NY NY - Sylvia Lwowski, 22, Staten Island, 6 Sept 1975 - #3

[MMQC]

Hmm-there was supposed to be an article in the Staten Island Advance about Sylvia's disappearance 38 years ago. So far, nothing in the online version yet.

It's there today.

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2013/09/38_years_on_brother_of_staten.html

 

[rosemadderlake]

It was a cautious article –could be the DA guidelines. It is really good to see Sylvia published in the main stream media though.

I wish they had used her college photo – the one with her beautiful smile. I also wish they had mentioned the Marching Band, and the year she graduated from Wagner College.

I think this article can be forwarded to Wagner Alumni Association by her brother, with confidence. I am sure they would link it to her class. And, they may even want to expand on it.

-Same thoughts with her HS class.

 

[MMQC]

Eva Lwowski- was in her 40’s when Sylvia disappeared. She lived into her 80’s, and waited for her daughter, for as long as she could... There is so much more to this woman than we know. For her loved ones, I believe there is strength in the collective spirit when all seems lost. …Maybe not today in the strength department, but in time as you continue to carry on and move forward with hope for an answer.

IMO -It doesn’t matter so much that the newspapers publish on her anniversary date but instead turn out something different than the sameness of everything that could reach those outside the spheres of forums, and blogs, and crime radio, and YouTube videos. -Rather that touches on Sylvia herself, her spirit, her hometown, walking down the street, collecting sea creatures, being a college kid in the 70’s, and playing in the marching band. -The absence of Sylvia touches the deepest level of grief and longing in me, and I didn’t know her. But I do know how the circumstances left many unanswered questions, how desperately she is missed, and how the search continues on. -To tap into that and those who may have known her, her life, her home Staten Island, and who may even remember 38 years ago is something a good reporter can do. -It is my hope that a different angle and wider public will get covered.

One thought I had last night, I can’t remember if this was asked of MMQC, but I wonder if they were separated for any period of time at the SI Mall that afternoon. Did Sylvia talk to anyone else, someone she knew, or a stranger, someone who may have known or overheard where she would be later? Sometimes there is the innocent small talk where too much information is given away. Perhaps she was being kind to someone who had no good intention. –One of the aspects of the vulnerability of young beauty is something she doesn’t see coming.

I find it is difficult to sense the direction of her disappearance; one path seems very deliberate but is incomplete in the details as we know it, and another is potentially so random and spontaneous.

No seperation other than the next stall in the LR.

 

[MMQC]

At last something in the media!

 

[Dushi]

It was a cautious article –could be the DA guidelines. It is really good to see Sylvia published in the main stream media though.

I wish they had used her college photo – the one with her beautiful smile. I also wish they had mentioned the Marching Band, and the year she graduated from Wagner College.

I think this article can be forwarded to Wagner Alumni Association by her brother, with confidence. I am sure they would link it to her class. And, they may even want to expand on it.

-Same thoughts with her HS class.

At last something in the media!

IMHO , its a huge step in the right direction

 

[GoingByMyGut]

I was a little surprised by the 'acquaintance' thing, and agree that it kind of caused confusion, but I think it will lead people to google her name so I don't think it's a big deal.

I'm really happy though! This is the first bit of publicity she's had in 38 years!

BBM: Agreed.

I am wondering if the writer may have consulted a blog previously mentioned in this forum, as she mentions the same two movies SL may have been going to see that night that the blogger does. According to this website, the release date for Jaws was June 20, 1975. Would it still have been around on Sept. 6? I think so ... movies didn't come and go that quickly in those days. But One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest did not release until Nov. 19, 1975.

 

[Odyssey]

BBM: Agreed.

I am wondering if the writer may have consulted a blog previously mentioned in this forum, as she mentions the same two movies SL may have been going to see that night that the blogger does. According to this website, the release date for Jaws was June 20, 1975. Would it still have been around on Sept. 6? I think so ... movies didn't come and go that quickly in those days. But One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest did not release until Nov. 19, 1975.

:iamashamed:

The blog has been fixed. It was kind of misleading, the intent was to create a reference point for readers to feel exactly how long ago this was, so the most well-known movies of that year were mentioned.

Though now that you mention it, it probably wouldn't be too difficult to request a copy of the paper from that date and see exactly what movies were playing in that theater. Not that it would help in finding her but it would be interesting to know...

 

[StJohn]

:iamashamed:

The blog has been fixed. It was kind of misleading, the intent was to create a reference point for readers to feel exactly how long ago this was, so the most well-known movies of that year were mentioned.

Though now that you mention it, it probably wouldn't be too difficult to request a copy of the paper from that date and see exactly what movies were playing in that theater. Not that it would help in finding her but it would be interesting to know...

BBM: Actually knowing the name of the movies playing that Saturday might help generate leads. If a blockbuster like Jaws or Cuckoo's Nest was showing, that could be included in future flyers, articles, even here on WS. It could jog someone's memory if, for example, SL and BF/F ran into an acquaintance & the acquaintance happens to remember they went to see that movie and saw her there. I saw both of those movies when they were released and remember who I saw them with, simply because they were so hugely popular that year. I am sure I saw many other movies that year, but the only other one I remember was Dog Day Afternoon, another blockbuster.

An archived file with the newspaper on it might be available from a local library.

 

[Jmoose]

Wouldn't it have been nice if the police asked him what they saw, and if he still had the stubs to show that they actually went? He might not have harmed her, but I am still not sure they saw a movie-what would you really tell the parents if the girl to whom you were engaged decided to walk home from your apartment, and disappeared on the way?

 

[MMQC]

Wouldn't it have been nice if the police asked him what they saw, and if he still had the stubs to show that they actually went? He might not have harmed her, but I am still not sure they saw a movie-what would you really tell the parents if the girl to whom you were engaged decided to walk home from your apartment, and disappeared on the way?

BF/F lived at home with parents.

 

[Jmoose]

BF/F lived at home with parents.

Thank you, MMQC! I assumed he didn't...

 

[alliemay]

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Old-Staten-Island/405042559570540

This is a great site for old pictures from Staten Island. I wonder if B & A Jewelers was where the ring was bought.

I found a similar site with some old pictures of buses. It seems like there were two different bus services on Richmond at that time. The one picture is of a Metropolitan bus on Hyland & Richmond, 1972, to the right of the picture was a paint store named Martin Paints...MMQC, when you and Sylvia had side jobs painting, did you buy your paint from that store?

Another picture was of a bus on Crag & Butler, 1971 in Tottenville. Still another one, which was a New York City Transit bus, 1972, was on Villa & Richmond with Forest Ave to the right of the picture.

After 1972, part of Richmond Avenue, near Hyland, was renamed Port Richmond Avenue.
I saw another picture of a small farm, located near the mall, in the background was a newly developed housing project, (1983), so I would guess in 1975 there was still some farm land/fields, I wonder how many residential houses there were at that time around the mall?

It's interesting to see pictures of that time frame.

 

[MMQC]

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Old-Staten-Island/405042559570540

This is a great site for old pictures from Staten Island. I wonder if B & A Jewelers was where the ring was bought.

I found a similar site with some old pictures of buses. It seems like there were two different bus services on Richmond at that time. The one picture is of a Metropolitan bus on Hyland & Richmond, 1972, to the right of the picture was a paint store named Martin Paints...MMQC, when you and Sylvia had side jobs painting, did you buy your paint from that store?

Another picture was of a bus on Crag & Butler, 1971 in Tottenville. Still another one, which was a New York City Transit bus, 1972, was on Villa & Richmond with Forest Ave to the right of the picture.

After 1972, part of Richmond Avenue, near Hyland, was renamed Port Richmond Avenue.
I saw another picture of a small farm, located near the mall, in the background was a newly developed housing project, (1983), so I would guess in 1975 there was still some farm land/fields, I wonder how many residential houses there were at that time around the mall?

It's interesting to see pictures of that time frame.

Port Richmond Ave was in and always was in Port Richmond. That was OLD Richmond Ave and Richmond Terrace. Richmond Ave joged around Forest Ave east and made a left turn down OLD RICHMOND AVE. Newly named in the 70's Port Richmond Ave. Now Richmond Ave ends at Forest Ave. By the Diner, that is if the Dakota is still there and still named the same.

As for where we got the paint. YUP!

Where the mall was build was a small airport. Where K-Mart and Korvettes was built was a drive-in and a farmers market. Lots of farms along Richmond Ave. Back then it was only a two lane road. One going and one coming. Saturday most everyone went to the farmers market and then to the drive-in. Then on Sunday a trip to Al Deppies and a ride down Drumgoul(sp?) Blvd. to the Outterbridge and back or through Tottenville to Hylan Blvd. and home.

As far as I can remember the only bus service on SI was through the MTA. It might have had several RE-Names but it was all CITY BUS service. There were a few franchised buses but they were mostly EXPRESS to NYC. The MTA did not think there were enough customers to run the line from the south shore. Now there are so many X busses to all different parts of Manhattan and SI. I think there is one maybe two that have the franchise to do it still. Mostly they go through NJ.

 

[alliemay]

MMQC - Do you remember if the ring was bought at B & A Jewelers? If not there, what other jewelers were in the area, if you can remember?

The buses that ran to NYC, the express buses, would they have been the Metropolitan buses?

Here is the other site I was talking about:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Old-images-of-Staten-Island/422646461137736
If you scroll down the left side of the page you can see that the Metro buses look quite different than the NYCTA buses. In the one pic there is a Metro bus (an "M" above the driver's window) and it is in Tottenville, on the corner of Crag & Butler Street, in 1971. When Sylvia did not have a ride to school by her Dad, would she take a bus. I was near a local college the other day, and saw two buses entering the parking lot, they had the name of the college written on the side, I assume that these buses must pick up students from the local bus stop to bring them to the college. Did Wagner have anything like that at that time for their students?

One more , where was the Port Richmond Apartment building located in relation to the mall? TIA

 

[Odyssey]

MMQC - Do you remember if the ring was bought at B & A Jewelers? If not there, what other jewelers were in the area, if you can remember?

The buses that ran to NYC, the express buses, would they have been the Metropolitan buses?

Here is the other site I was talking about:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Old-images-of-Staten-Island/422646461137736
If you scroll down the left side of the page you can see that the Metro buses look quite different than the NYCTA buses. In the one pic there is a Metro bus (an "M" above the driver's window) and it is in Tottenville, on the corner of Crag & Butler Street, in 1971. When Sylvia did not have a ride to school by her Dad, would she take a bus. I was near a local college the other day, and saw two buses entering the parking lot, they had the name of the college written on the side, I assume that these buses must pick up students from the local bus stop to bring them to the college. Did Wagner have anything like that at that time for their students?

One more , where was the Port Richmond Apartment building located in relation to the mall? TIA

BBM - there were a bunch of them in the mall - Kay Jewelers, Ben Bridge, Andreasens, A Hirsch & Sons, and I think at least one more...

 

[FrankD]

The garbage dump which is now gone thankfully was located right across from the Island theater during that time period! How easy would it have been to hide a body there?

 

[alliemay]

I would think there would be many places. I also read there are many small Islands, on Staten Island, which is something I would never have guessed.

 

[MMQC]

MMQC - Do you remember if the ring was bought at B & A Jewelers? If not there, what other jewelers were in the area, if you can remember?

The buses that ran to NYC, the express buses, would they have been the Metropolitan buses?

Here is the other site I was talking about:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Old-images-of-Staten-Island/422646461137736
If you scroll down the left side of the page you can see that the Metro buses look quite different than the NYCTA buses. In the one pic there is a Metro bus (an "M" above the driver's window) and it is in Tottenville, on the corner of Crag & Butler Street, in 1971. When Sylvia did not have a ride to school by her Dad, would she take a bus. I was near a local college the other day, and saw two buses entering the parking lot, they had the name of the college written on the side, I assume that these buses must pick up students from the local bus stop to bring them to the college. Did Wagner have anything like that at that time for their students?

One more , where was the Port Richmond Apartment building located in relation to the mall? TIA

Have no clue as to where the ring was purchased.

MTA is called the Metropolitan Transit Authority. = City Buses.
Father always drove her or I picked her up. We did take the bus to HS.
No private buses for Wager. It was a local college.

 

[Odyssey]

I would think there would be many places. I also read there are many small Islands, on Staten Island, which is something I would never have guessed.

I don't recall any individual islands on Staten Island... you may be thinking of surrounding islands that are on the bay, such as Governor's Island, Ellis Island, Liberty Island...

I think the landfill is somewhat likely, as it is one place where tools may not have been necessary to conceal a body. A few larger pieces of garbage may have done the trick, and an odor may not be detected because that place always smelled awful... as much as I hate the thought...

 

[rosemadderlake]

MMQC: Do you remember if the ring was presented to Sylvia, or did they pick it out it together?