Wednesday, August 1, 2012

sidewalk sings the blues



Longtime readers may remember when CTT featured south Bronx bluestone sidewalks about 2 years ago.
I keep an eye out for these antique surfaces when I’m out on my bicycle.

This beautifully preserved strip is along Gerard avenue, just north of 146th street.

I love the color and texture, and I like that we can walk on the same 19th century surface folks walked on about the same era as our ClockTower.

But the bluestone is vanishing fast. It spalls. See the flaked off corner?
That’s called “spalling.” Water seeps in, freezes in winter, expands and pushes a layer of stone off. Spalling can reduce a stone to ruin.
Plus, bluestones eventually sink into soft earth.

Concrete is fast taking its place. Take photos.


No comments:

Post a Comment