Puny buildings...;)

By Taylor..>3

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2290/...7f0e5f15_o.jpg

To think someone posted a comment that THIS is "ill proportioned."

It couldn't be more classically perfect if it was designed by the ancient Greeks. I hope this particular view is NEVER obscured.

It doesn't get more perfect than that.

Amen.

I would have to say it is a perfect tower. There is no doubt that it is a wonder of the world.

Overlawyered.com

Suit: You kept me from jumping off the Empire State Building

Jeb Corliss is a professional stuntman and BASE jumper who has parachuted from the Eiffel Tower, the Golden Gate Bridge and the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, but apparently none of his stunts compared to the trauma of being forbidden from jumping off the Empire State Building in 2006: he's sued for $30 million, complaining that the stress of being handcuffed to the railing (after security officers pulled him down as he was climbing over the safety railing) has caused "emotional distress" and "adrenal fatigue." The suit is a counterclaim to a suit the building filed against Corliss (for an only slightly less implausible $12 million) meant to deter other jumpers from endangering third parties; a judge had dismissed reckless endangerment criminal charges on grounds that Corliss wouldn't actually endanger anyone by jumping, a ruling the city is appealing.

http://www.fahad.com/pics/wing_suit_test.jpg
(fahad.com)

- That's Jeb in his amazing flight suit... taking a dive.

http://img107.imageshack.us/img107/3041/19zj1.jpg
(wykop.pl)

Look! Up in the sky! It's a Bird! No, it's a Plane! NO, it's... a SQUIRREL!

http://www.isntlifeterrible.com/uplo...s/1-790307.jpg
(isntlifeterrible.com)

:laugh:

Photo by arvind1981

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2113/...9bbb58c9_b.jpg

Beware evildoers. SuperPigeon keeps an ever vigilant eye over the Big Apple...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2235/...c9c7bde9_b.jpg
Photo by pimvandenheuvel

New York's magnificent bridges are some of the most under-appreciated examples of architecture in the world.

I think the city's bridges are second (after the skyscrapers) on my list of things I like about New York. In fact, the bridges are probably a more visual connection for some because they are scattered over and around all boroughs.

Absolutely, NYguy. In their own way, they are as sublime as the ESB.

The Williamsburg Bridge:

http://www.makezine.org/billburgbridge.jpg
makezine.org

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...urg_Bridge.jpg
wikimedia.org

The Throgs Neck Bridge:

http://www.mta.info/mta/news/release...hrogs-Neck.jpg
(Metropolitan Transit Authority)

The Manhattan Bridge:

http://www.bookcase.com/~claudia/mt/archives/Bridge.jpg
bookcase.com/~claudia

http://cache.eb.com/eb/image?id=94262&rendTypeId=4
cache.eb.com

The Brooklyn Bridge:

http://themes.belchfire.net/screensh...lyn_bridge.jpg
belchfire.net

http://blueroof.files.wordpress.com/...lyn-bridge.png
blueroof.files.wordpress.com

http://scotthaefner.com/surface/gall...klynbridge.jpg
scotthaefner.com

The Queensboro Bridge:

http://www.rockphotography.co.uk/Por...oBridge_01.jpg
rockphotography.co.uk

http://www.kioskrealty.com/wp-conten...oro-bridge.gif
kioskrealty.com
(Magnificent!)

The Triborough Bridge:

http://www.richmangalleries.com/images/Triborough.jpg
richmangalleries.com

http://z.about.com/d/queens/1/7/-/5/...ugh_bridge.jpg
z.about.com

The Whitestone Bridge:

http://www.mta.info/mta/news/newsroo...-repair-lg.jpg
Metropolitan Transit Authority

http://www.darkgiftdesign.com/images...one-bridge.jpg
darkgiftdesign.com

The Verrazano Bridge:

http://blog.dr2ooo.com/wp-content/photos/bridge.jpg
blog.dr2ooo.com

http://imagecache2.allposters.com/im...ge-Posters.jpg
imagecache2.allposters.com

The George Washington Bridge:

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/...annon.span.jpg
NYTimes.com

http://pictopia.com/perl/get_image?p...hoto_id=144723
pictopia.com


Per Wikipedia, Le Corbusier (Charles-Edouard Jeanneret) said of the George Washington Bridge:

"The George Washington Bridge over the Hudson is the most beautiful bridge in the world. Made of cables and steel beams, it gleams in the sky like a reversed arch. It is blessed. It is the only seat of grace in the disordered city. It is painted an aluminum color and, between water and sky, you see nothing but the bent cord supported by two steel towers. When your car moves up the ramp the two towers rise so high that it brings you happiness; their structure is so pure, so resolute, so regular that here, finally, steel architecture seems to laugh. The car reaches an unexpectedly wide apron; the second tower is very far away; innumerable vertical cables, gleaming against the sky, are suspended from the magisterial curve which swings down and then up. The rose-colored towers of New York appear, a vision whose harshness is mitigated by distance."

And then there are the Central Park masterpieces:

http://joebly.com/7-bow_bridge_side.jpg
joebly.com

http://joebly.com/7-Gothic_Bridge_Horse.jpg
joebly.com

http://joebly.com/7-Gapstow_Bridge_Snow.jpg
joebly.com

No other city has such a multitude of beautiful suspension bridges. The bridge aspect of New York alone puts it ahead of so many other cities.

I try to explain to people all the time that New York is really just a city of islands. It's held together by its subways and bridges. Of course, ferries help...:)

Along with the GW, two of the best to look at...:tup:

I agree, nothing beats looking at the Verrazano from the Belt Parkway, or the GW from the Hutchinson River Pkwy (except the Brookyln Bridge going into Lower Manhattan).

It IS the culmination of NYC bridge construction, chronologically and size wise. With all the NIMBY opposition to any development these days, it's hard to imagine anything like it will be built in the City again. Tunnels seem to be the way of the future.

http://www.destination360.com/north-...ano-bridge.jpg
destination360.com

All of the bridges in New York are so beautiful. I saw something on the History Channel a few months back on how controversial they were.

What's the name of the planner of most of them? Is it Verazzano?

othmar ammann designed many of the new york area bridges

The more time I spend looking at Verazzano the more I love it. The Golden Gate certainly has a more attractive setting, but I don't think any bridge is as beautiful. It is the perfect modernist structure.

Wow. That's funny, and ridiculously awesome. The Empire State Building and Starbucks Coffee. The two biggest things in the city combine to create a super NewYork-splosion!! One can only imagine...



p.s. before all of you start attacking, I know that Starbucks originated in Seattle. however, you can't argue the major presence the coffee shops have in the city. Seattle, you have my gratitude for giving the world Starbucks Coffee.

An oft forgotten New York Bridge:

http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/1432/hgbsmuh7.jpg

These are probably my three favorite bridges in New York. The Brooklyn Bridge because to me it is more the essence of New York than any other bridge in the city (tragically I had to see it destroyed twice this holiday season [I Am Legend, Cloverfield] ;) ); the Verrazano Bridge because it reminds me of home, gives New York a record to hold (longest suspension bridge in the U.S.), and serves as the city's gateway; finally the GW because it is simply gorgeous, an exhibit of the marvels of engineering and the achievement of mankind.

Giovanni da Verrazzano [1] (c. 1485 – c. 1528) was an Italian explorer of North America, in the service of the French crown.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giovanni_da_Verrazzano

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...iVerrazano.jpg

Robert Moses planned much of the transportation infrastructure of the city.

Now all they need to do is move in the Duane Reade from accross 34th Street, and create the city's largest Duane Reade, and the vision will be complete...;)

That one is overlooked because its so close to the Triborough (another handsome bridge). The Triborough may or may not be renamed after Robert Kennedy.

I heard about that, and to be honest (no disrespect to Kennedy), but I would prefer it to remain 'The Triborough Bridge'. The name of it after all reflects the purpose it serves.

Name a street after him.

:haha: werd

I'm serious...:)...I never leave home without my Duane Reade "rewards" card. You get a whole $5 dollars off for every $100 you spend, lol. Big bucks. But I also often stop by the Walgreens that's inside the Empire State, though I never really consider it to be inside.

That's cool.

...hmmm I do miss Manhattan. :rolleyes:

Mystery: Empire State Building Zapping Cars Dead?
CBS 2 Investigates Daily Reports Of Cars Not Starting In 'Dead Zone'
NEW YORK (CBS) ― Is it urban legend or an act of science?

There have been reports of a bizarre phenomenon that some are calling the "dead zone," a five-block radius surrounding the Empire State Building where many say they've been unable to start their vehicle's engine after parking in the area.

And it seems to happen every day at some point -- dead cars in the "dead zone."

"The whole security system will not work. The door will not be opened, the activation of the security system won't work, the ignition will not work," says Rony Yaakobovitch a tow truck operator at Citywide Towing.

kobovitch blames the frequent occurrences on radio frequencies from Empire interfering with and jamming frequencies for computerized security systems on cars. Officials with the FCC and the Empire State Building say there no proof of that, but Yaakobovitch wonders how the vehicles seem to magically be perfectly fine after being moved out of the "dead zone."

"We tow it five or six blocks and the car will start right up," Yaakobovitch says. "[The owners] are amazed, they don't believe it."

Tow trucks operators say the "dead zone" is no secret -- it's been going on for years. Even doormen working along Park Avenue swear there's something coming off the skyscraper and zapping cars.

"It is true, because I've seen it with my very own eyes. I've gone out there and helped people," says a local doorman who only identified himself as "Carlos."

So what do experts have to say about the "dead zone?"

"It sounds a little suspicious. It sounds like more than just random breakdowns in a city. The location and frequency sounds a bit high," says Karl Brauer, an automotive expert. "I believe it's potentially true and I'd want to see more statistics to see if you could confirm something."

I would pin point it as a result from the ESB antenna.

And Doctor Doom stikes again...(or maybe it was Dr. Evil). Eventually, all of Manhattan will be striken by the ESB's giant "deathray"....making Doom ruler once and for all.

When is the ceiling renovation going to start? I'm coming to NYC next spring so it would be cool to see the old mural come back to life once again!

Btw, whats the best day of week to go up to the observation deck?

archrecord.construction.com

Empire State Building Lobby
June 2007
Empire State Building Lobby Getting a Makeover
C. J. Hughes



Although not generally known for its ground-floor views, the Empire State Building—which recently topped an AIA poll of Americans’ favorite buildings—may soon give visitors a reason to linger at street level. The lobby of this Art Deco skyscraper, designed by William Lamb and completed in 1931, is being restored.

A plastic-panel dropped ceiling in the lobby, added in the 1960s, is being removed. In its place will go a re-creation of the original ceiling, a gold-leaf-on-canvas abstraction of planets and stars. A re-creation, rather than a restoration, is necessary because removing the white paint slapped over the original art was deemed too costly and difficult, explains Richard Metsky, an architect with Beyer Blinder Belle Architects and Planners, which is handling the renovation. Crews will stretch a new canvas over the old one, preserving it in case future generations ever develop a more cost-effective restoration method. The work will be completed as part of a $400 million, full-building renovation that includes both interior upgrades and the installation of 6,500 replacement windows.

Overall, Metsky hopes to improve the character of a lobby whose triple-height main entry and buffed gray-and-lilac terrazzo floors has in recent years been muddled by bulky security gates and garish storefront signs. Renovations, which begin in July and will last until March 2008, will add rows of cold cathode bulbs to brighten the dim space, which encompasses half a city block and has five entrances. Back-lighted illustrations of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, added in the 1960s, will be removed.

Beyer Blinder Belle is particularly suited to the project, having restored Grand Central Terminal and the Chrysler Building, both nearby New York City landmarks with highly decorative ceilings. “This is great opportunity to be able to restore the drama and character of what the original architects intended,” Metsky says. “It’s a very theatrical space.”

Oh, thanks CoolCzech!

Any non weekend day that is clear is your best bet.

What kind of moron paints over artwork?

It's always crowded there, but any clear day is your best bet. Now that you mention it, I'm due for another trip up there myself.

When I visit the Empire State building sometime this year or next, I want to make sure I visit the 102nd story observation deck of ESB. In 2005, it reopened after 6 years, so i'll finally be able to see what it is like up there.

What i've noticed is that everybody I know personally that has been inside the Empire State said they've NEVER heard of a 102nd story observation deck, they've only gone to the 85th's. Strange.

Most people don't bother to go up, there's an extra cost. An idea from jim giesen

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2090/...1342eb8b_o.jpg


From txoov xyooj

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1315/...bea5eb.jpg?v=0

Looking down on all of Manhattan's "glass" skyscrapers...

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1369/...bc76fa.jpg?v=0


http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1369/...d0bc76fa_b.jpg

:omg:

Now I really wanna go up there!

Looks like tight quarters, but the view is more than worth it.

LOL! I just saw this funny commercial of a guy getting a stuffed monkey and taking a pic of it while holding the monkey close to it. Look familier?

newburytoday.co.uk

Hungerford man races up the Empire State Building in New York for charity

A HUNGERFORD man has taken part in the world-famous Empire State Building race.
Fifty-year-old Keith Smibert was one of just four Brits to participate in the Empire State Building Run Up in New York on Tuesday (February 5).
The scramble up the stairs of the fabled skyscraper is done by invitation only and Mr Smibert was amongst only 235 successful applicants from all over the world.
He completed the 1,576-step, 86-floor course in 17 minutes and 15 seconds, in aid of national children's charity Dreams Come True.
Mr Smibert has supported the charity for more than ten years and this latest triumph is his 30th athletic effort.
He has previously run both the New York and London Marathons several times each.
Mr Smibert said: "It's been a dream of mine to run this race since it started in the late ‘70s and I was thrilled when I was invited to take part.
“Not only is it a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and something not many people get to do, it's also a fantastic sense of achievement to reach the top and look out over the incredible city of New York.”
He added: “It was an extremely gruelling trial of strength but my extensive hill training beforehand set me in good stead and just knowing I was doing it for such a worthy cause really helped me to keep things going."
Fundraising manager at Dreams Come True, Philip Pride said: "We’d like to congratulate Keith for successfully completing such an extraordinary feat.
“We’re celebrating our 20th anniversary this year and this is one of the most incredible challenges we've come across in this time.”
He added: "The charity relies on the support of our fundraisers and the work that goes into preparing events like this starts many months before the day itself.
“Dreams Come True would like to thank Keith for all his support over the years."
Mr Smibert’s Empire State challenge raised £2,350 for the charity.

**********

WHAT? Didn't even run up to the 102nd floor???

Only 17 minutes?!!

Isn't the 102nd floor deck closed a lot? When I visited the ESB like 8 years ago, we couldn't get up there because it was thunderstorming. Apparently it closes in the winter because of ice, right?

Re: defacing the painting in the lobby. I can't believe someone painted over art before covering it with a drop ceiling. At least have to foresight to imagine that it might be useful again someday, and just stick with installing a ceiling that masks it. The full restoration might be worth it, though; not too long ago they did one of the Sistine Chapel (ok, ok, we're not comparing apples to apples, but whatever) and it revealed some brilliant colors that had been masked by years of just painting over the old one when it needed to be fixed.

Ice is not a problem there because its indoors. But its only be reopened for a couple of years, so when you visited it probably wasn't open anyway. There sometimes is a problem with ice falling from skyscrapers, a couple of years ago the streets around the ESB had to be closed because of melting/falling ice. Even on my last trip to the GE deck, the top (3rd) level was closed because of falling ice.

Remember what happened in Toronto last year? HUGE chunks of ice broke apart from the CN Tower above the observatory.

eeek. it's like an urban legend or something.