Wednesday, September 13, 2006

The Anything But Itty Bitty Co-Op City

When up in New York, traveling on I-95, we always pass this massive high rise community; each time we do, I stare up at the thousands of windows and balconies you can see from the interstate and I think, who lives there?? The buildings are so close to the road, you can see people walking around inside their homes or sitting on their balconies smoking.

This is Co-Op City.

Here is a snippet of information I found online about this community:

Co-op City is a cooperative housing development located in the Baychester section of the Northeastern portion of the Borough of the Bronx in New York City, located at the intersection of Interstate 95 and the Hutchinson River Parkway. The community is part of Bronx Community Board 10.


Co-op City opened in 1969 and was completed in 1971. Its 15,372 residential units, in thirty-five high rise buildings and seven clusters of townhouses, make it the largest single residential development in the United States. Co-op City also has eight parking structures, three shopping centers, an educational park, and a firehouse. The adjacent Bay Plaza shopping area has movies, department stores, and a supermarket. The apartment towers, referred to by number, range from 24 floors to as high as 33.

Co-op City is on the site of Freedomland, a former amusement park. Prior to its use as a theme park and residential apartments, a small municipal airport was established there. When traveling into the city southbound from I-95, it is one of the first sights that a traveler sees and the first vivid example of New York's urban immensity.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the info.
Growing up in NJ, I always heard about Co-op City but never knew what it was.
Greggie