January 2011 | Eyesore

Architectural Abortions from the USA and Around the World (And Sometimes Other Miscellany Infecting the Landscape)

Oh happy day! Demolition of the Troy (NY) City Hall began a few hours before New Year's Day. This, from the Albany Times-Union:

TROY -- The demolition of the shuttered former city hall on Monument Square began Friday morning as Mayor Harry Tutunjian defied a City Council ordinance that he first obtain its approval.
The blows that knocked out windows and concrete blocks off the building immediately set off political repercussions between the Democrats in control of the City Council and the Republican mayor.
Tutunjian said that it was imperative the city get the demolition of the three-story concrete building under way before Jan. 1, 2001 to avoid losing nearly $1 million in state grants for the work as Gov. Andrew Cuomo takes the helm. (Read More....)

The building was designed by architect Kenneth L. Warriner in the "Brutalist"style so popular in the 1970s. The trouble with fashionable architecture, as I've said more than once here, is that it goes out of fashion and it would be kind to simply say that not too many tears are being shed over the loss of this structure. Below, see it in all its glory on mild summer day. Below that, see a shot of Troy's Monument Square, which City Hall stands on. Quite a great ensemble of 19th century buildings. Parts of Monument Square were used in the Filming of Martin Scorcese's 1993 movie, "The Age of Innocence." Troy City Hall was not used as a location.

Thanks to Kevin McCashion