This mysterious white ball is best viewed from the United Street side of United and White. 
It's not actually that mysterious, it's just the back of the National Weather Service office built a few years ago on what used to be, as I recall, an RV park. It was open space for years and the weather service built a hurricane resistant office with category five resistant toilets. So if the mother of all hurricanes threatens, the weather forecasters get to lurk in the windowless toilets in the middle of the building. It was probably not designed by someone planning to use the office. In my experience architects are like that. This building was designed a few years ago and thus has pretensions to beauty, a concept alien to modern designers who like cubes and concrete.
It's not that lovely, the Facilities Department for the financially ailing school district but the setting sun illuminated it in a way the NWS office would never glow. Plus the school district has tons of parking around here for a fleet of vehicles.
The 1300 block of United has an almost light industrial air to it, with all these cement office structures from the 1960s, also devoted to utility over beauty. 
The Monroe Association of ReMARCable Citizens got stuck with an awkward acronym for their valiant work taking care of their segment of the population in need. Some bright spark from a cold hearted era before ours coined the term Monroe Association for Retarded Citizens and the term MARC has become part of the local lexicon so they came up with an alternative reading. Either way they teach self sufficiency, they run a superb plant shop for those that like to grow flowers and they have avoided any hint of financial scandal or impropriety over the years, just doing what they do so well. Across the street a wooded residence.
United is a wide thoroughfare across mid town all the way to the south end of the Duval Tourist experience. Out here east of White Street it is utilitarian.
With touches of Art. And before we get another outbreak of artistic temperament let me just say the artwork is here whether you like it or not: 
Another Hansel and Gretel house:
And a mother and child walking home playing and talking as they went. They seemed happy together which unhappily struck me as unusual.
MARC House plants for sale. I have no idea how the doormat made it's way here. 
It's not actually that mysterious, it's just the back of the National Weather Service office built a few years ago on what used to be, as I recall, an RV park. It was open space for years and the weather service built a hurricane resistant office with category five resistant toilets. So if the mother of all hurricanes threatens, the weather forecasters get to lurk in the windowless toilets in the middle of the building. It was probably not designed by someone planning to use the office. In my experience architects are like that. This building was designed a few years ago and thus has pretensions to beauty, a concept alien to modern designers who like cubes and concrete.It's not that lovely, the Facilities Department for the financially ailing school district but the setting sun illuminated it in a way the NWS office would never glow. Plus the school district has tons of parking around here for a fleet of vehicles.The 1300 block of United has an almost light industrial air to it, with all these cement office structures from the 1960s, also devoted to utility over beauty. 
The Monroe Association of ReMARCable Citizens got stuck with an awkward acronym for their valiant work taking care of their segment of the population in need. Some bright spark from a cold hearted era before ours coined the term Monroe Association for Retarded Citizens and the term MARC has become part of the local lexicon so they came up with an alternative reading. Either way they teach self sufficiency, they run a superb plant shop for those that like to grow flowers and they have avoided any hint of financial scandal or impropriety over the years, just doing what they do so well. Across the street a wooded residence.United is a wide thoroughfare across mid town all the way to the south end of the Duval Tourist experience. Out here east of White Street it is utilitarian.With touches of Art. And before we get another outbreak of artistic temperament let me just say the artwork is here whether you like it or not: 
Another Hansel and Gretel house:And a mother and child walking home playing and talking as they went. They seemed happy together which unhappily struck me as unusual.MARC House plants for sale. I have no idea how the doormat made it's way here. 
Privacy in bloom.
More public Art.
Kids playing. The elder girl liked Cheyenne, her younger brother was scared but I reassured him saying she'd eaten her quota of small noisy children for the day (would that were true). He got the sort of apprehensive look you see on a Congress member's face when asked to regulate big banks and congressional lobbyists: irrational fear. 
A small house, a porch, a yard, a scooter: idealized Key West living.
This area of New Town took a beating in Hurricane Wilma in 2005. Fogarty Street ended up looking like a trailer park with FEMA RVs every lot while homeowners struggled to rebuild. It was a tough time unnoticed in the shadow of New Orleans much worse disaster. 
A house on stilts might be very useful "next time." Horace O'Bryant School has nothing to do with United Street except it is nearby and on my route back to work.
Plans are to tear HOB down and build a new facility. In a town dedicated to the principle of nicknaming everything and everyone it's often known as House of Brats, but that's just because it's a middle school. It has nothing to do with the heroic educator for whom the school is named.
More public Art. 
Kids playing. The elder girl liked Cheyenne, her younger brother was scared but I reassured him saying she'd eaten her quota of small noisy children for the day (would that were true). He got the sort of apprehensive look you see on a Congress member's face when asked to regulate big banks and congressional lobbyists: irrational fear. 
A small house, a porch, a yard, a scooter: idealized Key West living.This area of New Town took a beating in Hurricane Wilma in 2005. Fogarty Street ended up looking like a trailer park with FEMA RVs every lot while homeowners struggled to rebuild. It was a tough time unnoticed in the shadow of New Orleans much worse disaster. 
A house on stilts might be very useful "next time." Horace O'Bryant School has nothing to do with United Street except it is nearby and on my route back to work.
Plans are to tear HOB down and build a new facility. In a town dedicated to the principle of nicknaming everything and everyone it's often known as House of Brats, but that's just because it's a middle school. It has nothing to do with the heroic educator for whom the school is named.
9 comments:
I like outbreaks of artistic temperament much more than outbreaks of bad weather!
Have never considered that the good radar-readers at the NWS might have to huddle in a hurricane-resistant toilet cubicle during a weather emergency. A true "Who knew?" moment.
We have a new radar here at the NWS office at the airport with a circular dome structure similar to yours. The new radar is supposed to be capable of many new abilities to scan for severe weather. Can't wait for all the new scare tactics by TV weatherpersons.
HOB, House of Brats is a good one.
Scar the kids emotionally for life!
Dear Mr. Conchscooter:
Today's post represents a delicate balance of factual content, a modicum of editorializing, and photography that covers a broad spectrum of life in Key West. No one does this better than you do. My sentiment in this regard is supported by the multitude of people who comment on your blog — many on a daily basis.
While others might dwell more on the artistic presentation of their photography, your images are snapshots in time of people, a social strata, personal expression in traditional and non-traditional habitat, and the evolution of an American paradise.
That's quite a contribution — and an accomplishment — in a blogging community rife with trite, self-serving statements about politics, art, or requests for pictures of women's asses.
Speaking of asses, I am compelled to chime in that a friend of mine, a fat guy who rides a BMW, can easily consume a Hindi meal and personaly blow apart a force-five commode twenty minutes later.
I find it hard t imagine, that weather conditions might be so bad that I would be reduced to sitting on a toilet with my colleagues at work, while the general population banged on the door to get in.
The school district building is softened by the palm trees out front. I think local artists should be invited to paint silhouettes of children on the inside of the windows. What do you think?
Have you ever noticed that the fuse of artistic temprament is shortest among those who have difficulty getting laid. I have been picking a fight with poor Mr. Riepe — for absolutely no apparent reason — and then I realized it has been 5 years since I got my horn honked.
I sincerely hope Mr. Riepe is as understanding as he is wise.
Returning to the subject of art, the shot of the "Hands" sclupture would look great in the Capitol Building, but the hands would have to be in everyone else's pocket.
The trailer park that used to exist where the NWS building now stands was the Navy's temporary housing facility. When my family relocated to Key West in early 1994 we lived there for about three weeks before being moved to Sigsbee.
I was 16 at the time and I took advantage of the temporary living situtaion (and not being enrolled in school full-time yet) to explore that end of the island.
The trailer park was damaged by Georges in '98, and instead of repairing the trailers, company responsible for Navy housing at the time decommissioned them. I was working for Navy public works at the time and spent some time cleaning up the location, among other nasty jobs.
Anonymous?
I don't think so, LOL
"The White Street Trailers" is what they were referred to by people in the know. I enjoy the public art, as ugly as some of it may be.
In recent years here in San Diego, artists have taken it upon themselves to paint every electrical box in the uptown and City Heights area. I think it adds to the character of the area and prevents the hoodlums from defacing an otherwise boring utility box with grafitti or "tagging".
I noticed in the public art that the rendition of Cheyenne is commendably realistic.
Just what is her daily quota of noisy little boys?
The NWS building caused the usual quota of controversy when it was built. The underocat was red and everyone got their knickers in a twist about how ugly it was, until they finished the building. I remember the trailer park as a wasteland so I guess Navy Public works did a good job of cleaning it. I seem to remember cement pads and a few trees. I like getting the straight scoop as sometimes happens. Then you get a great big irish as sposing as anonymous clumping aroud fawning over my artistic temperament. jeez. then irondad joins in. my cup floweth over.cpaJim I figure dit must have been riepe.
everyone be nice to gainesville shes been very polite so far.
Dear Conschscooter et Al:
Not far from my native village, there stands a platform with one of these spheres on it. I have often thought it would be cool to paint the continents on the outside of it, and to live inside.That way, it would be my world.
Lots of community art in this post, and it is very inspiring. Cheyenne seems to favor the jungle motif. Shame on you for telling those children that Cheyenne is a vicious dog. You need to think more, before you speak. Many children look to adults as authority figures, regardless of their footwear. You certainly don't want this child to grow up afraid of dogs, do you?
And I would personally like to thank "Anonymous" for his/her support.
Fondest regards,
Jack • reep • Toad
Twisted Roads
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