In this week’s New Yorker Adam Gopnik (who also recently did a round-up of the ‘new Times Square’) talks with Jane Jacobs. It’s pretty worthless, but she tells a good joke, and unneccessarily characterizes herself as vindictive for still not liking Robert Moses. I guess I have a vindictive future to look forward to.
An Uneven Exchange of Power.
The Storefront for Art & Architecture hosts a exhibition of Armin Linke (his site has an interesting tool for building a print on demand book based on your surfing). Opening was this past weekend (sorry, wasn’t paying close enough attention).
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White Box. White Elephant.
The Telegraph repurposes a Vanitry Fair article this month about the problems with 173-176 Perry Street, the twin residential towers designed by Richard Meier. Since the lawsuits have not started to fly, nor settle, yet, it’s purposely vague about where responsbility lies. Some of the frustrations noted, including the near impossibility of relocating plumbing, lie squarely with the Meier, but the rest will likely get caught up in the network around him (associate architect, engineering, and construction manager). Though it is amusing to read about all the water problems, which makes it seem almost historical, a rehash of the criticisms leveled at the International Style with their impossible flat roofs. You would think Meier would have learned to detail these things by now. I bet someone is looking real close at the construction documents at the site next door.
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800 feet tall, but slender.
There’s no deal yet, but Pataki has opened his wallet, and Harry Cobb took out his pencil. Goldman Sachs has spared downtown another reinterpretation of the squat, anonymous, spec office tower by Ceasar Pelli, and instead offers up a tower that “acknowledges the universe [and] infinite space” brought to us by a master of the tall corporate tower. With all that infinite space, you know what that means: both a Hudson News and a Starbucks in the lobby (yeah, sure; have you been a GS building? They barely let the employees in, let alone some snotty barista).
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I’ve Never Been to Long Island*.
I’ve never understood the naming strategy behind Queens West. Unlike, say, the supercilious East Willamsburg, trying to inflate the brand value of your location by explicitly associating with one of the less desirable part of the city stikes me as counterintuitive. Why not try Manhattan East?
Anyway, some NJ Real Estate developer is huckstering what will be another anonymous and bland mega complex with ‘amenities’ (read: a treadmill in a closet and some concrete planters) to sit just south of Queens West. Jay Valgora, from the obliquely named V Studio, gets some face time in the write up (finally, after leaving Rockwell eight years ago in a snit over a lack of recoginition). The V Studio is brought to you by WPP, via the WalkerGroup. There’s really no point to mentioning that, but since it’s a bland article about a bland project that even the firm designing it can’t be troubled to post an image of, I’ve got to mention something. People will have to stare at the dung pile for generations. Like a professor used to say, architects should be required to put their name on their work. Right out in front. Sure, it might seem vainglorious at first, but think about it. For decades, as people gaze with disfavor on this project, they might wonder, ‘Who did this?’ And it could be right there: Jay Valgora is his name, ladies and gentleman.
*Can’t find a script to provide the full ref, so go rent it.
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WTC in the news.
The recent travails of Larry Silverstein, and Pataki’s announcement this week have led to a spate of coverage on the WTC site:
Is Silverstein Down to One At Zero Site? New York Observer
NO MONEY, NO LOVE? The Slatin Report
A Pause to Think Wall Street Journal
World Trade Center Leaseholder Vows To Stick To Rebuilding Plan NY1
A Fresh Start at Ground Zero New York Times
Rising Above Ground Zero, Tower Slowly Takes Shape New York Times
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Too bad they aren’t as elightened when it comes to their clients.
Hugh Pearman reviews the ‘Gherkin’, Norman Foster’s (sorry, Lord Foster’s) new tower for Swiss Re, insurers of the WTC. But don’t get excited. Apparently you will never be allowed in, even though a spokesperson observed that if they simply charged admission, they might be able to recoup their entire investment. Perhaps they could open a year late and give the proceeds to Silverman (via That Brutal Joint).
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There’s only room for one self-aggrandizing George in this town.
Just as I’m taking a poke at Larry Silverman, it gets announced that the Freedom Tower will get underway this July 4, not the during the Republican Convention, as had been previously reported (via Gothamist). Likely Pataki, fearing that the Preznit is becomeing more a political liability each passing week, pushed up the sked for maxmium self-interest. That, and with Larry “It wasn’t just a loss for me, but a loss for all of us” Silverman’s woes and gnarled death grip on the site, anything that makes it look like he is in any way necessary will be done. And a Karen Hughes-eqsue note to anyone who thinks having Time Warner Center Redux straddle what should be a place of honor is an abomination, remember, “after September 11, the American people are valuing development more and realizing that we need policies to value the dignity and worth of every development.” Don’t be a terrorist: love Big Pataki.
UPDATE: The LMDC hits all the high notes in its press release, also available in a poorly executed timeline.
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Jane Jacobs.
The grand dame of American architectural criticism, and who has a new book out ( curiously, Wired has Francis Fukuyama review it), lectures at City College tonight. Shepard Hall (Great Hall), Convent and 138th, 7:00 PM.
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Errata.
A few declarative statements after a couple weeks of beta testing this site (for all three of my readers):
1. Though, like most small scale online publications in the area, this site relies heavily on regurgitating and occassionally commenting on the articles of larger, more legitimate publications, this is not the full scope of my intent. In some instances, I think this is useful, since some aren’t as widely read as others, and, having a narrow focus, being a repository of current news isn’t a bad thing for the casual reader. That said, I started this with the full intention of providing ‘original’ criticism, reseach, maybe even interviews. Over the next few weeks, expect to see that, hopefully 2-3 times a week.
2. As noted at the bottom of this page, I’m no one you would recognize, but nor am I obsessively private. Should you run a WHOIS (and that happens a good couple of times a week) search on this domain, it’s all there, black and white.
4. Photo policy. We don’t run photos. I’m ambivalent about this practice, particularly when I get to the point of discussing items that are not directly newsworthy (meaning, someone else posted a photo). My initial concerns were about bandwidth (absurd, I know, but it’s more of a highly rational aesthetic about layout and programming; photos seem profligate somehow) and design. As things progress, I will revisit this, but for now, if someone else doesn’t have the materials online, you won’t find them here.
3. Comments, correspondents, criticisms, all welcome. I haven’t opened comments because of spam and maintenance, but anyone who makes the effort to comment or provide extended feedback can expect to have some audience for that beyond me. mail@’thedomainname’.com is where to send it.
5. And, lastly, thanks for listening.