The Flatiron Building, one of my favorite NYC edifices!

[bigger picture taken by Jeff Shore; 2 smaller ones by myself using my celfone]


One chilly afternoon, I waited for a friend after I had deposited my check at my bank along 5th Avenue, and I noticed a number of people was out taking pictures of the Flatiron Building,(what does Wikipedia have to say about this building?) one of the more iconic buildings that stand along 23rd Street fronting the 19th century Madison Square Park,(more about this Park?)and going towards the more business district side of Chelsea on the west in Manhattan. I had known later from online sources that this building is considered to be the oldest skyscraper still standing and continues to be used in NYC. That was why perhaps they were recently renovating it, which they have just finished completing. It has been around for that long, for over a hundred years now, which give very notable credits to its architect, builders and its owners.

I became curious on how people would spend time taking pictures of a building that has been around since the early years of the 20th century. It was a sunny, bright day, and I failed to bring my digital camera for this opportunity to do a photo-op. But I was glad for the other photographers who ventured out and decided to include this building in their portfolio. This is one of those days that could easily bring out the creative spirit among photographers and other photographic enthusiasts.

I would passed by this building every time I go to and fro one of my previous part time jobs along 6th Avenue. I remember having always attracted to it, primarily because of its very interesting details when you see it up close. It has that look of something very fragile, yet intricately put in place to occupy a small triangular space right in its very spot now. Also, it's interesting to note that it has a subway stop of the "R" line that runs under the very close ground to the building. It's a curiously studied, yet precariously chosen spot, which makes all the other edifices around it become part of whole local scenery. I also happen to know someone who's got his offices there, and I can imagine how it is to be working in one of those easily recognizable structures in NYC (I had a visiting friend asked me to bring him to this building, once, when he first arrived in the US). I remember having taken photos of this building using my old and now broken celfone, and which pictures I've deleted before I finally stopped using the said celfone. But I was also somewhat disappointed for awhile that every time I would walk by the building, it was still having its renovation works. It's just not really a site to behold when it was being renovated. But still I remember being awestruck by its presence when I first saw it up close, on my way to go Paragon Sports Store(know more about Paragon Sports?), one time I badly wanted to buy a new pair of rubber shoes.

And I also got more interested that its architect was Daniel Burnham, (who's he?) a very familiar name that reminds me of outstandingly designed buildings in Manila, Philippines. He's the same guy who's the architect of the Philippine National Museum Buildings, plus I know there's an iconic park in Baguio City with a small manmade pond where you can do boating around (I heard its main source is from natural springs) that's named after him. I'm just mighty proud I've seen Mr Burnham's works back in the Philippines, even before I got to admire this great work of his here in NYC!