Issues

In Manhattan, open space is a valuable commodity. The city had offered tax incentives in the 1970’s to spur the construction of public plazas to allow additional space to Manhattan crowds. However, not all of these spaces were designed to invite visitors. Of the two spaces photographed, one is set up several flights from the street. One entrance leads onto the street, but is dark and cavernous and uninviting. The other is situated along an expressway far from pedestrians. The developers could build a plaza to attract tax incentives, without attracting the unwanted crowd. The other plaza, on 23rd Street, was perhaps more well intentioned. Yet it is nothing but a cold, hard space of concrete and brown bricks that does not invite the passersby into it. It is well integrated, but not inviting.

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