7th Finglish trip September 2008 #26
Linda Tani and Henry Orava and his mother Anneli live in the Finnish co-operative apartment house Hikipisara on 41st Street in the Brooklyn Finntown. In 1890´s Brooklyn Finns, who lived around Sunset Park or Pukinmäki, formed The Finnish Building Corporation whose first project was to built one and two family residences from 41st to 43rd Street, between 7th and 8th Avenues in Brooklyn. The houses were all purchased by Finns.
In the early 1900´s as more Finnish immigrants came into the area, and the housing shortage became acute, a group of enthusiastic, co-operative minded carpenters conceived the idea of building a four-story co-operative apartment house on 43rd Street between 8th and 9th Avenues. Sixteen families expressed a keen interest in the project. The building permit was issued on May 23, 1916. The residents named the building Alku I, Beginning I.
More houses were built until the Depression of 1930 marked the end of the erection of co-operative apartment houses by the Finns of Brooklyn. Even though each of the houses had registered names, each acquired pet names, often humorous. Some of the names are Bethlehem, Moscow, Mannerheim, Köyhäintalo, Kyöpeli, Kiusala, Lepola and Hikipisara.
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