A “stairway to heaven” is a stairway outside of a residential building, usually leading to the second flour. The stairway provides a place to sit, but many consider the architecture to be ugly.
The blog Queens Crap highlights overbuilding and crappy architecture in the borough of Queens; many “stairways to heaven” are shown.
Queens Crap
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Stairway to Heaven
Both houses are on Abingdon Road in Kew Gardens.
The person submitting this Queens Crap says, “Above photo is just west of Brevoort Street and was taken in April of 2005 shortly after completion. One local resident has described the thing in front as the “Stairway to Heaven.”
Queens Crap
Friday, January 19, 2007
Another Stairway to Heaven
66-16 & 66-18 70th Street in Middle Village were rezoned R4-1 in early 2006 to prevent just this type of thing. This new zoning means that no more than a 2-family house is allowed on a lot within the zone. As you can see, these attached houses are 3-family apartment buildings (and ugly ones at that). This was a large lot that was subdivided. The permits for these houses were issued in December of 2005, in a desperate “get a shovel in the ground before the zoning is changed” move by the developer.
Queens Crap
Friday, July 25, 2008
Back-to-back crap
What you’re looking at is crap in Maspeth along 60th Road and 60th Avenue with 59th Place along the side. Just a stone’s throw from the Metropolitan Oval soccer field and the Andrews Avenue Bridge.
Although they were obviously designed by the same architect and built by the same developer, one side has garages and the other doesn’t. The eyesores known as “stairways to heaven” are present throughout, however.
Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.
Recent entries:
•“Pleae lower the cost of living. I’m not built for OnlyFans” (4/19)
•“Please lower the gas prices. I’m not built for OnlyFans” (4/19)
•“Imagine having your own apartment and nobody ever comes over” (4/19)
•Entry in progress—BP18 (4/19)
•Entry in progress—BP17 (4/19)
More new entries...
Above, Big Apple Corner at 54th Street and Broadway in Manhattan. Google Maps. Stolen and missing, 2021-2024.
Above, John J. Fitz Gerald, from the Aug. 15, 1931, Binghamton (NY) Press, pg. 14.
Listen to Robert Emmerich introduce "The Big Apple," a hit song from 1937. Music written by Bob and performed by Tommy Dorsey's Clambake Seven with Bob on piano. Lyrics written by Buddy Bernier and sung by Edythe Wright. Audio provided by Dorothy Emmerich.
Also listen to a 1937 "The Big Apple" song by Ozzie Nelson and his Orchestra. See a 1929 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald and a 1931 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald.
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