Chapter 35: Building’s in the Air

“Be happy with what you have,
Just make sure you have enough”

-Jay Leno

Wed, Jul 1, 1970

Regular Season, Game 74, at Detroit Tigers. (Nite) We Lost 5-6.

Rolling Stones & Ike & Tina, Day 2 of 6 @ RCMH, 8pm.

We were about to be surrounded by Construction, as there were 2 Large Buildings in the process of being Built.

Harry Helmsley was to blame for the 1st, as he was Building his new Park Lane Hotel. It faced Central Park, & was 2 Doors to the West from The Plaza.

The smaller Apartment House between The Plaza & the Park Lane, Harry Owned too. He had Lived in its Penthouse for years. Harry had started to build his Park Lane in 1967, & it would open next year, 1971. These Buildings took years to build.

The 2nd Construction Project was 9 West 57th Street, aka, the Solow Building. Sheldon Solow had been buying up the Townhouses he Tore Down, for years, to Build his Huge, 50 Floor, 1.2 Million Sq Ft, 9 West 57th St Building. It was directly South of The Plaza, across 58th St. It would Open in Mid-1974.

There were 6 Townhouses he bought, 3 that faced 57th St, & 3 that faced 58th. 9 West, would be a Through Block Building, facing both Streets.

It had an Underground Parking Garage too, that had an Entrance Ramp off 57th, which was a 2-Way St, but no Exit. There was an Entrance & Exit off 58th, a 1-Way St, with Traffic heading East. Eventually we could Stage our Shuttles to our TEB-Jet Aviation FBO, along the 58th St Side, near 9 West’s Loading Dock. Until all Construction was completed, we had to use The Plaza’s Motor Court, where B-G Parked his Bike Transport Trailer every morning.

Like Solow had done, Harry had also been buying up the smaller Buildings he needed to Raze for, his Park Lane. He bought up the 1st Building he needed in 1960, buying the last in 1966. The Park Lane, was also a Through Building, as it faced 58th, as well as 59th St-CPS.

Harry had run into Solow over the years, & Harry hated him. Solow had even Sued Harry once, but the Judge threw it out of Court, for being frivolous.

As Ralf, I knew that Solow Sued anyone at the drop of a hat. He was famous for Suing most of his Tenants, one time or another.

Harry & Harri would Live atop the Park Lane, when finished, in its Penthouse. They would also have a Rooftop Swimming Pool, that had Sliding Glass Panels, that would be opened for nice weather, but then slid closed for the Winter Months. All of us would enjoy that!

The Park Lane would have 46 Floors, with 628 Rooms, & 2 Restaurants. It also would have an Underground Parking Garage, which would be awesome for us, for our Fleet of Cars, for us & our Guests.

The Park Lane, 36 Central Park South-59th St, NYC, between 5th & 6th.

Thur, Jul 2. 1970

Regular Season, Game 75, at Detroit Tigers. (Nite) We Lost 0-5.

Rolling Stones & Ike & Tina, Day 3 of 6 @ RCMH, 8pm.

Fr, Jul 3, 1970

Regular Season, Game 76, Home vs Washington Senators-Gen 2. We Lost 3-4.

Rolling Stones & Ike & Tina, Day 4 of 6 @ RCMH, 8pm.

Sat, Jul 4, 1970 (Independence from British Tyranny Day)

“Take me out to the ball game.

Take me out with the crowd.

Buy me some peanuts and cracker jack.

I don’t care if I never get back.

Let me root, root, root for the home team.

If they don’t win it’s a shame.

For it’s one, two, three strikes, you’re out.

At the old ball game!

Take me out to the ball game.

Take me out with the crowd.

Buy me some peanuts and cracker jack.

I don’t care if I never get back.

Let me root, root, root for the home team.

If they don’t win it’s a shame.

For it’s one, two, three strikes, you’re out.

At the old ball game!”

Take Me Out To The Ballgame

By Albert Tizler & Jack Norworth, 1908

Regular Season, Game 77, Home vs Washington Senators-Gen 2. (Twilight Game) We Won 4-2.

We were at the Ballpark, as we were having Fireworks after the Game. I had a blast, being part of the Planning, at where to shoot the Fireworks Off from. We had Fireworks that shot all different ways.

The Finally had Sparkler Like Fireworks Ringing the Roofline of Yankee Stadium, really impressive.

It was another Jam-Packed Crowd. We had a mostly full Stadium most Games, with those on the Weekends packed. We were rolling in dough. Everyone wanted to see Reggie & the Boyz.

“Well, beat the drum and hold the phone - the sun came out today!

We’re born again, there’s new grass on the field.

A-roundin’ third, and headed for home, it’s a brown-eyed handsome man;

Anyone can understand the way I feel.

Oh, put me in, Coach - I’m ready to play today;

Put me in, Coach - I’m ready to play today;

Look at me, I can be Centerfield.

Well, I spent some time in the Mudville Nine, watchin’ it from the bench;

You know I took some lumps when the Mighty Casey struck out.

So Say Hey Willie, tell Ty Cobb and Joe DiMaggio;

Don’t say “it ain’t so”, you know the time is now.

Oh, put me in, Coach - I’m ready to play today;

Put me in, Coach - I’m ready to play today;

Look at me, I can be Centerfield.

Yeah! I got it, I got it!

Got a beat-up glove, a homemade bat, and brand-new pair of shoes;

You know I think it’s time to give this game a ride.

Just to hit the ball and touch ‘em all - a moment in the sun;

(pop) It’s gone and you can tell that one goodbye!

Oh, put me in, Coach - I’m ready to play today;

Put me in, Coach - I’m ready to play today;

Look at me, I can be Centerfield.

Oh, put me in, Coach - I’m ready to play today;

Put me in, Coach - I’m ready to play today;

Look at me, I can be Centerfield.

Yeah!”

Centerfield

By John Fogerty

Rolling Stones & Ike & Tina, Day 5 of 6 @ RCMH, 8pm.

Sun, Jul 5, 1970