6. StuyTown was initially a post-war housing development
When the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company began construction of Stuyvesant Town in 1945, it had a grand vision for the soldiers returning from World War II: a nature-filled residential haven within the city of New York. Beginning in 1942, the insurance company worked with controversial politician Robert Moses to plan the housing development that would cost $50 million. By the time Metropolitan Life completed neighborhood construction, 11,250 new apartments were available for fresh veterans.
Although most of StuyTown’s current residents are now white-collar workers, StuyTown and its neighboring housing development, Peter Cooper Village, share the Veterans Memorial Plaza that pays tribute to veterans of all time. An aluminum tree sculpture sits at the center of the plaza, honoring the branches of the United States military with its five branches.