“The Rockin’ Rooming House of the Rockaways(c)2022
by Dee-Dee Diamond
PART I
It vanished like a dinosaur…hit by a comet. It never came back…but it’s a part of New York history.
Those of us lucky enough to have enjoyed its uniqueness, the joy it brought, the memories of fresh air, sea, sand & the sharing of families’ intimacies, has never been duplicated.
It afforded us a sheltered community free of smut, smokestacks, pollution and relief of crowded hot city streets.
As I remember it no one was ever lonely in this neighborly setting.
“Chateau Warsaw” was in the rockaways with other like it. The place stood one block from the Rockaway Beach.
A weathered wood-shingled 3 story structure with a wrap-around porch & high brick stoop. Dark stained with trim & multi-pane windows stark white.
A dozen green ancient rocking chairs stood invitingly.
The small front garden was filled with mature lilac bushes. Their powerful perfume drifted up, on any excuse, to the generous porch. Heavenly!
A hand-painted sign swung over the entrance read:
“Rooms for Rent-with Cooking Privileges”
History
Oscar Baer, a German immigrant, purchased the vacant parcel of land, then built with his own skilled hands 358 Beach 46th Street. This was in the early 1920's.
Both he & “his American Dream”, The Heidelberg-House, would prosper forever… or so he thought.
But Oscar Baer got old!
The man got tired of catering to its lodgers and its upkeep… so in 1950 he sold his “American Dream” to a Polish immigrant, Eli Czapnik.
Beach to Beach
He retired & eventually expired in Miami Beach…
The place was then re-named, “Chateau Warsaw”. It remained an affordable summer respite for immigrant classes of Brooklyn, the Bronx, & Lower Eastside.
Since it was a subway ride from home, they flocked our way to secure a piece of summer delight.
The Chateau Warsaw boasted 13 rooms, 3 bathrooms, (1 to each floor).
Every one of the 13 rooms had a different family occupying it.
Some of the larger rooms had as many as 3 beds & even a crib squeezed in. A small room might be for a couple or a single elderly person.
Each floor having only one bathroom was challenging…believe me!
Many times, during the night you could hear people scampering to another level, if a necessary body function couldn’t wait for relief.
On street level, the high basement held our community kitchen…for all boarders to use. its walls were white-washed cement, lined with casement windows, on 2 sides. these were dressed in red polka-dot curtains. The freshly painted red cement floor was a cheerful stage for this busting, noisy food arena.
Mr. Baer had this community kitchen cleverly appointed. There were 13 numbered individual stall-like pantries with a refrigerator, shelves, for groceries, pots, pans, and dishes. They were lined up on the opposite 2 walls.
Set against one of the windowed walls, were 18 burners, on a gas stove-top and 3 deep industrial size sinks. This set-up served the lodgers to prepare their meals.
Running down the middle of this community space were 13 red/white checkered oilcloth covered tables, with chairs. On each family table a paper napkin-holder, and 5 & 10 cent store glass vase with a white plastic rose, sat.
A festive flair was further lent to the community kitchen/dining room/card room by an ancient, (somewhat out of tune), upright piano. It was often played by Mrs. Axelrod, a retired schoolteacher. Sometimes she was accompanied by Eli Czapnik, host and Warsaw trained violinist.
I have warm memories of that cavernous…yet homey room.
Please read Part 2
