Ley Lines 24: Slum Clearance Symphony

Under Title 1 of the Housing Act of 1949, the City of New York displaced the residents of the San Juan Hill neighborhood in order to build Lincoln Square. After the people were relocated and before the buildings were demolished, a production crew filmed the exterior scenes of the motion picture adaptation of West Side Story. On the same streets, Lincoln Center began construction of Philharmonic Hall. President Eisenhower was present at the ground ceremony. This is a story of urban development, architecture, classical music, and class conflict.

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Brendan Leach is a graphic novelist and educator based in Queens, New York. His work has been recognized by the Xeric Foundation, the SPX Ignatz Awards, the Society of Illustrators, and .

The Housing Act of 1949, exploited by Robert Moses, allowed private investors to raze areas designated as “slums” and relocate artistic institutions into a modern cultural center in order to establish cultural dominance after WWII. Displaced residents of San Juan Hill and Lincoln Square, mostly lower-income immigrants and people of color who were largely voiceless, were the collateral damage.