Here’s what happened:<\/p>\n
In the morning, while reading the internet mag called West Side Rag, I saw something startling. It seemed that the Landmark Commission had determined to landmark a building scaffold and sidewalk shed in my neighborhood.<\/p>\n
There was a photo of the thing. Which was a standard eyesore.<\/p>\n
But not to the Landmark Commission. They had decided it was a fine example of urban sculpture, and should be a permanent part of the 78th Street scene.<\/p>\n
“Have they gone crazy?” I said. But maybe this scaffold was…something interesting.<\/p>\n
In the afternoon I headed over to Zabar’s for edibles, and on the way home decided to detour one block to take a gander at this scaffolding. Hey, I’m always intrigued by new city architecture.<\/p>\n
Now, I must remind everyone that New York City has so much building and restoration going on, it’s almost impossible to find a block not covered by scaffolding. Indeed, I could walk to every store where I shop, in the rain and, thanks to the lumpen loggias provided by the sidewalk shedding, never get wet. In a wacky way they remind me of Padua, where I once tottered for a mile from a restaurant back to my hotel in the rain and didn’t get wet. (I was tottering due to the limoncello with which the restaurant owner insisted on plying me post prandially.)<\/p>\n
As I crossed over West End on 78th Street, I knew the address given in the article was wrong. If there is a building numbered 588 West 78th Street, it’s in the middle of the Hudson River. So I assumed a typo.<\/p>\n
And there was indeed a scaffolding structure under the last building on 78th Street. It was exceptionally hideous. It slumped, it looked cracked, creaky and dangerous. I stood across the street and said to myself, “They’ve got to be kidding.”<\/p>\n
And suddenly it occurred to me it was April 1st.<\/p>\n
I went home smiling.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Here’s what happened: In the morning, while reading the internet mag called West Side Rag, I saw something startling. It seemed that the Landmark Commission had determined to landmark a building scaffold and sidewalk shed in my neighborhood. There was … Continue reading