by Geoff Cobb
Maybe it is just me, but I find McGuinness Boulevard ugly. Huge trucks and streams of traffic wiz by the four-laned, soulless traffic artery. The newer apartment buildings lack the quaint charm of many of Greenpoint’s other streets, but this was not always so.
Once McGuinness Boulevard was not a boulevard at all, it was named Oakland Street; a narrow charming cobblestoned lane lined by wood…
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Greenpointers has covered Greenpoint & Williamsburg since 2007 — community boards, rezoning fights, local businesses, and the people whose lives and work give the neighborhood its character. Local news is collapsing across the country, but we're still here: independently owned, no corporate backing, no paywall. 18+ years, 280k+ monthly readers and followers, funded by the community we serve.
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wish we had some old pics of Oakland St. I grew up on Newell St and had the “lots” right outside my back window.
Wow! More info please.
Who was the mayor then?
I viewed several apartments in the new buildings along McGuinness, nearest to Greenpoint Avenue. All were at lowest $3700-4,000 for a 1 bedroom, and all faced the boulevard meaning you had a view of the auto body shops and various industrial sites, AND could never keep your windows open due to the exhaust/emissions, noise, traffic, etc.. Luxury living?! I think not.
I HATE ROBERT MOSES
I lived at 89 Oakland St. on the side of the street that was left alone. The house still remains there to this day. The street was all cobblestone and it was a one way street. We moved to Clifford Place before the construction began and changed to McGuiness Blvd.
Please tell us more. It’s fascinating.
How much were the home owners compensated?
My Great Grandfather, John Germann owned a home on Oakland. I don’t know the number. I did learn doing geneaology that he sold the house. Don’t recall the date of sale. My mother was born at home on Norman Avenue.
I lived at 293 Oakland St. from 1938 until approximately 1952. It is fortunate that all of the homes opposite us on Oakland were spared, as of 2020. I recall the cobble stone Oakland, though the side streets from Oakland up to Manhattan Ave. were ‘black tarred’. D. Garrahan
Hello, For a documentary film on the campaign to redesign the McGuinness Blvd intersection and the urgency in making NYC a safer, greener and healthier place, we’re looking for photos from the late 1940’s through the 1950’s of the old Oakland Street houses, preferably with people in the shot. We would be licensing the photos if used and are hoping to find personal photos and/or leads to collections by professional photographers or city agencies. Please contact [email protected] Thank you.