Goodbye 43rd Street (and another contest)
The New York Times (where I’m the night manager of news graphics) is moving into the brand new 52-story Times Tower at 620 Eighth Ave between 40th and 41st Streets.The scheduled move time for the graphics desk was Friday night after the paper closed. Eager to get started, the movers swarmed the graphics department around 12:35, about an hour before the whistle normally blows. (It’s actually a cow bell, but that’s another story).
D-Day: The movers began swarming our floor at around 8:35 p.m. (They seemed so focused and hurried that I was just a little concerned they might put me on the truck too.)
Pink bubble wrap for Amanda’s computer.
No time wasted: this is a well-oiled machine of moving teams.
Overview of our little corner of the newsroom. The paper has been edited in this building since 1913. (I haven’t been there quite that long.)
Keyboards and Wacom tablets went into plastic bags.
Um, could you be careful with that baby?
The guy in the white shirt was assigned to my desk. He waited patiently while I took pictures. Most of the time he was standing behind me with his arms crossed tapping his fingers on his forearm.
That’s it. My computer is gone, taken right out from under my fingers. “Hope you don’t need anything else tonight,” I told the news desk. “All the computers in my department are gone.” (Perfect day for a slide if you ask me.)
Total time it took to clear out the graphics desk:
32 minutes start to finish.
The front lobby desk. I’ve walked by that desk nearly every day since 1990. One day soon it’ll probably be a Baby Gap or a Starbucks or something.
Here’s one of my favorite parking stories: One night a few years ago, on my way into work around 7 p.m., two elderly women dressed to the nines were walking down the sidewalk on 43rd Street as I was about to drive into the bay. (They looked like tourists headed to the theatre.)
The guard held them back so I wouldn’t run them over. One of the women took out a camera, saying to the other woman, “Here, get her picture. She must be somebody important to get to park there.”
The guard didn’t skip a beat. “She owns the place,” he said.
For a brief moment, I was the subject of their paparazzi, my 30 seconds of fame. Alas, truth be told, I was nothing but a lucky peon with a fantastic parking perk. But that day, I couldn’t stop smiling.
With the move to the new building, I lose my parking place. The picture above shows my car parked in the bay for the last time.
Though I hold out hope that I’ll find luck in new ways!
Times Square just outside the Times building on my last exodus from 43rd Street, the hazy, misty air around 1 a.m. If you look closely, you might make out the moving truck coming down the street.
This picture shows what was under my bookshelf after I disassembled it
– mouse droppings —
EVERYWHERE!
Ewwwwwwwww!
For 10 years I have written stories, many have included adventures here in the 43rd Street buiding, and many of those involved stories of mouse sightings.
What was the name I gave to the central mouse character in my stories?
Hint: the answer can be found in the archive quotes and thoughts.
Remember, you don’t need to leave your full name in the comment post. I’ll know who you are by your e-mail address. Have fun!
Unfortunately I don’t remember the mouse’s name. But one thought did come to mind. Maybe all those naysayers who claim the Times is full of @#&! knew something we didn’t, until now. . . .
Comment by Rebekah — June 11, 2007 @ 7:59 am
Tucker
Comment by James — June 11, 2007 @ 10:03 am
Julie - I know the mouse’s name but I don’t need the iTunes gift card, as I don’t own anything with an “i” . So if you’re interested in sending the $10 to the animal shelter, please do so in honor of “Tucker”….:)
Comment by Pat Collelo — June 11, 2007 @ 10:17 am
Best wishes in the new digs, Julie!
Comment by Charles Apple — June 11, 2007 @ 7:17 pm
Good luck finding a new parking spot! Enjoy your new “home.”
Comment by Margo — June 12, 2007 @ 8:26 am
Did they pack a small suitcase for Tucker to join you at 40-41st streets?
Comment by Leah — June 12, 2007 @ 9:59 am
How exciting to be moving to a new place. Good luck and I hope you love it there!
Comment by Bumatay — June 12, 2007 @ 11:09 am
Enjoy your new office!!
Comment by Nataly Lemus — June 12, 2007 @ 1:53 pm
What a fascinating story…very bittersweet! The Times is such an icon; this kind of change makes me sad. But congratulations on your new office in the new building. Will you miss Tucker or is he secretly packed in one of those crates?? You’re lucky to have been a part of history, Jules!
Comment by Carolina Girl — June 12, 2007 @ 5:18 pm
[…] Read it here: http://www.juliewaltonshaver.com/blog/2007/06/11/goodbye-43rd-street-and-another-contest/ […]
Pingback by Moving day for NYT graphics at Charles Apple — June 12, 2007 @ 7:17 pm
Of course, James wins the prize. Congratulations, James. Your iTunes gift card in in the “mail.” Thanks for playing!
Comment by Jules — June 12, 2007 @ 11:04 pm
[…] on Eighth Avenue by 39th Street was my first hint that I was approaching the new Times building.See previous post about moving out of the 43rd Street Times building.Notice the Port Authority building in the background. The Times is directly across the street. Bus […]
Pingback by City of Nouns: Julie Walton Shaver Photography Blog » Since You Asked — June 13, 2007 @ 8:00 am