As the 50th anniversary of the birth of Co-Op City nears, longtime residents are reflecting on its past.

The largest cooperative housing development in the world saw its first tenants in December 1968. The project broke ground in 1966.

The land that 35 skyrises sit on used to be an amusement park.

"When we first moved in, my goodness, it was a swampland." says resident Bernard Cylich. "We had to trudge through sandy roads, and there was no parkland, there was no trees. We're really pioneers here." 

Longtime residents say open air and various options are why they have remained in Co-Op City all of these years later.

"It's a lush community that has developed over the last 50 years," says resident Linda Berk. "And we've changed the nature but also we've stayed a solid strong community."