NYC Architecture and Development

[lynqueezy]

I was in NYC this weekend and took this picture of the tallest building in the united states too.

 

[Matthew]

And the world's scariest bike lane it looks like, too.

 

[lynqueezy]

And the world's scariest bike lane it looks like, too.

I rode my skateboard through 70 blocks of Manhattan on that lane and survived.

 

[kjdonovan]

I rode my skateboard through 70 blocks of Manhattan on that lane and survived.

I rode a Citibike on Broadway from 59th to Bowling Green at the base of Manhattan a few weeks ago, on a Saturday night (thought it would be faster than the subway...it wasn't). That was far and away the most fun I've ever had biking in a city. Also, feared for my life for most of the time. But if you're a city biker I highly recommend giving it a go.

 

[lynqueezy]

I rode a Citibike on Broadway from 59th to Bowling Green at the base of Manhattan a few weeks ago, on a Saturday night (thought it would be faster than the subway...it wasn't). That was far and away the most fun I've ever had biking in a city. Also, feared for my life for most of the time. But if you're a city biker I highly recommend giving it a go.

Yeah biking through the streets of NYC at night is quite the experience isn't it? haha

 

[Matthew]

NYC Subway averages 17 mph. Not great but you'd be hard pressed to beat it on a bike. And nothing really beats the express tracks when you can use em.

Actually, I think I'd more concerned about NYPD brutality than cars. They seem to have it out for bicyclists, and it doesn't matter if you follow all the laws. Favorite tactic of the NYPD brutes is to park their cop car in the bike lane and then ticket you for passing them. Even though that's not against the law. They don't care.

For all the problems that BPD has, it's a far better and more professional force than the literal thugs at NYPD. We're lucky, I guess.

 

[itchy]

^^ Quite possibly the dumbest thing I've ever heard. I lived in NYC for 5 years. I cannot imagine a more professional, polite, helpful and responsive force of its size than the NYPD. You may want to cut back on the Chomsky / Zinn.

 

[Matthew]

You are being willfully blind, itchy. And I don't appreciate the jackassery from you either.

I follow the news from Streetsblog and Transportation Alternatives. The NYPD makes it a regular habit to attack pedestrians and bicyclists while ignoring dangerous vehicular behavior, even that which kills children.

This is your professional police force at work, attacking elderly Chinese seniors who are just trying to cross the street:

"No criminality suspected" in death where SUV veers onto sidewalk:

I could go on and on and on, but I have to go. There is a nearly endless stream of articles reported about traffic violence in NYC. And the common theme from the NYPD is that they don't care.

 

[fattony]

^^ Quite possibly the dumbest thing I've ever heard. I lived in NYC for 5 years. I cannot imagine a more professional, polite, helpful and responsive force of its size than the NYPD. You may want to cut back on the Chomsky / Zinn.

You don't need to read Chomsky to think stop and frisk is a horrific, un-American policy that has quietly and thoroughly re-institutionalized racism in the NYPD.

 

[itchy]

You are being willfully blind, itchy. And I don't appreciate the jackassery from you either.

Ouch, dem's fightin' words from a crackpot champagne commie like you, Mattie! I'm guessing you're a 6th-year grad student; that's OK.

 

[Matthew]

Oooh, champagne. Where do I get the champagne?

Though I'd rather have beer. Can that be arranged?

 

[underground]

I lived in NYC for 5 years. I cannot imagine a more professional, polite, helpful and responsive force of its size than the NYPD.

In fairness to Itchy, that dude who got strangled to death was strangled to death in the most professional, polite, helpful, and responsive way possible. Hats off to the NYPD and their continued slaughter of the general public!

 

[cozzyd]

Ouch, dem's fightin' words from a crackpot champagne commie like you, Mattie! I'm guessing you're a 6th-year grad student; that's OK.

Hey, 6th-year grad student feeling slighted here.

 

[DZH22]

My mom took this today. 432 Park in Midtown. Already taller than the Empire State.

 

[Downburst]

Ahhhh, I can't wait to see this in person. The last time I was in New York (December 2012) I think they were still working on the basement levels.

 

[fattony]

Ahhhh, I can't wait to see this in person. The last time I was in New York (December 2012) I think they were still working on the basement levels.

I'm going tomorrow

 

[fattony]

 

[datadyne007]

Nice! Thank your mom for a great pic!

My parents always try to send me pix of buildings wherever they go, but they're usually not as good. =P

 

[Matthew]

Gah, been so busy, I haven't had time to post anything since I got back. I finally made it back to NYC after a bit of a long hiatus (5 months).

September 2014!

NYC style cycle tracks (1st Ave)

East Harlem. A whole block of shuttered buildings above retail -- what a shame. But at least they got the Chicken Guy on the tricycle thingy. Crummy cell phone camera, I guess it's not that visible...

Frederick Douglass's view.

Rapid development near Morningside. My friend says this went up in less than 6 months.

I was told that the new building on the left was built on church land, much to the dismay of the local NIMBYs.

Lafayette was a popular guy...

Not everyone is so happy in Harlem...

Future site of a Whole Foods. There goes the neighborhood!

Sadly the Lenox Lounge situation seems to have never been resolved...

125th and Lenox, with SBS M60

It's nice what you can do with wide sidewalks.

The Park Ave viaduct - New York Central

Interesting small improvements done with paint and planters, around a park.

A tree grows in Harlem, I guess?

Nice onion dome at 2,3 express stop.

NYCHA, a marked difference with surrounding character

 

[kz1000ps]

Here's some randoms from the last month or two...

Big bad Penn Station

Lonely dude

Now last week in Harlem

The old school Broadway haunt Cafe Edison, which very soon will be disappearing forever because you know why...