“We interrupt our regular programming to bring you this special report.”
I have heard that phrase used on TV many times. Today it applies to this column.
I happened to spot an interesting story on Yahoo News last week, about an ongoing multi- million- dollar renovation of one of New York City’s most iconic landmarks, the “Flatiron” building.
It is currently being converted from office space to luxury apartments, some with astronomical prices.
It was called that because of its very narrow, unusual triangular design, constructed on a small sliver of land in New York City that wasn’t really big enough for anything else.
I was in NYC for a conference in 2000, and took a city bus tour, but I can’t remember if we went by that building or not. I am loosely aware of it, from general reading. But this article gave a lot of background on it that I did not know.
As the Yahoo story relates, “For over 120 years, the building has been a testament to architectural ingenuity, and while that history is highlighted in its redevelopment, the building is also becoming a symbol of just how expensive the city’s luxury apartments can get.
Completed in 1902, the building was an architectural marvel with a pioneering steelframe construction making it one of the city’s first skyscrapers. Designed by architect Daniel Burnham to fit onto a wedge-shaped plot of land at the intersection of Broadway and Fifth Avenue, it was initially dubbed “Burnham’s Folly” because locals feared that its height and thinness would cause it to blow over.
Originally built to house the Fuller Company, a Chicago construction firm, the 24-storey, 94m (307ft) tall building has had many occupants, including clothing and toy companies, magazines, and publishing houses. But in its 100-plus-year history, it was always an office space – until now. After the last office tenants, Macmillan Publishing, moved out in 2019, scaffolding went up and it sat vacant through years of ownership disputes.
The building’s current owners – the Brodsky Organization, GFP Real Estate, and the Sorgente Group - began renovations in 2023, after announcing they would convert it into high-end condos. Once completed, the building will have 36 open-concept apartments – some half-floor and some full-floor units – ranging from $11m (£8.3m) for three-bedroom units to $58.5m (£43.9m) for a full-floor five-bedroom residence with a balcony, which is currently in contract.”
I am reminded of the Hilton Hotel in downtown Columbus, Ohio, where my wife and I once stayed, when we went to a National Rural Electric Cooperative Assn. conference for her job. It too had a triangular design, but was not, as I recall, as “flat” as this building is. We were fortunate enough to get a room on the 7th floor, in the apex of its triangle, with windows on all three sides, facing north, south, and west: Room #711.
An amazing view of three sides of the city: north, south, and west. And an easy- to- remember room number!
That was an interesting trip, for a number of reasons.
For one thing, when our cab delivered us from the airport, who should pull up behind us, in his GA pickup truck from Jenkins County, was her colleague from the Planters EMC in Millen! He had told her he “did not fly,” so would be driving; but we did not expect him to get there at the same time we did! He had to have left Jenkins County at least a day before we got on our plane in Savannah; maybe two. The timing was coincidental, but serendipitous. (A really nice guy.)
An interesting sight I found, while Anne was in classes, was an outdoor “topiary garden,” a bit north of downtown, with bushes pruned to look like a painting by the French Impressionist painter, Claude Monet, “Picnic on the (river) Seine.” I was astonished. I had never seen a “topiary garden” before, but the resemblance to the characters in the well-known painting was uncanny.
Another interesting sight was a huge round stained glass replica of the state seal, hanging in the rotunda of the state capitol building, also downtown. I don’t remember the exact size, but it was something like 12 feet in diameter -- huge! I’ve never seen anything like it. (I bought a mousepad replica in their gift shop, which I still have.)
The information plaque accompanying it said that it used to hang in that rotunda, many years ago, but was taken down, boxed up, and stored in the basement, some time ago, while the capitol building underwent extensive renovations. And then it was forgotten! And then re-discovered maybe a dozen years earlier, so remounted in its original place.
What a story!
There are several more stories about that trip, but those were the highlights.
Rafe Semmes is a proud graduate of (“the original”) Savannah High School and the University of Georgia. He and his wife are both longtime Rotarians, and live in rural eastern Liberty County with their various orphan felines. He writes on a variety of topics, and may be reached at rafe_semmes@ yahoo. com.