Once more,
Camilo Jose Vergara's haunting 1994 photo of the New York Marathon (as it went through Mount Morris Park West) has us comparing it to today's main event to show how much things have dramatically changed. Over 15 years ago, the blocks between 120th and 124th Street at Marcus Garvey Park's west border looked like the aftermath of a WWII bombing. A lone runner in the archival photo passes by an abandoned block that is far from convivial and hardly a soul is in sight. In the lower photos of this weekend's 2010 event one can see the beautiful historic neighborhood reborn with a crowd lining both sides of the streets cheering on the runners. And those bombed out buildings? Since they are landmark property, each of their facades have been replicated from old photos so they are brand new looking but historically accurate. Really amazing.
What a cool picture! Thank you for posting.
ReplyDeleteEven if some of us feel Harlem has a long way to go to reach its former glory these photos serve as a reminder of how much the area has improved in the past decade - really inspiring.
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing contrast! BTW, i must have been standing right next to you when you took these photos...
ReplyDeleteWonderful Pictures !!!! I will be there next year !!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThe photo of the lone runner is very scary and awe inspiring at the same time, what amazes me is that you have people waxing nostalgic all over the web about how they loved NYC and the Harlem of the late 70's and 80's, how "great" it was. Well to those folks I say give me nice buildings occupied mostly by law abiding folks looking to build and improve the community.
ReplyDeleteAs for the Marathon I was out early to get some photos of the elite runners as they ran past my home and then I was out later to cheer all the tough, determined courageous folks who run this great race. To them I say SALUT and CONGRATS!!
Those buildings were called the Ruins by the way!!!
ReplyDeleteWow -- that visual comparison is about as stark as it gets...
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