times square is officially square

unfortunately, i never had the opportunity to experience times square when it was dirty and gritty, but there were a few remnants I was still able to enjoy. there was the old howard johnson restaurant that was a flashback to the seventies, there was the colony music store with it's old school neon sign, and there was mchale's bar. the hojo recently closed, and i have to admit the food did suck, but the atmosphere was priceless. the colony music store still exists, but they recently modernized the facade with a new neon sign, and i just read in the ny times yesterday that mchale's closed. mchale's was the only place in the vicinity of times square where you could hide from tourists and get a beer and a decent hamburger. it's all so sad. of course, all new york needs is another luxury condo, and that's what is going to be built in place of the building that housed mchale's. nyc is well on its way of turning into the ugliest city in america once most of the older buildings are demolished for these luxury monstrosities. i really don't think that in fifty years, people are going to find these buildings to be quaint and desirable such as we do with older buildings today, but i assume that they will eventually be torn down to make way for something even worse. i don't even want to imagine what that could be.