A Sunday Afternoon Walking through Central Park

Last Sunday afternoon I saw a movie with my son over at Lincoln Square, at 68th and Broadway - and yes, I know it was a beautifully sunny day and I should have been outside etc. etc. - but, I just wanted to take that break from "the world." (We saw "The Invention of Lying" and it was certainly an escapist film!)

When we left, I went shopping for socks, and Jake went home. And then I went walking ... down West 74th Street. Why not?

And I discovered - or, rather, re-discovered - a beautiful row of homes that seems to me to be quite unique, one of which I've pictured below:

This is just one of the terrace of buildings, and as such it is singular if only because it displays a violation of the West Side Historic District's restrictions. See the planters up top?

They're not supposed to be there! In fact, and I'm sure the casual observer wouldn't really think it is all that important, but look here - there is an actual notice, a Certificate of Appropriateness, that specifically states:

"Pursuant to Section 25-307 of the Administrative Code of the City of New York, the Landmarks Preservation Commission, at the Public Meeting of July 13, 2004, following the Public Hearing of July 13, 2004, the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to deny the proposal to allow the re-installation of planters installed directly above the mansard roof above the fifth floor ...."

But, you see: it's still there. Just how current is this notice, I wonder. So, I read on:

"In reviewing this proposal, the Commission noted that 34 West 74th Street is a Georgian Revival style rowhouse with Beaux-Arts style elements, one of a row of eighteen, designed by Percy Griffin and built in 1902-1904; and that the building's age, style, scale, materials, and details are among the features which contribute to the special architectural and historic character of the Upper West Side/Central Park West Historic District, and also the Central Park West- West 73rd-74th Street Historic District; The Commission also noted that Landmarks
Preservation Commission Notice of Violation V-02-0260 was issued on March 24, 2002, for the "Installation of fence at roof without permit(s)"; that staff visited the site and determined that the fence cited in the violation was actually the continuous row of planters; that the pergola was also visible from the street and been installed without permits; that a glass block wind screen on the west side of the building was partially visible in photographs taken at the time of designation and was therefore grandfathered; that the applicant had the planters and pergola removed prior to the hearing; and that the cited warning letter was rescinded. With regard to the denied planter installation, the Commission found that that the planters have been designed in a manner which significantly changes the appearance of the historic mansard roof; that the planters stand out
against the skyline in a manner which draws undue attention to them; and that for these reasons the re-installation of the planters, as designed, will detract from the special architectural and historic character of the building, the row, and both historic districts."

This notice was first published on 09/07/2004, and is set to expire on 07/13/2010. I wonder - and there's more to this certificate, but not much, just how long it will take to remove these planters. But I'm also impressed that there is such official permission, and restrictions, granted. I wonder who would enforce this? I read on:

"All approved drawings are marked approved by the Commission with a perforated seal indicating the date of approval. The work is limited to what is contained in the perforated documents. Other work or amendments to this filing must be reviewed and approved separately. The applicant is hereby put on notice that performing or maintaining any work not explicitly authorized by this permit may make the applicant liable for criminal and/or civil penalties, including imprisonment and fines. This letter constitutes the permit; a copy must be prominently displayed at the site while work is in progress."

Wow! Imprisonment and fines! They could mean business! (And isn't the internet a wonderful thing. I didn't see this permit posted anywhere, but with a little searching I discovered it. And, of course, as a properly licensed busy-body (aka NYC Tour Guide) I sent it off to the Committee to Preserve the Upper West Side, or Landmark West! and I await their reply.

Having done my good deed (really?!), I was then off to The Central Park. Oh, by the way, when the park was devised, that was the formal title of it - The being the defining element. Just like it's supposed to be The Fifth Avenue as well.

Enough! Off to the park - and once I walk down the W. 77th Street entrance road, and off down a path to the left, I see one of my most favorite trees:

I haven't given it a nick-name, although you might say it's crying out for one: The Lazy Tree? or The Lounging Tree? Maybe that last is appropriate for this Sunday, for I will certainly find many loungers out and about!

Look down, across the early autumn leaves, and on this day, and no doubt on many of the days to come, one can see the truth in Albert Camus' statement that "Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower." Ahh, yes.

The Newly Clad Bridge to the Rambles - and more

Yes, a day for lounging, but not for just lazing around. I had places to go, perhaps people and animals to meet, and certainly things to see. First on my list was the bridge to the Rambles.

There's the lake, and I marvel at the sheer number of people! No, I don't feel pressed, or pressured by all the people. I'm just impressed again on how good a job the Central Park Conservancy has done. Where people 30 years ago would NEVER go, everyone does now!

Look at that! The bridge never looked so fine; look too at the wooden planking. Such are the wonders of the Park; when once you "know" it, the Conservancy revitalizes it and inspires people to marvel at the world around them.

To be involved in the Park is really the goal of the designers, among whose intentions was that when people enter the park they deliberately - and by design it's almost subtle - leave the city. I mean, where else would it be possible to -

- row under a bridge as blithely as if you were walking in the park. Of course, not everything is perfect, for the water quickly becomes too shallow for their venture,

- and they have to back themselves out!

But I just keep on walking.

After crossing the bridge, I see a wonderful path up the hillside. In fact, I recognize that the path has been totally resurfaced. Lovely. And close by - another more rustic path, back toward the water.

I do feel I'm in the country, but not too wild a country; this is somewhere people have been, and by the fineness of the path I can deduce that people love this land. People are interested in my enjoying it too. There's a sense of community here, here in The Central Park.

I look down to the bridge once again, before I go deeper into the Ramble.

As I walk toward the top of that hill, I find a path going off to my right - and a bridge - another bridge! - seems to rise up out of the path. Beautiful. Let's to and look over, and down.

There's a man approaching - and walking quite purposely it seems. Let's see him go through.But I can't see him. Once again, the brilliance of the designers of the Park have outwitted me, and have preserved privacy, have limited my view, but have enhanced the wilderness feeling that sometimes tricks me into believing I'm not really in New York. Hmm. Where did he go?

There he goes! And he seems to be even further away than I would have expected. Curious, very curious.

Well, I'm off into the woods. Now, you have to realize I'm skipping much - and some of you who have been this way will question my choice of route, but: I ask you. Who is really choosing your route when you freely wander in the Central Park? You? Not really. It's a combination of your will, your unconscious, and the designers of the Park. As they say in so many twelve-step programs - and don't forget, the Park is one of the easiest and least expensive sessions for mental therapy that exist: let go and let God. Well, and also let Olmstead, Vaux, and the skilled foreman of the gardeners, Ignaz Pilat, have their way with you.

In fact, hired first for only $1.50 per day as a foreman, Ignaz Pilat, educated in Botany at the University of Vienna, told Olmstead, who was the Superintendent of the Park, that "to occupy the position of a mere foreman ... is far from being grateful to my feelings." Three years later he was the chief gardnener. It is to him perhaps that we should tender our thanks and offer our appreciation; for it was he who supervised the shaping of slopes and arrangement of boulders, the trenching, fertilizing and planting of lawns, as well as the selection, placement, and transplanting of trees and shrubs. (Rosenzweig & Blackmar, "The Park and the People," p. 172)

Just imagine. All 26,000 trees, 58 miles of paths, almost 9000 benches, 36 unique bridges, over just 843 acres with 7 bodies of water all supplied by the city water system, all over, under and around hills and trees that Ignaz Pilat and his mostly German gardeners fabricated according to what was largely Calvert Vaux's plan. (Even though Olmstead gets most of the credit, and may certainly deserve it for most of the other parks he helped make, Vaux was the main designer of Central Park.)

So, a fun Sunday in the Park.

Look! Another explorer! He hasn't far to go, but he's venturing into a cove - for the heck of it. Just the thing to do on a lazy sunny afternoon.

A pup waits and watches while his (or her?) masters meander for a moment. But I'm at the other edge of the park, and almost, I think, near the edge.

But what's that in the tree?



It was moving, but a raccoon was climbing around a tree! Just a hundred yards or less from the East drive - and, in fact, he was the second one I saw that afternoon. (The first one was impossible to catch on camera.) So, all kinds of critters in the Park Sunday!

So, not too far to walk now - there's the drive!

- which means it can't be far to Fifth Avenue. It is a wonderful day - everyone is out, walking, biking, and, of course, running.

Slowly, carefully, I cross the drive.

The grand apartments on The Fifth Avenue! I've made it - again, of course. I've done this walk many, many times; but each time is different. I can't wait to do it again!