"Jewel of Park Avenue"

The wash of bright colors along the Helmsley Building facade creates a festive profile for the building at night on Park Avenue. Built in 1929, the tower stands guard over the avenue. Last year, a new lighting scheme, designed by Al Borden of Philadelphia-based The Lighting Practice with LED lights was installed. Overall, more than 700 color-changing LED lights have been installed on the building, programmed into a computer than can coordinate a fanciful light show. 

Inside the Park Avenue "Voice Tunnel"

Mexican-Canadian artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer's interactive light and sound art installation inside the Park Avenue Tunnel called Voice Tunnel was the signature event of this year's Summer Streets program that took place during the last 3 consecutive Saturdays.  Lozano-Hemmer outfitted the 1,400-foot long Park Avenue Tunnel with loudspeakers and 300 theatrical spotlights that produce glimmering arches of light along the tunnel’s walls and ceiling. The tunnel was illuminated with pulsating lights "powered" by visitors' voices. Louder speech increased the lights’ brightness proportionally, creating a Morse-like code of flashes throughout the tunnel. The individual voices were heard as pedestrians walk through the tunnel, on 150 loudspeakers, one beside each light arch and synchronized with it. At any given time, the tunnel was illuminated by the voices of the past 90 participants: as new participants speak into the intercom, older recordings got pushed away by one position down the array of light fixtures, so that the content of the piece changed constantly. (Description of the art installation from the Summer Streets official website).

Summer Streets 2013: New Yorkers Reclaim Some Manhattan Streets for Healthy Recreation (Park Avenue)

Summer Streets, an annual street event when pedestrians and cyclists take over some streets of Manhattan began today. On three consecutive Saturdays in the summer, nearly seven miles of Manhattan's streets are opened for people to play, walk, bike, and breathe. Summer Streets provides space for healthy recreation and encourages New Yorkers to use more sustainable forms of transportation. The event is part bike tour, part walking tour, part block party, part art show, and a great time for walking, jogging, running, people watching, or just enjoying summer mornings. Today, thousands came out to participate even though there were periods of light rain. The event runs from 7:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Summer Streets extends from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park, along Park Avenue and connecting streets, with easy access from all points in New York City. 

St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church

St. Bartholomew's Church, commonly called St. Bart's, is a historic Episcopal Church founded in January 1835, and located on the east side of Park Avenue between 50th and 51st Streets in midtown Manhattan. The original Byzantine architecture was designed by Bertram Goodhue. Completed in 1918, it is composed of a Romanesque structure using variegated salmon and cream-colored bricks and creamy Indiana limestone with with Byzantine decoration. The church also features a dome, tile-patterned on the exterior and with a polychrome Hispano-Moresque interior. The church has stained-glass windows and mosaics and a beautiful stained glass rose window over the balcony overlooking the pews. St. Bart's is known for a wide range of programs. It draws parishioners from all areas of New York City and surroundings. St. Bartholomew's is noted for its pipe organ, the largest in New York and one of the ten largest in the world. St. Bartholomew's Church and Community House was designated a landmark by the New York Landmarks Preservation Commission in 1967.

Helmsley Building LED Lighting

The Helmsley Building north facade is lit up in red, white, blue and yellow. It is located at 230 Park Avenue, between East 45th and 46th Street.

Shia Muslim Commemoration of the Martyrdom of Imam Hussein on Park Avenue

Hundreds of New York's Shia (or Shiite) Muslims commemorated the martyrdom of Imam Hussein yesterday. Imam Hussein, the revered grandson of the prophet Mohammad, was killed fighting the enemies of Islam in the year 680. The annual mourning procession took place on Park Avenue and terminated at Pakistan Embassy.

Fifth Annual "Summer Streets" 2012

Summer Streets is an annual celebration of New York City's streets. During this event, nearly seven miles of Manhattan streets are closed to vehicular traffic and open for everyone to play, run, walk and bike. The event takes place on three consecutive Saturdays (August 4, 11 and 18) from 7 AM to 1 PM. This year's event features rock climbing at Spring Street, free bike helmet at 51st Street, a zip line at Foley Square, dance and exercise lessons, and of course, a pleasant, car-free stroll along Park Avenue from Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park. There are also art installations and free food and beverage samples in a couple of rest stops. This event is free.