Map of Hunter College campus when it was a WAVES training center, with the
main "New York WPA"-constructed campus at upper right. The area in the
lower left is apartment buildings converted to Navy offices, WAVES barracks,
and officers' quarters. At lower right is Walton High School, "in bounds on
special occasions under office supervision". Across Goulden Avenue from the
main campus is the Kingsbridge Reservoir.
The New
York Times, January 13, 1943 reports:
Bronx Apartments Seized for WAVES .. 613 Families in 13 Buildings
Near Hunter to Lose Homes When Navy Move In ... The present occupants of
2766 and 2800 University Avenue, 80 and 85 Strong Street, and 2755 Reservoir
Avenue will be required to move to new homes by Jan. 31, but in this they
will receive assistance both from the Navy and from the NYC Department of
Housing and Buildings ... Feb 20 is the deadline for the departure of
tenants from the other eight buildings: 2751, 2761, 2769, 2785, 2791 and
2805 University Avenue, 95 West 195th Street, and 88 West 197th
Street. ... Announcement of the leasing of the Hunter Buildings was made on
Sunday, when it was revealed that the place would become a "boot camp" at
which six-week courses of basic training will be given to the women of the
Navy and Coast Guard auxiliary services. .. At the request of mayor La
Guardia, the city housing department had surveyed apartments available for
tenants ousted from the prospective dormitories. Within a radius of two
miles of their present homes ... these persons may choose from 1,900 other
apartments."