Mystery Building on Broadway in Van Cortlandt Park

[ndembowski]

I was sent the below image by a NYC Parks administrator, who wanted help identifying a building.  I don’t know what it is so I thought I would ask the community here.  The building in question is the one on the far right, just to the right of the parked car.  Any ideas?

[Thomas Casey]

I found the building but it is identified as #38 but I can not find the key.  It must have been an earlier comfort station in 1921

[ndembowski]

I think you could be right about the comfort station.  But I can’t figure out what building it is on the map that you posted.  The building in question is east of Broadway (I think) but it looks like the buildings in the map are west of Broadway.  Please correct me if I am wrong.

[Thomas Casey]

I think the map maker placed it in the wrong side of Broadway.  An other key has it at #38…Also found a nice overview of the Ferris Wheel etc

[Peter Ostrander]

On first map at top with North being to the right  the large BLACK DOT near words Broadway looks to me to be the comfort station.  The F.A. is a circle colored purple looks to be to be the same comfort station in nexy 2 maps.  Note the bathroom/comfort station east of the museum is same color.

The building in question in the first map on the East side of street  has an S with a line denoting south I believe. I would assume it is the train station and the “not open yet” is the overpass connection uptown and downtown that perhaps was not open yet for use. Or they used an older map and did not update it.

The photo looks to be dated 1925. Would help to know the dates of the 3 maps as they look to be different years and perhaps makers hence the confusion.

[Thomas Casey]

The maps are from the NYPL and are not specific for these images, with the exception of the ferris wheel map listed as 1921.

[ndembowski]

I agree that the building was most likely a comfort station given the lack of any definite proof.  Perhaps it had to be moved when Broadway was widened–sort of like how the train station needed to be changed.

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