Page 9: CHAPTER III • BUILDING A FAMILY FORTUNE
When Granddad became ill Uncle Joseph, who was working with him, assumed charge. For a period of time young Joseph struggled in his attempt to finish the work begun by his father.
Uncle Charles terminated his internship at Bellevue Hospital to join his brother in the successful completion of the construction projects. From that period on, Uncle Charles had no further opportunity to practice his medical profession.
After Granddad’s projects were completed, Uncle Charles and Uncle Joseph formed the construction company, called Paterno Bros., Inc.
At the turn of the century, the visionary brothers erected a number of six-story elevator apartment dwellings. They were one of the primary initiators of elevator apartment buildings rather than walk-ups, for greater convenience to tenants. During the years of their partnership, the ambitious brothers began erecting taller apartments of twelve to fifteen stories.
[To see a comprehensive catalog of Paterno architecture, click HERE.]
Their efforts were concentrated in the area of Columbia University, on Riverside Drive, at 116th Street north almost to Grant’s Tomb; also on Claremont Avenue, and Broadway on and about 114th, 115th and 116th streets. In 1905 they built two large duplex houses on Northern Avenue, to provide homes for our grandmother and the unmarried children, and our married aunts and families. These families moved into their new quarters and said farewell to Cherry Street.
The original firm of Paterno Bros., Inc. dissolved after a period of about eight years, in 1907.
Uncle Joseph retained the Paterno Bros. corporation, and Uncle Charles formed the firm of Paterno Construction Co. Both successfully continued in the construction field.
From a humble beginning of immigrants in 1880, the Paterno family became prominent, powerful pioneers of high-rise building in New York City.
Uncle Charles and Uncle Joseph were later joined in the business by younger brothers Michael and Anthony, and brothers-in-law Victor Cerabone and Anthony Campagna (married to sisters Celestina and Maria respectively).
They construct many high-rise dwellings on Riverside Drive from 72nd to 125th streets, also on West End Avenue from 71st to 106th streets, and on many streets in between.
After World War I the various members of the family either jointly or separately expanded their building operations to more lucrative areas, such as Fifth Avenue, Park avenue, Sutton Place and Central Park South.
During the decade of the 1920s, most of the construction activity by the family was concentrated on co-operative structures, and again the family was the pioneer in this filed.
At this time my brother John, vice president and treasurer of Paterno Bros., was instrumental in the building of the tallest structure above 59th Street. This was a 23-story apartment hotel, sold to individual owners, known as 825 Fifth Avenue. In all these years since, it is still the only co-operative hotel.
In 1926 the Casa Italiana was given to Columbia University for the study and promotion of Italian art, culture and history. It was built by donations from a few wealthy Italians, but mostly by monies from uncles Joseph and Michael. The supervision was donated by my brother John. Uncle Charles donated books and furniture for the library.
In or about 1937 Uncle Charles constructed the first all-reinforced concrete apartment buildings on Washington Heights, Manhattan. Comprised of five buildings housing a total of 575 families, Castle Village was erected on the site of Uncle Charles’s former home – built in 1907, demolished in early 1937.
About 1908, all the family members contributed to erect a beautiful mausoleum in the cemetery in Castelmezzano, where Granddad’s body was placed. Grandma Carolina suffered a stroke in 1921 and was paralyzed, dying in the mid-1920s. The family then built a mausoleum for their parents in Woodlawn Cemetery, where Grandma was buried. Granddad’s body was transferred there from Castelmezzano in 1928.