BFTF recently had the opportunity to spend a weekend walking around Manhatten, New York and was fascinated by the architecture there...
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Old Buildings Pictures
Initially thought that "Niketown" was a converted Fire Station or similar, but it turns out it was built by Nike, from the ground up, to resemble an early 20th century gymnasium. Further information can be found here and, but the architect no less, here. The numbers on the front of the building (which are what led BFTF to surmise that this was an old Fire Station, with the code being that of the fire crew) is in fact the touch dial code for "Nike".
This post office, which occupies such a huge area and is being redeveloped into an Amtrak rail station is rather classically built. Above the columns are a number of tributes to historical figures who have developed key aspects of the postal process. The "Untapped Cities" blog describes how these inscriptions range from Cardinal de Richelieu to the Persion Emperor Cyrus).
Times Square, so called because it used to be the home of the New York Times newspaper, is famous for being the place to congregate as the New Year begins, and for its dazzling electronic billboards. It is also the start (or end, depending on your point of view) of the Lincoln Highway, which stretches all the way across the US to San Francisco on the west coast.
BFTF was facinated by the old advertising signs painted onto some of the early 20th century brick covered buildings, and wondered what had become of these firms and what their stories were.
So imaging my joy at finding out that there is a website that has catalogued many of the signs in New York - and has a picture and information on this specific building!
Clearly, the 1970s were a tough time for the garment industry in NYC. A little digging reveals some research by economists Jason Bram and Michael Anderson showing that, shockingly, between 1969 and 1999, NYC lost however 69% of jobs in the apparel business.
Crikey
A striking juxtaposition of very old and very new.
Odd that there can be any run down looking parts of a place as expensive as Manhatten, but there you go.
Bit annoyed I can't tell you exactly what where the above, or below, buildings are located at...
Nice!
Very Nice!
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Oddments and Wall St Pictures
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| One World Trade Centre (link here) |
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| 8 Spruce Street (link here) |
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| 375 Pearl Street (link here) |
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| Rockefeller "XYZ" Buildings (link here) |
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| The Empire State Building (link here) |
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| The Rockefeller Centre (link here).... |
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| ...from the top of which one gets this view looking south in daytime.... |
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| ...and this view looking south at night. |
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| Financial district as seen from the Brooklyn Bridge |
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| And yes, BFTF did see the Statue of Liberty ! |
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Old Buildings Pictures
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| "Niketown" |
Initially thought that "Niketown" was a converted Fire Station or similar, but it turns out it was built by Nike, from the ground up, to resemble an early 20th century gymnasium. Further information can be found here and, but the architect no less, here. The numbers on the front of the building (which are what led BFTF to surmise that this was an old Fire Station, with the code being that of the fire crew) is in fact the touch dial code for "Nike".
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| James Farley Post Office Building |
This post office, which occupies such a huge area and is being redeveloped into an Amtrak rail station is rather classically built. Above the columns are a number of tributes to historical figures who have developed key aspects of the postal process. The "Untapped Cities" blog describes how these inscriptions range from Cardinal de Richelieu to the Persion Emperor Cyrus).
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| Times Square, not as big, or as square, as you might think |
Times Square, so called because it used to be the home of the New York Times newspaper, is famous for being the place to congregate as the New Year begins, and for its dazzling electronic billboards. It is also the start (or end, depending on your point of view) of the Lincoln Highway, which stretches all the way across the US to San Francisco on the west coast.
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| Loved these old business signs |
BFTF was facinated by the old advertising signs painted onto some of the early 20th century brick covered buildings, and wondered what had become of these firms and what their stories were.
So imaging my joy at finding out that there is a website that has catalogued many of the signs in New York - and has a picture and information on this specific building!
Clearly, the 1970s were a tough time for the garment industry in NYC. A little digging reveals some research by economists Jason Bram and Michael Anderson showing that, shockingly, between 1969 and 1999, NYC lost however 69% of jobs in the apparel business.
Crikey
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| St Thomas Church |
A striking juxtaposition of very old and very new.
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| Rougher looking area in mid-town |
Odd that there can be any run down looking parts of a place as expensive as Manhatten, but there you go.
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| Another example of old against new |
Bit annoyed I can't tell you exactly what where the above, or below, buildings are located at...
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| Beautiful ornate gilded stonework |
Nice!
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| More lovely old stonework |
Very Nice!
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| Residential flats in Manhatten - people do actually live here too. |
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Oddments and Wall St Pictures
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| First picture, having just come out of the Port Authority Bus Station (just south of Central Park) |
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| THIS is how you park cars in a limited space. |
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| A Rickshaw? Didn't see that coming! |
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| Took this, quickly, while crossing the road, possibly around 42nd Street |
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Southern end of Central Park, showing outcrops of the Manhattan bedrock and buildings in the background |
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| New York Stock Exchange |
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| Wall Street looking east. Narrow, isn't it? |
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| Wall Street looking west. Oh, the irony of having a church so promimently close to a place like Wall Street. |
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| Wall Street Subway Station, not as smart as one might expect.... |
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| ....but then, the very rich have the option of arriving at this Heliport just a few hundred metres from Wall Street |
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