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News & ArtsMonday, March 4, 2013
City Don't Build Anything in Manhattan That Could Block Views of the Statue of Liberty
Posted by Dominic Holden on Mon, Mar 4, 2013 at 8:24 AM
Or of the Chrysler Building. Or of the Empire State Building.
You can see those buildings no matter where you are in Manhattan—no other tall buildings block your sight lines of those things ever—and that's what makes New York City such a great city.
1
Protect Our Views is a totally shameless campaign by the Space Needle Corp. to prevent upzoning that would allow taller buildings in South Lake Union. Never mind that SLU starts out lower than Seattle Center; never mind that no one has proposed anything as tall as the Needle. This is a misguided notion from the get-go.
2
Christopher Alexander is against private views. In A Pattern Language he says that a home should not have "views", but sites with views should be public. It wasn't any kind of populism either, he simply thought distracting views took the person out of the place of the home.
3
f I can't see the Space Needle at all times, how do I even know I'm in Seattle? What if I accidentally wind up in Portland? How will I know if I can't see the Space Needle?
6
It is never the strongest argument to compare Seattle to New York. It is like calling someone Hitler because you don't like them. Se.attle is never going to be New York
7
I'm on Lake Union, but I can't see the Needle from here. Who allowed this damn hill to be placed between my office and the Needle??
This is a serious issue that needs to be addressed. I propose we change the code and immediately demolish this land mass in the way of my view of the Needle.
This is a serious issue that needs to be addressed. I propose we change the code and immediately demolish this land mass in the way of my view of the Needle.
8
@ 6, the comparison is valid when it comes to the iconic buildings under discussion. The Space Needle is one of the world's most famous erections. (Yeah, that's going to get some snickers, but fuck it. It's not really a building.)
That said, @ 1 is absolutely right. It's miles from the tall towers of downtown, and it would take a hell of a lot for a SLU development to "block the view." Like if WiS's 100-storey towers all get built there.
That said, @ 1 is absolutely right. It's miles from the tall towers of downtown, and it would take a hell of a lot for a SLU development to "block the view." Like if WiS's 100-storey towers all get built there.
10
You can't always see the Empire State building or Chrysler building when you're in Manhattan.
You definitely can't see the Statue of Liberty from a lot of places. It's a lot smaller than people realize.
/nitpicking
You definitely can't see the Statue of Liberty from a lot of places. It's a lot smaller than people realize.
/nitpicking
12
Of course we should limit building heights around the vicinity of the Space Needle. It's our iconic structure, and a tourist trap. Since tourists are the ones who pay for our stadiums, we need them to keep coming ;-)
But seriously - I don't know anything about this save our views group, but I do think the needle deserves some protection. The views up there are amazing, and it's just about the only structure in town that offers the public access to that kind of scenery. The only other place I can think of right offhand might be the Volunteer Park water tower. Is that still even open?
But seriously - I don't know anything about this save our views group, but I do think the needle deserves some protection. The views up there are amazing, and it's just about the only structure in town that offers the public access to that kind of scenery. The only other place I can think of right offhand might be the Volunteer Park water tower. Is that still even open?
14
http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/Planning/View…
There are already legally protected views of the space needle from public space. This group is fighting for their own private views. So my question to them is since their asking the public to fight for their own private views, when are they going to open their homes to the public to share those views...
There are already legally protected views of the space needle from public space. This group is fighting for their own private views. So my question to them is since their asking the public to fight for their own private views, when are they going to open their homes to the public to share those views...
15
There's a marvelous commission study of this issue from eleven years ago - PDF at http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/cms/groups/pa….
And please consider signing this petition to stop SROTU @5 from publishing any more crackpot petitions - by any means necessary: https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petitio…
And please consider signing this petition to stop SROTU @5 from publishing any more crackpot petitions - by any means necessary: https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petitio…
16
Counterexample: London. A much more interesting city than New York, at least the parts of New York that are within view of the Chrysler Building. New York is a FORMERLY great city, but all the things that made it great have been moved out so that the building can be converted into $30,000 a month apartments and $500-a-cover restaurants. Or to Queens. In London, a city which is under similar economic pressures from the superrich but has resisted them more effectively, in part because of the lower concentration, views of St. Paul's are protected.
17
If the entire point of this post is to make fun of a NIMBLY little Facebook group then it's pretty stupid, Charles. I think a lot of people in Seattle feel the views here - glimpses of the Olympics at sunrise or Mt Baker from the floating bridge, or yes, even of the Space Needle are a pretty important part of what makes this place special - all the more so because it's so gray all the time.
Do you think it's just a coincidence that Rainier Ave S runs South South East?
Do you think it's just a coincidence that Rainier Ave S runs South South East?
20
I agree this is probably a ploy by rich people to maintain their property values. And I would love to see more public transit other than just busses. Fuck the viaduct, surface transit yay. But, stop with the comparisons to NY already! SEATTLE ISN'T NEW FUCKING YORK! Yes things could be done better here, but IT IS NOT NEW YORK and frankly it shouldn't be. Different people, different desires, different ecological and environmental concerns.
Jesus christ, ya'll see one overly industrialized city and think that's a model for the world.
Jesus christ, ya'll see one overly industrialized city and think that's a model for the world.
21
I live in Manhattan, just 20 street blocks from the Empire State Building, and though I can't see it, I know it's still there. A city is built on confidence and its outward projection. Manhattan is best appreciated when you cross a bridge from Brooklyn at night. "Oh, I live there! That gleaming metropolis! The Wonder City!"
p.s. Every city should be a little like NYC... but a much improved version, I hope.
p.p.s. The solution to losing your views is to build and buy higher. Zoning to the heavens, please.
p.s. Every city should be a little like NYC... but a much improved version, I hope.
p.p.s. The solution to losing your views is to build and buy higher. Zoning to the heavens, please.
23
@20 Isn't there some rule, if you don't live in NYC you can't diss NYC? (There oughta be!) Anyway, we've got 8 million people who will diss NYC for you, so not to worry.
I'm not sure you're understanding the regulations affecting new building in New York City. Mostly, it's about set-back and public space, so that when you look out a window, you might be able to get a glimpse of sky, or stand in a bit of open air on the ground, to prevent the place from becoming the equivalent of some perpetually-dark underground hive. We block the skyline view of shit all the time, sometimes with more interesting shit.
I'm not sure you're understanding the regulations affecting new building in New York City. Mostly, it's about set-back and public space, so that when you look out a window, you might be able to get a glimpse of sky, or stand in a bit of open air on the ground, to prevent the place from becoming the equivalent of some perpetually-dark underground hive. We block the skyline view of shit all the time, sometimes with more interesting shit.
24
On the other hand, this city -- arguably the most beautiful in the world -- seems to be doing something right: http://bit.ly/164d4r8
25
Note, @24, that the Eiffel Tower, the Sacré-Cœur, and (mercifully) Montparnasse Tower are INVISIBLE from 98% of Paris, what with the endless labyrinthe of tiny alleyways flanked with unbroken 4-6 story building frontage, the café awnings everywhere, and absolutely zero superfluous fucking "open space".
Yes, the beauty and vibrancy of Paris are truly the products of a treacly, pseudo-democratic appeal for "view protection".
Yes, the beauty and vibrancy of Paris are truly the products of a treacly, pseudo-democratic appeal for "view protection".
26
@24, 25 - If I'm not mistaken, the heart of Paris is strictly protected by historical preservation ordinances. Nothing in that part of town has changed since the 19th century.
27
@26: The Pompidou and the Forum des Halles would beg to differ, as would the hundreds and perhaps thousands of smaller and less conspicuously redeveloped buildings you'll see every time you wander off the beaten path.
The preservation instinct is (justifiably) strong, and guidelines for new construction are specific, but preserved-in-amber Paris is not. If anything, Paris is successful because it's such a compact yet dynamic hodgepodge: orderly Haussmann boulevards give lie to the beautiful mess of styles and eras found in between.
And again, Paris dynamism has fuck-all to do with protected views.
The preservation instinct is (justifiably) strong, and guidelines for new construction are specific, but preserved-in-amber Paris is not. If anything, Paris is successful because it's such a compact yet dynamic hodgepodge: orderly Haussmann boulevards give lie to the beautiful mess of styles and eras found in between.
And again, Paris dynamism has fuck-all to do with protected views.
28
@12 - The view from the new Ferris wheel is pretty awesome, though clearly not as sweeping. It's just an angle of the city you don't see otherwise.
I love chancing on new (to me) views of Seattle. I recommend taking a ride up Nordstrom Tower sometime just to look across the city at Lake Union.
I love chancing on new (to me) views of Seattle. I recommend taking a ride up Nordstrom Tower sometime just to look across the city at Lake Union.
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