“Avenue de New York” once echoed with the clip-clop of horses. Now it hums with modern traffic. Today we will explore its rich history. We are standing on a street renamed not once, but twice.
Originally, this area was the quai des Bonshommes. It bordered the convent of Bonshommes. Later, it was known as quai de la Conférence. It was also the quai de Chaillot and quai de la Savonnerie. The Savonnerie soap factory stood where the Palais de Tokyo is today.
In 1807, it became quai de Billy and quai Debilly. Then, in 1918, it was renamed avenue de Tokio. “Tokio” was the common spelling for the Japanese capital then. France and Japan were allies during World War I.
But World War II changed everything. Japan allied with Nazi Germany. So, on February 26, 1945, avenue de Tokio became Avenue de New York. This honored the United States, which had just liberated France. In 1964, the Quai de Passy was renamed avenue du Président-Kennedy. This further cemented the connection to the United States.
The Avenue de New York also has architectural history. The Quai de Chaillot and Debilly stretched to the Conference barrier. This marked the limit for Paris taxes in the mid-18th century. Later, the Passy barrier opened in 1788. It was part of the Farmers General wall.
From that time, the quay became part of Paris. This included the old village of Chaillot. It extended to the quay of Passy. Passy was annexed by Paris in 1860.
Between rue de la Manutention and avenue Albert-de-Mun, the area remained undeveloped. A large Cail locomotive factory was built there. A fire destroyed it in 1865. It was never rebuilt.
The City of Paris owned land between avenue d’Iéna and the quay. In 1877, they sold and subdivided it. They limited building heights to 14.30 meters to preserve views from avenue d’Iéna.
From Avenue Albert de Mun to rue Le Nôtre, the quay ran beside the Visitation de Chaillot convent. After 1790, the land was sold. The State bought it from 1811 to 1813. They planned a Palace of the King of Rome. But the project was abandoned. The Trocadéro gardens were laid out in 1878.
From rue Le Nôtre to rue Beethoven, the quay ran beside the Couvent des Minimes. The Passy barrier was built at the corner of rue de la Montagne in 1788. The wall was destroyed in 1860. The City of Paris leveled and subdivided the land in 1877. This created rue Chardin and rue Le Nôtre. It also allowed construction on the quay at numbers 60 to 66.
The American railroad crossed Avenue de New York from 1855. It was the first urban tramway line in France. Horses towed the vehicles. The line linked Place de la Concorde to Pont de Sèvres. Later it was extended to Versailles.
The Avenue de New York is not continuously bordered by a low quay. The passage is interrupted under the Pont de l’Alma bridge. The avenue has two central level tracks with underground passages. It is part of the Georges-Pompidou river banks connection road.
Number 4 Avenue de New York was home to Ambassador Pamela Harriman. Number 10 was home to landscape architects Henri and Achille Duchêne and feminist Gabrielle Duchêne. The French Federation of Motor Sports is at number 32. Number 34 is the Mona Bismarck American Arts Center.
So, as you stroll along the Avenue de New York, remember its layered past. It’s a journey through French and international history. It is a testament to Paris’s ever-evolving story.