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A Monumental Surprise at Hudson Square in New York

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I’ve been saving up these photos for a while now and I really don’t know why.  They were all taken in the area of downtown Manhattan, a bit of SoHo and primarily to the west which is a commercial area and known as Hudson Square. 

Today I’m taking you on a tour and sharing a monumental surprise at Hudson Square in New York. 

Graffiti of Snoopy on Garage door, A monumental Surprise at Hudson Square in New York, www.theboondocksblog.com
SoHo is an area in west downtown Manhattan.  The name comes from its location which is South of Houston Street.   

Much of SoHo is quaint and village like. 

Typical street in SoHo, A monumental Surprise at Hudson Square in New York, www.theboondocksblog.com
..with cast iron buildings and boutiques. 
Building with large arches, A monumental Surprise at Hudson Square in New York, www.theboondocksblog.com

In fact the area is famous for these types of buildings which were originally factories and when later abandoned, were inhabited by artists for their expansive loft spaces. 
Neo Greco Building with arches, A monumental Surprise at Hudson Square in New York, www.theboondocksblog.com

​You might even be fooled into thinking that you are on a Greek island every once in a while. This shot was taken in front of a restaurant. Love that blue!!
Blue storefront with marigolds, A monumental Surprise at Hudson Square in New York, www.theboondocksblog.com
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​But if you gaze up there is no denying that you are in fact surrounded by lots of skyscrapers, the most prominent being The Freedom Tower at One Word Trade Center.
​ 

A view of One World Trade Center in the background, A monumental Surprise at Hudson Square in New York, www.theboondocksblog.com
There is that juxtaposition of solid looking brick buildings.
Brick building in Soho, A monumental Surprise at Hudson Square in New York, www.theboondocksblog.com

Some with ornate facades.
​ 
Heavily ornamented building in Hudson Square, A monumental Surprise at Hudson Square in New York, www.theboondocksblog.com
And the monoliths. 

There is that spiral of The Freedom Tower looking down at us. 

Tall buildings in Hudson Square with spiral of One World Trade Center, A monumental Surprise at Hudson Square in New York, www.theboondocksblog.com

​Lots of greenery too.
Tiny garden in front of a window, A monumental Surprise at Hudson Square in New York, www.theboondocksblog.com
And flowers…
Flower bed in front of residential building, A monumental Surprise at Hudson Square in New York, www.theboondocksblog.com

​And unexpected facade cladding.  This building, which is residential, is covered in a metal that is brimming with patina. 

Rusty patina of the facade of building, A monumental Surprise at Hudson Square in New York, www.theboondocksblog.com
Back to the more traditional. 

​I lived in one of these when we first moved to the States a few lifetimes ago and I remember having a fire escape outside my 5th floor bedroom window.  It was so thrilling for a girl who had never seen any building taller than two stories. 

Typical building with ornate features and fire escapes, A monumental Surprise at Hudson Square in New York, www.theboondocksblog.com
Detail of arch on doorway of building, A monumental Surprise at Hudson Square in New York, www.theboondocksblog.com
As we come closer to the Hudson Square area which is just off the Hudson River, we find an interesting mix of buildings. 
Urban Glass House by Philip Johnson, A monumental Surprise at Hudson Square in New York, www.theboondocksblog.com

The Urban Glass House was designed by work famous architect Philip Johnson, he of the original Glass House fame built back in 1949.  
Facade of Urban glass house, A monumental Surprise at Hudson Square in New York, www.theboondocksblog.com
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​Walking up Hudson Street we come to this.  You’d think its a residential building but in fact it is a commercial office building. 
Commercial building on Hudson Street, A monumental Surprise at Hudson Square in New York, www.theboondocksblog.com
Hudson Street is a delight for the eyes!
Ornate details on building, A monumental Surprise at Hudson Square in New York, www.theboondocksblog.com

​Full of so many unexpected details, if you only look up!

balcony on commercial building, A monumental Surprise at Hudson Square in New York, www.theboondocksblog.com
Even this is cool to look at. 
modern office building with curved edges, A monumental Surprise at Hudson Square in New York, www.theboondocksblog.com
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​Right off of the Hudson River we encounter this striking building. 

NYSanitation Dept Garage building, A monumental Surprise at Hudson Square in New York, www.theboondocksblog.com
Can you guess what’s inside?  

Those fins by the way, move to track the suns movement throughout the day and contribute to its environmentally friendly status. 

Perforated Metal fins on building, A monumental Surprise at Hudson Square in New York, www.theboondocksblog.com
It is the New York City Department of Sanitation Garage.  I never knew garbage could look so stylish!
Maroon masonry base of building, A monumental Surprise at Hudson Square in New York, www.theboondocksblog.com
And let’s not forget our perfect view right across the street from the Garage or “Tower of Garbage” as it is affectionately known!
alleyway looking at the Freedom Tower, A monumental Surprise at Hudson Square in New York, www.theboondocksblog.com
I’ve saved the last one for last.  This strange construction which looks like it came out of the desert is across the street from the “Tower of Garbage”.  What do you think might be inside?
The Spring Street Salt Shed at Hudson Square, A monumental Surprise at Hudson Square in New York, www.theboondocksblog.com
It is full of salt!  

That’s right, the Department of Sanitation uses it as a storage shed for the salt that is used in the winter. It’s official title is Spring Street Salt Shed. It’s even won a couple of Architectural awards!

Spring Street Salt Shed, A monumental Surprise at Hudson Square in New York, www.theboondocksblog.com
Just look at that undulating building.  My first impression when I encountered it was one of disbelief.  I circled it and circled it trying to figure out what it was.  It looks like a giant piece of sculpture. 
Spring Street Salt Shed, A monumental Surprise at Hudson Square in New York, www.theboondocksblog.com
To the west of the shed is West Street (very creative) and beyond that is the Hudson River.  Underneath this road is the Holland Tunnel which connects Manhattan to New Jersey on the other side of the river. 
West Street next to the Hudson River, A monumental Surprise at Hudson Square in New York, www.theboondocksblog.com
And that is my exhaustive tour of the Hudson Square area of Manhattan. With a monumental surprise at the end!  Only in New York folks!!

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A photo essay of New York's Hudson Square and the surrounding area, SoHo in Manhattan #travel #photography #NewYork #manhattan #hudsonsquare #SoHo #buildings #oneworldtradecenter #SpringStreetSaltShed A monumental Surprise at Hudson Square in New York, www.theboondocksblog.com
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I love it when I get your comments and I will try to reply to every one of them.

  1. You have captured the buildings and city beautifully and I especially enjoyed your view of the Freedom Tower. I always love seeing urban gardens too!

    • Mary says:

      Surprisingly the city is not a concrete jungle at all. There are squares and parks dotting Manhattan and adding so much pretty greenery to the cityscape.

  2. debbie says:

    That was a very enjoyable tour of SoHo, especially revealing that fascinating salt shed. I haven’t been in New York for a few years and would love to get back, so it was nice seeing it through your eyes.

    • Mary says:

      Thank you Debbie. You never know what you will encounter around the corner. That’s what makes these little trips into the city so exciting.

  3. Birgitta says:

    Interesting buildings and great photos!

  4. Lady Fi says:

    What an unexpected area of charm and quirk! I love the Sanitation Shed!

  5. Amy says:

    This is a great tour! The pictures are fabulous! I haven’t been to New York since high school, but your photos are making me want to visit again. 🙂

  6. Pat says:

    I love seeing New York again through your camera lens, Mary. So many familiar sights and some new ones too!

    • Mary says:

      Pat NY is always changing with a certain familiarity. I love being surprised after all these years.

  7. tomthebackroadstraveller says:

    …one photo op after another, thanks.

  8. Great shots of this great city, Mary. I’m glad I’m not the only one wandering around the City looking up all the time and taking photos! 🙂
    Thank you for taking part in the Travel Tuesday meme.

  9. betty - NZ says:

    Gotta love Snoopy, wherever he is!
    What a great tour with so many different styles of architecture! Each one is a work of art! Thank you for linking up at My Corner of the World!

    • Mary says:

      Thank you Betty for hosting each week. It is a pleasure to be able to connect with so many talented photographers.

  10. I’m much more of a country girl than a city girl, but the photo opportunities in the city are something not to miss. You’ve captured well!
    Thanks for sharing at https://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2019/02/time-for-tune-up.html

  11. Lidia says:

    That Snoopy mural stopped me in my tracks!!! Wonderful post! Thanks for sharing on “Sweet Inspiration”!

  12. Lydia C. Lee says:

    I like the salt shed – it’s cool! Very kooky. You’ve got some nice detail in this collection.

  13. Pinning! This is an area of NYC I have not spent much time in and I so enjoyed your photographs. The salt shed is very cool!! Thank you for sharing with the Hearth and Soul Link Party!

  14. I think I’ve said this before Mary, forgive me, but I really look forward to your “photo tours”. You always share such interesting places but from a perspective that other people don’t and manage to capture the “heart” of a place. That salt storage place is mind boggling……… and the building with the rusty metal panels on the outside is wow!!! I would love to do something like that outside our house if Shaunie would let me 😀

    • Mary says:

      I always try to share things that are not too touristy because that is something everyone sees. I try to see the city as a child who has just discovered something new.
      Michelle since I started blogging I have really come to love all things metal and full of patina. I never would have said that before but seeing so much around me has really opened up my eyes to the beauty in everything. Maybe it’s the lens that does it.

  15. Thank you for the wonderful tour of Soho! I love the diverse style of buildings in one general area but my heart definitely goes pitter patter for the old historical buildings. Pssssst I thought the big surprise was that you ran into a celebrity and got a photo together. 😉

    • Mary says:

      Marie here in NY we are so blase when we see celebrities. We try to pretend they are not there so they have some privacy Haha!! It’s bad enough they have paparazzi around them all the time.

  16. Unique to look over. I live in a small town of 7000 where the tallest building might be a apartment that is 4 stories.

    • Mary says:

      I was born in a small town in Greece with a pop of 3000 but moved to NYC when I was little so you can imagine the shock!

  17. Marie-OR says:

    Fascinating tour of SoHo! Love those automatic sunshades on the windows of that one building! And the oddly shaped salt building is very cool. But my heart is with the older buildings!

    • Mary says:

      I hear ya Marie. There is such a vast array of styles of architecture in such a small space, you can easily spend hours just walking around with your head up in the air.

  18. Nancy Andres says:

    Terrific photos and commentary of an area in Manhattan that I love. As a color maven, I especially enjoyed seeing the different shades you captured in this walking tour. Keep up the good work Mary and be well.

    • Mary says:

      Thanks so much Nancy. It is always fun to walk around and see the unexpected. The city is full of color and light and shadows!

  19. Eileen Wise says:

    Hello, awesome series and great variety of buildings. I like the Snoopy mural. Happy Thursday, enjoy your day. Have a great weekend ahead.

  20. pam says:

    I love looking at buildings, esp OLD ones. Here in Nashville TN business’ have been having the sides of buildings paintings. Nice pics.

    • Mary says:

      That is a wonderful way to add color to a neighborhood. I bet there must be lots of historic buildings in Nashville.

  21. Oh Mary, what a great post, a great tour. I love the varied styles of architecture, though the traditional always wins out for me! You really captured this part of the city!

    • Mary says:

      It was a pleasant surprise for me Jeanie. I had never been here before. I love discovering new areas in Manhattan.

  22. So much history and so much beauty! Your photos are gorgeous! Thank you for this tour, and for sharing at Celebrate It!

  23. Magical Mystical Teacher says:

    What a great photographic tour of the area! Aren’t city shadows fascinating?

  24. Debra says:

    What a fascinating tour. I never realized the buildings were constructed of metal. I am partial to the older architecture and I have always liked anything by Phillip Johnson.

    • Mary says:

      There is truly something for everyone. I didn’t even know that the building was by Philip Johnson. I actually have to come home and research all this stuff.

  25. Julie says:

    What an educational tour you have given us! I have never been to New York City (hard to believe, I know!) I am a big fan of architecture, so the information you provided is really interesting. Soho looks like a charming place to visit!

    • Mary says:

      Julie I’m also a fan of architecture. The kids always joke that mom is going to crash into things and people as she is walking in the street because her head is always up in the skyscrapers.

  26. Such beautiful photos. Thanks for sharing them.

  27. Michelle says:

    I like the village look of Soho very much. Maybe I could live in a city after all 🙂 Thank you for linking up today.

  28. Debbie says:

    Hi Mary, what a diverse aray of buildings you have in New York. The architecture and lines of them make for an interesting walk. It’s nice to see you get reminders of Greece on your wanderings too.
    xx

    • Mary says:

      It’s hard to get Greece out of your system Debbie. And this city is such a huge contrast to everything in Greece. Luckily there is an area that is all Greek and we go there for our gyro fix.

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