The Fall Of The Van Cortlandt Motel

The Van Cortlandt Motel opened circa 1958 at 6393 Broadway, on the corner of West 256th Street in the North Riverdale section of The Bronx. In its waning years, it became a hot sheet motel, and then finally a shelter for homeless families and migrants. The motel has been vacant since January of 2024, and will be torn down to make way for a new primary school. The NYC School Construction Authority purchased the property for $9.2 million. The new school is slated to open by Fall of 2028. This photo project will document the final months of this former retro mid-century neighborhood motor lodge.