Wikipedia

Tracey Towers

Tracey Towers refers to two twin buildings designed by architect Paul Rudolph, located in the Jerome Park neighborhood of the Bronx, New York City.[1] They are a predominant feature of the Bronx's mainly flat skyline.[2][3]

Tracey Towers
Map
General information
StatusCompleted
Typeresidential Co-op
Architectural styleBrutalist
LocationJerome Yard, Jerome Park
Address
  • 20 West Mosholu Parkway (East Tower)
  • 40 West Mosholu Parkway (West Tower)
Town or cityThe Bronx, New York City
CountryUS
CoordinatesEast Tower 40°52′45″N 73°53′10″W / 40.87927°N 73.88622°W / 40.87927; -73.88622, West Tower 40°52′48″N 73°53′11″W / 40.87987°N 73.88631°W / 40.87987; -73.88631
Completed1972
Opened1974
Technical details
Materialconcrete
Design and construction
Architect(s)Paul Rudolph
Other information
Number of suites871
Tracey Towers seen from Bedford Park Blvd, next to 3400 Paul Avenue. The Concourse Yard is in the foreground, storing New York City Subway trains.

History

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The buildings were created as a result of the Mitchell-Lama program, in addition, air rights of neighboring properties, including those of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's Jerome Yard, were purchased to allow for construction. Intended to be a luxury condominium,[4] the buildings were completed in 1972 and opened in 1974 as subsidized housing. Combined, they have 871 units of various sizes, including one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments.[2][5] The towers became the tallest in the borough when completed, at 400 feet (120 m), although the 404 feet tall River Park Towers took the title just three years later.[6] They were and remain the second-tallest cooperative housing development in the Bronx, behind Co-Op City, which is the largest of its kind in the world.[7] Amenities, however, have been on a slow decline in quality. In particular, tenants complain about the inconsistencies of the towers' boilers, and hot water is frequently shut without prior notice.[8]

Architecture

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Tracey Towers consists of nine windowless concrete tubes built with grooved blocks and without any setbacks. These blocks create asterisks which are divided by white slabs relative to each floor. Unlike most buildings in the city, the windows and balconies are placed in between the gaps formed by the concrete tubes. These tubes are also designed to spiral around a central keystone-like structure on a square-shaped plot. This design was chosen in order to align with Rudolph's vision for a futuristic obelisk. This architectural style which the towers employ is known as brutalism, with some postmodern elements added.[9] The plot of land which it sits on is mostly resembles a trapezoid and takes up the majority of the land on the block.[10] The inside is similarly as complex; tenants and visitors alike are confused at the various openings and exits. Although they may appear identical at first, one is taller and has three more floors than its shorter counterpart. The complex sits on the Jerome Yard, which forces the heights of the buildings to differ by a significant margin.[11]

Parking lot

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The parking lot of Tracey Towers maintains the same design as the towers proper. About a story tall, an ear-shaped route which ramps downward toward the intersection at Mosholu Parkway and Paul Avenue is necessary for vehicles. Cars loop around on a curved, slightly elevated route to enter the lot which starts on the intersection with Mosholu Parkway and Jerome Avenue. The entire route is one-way only, and it goes under the East Tower at one point. The route is mostly separate from the parking lot except for where cars exit/enter it. A blue basketball court is present on the building.[12]

Metropolitan Transportation Authority

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The Jerome Yard is located under the parking lot, which stores the rolling stock of the New York City Subway's 4 train.[13] A yellow, blocky maintenance building cuts through some of the parking lot space. A stub of the IRT Jerome Avenue Line diverges from the main line heading west, sloping down until the tracks travel under the parking lot.[14][15] Another, human-accessible entrance exists at Paul Avenue below the exit ramp mentioned below. It also handles vehicles.[16][17]

Deterioration

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Like the rest of the complex, the parking lot has been tampered with by both natural and man-made sources. This includes graffiti and vines stretching through all of the parking lot's walls.[18][19]

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  •  
    Tracey Towers from Jerome Avenue, with the red-bricked High Pumping Station in the foreground.
  •  
    Tracey Towers with the train coming out of the parking lot, which houses Jerome Avenue.
  •  
    East Tower can be seen releasing smoke.
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    Jerome Yard with train coming out of it
  •  
    Tracey Towers from West 205th Street. Entrance to Jerome Yard is visible.
  •  
    View of Tracey Towers from Mosholu Parkway.
  •  
    Both Towers are tall enough that they extend past the Victorian-Era Apartment buildings in the area. Taken from Villa Avenue.
  •  
    Entrance to the parking lot.
  •  
    Tracey Towers from the local bus.
  •  
    An abandoned staircase leading up to the parking lot shows the complex's decay.
  •  
    Tracey Towers on a bright day.
  •  
    Concourse Yard revealing a tunnel where D and B trains enter the yard. Tracey Towers is in the background.
  •  
    Scott Towers (20 stories) and Tracey Towers (38 & 41 stories)
  •  
    Two-Bedroom apartment of Tracey Towers

Coordinates

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References

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  1. ^ Bernstein, Fred (October 13, 2005). "Second Look: Tracey Towers by Paul Rudolph, 1972". ArchNewsNow. Archived from the original on June 18, 2017. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  2. ^ a b "The Bronx | Buildings". Emporis. Archived from the original on December 9, 2018. Retrieved December 9, 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. ^ "The DeMatteis Organization | Tracey Towers". Archived from the original on December 10, 2018. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
  4. ^ "Lehman College Art Gallery: Architecture/Tracey Towers". www.lehman.edu. December 8, 2009. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
  5. ^ "Apartment for Rent Bronx". ApartmentFinder.com. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
  6. ^ Goodstein, Steven (May 16, 2015). "40-year anniversary for River Park Towers". Bronx Times. Archived from the original on December 9, 2018. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
  7. ^ "Bronx's cheapest affordable housing complex facing 77 percent rent hike". The Real Deal New York. June 7, 2011. Archived from the original on May 10, 2016. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  8. ^ Sanchez, Kirsten (February 3, 2013). "Tracey Towers tenants given the big freeze by management". Bronx Times. Archived from the original on December 9, 2018. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
  9. ^ "New York Architecture Photos: Tracey Towers". NewYorkitecture. February 22, 2015. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
  10. ^ "Tracey Towers". Tracey Towers. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
  11. ^ "TRACEY TOWERS". NYC URBANISM. March 2, 2018. Archived from the original on December 9, 2018. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
  12. ^ "Overview". Google Earth. Archived from the original on November 15, 2018. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
  13. ^ "Subdivision Car Assignments: Cars Required June 24, 2018" (PDF). 61 (7). Electric Railroaders' Association. July 2018: 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 21, 2022. Retrieved November 8, 2018. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  14. ^ "NYCT - Mosholu Yard/Jerome Maintance [sic] Facility Home of The (4) Line". Foursquare. Retrieved December 19, 2018.
  15. ^ ToonRuss Network Productions {2}, Russell (2016), R142/A (4) Trains Mosholu Pkwy - Beford Pk Blvd From Tracey Towers View, Bronx, New York (published May 28, 2016), p. 1, retrieved December 19, 2018{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  16. ^ Dougherty, Peter (2006) [2002]. Tracks of the New York City Subway 2006 (3rd ed.). Dougherty. OCLC 49777633 – via Google Books.
  17. ^ Dougherty, Peter (2016). "New York City Track Book Page 75 Revisions" (PDF). NYC Trackbook. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 28, 2016. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
  18. ^ Guerinos Against Graffitti, GAG NYC 10 22 17 Walls of Shame Tracey Towers Parking lot, retrieved December 19, 2018
  19. ^ Cruz, David (December 18, 2014). "Mess of the Month - Graffiti At Tracey Towers". i0.wp.com. Norwood News. Retrieved December 19, 2018.
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