Kleiner’s Korner: The Long Island Motor Parkway and Levittown
Long before there was a Levittown, the Motor Parkway ran straight through this part of the Hempstead Plains. However, unlike many other parts of the roadway after its close, this section remained almost untouched by developers. Nearby William Levitt would build thousands of homes in the late 1940's, however the Motor Parkway ROW was never (well, almost never) included in this suburban sprawl, to the dismay of those who tried.
Veteran driver Joe Tracy made several test runs in September 1908 on the Motor Parkway in the #9 Locomobile which finished 10th in the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race and would later win the 1908 race as Old 16. Tracy gave the Motor Parkway a great review: "The cement highway makes an excellent racing road." The above photo of Tracy was taken on the Jerusalem Avenue Bridge in the Hempstead Plains looking east.
Art Kleiner
Original Plans
1909 map showing the route of The Motor Parkway through what is today Levittown.
Hosting the Grandstand . . .
and possibly a looped speedway.
1947
After the Parkway's close it was still very evident.
A 1951 Meenan Oil map showing the proximity to the already built Levitt development.
1955
Nassau County deeded part of the property to the Town of Hempstead for new schools in Levittown.
1976 Auction
Additional Motor Parkway property was to be auctioned off in 1976. (Al Velocci and Newsday, June 20, 1976)
Fortunately for us, no bids were received. (Newsday, June 24, 1976)
Sold, But Not Developed . . .
Eventually a developer did purchase some of the parcels but after successfully building a few homes, other developers would not be permitted due to zoning requirements and opposition by local residents. Following several court battles between the developer and local officials, The Levittown Property Owners Association (LPOA) voiced their concern.
The LPOA indicated that the requirements of the Levittown Planned Residential District (LPRD) would not permit what the developer had in mind. The LPRD was originally enacted by William Levitt and then by the Town of Hempsted Board following its 25 year expiration and contained numerous zoning requirements just applicable to Levittown.
The Motor Parkway right-of -way could still be seen in 2005. View looking west towards the site of the grandstand.
In 2006, the battles continued with the Town Board again not permitting development.
Additional appeals were made to the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Division which also sided with the community.
2012
2012 saw the developer hoping to build a 46 unit condominium for those aged 55+. Vehemently opposed by the community and preservationists alike, the battle lines were drawn once again.
The Town Board meeting at which the proposal was discussed was the most well attended Board Meeting in recent memory according to local officials. The community came together with the vote taken at the end of the meeting . . .
The vote was a unanimous NO to the proposal.
Finally Approved, but Scaled Back
Again in 2013, the developer approached the Town with a scaled down proposal to build only 4 homes . . . this time objections were not as overwhelming and the Town Board relented.
Exploring
The developer agreed to have The Long Island Motor Parkway Preservation Society investigate the property before excavation began. Here, Steve Lucas, Ellyn Okvist and I dig up a newly found post and move it to a safe place (anyone guess where?).
Motor Parkway remnants were plentiful during excavation with a piece or two eventually ending up with the post above.
Other Relics Found
One never knows what you'll find on the Motor Parkway . . .
The Motor Parkway Lives On . . .
However, only as a newly paved driveway, and a memory in this section of Levittown!
Eventually all four houses were built and sold. Another one or two parcels in the area are still undeveloped and are being closely watched. (Courtesy to Sam and Dave for pic)
Comments
This is great stuff! I love the relics found along the site. That racing car reminds me of the plastic models sold at Freeport Raceway. The models are of late 30’s cars so probably not from the Vanderbilt races. As far as the selling off of Motor Parkway property is concerned, how does that impact the adjacent LIRR ROW? The Motor Parkway property is in the hands of Nassau County while the LIRR ROW is in the hands of the MTA and therefore NY State. Once again, a great job with this site!
Thanks Art for this historical account of the LIMP near my childhood home of few blocks from this location. I always learn something new here and in this case I was unaware of the 1976 auction. I would love to know why Levitt didn’t acquire those lots. Thankfully the community stood firmly against high density housing which would have been a big mistake. I have a feeling that you are keeping those property posts safe at your home.
As far as the LIRR ROW and the Motor Parkway are concerned I just realized that at that site they were not adjacent as it is in the section where the Motor Parkway had a jog to the north for the grandstand area before a jog back south. I’ve been looking at too many maps.
Those Motor Parkway posts have been sitting there all these years? Amazing stuff. I would hope that one of them ends up on display somewhere like the Levittown Library. Don’t know what to make of that elephant! Great work!
Wayne - I believe LIPA/LILCO acquired most of the lands where the LIMP once traveled in Nassau/Suffolk counties, gratefully keeping the roadway preserved
Very close to my old neighborhood. I was just inside of Hicksville so I wandered around all of these places for years. Never knew what was there before. The only thing I noticed was the marker about the placement of the grandstands. Thanks for putting this together, Art!
I do know that where the LIPA/LILCO/National Grid power lines run along the RR ROW, the power company leases the land the towers stand on from the now owner of the LIRR, the MTA. I recall a couple of years ago people in the area complaining about the MTA’s lack of upkeep of the property. Did you know that in 2012 Amtrak, in a series of proposals, talked about running a high speed link between NY and Boston in a tunnel/trench that ran along the old Central RR right of way before turning north in a tunnel under the Sound? I think it was the 4th in a series of proposals and the most expensive and the least likely. Also, in the mid 60’s, Nassau County talked about restoring rail service along the line by building a “loop’ between the mainline stations cutting through Levittown, East Meadow and Bethpage. Can you imagine the uproar from all the communities?
I like the 2005 picture, clean, green and peaceful.
I have lived on Crocus la since 1975. My property in next to where the old parkway was. I remember digging up a piece of iron in my yard years ago that must have been from the stadium stands. You can still see part of the road way next door. Come take a look.
Art, That metal object on the bricks is an automobile spring with a history. I remember seeing a picture of it in a 1908 automobile magazine as coming off of old 16 during a pit stop and replaced. Check with Howard, I’m sure he will make an offer for it.
You would never think that an area that was known only for it’s potato farms would have a history right under it’s soil. I hazard a guess that you could probably still find old rusty railroad spikes along the LIRR ROW. Way back in the 1950s my dad was digging post holes for a backyard fence at our house on Grove Lane. On one hole he encountered a hard packed surface that would not yield to the post hole digger. He speculated that there must have once been a road in that area. Fast forward 60 years and I saw map that shows the Rowehl farmhouse just off Loring Road in the vicinity of where the Center Lane Green is. There was a circular drive that ran from Loring road to the house right in the area of Grove Lane. I wish my dad was still alive so I could tell him he was right. BTW, the Rowehl farmhouse was moved and is the center part of the Dalton Funeral Home. But then, most of you know that.