Workers removed the remaining plywood around 51 Astor Place, and the front entrance and public plaza are now in full view...
And was there always a pay phone here? (And is this thing going to remain? Seems so unfabulous for the address.)
And I don't know why I took this shot.
10 comments:
My goodness, what an inappropriate-looking building. It wouldn't be half as bad if it wasn't so dark or at least had some architectural detail to it. I'm guessing an all-glass facade is cheaper to build than one with actual "stuff" on the outside, like ledges, columns, windows, etc. It's all just the same type of glass panel, one giant window. They basically cheaped out while trying to look klassy. Awful.
Bring back the plywood.
What companies are going to have offices in this thing?
Like others have mentioned, I'm not crazy about this building, but it's cool that the other (older, more architecturally interesting) buildings reflect in the dark glass.
I'm ashamed to say I used this as a reference yesterday when giving directions. A guy on Bowery was looking for the train, so I gestured toward Astor Place. He stared at me blankly, so I had to say, "Right where that ugly tall black building is..." I felt so dirty.
Blech!!!
one of the ugliest buildings i've ever seen.
cool new building! where in midtown is that?
I'm sure some of the mindless rabble that populate this blog (and others) will scream heresy, blasphemy, and all sorts of other invectives, but I have come to almost like the building. I grew up in the east village - and I hated the mediocre pile of yellow brick that Cooper Union put up to replace an older magnificent red brick palace of a building.
I like the way the new building reflects some of the older buildings around it - and if you view it from just the right angle, sky is delightfully reflected.
Most current buildings appall me - but i'm giving this one a chance.
I know, I know - I'm a heretic! A blasphemer! Stone me to death! I'm sure some of the constant commenters on this blog are sharpening their claws as they read this...
I know how you feel about knee jerk conservatism in the comment threads. But that building is ugly. No way around it. If there are some useful things at ground level in it, I won't mind so much. But it's horrible looking. And unlike the Cooper Union Klingon space station, it really dominates the area's aesthetic. The engineering building somehow feels a little tucked away. 51 Astor is just a monolothic blight. Hopefully the trees will grow high enough to block the view....
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