Sidewalk Vault Lights

These circular glass lenses can be found embedded in front of old iron buildings pavements and stair steps in lower Manhattan, like mosaics. They were originally installed to illuminate dark basements or “vaults” that extended out beneath the sidewalks (for more, click here). Sometimes you look down at your feet and you feel like you’re in a Busby Berkley or Fred Astaire movie. Some are lit at night like the one in the photo. There is the suggestion of a vast brightly lit space where something is going on under the sidewalks… wish they would start using these again in new construction in the city….