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emberswzd
Newbie
17 Posts
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 Posted -
8/30/2007
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12:51:50 PM
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It is me again, The person looking for long lost friends. So now I am looking for anyone who may have lived in the TODT HILL PROJECTS in 1977. Maybe I can come across someone who was a neighbor of mine that can help me. I lived at 275 Westwood Ave, Apt 4D. I would definitly like to know what the projects are like today. Back in 77 it was a great place to live. Crime was pretty much non-existent. I was 12 years old and could walk in the inner areas any time day or night. I spent most of my time with friends at the Barrels playground as well as the big playground. The little playground as we called it was nothing more then a paved wiffil ball field. It was at the westwood Ave entrance into the inner buildings. I remember Johnnie the Ice Cream man would come around 7:00 PM every summer day. He would take all the kids into the little playground and throw a handful of bubble gum into the air. If you were lucky enough to get the grape or cherry gum you got a free ice cream. Those were the days
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FrankNJsy
Master Programmer
926 Posts
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Posted - 9/14/2007 : 12:01:48 PM
I was there before you (1956 - 1968). I lived in 247 Westwood Ave. Definitely agree with you that it was a great place to grow up. We had the "ballfield" across the street that was full of rocks, but to us it was great. And the woods where we could pick berries and follow the creek.
I'm afraid, like everything else, it has changed. But the memories still linger._________________________
What, me worry? |
emberswzd
Newbie
17 Posts
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Posted - 9/14/2007 : 12:13:25 PM
Hi there Frank.
Glad to see there were people who miss the finer things in life. The woods that surrounded Westwood were awesome. Do you remember what we called the cliffs? We would go to the end of Westwood, cut through the woods, cross slosson and continue up Westwood until the dead end. Climb the fence and there was the unfinished freeway with what we called the cliffs on both sides. I looked at a satellite pic of Staten Island and it seems the cliffs are still there. Now U can walk straight up slosson. Just like there when i moved to Florida it was a nice place to live but progress ruined that. No more woods, no more nothing but houses, businesses and cars. Lots of cars. I think my biggest memory was my grandfather taking me to the twin towers when they were still under construction. We went up into the tower and I would look out the window of a floor still not finished and ask my grandfather if we toppled over would we land on the statue of liberty LOL I cried when they actually did topple. Wonderful memories
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FrankNJsy
Master Programmer
926 Posts
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Posted - 9/19/2007 : 1:02:27 PM
I'm not sure if we are talking about the same thing, but we would go into the woods at the corner of Westwood Ave and LaGuardia and follow the creek all the way to Todt Hill Road. When we crossed over Todt Hill Road we went into woods that we called "the second woods". Scary stuff in there. There were stories of hobos living in the second woods, although we never saw one. Also the funeral directors used the area to dump flowers and stuff. Creepy. The second woods had lots of berries. We would never go there on our own, but with buddies we would venture in there to bring the berries back home. Makes me laugh now when I think of it.
Regards.
Frank_________________________
What, me worry? |
Mike
Newbie
5 Posts
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Posted - 11/11/2007 : 3:15:03 AM
Hey...
Didn't live in the projects, but I did spend some incredibly happy years on Peru Street off of Ocean Terrace.
As for woods... we had "Our" woods right across the street from my house, with a tree that I swear nature created just for us to climb. Some of my old cherished friends were Alan, Joanne, and Janet Nielsen (sp), Mike Taub, Gerald Casella, and Mr. Marshall.
Mike Forbes |
emberswzd
Newbie
17 Posts
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Posted - 11/11/2007 : 12:20:37 PM
Hey Mike. Where are you now and what years were you off Ocean Terrace? I know the feeling that some woods were specially created just for us. I miss that in life. i guess it goes with growing up. I watched the area of Florida I moved to back in the 70's when I left Staten Island (12 years old) go from a nice retirement area with nothing for kids to do to a violent prone piece of garbage. I raised my son who is now 17 and ready to graduate to be a fun-loving good kid. I am lucky he didnt get involved with the problem starters and drug users. I want out of this place so bad. Anyway glad to here from you Mike. Feel free to tell us some more about your years on the iSLAND (iF YOU DONT LIVE THERE ANYMORE) Joe
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suenowintx
Junior Member
36 Posts
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Posted - 1/3/2008 : 11:18:29 PM
Hi, everyone. This is my first time posting here. I lived at 247 Westwood Avenue, apt. 2B, from 1963 to 1977. My name is Susan, maiden name, Cautero. I am now 45. The Projects was a great place to grow up. Summers especially were a blast. Us kids used to run around through the sprinklers all day long. I remember the ice-cream man throwing the bubblegum & everyone would scramble like crazy to get the special-flavored gum. I also remember Fourth of July -- each building had its own party, where the tenants would all bring something & we'd sit outside & cook out & shoot fireworks. There's so much more -- I could go on forever. I'm glad I found this site.
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FrankNJsy
Master Programmer
926 Posts
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Posted - 1/4/2008 : 5:19:04 PM
Hi Susan:
I'm older than you, but I also lived in 247 Westwood Ave up until 1968 when I got married and moved out. We moved there in 1956 and it was a wonderful place to grow up. Some people might find that hard to believe, but we had a ball.
Frank
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suenowintx
Junior Member
36 Posts
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Posted - 1/4/2008 : 6:51:48 PM
Hello to you, Frank,
The Projects were a great place for kids. Now when you think of "projects," it's not the same as it was back in those days. We always had someone to play with, we had the woods, the sprinklers in the summer -- you didn't even miss not having a pool. I remember us kids being chased off the grass by the housing cop. There were the woods across the street before houses went in. Halloween was the best -- we got so much candy. I remember being outside all the time when I wasn't in school. My sister & this other girl, when they were probably around five, kept getting in trouble going up to 247's roof. These are just a few memories -- I'd love for my own kids to have the same. Back in March 2004 I was visiting my sister & her family, & took a ride over to the Projects. Although I've visited the Island many times, I never set foot back there since I moved in '77. I wanted my kids to see where I played when I was their ages. They weren't all that impressed with the whole trip-down-memory-lane nostalgic thing -- not because they didn't like it, but because they were young & that kind of stuff doesn't impress kids at certain ages. I got a few pictures of us in front of the building. It felt weird, but a good kind of weird.
Best regards,
Susan |
FrankNJsy
Master Programmer
926 Posts
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Posted - 1/9/2008 : 12:03:53 PM
Susan:
So may of your stories bring back fond memories. We used to go up on the roof with water baloons. Seems silly now, but it was fun. And we used to play touch football on the grass oval out front. Always having to watch for the guards who would chase us. The basketball court at the playground was fun, and we had the all purpose room in our basement with ping pong and knock hockey. We always had something to do.
In the summertime we would take the bus to the Tompkinsville pool. Or we would take trips into the woods across from Todt Hill Road. Sometimes the berry picking was good.
Take care.
Frank_________________________
What, me worry? |
suenowintx
Junior Member
36 Posts
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Posted - 1/9/2008 : 7:34:37 PM
Frank, it's so much fun to take these little walks down memory lane. Do you remember this old guy who lived on the first floor of 247, either 2A or 2C (whichever apartment was to the left of B if you were facing the apartment from the hallway)? His name was Mr. Main (spelling?). He lived alone -- not sure if he had any family -- & had a nurse or housekeeper who helped him. All of our parents told him to stay away from him. They never told us why -- they just said he was creepy. Looking back, I don't think he actually did anything to anyone, just a quiet, lonely old man & sometimes quiet people can come across as creepy to some people. He passed away sometime between '72 & '75.
Regards,
Susan
Edited by - suenowintx on 1/9/2008 7:35:35 PM |
FrankNJsy
Master Programmer
926 Posts
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Posted - 1/14/2008 : 1:10:19 PM
Hi Susan:
No I don't remember Mr. Main. Some names that come to mind are Levy, Dempsey, Benson, Purcell, Roberts, Boone, Lutz, LoPresti, Barghaan.
There were plenty of kids around to form a baseball team or football team. We had a rock field across the street that is now houses.
Regards.
Frank
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What, me worry? |
Frozencoke
Newbie
1 Posts
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Posted - 1/15/2008 : 5:54:03 AM
Hi all, I rented one of the houses across the street from the todt hill homes. From all the wonderful stories I have read on here seems odd that they are so bad now.
As the older crowd moves on towards "home" or into medical facilities they are moving in the rift raft from other projects in Staten Island. I have seen shootings over there, drug dealers out in the open peddling their wares. Its so sad. We moved because of the way its changing over there. But there are so many great people still there and the neighbors I had were wonderful! |
suenowintx
Junior Member
36 Posts
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Posted - 1/15/2008 : 10:00:06 AM
Hi, Frozencoke! When did you live in the Todt Hill neighborhood & who did you hang out with? It's so sad to see someplace that was once a great place change for the worst. |
FrankNJsy
Master Programmer
926 Posts
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Posted - 1/15/2008 : 2:04:23 PM
This is sad news. It was a great and safe place to live when I was a kid._________________________
What, me worry? |
nancy
Junior Member
29 Posts
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Posted - 2/20/2008 : 12:03:09 AM
I lived on Schmidts Lane across from Slosson Ave. Most of my friends lived in the projects. I remember Getting tons of candy on Halloween. We always had fun going up and down in the elevators and playing in the barrels in the playground. I visited S.I.last year and the projects didn't look too safe. I wonder if any of the people from the 60's stilllive there. |
Babalugats
Newbie
4 Posts
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Posted - 6/13/2008 : 2:10:50 PM
I lived at 204 Schmidts Lane. Apt. 2B. There was a lady on the same floor with 2 sons named Sandy. She had brown hair and glasses and so did her son Jackie. There was the old lady next door named Emma. She always had pink and white peppermints in a candy dish laid out. And then there was somebody who I think had 2 poodles.
I loved the elevator. The old kind where you had to open the door first and then go in.
Great, great memories. Had to be around 68-72.
I remember the truck coming by with the WHIP ride on it.
I remember the cop Kirk I think was his name. He would yell at us kids to get off the grass. We were trying to catch lightening bugs.
I know there were 2 playgrounds, the one with the monkey bars and barrels and then the really big one. Was so great back then. Little kids could run around by themselves and the parents didn't have to worry.
I remember the little brick house in the big playground. You could borrow basketballs and such things. There was a water fountain right outside of it.
I remember the sandbox. There was actually clean sand and there was some benches for the parents. I don't know why but I think they were like little bleachers?
There was an ice cream guy I remember. He would go to an area where there was no grass and he'd throw up in the air a whole bunch of Bazooka bubblegums and if you got a cherry one you'd get a free ice cream!
I went to the Todt Hill annex for Kindergarten in the mornings. I had Miss Solomon.
I remember a big hill across the street we used to ride sleds on.
Does anyone remember the noise that would come under the apartment door when the wind blew? It was like a howling noise and I used to love it!
I went back to visit in 93 and was surprised that it was clean and quiet. Don't know about now!
Edited by - Babalugats on 6/13/2008 2:12:19 PM
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heidi
Junior Member
27 Posts
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Posted - 2/5/2009 : 6:07:05 PM
Hi ~ I just found this site so I hope people still look from time to time . . . I grew up in the Todt Hill Projects and lived there from 1963 - 1980. What a great place to grow up! I remember just going outside or ringing someone's bell and you had so many friends to play with. Kids I remember are: Susan and Lisa from 247 Westwood - I lived in 263. Maria, Michelle (or Elaine) and her brother Gino, Dante, Denise, Rachelle and Vanessa, Elizabeth (she was a little younger), Susan, Barbara - another Michelle in 289 who was very athletic -
of course Gary - all the girls loved Gary. Another girl, Barbara lived at 204 Schmidts Lane . . .
There were woods and a field along LaGuardia when I was growing up - I can remember clothing lines on the field part, but the woods part was higher and in the winter we'd sled down the hill. My older brothers and sister remember a pond and blackberry picking in those woods but I don't remember that at all.
My friend Susan (247 westwood) used to draw these amazing fashion brides . . . she did it all so effortlessly, too. We used to play with colorforms and in the summer we'd run through the sprinklers. We had great neigbors - the Tenne's - and their daughter Carol used to draw and paint, too. I remember one time she sketched a bunch of us sitting on the big barrel in the little playground. Our neighbors were also the Karchers, Santanas (801 Manor), Rhodes (801) Chambliss, Gribbons (I will be eternally grateful to barbara for helping me when I got to first grade which terrified me), the grubes (sorry if I am misspelling anyone's name), Mrs. Anderson - she used to give my brother cigarettes and at Halloween she'd give you one of those giant Hershey bars and $5 !! So many other good people and I can't think of their names . . .
Anyone remember going up to Benny's??? Yes, I know it is Fazzino's, but does anyone remember it being known as Benny's????
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FrankNJsy
Master Programmer
926 Posts
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Posted - 2/5/2009 : 7:45:33 PM
Welcome Heidi. Welcome to the site.
I grew up in 247 Westwood Ave. I remember the clothes lines (my mother had one). The woods had a trail along the creek that went to Todt Hill Road. We would get all sorts of berries in the summertime. And yes, Bennies. The first good pizza to come to Four Corners! (This was before Joe & Pat's).
I lived there from 1956 to 1968. Very fond memories of growing up there._________________________
What, me worry? |
heidi
Junior Member
27 Posts
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Posted - 2/6/2009 : 9:34:49 AM
Hi Frank
Did you used to sleigh ride there, too?? I remember the edge of those woods - the frozen branches brushing against you at the top of the hill. We also used to sled down the big hill in the Projects on the corner of Manor Road and Schmidt's (where the mailbox was) . . .
I think we were really lucky to grow up there.
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heidi
Junior Member
27 Posts
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Posted - 2/6/2009 : 10:09:54 AM
quote:
Welcome Heidi. Welcome to the site.
I grew up in 247 Westwood Ave. I remember the clothes lines (my mother had one). The woods had a trail along the creek that went to Todt Hill Road. We would get all sorts of berries in the summertime. And yes, Bennies. The first good pizza to come to Four Corners! (This was before Joe & Pat's).
I lived there from 1956 to 1968. Very fond memories of growing up there.
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I remember Joe & Pat's - but not what was there before. I LOVED J&P's . . . was the first pizzeria I went to "alone" with my friend, Jackie.
Bennies when I was growing up was actually Fazzino's Superette on Manor Road - we called it Bennie's. You could get actual penny candy and real Italian bread (how great is that?) It was also the first store I was allowed to walk to myself (to get milk, etc. for my Mom).
Speaking of 4 Corners - do you remember the 4 Corners Bakery? Reimann's Hardware when it was on the Corner of Victory and Manor Road?? I can remember getting a live Christmas tree a little further down (closer to St. Theresa's there was a lot - I think). I can remember bringing it home (loved the walk from 4 corners home). At Christmastime was caroling by the Social Center - do you remember that? Oh, and 4 Corner's Taxi. Used to go to the Westerleigh Library after school.
Wow - I could go on and on as things come to me.
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Todt Hill Projects
