 | Disappearing PlacesAn archive and collective map of places that no longer exist, at least not as they once did. |
Connolly's Won't Go Down
Posted On Monday April 9, 2007 By Merpy
I moved to midtown in January 2002. New York was still in shock after September 11th and I had just gotten dumped by my long time partner. Shortly after I moved up here, MOMA closed, moved its galleries to Long Island City and started construction on its new building. I’d walk my dogs down 54th street nightly and watch it progress. Most of the block had been knocked down to make room for it and I watched it grow, beam by beam, floor by floor. But, Connolly’s would not go down. I loved that.
By the time I took this picture I had met someone new, was happily in love, and glad my old life was long gone. One day we were walking down 54th street on a hot summer day on our way to the Roosevelt Island tram and I thought “I should take a photo because it might not always be like this.” Shortly afterwards, MOMA opened and Connolly’s got knocked down. I guess they finally got enough money to move. Or maybe the space across the street they moved into was ready. Today, Connolly’s happily lives on across the street. And I love going to MOMA. I just still get sad walking past the flattened spot behind the MOMA fence where Connolly’s used to stand.
Tags: art, bar, connolly's, construction, midtown, moma, progress