In Queens a few weeks ago, while wandering in the area of New York Water Taxi’s Long Island City ferry, I noticed a building under construction in the adjacent lot south, 54th Ave. and 2nd St. Google Maps shows the lot as cleared and empty except for two steam shovels, so the Google Maps photo is at least a few months old. The building was actually well on its way to completion when I saw it in early December. (The ferry terminal is the L-shaped walkway out to the pavilion and boat in the East River, top left of the photo, between the Midtown Tunnel and Newtown Creek’s mouth.). I asked a construction worker what was going up and he said a new ventilation building for Amtrak. So, I’m guessing it’s for the four Amtrak East River Tunnels that come ashore right there. It’s quite a large ventilation building.
I would like to know which is the *present * ventilation building? I think I identified it as a brown brick structure contiguous with, but taller than, and in the middle of, the unbroken line of warehouses on 54th Ave. between Vernon Blvd. and 2nd St, its front on 54th Ave. and its rear facing the LIRR’s Long Island City Station Yards. Is this the present ventilation building? If not, can anyone tell me where it is?
Since 9/11, public utilities are much more reticent about identifying the locations of such buildings.
The local phone company now doesn’t give out the locations of their central offices any more, for example. (But since mine is named the 24th Ave CO, it’s not that hidden).
Oddly, telephone exchanges have been built like little urban fortresses since about forever. No windows, very tough doors, few markings. In case of zombie attack, get to the telephone company building.
One of ATT’s mottoes is “Communications is the foundation of democracy.” Brings to mind the ATT Long Lines Building on Church St. (1974).
140 West St. (1927) survived three buildings pancaking around it: 7 World Trade Center next door, One World Trade Center across Vesey Street, and Two World Trade Center a hundred or so yards south.
OTOH, when you want to sell/lease that telephone exchange when you don’t need it anymore, no one wants it. They are spending a lot of money to refurb the one at the end of the Brooklyn Bridge.
The Verizon Building at 6 Av & 42 St is being totally refurbished as well, including the entire facade. Here’s before-and-after. Verizon had been the only occupant but now they’re moving out except floors 6-12 will be retained for telephone switching equipment.
ATT Long Lines is actually only 29 stories – each floor is double height. That would limit the list of potential buyers.
It was a Google Earth photo from the Twilight Zone. “Power shovel,” I should have said. I was wrong about that lot – the one with the power shovels – being the site of the new ventilation building. Turns out it’s the lot adjacent to the north. I corrected myself in the subsequent post.
