« The Anti-Sit: Ledge Stories | Main | Cities and Kids »
March 25, 2005
J.P. Morgan Library Expansion Renovation
Renzo Piano's renovation & expansion of the Morgan Library, whose main building was originally constructed by McKim, Mead, and White, seems to be coming along - a good 4 years into it. With an expected complete date of 2006. In accordance with strict preservation guidelines, the structure won't touch the original three buildings. The first two years seemed to be concerned with with a massive dig job... The philosophy of the project was also to create a shelter, a “safe for the treasure”, excavated in Manhattan’s schist rock: an underground, 26,100 square feet space, on five levels.
View from Madison Ave.
View from 36th St.
View from 36th St.
Along the main McKim entrance are two lions carved by Edward Clark Potter, who is responsible for Patience and Fortitude, the two lions in front of the Public Library at 5th and 42nd. He also carved the 30 statues atop the cornice at the Brooklyn Museum. There is something really cool about enclosing them in plexiglass.
Posted by jmarston at March 25, 2005 04:09 PM
Comments
haha. are those lions encased in the glass all the time, or just for the construction?
that looks ridiculous. I wonder if the statues were suffering from acid rain or any other pollution too.
Posted by: Joe at March 28, 2005 01:13 PM