8th Avenue Manhattan question (low income, hotels, income)

[rlrl]

I don't expect many responses because posters would really have to be able to remember back to 1973 or before to answer at least one of the questions

The Engine Company 54 firehouse at the SE corner of 48th and 8th(782 8th Ave) the firehouse where many of the firefighters worked who perished in the WTC on 9/11, was opened in 1974. prior to it's building in 1973, does anyone remember what was there in it's place?

Just next door, before the block was torn up to build the Starbucks, jeans store and medical office recently, the block of 770-778 8th Avenue had these decrepit looking brownstones (772-776) and more than once in the 90's I have noticed less than savory type people hanging on the stoop of this place. In fact, back in the late 70's I recalled running from this site because the atmosphere was so bad.

Does anyone know what these buildings were? I always felt spooked out passing this row of buildings

[Hustla718]

Originally Posted by rlrl

I don't expect many responses because posters would really have to be able to remember back to 1973 or before to answer at least one of the questions

The Engine Company 54 firehouse at the SE corner of 48th and 8th(782 8th Ave) the firehouse where many of the firefighters worked who perished in the WTC on 9/11, was opened in 1974. prior to it's building in 1973, does anyone remember what was there in it's place?

Just next door, before the block was torn up to build the Starbucks, jeans store and medical office recently, the block of 770-778 8th Avenue had these decrepit looking brownstones (772-776) and more than once in the 90's I have noticed less than savory type people hanging on the stoop of this place. In fact, back in the late 70's I recalled running from this site because the atmosphere was so bad.

Does anyone know what these buildings were? I always felt spooked out passing this row of buildings

Probably a bunch of city ran SRO's. A lot of those programs have been relocated to the Bronx, Harlem, and Brooklyn especially from that area (in fact I can't think of any left around Times Square today). So those people have been displaced to current low income sections of the city.

[rlrl]

Were those who lived in the SRO's the same types as those who lived in the welfare hotels in the area? I will never forget the way those guys looked at us when we walked past that building back in '79--so menacing that we ran off the avenue. Do drugs cause people to look scary to others?

[Concept]

yeah, thats a side-effect lol

[Hustla718]

Originally Posted by rlrl

Were those who lived in the SRO's the same types as those who lived in the welfare hotels in the area? I will never forget the way those guys looked at us when we walked past that building back in '79--so menacing that we ran off the avenue. Do drugs cause people to look scary to others?

Not all low income people are criminals but a higher percentage do commit violent acts and are involved in illegal activity due to economic circumstance.

All those welfare motels and SRO's have been relocated from areas like Times Square into the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Harlem. That is one of the major reasons why Times Square changed (the change in businesses also attracts less negative people). It still has it's problem, I will admit it is shady at night on the weekends. Being an entertainment district that's just a reality. However at least there is not a large permanent low income population in the area anymore.

As for drugs, they can make you do all kinds of stuff. Look crazy too. Meth, crack, angel dust. It can **** you up.

[rlrl]

What was it about that particular section of 8th Avenue--they always said that section from the Port Authority up to about 50th street, was a place to avoid.

I recall that day in '79 in addition to those characters hanging by the SRO there was a transsexual prostitute on the corner of 47th right in front of a XXX bookstore--it must have been the seediest looking place in NY at the time.

What was it that attracted these stores and street people to 8th Avenue over there? You never really saw them on 7th or Broadway. What was it that made those hustlers choose say 46th or 47th street to loiter by rather than 42nd street, where technically more of the action was? Why did all the action stop after 50th street? We used to park the car at the Muni lot at 54th and 8th and we never saw those types up there.

[apvbguy]

Originally Posted by rlrl

What was it about that particular section of 8th Avenue--they always said that section from the Port Authority up to about 50th street, was a place to avoid.

I recall that day in '79 in addition to those characters hanging by the SRO there was a transsexual prostitute on the corner of 47th right in front of a XXX bookstore--it must have been the seediest looking place in NY at the time.

What was it that attracted these stores and street people to 8th Avenue over there? You never really saw them on 7th or Broadway. What was it that made those hustlers choose say 46th or 47th street to loiter by rather than 42nd street, where technically more of the action was? Why did all the action stop after 50th street? We used to park the car at the Muni lot at 54th and 8th and we never saw those types up there.

rents were cheaper on 8th

[Concept]

why are u asking why that area was like that ? ur talking about hells kitchen. in the 70's and 80's it was a really fuked up place. seeing 'scary' people/addicts/prostitutes was the norm.