Chelsea Market

Posted on February 21, 2017 by Sabrina Vasquez

Located in the Meat-Packing district of Manhattan resides a foodie’s paradise. It stands on a large plot of land that stretches from west 16th street-west 15th street and 9th avenue-10th avenue; if you have ever walked throughout New York City, you know how long avenues can be. It seems to extend very far while walking inside the market but it also is an extremely enjoyable method of walking an avenue. Although it is a major tourist attraction, us locals can still enjoy the market on the regular basis since there is always new things to try from the vendors and recently added seating arrangements, leaving plenty of great places to relax, reflect, and recharge.

Seeing all the people walk and lounge throughout the market makes it hard to see what it used to be, a factory for NABISCO (aka National Biscuit Company). NABISCO started in 1898 by a lawyer/businessman named Adolphus Green in Chicago. He curated a merger plan of 40 small mid-western bakeries and 6 small bakeries from the New York Biscuit Company (created by William Moore). In 1906 the headquarters was moved from Chicago to Manhattan (what is now Chelsea Market) and was labeled the world’s largest bakery of its time. The very popular Oreo cookie was first manufactured between those walls, changing milk for kids nationwide. NABISCO left the building in the 1940’s and left behind the factory space. It is now home to many vendors after complete renovations had been done on the space by Vandeburg Architects in 1998. They stripped the space to its brick facades and utilized recycled industrial objects throughout the market, in a way making the remodel eco-friendly while giving it more of a grungy industrial essence. The market is not only a holding space for stores it’s so much more; it’s a indoor park, cafe, art gallery, historical museum, etc. Just think of getting your coffee, cheese, bread, books, or baking supplies from the same address that used to make your childhood’s favorite dunk-able cookies and infamous crackers that were crumbled over many bowls of soup.

Every time I go into an establishment or a public space I always tend to put it in my own mental category of what I would do there, in my opinion this place is perfect for reading, sketching, writing, or catching up with a friend. Try it out and visit the Chelsea Market or visit it again; if you haven’t been there in the last year ,like me, you will probably see newly added stores and exhibits. Nonetheless, it’s always a fun and exciting 800 foot walk, as you weave through the stores.

Uneeda Biscuit Boy

Wishing well collects spare change and gives it to the Salvation Army.

Valentine’s Day Project

Posted on February 14, 2017 by Sabrina Vasquez

Every chance we get we try to outwardly express our feelings for one another; whether it be a kiss goodbye, an “I love you” before hanging up the phone, or a slap in the face we all have this innate response to portray our emotions with actions. This is why a one-hundred-year-old trend called “Love Locks” seemed like a natural reaction. It started in World War I in Serbia; in a time when certain people weren’t able to be with each other since couples were geographically divided by the war. Most Ljubavi, the Serbian bridge in which people started locking padlocks onto, means “The Bridge of Love”. Locks upon locks, love upon love, the bridge grew tremendously over the years.

This trend started to migrate to other countries as time went on, and finally made its way to the Brooklyn Bridge in 2009. Tiny professions of love seemed sweet at first, but gradually turned into something disastrous as the tiny professions became large exclamations of love. It officially became outlawed in 2016 by DOT when a wire for an overhead light snapped under extreme weight of the “Love”. It caused the lane to be closed for two hours causing traffic among other things. The damage was able to be fixed but the risk is far too great to have people continue to further impair an iconic landmark like the Brooklyn Bridge.

Now that your “unbreakable” love will be clipped and will also cost a one-hundred dollar fine, I think it’s time to start finding more eco-friendly and pocket-friendly methods to profess those bottled feelings to that special someone. So this is a project for those who are itching to put their love on lock. You know who you are…

1. Think of that significant person in your life. Don’t worry this isn’t a test, take as long as you like on this step.

2. Find a rock and buy/borrow indefinitely from a friend/get a sharpie. These are the only tools you will need for this project.

3. Scribble you and your special someone’s initials on the rock. If you are a perfectionist like me, you can stencil it with a pencil first and then trace over it with the permanent marker.

4. Just like with the lock, meet up with that special someone at any body of water in the city. Luckily, we are surrounded by water. You can find some really great suggestions from my previous posts like, South Street Seaport or Brooklyn Bridge Park.

5. Throw it into the water like Mariano Rivera. The chances of ever seeing that rock is severely unlikely just how you will never recover the key of the lock. Your love will infinitely reside in your chosen body of water and you can visit its residence whenever you want.

As a fellow college student, I understand that money can be tight but this project is virtually free. So go… go profess your love. Fill the Atlantic Ocean with your love.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

The Big Duck: Part Two

Posted on February 7, 2017 by Sabrina Vasquez

After vacationing in California and driving by a coffeehouse in the shape of a coffeepot in order to draw in the driving public, Martin Maurer and his wife Jeule brought back a piece of that philosophy with them. They thought it would help their 27-acre duck farm business and bring more customers to their store. So in 1930 they set out to achieve this goal and hired George Reeve, a carpenter, and brothers William and Samuel Collins, set designers. Together, they fabricated something that would later be called the “decorated shed”. The wooden frame was set, creating a functional interior while starting the overall shape of the Duck. After the structural frame was assembled they began the skeletal work with mesh wire. Then, commenced the process of ferro-cement which entails the placement of a thin veneer of concrete over some type of reinforcement; various forms of concrete can be used, for example, mortar or plaster, in this case they chose cement plaster. The ferro-cement development was completed with the support of the Smith and Yeager Builders. It was then painted; the body an angelically light white, the beak a bright yellow, and the eyes were engineered to glimmer red in the nighttime from the Model T taillights that were placed in each socket. It was completed in 1931 and became the jewel of Flanders, Long Island; standing (…or in this case sitting) at 20 feet high, 30 feet long, and 15 feet wide.

Personally, I was excited to research this structure since it influenced an entire style of architecture coining the term “Duck Architecture” and was one of the major driving forces for the widely used style, Post-Modernism. As me and my mother pulled into the small parking lot adjacent to the Duck, I was immediately overwhelmed; “Do I just walk in?” “What do I say once I go in?” “Do I ask questions?” “Better yet, what are my questions?” I wondered. After quickly chipping away at my mother’s patience, she forced me to go inside. Greeted by warmth, a man, who I’d proclaim to be the Big Duck historian and went by the name of Mr. T, welcomed us and started to give us a briefing of the history of the Duck. From the day it was created to today the Duck has migrated to three times before making its final trip back to its nest also known as Flanders, Long Island; with each move marked a change in ownership. Mr. T and other locals told us that moving the Big Duck threw off navigation for many as the term “Turn left/right from the duck” was depended on, heavily.

After facing the risk of demolition on the last move, the Big Duck was saved by its supporters, fighting for it to be recorded in the national historical landmarks. “Some Brooklyn kids fought to keep it in the ‘80s.” is the way Mr. T put it. In December of 1987 the last owners of the Duck, Kia and Pouran Eshghi, made a crucial decision and donated the Big Duck to the county of Suffolk. Now it’s a gift shop and is managed by the Friends for Long Island Heritage.

Overall it was a great experience and I feel like it was the most fun I have ever had doing research. I think it would be fun for anyone who likes learning about historical landmarks or just loves exploring roadside attractions. Try it out and visit the Big Duck, it might be tiny but it’s packed with lots of history.

George Reeve. 1864-1943. Local Carpenter, Farmer, and Architect of the “Big Duck”. Photo donated by his grand-daughter, Rose Kreh Bernosky

The Big Duck: Part One

Posted on January 31, 2017 by Sabrina Vasquez

For a two-week special edition to my historical architecture theme, I decided to deviate from my initial plans of staying within the boundaries of the five boroughs of New York City. Instead, I have made a crucial decision to focus on a landmark housed practically on the tip of Long Island (near the Hamptons) by name of The Big Duck. This monumental building was very important to modern architecture (which years range from the 1800’s to the early 2000’s) since it possibly could have been the beginning of a major style in the 1980’s, called Post-Modernism. Personally when I think of the beginning of Post-Modernism, I think of the infamous married architectural duo, Robert Venturi and Denise Scott-Brown. This couple was like the Mom and Dad of this movement since they practically created it and were the key figures in making it popular.

There’s an architectural philosophy that many modern architects, as well as in many other professions of the design world, strongly applied to their work, “Less is more…” by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. This is a term commonly used in describing modern architecture since it was more common for structures to be honest and functional, leaving elaborate exterior adornments in the past. Venturi later coined his own term, “Less is a bore…” meaning that we should bring back some of the characteristics that we have already parted with; in a dire attempt to reestablish personality in structures since he thought that every building looked identical and they all took the form of boxes.

After Venturi and Scott-Brown traveled in various parts of America they noticed something, a trend. They found that roadside attraction businesses were something to be studied and analyzed. They found them to be the most honest pieces of architecture since they were not hiding what they were selling or what they truly were. They created their chain of analytics by using a structure called the Big Duck. The Big Duck is a 1930’s house that was built to sell duck influenced items to the driving public. People would drive by this oversized duck and want to pull over since they know what they are selling and what they were expected to purchase. From this Long Island distributor is where most people in 1932-1984 bought the infamous Pekin Duck and specialty items like duck eggs. They appreciated the different form of honesty and started basing their other structures on this billboard building. Others started to formulate their work on this philosophy and it soon became a trend. Which gives us buildings like The Longaberger Company building which literally looks like an oversized basket.

Even if certain parts of these buildings didn’t have any structural or operational reasoning, it was still considered important since it had stylistic necessity.

Tune in next week to see more of the historical side of the Big Duck now that I have explained why I find it so interesting that something so architecturally important is housed in New York.

The Flatiron Building

Posted on January 24, 2017 by Sabrina Vasquez

On the opposite side of Madison Square Park is the pinnacle of the Flatiron district in Lower Manhattan. Built in 1902, it remains a major tourist spot for its oddly picturesque features. Back in a time where skyscrapers were virtually unheard of, New Yorkers thought that it was impossible to have a structure amount to that particular grandeur of height. Although the building is only 22 stories high and doesn’t really seem to be very tall compared to other, more contemporary, skyscrapers, The Flatiron Building was quite baffling for the people of that time.

The 307 foot building was built by a Chicago native, Daniel Burnham. He was born in New York and raised in Chicago. As most of us can empathize with, he didn’t start out his career as some noble architect who was extremely dedicated to becoming an amazing mentor and creator of beautiful structures all over the world. His story began with failed attempts of admission to Harvard and Yale then to unsteady career decisions until the opportunity of architecture came along; almost like he was called to the drafting table, the urban civilization needing him to be a part of something great, something that would eventually be historical and loved. He would eventually be trained under a remarkable Chicago architect, William Le Baron Jenney; he shared this incomparable experience with other great historical figures of the modern era like Louis Sullivan and Martin Roche.

Upon the completion of the Flatiron Building, some New Yorkers fell in a complete and utter dislike with the skyscraper and others were amazed. With the wonky angular building, people were concerned with the possibility of it falling; structures weren’t meant to be that tall and look so unstable on a 25 degree angle base. Eventually they learned to accept the building; it wasn’t going to fall down like so many thought, it actually became an attraction, another reason to come to New York.

Burnham should be a symbol for all of us; that sometimes life doesn’t go your way but it doesn’t mean that you’re not destined for greatness. Maybe people won’t notice how great you are now, but we all have the potential to be or do something significant. Sometimes it’s the “Burnham’s Follies” in life that can completely change and enrich your life.

The Evolution of the New York City Housing Authority

Posted on January 17, 2017 by Sabrina Vasquez

NYCHA (New York City Housing Authority) started in the Modernist era of architecture. The concept was something new and unheard of, rent controlled housing for the city’s inhabitants. It started in the year 1934 marking the completion of New York City’s first urban complex. The very first complex was in the Lower East Village of Manhattan by architect Frederick L. Ackerman. The first in Brooklyn resides in Williamsburg called the Williamsburg Houses; it was built in 1938 consisting of 20 apartment buildings. The Red Hook East Houses complex remains the largest in Brooklyn with a whopping 27 buildings housing an estimate of over 2,500 inhabitants; the complex was established in 1939.

Since they all were supposed to be cost efficient, it resulted in them all looking the exact same way or something similar. The red, brown, and tan bricks would create an optical stereotype in the later years serving as a tell-tale sign of a proclaimed “project”. These buildings would be marked by a highly urbanized group of people; doused in, what I call, a true melting pot of cultures. Although these old buildings have a lot of history tied to them as various families once lived in them; serving as the only means of home for many childhoods, new government owned buildings are now hitting the public. Other than NYCHA the rent-controlled aesthetic in New York City is now considered outdated. So these new buildings are either called “senior living” or transitional housing for less fortunate families.

Since I lived in Brooklyn my entire life, I have been exposed to many iterations of these complexes. Seeing the new building in progress makes me see how the means of sustainability has severely changed over the years. It’s amazing to see what the new standard is for the current era of time. The older buildings’ were well equipped with updated programs like central heating and elevators for the elderly, disabled, and popular convenience. Now, the new technology being implemented is trendy alternatives of energy used from solar panels, and central air which eliminates the need for bulky air conditioners.

Looking at the new developments makes time seem very apparent as there is also a major change in overall look. The contemporary style has been carried out making the buildings not look like the same typical complex housing. I find it extremely fascinating how it’s so blatantly visible how time changes as the buildings stand adjacent to each other; an old veteran showing the rookie the new surroundings and what it has to offer. I guess sometimes you really can find the most intriguing subjects in your own backyard.

South Street Seaport

Posted on January 10, 2017 by Sabrina Vasquez

South Street Seaport has seen both good and bad days but it continues to flourish as a major tourist spot. Located in the lower section of Manhattan, next to the Fulton Subway stop, is a place in which embodies a different form of New York City. It seems so detached from the busy Manhattan essence; as if it is controlled by Manhattan’s predecessors. Cobblestones are laid on the streets where no cars or trucks can disrupt their constant peace. Salt fills the air as small shops stand in its midst; bringing back a retrospective feeling of what a town square would feel like in the 18th or 19th century. Before cars were invented and people gathered in a community of shops to buy, sell, trade, and converse with fellow neighbors; it claims the same historical value of new faces and togetherness.

Throughout the Seaport’s history it has seen its fair amount of ups and downs but it continues to persevere through time with the help of the people. Once the Battle of Long Island concluded in Brooklyn (as I explained in a previous post), British soldiers took hold of the port, taking away New York’s safest port for incoming merchants. They occupied this space for eight long years (1776-1784) before the New Yorkers regained claim to the beloved port.

Then in 1835 there was the great fire of Manhattan that ruined blocks and blocks of homes, businesses, and nature itself. Since all structures were built with wood, something as simple as one ember of fire created a domino effect to the closely knitted buildings; like an urban forest fire. The tragedy consumed 50 acres and over 550 buildings. The inhabitants regrouped and through years of pure dedication and financial struggle they pieced lower Manhattan back together.

Leading onward to October of 2012, a time in which hurricane Sandy tremendously created a major disaster. She tore apart New York City borough by borough and street by street. She showed no mercy; washing away a beautiful piece of history like the Seaport. With her deathly blows of intense winds, the Seaport that we all knew and loved was obliterated in one devastating night. But just as the population in the 18th and 19th centuries, the New Yorkers recollected and worked immensely to rebuild the Seaport. At a point in time the entire street was filled with shipping containers, serving as pop-up shops, which quickly revitalized the business and trading aesthetic back to the Seaport. This was an act of defiance against nature showing our enduring allegiance to our city, doing whatever it takes to see it flourish. Over four years later, we have almost rebuilt the seaport, not back to the way it was, but to something better by adding up and coming businesses making an eclectic hang-out spot for both tourists and city-dwellers.

Macy’s Holiday Window Display

Posted on December 20, 2016 by Sabrina Vasquez

As the end of the semester quickly approaches, I pondered with myself how to end this semester of photoblogging with a bang. In light of the holiday season, I decided Herald Square’s Macy’s window display was the best way to close out this memorable year. Their “Believe” campaign started for the Make-a-Wish foundation to give ill children hope with a Christmas miracle in the shape of presents and granted wishes. Over time the “Believe” campaign became more mainstream in the attempt to get all children to believe in the greater good. Especially for Macy’s, Santa has become a symbol of humanity between all races and religions, vying to show kids that regardless of our differences we all deserve to shown respect, kindness, and love in memory of the sincere and selfless Saint Nicholas that we have all come to know and love.

This year’s window display showed the meaning of the Christmas spirit through words of holiday wisdom; it makes people believe again, not only in Santa but in humanity. It starts off with a display labeled “Santa”, kids gravitated toward this display, questioning their parents if their name was on the list. It was heartwarming to see the children converse with each other about Santa, while reassuring each other that every single one of their names were certainly on the list. The second display was titled “Celebrate” which included an interactive pinball machine; not only the kids were drawn to the game, even adults waited in line to have a chance to play. The third display was called “Together” showing that we are all connected and should enjoy the moments we have with friends and family as we fellowship. The fourth, “Giving”, showed an important attribute of the holiday season, the exchange of gifts to show your appreciation for each other. The fifth window titled “Love”, depicts Mr. and Mrs. Clause dancing to a Christmas tune. This display was also interactive since it played music when you touch the glass. The sixth and final display was labeled “Magic” which depicted a half underwater and half above ground utopian scene in which the reindeer came to these magical grounds to frolic and graze; this window exceptionally spread the joy of the wispy and wondrous.

This tradition started in the 1870’s by RH Macy, himself, at the original Macy’s on 14th street. Over one hundred years later we still enjoy this magical creation. It takes two hundred-fifty designers/carpenters/Santa’s little elves to build this masterpiece. It also takes twenty-one days and nights to complete, ultimately gaining over ten thousand viewers during the holiday season.

I would love to thank everyone who read and enjoy my posts; I learn more about New York as you do, as well.

Happy Holidays, Everyone!

Together Display

Giving Display

Borough Hall is not alone…. It never was

Posted on December 13, 2016 by Sabrina Vasquez

In August 1776, the summer the Declaration of Independence was established, the American Revolution was still in effect. The battle of Long Island, better known as The battle of Brooklyn Heights, took place in all parts in Brooklyn extending all the way towards Long Island. This infamous fight is still popular and a beloved story by many Brooklynites. Retrospectively, the city was not modernized yet and cornfields overtook what is now buildings and roadways. George Washington led his soldiers through the vast fields and was later flanked and outnumbered by the redcoats (British and German army) nine hundred ninety-three was injured and three hundred sixty-four sacrificed their lives for this battle. Although the Americans was defeated in the end of this battle, the legacy still lives on. In the busy area of Court Street one can find a placard with the date, description, and quotes from the battle on what is now a Trader Joe’s establishment.

Although the park juxtaposed Borough Hall’s State Government Office is named Columbus park celebrating Christopher Columbus and his achievements, the most important part of the park that epitomizes Brooklyn , in my opinion, is the the statue of Henry Ward Beecher. The bronze and granite statue stands fourteen and a half feet tall created by John Quincy Adams Ward, who sculpted the figures, and Richard Morris Hunt, an architect who contributed the pedestal to the project. Beecher, a Connecticut born pastor was very radical person for his time. In 1847 he moved to Plymouth Congregational Church in Brooklyn heights which became the largest church and congregation in the United States with a 3,000 congregational following. He had very strong views that was not always recepted by the main public. Beecher was an abolitionist, supporter of women’s suffrage, and protector of children in a time where people were regularly undermined, violated, and oppressed. Beecher wasn’t ashamed of his opinions and voiced them through writings, sermons, and other lectures. The statue was dedicated to him by showing his main objectives in life. An African-American girl places leaves at his feet on one side to represent his strong anti-slavery dynamic. On the other side depicts a boy aiding a girl as she places garland, also, at his feet to show his protection of children. The statues holds a great deal of poeticism by showing Beecher’s greatest achievements and how they influenced an entire community.

Ironically, on this Thursday Borough Hall will be hosting a gathering for a campaign labeled National Day of Healing aka #Youarenotalone. As another Buzz blogger, Amanda, mentioned last week the gathering is for peace, love, and contentment. In a time of so much hate and loneliness we have the ability to give back some love in the form of fellowship. As we congregate by 209 Joralemon (State Government Office) sharing peace and words of respect, we will also be overlooked by an influential respecter of people, Henry Ward Beecher.

Center For Architecture… and it’s not only for architects

Posted on December 6, 2016 by Sabrina Vasquez

The Center For Architecture, otherwise known as the CFA is New York City’s chapter representing the AIA (American Institute of Architects). This chapter dates all the way back to when the AIA was first founded in 1857. It started with a small group of thirteen architects, creating a professional quota of what every architect should implement in his/her work. Before this means of declaration, anyone could proclaim themselves architects without “proper” training or schooling since there weren’t any schools for architecture or official licensing that architects face today. Like the Founding Fathers, these architects established standards and their own set of laws creating a documented beginning to a culturally dense practice of architecture. The declaration that they made changed over the years as architectural natural selection took place. Actually, just two years after they formed they added sixteen more architects to their group ultimately adding the new incite to the decree; one of the architects being Calvert Vaux, as I mentioned him in a past post.

The very first president of the AIA was Richard Upjohn, an England born architect known for Gothic Revival style and cathedrals. His son would later be a partner in the group as well continuing his legacy. The main AIA headquarters was later stationed at The Octagon House, Washington D.C. in 1898. Now the president is Elizabeth Chu Richter, with Robert Ivy as acting CEO.

New York City’s chapter of the AIA (CFA) is now in Greenwich Village on West 3rd street. Each chapter’s main focus is on public areas and community outreach. The architects find new and improved ways to enrich the community. By going to the CFA you can be able to see history of NYC and the plans to improve it while keeping the culture. Everything that is shown in the exhibit is new or upcoming projects, the building filled with gallery style renderings and photographs.

This exhibit is not only for architects since it is open to the public and costs nothing to visit (some of their programs/conferences that are held can cost money; some are cheaper than others, from 10$+). Just as an art gallery, I feel that anyone could enjoy the Center since it shows new projects that could potentially feel personal as they may be close to where you work, study, or live. It’s very interesting to see what’s going on in your neighborhood almost like having a sneak peak into the future.

Plan your visit to the Center For Architecture and maybe catch a function that normally is scheduled for after or before work hours.

Inside a displayed corner is a constantly changing sub-exhibition. The most current showcase is of kid’s architectural work.

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