Photo: QueensPost
Sept. 19, 2013 By Christian Murray
It’s time to put on your sneakers and run down to the 40th Street subway station.
This morning, workers began installing artwork/exercise equipment underneath the 40th Street subway station. The work is expected to be completed by the end of today.
“I’m trying to bring art and function [to the area],” said Darren Goins, the artist, who worked with the Sunnyside Woodside Boys & Girls Club in putting together the design. “It’s about the concept of simple shapes…with simple equipment.”
Goins said that he came up with the concept after he saw some old workout equipment in Astoria by the East River. He noticed the simple shapes and forms and thought it would make for a good project.
The 40th Street artwork/equipment will be made with stainless steel– surrounded by rubber for safety purposes. Signs will accompany it to ensure people know how to use it.
A spokeswoman for the DOT said that the equipment/artwork will be up for one year—and then it will be taken down. It will be up to the artist and the Sunnyside Woodside Boys & Girls Club to maintain it during that period.
The DOT had originally looked at 46th Street to put up the artwork/exercise equipment but found that 40th Street was a better venue.
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28 Comments
I hear they are going to put a port-o-potty under the El for the Chaaaange guy, while this “art” is erected. Can anybody confirm this?
What’s cooking in those taco trucks? Very strange smell when I get off the 7 train! Is it some kind of meat? I think it’s organs.
Ok Witty, so you have appointed yourself as the one who decides which complaints are legitimate and those that are not.
That food cart, the one on the other side of the arch by the produce store, and on QB further west, 41st by the bank. These cart/trucks smell and they leave grease all over the sidewalks. I don’t know why they’re tolerated.
They should get rid of the food cart too!
86- make yourself a note so you don’t strain your memory.
I co-exist nicely with cars and pedestrians, except for the ones who do not want to share the streets. There’s nothing wrong with complaining about real problems, but it takes real talent to bitch about an art installation or a refurbished park.
Witty, I’ll remember your comment next time you complain about cars or whatever you deem it is acceptable to complain about.
Unfortunately, so many people are looking for things to complain about- no matter how much good is in the world, they’ll find away to say something negative. It’s in their nature- these are unhappy people who are bitter and resentful; complaining (anonymously) gives them a temporary sense of acomplishment. No matter how nice things are, they will always focus on something bad.
where’s the humanity?
I think freedom of expression is great.
this will last until the first kid playing on it stumbles into QB and gets hit.
i just read the comments, i only know of the 2 homeless guys in the neighborhood. lazlo(i think) i have passed a few dollars to, hes very polite and respectful. the other guy “change” deserves the worst things in the world for what i have seen. i wish he would be locked up already. sunnyside native, you sound like a very nice person for what you have done and try to do. but that man deserves nothing but a prison cell or to be in a mental hospital.
great, now clean all the crap off the pillars from that bum who mumbles “change” to everyone. that guy took a dump infront of my mother and i around 41st under the train. he just dropped his pants and took a dump infront of my eyes. i saw the crap splatter all over the pillar. (no thats not dog droppings, thats human crap!) calls were made to the 108 and to vanbramer. he still hangs out in the neighborhood n at that whitecastle at their tables. he has to go!
I want to bench-press the Mona Lisa.
Please note that I do not give any money to the Change Bum, as I have taken notice how he likes to intimidate women into doling out money. He is more loud & ‘in your face’ when a woman walks by.
@ Hoof Hearted & John – one of my friends is a social worker here in the city. Let me know if you want me to put you in touch with any homeless shelters or soup kitchens, where you can donate some of your time to help these people in need!
Hoof Hearted & John – You both need to lighten up. Who are you to judge anybody for posting any form of satire on here, in regards to the Change Bum. Certainly nobody enjoys seeing homeless people on the street. Whether Ruben likes it or not, I give money to the white homeless guy who sits by Dime Savings Bank on 43rd Street, I give money to the black homeless guy who holds the door for you outside of Dunkin Donuts on Queens Blvd. & 46th Street. I have offered to buy food for the other homeless guy Lazlo who used to live in the abandoned house on 43rd Street, off of Skillman Avenue – where the construction is taking place. Lazlo shockingly turned me down and he said that the kind people of the neighborhood already fed him. It was two days before Christmas, so when I walked out of the bagel store, I gave him $10 (ten dollars). Then after discussing it with my husband & my Mother, we decided to invite another homeless guy to our Thanksgiving dinner. Unfortunately, we could not find him, so I hope he found a soup kitchen to get a hot meal on Thanksgiving. FINALLY, during a very cold winter (I believe 2010-2011), the very well know homeless guy named Buck who used to sit outside of Met Food, we asked my husband’s Mother if he could stay with her, in her 5 bedroom house out on the island and Buck did during that Winter for about 5 weeks. After saying all that me & my family have done for the homeless people of this neighborhood, the joke above did make me laugh and does not make me less of a human being. I think I actually laughed more because I can imagine Ruben’s reaction to that post. Please stop preaching to SOME people on here who don’t need it. There is a very well known expression that we are all 2 paychecks away from homelessness. Google it.
@gremlin
Please point out to me where I suggested that the “change bum” is a pleasant sight, (sound or smell) or that his habits are less than revolting to the average person and unsanitary for the general public.
All I’m saying is that his fate could befall anyone. I don’t know for sure how he got to where he is in this life, my guess is mental illness and lack of family as a safety net, but I’m willing to say that if he were of sound mind, he wouldn’t choose the life he currently leads.
However unpleasant he is to pass by in the street, it must be a thousand times worse to be him.
@HoofHearted: Then by all means go every Sunday morning on your day off and scrub the pillars of the viaduct clean where “Squirts The Bum” projectile craps since you feel so bad for him.
I don’t know what’s worse, Squirts’ artwork or these funny lookin monkey bars. Can’t wait till the Saturday night bar hoppers congregate there and smash their foreheads on those pipes.
Effin ridiculous idea.
“I think it’s hilarious that a human being in our neighborhood is homeless and hungry!” – 99% of Sunnyside Post commenters
Make fun of the change bum all you like but there but for a couple of bad breaks, a few poor decisions and the grace of God, go any of us.
Where am I going to shXt now?!?
ART FART!
@ hoof-hearted
sorry yes they do!
Oh boy I can’t wait to walk pass this twice a day an sometimes on weekends. Not! And it’s not ART! It’s garbage!
@ME
Under the 7 train viaduct isn’t a place where people usually walk their dogs. Everywhere else pretty much, but not there.
seriously??? I wish this could work out but…being a realist …how many languages are the signs going to be in?………people walking their dogs under the EL and then the kids will climb over it where the dogs “did their business”… schools close after 3PM and the “students run wild EVERY DAY…the bars close at 4am…I smell lawyers rubbing their mitts together already!
It’s still a dumb idea. That is a very busy station for those of us who do not want to take 46th which is a mess with all those food, etc. carts. I saw a bad accident there several years ago when I was attempting to cross to take the train. One car did not stop for the light while another was turning onto QB. The one who ran the light hit the one turning who had a passenger who just got out of the hospital and now he had to go back in. I was in the street starting to walk to the station and saw the turning car coming straight at me. Luckily I was able to get back on the sidewalk. The driver who ran through the light stopped where he was. Have no idea what kind of summons he was given, if any, even though I told the police exactly what happened. These *artists* should put their work in a park.
The Boys and Girls Club seem like a really nice group of kids. I’m glad they are involved in local projects. But please, kids, be VERY careful crossing that boulevard!
I’ll reserve my judgement as an armchair art critic until after I’ve had a look at the thing in person. It can’t be any worse than some of the nonsense I’ve seen at PS1.