The journey to and view from Manhattan’s Nelson Tower
I had a pretty exciting adventure yesterday afternoon. While taking pictures for an upcoming project I found myself at one of New York’s most visible yet rarely visited landmarks. I say rarely visited because in order to get there you need to take two elevators, enter a private penthouse office, climb up a 20 foot vertical ladder, have the building’s super struggle to push aside a wooden hatch cover for 5 minutes, and prop a workman’s ladder against a 12 foot parapet.
The most amazing thing about being on the roof of 450 7th Avenue, (also known as Nelson Tower, the tallest building in NYC’s Garment District), is that when you look up, pretty much the only thing you can see is sky. This is a strange feeling knowing you’re in the heart of midtown Manhattan. The roof itself isn’t flush with the top of the building, instead it sits about 12 feet below a retaining wall, cobwebbed with decades of unused or ailing electrical wiring and other rusting things I couldn’t identify.
It’s not until you prop up a ladder against the wall and start to climb before the expanse of the city takes shape beneath you. Being at the top of the ladder is a strangely exhilarating feeling that the photos don’t do justice to. Basically you’re balanced between two falls. Fall backward and you’ll break some bones. Fall forward and you’ll die. Bitchin.
In a related note, the super told stories of the roof’s popularity during the depression as a great place for forelorn businessmen to commit suicide. He even showed me the ladder they’d use, laying on the ground covered in rust and mold. I’d never seen a “suicide ladder” before, but I’ll be damned if I see ever another ladder that looks more suicide-y.
The building’s super climbing…

…and opening the hatch.

Setting up the ladder on the roof.

Bringing the ladder to the parapet.

Keep reading for more photos…
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REDRUM….
06.23.08 at 7:39 am
Mommy and Daddy wanted us to clean our room. We didn’t want to so we shanked them.
06.23.08 at 8:34 am
I am best… No I am best…. i am best of the best…. I am best of the best of the best…
06.23.08 at 1:51 pm
- So, at last he doesn’t breathe, does he?
– No, he doesn’t
06.23.08 at 3:26 pm
We know all you secrets!
06.23.08 at 4:47 pm
Lindsey Lohan ain’t got SHIT on us!!!! We party HARD bitchez!!!!
06.23.08 at 5:27 pm
They walk alike they talk alike–they will blow your mind! When cousins…identical cousins, you will find…Oh when cousins…are two of a kind!
06.23.08 at 6:44 pm
Really? In your pocket?
06.23.08 at 11:49 pm
That was a really long van ride. So, where’s the candy?
06.24.08 at 2:02 am
-Daddy molests me the most! :)
-No fair :(
06.24.08 at 2:11 am
Fuck it… pearens… who asked do IT twise…. i didn’t want a sister….
06.24.08 at 3:28 am
Mommy and Daddy wanted us to clean our room. We didn’t want to so we thumped them.
06.24.08 at 6:56 am
- Look at all the stupids out there!
- Yeah, I hate those heterosexuals. Let’s get suck Davey’s cock.
06.24.08 at 7:03 am
“Did you remember to put those funny pills the veterinarian gave Frisky in Mommy and Daddy’s drinks?”
“Yeah, can’t you tell? He’s turning blue, and she’s starting to clutch at her throat. What fun!”
06.24.08 at 7:16 am
oh yeah)) mom and dad are doing sex)))
06.24.08 at 9:09 am
Yes, the curtains DO match the carpet.
06.24.08 at 11:42 pm
Except there’s really no carpet to speak of.
06.24.08 at 11:43 pm
OMG… WATA STUPID ASSHOLES TRY TO JOKE HERE….
06.25.08 at 5:22 am
Hey Grek, Learn how to speak english correctly then you can comment.
06.25.08 at 8:41 am
-Santa Claus?
-Hum… I don’t think so… Look like an old, fat, drunk and homeless man in red …
06.25.08 at 9:44 pm
-So, lets have a disguise…
- I’ll be you and you”ll be me…
06.26.08 at 2:01 am
Left: I’m obviously our parents favourite. They can see I’ve the prettier smile.
Right: You think they can see? Look at the décor…
06.26.08 at 12:53 pm
- Are you sure you are my sister?
- ummmmm have to ask Mummy
06.26.08 at 9:31 pm
Sure they look innocent here, but these love children from the 70s have quite a tragic story to tell, the details of which include living in poorly decorated homes, being forced to wear hideous outfits, and watching the hairy neighbor muff dive mommy. All on the next Montel.
06.26.08 at 10:19 pm
“Grammy and Grampy, we’re so glad you let us come to live with you after Mommy and Daddy burned up in our house fire!”
“That was the same night they said we couldn’t have a pony. But YOU’LL let us have a pony, won’t you? H-m-m-m-m-m-m?”
06.27.08 at 9:19 am
“Well, they won’t oversleep and miss the plane to Disney World THIS year!”
“Darn right. Wiring their bedsprings to the wall outlet and setting the timer for 6:00 a.m. was the best idea we ever had!”
06.27.08 at 9:20 am
“We’ve decided what we want that bird you had in your bedroom last night for our birthday present.”
“When we walked past the door we heard Daddy say, ‘Shall I catch it in the sheet or let it fly?’.”
06.27.08 at 9:22 am
Hi….
Hi….
06.28.08 at 6:18 am
Come play with us
06.28.08 at 7:40 am
What a stupid guys look on us now!
06.29.08 at 2:15 am
Aw… isn’t it cute what kitty did!
…That’s my shoe she did it in!!
06.30.08 at 3:49 pm
-I’ll kill them!
-No! Wait! I’ll do it better! ))
07.01.08 at 7:28 am
the more i smile, the more they will think it was her…
07.01.08 at 11:55 am
mommy, do sister can give me some fun with her finger.
please, say no, she’s allready full of cheese
07.03.08 at 2:36 pm
-Alien, us?
-Ain’t that silly, Zuff?
-Yeah, real silly Xenort =]
07.03.08 at 4:29 pm
“I just pee’d my pants”
“It’s OK, I’m wearing socks”
07.04.08 at 2:31 am
- take photo now!!
- we so drunk…
07.07.08 at 1:39 am
If I were you…
…where I would be?
07.11.08 at 8:08 pm
If I were you…
…where would I be?
07.12.08 at 9:28 am
- Can I bite his face now?
- NO WAY!!! It’s my turn…
07.14.08 at 12:06 pm
Please, show me your other conjoined twins.
07.15.08 at 12:52 am
fghfghfghfg
07.15.08 at 9:32 am
u people have absolutly no lifes
07.17.08 at 11:51 pm
Left girl: “This kinda sucks.”
Right girl: “It really does.”
07.26.08 at 4:22 am
Liz needs to buy a dildo because she hasn’t a man in her life. Uglyface. Nobody at work likes you.
07.26.08 at 4:25 am
dear liz. it’s ‘lives’, not lifes. Say it with me… ‘lives’.
08.06.08 at 4:26 am
I happen to know Liz in a most intimate way. I can tell you that, on her back, she’s a lifeless, hairy corpse.
08.08.08 at 5:25 pm
Come play with us David…
08.25.08 at 5:18 am
We’re Beatrice
08.26.08 at 4:37 am
Come play with us…forever and ever…
08.27.08 at 11:57 am
Left: do you like my new wallpaper?
Right: i’m… i’m going to throw up
09.02.08 at 8:11 am
right:”why do I have to wear blue?”
left:”cuz u’r an ugly boy who wants look like me”
09.08.08 at 10:28 am
- It’s not true that twins talk in sync!
- It’s not true that twins talk in sync!
09.12.08 at 10:58 pm
dear boss . Can i ake the jib now ? I can work really good with the photoshop
10.20.08 at 1:50 pm
grrr… i wanted the jumper with the blue stipe
11.20.08 at 11:29 am
“Where is the knife?”
“I don’t know, but I have clippers!”
12.01.08 at 1:09 am
“Corpse?, what corpse?”
“It was her”
12.07.08 at 7:15 pm
“I’m wearing pink, which makes me prettier, cuter, and so much better than yours.”
“Bullsh*t.”
12.11.08 at 2:15 pm
I Sissy , I Missy… what next?! what next?!
12.17.08 at 9:44 am
My sister is a consumer whore.
And how!
12.29.08 at 2:01 pm
blue-do you really think i buy that whole santa story?
pink- actually ,your shoes look just like my dad’s.do you buy them from the same store?
01.14.09 at 10:19 am
“Sis and I live in Salem”
“Yeah, and we make poltergeists when we’re not happy”
02.13.09 at 6:17 am
“This is Jaaaaaaaack”
05.21.09 at 4:07 am
a) I’m prettier than my sis..
b) We see us tonight…
08.04.09 at 11:30 am
“I hope we can one day afford college.”
“I like horses!”
09.03.09 at 11:56 pm
“Everybody look at me! me!”
“No, dont be asshols! look at me, sweet!
11.20.09 at 10:45 am
“Please have pity, she is
red-haired !”
“…You too.”
02.03.10 at 11:09 am
do you want some special candy lips?
02.05.10 at 8:27 am
Twincest forever
07.07.10 at 7:30 am
Left Girl: Mummy, we took care of the rat you were scared of! Claire ate it!
Claire: Mmhmm!
10.02.11 at 11:02 am