On White Street, in the heart of trendy Tribeca, stands a building that immediately stands out among the red brick lofts of the 19th century. From the street, you can see the white, asymmetrical structure in the spirit of 1960s futurism, but it is not a theater or art center, as might initially appear, but…
If New York’s most famous cemetery — we’re talking, of course, about Green-Wood — were to hold a tombstone beauty contest, the judges would have a tough time. After all, it’s home to over 650,000 residents: the nation’s finest minds and talents, the big money of old New York, famous names, and, I suspect, many…
Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn is a popular landmark of 19th-century New York City. Founded in 1838, Green-Wood Cemetery was America’s first “country cemetery,” an idea borrowed from Paris’s Père Lachaise. New Yorkers quickly embraced it: the cemetery became such a popular strolling spot that it inspired the creation of Central Park in 1858. In 1866,…
I often write about beautiful places in New York City, which can lead one to believe everything is perfect… But this city is perfectly balanced! The Bridge Apartments are four identical 32-story residential towers that stand directly on a 12-lane highway! Not just next to each other, but literally on the highway: when driving along…
The Cathedral of St. John the Divine on Amsterdam Avenue is the largest church in North America and the sixth largest in the world. It is 183 meters long, the central nave is 38 meters high, and its floor area is over 11,000 square meters. It has stood in Morningside Heights since 1892, yet it…
There is a church in New York that few people know about, yet many believe it could become the most visited church in the United States. The St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church & National Shrine at the 9/11 Memorial is a story of loss, a twenty-year wait, an architectural masterpiece, and an extraordinary rebirth. More…
The Oculus in New York City is a transportation hub on the site of the World Trade Center, which took 12 years to build and cost four billion dollars instead of the planned two. It now serves as the world’s most expensive train station, a trade center, and a memorial. Every September 11th, from 8:46…
Only recently did I discover the privilege of people who live on Broadway in the United States. While 99% of all US residents write their address according to the rule [number + name + road type], for example: 123 Main Street or 725 Park Ave, residents of Broadway already have “way” in their name, implying…
As someone who grew up in a town with only one traffic light for the entire neighborhood, I’m very interested in living in the US: new discoveries every day! It turns out that a typical American (and other) dead-end street with no through traffic, often ending in a roundabout, is called a cul-de-sac. Translated from…
By the way, for some reason, many people don’t know how the [building address] and [building entrance search] link works in the US. If you need to get to the building at 4301 21st Street, Queens, New York 11101, and the building occupies an entire block, that gives you four possible sides/options for the main…
