When Manhatten would no longer be an island

[Story]

http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/04/14/filling-in-the-hudson-to-rebuild-new-york/

From 1934, no less -

PLUG up the Hudson river at both ends of Manhattan . . . divert that body of water into the Harlem river so that it might flow out into the East river and down to the Atlantic ocean . . . pump out the water from the area of the Hudson which has been dammed off … fill in that space . . . ultimately connecting the Island of Manhattan with the mainland of New Jersey . . . and you have the world’s eighth wonder—the reconstruction of Manhattan!

That is the essence of the plan proposed by Norman Sper, noted publicist and engineering scholar. It is calculated to solve New York City’s traffic and housing problems, which are threatening to devour the city’s civilization like a Frankenstein monster.

 

[McPeppers]

Dude that avenue would have been awesome lol

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

The biggest problem seems to be fill. But the solution is simple, just fill it in with garbage. lol
If they had started a landfill there in 1934, this would be a reality today.

 

[Matthew Dalton]

Imagine the stuff you'd find on that river bed...

 

[MrBern]

from an NYCer

Like we really wanna be connected to Jersey....

 

[Story]

Like we really wanna be connected to Jersey....

[zombie moan] You will be assimilated....[/zombie moan] *snicker*

 

[Story]

In 1911, Dr T. Kennard Thomson proposed to expand New York into its adjacent waters for a grand total of 50 square miles. Thomson was neither a lightweight nor a crackpot. As a consulting engineer and urban planner for the City of New York, he had been involved in the construction of numerous bridges and over 20 of New York's early skyscrapers, specialising in their foundations, designing pneumatic caissons. It was the versatility of these caissons that would lead Dr Thomson to envisage a much wider application for them. In August of 1916, he wrote an article in Popular Science, advocating 'A Really Greater New York'.

from
http://bigthink.com/ideas/24668
or go to
http://bigthink.com/blogs/strange-maps
and look at the sidebar for 10/25

 

[scottyrocks]

from
http://bigthink.com/ideas/24668
or go to
http://bigthink.com/blogs/strange-maps
and look at the sidebar for 10/25

I like this version better. NYC is still a part of New York.

Although it looks like Id now have to cross a bridge to get to work. No thanks.

 

[dhermann1]

I wonder if they really accurately computed the force of the water involved. The East River is actually a tidal strait. The water moves north and south, as the tides come in and out. As anyone who has seen the East River can tell you, there is tremendoius energy in that roiling water. Then again, they could have harnessed the energy in the tides to generate electricity. Faskinatin'.

 

[scottyrocks]

Yes, the widening of the Harlem River would put more stress on the flow into the East River, possibly putting parts of Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island under water.

The cost of this project back then was estimated at a billion dollars, not including cost over-runs. I cant even imagine what it would cost today when a new rail tunnel cant even be completed due to it being too expensive.

 

[Stearmen]

To Much Space

You New Yorker's have seemed to cope just fine since the 30s with congestion! Seems all of you that move out here, can't wait to get back, the open space drives you crazy!

 

[Story]

The Monument to Electricity That Never Was

In 1922, eccentric magazine publisher Hugo Gernsback decided that the world needed a 1,000-foot tall concrete monument to electricity. Gernsback imagined that this monument might last for thousands of years, and rather than some static behemoth stuck in time, the interior of his monument would be constantly changed to reflect the technological advances of each new generation.

http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/pal...20503&utm_content=paleofutureelectricmonument

Was going to put the link above in this Ghost Buildings of 1929 thread, which is now only available as an archive

 

[bunnyb.gal]

Noooo! This would seriously put the kibosh on my fantasy of "Escape From New York" coming true one day...