Is less really more? We may find out in my neighborhood in Lower Manhattan. The emerging Frank Gehry Beekman Tower is going up right outside my bedroom window. After enduring the pounding of steel rods for months and then the diesel fuel fumes and noise from the cement trucks the building suddenly halted going skyward at 38 floors. Rumors of the impact of the downturn in the economy flooded the blogosphere and a “real’ news report was issued on March 18 when the building’s department issued a building permit for a 38-floor roof. The developer only says they are “studying” the situation. http://curbed.com/archives/2009/03/19/trouble_surfacing_at_frank_gehrys_beekman_tower.php
Meanwhile the stainless steel cladding is beginning to be installed to give the building the appearance of being fabric that shimmers in the light. It looks GREAT. I loved the random act of creativity that appeared on our building’s community bulletin board shortly after the rumors began about the half a skyscaper. Someone carefully tore the top half of an image of the proposed building in half and pushpinned it on the side.
I look forward to when the school in the bottom five floors opens and I can volunteer!
