Interviewing Casey Neistat

The Friends of Bogardus Plaza and Laughing Man Studios have joined up to create a video interview series called It’s About Time — a way to feature the plaza’s historic clock and chat with New Yorkers (many notable!) about time in all its forms and perspectives. The clock could also help the plaza raise funds for maintenance: separately from the series, the Friends is selling opportunities to crank the time piece, which is so fun to see up close.

The cast iron clock — installed here in 2020 after being salvaged from Lansing, Michigan, where it was originally installed in 1910 — is the only hand-wound sidewalk clock in the city.

Photo by Max Guliani

David Steingard, the owner of Laughing Man Coffee & Tea and Laughing Man Studios, is donating the filming and the production. So far Friends president Victoria Weil and David have interviewed more than a dozen Tribecans, including Hal Bromm, who opened one of the first galleries in the neighborhood; Tribeca Trib founder Carl Glassman; jeweler Jennifer Fisher; landscape architect Signe Nielsen, who designed the plaza; and pro football commentator Marcus Kuhn. (Me too, but it’s torture watching yourself on video.) And they have another dozen scheduled, including Timm Chiusano, Brooke Shields and Madison Rae.

The series came up first — just as a fun way to celebrate the clock. Then when folks saw the winding featured on Instagram, they asked for a chance. Monetizing it for the non-profit just made sense, Winding slots will open on the first day of the month starting this fall on the website, but only four slots will be open each month. The cost is $250.

“This project has surprised us. People keep saying yes and their stories/answers are full of life lessons,” Tory said.

As for the clock, the placement was in honor of James Bogardus, the plaza’s namesake. In addition to being an architect, he was an inventor and cooked up a type of clock called a three wheeled chronometer. The clock here is a nod to that talent as well as to the clock that was on the façade of 16 Hudson.