, Laurelton Parkway, Clearview Expressway, Laurelton Parkway, Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, and the Whitestone Expressway (Wright, Marone, Hill, & Harding, 2008).
Robert Moses picked the site for the Lincoln Center because he wanted to build up the area with a new opera house (Wright et al., 2008). He assisted in the construction of the United Nations, Shea Stadium, and the World’s Fair Facilities. During 1949, the federal government created a massive program called Title 1 to clear out the slums and rebuild declining cities and Robert Moses was the leader of these projects across the country (Caro, 1974). He created affordable housing units for people in an effort to clear the slums and rejuvenate the city. This made low income housing units for people who could not afford where they were living, but this caused the “white flight”. Middle class white people began moving to the suburbs because they did not want to live in low income housing.
He was criticized when creating the Cross-Bronx Expressway because it tore through the community of East Tremont. “During the construction communities were outraged due to the destruction of private family housing to make way for the road. In one single mile, over 1,500 families lost their homes, and therefore lost their favor for Robert Moses” (Kioli, 2010). He did not care about destroying communities as long as his projects were being completed because he thought they would benefit the whole public. Most of the time Robert Moses fought to get his way in order to create more highways and most of the time he was successful. He wanted to create a roadway through Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village. The residents fought to preserve the community and the park by creating a committee which went against Moses Plan and that time they succeeded in saving the park. Moses did succeed in the destruction of the Pennsylvania Station in the 1960’s because it was not maintained and had high crime.
Moses created many opportunities for New Yorkers to travel by the automobile during the time he created massive projects. He created a lot of traffic when creating multiple highways that connected different areas across the city. He tore apart many different communities in the efforts to create different parkways which were often in poor black neighborhoods. He also preserved many parks and beaches in New York. Depending on the individual and the impact that Robert Moses had on their life they either loved or hated him. He was able to get projects done fast and create jobs for people who were in need while preserving the landscape of the city. Moses also destroyed landmarks and much of New York’s history while trying to create his vision for New York City.
Robert Moses is seen as a controversial figure that has made many changes to New York City from the 1920’s until 1968. Some see him as a master mind build and others see him as a power broker, but he has impacted New York City’s landscape more than any other individual during the twentieth century. Moses developed the city that we know today in positive ways by creating jobs, making transportation easier, and creating many buildings we still have. On the negative side of the spectrum he destroyed many neighborhoods, caused the white flight, and destroyed some of New York City’s oldest historical landmarks. Everyone has their own opinion of Robert Moses, but I believe without his persistency and influence on New York we wouldn’t have many of the things we cherish and take for granted today.
References
Caro, R. (1974). The power broker. New York: Random House Inc.
Kioli. (2010, September 16). Who was robert moses. Retrieved from http://www.kioli.org/longisland/interest/all-about-robert-moses/
Robert moses biography. (2013, June 07). Retrieved from http://www.nps.gov/gate/historyculture/robert-moses-biography.htm
Rodgers, C. (1952). Robert moses builder for democracy. New York: Henry Holt and Company.
Wright, C., Morrone, F., Hill, K., & Harding, S. (2008). Blue guide new york. (4th ed.). Somerset: Blue Guides Limited.
Molloy College
Robert Moses Impact on New York City
Robert Moses Impact on New York City
New York City has been a city of importance, a center of commerce, military grounds during the Revolutionary war, a place for entertainment and everyday life for many years. Ever since the 1920’s, master builder Robert Moses has impacted the growth of New York City to what we know it as today. He shaped the physical environment of New York more than any other political figure in the twentieth century. Moses made extremely controversial decisions that affected his popularity in the public eye, but he got jobs done faster than anyone ever could today. He envisioned New York in his own way and he believed that it should be a city of open parks, skyscrapers, highways, and beaches creating the current landscape that the city has.
Robert Moses began his projects during the 1920’s on Long Island when he was appointed president to the Long Island Parks Commission. He created beaches and highways making long island dependable on the automobile because he saw it as the transportation of the future. In 1934 while still maintaining his state government positions, Moses was named by New York City Mayor Fiorello La Guardia as the chairman of the Triborough Bridge Authority, and as Commissioner of the New York City Parks Department ("Robert moses biography," 2013). The Triborough Bridge connected the Bronx, Manhattan, and Queens at three different points. This made it easier for New Yorkers to travel to different boroughs in the city without so much traffic. Moses began creating projects in the city that would completely change the landscape of New York to make it easier for people to travel by automobile. In order to pay for the funding for the bridge, Moses created tolls which would be used to pay off construction and fund new projects across New York City and this enabled Moses to begin more projects.
Robert Moses did not wait on politics or government to recreate New York during the Great Depression. He knew that his projects would create jobs and revenue for the city so he took charge in building up New York (Rodgers, 1952). New York City was a place of over populated areas where people were living in tenements in the slums. Robert Moses began creating parks and playgrounds in areas where the people needed this refuge the most while creating more highways, beaches, and bridges. He wanted to clean up the slums and give New York City a fresh start and he wanted the residents of the city to be opened up to the lands around them (Caro, 1974). Robert Moses created highways all throughout Queens making the borough automobile dependent. He built highways there such as the Grand Central Parkway, Jackie Robinson Parkway, Long Island Expressway, Cross Island Parkway, Laurelton Parkway, Clearview Expressway, Laurelton Parkway, Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, and the Whitestone Expressway (Wright, Marone, Hill, & Harding, 2008).
Robert Moses picked the site for the Lincoln Center because he wanted to build up the area with a new opera house (Wright et al., 2008). He assisted in the construction of the United Nations, Shea Stadium, and the World’s Fair Facilities. During 1949, the federal government created a massive program called Title 1 to clear out the slums and rebuild declining cities and Robert Moses was the leader of these projects across the country (Caro, 1974). He created affordable housing units for people in an effort to clear the slums and rejuvenate the city. This made low income housing units for people who could not afford where they were living, but this caused the “white flight”. Middle class white people began moving to the suburbs because they did not want to live in low income housing.
He was criticized when creating the Cross-Bronx Expressway because it tore through the community of East Tremont. “During the construction communities were outraged due to the destruction of private family housing to make way for the road. In one single mile, over 1,500 families lost their homes, and therefore lost their favor for Robert Moses” (Kioli, 2010). He did not care about destroying communities as long as his projects were being completed because he thought they would benefit the whole public. Most of the time Robert Moses fought to get his way in order to create more highways and most of the time he was successful. He wanted to create a roadway through Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village. The residents fought to preserve the community and the park by creating a committee which went against Moses Plan and that time they succeeded in saving the park. Moses did succeed in the destruction of the Pennsylvania Station in the 1960’s because it was not maintained and had high crime.
Moses created many opportunities for New Yorkers to travel by the automobile during the time he created massive projects. He created a lot of traffic when creating multiple highways that connected different areas across the city. He tore apart many different communities in the efforts to create different parkways which were often in poor black neighborhoods. He also preserved many parks and beaches in New York. Depending on the individual and the impact that Robert Moses had on their life they either loved or hated him. He was able to get projects done fast and create jobs for people who were in need while preserving the landscape of the city. Moses also destroyed landmarks and much of New York’s history while trying to create his vision for New York City.
Robert Moses is seen as a controversial figure that has made many changes to New York City from the 1920’s until 1968. Some see him as a master mind build and others see him as a power broker, but he has impacted New York City’s landscape more than any other individual during the twentieth century. Moses developed the city that we know today in positive ways by creating jobs, making transportation easier, and creating many buildings we still have. On the negative side of the spectrum he destroyed many neighborhoods, caused the white flight, and destroyed some of New York City’s oldest historical landmarks. Everyone has their own opinion of Robert Moses, but I believe without his persistency and influence on New York we wouldn’t have many of the things we cherish and take for granted today.
References
Caro, R. (1974). The power broker. New York: Random House Inc.
Kioli. (2010, September 16). Who was robert moses. Retrieved from http://www.kioli.org/longisland/interest/all-about-robert-moses/
Robert moses biography. (2013, June 07). Retrieved from http://www.nps.gov/gate/historyculture/robert-moses-biography.htm
Rodgers, C. (1952). Robert moses builder for democracy. New York: Henry Holt and Company.
Wright, C., Morrone, F., Hill, K., & Harding, S. (2008). Blue guide new york. (4th ed.). Somerset: Blue Guides Limited.