New York Today: Sampling the Skyline

Among many contenders, the most beautiful room in the City has to be the courtroom of the Supreme Court-Appellate Division, beside Madison Square Park at Madison & 25th. The building itself is also a prize among courthouses. Note the space where one philosopher - Mohammed - went missing from the row of statues around the top when concerns about imaging him grew. The lobby is also notable, even with the distractions of security and metal detectors, but the courtroom, open to the public, is a marvel with its enormous stained glass domed ceiling, corner-to-corner wall murals, and beautifully carved judges' dais. A true hidden gem.

McSorley's Old Ale House, 15 E.7th St, and has been my favorite for 44 years.

One of my favorites is Cass Gilbert's Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House. Proudly looking out over Bowling Green, this building is the perfect southern terminus for Broadway. This building has it all: beautiful marble and stonework, Daniel Chester French sculpture, Reginald Marsh murals (depicting NY harbor in the 1930's), The National Museum of the American Indian and two of the nicest old spaces in NYC - the Rotunda and the Collectors Office. The Collectors Office will be open to the public for OHNY.

I'm a fan of the grand brick breweries on the edge of my hood in W'msburg/Bushwick.

I would ahve to vote for the F.W. Woolworth building, designed by Cass Gilbert, who also designed the Minnesota State Capitol building. Of course, I could be just a bit biased.

The B. Altman's building on34th and Fifth. Not only for its architecture, but because it hosts so many memories for me, including shopping and lunching at Charleston Gardens with my mother -- She worked on W. 45th St. and I worked on W. 43rd St. Benjamin Altman is one of my heroes. His art collection was fabulous and he instituted many reforms for his employees, including bathrooms for women. In his will, he left B. Altmans to philanthropic organizations.

I am fond of the more historical and civic architecture that characterizes our city. Not only is their value in the history which served as a backdrop through which these buildings may have come to fruition, but there is elegance in the elaborate details. Examples include the Manhattan Municipal Building, the Bronx Borough Hall, and the Woolworth Building, to name a few!

The GE building at 570 Lex has a lobby worthy of Oz, and the roof is decorated with amazing representations of the "gods of electricity" - if you're lucky enough to get a view of it.

I would submit Thomas Hunter Hall with turrets and arched windows - 68th & Lexington. I went to HCHS there for two years - until we were relocated when CUNY started open admissions in the 70s and needed the space for the flood of incoming college students. I spent the remaining years of HS on two floors of a nondescript office building, near the spectacular Grand Central and Chrysler buildings. Three years after my graduation, HCHS finally found a permanent home at the Armory, on 94th & Park.

The Flatiron Building for sure; such a dynamic structure, plowing her way between Fifth and Broadway!

The Chrysler building is my favorite for sure. How can it be left out?? I also love the Met Life building. (Though it's no longer called that now).

The Museum of Natural History. Outside and inside.

In a city filled with great buildings my pick is the Chrysler building, it never gets old

Favorites? The Chrysler to be sure, but also the TWA terminal at JFK. But "Archtober"? Can we stop with the mashup names please.

Oh, surely it's a bit too early for ice-skating; we aren't even a month into Autumn yet!

The Chrysler Building is trying not to be too sad about being excluded.

tune of “Skylark”

Skyline
Are they sure that their event’s complete?
I am sitting on my lonely street
Since in their minds, I don’t exist
Isn’t there someone they have missed?

Oh, Skyline
With my elegance up in the air
But they act like I’m not even there
My bold art deco on display
Not even worth a single day

And if their time is short
I see their list and I don’t mean to snort
Really, who’s listed?
Some are just run-of-the-mill
Hey, how did they choose
I read the program and I’m ready to snooze

Oh, the Skyline
I don’t mean to make a big to-do
Maybe next year these folks will come through
I guarantee I’d be a lure
And really make their tour

The most wonderful large object - maybe you wouldn't call it a building - in New York is the Statue of Liberty. I sit where I can see her on the Q, B, G, and F trains, and I smile every time.