Greetings and welcome back to another Friday edition of AN’s daily digest roundup. It’s almost the weekend, so here’s what you need to know going into Saturday and Sunday:
One-third of American bridges are in dire need of repair
The American Road and Transportation Builders Association’s latest evaluation of American infrastructure seems pretty dire. A full 220,000 bridges across the U.S., or 36 percent of the total stock, need repairs, while 79,500 bridges need to be replaced entirely. While a massive bipartisan infrastructure spending bill continues to slowly work its way through the Senate (though seemingly has taken two steps back for every step forward), it’s estimated that it would take 40 years to get through the current backlog of repairs if undertaken at their current pace.
H/t to Construction Dive
A floating restaurant barge will bring pop-up dining to NYC later this September
If you’re aching to dine atop the East River on a 225-foot-long barge and have expensive tastes, then good news; American Express and Resy have teamed up to bring five of New York’s trendiest restaurateurs together from September 17 through 21. The promotion is part of the credit card company’s platinum card launch, and Resy’s Global Dining Access program—pairing the two and giving AMEX premium cardholders exclusive access to four meals on a reservation-only restaurant boat seems like the only logical outcome.
H/t to Architectural Digest
The Meatpacking District moves to permanently ban car traffic
New York City’s Open Streets program has proven a smash hit during the pandemic as frustrated residents were finally handed more open space to walk and dine in, and now the Meatpacking Business Improvement District is making theirs permanent. Three blocks, including Gansevoort Street, Little West 12th Street, West 13th Street along Ninth Avenue and Washington Street, will be sectioned off with planters from now on to keep cars out.
H/t to The Real Deal
A replica White House goes up for sale in Virginia
If you’ve ever wanted to live at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue but can’t (or don’t want to) become president, there’s another solution. A 12,000-square-foot copy of the White House is now up for sale in Mclean, Virginia, for $2,650,000, just a stone’s throw from its authentic counterpart in Washington, D.C.
H/t to Urban Turf
Carlo Ratti is designing a museum dedicated to carbon fiber, which will be built from the same material
Carlo Ratti Associati has been tapped to design the world’s largest museum to carbon fiber in Piacenza, Italy, for, who else, carbon fiber manufacturer MAE. The museum will renovate an existing warehouse next to MAE’s pilot production plant and will integrate the super-strong, ultralight material into the curtain-like covering for the main entrance. Visitors will also get to see how the material is produced and interact with cutting-edge examples of the material’s use in exhibitions.
H/t to Dezeen
A UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its rock churches comes under attack in Ethiopia
As Ethiopia battles militants from the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the fighting has spilled over into Lalibela, a UNESCO World Heritage Site home to 11 historic rock churches. The TPLF has reportedly taken full control of the area and residents are fleeing, and there are fears of what will happen to the 12th and 13th-century buildings; either at the hands of the TPLF or Ethiopian and Eritrean security forces if they decide to retaliate.
H/t to The Art Newspaper
