By Elise Knutsen and Matt Chaban 2/07/12 7:11pm

It Takes a Village

The winning AIDS memorial design

AIDS Memorial Divides Village People: Tiny Triangle Tears Community Between Reflection and Recreation

Happy hour had just ended at the Stonewall Inn on Monday night (2-for-1 well, beer and wine). Rob (dirty martini) and Steve (Budweiser) were sitting at a table discussing the merits of Tom Brady and Eli Manning.

“Brady is better in the pocket, he’s better by the numbers, but Eli just always pulls it out for you,” Scott said. “No pun intended,” he quickly added.

“I think Brady’s better. He’s just past his prime,” allowed Rob.

So they were in agreement, a rarity, they said.

Among the things they disagreed on—Thai food (Rob prefers pad thai, Scott pad see ew), books (Rob thrillers, Scott histories)—was a recent proposal for an AIDS memorial on a triangle of land across from the shuttered St. Vincent’s Hospital. Read More

By Matt Chaban 11/30/11 12:52pm

It Takes a Village

Picture 2

Healing Greenwich Village: Architects Planning AIDS Memorial at St. Vincent’s Site

Is a tiny triangle in Greenwich Village the next 9/11 Memorial? That’s what a pair of local activists are hoping, with their plan to turn a patch of land across from the old St. Vincent’s hospital into the city’s first AIDS memorial. They have even signed up Michael Arad, designer of the ground zero mecca, to lead a design competition for the project.

“The design process that happened after the events of 9/11… catalyzed this citywide discussion about an important historic event, and we think this design competition can do something similar,” Paul Kelterborn said in a video posted by the competition sponsors, Architizer and Architectural Record. Read More