I feel bad about what we've lost on the Lower East Side- blocks and blocks of old buildings, true immigrant diversity, the original Jewish Neighborhood in New York. Still- it's no good cursing the darkness. I love LES for what it is- not what it was or could have been. Ever since those first days living down on Orchard Street- drinking at Good World and walking around the abandoned streets at night, I've been in love. Go down to LES- explore the streets that don't have any bars- the streets that seem scary and dark. You'll get a lot back. Larger size versions of all the tenement pictures are available in the gallery section. [Related: ABC No Rio , New York on LES today, LES BID]
I love the Star-of-David-converted-into-a-camera-shutter building. The whole thing was explained to me once on a little tour I took that was set up by the Eldridge Street Project but of course I've now forgotten it entirely.
Posted by: brian w | 11/30/2003 at 10:08 PM
On my recent (and first) visit to new york, a friend included the tentament museum on my tour, it was my favorite thing we did, it was so interesting, i learned so much. I love these photos and all the links you have provided, thanks so much!
Posted by: shana | 12/01/2003 at 11:21 AM
Hey! You still live on the LES according to Lockhart! Maybe it's because you wrote this.
Posted by: Jen | 12/01/2003 at 11:37 AM
yeah- i probably should have specified that i moved to thompson street in january 2001- the lower west side, i call it. but i'll always live in LES in spirit.
Posted by: jake | 12/01/2003 at 12:17 PM
Damn interns. Forgot the word "former."
Posted by: Lock | 12/01/2003 at 12:45 PM
Dear Jacob,
Can we please have posts which are more centered around the intimate details of your private life? Preferably I would like to see more gruesome, unsettlingly frank and self-exploratory anecdotes about your various interpersonal relationships day to day.
I find the endless pictures of tenements monotonous, and even the occasional self-portrait with food-coloring in your eye is not enough to maintain my interest. What a blog is for, this is not.
Thank you for your kind consideration,
Sam
Posted by: Sam T | 12/01/2003 at 03:11 PM
i remembered going to the tentament museum for a school project when i was younger. I liked it so much i tried to apply to work there, but i was too young. the Pictures are great.
Posted by: patty | 12/02/2003 at 10:51 AM
I have a picture of that abandoned building with the star that I took last year...so cool to stumble upon your site.
Posted by: Tamara | 12/03/2003 at 11:34 PM