Friday, July 6, 2007

The Old Neighborhood

This blog is mostly about myself and my family; but will also be about my childhood friends,and the old neighborhood where we grew up. I haven't been back to the old neighborhood in forty years! My, how it has changed.

The old neighborhood extended between Rockaway Blvd and Idlewild Airport, from 155th St. to 159th St. On each street lived at least one of my childhood friends: Carol Broadbent lived on 155th St. Joe Shearer and Dorothy Polovoy lived on 156th St. Timmy Phelan, Frankie Dallas, Jimmy and Ann McHale, Freddy Hueur, Stephen and Kenny Anson, Kevin and Leo Smith, and Tony Induisi lived on 157th Street. Helen and Stephanie McCaffrey, Linda Salvato, Tommy Conlin, Dennis Werner, Arlene Shimko, Rose Scomello, and Bruce Katt lived on 158th St. Eddie Wade, Frankie Alberghini and Susan Tullo lived on 159th St. I should mention Michael Dyer, Linda's boyfriend, as well. Although he lived on the other side of Rockaway Blvd., Ekim spent most of his time in our old neighborhood. As for me, I lived on 157th St..

The old neighborhood used to be nothing but houses on the streets and local businesses on each side of Rockaway Blvd. Today, half of the houses are gone, replaced by freight warehouses. Likewise, the Sunoco gas station at the corner of Rockaway Blvd and 157th St. is gone, as is the Carvel stand on the corner of Rockaway Blvd. and 158th. St.. On the other side of Rockaway Blvd, from left to right, stood Joe's Barber Shop, an A&P Supermarket, Idlewild Rest Bar & Grill, a delicatessen, a dry cleaning business, a cafe, and Sam Flug's candy store. I believe most of these businesses are no longer there.

Perhaps the biggest change is that the old ball field at 159th St. and Rockaway Blvd. is gone. I remember that the Idlewild Rest sponsored two youth baseball teams and a men's softball team. The youth teams were called the Idlewild Bombers and the Idlewild Jets. The sotfball team was called the Idlewild Bombers. Today, a five-story building is located where baseballs used to fly high into the sky, blasted from the mighty bats of Bombers and Jets.  It is now the location of the regional headquarters of the Federal Aviation Administration

11 comments:

Kathy's Corner said...

Do you remember the Fessels? Eddy, Howie and Ruth Fessel? The Kleinhammers on the corner of 158th and 145th? Vonderleith and her sister (can't remember her first name right now but she had red hair)? Stephen and Kenny Anson had about 3 younger sisters. How about the Lesniewskis and the Stuckzinskis on 157th Street. Arlene had a brother Tommy and Denise Werner had a few sisters and brothers (Craig, Cecilia). Do you remember Bernadette Peters hanging out in our neighborhood (That wasn't her real last name. At that time I think is was something with a C. Her father had a bread company)? She was a friend of Cecilia. More names will come to me eventually.

Kathy's Corner said...

And I thought of a few more names. How about Jeannette Dallas, Frankie's older sister. And didn't Timmy Fallon get married to Connie Bondanzi? (She lived on the other side of the Conduits.) Oh, and Dorothea Kleinhammer lived on the corner house of 145th and 158th St. right across from Arlene Shimko's house.

Kathy's Corner said...

Wasn't there a family named the McDonoughs or something like that? I think on 158th but not sure.

Kathy's Corner said...

Okay, I thought of a few more people in our neighborhood. The Carpentiers lived on 158 close to Rockaway Blvd. Also the Schusslers. And for a while a family lived a few houses from Carvel--the Schliemanns. I knew Angelika.

Kathy's Corner said...

Do you remember Paisely's Drug Store?

Kathy's Corner said...

Here's some information about Bernadette Peters who used to hang out on 158th street with Cecilia Werner: http://www.celebritywonder.com/html/bernadettepeters.html

Bernadette's father (Lazarro) delivered bread in our neighborhood).

John & Jeannie said...

Does anyone remember Claude and Marie Summerlot from 156 St? How about Jimmy Wheeler and Tom DeStafano aka Toomey? Remember Crazy Steve Kurkowski from Springfield Gardens. Remember going to the carnival at Christ the King, now a housing development. This is John Polovoy from 156 st and his wife Jeannie Boyle from Springfiled Gardens

sal2403 said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

I used to date Tommy Conlin from 1967 to 1970. I spent a lot of time at the Idlewild Rest. Whatever happened to the the gang that hung out there? I remember John and Jean, nice to see they got married. They were both nice people.

How long did Al and Joan keep the place?Would love to hear from some of the folks. Ellen (nee Morrissey).

ecknorr@comcast.net

ps I was high school friends with Stephanie Mccaffrey, that's how I met Tommy.

Unknown said...

hey guys its tony induisi....i love seeing all the old names...john polovovy...i remeber u an ure sister very well dorothy...wow..ive lived in florida for the last 40 yrs since i came out of the service....love to hear from u guys....my email is ddybgone @yahoo.com....talk to u soon.tony

mguili said...

Matteo Guiliano
Hey big John Polovoy how the hell are you.I was just talking to someone about you from the 105pct.Remember when we built that fort in the winter in the airport.My brother John said to say hello.Here is a few more names Tommy Richter,Little Joe,Parker,Guido,eddie Wade,Franie Peddini,Stevie Ward,Billy Cella,Concetta