Nosy Neighbor: Greatest Hits (Disc Two)

Gladys Kravitz2At the end of every Nosy Neighbor post is a long list of links to previous entries in the series. Occasionally, I deadhead the list, removing the questions that no longer seem relevant. Even so, I bet many of you have never really looked at the list, and this roundup of eight all-time greatest hits will answer questions you have about the neighborhood. (Disc One is here.)

And your questions are welcome! Even stupid ones! (Whoever said no such thing exists was a liar.) Email tribecacitizen@gmail.com or text 917-209-6473.

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I’m wondering what’s up with the 60 Hudson building. Is it just a bunch of different office spaces? I was hoping a while back, when the blown up blueprints were hung outside the building on the Hudson side, that perhaps there was a conversion happening. Now there’s even scaffolding up, but no one seems to know what’s going on there. Do you? —M.
A residential conversion? Not a chance. Here’s what the building is used for.

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Soho Sanitation garage courtesy TonyI walked by the new sanitation building and noticed that they have installed panels on the south side. It looked like they can rotate which made me think they were solar (or solar-ish). An angry-looking construction worker barked that they were “solar sheets.” Not sure what that means. —Tony
They move to block the sun. There’s more if you want it.

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30 Park Place annexTo the east of 30 Park Place is what will be the new plaza, and to the east of the plaza is a narrow building under construction. Is it part of 30 Park Place? What’s it for? —M.
It’s living space for the workers at the Four Season hotel, who can’t otherwise afford to live anywhere near here. I kid.

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The Supermarket on BroadwayThis appeared in the window of the old Lady Liberty souvenir shop on Broadway, next door to Western Spirit. Any idea what it is?” —R.
The answer I posted (before the Supermarket opened) indicated that the owners had higher expectations than they seem to have achieved. Mostly the space is used for events/exhibits for an ad agency’s clients.

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7 World Trade Center baseI assume the base of 7 World Trade Center is the way it is for security purposes, but is there anything inside there? —A.
There is indeed!

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Duane Park flagsDoes anyone know why the flag is almost always at half-staff, why the POW flag is with it (it kinda looks like the ISIS flag—are we missing something?), and who makes these decisions? —E.
The NYC Parks department isn’t really on top of it. Perhaps more interesting: the difference between half-mast and half-staff.

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1WTC-by-Krystl-Hall-resizedAt night, the lights on most of the middle floors of 1 World Trade Center look unfinished—like dangling construction lights as opposed to proper office lighting. Only at the very top and below the observation deck does it look finished. Is that how it’ll look when it’s fully occupied? —J.
Nope. Those floors at the top look nice because they hold mechanicals. The floors at the bottom (above that lighted part) are offices, and when the ones in the middle are all occupied, they’ll look somewhat like that. (Photo by Krystl Hall.)

 

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