A grouping of three
Unit Three images begins with a view of Old Country Buffet. The building originally housed a bank.
Photo from Nassau County, New York
This strip of stores was originally leased by the likes of Thom McAn Shoes and Pergament Paint & Wallpaper.
Photo from Nassau County, New York
The Tri-County Flea Market & Jewelry Exchange occupies a structure built as a branch of the J.W. Mays chain of department stores. At its peak, the Brooklyn-based retailer operated nine locations.
Photo from Nassau County, New York
LEVITTOWN CENTER
Hempstead-Bethpage Turnpike and Division Avenue
Nassau County (Town of Hempstead), New York
The Levittown story begins in August 1929. Abraham Levitt -along with his sons William and Alfred- formed the Levitt & Sons company and built their first home, in Rockville Center, New York. During the 1930s, the company would develop several upper-class housing tracts on Long Island.
By 1941, Levitt & Sons were building basic homes for military personnel. William served in the Navy during World War II, where he perfected concepts in the rapid construction of buildings. When the war drew to a close in 1945, Levitt was buying potato fields on Long Island in anticipation of a major post-war housing boom.
Eventually, 1,200 acres would be acquired for the Levitt & Sons Long Island development. Construction began on the plat, originally known as Island Trees, on July 1, 1947. The standard home model, known as the
Cape Cod, was designed by Alfred Levitt, encompassed 750 square feet and was rented for 60 dollars a month (a tenant could purchase the home - for $7,500- after one year).
The first residents moved in on October 1, 1947. On January 1, 1948, the official name of the unincorporated planned community was changed to Levittown. By July, Levitt & Sons were completing eighteen homes per day, using a quick, cost-efficient, assembly line-at-the-site method. The company began selling (instead of renting) homes to new residents in March 1949. In June 1949, the final Levittown (New York) home was completed. 17,447 units had been built.
Nearly everything needed for the suburban lifestyle had been provided by Levitt & Sons, including schools, parks, pools and churches. Local shopping could be done at a
Village Green. Not a regional shopping center, per se, a retail-type
Village Green would contain a small variety of stores, such as a pharmacy and grocer.
This could now be seen as an oversight of Levitt & Sons. "Levittowners" desired -and required- greater shopping options in the immediate vicinity of their homes. This had not been an initial consideration, and was eventually provided by two New York businessmen not related to the Levitts.
In January 1950, The New York Times announced that a consortium headed by Irving Berger and Gilbert Tilles was planning to build "one of the largest suburban business centers in the east" on a 45-acre tract, located 24 miles east of Times Square.
LEVITTOWN CENTER was designed by A.H. Salkowitz and was built in three sections. The first encompassed 73,100 leasable square feet. It was dedicated with a three-day celebration commencing on June 28, 1950. The complex was given a send-off typical of many mid-20th century shopping center dedications.
Several local dignitaries attended. Festivities included a Charming Child contest, outdoor square dance, dance exhibitions and several vaudeville acts. During a Parachute Parade, a helicopter released 1,000 toy parachutes; each containing a gift certificate redeemable at one of the thirteen LEVITTOWN CENTER stores. Music for the gathering was provided by Don Durlacher's Orchestra.
The Section 1 building housed Whelan Drugs and 1-level (14,100 square foot) A & P supermarket. Kiddie Corner, a free indoor playroom, was provided for children while Levittown mothers did their shopping. An additional (8,800 square foot) store strip ran along Division Avenue, with a 2-level (11,500 square foot) Professional Building at its northern end.
Section 2 of LEVITTOWN CENTER was dedicated with another 3-day celebration, which got underway on June 10, 1951. The 80,800 square foot store strip featured fifteen stores. Charter tenants included Wilbur Rogers ladies' shop, Loft Candies, Miles Shoes, a 2-level (19,400 square foot) W.T. Grant variety store, 2-level (26,700 square foot) F.W. Woolworth 5 & 10 and 2-level (16,000 square foot) J.C. Penney. The Penney's store, which included a mezzanine floor, sold ladies', children's and men's apparel, shoes for the family, home furnishings and housewares. There was also a Candy Bar.
The first stores and services in the Stage 3 block opened in 1953. The structure originally encompassed 18,300 leasable square feet and included a bank, Thom McAn Shoes, Peter Pan Bakery, Times Square Store and Pergament Paint & Wallpaper. In July 1954, details surfaced about a new Long Island location for the Brooklyn-based J.W. Mays department store chain. They would occupy a 3-level (110,500 square foot) store on the east end of the Stage 3 block. This new Mays, designed by Leo V. Berger, opened around August 1, 1955.
Soon after, the Times Square Store closed and re-opened as a Mays Food Center. The bank, on the west end of the building, was also expanded with a second level. With the completion of all construction, LEVITTOWN CENTER spanned approximately 270,800 leasable square feet and housed forty-four stores and services.
By this time, a regional-class, open-air mall had been dedicated in nearby Hicksville. MID-ISLAND PLAZA {3.2 miles north, in Nassau County}, opened in October 1956. NASSAU MALL {.9 mile east, also in Nassau County} was dedicated in 1972. This fully-enclosed complex was much closer to LEVITTOWN CENTER and contributed greatly to its decline. This process was exacerbated by CRESCENT PLAZA, which was adjacent to NASSAU MALL. This strip complex debuted in late 1985.
The Mays LEVITTOWN CENTER store closed in 1982. Soon A & P, Grants, J.C. Penney, Woolworth's and Thom McAn had pulled up stakes. By the mid-1980s, what had been a regional shopping center -filled with national chain stores- had evolved into a collection of mom & pop-type retailers.
In the 21st century, what was known collectively as LEVITTOWN CENTER is divided among several different owners. The store block buildings are owned individually, with the 23-acre parking area owned and maintained by the Town of Hempstead. Only the middle store block is officially marketed as LEVITTOWN CENTER. It was renovated between 2001 and 2009 and housed national tenants such as Petco, CVS and Staples.
A large P.C. Richard & Son Superstore (a Farmingdale, Long Island-based appliance and electronics retailer) occupied the east end of the building. The old Mays store was leased as the Tri-County Flea Market & Jewelry Exchange. Contemporary tenants included Music Trends DJ Equipment Showroom, Serra Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Party Celebrations and Cue Nine Sports Bar & Billiards.
Sources:
The New York Times
The New York Daily News
The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (New York, New York)
The Nassau Daily Review-Star (Freeport, New York)
The Mid-Island Herald (Hicksville, New York)
http://www.levittownhistoricalsociety.org
http://levittownbeyond.com
http://cwmetroarea.listinglab.comu
https://lrv.nassaucountyny.gov / Nassau County, New York
http://www.levittowners.com
http://tigger.uic.edu / "Picturing Levittown: Gottscho-Schleisner's Architectural and Commercial Photographs of Levittown, Long Island, 1947-1958" / Peter Bacon Hales
http://www.pcrichard.com / P.C. Richard & Son
"Levittown" article on Wikipedia
