A Curbed tipster emails, "As an observer of the onerous gentrification of the East Village I write in hopes you could start a tempest in teapot, or at least question something that has been making me nuts the past few months. Obviously you must know of the Astor Place Sculpture for Living building at 445 Lafayette, the blob shaped monstrosity for the rich who want a view of K Mart and Starbucks. [Yes, sounds familiar—ed.] The so-called 'public park' on the east side of the building, opposite Cooper Union, is completely finished yet still padlocked. Everything else in the building, the Chase Bank on the ground floor, the entrances etc. all appear finished. I asked at the front desk when the park would be open to the public. They said they were still waiting for something and it would be open this fall. How lame is that?"
We asked Curbed pal Jesse Chan-Norris to point his omnipresent camera at the scene, resulting in the above photo. Our take? Exactly as lame as might be expected.
· Sculpture's Non-Public Public Space [Flickr/jcn]
· Why It Wouldn't Suck to Live in Sculpture for Living [Curbed]