William Steinway: Difference between revisions

William Steinway (b. March 5, 1835, d. November, 1896), son of Steinway & Sons founder Theodore Steinway was a businessman and civic leader who was influential in the development of Astoria, New York.

William Steinway moved the family piano business from Manhattan to Queens, and created housing, stores, churches and schools for the workers. Active in civic affairs, Mr. Steinway developed the Steinway Tunnel, North Beach, street railways and real estate, and as head of the Subway Commission, planned the NYC subway network.

In 1870, Steinway began building a company town upon a 400-acre tract of land in northern Astoria, New York. Avoiding the labor problems associated with operating in Manhattan, he directed the construction of the Steinway Piano Factory on the land, a large facility still in operation today. Near the factory, a small town was built to provide housing for his workers, including a church, library, and kindergarten were contructed, along with a public trolley line.

Steinway served as head of the New York Subway Commission, the group that planned the New York subway network.

On September 29, 1888, following a meeting Steinway had with Gottlieb Daimler during a stay in Germany, Steinway founded the Daimler Motor Company on Long Island as part of an agreement the two had entered into to build Daimler car engines in the United States. Steinway had a vision for mass-producing automobiles particularly suited to the needs of the United States market.

The Daimler Motor Company factory began production of automobiles in 1895, a business that would soon change hands, but would nonetheless be remembered as the origin of the "American Mercedes".

During the 1890's, Steinway began to expand his company town's trolley line into midtown Manhattan. Although he died before the completion of the project, the tunnels that were dug under the East River were named the Steinway Tunnels after him, and the dirt that was excavated to dig the tunnels was formed into a small island in the middle of the East River.

Steinway died in November, 1896, and was buried at Green-Wood Cemetery. Main Street in Astoria has been renamed Steinway St. in his honor, and today a station on the subway is named Steinway Station.

In 1939, the resort area which Steinway developed just east of Astoria, in North Beach was converted into North Beach Airport (Later renamed LaGuardia Airport).

• Steinway & Sons web site
• Mercedes-Benz history of the American Mercedes
• Greater Astoria Historical Society bio on Steinway
• SCENES/Steinway/steinway.html Forgotten NY- Mr. Steinway, Meet Mr. Kreischer
• Forbes Magazine article on Steinway