Levittown Places and Memories
[How long have you been away?]
Memory Edits: a walk around town and beyond
Division Avenue:
- Division Avenue High School
- Church Road (the biggest hill in Levittown?)
- Division Avenue Apartments
- Entrance to Franklin National Bank detached drive-through window -> entrance to EAB drive-up -> entrance to a new drive-up dairy, Division Avenue Dairy Mart.
- Drive-Buy Dairy - closed and stayed vacant for a while. Became a parking lot for the New York Chiropractic College.
- LILCO - consolidated operations elsewhere. Building taken over by New York Chiropractic College. Now Chiropractic Health Center.
- Triple-S Saving Stamps redemption center -> Kulliver's -> Barrymore's -> Governor's Comedy Cabaret and Restaurant
- Professional Building
- outdoor staircase (the second biggest hill in Levittown)
(you'd remember it if you rode your bicycle down it!)
- Chinese Laundry - was new location of County Sports for a while. Now Fu Mei Chinese Restaurant.
- County Sports - moved 1 store left into the old Chinese Laundry - then moved to the shops on the Turnpike - then moved to Bethpage.
- Kippy's game room (gone)
- Insty Prints (gone)
- Noelia's Italian Ices Cafe (open year-round) [opened 2000.05] (closed 2002)
- Mayfair French Cleaners
- Shoe Repair (closed) ; Deli expanded.
- Division Avenue Deli
- Esso Station -> Exxon Station -> no longer sells gasoline. Still a garage - Division Car Care and Maries Auto Sales
- Child care center -> The Cane Lounge -> The Rock Heap - now The Salty Dog restaurant
The local shopping Center:
Town of Hempstead Parking Lot L-2:
Touring Circuses and Carnivals set up there.
The town still stages its winter sand pile there.
Back when it used to snow, families would slide down the plowed snow piles, on saucers or whatever.
Infants still "learn to drive" on parents' laps. Even if Sundays aren't quiet there any more.
East to West:
- Mays "Every Day a Sale Day" - quit business. 1982: Replaced by Tri-County Flea Market. (Still says Mays on the floor and door handles.)
- Key Food -> Cheap John's ("Every day's a sale day!") -> Everything 99 Cents (open 2000.09)
- Lucille Roberts (closed)
- Mamma Celeste -> Cataffo's
- Peter Pan Bakery -> Thom McAn (shoes) -> Stitch and Sew -> Cardinal Stationers -> space consolidated into Old Country Buffet.
- Franklin National Bank -> EAB (European-American Bank); moved 1 mile east. Now Old Country Buffet.
- Penney's, relabeled JCPenney - closed the store (Feb. 1996) - Sears Hardware took the space (and adjacent Rainbow Shops). (Sears Hardware closed Feb. 26, 2001.)
(JCPenney has a new store nearby in the Broadway Mall.)
- Deutsch Jewelers - may have moved; now unknown.
- Buster Brown (shoes) (gone)
- Miles (shoes) (gone)
- The Joy Shop (ladies' clothing) (gone)
- Wilfred's Beauty Academy -> Jon-Louis Beauty School
- a bagel shop
- Payless Shoe Source
- Diamond T Records (gone)
- Consumer Value Stores - renamed CVS
- Lobel's - moved to Sunrise Mall in Massapequa.
- Wilfred's Coffee Shop - gone.
- F. W. Woolworth & Co. - closed the store (1980's?), long before the chain folded (1998?) - Auto Barn moved there.
- W. T. Grant Co. - the chain went under (1970s?). Uncle Sam's (disco) took the space.
Uncle Sam's / Spit - downsized, then burned down (arson, April 7, 1994). (story); (update). Rebuilt as a sneaker store. Closed and taken over by another sneaker store (Just For Feet). "Going out of business" 2000.01.01. Now a deep-discount book store; may be a temporary operation.
- John's Bargain Store -> Family Dental -> Lip Sync Amusement Center -> Pool Hall
- Mister Haircut "20 Barbers, no waiting" - long gone.
- A & P - long gone. Beverage Center. gone. tanning salon. furniture store.
- Wave and Save at Peters hair salon (gone)
- Community Hardware (new location) (gone)
- Electrolux Vacuum dealer (gone)
- Grand Union - burned down on New Year's Eve 1970-71. It was suspected arson, as the lease was up on the same day. Reports listed it as a coffee pot left plugged in in the basement during a holiday party for the staff. It remained empty for years as a burned out shell. Jack LaLanne Spas took the space (and several adjoining spaces). Renamed Bally Total Fitness.
- Fabrics 'N' Things (gone)
Hempstead Turnpike - from East Meadow to Bethpage:
Heading East, with South side to your right and North side to your left.
(Shown here as if you're driving down the page, so North side on your right is in the left column.)
(A car following this path would drive down the left-hand column, make a "U" at Hicksville Road, and drive up the right-hand column.)
(Maps and text don't really mix because text reads down and maps read up, but here's a crack at it.
It comes out as a text-map that reads down, so left and right are reversed. If you turn your head over and read upside-down, it works. Or travel from East to West by reading / "driving" UP the right-hand column from the bottom -- that way left and right are normal.)
Merrick Avenue
North side, eastbound side
- Kenny Rogers' Roasters -> remodeled into a new Burger King
- Modell's Supermarket - space taken by relocated Pearl Art & Craft.
- Modell's - reduced to a sporting goods shop. (Actually a successful chain, still adding new stores. www.modells.com ) The rest of the space was taken by a Home Depot. [Bigger Home Depot is in Westbury.]
- Mister Donut - taken over by Dunkin' Donuts
- No more parking on Hempstead Turnpike. Didn't go down without a fight. (early 1980's?)
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South side, westbound side
- Salisbury Park -> Eisenhower Park - now has an indoor olympic pool
- Meadowbrook Hospital -> Nassau County Medical Center -> Nassau University Medical Center
- Pearl Paint - renamed Pearl Art & Craft - relocated. Building demolished 2000.07
Small Bank building also demolished.
New building 2001: CVS.
- New buiding 2001: Krispy Kreme Donuts.
- Seamen's Bank for Savings
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Newbridge Road
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- America on Wheels / Levittown Arena (the Roller Rink) - closed - replaced by a Staples and a Rockbottom. Rockbottom quit, replaced by Mens Wear - closed 1999. Replaced by a thrift store.
Staples closed the store 2002.03.
See also "Landmark Memories (the Levittown Roller Rink)", a story
(Some rinks are still around - Bay Shore Roller Skating Center (closed 2002), among others.)
- Jahn's ice cream parlor - closed. (I've seen Jahn's in Brooklyn and Queens - relationship unknown.) Became several bars/nightclubs __ -> Brightfellow's -> ... -> Trilogy -> Regine's -> __ -> store for rent (2002.04) -> Insomnia
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Wantagh Parkway - principal escape route
The bridge over it was finally widened to 3 lanes each way to match the rest of Hempstead Turnpike. (1980s?, but it was way past due.)
Sunday, May 4, 2003
Canon Long Island Marathon and Half Marathon
(Start and finish in Eisenhower Park; Wantagh Parkway is part of the course):
www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=1026231 good summary
www.flrrt.com includes registrants, map
www.lirunning.com/races.htm calendar of LI running races
- Howard Johnson's - now Nassau Downs OTB (Off-Track Betting).
- (The Quiet Village?) -> Hammerhead's -> a series of nightclubs -> La'tique, .. Machine ... Luxe -> The Big Bamboo 2003.04 -> 2686 2004
- Brook Ridge Aquarium -> aquarium
- Edlie Electronics a.k.a. Edlie's - closed the retail store, stayed open online and mail-order, 2003.
- U Trade Em Books
- Food Fair -> Gilson's Uniforms -> Life Uniforms (moved across the street then quit) -> party store (closed)
- Caruso's -> Cafe Sterling (closed). The Ground Round opened early 2001
- Sundown Ski & Surf
- Flowers by Phil
- Corriston Realty
Shelter Lane
- Park
- (behind the park, on Library Lane)
Levittown Public Library (there since 1962) http://www.nassaulibrary.org/levtown
- Fiesta ( a drive-up? as can still be found in the South and West (the Sonic chain) ) - Became Lum's Restaurant "Hot Dogs Steamed in Beer"... - demolished? - became a series of night clubs - Decameron, La Cache, Red's... - demolished. - now a P.C. Richard (TV-audio-appliance).
- Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips - quit.
- Bick's restaurant / burger joint (which store?)
Might have become La Zingara (Italian) -> La Panchita (Spanish & Mexican)
- Edie Adams' Cut 'n' Curl -> a barber shop -> a Chinese restaurant
- First National City Bank - renamed Citibank - closed 1999 - remains empty (2000.01.08)
- Smith Drugs sold to Rite-Aid Pharmacy (1999) planning to close when new store opens down the street.
- Williamsburgh Savings Bank - taken over and renamed Rebublic Savings Bank since 1987 - taken over and renamed HSBC (Hongkong Shanghai Bank) (also the new name of Marine Midland Bank) 2000.01
Center Lane
- Old 3000 Building - burned down one day (before 1970?). Replaced.
- Mays Annex (!) -> Nathan's Famous
- Genovese - closed the store. Replaced by a party store - which went out of business.
Genovese has a new store nearby on Jerusalem Avenue. 2003, all are renamed Eckerd.
- Levittown Theater - went to a $1 theater then quit. A carpet store.
- Saint Bernard's Church - rebuilt in a modern style.
Southberry Lane
- Hempstead Bank -> Norstar Bank -> Fleet Bank -> closed.
- Dortoni Bakery
- Brother's Pub (closed) -> Deli
- Domenico's
- China King Buffet -> Golden Harvest Buffet -> Broccoli Garden (former Hunan Dynasty, relocated here)
- Community Hardware (moved) -> San Franciso East flea market - quit.
- Food Fair (supermarket) -> Child World (toy store) -> King Kullen (supermarket)
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- Strauss Stores - quit. (still open in Queens?) -> ATV, another auto parts store.
- Auto Barn (moved east on the Turnpike) -> window store? -> Dolphin Gym -> Synergy Fitness
- Life Uniform (closed). Cellblock 749 opened early 2001. Closed early 2001.
- Jerry (Koosman)'s Big Bite Pizza -> Bella Pizza -> absorbed by expansion of The Stadium
- Glass Onion "boutique" - long gone
- (gone) Boots 'n' Saddles (bar)
- Red Door -> ... S. J. Muldoon's -> The Stadium -> Sphere Bar & Lounge (2000.01) Reopened as Temptations Bar / UltraSound Lounge 2001.04. -> METASIN / UltraSound Lounge 2004.02
- Paul's Deli
- Norm's Bowlers Pro Shop
- Liberty Arms (gone)
- Wireless Warehouse
- H & R Block
- Aristea Beauty Salon
- Tiedemann's Diving Center
Wolcott Road
- (homes)
- Nassau County Recharge Basin ("sump")
- Sunoco
Division Avenue
- Shopping center (see above)
- Quinn Funeral Home - quit. (Still in business in Astoria, Queens.) Now a group home.
- County Federal Savings Bank -> Long Island Bank -> Long Island Savings Bank -> Astoria Federal Savings Bank
- Dunkin' Donuts - torn down. Replaced by a new Rite-Aid Pharmacy (1999).
- Jay's Electronics
- Nu-Way Deli.
- National Bank of North America -> Nat West bank -> ... -> Fleet Bank
- Goodyear
- Lumber Headquarters -> -> Country Ford expansion
- Burger 'n' Shake -> Country Ford
- Israel Community Center
- Danny's Ride-a-way -> Danny's Bicycle Center
- Bageltown
- Alfred D's Cocktail Lounge -> Classics Sports Bar & Grill
- Gulf / Busy Bee / Levittown Gas-o-teria
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Gardiners Ave <-> Jerusalem Avenue
Down Gardiners Avenue a bit:
- Munchaba Lounge formerly Scotland Yard formerly Johnny G's formerly the Gardiners Restaurant
- Cheers formerly Pen and Pencil (?)
- Post Office
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Down Jerusalem Avenue a bit:
- The Zebra Club
- Zino Construction
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- TSS (Times Square Stores) closed 1989.
Some of the "departments" survived because they were separate businesses. TSS Barber Shop moved in with a beauty salon. TSS Stamp & Coin moved to the basement of Pergament. When Pergament closed in 2001, they moved again to a store on Gardiners Avenue.
TSS and adjoining Foodtown were replaced by a K-Mart, Borders Books and Office Max. Borders Books closed April 4, 2000.
- Flying A (gas station) -> Getty
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- Henshaw's furniture - "Come in and browse around." Burned. Stood condemned for years it seemed. A new Friendly's was built there (1980s?).
- Lot across from TSS -> a new shopping center. Pier 1 Imports had its own building. Closed. Now Ulta 3 health & beauty aids & salon. EAB - merged into Citibank. Waldbaums.
- Chi-Chi's -> Red Robin -> Redheads -> East-West Buffet -> __ Grill. (?Retains a strange list of names etched on the windows - Lucille Ball, Cyndi Lauper, Woody Woodpecker, etc. (famous redheads))
- Huge vacant lot and big supermarket (Shop Rite?) became several shopping centers and Nassau Mall.
- Radio Shack, Toys R Us.
- Feathers Disco - gone. Entirely an office building now.
- Caldor - the chain closed. Now a Kohl's opened there 2000.03.
- Nassau Mall
- Rickel (long gone)
- Best Buy (new, circa 2000.12)
- Nicholson's -> Fireside
- ?? Lounge (gone) -> Tire store
- ??("head shop") -> Super Stuff (gone)
- -> bartending school
- Tool store -> Mattress store
- Green Point Savings Bank
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Wantagh Avenue
- that wooded lot next to Island Trees HS -> 1999: cleared and paved after so many years -> March 5, 2000: a new Target Greatland opened.
- Jolly Roger Catering and Smiley's Happyland - demolished (late 1970s?) - replaced with a shopping center.
("They paved Paradise and put up a parking lot." (Joni Mitchell song))
[Places that still have some of that old-timey aura and ancient rides include Nellie Bly Park in Brooklyn and Rye Playland in Rye, NY.]
The art on the building was painted by Hans Gabali of Northport. His murals adorn the outside and inside of numerous businesses all over Long Island. The nearest (but not finest) example is the stairwells inside the Tri-County Flea Market.
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- Pergament - The chain went bankrupt and closed 2001. (The Pergaments still own the property and are looking for tenants.) 2003, construction. 2004.02 Pathmark opening.
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Hicksville Road
NY 135 - Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway (only reaches from Wantagh to Woodbury).
Somewhere on Hempstead Turnpike:
(still lacking details)
(gone) Soda Spa (best vanilla cokes on the planet)
(gone) Sid's Deli
Around the Island:
Nunley's Carousel in Baldwin - demolished - replaced by a Pep Boys auto-parts store.
110 Adventureland in Farmingdale - still there.
Mitchel Field - (gone and re-used in many ways) - Hofstra tower dorms and parking lots, industrial park, Cradle of Aviation Museum (old hangar now adjoining Nassau Community College), ...
Roosevelt Raceway - gone except for the grandstand. A new shopping "hub" has been built there.
Grandstand has been demolished. It is rubble on the ground (2000.02.21).
Roosevelt Field -> Roosevelt Field Mall: one of the largest shopping malls on the East Coast. Remodeled with a new second floor built over the existing ground floor (before 1998). www.roosevelt-field-ny.com
Mid Island Plaza -> The Plaza at Mid-Island -> Broadway Mall: Got enclosed ages ago. No supermarkets since (before 1977?). Recently renovated, including food court. Gone are Long's and Hurdy-Gurdy. No bus oval. www.broadwaymall.com
Westbury Drive-In (theatre) - replaced with a multiplex theatre and a BJ's price club. 1999 may have been their last season as a drive-in.
The Schools:
Division Avenue High School - was 7-12; 1978? split into 7-9 and 10-12; now 9-12.
Levittown Memorial High School - no longer a high school. Levittown Memorial Education Center and School District HQ.
Elementary Schools are K-5 like everywhere else.
Wisdom Lane Middle School now 6-8.
1999.08 - Pintail Lane School - the parking lot is there, but no builiding (demolished years ago).
3-room schoolhouse - still standing
The Pools:
the 9: Azalea, Wolcott Road (North Village Green), Bluegrass Lane, Newbridge Road (West Village Green), Jerusalem Ave (East Village Green), [Levittown] Parkway (by Levittown Hall), Acorn Lane, Slate Lane, Carman Avenue
The Greens:
Some were too isolated and utopian...
North Village Green
(Gone are the deli and pharmacy & soda fountain. No laundromat, no handball court.)
(Levittown Schools moved out -- to Wisdom Lane and then to former LMHS.)
Still has Wolcott Road Pool, park space, North Levittown Lanes, auto repair, printer, medical, ... .
South Village Green
Acorn Lane Pool, park space, South Levittown Lanes. No shops at all. Apartments.
The others are more visible and have more stores and traffic...
East Village Green on Jerusalem Ave (Carmine's Italian Ice House -- opened 2000.05, ),
West Village Green on Newbridge Rd (Old Curiosity Shop -> closed -> Rigby's Neighborhood Tavern, ),
Center Green on Center Lane,
Parkway Green?, on Levittown Parkway
Carman Green? on Carman Avenue
Levittown Lanes website: http://www.levittownbowling.com/open.htm
("Photo Archives" links to some photos http://www.levittownbowling.com/photos.htm )
The Sumps:
Division Avenue and Hempstead Turnpike: They lock it up better these days. Kids used to skate in it (or raft in it in summer?) because it always had water because it just wasn't big enough. (Contrast other sumps that were always dry because they are 100X bigger than the biggest downpour they'll ever see.) It was our largest closest natural body of water. The homes on Shoolhouse Rd flooded a few times before they started serious work. Nassau County has gone in there a few times, re-digging putting and sand back in. They dug up the length of Division Avenue a few years ago (before 1998) and put in drains and one long perforated drain pipe alongside the sewer main we got in 1980, so the flooding is probably over.
Azalea,
The Old Motor Parkway:
- there's a historic marker sign posted on Orchid Rd about the grandstands that once stood there.
The Old LIRR Right-of-Way and LILCO (now LIPA) "supertowers":
Water Towers:
(how they work: http://www.howstuffworks.com/water.htm )
contributions will be considered.
by dv. last edited 2005.04.22
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