Who thought it was a "good" idea?...it was the practical idea when they worked and spent $$$ to revive this depressing dump of a block that had festered as a symbol of NYC's decline for too long.
I'll take the new Empire over the 1990 version...because you can actually go there now. And even in its "Disney-fied" glory, it's better than the dreary, dangerous, and plain sad 42nd St of the 80s and early 90s. There's life there now...people (yes, tourists), rather than the bleak nothingness that many seem to think was somehow better.
Original ornamentation removed is, of course, very sad. But that amazing facade and some details do survive...and the new facility has some wonderful screens and auditoriums.
Anonymous makes some good points. But the current 42nd street is emblematic of what's wrong with Bloomberg's New York City: it's all about the money, garish facades, commercialism, anything for the corporate buck. It could have been so much better, it could have been an elegant, inspired renovation. Instead, every inch of the sidewalk is crowded with vendors selling cheap crap, people gawking at horrible signage, and 24 hour noise. it's just a different eyesore.
7 comments:
Original ornamentation removed????
Who thought that was a good idea?
I'm just happy that they had enough sense to not tear down that building! Richard
Who thought it was a "good" idea?...it was the practical idea when they worked and spent $$$ to revive this depressing dump of a block that had festered as a symbol of NYC's decline for too long.
I'll take the new Empire over the 1990 version...because you can actually go there now. And even in its "Disney-fied" glory, it's better than the dreary, dangerous, and plain sad 42nd St of the 80s and early 90s. There's life there now...people (yes, tourists), rather than the bleak nothingness that many seem to think was somehow better.
Original ornamentation removed is, of course, very sad. But that amazing facade and some details do survive...and the new facility has some wonderful screens and auditoriums.
Anonymous makes some good points. But the current 42nd street is emblematic of what's wrong with Bloomberg's New York City: it's all about the money, garish facades, commercialism, anything for the corporate buck. It could have been so much better, it could have been an elegant, inspired renovation. Instead, every inch of the sidewalk is crowded with vendors selling cheap crap, people gawking at horrible signage, and 24 hour noise. it's just a different eyesore.
Just beautiful building!
Oh! Original ornamentation removed?
Very sad...
Those were probably the days :-)
I have only seen the "moden version ...
Beautiful colours ...
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