New York's Homeless Intake Center

http://www.futureofcapitalism.com/2011/07/new-york-homeless-intake-center

Bloomberg News has an architecture review of New York City's $66 million, seven-story new intake center for both the genuinely homeless and "homeless" families who have figured out they want the priority for subsidized housing that the city grants to "homeless" families. A photo caption reports that "richly colored panels in terra cotta, terra cotta louvers, and zinc enliven the surface." The article reports that "murmuring televisions form the primary diversion for the long waits" and that the building was designed by Ennead Architects, the new name of what used to be the Polshek Partnership, which is known for its museum work.

I sympathize with the argument that if a court has ordered the city to fix up this intake center the city might as well build something nice. By the standards of public sector building in New York City, like the $476 million Brooklyn court house and post office renovation, $66 million isn't that bad. All the same, some of us New Yorkers dwelling in homes whose exteriors are not enlivened by either zinc or terra cotta louvers may, despite themselves, feel a twinge of annoyance at being taxed for this.

by Editor  |  Jul 29, 2011 at 10:03 am Related Topics:  New York receive the latest by email: subscribe to the free futureofcapitalism.com mailing list