34th and Lex, Then and Now
Paul Sahner, and the blog NYC Grid, has an obsession with the past that I can only kinda, sorta, maybe, partially relate to. He recently tookcame a handful of slides taken by his grandfather in New York City in 1961, and tracked down each photo location and took a contemporary shot, to see how much things have changed in the City.
It's worth looking at the entire collection, but my favorite shot it above on the corner of 34th and Lex, looking west, as compared with the contemporary shot below. The Empire State still anchors the scene, of course, and that shorter, flat-topped building in front of it (the former Vanderbilt Hotel, built in 1913, I believe) is still there. The building in the right foreground has been replaced with something far uglier, the the bishop's crook lamppost is gone. I wonder what that sort of campanile is, just in front of the Vanderbilt. Looks like an Armory of sorts.
Love the Rexall drug store.
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8 comments:
Brooks,
That was indeed one of the old Manhattan Armories built in the decades after the Draft Riots. This one was torn down for the Norman Thomas High School & tower there at Park & 33rd, I believe, right where the tunnel comes out. Haven't googled yet to check dates etc.
Look at the way the people are dressed! I'm no George Will getting all worked up over denim (I like it) but I miss hats and skirts and coats and I REALLY don't like white athletic shoes.
When I was a little kid my father took me to some kind of religious festival in the Armory. I remember then singing "Faith, hope, and charity, that's the way to live successfully. How do I know? The Bible tells me so." That's all I remember.
When they were tearing it down I took a rock from the sight. Thought it would be a neat thing to have but it got lost along the way.
I'm with you lakelover. I hate all styles of dress derived from athletic wear.
Also was an old Armory on 14th Street and off 6th Avenue. Looked just like this one. Across the street from Salvation Army. Was torn down in the 60s.
Here's more info on the Armory
http://murrayhill.gc.cuny.edu/parkavev/
The guy did a great job rephotographing the original views. That's not easy to do, especially for a nonprofessional. I could look at photos like these 24/7.
Amazin'. It just goes to show classic stuff like Empire, Rockefeller Center etc. never goes out of style.
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