Street by Street Project Feed

Street X Street: W. 12th Street, New York City 6

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To me, this is one of the most bizarre architectural things in New York - a church was torn down to make way for a new NYU building but the facade was saved, but the building was built some feet away. So unlike, say, Limelight, the shell of which was kept while the inside was gutted and became a mall (yeah, I know) they just torn this one down. Im glad that they found a way to do something not only to keep part of the history but cover up the bland new building.. but it's kind of a head scratcher. Only in New York, they say, only in New York. :)

Street X Street: W. 12th Street, New York City 5

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This used to be an awesome little deli called Jessie's at the corner of W. 12th and Seventh Ave. until St. Vincent's closed removing most of their regular clientele from the area. Here, seen in November 2011, the shop was in transition becoming a mega Duane Reade. It's nice to have a bigger store (although there are like three in the 'hood) but I sure will miss Jessie's where you could get great sandwiches, the paper, soup and sit for a minute.  Ro and I always thought it would have been great to have turned it into a coffeehouse with live music, but I think those days might be gone for good with rents so high... although it is possible that I'm mixing up fantasy (ie Central Perk) with reality (did live performance ever really happen in these places? It seems like another world these days)

Street X Street: W. 12th Street, New York City 3

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As I walked West to East on 12th Street, I was amused by the various states of decline of pumpkins still left out on stoops. I was especially amused that it seemed to get progressively worse the further in towards the middle of the West Village. I wondered if the people who live nearer to shops had bought their pumpkin early in the season and so it was furthest along. Weirdly there were no pumpkins on stoops once I crossed Fifth Avenue and ventured on into the East Village. Probably because some of the West Village buildings are single family while the East Village is all apartments?

Street X Street: W. 12th Street, New York City 2

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Back in the 70s when I started reading Superman comics, it was shown that Clark Kent lived in the West Village at "344 Clinton Street" and while I can't say for sure, this building looks like one that the worlds greatest superhero would live in - part old New York but slightly upscale and also slightly out of the way (how could he live in a midtown apartment where everyone would see him come and go.. and West Villagers have definitely seen weirder stuff than a man in tights and a cape!)

Street X Street: W. 12th Street, New York City

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I've had this idea the past few years how much fun it would be to photograph each street in New York and show how it changes along the way. So for the next couple weeks I'll be posting some of my favorite pics from my trip across W. 12th Street back in November 2011.  But you can go right to the gallery now if you want to see the whole street at once.

You'll notice decaying pumpkins and some decorations as well as full on autumn color. And the early phase of the renovation of what used to be St. Vincent's. There's also a lot of graffiti - which isn't something I routinely notice .. but some of it is quite fun. Enjoy!