HarlemCondoLife
By HarlemGal
The upcoming New York City election is potentially now driving the opening of the long awaited Frederick Douglass Circle at the base of Central Harlem! That is what I was told today by some of the workers at the site. Apparently people will be able to access the Circle by then, but no grand opening will happen for awhile. That’s the latest lowdown from the site.
HarlemCondoLife
Do you believe that time schedule given how long it has taken to finish the project or do you think they were yanking my chain? Let’s be honest, it’s shaping up to look very nice. However, the City has been working on the FDB Circle for a looooong time! Could this timing just be purely a coincidence?
And get this, the City has an office right on 110th Street between Manhattan Avenue and FDB. I tried walking in, but the doors were locked!
Overall, the workers were very clear that they had a deadline to meet and that all the barriers would be down soon. Hmmm. Stay tuned.
HarlemCondoLife
And a quick shout out to Zinc Plate Press. They have a very good shot of the sculpture!
13 responses so far ↓
ZPP // October 27, 2009 at 8:58 AM
Thanks for the shout-out
narmer // October 27, 2009 at 10:02 AM
How long have the been milking this project? to me it seems like almost 10 years or more.
quidnam // October 27, 2009 at 10:27 AM
Unless Bloomberg or someone actually plans to stage an event there, my guess would be that the workers were simply offering “election day” as a coincidental timeframe for taking down the fence. Which is good news in any case.
I also think a week from now is plausible, given the amount of visible progress and the fact that there can’t be all that much left to do at this point.
And I’ve seen that office on 110th — I think they’ve been renting it specifically in connection with this project for, well, who knows how long.
afineline // October 27, 2009 at 11:05 AM
I am thrilled to hear this – no matter what the reason for the completion. It is the gateway to Harlem & should have been done ages ago!
I’ve done a watercolor Harlem Map & gave up waiting for that circle, so on the Map is simply…a circle.
harlemgal // October 27, 2009 at 9:18 PM
Thanks for all the comments. I am ready for it to be open too. It is going to be so nice to have!
Joe // October 28, 2009 at 8:44 PM
No way! The original completion date was November 2005!
That office has been closed for a while I think. It’s been a long time since it has looked occupied.
harlemgal // October 28, 2009 at 10:11 PM
Joe,
That is funny. We have all seen those signs around. They were up for years! I keep strolling by to see if the City is really going to have our Circle ready by next week.
HarlemGal
quidnam // October 29, 2009 at 10:48 AM
Joe, I think the November 2005 was actually an “updated” sign. I’m about 90% sure that the originals, which were stood up at various locations around the circle, actually indicated a completion date in 2004, and that the 4 was covered over by a 5 (though they apparently didn’t bother to keep doing so subsequently).
I guess 5 years late is close enough… I don’t even want to know what the original budget was versus the actual amount spent.
quidnam // November 4, 2009 at 3:10 PM
You know that wall they’ve been working on in the Frederick Douglass Circle plaza? Apparently it’s a “60-foot-long, laser-lit fountain” / “water wall.”
From a 2006 NYT article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/03/opinion/03fri4.html
“The setting includes a 60-foot-long, laser-lit fountain, flowing with the waters of freedom”
From NYC Parks Department:
http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_things_to_do/attractions/public_art/monuments/african_american_experience/html/aa_sculptures_index_2.html
Frederick Douglass Circle, 110th Street & Eighth Avenue, Manhattan
Bronze, cast stone, wrought iron, water feature
Located at the northwest corner of Central Park, this monument will honor the abolitionist, writer, orator, and publisher Frederick Douglass. Harlem-based artist Algernon Miller has designed a complex colored paving pattern that alludes to traditional African American quilt designs. Additional features, including wrought-iron symbolic and decorative elements, a water wall, and inscribed historical details and quotations will create a rich tableau representing the life of Douglass and the slaves’ passage to freedom. A central heroically-sized bronze sculpture, depicting a standing Douglass, has been crafted by Hungarian-born artist Gabriel Koren. The plaza and monument will open to the public in 2009.
afineline // November 5, 2009 at 4:39 PM
This sounds like it will have been worth the wait.
A very thoughtful artistic piece.
Can’t wait to enjoy it.
harlemgal // November 11, 2009 at 10:34 PM
Quidnam,
Thanks so much for the additional information! Much appreciated!
HarlemGal
Pete // November 12, 2009 at 10:11 AM
Perhaps it is the 2010 election that is driving the project timetable? Please don’t tell me they’re going to leave the thing fenced off until Charlie Rangel can have a rally there next year…
harlemgal // November 12, 2009 at 12:00 PM
Pete,
Perhaps 2010 or they just felt like yanking my chain. It is getting to the point of beyond ridiculous. The sculptor must wonder if her work will ever go on display. What can we do…