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Photos: Giant Glowing Musical Seesaws Take Over Garment District Block
By
Scott Lynch
Published Jan 7, 2020
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By
Scott Lynch
Published Jan 7, 2020
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There's never a bad reason to pedestrianize a full city block for a month, so why not shut down Broadway between 37th and 38th Streets for a fun, interactive art installation? Now through January 31st, the Garment District Alliance has done exactly that, with the placement of a dozen giant, illuminated seesaws right in the middle the road.
The installation is called "Impulse," and arrives via a touring public arts organization called Creos, based in Montreal. Each of their 12 over-sized seesaws measure between 16 and 24 feet, and the LED lights and electronic tones are activated when the apparatus is set into motion.
It's all part of the Department of Transportation's Seasonal Street Closure Program, which seeks to "expand and enhance the pedestrian experience" in some of the busiest parts of Manhattan. "There's been a learning curve for drivers with the new bike lanes, the pedestrian plazas, and the street closures," said the Garment District Alliance president Barbara Blair, "and the more of this sort of thing you do, the more you maybe dissuade people from using a car."
Early reviews from passersby were universally positive, as they gleefully took the opportunity to stop whatever they were doing and go for a ride. "We love it, it made our day!" shouted five young women visiting from New Jersey, as a woman named Moon from Los Angeles declared: "Less wars, more seesaws."
Mind you, no one was being gentle with these glowing plastic pieces, and half the fun seemed to be slamming down your side as hard you could to send your partner flying into the air. Christian Barsalou, a mechanic from Creos in charge of maintaining the piece, wasn't too worried though. "These seesaws have been on the road for five years now, with only minor issues. Now we're giving it the New York test."
The "Impulse" Seesaws are located on Broadway between 38th and 37th Streets, and will be open and ready for playing 24 hours a day through January 31st.
Tagged
seesaw
Scott Lynch
Photojournalist, food writer, preschool receptionist. Love NYC.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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