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I am a neighbor (of the 15th st project), and it is a monstrosity forced on a quiet block by a couple of arrogant yuppie pricks; the kind who have ruined this neighborhood.

Frank, when it comes to design, that's our bag, baby!

I have to say, I just finished editing ColorTherapy for later today which tours Schnabel's Gramercy Hotel interiors and right now I'm digging that townhouse. WOW.

I the sea of NYC blandness in building, I say go for it. We could use a little color and flair in our streets.

As for that hideous thing on 15th street, no comment.

i think the one on 15th street looks like something out of whoville.

That pink building looks ugly, but not from the color. The windows and the lines look all wrong from the pictures, but maybe it looks better in person. The color is a bit obnoxious, but it's unique and somewhat interesting. I personally like the other building. It reminds me of Casa Mila in Barcelona mixed with a little Dr. Suess. The computer generated pictures of the inside look very interesting.

I agree with Maxwell; love the pink.

My condolences to GothamTomato. I feel your pain.

money bad taste = horrible public display of tackiness

That red place looks like the finest brothel in town. Wonder what the overnight rates are.......


The second one is much better.

The red one looks as if someone designed a 1910-style factory, and that someone's only knowledge of factory design was a set of blurrily photocopied sketches and a handbook with pages missing. The underlying "I wanna be a warehouse" vernacular is there, but something is indeed off about those windows.

The other one looks like something that was considered an architectural breakthrough in Amsterdam in 1968. What does it mean when a building's style looks badly dated before the building is completed?

I think it is just the smokestacks that is making the 15th Street project look weird -- other than that, I don't hate it. I am a fan of having landmarks around NYC (not necessarily talking about the Empire State Building kind). I love when someone is telling me where a restaurant is and they say something like -- "It's on 2nd Avenue, you know where that apartment building is with the hot pink door -- its next to that". Soon after these are built, people will get used do them and they will just become points of reference to get to other places.

I'm sorry, but that IS hot pink (at least that's how it looks on my monitor) and it's painful to look at. I don't mind color as long as it doesn't burn my retinas.

Hmm. I loathe the pink on 11th Street, but I like elements of the building on 15th Street (not including the New Orleans style railings, which I beleive clash with the modern bubble-like addition on top). I also don't like the Whoville chimneys at the very top. I think that the 15th Street building is interesting and actually almost attractive.

I sympathize with the residents of 15th street though. It's a beautiful and quiet street. It would suck to live there and then have this giant and quite different building erected.

I'm all for guts and change in design. I don't know how I would feel if it were in my 'hood but from this distance, I like the pink building.

Going against the grain here...

Love the IDEA of a pink building, but that thing looks absolutely FUGLY. Nothing wrong with the color in my mind so long as you design a decent (or at least competent) building. Who the hell is this guy and what makes him think he can design a building? It's totally what an artist with no training would think a building would look like. It's frustrating and completely inexcusable.

The 15th Street building (I live on 15th St) is much much much less offensive. Mildly interesting, may get better with age, though I'd have to see it in person to really tell. It's trying to be a little Gaudi-Mod, which I respect, but we shall see if it succeeds.

One thing we all have to realize is that with prosperous times come impositions on the scale of our streets. Buildings of height always piss neighbors off, but in my mind if you design something beautiful, the height can be forgiven. (not saying either of these are beautiful though.)

For those of you who still don't get it about this city - for better or worse NOTHING IS SACRED here. Everything is transient and most things are for sale. If you want to live in New York then you have to accept that there are people here with insane amounts of money that are going to do things that piss you off. As someone who has lived here for 42 years I can tell you that it's always been that way - it's not a new phenomenon as many whine about. The heart and soul of New York has nothing to do with what it looks like (which is constantly changing but for a handful of landmarks) and everything to do with who lives here, yuppies with awful taste included. It's not fair here and no one said it was, so stop complaining and if you really can't deal then move.

I read the article about the family on 15th Street and it just kind of sickened me. I just don't see them as the victims in this and don't feel sorry for them at all.

Sorry that it took you all of two whole years to throw out tenants who had lived in a building for over twenty so you can have an "au pair suite." Nice! And then to suggest the tenant who got a $10,000 pay off has a "nice nest egg"? How far is that going to get you in NYC these days?

A few years ago, their current home/art gallery was a stop on the Open House New York tour, and I was able to see the scale model of the Yangtze River running through the living room in person. Not actually that impressive! Mostly because you know, who even knows what the Yangtze River really looks like anyway! So pretentious!

All I can think of is, if this was happening in San Francisco, would anyone be making a fuss? I guess it would depend on the neighborhood.

The first thing I thought of when I saw Schnabel's pink building was Broken Angel in Bed-Stuy: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.bluejake.com/images06/misc/2006_4_brokenangel1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.bluejake.com/archives/2006/04/25/broken_angel.php&h=600&w=900&sz=354&hl=en&start=10&um=1&tbnid=IUxMQ5q72YgtPM:&tbnh=97&tbnw=146&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbroken%2Bangel%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26channel%3Ds%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DG
Maybe it's all the scaffolding.

Gee ... and I thought a new factory in my backyard was going to be bad. That pink building is awful.

And the 15th street thing...? Somehow makes me imagine what Jules Verne might've built for himself.

i'm not a fan of schnabels. my grandmother would call it a "spite house", painted pink to spite the neighbors. it could be a commentary on meier's all white-ness, or just bad taste. but red is the least permanent of colors. this will quickly fade to a pastel pink, then get covered in grit and take on a pinkish grey tone.

the one on 15th street looks okay. nothing to jump up and down about either pro or con. though, it doesn't look "new york" to me. more like new orleans on acid.

Since we ARE talking design, then I must agree with Maxwell -- love the pompeii red! I'm all for more color in NYC buildings -- though I thought that hotel on 8th and 42nd would be cool from the drawings, and the reality is very disappointing.

A major tragedy to those who respect the rich history of the West Village. Unfortunately, one can place this building on a long list of visual polution that has become the norm in the neighborhood.

hmm... looks like someone (schnabel) desperately needs a LOT of attention focused on one's self.. again!

>>What do you say?

Pompeii Red, maybe... Monstrosity, Definitely!

>>Are you a neighbor?

No. :)

Oh wow, I would love to live near a house like that. It's crazy and unique. Like one of the commenters said above, it would make it easier to give directions!

(I don't live in New York, but directions to my house include "past the funeral home that's been turned into condos.")

god i love Julian Schnabel.

Snot says: "t's not fair here and no one said it was, so stop complaining and if you really can't deal then move."




Actually, if anyone should move, it is insufferable bridge & tunnel transplant yuppies, who are trying to sanitize the city, (for their neglected children), and turn it into the suburbs.

In the category of Severe Damning with Faint Praise, the Schnabel towntower is much much much more attractive than his artwork!

And as for the 15th Street building, I like when rich white trash can say, "I have tackier taste than all the rest of the hedge funders, traders and money managers in this city rolled into one, and I'm not afraid to show it. Repeatedly, in every element and every move." It's so BOLD! Why be constrained by old-money deadweight like, say, proportion, reserve, etiquette, decorum, common sense or common decency?

Marie, I was going to say the same thing. The photo of the 15th St. family in the Times is so sweet and innocent and then you read that this same family kicked out 20 yr. tenants to build an "art piece" that the whole 'hood hates. Hey, I hear Red Hook is looking for more families to move in. They can go build their monstrosity there.

Snot, that sentiment reeks of snobbery and arrogance. "then just move"! Like it's just that easy. When communities don't like what's happening they have every right to speak up. If it weren't for people like Jane Jacobs, the West Village wouldn't be there now - a freeway would. There's good change and bad change and when it's time for people to step up and speak out we won't look to you. You'll be standing there saying "suck it up or move".

I'm a neighbor on w 15th street, and i just think it's horrible, horrible, horrible. so hideous.

There are two things I just don't get about the 15th street project. Why would you want a big porch like that so close to the street, since there would be no privacy? And isn't blocking the light on the building next door (as the balconies seem to) a violation of some sort of code?

Creativity is good, but scale would seem to be the greater virtue when it comes to architecture in a dense city.

Where is the article about the 15th street project?

as someone who lives in New Orleans my first thought is "what's the big deal?"

Fugly........

considering the rows of horrible buidings on 6th avenue, that's avenue of the americas for you formal types, above 23rd street, these individual projects are refreshing.

I have never until now been a fan of Mr. Schnabel.. and I am not sure I am now but his credibility as an artist just went up as far as I am concerned.. I have thought him the wost of the self absorbed artist with work so pretentious even the untitled pieces said look I am an artist.... but i have to give him credit for making a building and a big one at that as well as learning how to make a point with architecture. I dont like the building scale , style or any portion of the composition.. Its a "frankenstyle" creation.. but the big pink finger might be Schnabel's best art yet.. he actually said some thing and meant it .. for the neighbors you still live on one of the best streets.. just be glad he didnt clad it in shiny Copper.. you would all have 'oompa loompa' orange reflections .. consider yourself lucky.. and i completely agree with snot.. in NY nothing is sacred. and thats part of its allure.