I came out of the Chrysler Building yesterday and noticed a number of people staring at the ugly, uninteresting glass-curtain building across the street and taking pictures. Thus, I had to stop and stare too…but why were we all staring? For a second, I thought someone might be jumping or something. As this proved not to be the case, I kept staring at it – what the hell was so special about this ugly, all glass building? Why weren’t all these tourists across the street taking pictures of the much more attractive Chrysler Building??? Then I let my eyes refocus a bit and I realized: they were.
And of course, I had to snap a picture too.
-SCOUT
Great shot, scout!
Really great picture. Would you be so kind to upload it in a bigger version, so that it can be used as a wallpaper?
Sigh. I worked in that unattractive glass-curtain building through almost the entire 1980s. It’s the Grand Hyatt New York, formerly the Commodore Hotel. It is as architecturally undistinguished as any property Donald Trump has gotten his vulgar mitts on (he owns it).
But there are mitigating factors. Trump had to agree, as part of a tax break for getting the property, to underwrite the cleansing of the exterior of Grand Central. The hotel opened in Fall of 1980, when GCT was still a real dump and had only recently been saved from destruction. That cleaning was the first step in the renovation of Grand Central, which has restored all its former glory and turned it into an actual destination.
Awesome photo
The most beautiful things that happen in New York City can be seen in puddles. Reflection is not just a philosophical virtue.
crafty
Very nice Reflection..Looks like Reflection is made from Million Pixel thought….! N 1 SCOUT…!
did you take that photo? That is a really good shot.
I believe that building was used for the opening credits of Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest. The credits were arranged along the face of it and aligned with the window panes.