[Photo from Nov. 15]
[Photo from Saturday]
The work on the southeast corner of Avenue B and Fourth Street appears to be wrapping up... as you may have noticed, a crew has been painting the building pink... here's a look this afternoon...
Been causing a few John Mellencamp flashbacks.
Anyway, 246 E. Fourth St. (aka 53 Avenue B) now joins the rarefied air of other pink buildings in the city.
ha. nice.
ReplyDeleteThis building has been joyfully painted for a very long time and now they just topped themselves again. Thanks for some contrast against the purple and gray bricks used in all the new buildings.
ReplyDeleteHuh? What does that building have to do with "new buildings"?
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful building,and what a shame that more "architects" don't value the addition of brick, stone, sculptural detailing - things to delight the eye and impart individuality and personality. Thank you to whoever the folks are who care enough to take the time and trouble (and expense) to do this for all of us.
ReplyDeletePretty and happy! I am a fan!
ReplyDeleteAlways enjoyed that colorful building on the corner, but I've admittedly been more intrigued by the tan and black building right next door. It looks straight from the turn of the century, if not older, and is seemingly unchanged judging from the building details like those great star shaped studs. I walked by yesterday and even saw an old upright piano in one of its equally period looking empty store fronts. I'm always worried that I'll see a for sale sign on it some day, it would be such a shame if they tore it down. Anyone know the history behind this relic?
ReplyDeleteIf they're not illegally building extra floors on top of the building then what's the point?
ReplyDelete@7:49pm - I've always been curious about that building, too. It reminds me of the old west.
ReplyDeleteI love pink buildings; I particularly love the pink loft-like building down at Grand and Orchard—aptly nicknamed
ReplyDelete"Big Pink"—which housed a high-end department store in the 19th century.
(According to this link, it almost burned down a few years ago.)
I noticed it last week. They just painted it not so long ago and it costs a fortune to paint it like that. How can they afford it, is it just for fun?
ReplyDeleteIt really doesn't cost much to paint. The big costs are in the prep or restoration work when needed. If you paint every 3-4 years, you'll save lots of $ in the long run AND it always looks nicer. This is nice work, but looks like it should be in Chelsea, juss sayin..
DeletePink and red. Yuck.
ReplyDeleteIf you did no know this the Parthenon (yes the one from Ancient Greece) was brightly painted this way although I'm sure about the pink. Google it to see what I mean.
ReplyDeleteI agree with 12:34---that sort of cutesy look looks incongruous in the EV.
ReplyDeleteAh, yes the never-ending SATCification of NYC.
ReplyDeleteMaybe this building will have a bar dedicated to the former mayor Pink.
@Goggla - Exactly my thoughts, too!
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 7:49 said:
ReplyDeleteAlways enjoyed that colorful building on the corner, but I've admittedly been more intrigued by the tan and black building right next door. It looks straight from the turn of the century, if not older, and is seemingly unchanged judging from the building details like those great star shaped studs. I walked by yesterday and even saw an old upright piano in one of its equally period looking empty store fronts. I'm always worried that I'll see a for sale sign on it some day, it would be such a shame if they tore it down. Anyone know the history behind this relic?
It's older than turn-of-the-century; it's easily from the 1850s or before. If you look, it's actually three joined 3-story houses; the studs are the terminations of rods that were shoved right through the floorboards (horizontally) to maintain its integrity and keep the building from collapsing. Architects often put ersatz ones on new construction they want to make look older than it is—but if you look, there are a lot of bona-fide old buildings in our neighborhood with these stars.
One example is the few old tenements at the corner of 10th and B. (Where the 10th street location of 9th Street Espresso is.)
As long as the landlord can keep it occupied and keep raising the rent, we don't have to worry about its being torn down—fingers crossed.
Pink? Someone's camera doesn't interpret color very well. It's light purple.
ReplyDeleteI think it's beautiful. I think they cyan trim at the top is especially nice.
ReplyDeleteAnyone know the name of the architect and the year built (1900 is NOT the true date, that's the DOB "estimate" for all buildings before 1900, I think).
ReplyDelete