[Sun]

I'm glad that Garodnick lobbied for public improvements. Sometimes people stand in the way of change for reasons that I disagree with. Sometimes people stand in the way of change in order to ensure that the change that occurs does so in a beneficial way for the public and for the long term. This is definitely the latter.

This type of negotiation/exchange has worked fairly well for NYC before - when buildings were allowed to increase their height or density by creating 'public' space/plazas on the street level. (1961 - Privately owned public spaces). If it weren't for that, NYC would be quite a bit colder on the the ground level. Anyway, with Vanderbilt - a row of tall or supertalls with extensive public improvements might sew a vein of liveliness that pulses through that otherwise old/dead area. It's exciting.

That being said, from a strictly design standpoint I have to say that it's unfortunate that one of the tallest in the city is destined to look like this. Obviously everyone differs on this, but damn. I tried to like it, I really did.... But who knows, the PanAm err, MetLife building has become such an iconic character that I like it now... I just hope that before they build One Vanderbilt, they realize that creating set backs that look like a hand made of blocks of tofu flicking off New Jersey isn't an attractive icon.