New newsstands are beginning to pop up all over New York City according to City Room (I’m not currently in New York City so I can’t confirm — but the pictures should stand as proof).
The metal and glass newsstands are erected by Cemusa and are designed by Grimshaw Architects. They are supposed to mimic the look and feel of the new bus stops around NYC.
How will these new street structures be paid for? Advertising of course!
From an economic point of view, their chief value will be as frameworks for 6-by-10-foot, eye-level billboards. Revenues from these signs will offset the cost of designing, constructing, installing and maintaining the structures, which are made of stainless steel and tempered glass.
Some critics of the new newsstands say that the new structures take away from the individuality of each city street [see comments] because all of the newsstands look the same and fit the same dimensions. I, however, think that the uniformity amongst the newsstands won’t be a problem in terms of bringing “uniqueness” to each city block. People often forget how innovative and relentless New Yorkers are in making every single inch of the city “theirs”, so even if these newsstands are built to all look the same, I can probably bet anybody that none of them will resemble any other by the time they are all up and running. Give it a few weeks or months and those newsstand occupants will find ways to personalize that booth.
Anyway, I’ll be happy to come home to these. I like ‘em!
