Around a decade ago, I hailed the arrival of air conditioning on the subway platform. The AC–a giant, gray box–first turned up on the 4-5-6 platform under Grand Central. My commute back then had me at 42nd every day. I stood under that glorious A.C. every day, even on the days when it rained freon.
Air conditioning in the subway platform! Revolutionary.
Well, how about an air-conditioned sidewalk? As any NY-area resident knows, summer 2010 was horrific; the overwhelming heat only seeming to subside around, oh, last night.
But those who walk from Grand Central to points south., and vice versa, have noticed an inadvertent blessing: Cool, cool conditioned air streaming out of a construction site and onto the sidewalk on the west side of Park Ave. South at 41st Street.
A faceless gray temporary wall fronts the project, with a big ‘AMERICON’ sign on the front. (Maybe it’s just me, but putting “con” in the name of a construction company just seems like you’re begging to have Arnold Diaz wagging his finger of “Shame” at you.) There’s mesh netting above the wall, through which the gorgeous cool air streams out.
Thank you, Americon, for suffering those ginormous Con Ed bills so we, the southbound GCT walkers, can feel the happy hug of cool air.