From The New York Shitty Inbox: A Question About The Murano

October 27, 2010 by missheather
Filed under: 11101, Long Island City, Long Island City Queens

Actually it is more like an Op Ed. In any case it is WELL worth sharing! Em Two writes (in an email entitled A Quick Question):

Have you heard anything about the über-bright and hyper-tacky light on the Murano building in Long Island City (519 Borden Ave)?

This type of L.E.D. display appears to be an unfortunate trend that’s taking hold of developers in the area (there’s one in Greenpoint now as well) in order to grab people’s attention. I find it is akin to the FOX news approach: any attention is good attention so the louder and dumber you are the more you will sell. Inevitably a race to the bottom follows.

In any event, the building’s website states that “ A computerized system lights the lobby walls and exterior of Murano in a different hue every hour on the hour, transforming the all-glass building into a glowing, sculptural wonder. Surrounded by a serene water feature, the Murano is a beacon of light, heralding new life, limitless possibility, and inspired living to those who like to color outside the lines.”

And to quote someone else, “that’s the sound of incredulous laughter being stifled.”

I’m afraid it is objectively not a sculptural wonder. Moreover, a clock it is certainly not. Instead, it changes every couple of minutes, sometimes rapidly, sometimes a little slower. Or perhaps they are using the new Martian minute. Most recently, it went into a scintillating series of optical seizures, displaying what can only be described as a stoned 14 year old playing with his “My First Strobe Light” kit and an Atari replica game bought from SkyMall. That stopped, for whatever reason, after about 24 hours.

And yes, I understand that progress and development are inevitable. This is not the former.

Indeed, when trying to find out what the name of this building was, I simply typed “big stupid light on building in LIC” into Google. Give it a try.

P.S. The Murano site also states:

The Murano [is] named after the famous Italian island known for its spectacular colored glass[.]

You can see some of that glass here:

http://blog.glassofvenice.com/2010/04/murano-glass-vases-by-venini-for-versace/

It is not this:

http://www.liqcity.com/real-estate/the-lightclock-cometh-lics-murano-condo-fires-up-the-technicolor

Love your blog!

To answer Em Two’s question: yes, I have heard of the Murano. In fact I have walked by this edifice on numerous occasions. Other than that I honestly do not know what to say. Em Two has pretty much said it all!

Miss Heather