Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Have Fun Living Atop This New Instagram-Magnet, Residents Of 56 Leonard!
By
Jen Carlson
Published Mar 4, 2019
Modified Mar 4, 2019
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Anish Kapoor
By
Jen Carlson
Published Mar 4, 2019
Modified Mar 4, 2019
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Luxury building amenities are usually just for the residents, but this Manhattan building is so generous that it is offering an amenity to the public: a giant bean from Anish Kapoor. This is the artist behind the famous "Bean" (a.k.a. Cloud Gate) in Chicago, which millions visit annually.
To get an idea of how popular this thing is, according to CBS, "Mayor Rahm Emanuel said 12.9 million people visited [Millennium] Park in the second half of 2016 alone," which was a figure based on "new technology centered around 'Cloud Gate,' also known as 'The Bean,' and one of the park’s most popular spots." The NY Times called it a "tourist magnet," and Time declared it more of "a destination" than piece of art, noting it is "an essential photo opportunity." As such, there are even guides available on how to take the best photo of the "Bean."
Now imagine leaving home every day and having to elbow your way through crowds trying to capture the perfect shot of the reflective bean, which is jammed into the bottom of your building at 56 Leonard Street, which itself looks like a giant Jenga sculpture. That's an Instagram two-fer!
While NYC's "Bean" isn't in place yet, according to New York Yimby, "Orange-colored arrows spray painted on the sidewalk along with a continuous curvilinear outline have showed up in front of the skyscraper, next to the main lobby of the development. This can only mean one thing, the Anish Kapoor metallic bean-shaped sculpture will (finally) arrive and on-site installation will hopefully begin sometime soon."
Enjoy your empty sidewalk, residents, because it seems inevitable that the corner of Church Street and Leonard Street will soon become a tourist hot spot. But remember, as Jaden Smith once said, "It’s good to be happy and tell us how cool your life is and how awesome you are on social media." When you live at 56 Leonard, you'll have an army of influencers doing it for you, for free.
Tagged
56 leonard
Anish Kapoor
bean
real estate
sculpture
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
Immanuel Wilkins is upholding NYC's jazz history. He's also dreaming up its future.
The saxophonist performs this week at the Village Vanguard.
By
Sonia Rao
Published Sep 29, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. ET
Ever wish you could get paid to walk through a stranger’s house? ‘The Scout’ is for you.
A new film focuses on the strange career of a location scout in New York City.
By
Sonia Rao
Arts & Entertainment
Ever wish you could get paid to walk through a stranger’s house? ‘The Scout’ is for you.
A new film focuses on the strange career of a location scout in New York City.
By
Sonia Rao
There are 100s of places to visit during Open House New York. Here's 5 of our favorites.
By
Hannah Frishberg
A massive MTA archive ended up in a Virginia warehouse. A Brooklyn man brought it home.
By
Hannah Frishberg
How a Harry Styles pop-up in the East Village led to a nearby bookstore owner's arrest
By
Sonia Rao
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .