What Do We Know About “Fort Independence Village”?

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While looking through some files I ordered from the archive of James Douglas I found newspaper articles dating back to 1946 on a housing development that was to be named “Fort Independence Village” that appears to not have been built.

“Builder Takes Old Fort Site In Riverdale
Part of the old /  Fort Independence property in Riverdale has been purchased by Jacob Freidus, Manhattan real estate broker, who  announced plans for construction of a $7,500,000 apartment center on the site.

“The project, to comprise ten eight-story structures housing 1,000 families, is t o be known as Fort Independence Village. Mr. Freidus’ purchase was of 5,000 square feet of land formerly used for one of the fortifications of
the Fort Independence chain in the Revolutionary War. He acquired the site from the Isaac G. Johnson estate. ”

THE HERALD STATESMAN, YONKERS, FEBRUARY 25, 1946

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Here is an earlier article from 1937 outlining development of the Spuyten Duyvil area and also the area now known as Central Riverdale.

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1937 Article

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“By George F. Younkheere
Curator. Kingsbridge Historical Society
Question—On two different occasions. proposed building projects on Spuyten Duyvil Hill were to have been called “Fort
Independence Village.” Why ?

Answer:—During the Revolution there were three small American in Spuyten Duyvil
(Tippett’s Hill). One of these was miscalled on a British military map Fort Independence”
which actually stood on Tetard’s Hill across the valley to the east, near present Sedgwick Ave. The error was
perpetuated on some later maps and eventually led to the misnaming of Independence Ave.
The original map was drawn by a British engineer, Claude Joseph Sauthier, just after the
capture of Fort Washington on November 16, 1776”

What happened to the “Fort Independence Village”?

We know what ultimately happened to the Berrian Homestead. But why didn’t this very ambitious project take place, at least not in the way, and to the extent it had been forecast?

[blackbird1]

I don’t have anything on Fort Independence Village, but I am familiar with Stephanie’s post at #5088. One of the sites purchased for development by A.C. & H.M. Hall in the mid-1930s is now the property of Schervier at Palisade and 231st. The Hall company had been actively building for many years in Manhattan and targeted Spuyten Duyvil and Riverdale/Fieldston because they were considered popular sites for multifamily dwellings at the time. The architectural firm of Boak & Paris drew up plans for several apartment houses and storefronts, but wasn’t able to develop any of the sites because of local resistance and DOB permit issues. The entire Riverdale fiasco is described in a chapter titled “The Riverdale Venture” in the book “Boak & Paris/New York Architects” by Annice Alt. -Jackie

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