Chelsea, Eleventh Avenue Between 24th and 23rd Streets

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Last night we saw the block between 25th and 24th and we also saw a building from the next block. Here it is closer up.



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

This is a big deal condo going up and you can read all about it in Curbed. Look for the entries under 200 Eleventh Avenue. The most exciting feature is the sky garage, a car elevator that takes each owner directly to their apartment. Wow. This is good protection for people plagued by those pesky paparazzi.

You notice all this netting on construction sites? I thought maybe it was a new thing, but it turns out it's been required by city law since 1987. On my way to discovering that fact, I also discovered I would die at age 100. You know how when you start typing something in Google, it will offer suggestions? When I typed "when", the first word of my question, google suggested "when will I die". That's kind of hard to ignore. 



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


But now, look at this tiny little building next to the fabulous new skyscraper.  When I saw this, I had the same reaction that I have to kittens or puppies, or the occasional baby:  an intake of breath and a little moan. 




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

In fact I was motivated to change my lens so I could get a close-up.

Chelsea, Eleventh Avenue at 25th Street

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

This is looking back at 25th Street.  That's the Chelsea Arts Tower on the left, not looking quite so fabulous from this view.  And the building on the right is where the art gallery with the 4-legged birds is located.

Which reminds me, I did revisit that gallery today and now I have the information we need.  The gallery is Gana Art and the artist is Shigeru Uchida, a Japanese architect and designer.

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Gramercy, Park Avenue South Between 28th and 29th Streets

Mary Sargent © 2009 …… click to enlarge

Across the street (west side) some construction. According to the web, it will be a luxury hotel; the Gansevoort Park. Hmm. I just wonder a little bit about the timing.

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Chelsea, 26th Street Between Sixth and Seventh Avenues

Mary Sargent © 2009 ……… click to enlarge




Mary Sargent © 2009 ……… click to enlarge

Construction! Didn't find out anything conclusive on the web. I'd have to go back and check out the address to get anywhere, but I'm just going to let it go.

By the way, everyone is referring to this area as Chelsea. That's not right, is it? It shouldn't be right. This neighborhood is nothing like Chelsea. This is mercantile! I thought 7th Avenue was the eastern border. They're saying 6th. Who's right?

I might have to give in and change all these titles and labels.

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East Village, 4thStreet at Bowery

Mary Sargent © 2008 …………...........………………………….. click to enlarge


After lunch, we walked across 4th Street into the East Village, and here at Bowery is a new building! Construction! This is a real beauty, I think. It's the Cooper Square Hotel, set to open any day now. As luck would have it, this week Justin Davidson, New York Magazine's architecture critic, has an article called Glass Stampede, with photographs of 54 new buildings alongside photographs of the buildings they replaced. Our building is number 43 on page 20. He calls it an "elegant building that makes a clumsy intrusion." Check out the site to find out why.

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Chinatown, Walker Street Between Lafayette and Centre Streets

Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

This might be the ugliest restaurant I've ever seen. So why did Bill and I stop there for lunch? Well, first, this shot was taken from across the street after we ate there; I don't think I realized how grotesque it really was. Second, I had a vague memory about XO sauce and maybe a restaurant of that name and was curious. Third, it was about 3:00 and we were pretty hungry.

Below is the inside.


Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

It was comfortable enough and there was a nice tree growing up through the floor. We had dumplings (good), salt baked shrimp (I've had better), pea shoots (I've had better) and a soft noodle dish with dried shrimp (interesting and good). The waiter had cautioned me that the noodle dish was very Chinese. Verdict: It was good enough but no need to return. And I didn't see any XO sauce.




Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge



Mary Sargent © 2008 ……… click to enlarge

Construction! Condos in Chinatown! No need to get agitated, though, this was built in 1910 and is being renovated for retail market and professional office condominium spaces. I didn't even know they had such things, but it sounds like a good idea. Also, you should know that 139 Centre is fully in accordance with the principles of Feng Shui.

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Tribeca, Sixth Avenue Between Canal and York Streets

Mary Sargent © 2008 …………click to enlarge



Mary Sargent © 2008 …………click to enlarge

I know, I know, I said it was going to be Chinatown tonight and here I am giving you Tribeca. Sorry. Tribeca on the way to Chinatown, then Chinatown.

I'm late because I was watching the convention. How about that Michelle? I'm happy to be a Democrat for the first time in a long while, and I'm so proud of our country, also for the first time in a long while. (I can say that because I don't plan to run for political office.) And how about Senator Teddy? There was a time I curled my lip at Ted Kennedy, but time passes, things change, and now I have to say he's an all right guy.

So the walk. Bill, my son, was here for a visit, and Friday we went downtown for a photowalk. The plan was to walk around Chinatown and get a late lunch somewhere. We took the A train to Canal, walked Sixth Avenue to Walker and Walker to Canal. When we got off the train at Canal, what is the first thing I see? Construction! Another condominium. One York.

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Times Square, 48th Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues

Mary Sargent © 2008 ……....…click to enlarge

Mary Sargent © 2008 ………click to enlarge

Turned onto 48th Street and the first thing I see: construction! I think this is the building. A sliver building.

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Midtown, Sixth Avenue Between 31st and 32nd Streets

Mary Sargent © 2008 …………cclick to enlarge

The old, the about to be gone, and the new. The new being the tall bluish building in the middle back with lines of text running down it which you can't read, but I can through the miracle of enlargement. It says on the left verticle:

THE EPIC.COM............212 554 2700.............TTEXT "EPIC" TO 78247

On the right verticle:

GREEN RENTAL RESIDENCIES ...............................LIVE GREATER

I went to the epic.com, but you're on your own texting "epic" to 78247.


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Midtown, Sixth Avenue Between 31st and 32nd Streets

Mary Sargent © 2008 ………… click to enlarge

Does this make you think of orange hard candy wrapped in cellophane? No?

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Midtown, 30th Street at Sixth Avenue

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I have crossed Sixth Avenue now and I'm standing on 30th Street, shooting north. No, more like northish. Northwest. It's important to be oriented.

Construction is everywhere – it's also on the south side of 30th (out of the picture).

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Morningside Heights, 110th Street Between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues

Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine faces Amsterdam Avenue, and its grounds spread over 11.3 acres, from 110th Street to north of 112th Street and Amsterdam to Columbus Avenues. This is the southern border along 110th Street. Here we see . . . construction! What are they up to? I asked myself, and no sooner did I ask then I was googling. Well, after much tedious research, I discovered – you'll never guess. Yes! They're building an apartment house on the Cathedral's grounds!

It was only when I began writing this post that I looked for a link directly to the Cathedral and it was then I discovered the most exhaustive information about the project is right on their site. Slide shows and all. But it's always good to have a little controversy from the New York Times to balance the positive reporting from the Cathedral.

On another subject altogether, I don't think I've ever seen a structure that looked more like a face than this one at center. It had to have been done on purpose, don't you think?

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Downtown, Houston Street Between Hudson and Varick Streets

Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge



Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge



Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge


Must post and run. Indiana still too close to call. Whew.

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Greenwich Village, 3rd Street Between Mercer Street and LaGuardia Place

Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

This is most likely the site of the underground power plant NYU is building. I only hesitate because the location isn't exact; it's being built under Mercer Street between 3rd and 4th Streets according to this article in The Observer. Not under 3rd Street between Mercer and LaGuardia. One more uncertainty to live with.

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Greenwich Village, 3rd Street Between LaGuardia Place and Mercer

Mary Sargent © 2008 ……….. click to enlarge

Little blearly eyed here, having just come in from big birthday celebration, early big birthday celebration, since my birthday isn't until April 22. Let the festivities begin!

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Downtown, Varick Street, looking south from Vandam Street

Mary Sargent © 2008 ………….. click to enlarge

Another skyscraper going up. I've decided to add a label – construction – because I seem to be seeing it everywhere I go. Be patient while I add on the archival photos. More on the skyscraper later. Meanwhile, keep your eye on this handsome building because it will show up later in some reflections.

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Upper East Side, 86th Street at Lexington Avenue

Mary Sargent © 2008 ………. click to enlarge

Upper East Side, 86th Street at Lexington Avenue

Back at the Lucida. Sorry to be regressive, but I do like these two photos. And all we have to look forward to is Park Avenue.

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Upper East Side, 86th Street at Lexington Avenue

Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

Today I went downtown to the old office to meet my buddy, Yvette, for lunch. She's still there toiling away, and every now and then, she needs to go out and have a good long lunch, complete with drinks. We went to Novita, seen here in October 2006. I hesitate to say the food wasn't very good because, after all Zagat's has raised its rating from 23 to 24 and Time Out says it's Italian food for grownups. But dammit, don't grownups disdain undersized wine glasses? Isn't that an automatic demerit? However, drawing on our inner resources, we managed to have a good time, in spite of the disappointing food (grilled salmon, pasta with lobster ragu) and small wine glasses.

Afterwards, I took the 6 train up to 86th Street, walked over to Park, then up to 96th Street. I chose this destination so I could tidy up my map, tie up some loose ends, NOT because Park Avenue is an exciting street to walk on.

But first, look here – it's the Lucida, which we saw last October.

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Midtown, 58th Street Between Seventh Avenue and Broadway

Mary Sargent © 2008 ……… click to enlarge



Mary Sargent © 2008 ………… click to enlarge


Bill and I parted at Seventh Avenue; he was getting the bus back to DC and I was going home. I walked this block last year on October 10, but then I was walking west to east and showed only photos of a truck I was smitten with. Now I show you some actual street.

I have to find out what those orange pieces are on the side of this building. I need to know more about construction and demolition. I don't seem to know any construction workers.

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Midtown, 57th Street Between Sixth and Seventh Avenues

Mary Sargent © 2008 ………………………….. click to enlarge

Construction on West 57th. Don't know if it's a big deal building going up or just a run of the mill building. Can't find it on the web and didn't check around while I was there. It might look like a nice day and it's true, the temp was in the low 40's, but it was blowing a gale. It didn't encourage checking around.

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