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A Period Piece
I’m still fawning over so many of the photos from Wired Forum’s New York in Black and White.
Staring at these photos makes me remember why I love this city, even on muggy days when tons of tourists slow up sidewalk traffic. And it makes me eager to enjoy this place when most of the other locals abandon ship in August.
I want to preserve these memories and create new ones in their mold, so I’ve started to recreate some of these shots, starting with Union Square. This is a project I’ll continue throughout the summer. First shots after the jump.
Behold, the Tiffany building in all its glory, 1899.
Here’s the same view (north on Union Square West from 14th St), now in the middle of condo development, with a much less flattering facade.
Another view of Union Square West, from the corner of Park and 17th, undated.
Duplicated, June 20, 2008. I love that all the buildings are intact, except for the shortest space that now bears a grimy McDonald’s.
The second building from left is the Decker Building, which is also visible in the original Tiffany’s photo above. (It’s the one at the far right; look for its name printed on the side.)
Now here’s a view of Union Square East from inside the park.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t duplicate this one exactly. Trees block too much of the scene, so my version features the view from the right side of Washington’s ponytail, instead of the left. However, at this time of year, the trees obscure much of the view from this angle, too. If you can’t make it out, the S. Klein building is now a Babies R’ Us, and the pavilion to its right remains largely the same.
More to come, soon.
By the way, if you care about the future of the park and its surroundings, check out Save Union Square.
