Congregation Beth-El of Astoria, September 20, 1934. Astoria Boulevard, at the S. E. corner of 37th Avenue, showing what was once the synagogue of the Congregation Beth-El of Astoria.

"31st Street, west side, between 24th and Hoyt Avenues, showing a group of two-story homes being demolished, where a publio playground was later built, 1934" The seven stations of the BMT Astoria Line all opened in 1917 and were constructed at the same time as much of the original Corona (now Flushing IRT) line. The section of the elevated tracks depicted in this photograph as just north of the Astoria Blvd-Hoyt Avenue Station, which provides an excellent view of the East River and RFK Triborough Bridge.

Columbus Square, ca. 1942. This triangle, like many others around New York City, honors Christopher Columbus. The land for the plaza was acquired by the City on July 19, 1910, but it was not until 1930 that the site was named after famed explorer. In 1938, with funds from the Works Progress Administration, Italian sculptor Angelo Racioppi was commissioned to create the seven foot tall bronze of a Christopher Columbus that presently stands here today.

34-19 Astoria Boulevard, ca.1931. The frame house at 34-15 Astoria Boulevard, among other buildings, was torn down for the construction of the Grand Central Parkway approach to the Triborough Bridge.

Hoyt Avenue North, west from 31st Street, looking forward the Triborough Bridge, 1935. The Robert F. Kennedy Bridge (formerly the Triborough Bridge) is actually three bridges, a a viaduct, and 14 miles of approach roads connecting Manhattan, Queens, and the Bronx. Construction began on the bridge in 1929, actually on the day of the stock market crash, October 25th. The construction barely continued after early 1930 due to extreme financial instability. The project was "saved" by Robert Moses in 1932-1933 when he advocated the the state legislature to create the Triborough Bridge Authority to fund, build, and operate the Bridge. He unsurprisingly became the head of the Authority. The bridge officially opened to much fanfare on July 11, 1936. For the approaches to the East River suspension span, a number of large apartment houses had to be demolished on Hoyt Avenue North (the empty land on the right of the photograph depicts the results of these demolitions).