The handwringing continues uptown at Castle Village (right), where next month's one-year anniversary of the massive retaining-wall collapse looms like, um, a big gaping, 75-foot-high hole in the life of the Hudson Heights co-op. The latest, according to the Times, is the co-op board's belatedly realizing the value of the rare "rough-cut Manhattan schist" stones that make up the wall, many of which were carted away and pulverized following the incident. People are just now dreaming of how much they could've sold those puppies for on eBay?might've helped pay the $20 million estimated price tag for rectifying the situation. Sure, a handful of the precious stones are over on Randalls Island now, but they'll probably be propping up water slides before you know it. Still, all the talk about getting the city to bring back the stones may pale next to the "threat of fines if a new wall isn't built by year's end."
· A Plea to Leave Some Stones Unturned [NYT/CitySection]
· Water Park Plans Sail Through Final Approval [WNBC]
· Hole Situation Update: Co-op Criticizes Petitioners [Curbed]
[Photo detail via Flickr/Nayantara]