From The Peopling of NYC

Columbus Circle

View Columbus Circle live at New York City Dept. of Transportation - Columbus Circle Traffic Cam

Columbus Circle, New York circa 1907

(From Wikipedia: Columbus_Circle, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbus_Circle, Site visited 4/21/2007)

Named after Christopher Columbus, Columbus Circle is one of the major landmarks of Hell's Kitchen. Originally designed by enterprising businessman William P. Eno, it is located at the intersection of Broadway, Central Park West, Central Park South (59th Street), and Eighth Avenue, at the southwest corner of Central Park. Although renovated almost a century later, the traffic circle, built in 1905, still remains a major transportation hub, home to several bus stops (M5, M7, M10, M20, M104) and widely used subway lines (A, B, C, D and the 1).

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Columbus Circle, New York, circa 2007

(From Wikipedia: Columbus_Circle, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbus_Circle, Site visited 4/21/2007)

The monument seen at the center of the Circle was designed by Gaetano Russo, a sculptor of Italian Origin. The point at which the monument stands also happens to be the spot from which distances to and from New York are measured. The monument was erected as part of New York's celebration in 1882 of the 400th anniversary of Columbus' famous voyages, credited with as having led to the discovery and further population of America by the Europeans. Truly, there is no better place to celebrate the historical significance of his actions than New York, itself the very "melting pot" so oft-mentioned as a prime categorization of America.

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Time Warner Center, aerial view

(From http://www.allenginsbergdvd.com/twentyfourthpagenext.html, Site visited 4/28/07)

Columbus Circle also serves as the residence of Time Warner Center, located on the west side of the Circle. Time Warner Center serves as the headquarters of Time Warner, one of the foremost media conglomerates in the world. It is responsible for such renowned services as Time Inc., AOL, Warner Bros. Entertainment, Time Warner Cable, HBO and TBS (Turner Broadcasting System).

The Time Warner Center is a two-building skyscraper; construction began November 2000, but the building was not introduced to use until early 2003. The buildings stand 750ft tall, a number that was originally intended to be much larger but was reduced to ensure that the buildings did not cast a shadow over Central Park. It has been noted that the buildings, built very soon after 9/11, bear some resemblance to the Twin Towers, something which developers have insisted is a coincidence. The glass surface area, pattered like a grid, is often interpreted to pay homage to the Manhattan street grid. The base of the building hosts the Shops at Columbus Circle, a popular shopping mall featuring a Borders book store and a Whole Foods in the basement.

The Time Warner Center replaced the New York Coliseum, which was built in 1954 in an effort to revitalize the west side, and to provide an efficient convention center for the city. Rendered obsolete by the 1986 introduction of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, the Coliseum was torn down in 2000 to make room for the Time Warner Center.

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Trump International Hotel and Tower

(From Wikipedia: Trump International Hotel and Tower (New York), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump_International_Hotel_and_Tower_%28New_York%29, Site visited 4/21/2007)

Columbus Circle also houses the Trump International Hotel and Tower, owned by Donald Trump, a lucrative real estate developer and the host and producer of The Apprentice.

The Circle was renovated in 2005, fitted with water fountains, wooden benches and various other architectural improvements.

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