Civic Center, Worth Street Between Centre and Baxter Streets

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

On to Chinatown. Worth Street divides Chinatown from the Courts, but farther east, beyond where Worth Street ends at Park Row, Chinatown has expanded a bit south.

This is the side of the NY County Courthouse and straight in front of us is a wing of the Moynihan Courthouse and beyond that – the building with the strange juttings – is Chatham Towers, of which more later.



See map.

Civic Center, Worth Street Between Centre and Baxter Streets

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

On to Hamill Place. There are many cops standing around the streets down here and they are not resistant to having a conversation with a passing civilian. So I soon discovered that some years ago, they created a park in front of the courthouse and made Hamill Place into a pedestrian walkway. Right here. It used to be used for parking. This is nicer.

Oldstreets.com tells me Hamill Place was closed "about" 1990.


See map.

Civic Center, Foley Square Bounded by Centre, Lafayette and Worth Streets

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


My cloudy day Tuesday walk is over; now it is a few days later, Friday, September 25, sunny and beautiful, nothing to do but meet Myra for lunch at Nice Green Bo in Chinatown at 3:00. Geoffrey at work recommended this restaurant and he's Chinese.

It's only a little after 1:00 now and this is my plan. First I want to find Hamill Place. It's on my map (it's an old map), but doesn't seem to exist where it's supposed to be, that is, a little diagonal street that cuts through the corner of Worth and Center by the Courthouse. Then I'm going to walk across Worth to Chinatown, then Mott to Bayard where Nice Green Bo is.

But first, catch this wedding party in front of the Courthouse. I didn't realize that people dressed up like this when they got married at City Hall. But wait! Look at what I found. In January, the new glamorized marriage bureau opened in a new space with actual wedding chapels painted in lovely muted shades. Bathrooms with vanities and full length mirrors for preparation, all kinds of amenities. The mayor wants New York to be the wedding destination of the world. The cost is $25. Go here for photos. The new address is 141 Worth Street which seems to be the same building as 80 Centre Street, which is where I go for Grand Jury duty. I'll have to check that out Tuesday when I go back for my last day. Last day! I'm not ready.

In other news, there's a new photo of me at the top. The old one was from a few years ago, now my hair's different, I have new glasses, I'm older. This one was taken in June this year.



See map.

Civic Center, Foley Square Bounded by Centre, Lafayette and Worth Streets

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


Now it is time to consider the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building. Here is a truly ugly building, although it's hard to tell just how ugly it is at this reduced size. Its surface is the problem.




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


See? The architects (Alfred Easton Poor, Kahn & Jacobs, Eggers & Higgins) were probably just as horrified as the rest of us when they saw what their design looked like full size, but by then it was too late. This was built in 1967 which explains a lot.

Some of you will remember the saga of Richard Serra's Tilted Arc, installed on the plaza in 1981 and removed 8 years later. It was quite controversial, with art lovers on one side and the rest of the world on the other. The rest of the world won and it was removed in 1989.

I regret that I never went down to see it while it was there. It seemed so far away in those days. And I had a job.

Tilted Arc was the opposite of Triumph of the Human Spirit. Triumph is bad art but good public art and Tilted Arc was good art and bad public art.  I wonder if it's possible to make good art and good public art.


Wired New York has everything you'd ever want to know about Serra and Tilted Arc and the Plaza and what it looked like then and what it looks like now, with photos, so that's the only link I'm going to give you.

Civic Center, Foley Square, Bounded by Centre, Lafayette and Worth Streets

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


The only thing that looks out of place here in Foley Square is the orange rectangular box plopped down there. But its heart is pure, so I'll overlook its clunkiness.






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


Here's a closer look at it. StoryCorps. You make an appointment, go down there with someone old (enough to have a lifetime of memories) and ask them questions. It gets recorded, you get a CD and a copy is stored at the Library of Congress. A good idea indeed.


See map.

Civic Center, Foley Square Bounded by Centre, Lafayette and Worth Streets

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


This is Triumph of the Human Spirit, a sculture created by Lorenzo Pace dedicated to all the unknown enslaved Africans brought to this country. This is in connection with the African Burial Ground a couple of blocks away. 

I was looking for an art critic's assessment of the sculpture and found this article about skateboarders loving the granite "ramps" spaced around the base. The Times interviewed someone here from San Francisco who said Foley Square is well known in California. It's featured in skaters' magazines. Lorenzo Pace is not amused.

As for art criticism, in a longish article about public art, Michael Kimmelman said that the sculpture is successful public art in that people enjoy the fountain, but that it is "formally weak and unprepossessing." Good public art, bad art.



See map.

Civic Center, Foley Square Bounded by Centre, Lafayette and Worth Streets

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



I think we need a break. Enough with the gray buildings. A little color is in order.

That's the bottom of the Javits Federal Building there at the top.


See map.

Civic Center, Foley Square, Bounded by Centre, Lafayette and Worth Streets

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

This is the U.S. Courthouse, built by Cass Gilbert during 1932-36 in a neoclassical style, about 10 years after the New York County Courthouse was built. He went from neogothic (the Woolworth building) to neoclassic in one lifetime. Moreover, this was one of the first federal skyscrapers ever, so I guess we could call it neoclassically clad modern. No! Don't listen to me. Rather go to the GSA site for lots of good information about the courthouse.

By the way, it was renamed in 2001 for the late Supreme Court Justice, Thurgood Marshall, so it's officially the Thurgood Marshall U.S. Courthouse, but I don't think anyone calls it that, including, obviously, me.


See map.

Civic Center, Foley Square, Bounded by Centre, Lafayette and Worth Streets

x
I apologize for missing a couple of posts lately and will make up for it by flooding you with photographs and extra posts. How's that?

Part of the problem is there's so much down here. So much history – everything has a story. For example, tonight I'm going to concentrate on Foley Square. Within Foley Square is Thomas Paine Park. I could talk about Thomas Foley, Thomas Paine, or the sculpture, Triumph of the Human Spirit. I could talk about the old Collect Pond which was originally on this site or I could talk about the infamous Five Points, which was built over the drained Collect Pond. I could talk about The Story Corps, also located on Foley Square. It's dizzying.  Tonight I'll just talk about a few.

Foley Square is a big paved space bounded by Centre, Lafayette and Worth Streets. It is not square. In 1926 it was named for Thomas Foley, a Tammany Hall leader and saloon-keeper who had died in 1925. Strangely enough, I couldn't find much of anything about Foley on the web, but I went into the NY Times archives and found this about his funeral. Take a look; it has Governor Al Smith going unescorted, just walking down the street like any other citizen.



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


This is the north end of the square, looking south-west, and it was obviously taken on a different day than the rest of the Foley Square shots.  A nicer day.  The sign says Thomas Paine Park, named for the great and important patriot of the Revolution.  He said, "My country is the world, and my religion is to do good."  Well said, Tom Paine.




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


This is looking west toward the Jacob Javits Federal Building.  Another reviled building, about which more later.






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


And this is looking north, back through the Thomas Paine Park and toward 80 Centre Street where the Grand Jury meets.

Last post showed you the Square looking east toward the New York Supreme Court.

See map.

Civic Center, Centre Street Between Worth and Duane Streets

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

We're back at Foley Square now.  I forgot to mention last post that Pearl Street stops at St. James Place.  It picks up again farther downtown, but that's for another walk.

This is the New York County Courthouse, also known as the New York State Supreme Court.  Unlike the Federal Supreme Court, which is the highest court in the nation, the New York Supreme Court is not the highest Court of the State. 

The first meaning of supreme is highest in rank or authority . . .  the second meaning is of the highest quality . . . importance, etc., the third meaning is greatest . . . and the fourth meaning is last or final; utmost.  So what is it with the New York Supreme Court not being the highest court? 

The Court of Appeals is the highest court in New York.  Go here for a court structure chart.

Enough carping for now.  Let's just admire this building for awhile.  True it was built in 1925, in a decidedly retro style, but I think I'm okay with my government buildings being classic.  Go here for architectural details.

See map.

Civic Center, Pearl Street Between Madison Street and St. James Place

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


This is James Madison Plaza and I assume it looks more inviting when the weather is nicer.

The Parks Department entry for the Plaza consists mainly of information about James Madison, our fourth President, so one would assume that the Plaza was named for him. So it is strange that they claim it is named for the combination of the names of two of the streets that bound it: Madison Street and St. James Place. St. James Place is named for a nearby Catholic church. 









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


Right across the street from the Plaza is one of the most reviled buildings in Manhattan - the Verizon building.  To call it one of the ugliest buildings in Manhattan is surely wrong, but it's just too damn big.  It towers over the Brooklyn Bridge, diminishing the effect of the view of it and it overwhelms the neighborhood.








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


Here it is in a more distant and less scary view.  This is looking at it from Pearl Street back at Park row.

See map.

Civic Center, Pearl Street Between Park Row and Madison Street

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


This is Police Headquarters, built in 1973 by Gruzen and Partners. The AIA Guide says it is one of the "most urbane civic buildings since the City Hall of 1812," but then goes on to say it's "largely because of its elegant . . . plaza . . ." More about that plaza on another walk (in fact, one I took today). This is the back of the building and when I took this shot, I wasn't even aware of the plaza.

But as for the building itself, it just doesn't say "police" to me. It's almost too cute. Or something. Can't you see it as a piece of furniture?





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


Here, we see past the Headquarters to the Municipal Building and the U.S. Courthouse. I don't know what that low building with the aqua bands is; I haven't even seen it before, but I'll find out.





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


And here on the other side is the clearest view I've had yet of a new building going up.

I asked a guard sitting in one of those little stations if he knew what it's going to be.  He said some people think it's going to be dorms and some people think maybe it's part of the hospital, but he, himself, thinks it'll probably be housing since it's so tall.  He says, it just keeps going.  He says it's really going to change the area.


See map.

Civic Center, Park Row at Pearl Street

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


This is Chatham Green, Inc., a co-op built in 1962. Francis Marrone in his Architectural Guidebook to New York City in seeming approval, called it "an undulating Great Wall of Chinatown."

Apparently they are floor-throughs. Wow. Windows and balconies in every room and cross ventilation.

I lived in a floor-through in Carroll Gardens which was awful in every respect except for the cross ventilation. It almost made it worth it. I think of it now with a pang of loss, knowing I will never have that again.

So I priced an apartment in Chatham Green, about the size of mine in Inwood, 1 bedroom, 1 bath, 800 square feet, thinking, why don't I just sell my apartment and move downtown? Like, just trade. The answer, of course, is everything costs more downtown. Prohibitively more. Just as well. Their ceilings look awfully low.

See map.

Civic Center, Centre Street Between Worth and Duane Streets; Pearl Street Between Centre Street and Park Row

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


Backing up a little from last night, we're looking at the New York County Courthouse on the left and the U.S. Courthouse on the right, from across Centre Street. Pearl Street runs between them. I've been curious about that building behind the County Courthouse since I began jury duty, so I worked up a little excitement about taking this walk on Pearl Street. Also Pearl Street has long interested me. I knew it was old and it started way downtown and took some strange twists and turns and ended up here. And that name. Somehow it seemed romantic. As you saw last night, the romance must be farther downtown.









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


It's the Daniel P. Moynihan U.S. Courthouse, designed by Kohn, Pedersen Fox and completed in 1994. Herbert Muschamp, the New York Times's architecture critic, wrote a thoughtful review that year. He was disappointed, though he praises many of the elements.. He says the architects equate the timeless with the old whereas he wants them to represent the past without sacrificing the present. If you want to know what he means by that, you'll have to read it yourself.







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


Here's the entrance. Note that the building is sideways to the street.




See map.

Civic Center, Pearl Street from Centre Street

x
I just finished my second week of Grand Jury service. Two more to go.

This is generally the way it goes: you get summoned, you go down to 100 Centre Street along with many, many other people, you choose morning or afternoon and they pick jurors by lot. Both times I've been summoned, I've been picked. But here's the thing: I like jury service. I wanted to be picked.

I like being downtown; it has a quieter feeling than other business districts in New York. I like big old temple-like government buildings placed at odd angles on oddly shaped blocks. I like being close by Chinatown. I like doing something different and meeting new people. And I pretty much like jury work. It can be boring at times, but much of the time, it's interesting.

You might think I feel this way only because I'm unemployed, but I also felt this way when I had a job. Of course I understand that many people are in difficult situations and it can be a real burden. But I'm not! So I'm having a good time. Plus you get $40/day. That will more than pay for lunches in Chinatown.

Morning sessions are 10:00-1:00. I'm still adjusting to early morning hours. It'll be good for me. It only takes an hour door to door from Inwood to Civic Center on the A. Not bad at all.

I want to get in lots of photowalks while I'm down here, but that means I'll get more photos than I can handle. I'm just gonna do it. We'll see what happens.

Last Friday I went on my first walk. Last Friday was a truly glorious day, even better than today. Crisp, sunny fall day, warm and cool. I shot the buildings around Foley Square and then walked Chambers Street straight across to Battery Park City, stopping for a wonderful lunch at Acappella. Since my new camera uses more pixels, I needed a bigger card, so I had a new 4 gig card which held 239 photos and I filled it up. Something about that card . . . I can't access the photos on my computer.

This goes a way toward explaining why I was grumpy on Tuesday, when I started this walk. You can see it was a gray day. I was basically doing a reshoot under worse conditions. So after I shot (reshot) Foley Square in a gloomy mood, I decided to forget about Chambers for the time being and go somewhere new. I'll show you Foley Square another night because that will take more writing and we've all had enough for one night.

So one photo: Pearl Street





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



See map.

Civic Center, Centre Street at Worth Street

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

Yes, Grand Jury Service. And with this service comes the answer to a question (implied) I had on May 15, 2007. Namely, what is this building? It's the Louis J. Lefkowitz State Office Building. Among the State offices it houses, is the 4th Grand Jury, of which I am a member. And of which, more later.

The state architect, William Haugaard, designed this building, under a height restriction placed on it to avoid overshadowing the main courthouses and to avoid disturbing the symmetry of Foley Square. I don't know why this surprises me. I guess it reminds me of Washington, D.C. and New York never reminds me of Washington, D.C.

Note: You see there are two buildings in this photograph? I lightened the rear one considerably so that you could see there are two buildings. They were so close in color and shade that they seemed to blend together. I wanted you to be able to see the modest height and design of the State Office Building.

I'll always tell you if I do something like that.


See map.

Civic Center, Centre Street Between Hogan and Worth Streets

Mary Sargent © 2007 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

Doorway to big government building. The lettering above the door says "New York State Building." That's all I know. And she ain't talkin.

See map.

Civic Center, Centre Street Between White and Hogan Streets

Mary Sargent © 2007 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

I turned on Canal Street and walked South on Centre Street. We're not in Chinatown anymore. We're in that area called Civic Center, which can most easily be defined as being those streets that contain nothing but big government buildings, mainly courts. This is the Detention Center if I read my map correctly, and the white sign on the building directs law enforcement personnel to follow certain procedures with their firearms.

I was taking shots of this building when I noticed a woman waiting for me to finish. She didn't want her picture taken, she told me, so I lowered my camera and she walked past, then stopped and stared at where I was shooting. What are you taking a picture OF, she asked. She was weaving, a bit intoxicated, and smiling. I explained about the color and the shapes and how you could look at it as if it were a painting. She just smiled and shook her head as if to say, go figure. I must say, people did seem more reluctant to have their pictures taken here than anywhere else I've been.

See map.