Sing Sing on State? The State Street side of the Armory building as of today.
With Eric Galloway purchasing so much of the town, I now know exactly whom to address when compelled to offer a suggestion for its improvement. Here are a couple of ideas that I’m placing into an imaginary Galloway drop box, which, if taken up, could have a salutary effect on some of his newest acquisitions– the Armory, nearby housing, and the library– as well as the area in which all of those landmarks are located.
Suggestion No 1
A cheap, easy fix for the Armory and its environs: Take down the barbed wire fencing bordering the State Street side, which has been there for years. Talk about a polarizing visual feature! I can’t think of a worse vibe for visitors traveling through the town or residents of the area themselves (to whom the message is nothing less than hostile) then this detention camp accoutrement. It certainly can’t be necessary for security reasons–it’s an Armory, after all, with steel barred windows and impenetrably thick brick walls. If you need someone to volunteer to pull it up, feel free to ask. Driving or walking by as I do daily, I’m ready to help and I need the workout. (As you may concede, I’m spending too much time at the computer.) Feel free to plant some trees along the sidewalk, or even put in a nice new fence, but keeping the open green space plain and open might be the best solution of all– and the least expensive.
Suggestion No. 2
At first glance, one of the worst things about the current state of the library building is the dreadful repointing on the front facade. Right now, with oatmeal like mortar slopped carelessly over nice old stone work, the building looks like it’s got Tinea versicolor. Here, from a side wall at Olana, is an example of how it could be done better, and how beautiful a good patch job can be . –Scott Baldinger
I like not only the “drop box” but the fence removal too !
When designing a vista the eye automatically goes to the foreground.
In this instance the fence takes visual presidence over the magnificent building , making it (the Armory) of secondary importance.
Here’s another idea. Galloway would make friends, if he’s so inclined, by underwriting the restoration of the city park by the old diner on Warren Street. The square was once lovely, with a fountain that was deemed immodest and removed. The square is now an eyesore, with a hideous fence around a fountain and nothing to attract people. A newly designed and planted square would celebrate the exciting Renaissance of this city.
I would like to hear more about the removal of the fountain. Imagine the competition to replace a fountain that was too immodest with a new one — that is more immodest.