Chelsea, 16th Street Between Eighth and Ninth Avenues

Mary Sargent © 2010 ………………….…..………… ………………….. click to enlarge

I shouldn't have been surprised to see this building of the School of Visual Arts; they have buildings scattered all over lower Manhattan, including Gramercy, the Lower East Side, and West Chelsea.  This particular building houses the BFA (Batchelor of Fine Arts) Department.  If you'd like to know more about their real estate holdings, go here.  An interesting way to build a campus as compared to the NYU way and the Columbia way.

By the way, the SVA website linked to above is remarkably ugly and unpleasant to use.  I would think twice about attending an art school with such a poor website.

Chelsea, 16th Street Between Eighth and Ninth Avenues

Mary Sargent © 2010 …………………………….. click to enlarge

Why did I take this picture?  Probably I was interested in the new glass building next to the old tenement.  Why did I post this picture?  The curiously hovering street cone was irresistible.

Chelsea, 16th Street Between Eighth and Ninth Avenues

Mary Sargent © 2010 ………………….……………... ………………….. click to enlarge

This is Atlantic Stage 2 of the Atlantic Theater Company.  I'll say more about this tomorrow, but now I'm incoherent from exhaustion.

Chelsea, 16th Street Between Eighth and Ninth Avenues

Mary Sargent © 2010 …………………….. click to enlarge

Looking across Eighth Avenue to the next block.  What the heck is going on over there?




Mary Sargent © 2010 ……………………….. click to enlarge

Here's Joe, who stopped me from walking farther and then kindly explained what the heck was going on.







Mary Sargent © 2010 …………………….. click to enlarge

See that square object suspended in the background?  Actually it's a cube and it's a transformer being lifted to the roof.  Joe told me it weighs just a hell of a lot of tons.  He did tell me the exact amount but I didn't write it down, so just know it weighs a lot.

This is a pretty good photograph so you might want to enlarge it and admire it.



Mary Sargent © 2010 ………………….……………... ………………….. click to enlarge

See those red platelike things stacked on the truck bed?  Those are weights to counterbalance the transformer.  You would think the truck itself would be enough but no.



Mary Sargent © 2010 ………...…………….. click to enlarge

The transformer cleared the roof and we were allowed to walk on.

Chelsea, 16th Street Between Seventh and Eighth Avenues

Mary Sargent © 2010 ………………….…………… …..……………….. click to enlarge

This is the only post for this block - these sweet little 4-story tenements, and




Mary Sargent © 2010 ……… ………………….. click to enlarge

this building, with The Grey Dog at the bottom.  This is the third Grey Dog in the city and this Village Voice interview tries to explain why it has not become a chain.

Chelsea, 16th Street Between Sixth and Seventh Avenues

Mary Sargent © 2010 …………… ………………….. click to enlarge

This is the French Evangelical Church, or the Eglise Evangelique Francaise de New York, as the sign states.  I could find nothing about it on the web except the address.  It has no web site.  The sign is written entirely in French.  I have questions.  How big is the congregation?  Are they all French?  Do they have services in English as well as French?  A phone number is listed so I could call and ask.  But that would be tomorrow, and tomorrow I will be considering the block between Seventh and Eighth Avenues.

So tonight we will instead consider the architectural style Rundbogenstil.  The AIA tells us the facade was done in 1886 and that this building is a "robust example of what the Germans called Rundbogenstil.  The dour dark paint almost kills it."  Yes, doesn't it?  Imagine this building painted creamy ivory and without the sign (an ugly sign insensitively placed).  Wouldn't it be pretty?  By the way, do you know how to pronounce dour?  It's door, not dow-er.  Hard to believe, isn't it?

So Rundbogenstil.  A German style meaning round arch style, part of the Romanesque revival, and created in the 19th century by German architects seeking a national style of architecture.  Go to New York Architecture to see other New York buildings in this style.

Chelsea, 16th Street Between Sixth and Seventh Avenues

Mary Sargent © 2010 ……………...…….…………… ………………….. click to enlarge

Apologies for the skewed photograph.  It's the fault of the sun.  When I was in the best spot for shooting, the sun was shining over the building right into my camera.  Then when I moved up to get in the shade, I was too close.  If my goal was to shoot this building, I would go on a cloudy day or I would go in the morning or late afternoon, but since my goal was to shoot this walk on this day at the time I was taking it, you end up with a skewed photograph. 

This building was built in 1878 to house the New York House and School of Industry, an institution founded in 1851 to help destitute women by providing them with employment doing needlework.  It is supposedly the first in the city to be built in the Queen Anne Style, and it was landmarked in 1990.  Christopher Gray's 1987 column on this building is well worth reading for its explanation of why this is considered Queen Anne, anyway, and for the bit of history about charities in the 19th century.

Chelsea, 16th Street Between Sixth and Seventh Avenues

Mary Sargent © 2010 ……………………….. click to enlarge

We are now in Chelsea, having crossed Sixth Avenue, and already things look livelier and more colorful.

Hell's Kitchen, Ninth Avenue Between 36th and 37th Streets

Mary Sargent © 2010 ………………….………….....… ………………….. click to enlarge

As I mentioned at the beginning of this walk, I was headed to a Pakistani restaurant for discussion of a Pakistani book (The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid).  The restaurant is known to some as Kashmir 9; to others as Pakistani Restaurant, and it gets mostly great reviews (for food, not atmosphere).  However, I stumbled on a Restaurant Inspection Report which left me a little queasy, and I'm not easily made queasy.  I had a couple of vegetarian dishes which didn't impress me, but then I thought maybe meat dishes are the thing to get.  I didn't get sick, which is good.

The book?  Well, as usual, the group was split.  I was on the negative side this time because I didn't like the way the story was told.  But I did like getting the viewpoint of the protagonist.

And so this walk has ended and now it is Daylight Saving Time and Spring comes tomorrow along with a whole new walk.

See map.

Hell's Kitchen, Ninth Avenue Between 35th and 36th Streets

Mary Sargent © 2010 ………… ………………….. click to enlarge

A convenience store.  Gitcher beer, yer lotto cards, yer newspapers and cigarettes and don't forgetcher ATM to pay for those cigarettes.  Every New Yorker deserves one of these within one block.  They wouldn't agree with me over on Park Avenue. 


See map.

Hell's Kitchen, 34th Street Between Eighth and Ninth Avenues

Mary Sargent © 2010 ……………..…………….. click to enlarge

An awfully pretty synagogue here on 34th Street.  It is the West Side Jewish Center.  I couldn't find out when it was built.  Its official site (above link) doesn't seem to know and Wikipedia's article is very short and fragmented.  Anyone?

But do go to Wikipedia to see its photograph of the synagogue from 2007, showing a huge movie poster for Angels and Demons on the side of the building.  Amusing, since the Vatican described the movie as "an offence against God."  Well, amusing to me, anyway.  The congregation was also okay with it and appreciated the extra income.

Looking at this photograph, it appears that the buildings next to it would cover the view of the side of the synagogue, but I have a wider view of it which shows that they are, in fact, back of the side of the building.  Believe it or not.  And you'll have to leave it there because I'm not going to drag that photo out and edit it and post it and copy it.  I know it's not that late, but I'm reforming.  Trying to.
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3/21/10 - Rita kindly points out that Emporis tells us the Center was constructed in 1924.  Thank you!

Hell's Kitchen, 34th Street Between Eighth and Ninth Avenues

Mary Sargent © 2010 ………………….…………… ……............…………….. click to enlarge






Mary Sargent © 2010 ………………….…...........…….. click to enlarge

I thought you'd want to see this red tree courtesy of the Loews sign.

Hell's Kitchen, 34th Street at Eighth Avenue

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New walk, new month.  Only a week behind now.  Last Sunday, March 7th, I went downtown to meet up with the Booker Prize Book Club.  The book under discussion was The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid (short-listed, not a prize winner).  The main character is a Pakistani, and so we met at a Pakistani restaurant on Ninth Avenue.  Where else?

This photo was taken at 6:30 p.m.  One week later, it would still be daylight.  Let's hear it for Daylight Savings time!  It is a time when I am happy with my government.  It was George Bush (yes!) who extended DST by a month.  Three weeks earlier in the spring and 1 week later in the fall.  Way to go, George!  By the way, I just learned that it is not Daylight Savings Time; it is Daylight Saving Time.

And so, this is where I got off the A train at 34th and Eighth.


NOTE:  I shouldn't have to point this out, but a copyright notice means that you should NOT download any photographs.  It is an infringement of copyright law.  It is stealing.  Please stop.  You can always link to them but don't take them.

Chelsea, 14th Street Between Ninth and Eighth Avenues

Mary Sargent © 2009 …………… ………………….. click to enlarge


We've edged into Chelsea now, since Meatpacking ends at Ninth Avenue, although depending on which neighborhood seems more desirable at the moment, you can bet these businesses will claim it.  This is the north side of 14th Street.  The south side would be part of Greenwich Village.   

First we have Diner. (It claims Meatpacking)  Or Diner Restaurant.  Remember when diners weren't ironic? Or iconic?  Next is a mysterious no-name, must be restaurant with those umbrellas out front.  Then comes Comix, which in my innocence, I thought was a comic book store, but is, in fact, a comedy club.  Lately I've been thinking I should go to a comedy club every now and then, but see, my idea of comedy clubs is that you go and just cringe because it's so embarrassing that the comedians are so pathetically unfunny.  But that can't be true or how could they stay open?

So I googled the address of no-name and found out it's Scarpetta.  Their dubious claim is to be in a Greek revival townhouse.  The chef is Scott Conant, formerly chef at the late L'impero, which has now become the wonderful Convivio.  So I'm just saying, do not be fooled by the modest appearance of this restaurant; come prepared to spend serious money here.  But it should be good.

See map.

Chelsea, 23rd Street Between Tenth and Eleventh Avenues

Mary Sargent © 2009 ………………………….. click to enlarge

Here at 23rd Street, just around the corner, is The Half King.  I am COLD and ready for an Irish coffee.  The bartender made a really delicious one and when I complimented him, he said, rather unnecessarily, they're good because they're hot.  And they have alcohol.

The Half King, is a literary bar, being half owned by Sebastian Junger, author of The Perfect Storm, and they have readings on Monday nights. 

See the construction right next door?


Mary Sargent © 2009 ………… ………………….. click to enlarge


Here's a view from across the street.  Yet another fancy schmancy building going up in Chelsea; this one called HL23 (for High Line, 23rd Street), by so-called avant-garde architect Neil Denari.  Read all about it in Curbed.  I think it's pretty homely myself, but Curbed is very excited.  However, Denari's website is surprisingly ugly.  Doesn't that tell you something?

See map.

Chelsea, Tenth Avenue Between 24th and 23rd Streets

Mary Sargent © 2009 ………………….…………… ………………….. click to enlarge

The next block is very different.  For one thing, instead of street level tenants like 10th Avenue Pizza and the former Joe's Tavern Bar, the tenants here are the U.S. Postal Service and Chase Bank.




Mary Sargent © 2009 …………………....….. click to enlarge


For another, the building is way taller.  This is London Terrace, begun in 1929, partly completed in 1930, and covering an entire city block, from 23rd to 24th Streets and Ninth to Tenth Avenues.  This photo shows one of the corner towers.  At the time it was built, it was the largest apartment building in the world. 

I recommend you follow the above link to London Terrace as it gives some history and historical photographs.  Henry Mandel was the developer, "the Donald Trump of his day," but the Great Depression did him in and he killed himself by jumping off his building.

See map.

Chelsea, Tenth Avenue at 25th Street

Mary Sargent © 2009 ………………….…………… ………………….. click to enlarge

We've finally turned off 25th Street onto Tenth Avenue.  This whole block is low rise; the building on the far right is the tallest on the block.

If you enlarge this, you can see what look like fire escapes except there's no way to escape.  There's no ladder, and on greater enlargement, there's no indication there ever was one.  So what are they?  You have to climb out of a window to get to them so you can't call them, uh, terraces, balconies.  Another Manhattan mystery.

See map.

Chelsea, 25th Street Between Eleventh and Tenth Avenues

Here are three more photos from this Chelsea block on this cold gray day, pictures of quite ordinary, unremarkable, yes, scruffy things, and yet . . . well, I confess, I love them. 

If you want to know what I mean, you will have to enlarge them and really look at them for a few seconds.  Especially the last one.




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Chelsea, 25th Street Between Eleventh and Tenth Avenues

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Chelsea, 25th Street Between Eleventh and Tenth Avenues

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The very next day, October 30, I went back down to do data entry for OHNY, planning to take another walk afterwards. It was warmish when I left my house and NY1 predicted another nice day, but when I left the office, it was no longer nice. It looked like this. And I only had a jeans jacket. Therefore, armed with my new knowledge of the Half King's location, I limited my walk to this one block of 25th Street, and the two blocks it took to get to it (the Half King). Where I figured they knew how to make an Irish coffee.

This is looking east.


See map.