Friends of Bogardus’ Tory Weil sent me the backstory on the clock scheduled for installation in the plaza this spring and there’s kind of a cool history of why and how:

James Bogardus was an inventor as well as an architect and he invented a type of clock called a three wheeled chronometer. Our clock is intended as a nod to that talent as well as to the clock that was on the facade of 16 Hudson. The Friends of Bogardus wanted something historically significant that would anchor the plaza, and the clock is that thing. It will be installed at the Chambers Street end. Some more details:

• The clock was originally installed in front of Morgan’s Jeweler in Lansing, Mich. in 1910 (Photo attached)
• It is cast iron.
• It is being totally refurbished by the Friends of Bogardus, but it will still have a mechanical motor and will have to be wound weekly.
• It will be painted black (to match the fencing) and will have Arabic numerals on the face. The faces will be on two sides and will be lit at night.
• It cost $40K and will be one of the few mechanical clock towers in the city.
• It will be serviced by the NYC clockmaster (“Yes, that is a real job!“)