Do you know what the difference between Troy and New York is?

Every once in a while, New York--and by this I mean New York City--does something extraordinary on a monumental, or quasi-monumental basis.

Do you mean like Central Park?
Yes, I suppose.  More currently, perhaps, one might think of the High Line.
Yes, I suppose one might.

Troy?  Lovely spot, but not so much with the quasi-monumental business.  Although the remake of the waterfront park turned out better than I thought it would, and one rejoices in the small victories, doesn't one?

Okay.  As a warm up, picture yourself in a train in a station.  Got it?  Good.

Now consider this photo, taken moments ago with a wide angle lens while looking across Monument Square at my current dwelling.

Don't even ask about the picture.  It should, however, be noted that not only do I have a Wikipedia page, but my dwelling does too.  And how many people can say that?

The point of the thing is the massive column in the middle of the square (which is about as square as Times Square, fyi).  It's capped with a sculpture of a woman blowing a long horn.  I think it's a woman--it's hard to tell because it's fifty feet in the air.

Now consider these from the NYTimes:

The article, by the way, is here.  A must-read if you are a certain sort of a person.  More specifically, the sort of a person who likes stuff like this.  More specifically, not a Dallas Cowboys fan.  Although I'm sure there's a subset of Cowboys fans who can read without moving their lips.  But still...

Anyway, the photo shows the column in Columbus Circle sheathed in a temporary structure that will allow people to climb up the stairs and hang out on sofas and easy chairs with Columbus himself.  The artist's depiction of his temporary "living room" is the second image.  Just so we're clear, that's the statue of Columbus at the top of the column coming up through the floor of the room.

Dog!

It might be interesting for the City of Troy to ask the City of New York if they could have the structure when the exhibit is finished, and do the same thing in Monument Square.

Now that would be something.