QUEENS

Exterior of the White Dairy at 98-03 Astoria Blvd. Circa 1933-1934. Steinberg Photos. Courtesy of MTA Bridges and Tunnels Special Archive.

The impact of the bridge redesign was most notable on the Queens span. The original design called for two decks, accommodations for rail and ornate granite facing. Ammann (fresh off his cost-cutting adaptation of the George Washington Bridge) approached the suspended span with a frugal but elegant spirit of minimalism, which can be seen on the completed span.

Queens also saw construction of approach roads, including the Grand Central Parkway which connected motorists to greater Long Island. Just three years after the bridge opened, it delivered motorists to Flushing Meadows Park and the 1939-1940 World’s Fair. Survey work in Queens determined the final layout, including along Astoria Boulevard. Ultimately the approaches to the bridge took a different route.

Exterior and interiors of Astoria Boulevard shops surveyed for eminent domain demolition, ca. 1933-1934. Steinberg Photos. Courtesy of MTA Bridges and Tunnels Special Archive.