You may not have noticed because you're an on-the-go New Yorker making things happen with your big city ambition and consistent failure to call your mother, but there is a desperate shortage of places to sit down and catch your breath in this town! Soon enough, that will be remedied, as the DOT today announced an ambitious plan to install 1,000 new CityBenches throughout NYC over the next three years. Take a look at the cool new design you'll probably be too busy to ever enjoy.
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Results tagged “bench”
Here's Your First Look At NYC's Flashy New BENCHES!
MetroCards: What Can't They Do?
Don't you just love it when the MetroCard becomes not only functional but deep. Steve Shaheen recently created this bench using 5,000 MetroCards—he calls it Metrobench. Shaheen says: “I was inspired to use these discarded objects—at once very personal and expendable—in a way that reflects the manner in which mass transit joins many diverse lives into a single moment or path together. Millions of New Yorkers, with their separate lives, are brought together on the transit system every day. In this sculptural seat, each card, with its distinct and intimate history is stitched together into a fluid tapestry."
Hells Angels Debar Their Bench
Earlier this month the Hells Angels installed a bar across the bench that sits in front of their headquarters on Third Street in the East Village. Why'd they do that? To keep toursits passing by (or staying in a nearby hotel) from using it. Naturally, some neighbors and tourists were not amused by the addition and—shockingly!—apparently neither was the city's Department of Transportation.
Have You Had Sex On Katharine Hepburn's Bench?
We were teased with a touch of spring last Friday, and it seems that some people went a little batshit crazy over it. Locals have complained that they've spotted people engaging in sex acts on a bench in Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, as recently as last Friday. But this is no ordinary bench: it was owned by longtime resident Katharine Hepburn, and donated by her estate. And these were no ordinary sex acts: they were afternoon delights!
Locals, Tourists Address The Hells Angels Bench
A new tourist repelling measure was recently taken at the Hells Angel's headquarters on East 3rd Street, and now the NY Post has taken a visit over there, declaring even tourists aren't intimidated by the group anymore. Ooooh burn, Angels. To recap: the Angels have attached a club-like device (first spotted by EV Grieve) to their bench to prevent anyone from sitting on it—which allegedly tourists from a nearby hotel were doing frequently.
Hells Angels Add Tourist Repeller To Bench
It is kind of hilarious that the Hells Angels cannot find a way to keep tourists off their precious street bench. (Don't tell them we said that, though.) Outside of their clubhouse at 77 East 3rd Street, they have a wooden bench—not unlike any wooden bench you'd see around the city—and they really do not want commoners sitting on it. In Google street view it can be seen turned over, back in 2009 they added a sign warning others to stay away from the bench, and now EV Grieve has photos of the latest effort to keep unwelcome sitters (specifically from a nearby hotel) away. Yep, that's a Club-like device for benches. If this doesn't work, we suggest they chain a television to the bench and screen select footage from Altamont.
Flower Pots Are Killing New York's Small Businesses
The Jalili family had been a permanent fixture at the corner of 37th Street and 5th Avenue since 2003, selling halal dishes from their food cart. But now Ezatullah Jalili, who has been running the cart since 2008, says the Grand Central Partnership is trying to edge him out with the cunning use of flowers and benches.
Say Goodbye To Wooden Subway Benches?
Just one day after we took a look at the disappearing iconic wooden benches of New York City's streets, amNewYork warns that the benches underground may be on their way out as well. Sitting in the city will never be the same!
Are NYC's Green Benches Becoming Extinct?
New York City's public benches have been around forever; you know them, they're wooden and green and have become a small little iconic part of the city's landscape. Recently we shuddered when a park in Brooklyn painted their benches in all sorts of eye-cringing neon, and now the Chelsea Improvement Company has introduced a whole new look to the street bench. Their modern take is now located at 10th Avenue and West 16th Street and is reportedly made of stainless steel—designed to reflect Chelsea's aesthetic. Should this modern bench madness stop before it spreads and consumes all of the classic green benches? Is it too late?!
A Tree Pit Grows in Brooklyn
Tis the season for outdoor drinking, and it looks like some folks created a nice setup at 1071 Manhattan Avenue. Liquor within walking distance: check. Tree: check. Seating: check. Table: check. Tulips: check check check. Just be discreet. Miss Heather spotted the street furniture, and says, "whoever designed and executed this, the best tree pit in Brooklyn, deserves some real and lasting recognition be it from our municipal government or the design community as a whole." Agreed. In fact, perhaps the city should commission some creative folks to dress up more tree pits around town. If you want to take matters in to your own hands, here's the Parks Departments guide on how to care for tree pits, and maybe next year yours can be the greenest block.
Benches for Barack in Brooklyn
Earlier, Brownstoner pointed towards a Benches for Barack Craigslist ad that offers up handmade benches built from Douglas Fir wood. From the $40 price tag, $25 goes to the cost of building the bench, while $15 is donated to the Obama campaign. Brownstoner's post noted that the twosome behind the benches are "neighborhood kids, 18-year-old high school grads Harry Fishbein and Emma Dillon," and that they work out of Harry's basement in Cobble Hill. The benches, which measure 18 inches tall and 48 inches long, are delivered for free and can even show up at your doorstep in two hours! The bench-builders are also branching out into building wooden trash can containers, garden/picnic tables, and (this one's ambitious) sheds!
The Mysterious Tall Bench: A Prequel
Remember the tall mystery bench of '07 that baffled onlookers for at least a day? We thought we got some closure in December when Suckapants unmasked the duo behind it (Brad Downey and Mike Wrobel), but like any good story this one reveals its layers slowly. Here's what went down before the bench went up:
The Branding of Central Park Benches
Within the 843 acres of Central Park one will find 9,000 benches, and many of them tell a story (or at least a name). In 1986 the Central Park Conservancy began their Adopt-A-Bench program to raise money for upkeep.
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