Building New York City 1880 – 1935
A tremendous flurry of construction in New York City occurred between the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. New Yorker’s know many of the the notable accomplishments; the subway, the skyscrapers, apartment buildings, bridges and infrastructure. But who built New York? And how did it get built?
Stories Previously Untold
Alexander Wood provides the nitty-gritty about how the modern city came to be in Building The Metropolis Architecture, Construction, and Labor in New York City, 1880 – 1935 (University of Chicago Press), 2025.
Building The Metropolis digs into the architects, unions, developers and the industries that made New York.
Even with thousands of books previously written about New York, Wood uncovers ground that has not been thoroughly explored. The result is an entertaining examination into the details of developing New York.
Wood’s tales of long forgotten power brokers, politics, developers and architects casts a light on many facets of what goes into building a great city.
For every new building plan, there is a firm ready and willing to demolish what stands in its way.
So there is an interesting section about firms like the Volk House Wrecking Company run by Jacob and Albert A. Volk.
Wood explores the battles of the trade unions and their leaders. Some of these men were honest and looking to improve working conditions and protect workers. Others were looking to enrich themselves.
Samuel J. Parks, a goon strongman who took over a local ironworkers union is an example of the latter. Parks would seize control of the powerful Buildings Trade Council and consistently shake down contractors and become “one of the first labor racketeers in city history,” writes Wood. Tough guy Parks rise to power would end after an extortion conviction and he would die in jail.
If you ever wondered the costs of development or what it takes in raw materials to build, Wood provides figures focusing on the accomplishments of a part of industry that most people have scant knowledge of. The book contains many previously unseen photographs.
Building The Metropolis is a valuable addition for those wanting a more thorough understanding of the city.
