A year ago, a gas line ruptured in the Spanish Harlem neighborhood in Manhattan, destroying two buildings and killing several people. A single lane of traffic away is the elevated tracks for the Metro North trains, a commuter line that follows the Hudson River north of the city. Directly under those tracks and also just a single lane of traffic away from where the blast occurred is Urban Garden Center.
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Urban Garden Center front entrance
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Void where a building used to be
Construction is still underway to both repair the buildings damaged in the blast and to rebuild those destroyed. The wall you can see on the right edge of this photo is part of Urban Garden Center's entrance.
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Location of building blast in 2014
The view beyond the fence should not be so open. Two buildings used to be in that space.
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Lingering damage from the blast
Other than the extensive preparations going on, it's difficult to see any damage at Urban Garden Center today. This scorched mantel is one small reminder.
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Chickens at Urban Garden Center
The New York Timeswrote an article about how a rooster saved the lives of two Urban Garden Center employees. Sadly, the store was forced to removed the rooster when a neighbor complained about early morning crowing.
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Urban Garden Center is under Metro North track
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View of Urban Garden Center from the entrance
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Inside the greenhouse
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Greenhouse entrance
The main structure under the girder is a small greenhouse, which has been given warmth from the wood exterior.
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Kokodama display
A popular trend the past couple of years, especially in urban areas, has been making miniature gardens with moss-covered clay balls, or kokodama.
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Honoring the family's Greek-American heritage,
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View of the second lot, which is currently a staging area.
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El Boar-Rio room
Once Urban Garden Center has completed its renovations, El Boar-Rio will reopen. This is where many gatherings take place, especially food-related events. The store has two large smokers and a serving area. At the time this photo was taken, it was where all the power tools were being used for construction.
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Street tree products display
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Soil Bar at Urban Garden Center
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Roof top gardens are a big part of urban life.
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Dimitri Gatanas
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Dimitri and Calliope Gatanas
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Dimitir's mother, Calliope Gatanas featured in a book on the history of the neighborhood.
The family has deep roots in the neighborhood.
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Urban Garden Center front entrance
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Void where a building used to be
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Location of building blast in 2014
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Lingering damage from the blast
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Chickens at Urban Garden Center
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Urban Garden Center is under Metro North track
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View of Urban Garden Center from the entrance
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Inside the greenhouse
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Greenhouse entrance
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Kokodama display
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Honoring the family's Greek-American heritage,
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View of the second lot, which is currently a staging area.
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El Boar-Rio room
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Street tree products display
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Soil Bar at Urban Garden Center
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Roof top gardens are a big part of urban life.
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Dimitri Gatanas
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Dimitri and Calliope Gatanas
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Dimitir's mother, Calliope Gatanas featured in a book on the history of the neighborhood.
I visited the garden center as it was still gearing up for the spring season and still recovering from being all but wiped out. Urban Garden Center is rebuilding in part from funds from the neighborhood, and it’s clear why the community felt invested in this city neighborhood garden center.
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Take a look at how that transformation is taking place.
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Until just a few months ago, the garden center operated without electricity. It still operates without plumbing – it has to bring in its own water in tanks to take care of plants. The business lays claim to two sections of the land beneath the tracks, stretching two blocks. One section is a staging and storage area. Since electricity is only in the public store area, however, much of the heavy work requiring saws and drills was being done behind tarps along side the sales area.