Report: Astor Place reconstruction now slated for a fall completion

The completion date for the reconstruction of Astor Place and Cooper Square has been pushed back from summer to fall, DNAinfo reports.

A spokesperson for the Department of Design and Construction didn't offer any reasons as to why the multi-year(s) project will be delayed by one season.

“We anticipate construction completion in the Fall and will continue to work closely with the Department of Transportation], Parks and the community for any updates about this project,” said public information officer Shavone Williams in an email.

The work, which started in September 2013 and was expected to take two years, has included reconfiguring/revamping the Astor Place/Cooper Square streetscape with three new permanent plazas, additional seating, trees and a new design for Peter Cooper Park.

No word if this delay will impact the return of the Alamo, originally set for June 22 then moved to some time in August. Which, based on the ongoing delays, might mean October.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Five years later, Astor Place apparently ready for its 2-year reconstruction project

The all-new Astor Place is coming along (for real)

[Updated] Reader report: Rumors about the new Astor Place and the Alamo

[Astor Place photo from Saturday]

Longtime EVG reader Liberation shared the following...

[On Friday] I was told by someone who works for Village Alliance that, when eventually complete, the new Astor Place will have a variety of food vendors, outdoor tables and chairs, and some type of lighting scheme. There's a large electrical box on the northeast corner of Chase that will power all of this. The Village Alliance and some type of committee at the Sculpture of Living building decide who these food vendors are and, in general, decide what takes place in the area.



One bit of news I found shocking is that they have allegedly altered The Alamo sculpture so it will now include some type of lighting.

According to the Village Alliance employee the sculpture will also rotate on its own now as he said people have hurt their backs trying to spin it. Personally, I find it unethical to alter an artist's work to make it appear more like a theme park attraction.

The Alamo had an announced return date of June 22, but the city pushed it back to August.

Workers removed the Alamo for safekeeping for the duration of the $16 million capital improvement project on Nov. 25, 2014.

Updated 3 p.m.

William Kelley, executive director of the Village Alliance, shared the following with us:

The Alamo sculpture should return in August, and it is exactly the same as it was before. There are no lights and the spinning mechanism is human powered, just like before. It received a thorough cleaning and coating to protect it from the weather and will return in good shape.

Also coming in August, there will be bistro tables, chairs and umbrellas for use by the public, much like you see in other plazas around the city.

Finally, there will be a single food concession in the north and south plaza spaces at Astor Place (not around Cooper Square or points south) pursuant to the license agreement with NYCDOT. No other vending will be allowed on the plazas.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Alamo returns to Astor Place this Halloween

Five years later, Astor Place apparently ready for its 2-year reconstruction project

This is what it might be like living inside the Alamo on Astor Place

RIP Tony Rosenthal, the sculptor who created the Astor Place cube

The first of Jim Power's restored mosaic light poles has returned to Astor Place

Looking at a cube-less (still) Astor Place

Looking at a cube-less (still) Astor Place

[Photo by Vinny & O]

The weekly Astor Place Construction bulletin (PDF) issued last Friday revealed that the Alamo would return on Wednesday to Astor Place...(Workers packed up and carted off the Alamo for safekeeping for the duration of the reconstruction back on Nov. 25, 2014.)



Perhaps city agencies all didn't confer on this. Despite this news bulletin inclusion, the Parks Department came out on Monday with an announcement that the cube wouldn't return until August, as amNY first reported:

Although there were fliers posted in the Village that gave a June 22 date for the art piece’s re-installation, the agency said it is being inspected by a conservator for final preparation.

“NYC Parks has historically contributed its expertise to the upkeep of the Cube,” Parks spokeswoman Maeri Ferguson said in a statement.

So, until August, please enjoy the ghost cube sticker... it doesn't spin, though...





Also, as we first reported on Tuesday, the first of Jim Power's mosaic lamp posts was put back in place, nearly two months ahead of what was expected.


[Photo via an EVG reader]

By the end of the day, workers wrapped up the light pole... which makes sense given that this is still an active work zone... (still curious about the timing on this pole's return...)



Also! The Astor Place Subway Plaza for the uptown 6 is coming together... workers have planted trees here...to replace the ones that got chopped down in October 2013...





Still no official word when all the reconstruction work will finally be complete on Astor Place and Cooper Square.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Alamo returns to Astor Place this Halloween

Five years later, Astor Place apparently ready for its 2-year reconstruction project

This is what it might be like living inside the Alamo on Astor Place

RIP Tony Rosenthal, the sculptor who created the Astor Place cube

[Updated] The Alamo returns to Astor Place on Wednesday (unless it rains)

[Image via the Village Alliance]

After being in safekeeping the past 19 months, Astor Place's centerpiece — the Alamo — will return for re-installation on Wednesday.

This welcome news comes courtesy of the weekly Astor Place Construction bulletin (PDF) issued on Friday...



Note that the rain date is June 29. (The forecast does NOT call for any rain at the moment.)

Officials had been vague about an exact return date (June/early summer) until now.

Leading up to its return, the Village Alliance is holding a Creativity Cubed event at Astor Place through Tuesday.

Per the event notice:

Alamo Cube fans, young and old, will have the opportunity to craft and design their very own mini spinning Alamo Cube, and create new memories and stories for the future.

Visit Creativity Cubed today, Astor Place. Make your own spinning Alamo Cube & see the Strangers Project. FREE event pic.twitter.com/GjlPUwW0wl

— Astor Place NYC (@AstorPlaceNYC) June 19, 2016

The return might come as a relief to some (parody accounts)...

First person to make a life size reproduction wins and it will go on permanent display as I lost the original. https://t.co/j9IQYp6tT6

— Amanda Burden-Christ (@A_Burden_Christ) June 18, 2016

As you know, the area around the cube has been undergoing a reconstruction these past few years. No word on when it will all be officially complete.

And the Alamo won't be the only familiar installation to return. BoweryBoogie reported on June 13 that part of Jim Power’s “Mosaic Trail” will also return to Astor Place later this summer.

Workers packed up and carted off the Alamo for safekeeping for the duration of the reconstruction back on Nov. 25, 2014. The cube was installed here in 1967.

Updated 6/21

The Parks Department is now saying that the Alamo won't return until August. Per amNY:

Although there were fliers posted in the Village that gave a June 22 date for the art piece’s re-installation, the agency said it is being inspected by a conservator for final preparation.

“NYC Parks has historically contributed its expertise to the upkeep of the Cube,” Parks spokeswoman Maeri Ferguson said in a statement.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Alamo returns to Astor Place this Halloween

Five years later, Astor Place apparently ready for its 2-year reconstruction project

This is what it might be like living inside the Alamo on Astor Place

RIP Tony Rosenthal, the sculptor who created the Astor Place cube

The Alamo has been away from Astor Place for 1 year now

[Photo from last Nov. 25 by John M.]

One year ago today, workers packed up and carted off The Alamo for safekeeping for the duration of the reconstruction of Astor Place. (Gothamist captured the moment on video.)

Anyway. One year later. And the cube, which was installed here in 1967, remains in storage somewhere.



Well, except for on Halloween...


[Photo by 8E]

The CB3 website has a page dedicated to local construction projects, including the reconstruction of Astor Place. Plans for the multi-year(s) project have included reconfiguring/revamping the Astor Place/Cooper Square streetscape with three new permanent plazas, additional seating, trees and a new design for Peter Cooper Park.

There's a link to a weekly bulletin (PDF), noting what's happening now. This week, workers are continuing to install new granite slabs in Peter Cooper Park...



Sidewalk excavations/installation continue on Cooper Square West...



... and well as new sidewalks along the Cooper Union building...



While there is noticeable progress, it still seems like a bit of a mess...



However, there isn't any word among the city updates about the status of the cube. A "community advisory notice" dated Oct. 21, 2104, notes:

The Alamo Cube is slated to be removed and hoisted off by crane from the site and transported to a storage and conservation facility for rehabilitation by the end of the year. The exact timing and details of the removal are still pending. Once confirmed, further details will be provided. After rehabilitation is complete, the Alamo Cube will be reinstalled into its rightful place, along the new Alamo Plaza.

[A rendering of the new Astor Place]

We haven't seen anything about a possible completion date. The CB3 site still lists August 2015. A reconstruction project page via the Cooper Union Library on Facebook says January 2016.

So might as well pull up a comfy chair and just enjoy the rest of the construction...



Previously on EV Grieve:
The Alamo returns to Astor Place this Halloween

Five years later, Astor Place apparently ready for its 2-year reconstruction project

This is what it might be like living inside the Alamo on Astor Place

RIP Tony Rosenthal, the sculptor who created the Astor Place cube

The Alamo returns to Astor Place this Halloween

[Photo by Vinny & O]

Back apparently for a one-night-only appearance this Halloween... workers removed the Cube last Nov. 25 for (apparent) safekeeping during the never-ending reconstruction of Astor Place.


[Photo by 8E]

... and the Cube moves...

Astor Place cube. Best costume ever! https://t.co/vZloQa8f75 by federico #phhhoto pic.twitter.com/sm5pPtKyQL

— Federico Ulfo (@feulf) October 31, 2015

Looking at a Cube-less Astor Place

On Tuesday, workers carted off the Alamo from Astor Place… for safekeeping during the reconstruction phase.





No word how long the cube will be in storage. But it will return as the centerpiece for the all-new Astor Plaza…



The cube was installed here in 1967.

There goes The Alamo

Well, no wonder the Alamo was back in plain view on Astor Place... EVG reader John M. just got a quick shot of workers carting off the Cube on a truck ... apparently for safekeeping during the reconstruction of Astor Place.

And here's a little video action via Gothamist...

A video posted by David Johnson (@david_johnso) on Nov 11, 2014 at 7:16am PST

The Alamo comes back into full view

[Michael Paul Photography]

On 15, workers boarded up the Alamo to protect it during the reconstruction of Astor Place... the cube is now temporarily back into view... just mind the backhoe ...



Updated noon:

And now the whole thing is gone.

Remember the Alamo

While walking around Astor Place this morning... we were thinking that the crawler excavator was awfully close to the Alamo, aka the Astor Place cube... where work continues on the reconstruction of Astor Place...



Maybe someone else noticed...because workers later put up protective plywood around the Alamo for now...

Boarding up the cube at Astor place #nyc https://t.co/9l9UjyiY6E

— Chris Alexander (@alexandermania) October 15, 2014

And some day... the area will look like this...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Five years later, Astor Place apparently ready for its 2-year reconstruction project

This is what it might be like living inside the Alamo on Astor Place

Per the clip that appeared Monday on YouTube:

Dave is a creative writer who lives inside the iconic Astor Place Cube in New York City. The cube's 8X8 panels add up to 64 square feet which adds up to 512 cubic feet. For Dave, who is 5'8", that is plenty of space to move around, write, cook, sleep, work out and even play guitar. Dave uses a bicycle generator to power up the lights and a handful of electronic gadgets.

Cute enough, though it's not for real... per Business Insider:

The video appears to be an elaborate advertisement for WHIL, a company that promotes meditation in the business community, started by Lululemon Athletica founder Chip Wilson and his wife Shannon (a logo for WHIL appears at the end of the video.)

RIP Tony Rosenthal, the sculptor who created the Astor Place cube

Charlie Finch has the feature at Artnet:

Tony Rosenthal, the sculptor of the revolving black cube on Astor Place, died over the weekend at age 94. For myself and thousands of other East Villagers, this was the work of art that touched (and was touched by) us most. The memories of Village life revolve with it.

I first felt Alamo (the name of the cube) soon after it was installed in 1967. Coming home from concerts at the Fillmore East, guys would spin it to impress their girls then hop the subway for points north and south.

Here's the cube circa 1970 (Via)



After it was tagged in April 2006 (Via)