I work at Columbia Presbyterian, now called the New York Presbyterian Hospital. The armory is, indeed, a track now and was going to be used as a venue if the Olympics ever came to New York. I'll look for that plaque you mentioned. However, most of us tend to avoid that block because the armory is also a shelter for homeless men. I've been acosted just walking by them, even with the busy Hospital right across the street. The headquarters for the Columbia School of Nursing is still there, standing cheek by jowl with the armory/track/homeless shelter.
Thanks, Pschles, for the trip down memory lane. So much of the area has changed because of the Hospital. The New York State Psychiatric Institute, for instance, is the westernmost building of the huge medical center. It was built on a triangle of land that was part of a park overlooking the Hudson. We now have a triangular building with the most oddly curved walls. When the construction began there were protests from folks in the neighborhood because of the infringement on the park. In the end, though, the building has a smaller footprint than you'd think and the remainder of the park is still quite large.
They are now dynamiting everyday to blast through the bedrock you mentioned to build a new Heart Center between the Irving Center and the Milstein Pavilion. There isn't much room to build but somehow they are doing it. Hopefully, once built, the Heart Center will provide more patients with greater care for ailments like FPW's recent scary episode.
Reading is freedom.
The mind soars, no earthly cares,
no limitations.
A Maggers Haiku, 2005
Years ago my mother used to say to me... "In this world, Elwood, you can be oh so smart or oh so pleasant."
Well, for years I was smart.
I recommend pleasant.
You may quote me.
Elwood P. Dowd