Friday, October 15, 2010

"Third Avenue Subway" (Route #3 from 1905)

Supplementing the First Avenue Subway (Route #1) and—one would assume—eliminating the need for a 3rd Avenue Elevated, William Barclay Parsons designed a four-track subway to run under 3rd Avenue and Bowery. It's complicated set of tracks in the Bronx belie an ambition of the original transit planners; to have the city's subways operated by private railroad companies such as the New York Central Railroad and the Pennsylvania Railroad. In Midtown, there's also an interesting crosstown connection along 35th and 36th Streets.


Thursday, October 7, 2010

Lifestyle Studio "Gytha" Opens on 92nd & Lexington

My friend—designer and entrepreneur extraordinaire Niraj Parekh—has opened up a new "lifestyle studio" on the Upper East Side at 92nd Street and Lexington Avenue, just across the street from the 92nd Street Y.
"Step into my new store "Gytha" and you are spirited away to an exotic land, full of beautiful designs for your home and yourself!

A unique Lifestyle Studio that combines exotic, sumptuous and beautiful fabrics from all over the World and a collection of contemporary and antique jewelry, silk scarves and more..

Location - 1384 Lexington Avenue, New York, N.Y - 10128 (Between 91st and 92nd St) Across from 92Y Ph # - 212 289 4114"
Niraj Parekh on the left with your humble blogger.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

No Pain, No Train on 2nd Avenue

It took close to 90 years to get this far in the construction of the 2nd Avenue Subway, but now it feels like the construction itself will take another 90 years. In the meantime many stores at the are launch box site are shuttering.
Michael Nagle for The New York Times
This is a great image above. It's such a contrast from the clean, rosy illustrations rendered in the early EIS reports.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Subterranean Cell Phone Service You Say?

Image courtesy of thenextweb.com

Love or hate the prospect of it...underground wireless reception for the subway may have taken a significant step forward according to Businessweek.
"AT&T Inc. and T-Mobile USA customers will have mobile-phone service on New York City subway stations after the carriers signed 10-year agreements to access an underground network being built by Transit Wireless LLC."

Friday, October 1, 2010

I.M. Pei's Hyperboloid vs. Grand Central Terminal

Take I.M. Pei's plans with a mix of relief and regret.

So imagine a fictitious, 'alternate history', 'parallel universe' version of New York City. Here a hyperboloid skyscraper, a narrow, vase-shaped tower, stands proudly over the Midtown skyline. It stands haughty, unique, and unforgettable—and right on top of what used to be Grand Central Terminal.