All posts in category arch

“Chunk” of the Washington Square Arch Falls To Ground Overnight Sunday

NY1 reports that a “chunk” of the Washington Square Arch fell off to the ground overnight between Sunday and Monday. It happened when the Park was closed and no one was injured. The piece of the monument which “crashed to the sidewalk” was 6 inches by 10 inches according to the Parks Department.

From NY1:

Crews are working to inspect and repair the arch in Washington Square Park after a piece of it broke off and fell to the ground. …

No one was hurt.

The area has been cordoned off until crews can make repairs.

The structure underwent a $3 million restoration in 2006.

I reached out to the Parks Department for further information such as — who will be hired to figure out if something is wrong structurally, what the repair process is, etc. I will update accordingly. It’s a bit scary to say the least since there could easily have been someone there – there would have been – if it had happened at any time the park was open.

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by cathryn on October 9, 2012 • Permalink

Posted in arch, parks department

Tagged 10003, chunk falls off, monument, new york city, parks department, washington square arch, washington square park

Posted by cathryn on October 9, 2012

https://washingtonsquarepark.wordpress.com/2012/10/09/chunk-of-the-washington-square-arch-falls-to-ground-overnight-sunday/

The Washington Square Arch — Is it Leaking (Water)?

I write this partly in jest but there was some kind of water issue happening by the door to the Arch on Monday. My delay in posting this is due partly to computer issues (fun!). Above is a photo of the magnificent Arch taken from Fifth Avenue Monday. The photos BELOW show the door to the Arch (the door is on its western side — if you’ve never noticed the door, it is to the right when you are at the front of the structure) leaking water or pooling water. What’s even more unusual is that the last rain was on Saturday, a decent amount, and these photos are from Monday.

It’s always fun to write about the Arch but this is, um, a bit curious. You’ll also notice this major lock that is on the Arch door which appeared in the last year. (I’ve noted it before ..)

Majorly locked Arch door (water at bottom)

Curious…

I wonder if any of this is in relation to that strange structure (in retrospect maybe that was the opening to access the top) that was popping up from the top of the Arch a few weeks back. I questioned the Parks Department about it – even sent them a photo – with no response. I have another thought on that (to be continued…).

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by cathryn on August 22, 2012 • Permalink

Posted in arch

Tagged 10003, Greenwich Village, landmark, new york city, the arch, washington square park, water issues

Posted by cathryn on August 22, 2012

https://washingtonsquarepark.wordpress.com/2012/08/22/the-washington-square-arch-is-it-leaking-water/

Washington Square, Sunday: Mystery Atop the Arch, Phase III Construction Continues, Obscured from View, More

As I wrote earlier, I’d been in San Francisco. Here are some ‘snapshots’ from yesterday. Most perplexing: what is protruding from the top of the Arch?

A first look

the thing atop the Arch… another view

Wider view…

another view… (there’s a small bird there checking it out)

fenced off construction area

Interesting. The fence cordoning off Phase III construction has been draped with green plastic sheeting to obscure public view. Was this a decision of the contractor? the Parks Department? This was not the case during Phase II or Phase I. It’s not a terrible idea but it makes me wonder. Also there are no official signs indicating what is being done (as is traditionally the case).

southern end encased fencing

inside the construction zone

A last look at park buildings before demolition

A pigeon tried to land on this light and diverted his course and that’s when I noticed..

this…

shattered light, fountain plaza

Rain, the Fountain Plaza

(This post was amended from an earlier version.)

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by cathryn on July 30, 2012 • Permalink

Posted in arch, happening at the Park, parks department, phase III

Tagged 10003, construction, fountain, Greenwich Village, new york city, parks department, phase III, redesign, renovation, the arch, washington square park

Posted by cathryn on July 30, 2012

https://washingtonsquarepark.wordpress.com/2012/07/30/washington-square-sunday-mystery-atop-the-arch/

Blue Sky As Backdrop to the Arch

This afternoon, brilliant sky, fabulous Arch.
(Two Fifth Avenue in the background ruins the shot a bit but I think you get the idea just how blue the sky is!)

Photo: Cathryn

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by cathryn on May 17, 2012 • Permalink

Posted in arch, photo

Tagged 10003, arch, blue sky, Greenwich Village, new york city, photo, spring, washington square park

Posted by cathryn on May 17, 2012

https://washingtonsquarepark.wordpress.com/2012/05/17/blue-sky-as-backdrop-to-the-arch/

Why did Henry James hate the Washington Square Arch? Meanwhile, the Arch officially turns 117

Washington Memorial Arch Original Plans

Writer Henry James used Washington Square as the name (and setting) for for one of his well known novels published in 1881; it was also one of his least favorite of ones he’d written. James grew up nearby on Washington Place and his grandmother lived at 18 Washington Square North (now part of 2 Fifth Avenue). He was in Europe in the late 1890s when the Arch was built.

The official dedication ceremony and unveiling of the Arch took place on May 4th, 1895. This makes the Arch now 117 years old! Gothamist marked the Anniversary with photos from the history of the Arch taken from the Municipal Archives (thanks Gothamist!).

Henry James returned to the Washington Square area in the early 1900s to find the new Arch erected and his childhood home demolished (by NYU … some things don’t change?). Both occurrences were seemingly sources of great displeasure for him. James described the Arch as “the lamentable little Arch of Triumph which bestrides these beginnings of Washington Square–lamentable because of its poor and lonely and unsupported and unaffiliated state.”

Walking off the Big Apple wrote about Henry James’ Uneasy Homecoming to Washington Square, recounting his reaction upon finding these changes upon his return:

Henry James (1843-1916) … was really ticked off at NYU when the university tore down his boyhood home. During the 1890s, while James was living in Europe, the school pulled down its older main building on the east side of Washington Square to make way for new buildings. In “New York Revisited,” James describes his return to the city in 1904 after a long absence, and though he comes across many familiar sights, he’s startled by the loss of his home on Washington Place. …

James continues by observing that with the destruction of his house, a commemorative tablet about his life would not be placed on its wall; “the very wall that should have borne this inscription had been smashed as for demonstration that tablets, in New York, are unthinkable.”

Tablet equals plaque I believe.

In Pete Hamill’s Downtown: My Manhattan, he writes that Henry James “hated” the Arch and surmises that the new “bohemia” taking place in the area might have been the reason that in 1915 the writer became “a British subject.” But I wonder if it was more the loss of his childhood home which he did not take well and perhaps the advent of the Arch a bit too that pushed him in that direction. Notably, James died one year later.

* Previously at WSP Blog: History of the Washington Square Arch and “Exitus Acta Probat”

Photo: NYC Municipal Archives

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by cathryn on May 8, 2012 • Permalink

Posted in arch, henry james, history of Park

Tagged 10003, 117th anniversary of the washington arch, gothamist, Greenwich Village, henry james, new york city, pete hamill, washington arch, washington square, washington square arch, washington square park

Posted by cathryn on May 8, 2012

https://washingtonsquarepark.wordpress.com/2012/05/08/why-did-henry-james-hate-the-washington-square-arch-meanwhile-the-arch-officially-turns-117/

Untapped New York Looks at WSP’s “Hidden History”

Untapped New York takes a look at The Hidden History of Washington Square Park:

The Washington Square Arch has been a staple of the park since 1889. Designed by Stanford White, the arch was first built out of wood to commemorate the 100th anniversary of George Washington’s inauguration. The prominent citizens loved it and paid for White to design it out of marble. Alexander Stirling Calder made the statue of Washington and Fredrick MacMonnies carved the relief work.

In 1916, painter John Sloan, dadaist Marcel Duchamp and three of their friends broke into the interior staircase of the arch. They climbed to the top, cooked food, lit Japanese lanterns, fired cap pistols, launched balloons and declared it the independent republic of New Bohemia. The citizens were outraged and the interior door of the arch was sealed. Some of the lucky have been able to tour the inside.

The fountain was built in 1960 and reminds us of the now-covered Minetta Brook that even today still flows under the southeast corner of the park.

I’ve noticed that it looks like the Arch door now in fact has an alarm on it or else a really secure new lock. Will post a photo.

Image: Downtown Doodler

Thanks to Local Ecologist for letting me know about this piece!

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by cathryn on March 26, 2012 • Permalink

Posted in arch, fountain, history of Park

Tagged 10003, alexander stirling calder, arch, fountain, fredrick macmonnies, Greenwich Village, history of washington square park, john sloan, marcel duchamp, minetta brook, new york city, stanford white, untapped new york

Posted by cathryn on March 26, 2012

https://washingtonsquarepark.wordpress.com/2012/03/26/untapped-new-york-looks-at-wsps-hidden-history/

The Arch’s Roman Numerals

Roman Numerals on Eastern side of Arch

It’s funny when you notice something that you never have before. Walking from the Eastern side of the Park towards the Arch the other day, I noticed, for the first time, that there are Roman numerals up top on the eastern side of the structure. Having not thought about reading Roman numerals in a pretty long while, I did a bit of research to relearn how to decipher them (which was sort of fun).

The date there on the side of the Arch is not what I would have expected. The Arch was created to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of George Washington’s inauguration. It was first constructed in wood and unveiled to commemorate the centennial in 1889. It originally resided half a block away from its current location; the version we see today was later constructed in marble and made permanent.

The date on the side of the Arch is not 1889 to mark the centennial and when the first Arch was built nor the date when the current Arch was finished – 1890-1892 – but is 1789 – the actual year of Washington’s inauguration. (This is assuming I have read these Roman numerals correctly which I’m pretty sure I have.) We wouldn’t do it that way today – marking that date instead of the date of construction or some other significance.

It’s amazing reflecting on how old – and magnificent – the Arch is.