It is a place that goes by a few different names. There’s Willet’s Point, there’s “that weird neighborhood across from Citi Field”, and then there’s the one most people know, “The Iron Triangle”. Since the 1950s (and perhaps earlier) this 60 acre clump of land in Flushing, Queens has been home to junkyards, chop shops, small garages, and a lone, single resident. That’s right, one person actually lives here and the other 2,000 (or more) people that can be found in the Iron Triangle each day either patronize or work at the 200+ shops packed into the forlorn area that New York City has wanted to rid itself of for 50 years. The one man that lives here is Joseph Ardizzone who has inhabited the same house since 1932 and essentially lives on the top floor, surrounded by shops, junkyards, and a post-apocalyptic scene. We think he’s still alive.
The history of how the Iron Triangle came to be what it is today is murky at best. Like most things in society the change was probably gradual enough. A small junkyard here, a small shop there, then another, then 10 more, and then so many that you can’t really tell where one ends and the other begins. How much has the city wanted this place gone? Consider the fact that they do not service the roads, which have ceased to be roads and are now basically bombed out dirt paths, they do not send municipal trash collection to the area, they do not plow, and they never installed sewers into the Iron Triangle. Also, there are no storm drains and the very high water table in the are basically guarantees that any minor rainstorm petty much floods the place out. In many ways, it is nearly impossible to believe that you are looking at a neighborhood in America when you see the photos below. We’re venturing to say that there is not another place like it in any of the 50 states, let alone in the shadow of the country’s greatest city.
Now we understand why the city government wants to give the Iron Triangle a D8 makeover. Through the years there has been crime, murmurings of mafia ties into many of the small “body shops” in the area, and then there’s the fact that it borders the new(ish) Citi Field where the Mets play. When we say borders, we mean like across the street from the $610 million stadium. The city is planning a zooty shopping and residential area to fill the 60-acre tract once the existing structures are cleared. One of the things we are interested in seeing is how much attention the EPA decides to pay attention to the site. Why? With half a century of rogue shops, outlaw junkyards, and who knows what else happening you know that the ground is as saturated with oil, gasoline, and other rough stuff than the typical SuperFund site. If no such stink arises from that area, we’re calling foul because someone got paid if you know what we’re saying.
So what happens to the shop owners when the city comes in and razes their buildings? Some are relocating (with the city’s help) and others are packing it in, figuring that a move would ankle their business bad enough to outweigh the hassle. We’re thinking that those may be the guys working in the “gray” area of the law. One thing we can guarantee is that the owners who do relocate will be receiving an upgrade in real estate and facilities. When you see the photos below you’ll see that some of these shops were built from stacked shipping containers! Lots were old Quonset hut style buildings, and many were just frames with corrugated tin skinning them.
Make no mistake, we’re not weeping for the end of the Iron Triangle. When you see the place below you’ll understand it is not some Shangri-La for gearheads. The place looks far closer to Calcutta than Madison Avenue, but it is a place that we think you’d want to see in person before it is gone. Reportedly, businesses are already moving out or more accurately, being evicted from their property. We do not believe that demolition has begun yet. The owners didn’t go easily or happily. Protests, screaming, yelling, and rabble rousing were all used to try and delay the inevitable.
We’ve never been to the Iron Triangle and now we never will. Many of you have probably never heard of it or seen it before. Let the images below show you what one of the most unique and gritty tracts of land in New York City looks like now.
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE PHOTOS OF THE IRON TRIANGLE AND A PHOTO LINK TO AN AMAZING TOUR –
Here’s the 610-million Citi Field and note that directly across the street at the top of the photo is the slum-like Iron Triangle. Pretty wild, right?
Note that the road….well that there is no road. Just a rough and rutted dirt path.
The shops are tiny and they number more than 200, within a 60 acre chunk of land.
Can you believe that this is about 10 miles from Manhattan?
This building is made of stacked steel shipping containers.
Mexico City? New Delhi? No, try Queens, New York.
THE BEST TOUR OF THE IRON TRIANGLE EVER GIVEN WAS PUBLISHED BY SCOUTING NY. THE DUDE WHO PUBLISHES THAT BLOG IS A SCOUT FOR FILMING AND PHOTO LOCATIONS. HE WALKED AROUND THE TRIANGLE ONE DAY AND SPENT HOURS SHOOTING PHOTOS. YOU NEED TO CHECK THEM OUT –
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE GREATEST TOUR OF THE IRON TRIANGLE EVER
So why does it look more like Calcutta than NYC? Because the city government intentionally refuses to do it’s duty and maintain the area as it would for any other section of the city? What possible excuse could they have for not working with the people in this area? It doesn’t matter who they are, or how they operate, the city “father’s” are required to service all citizens. What a pity.
Once the city starts to enforce code regulations, this place will quickly be developed into BILLIONAIRE tax exempt condos.
“The greatest city” must be someone that has only seen NYC on television or has never been west of Newark . I’ve made deliverys as a truck driver for over 25 years with too much east coast . This is the working side of the city you elitist snobs.
Great name for a car ” Bad Carma”
Interesting, that this area is one of very few to have trees, in the city…..
I once had the exhaust replaced on my old ’65 Valiant in one of those janky shops. Wasn’t as cheap as I thought it would be. Honestly, that place kinda sucks. Not a whole lot of quality work goes on there. Yeah, I get it, it’s an outpost of gritty New York. But until you’re standing there on a muddy sidewalk with garbage everywhere, waiting for some unskilled, illegal immigrant to put a used muffler on your old POS Plymouth you might think that.
And to the guy who thinks they’re gonna bulldoze that dump and turn it into a country club? You’re wrong. No billionaire in their right mind would want to build or live in a friggin’ condo there next to a ballpark and directly under the Whitestone Expressway with Laguardia a 1/4 mile away on the other side.
Plus, the ground under all those shops is probably so toxic that at this point it will cost more to clean it up than to buy it.
Never been there but it looks like the sort of place i’d like. I much prefer the grubby small tire shops that will mount used tires for me and i’m fine with dealing cash with no receipt or warranty.
I kind of like the little old wrecking yards that are not selling you parts off crashed cars for almost the price of new parts. “Ten bucks if you pull it” is much more satisfying than checking the stock on the computer and pulling some plastic bagged part off a shelf and getting soaked $89.95 plus tax for the same thing.