This is the 135th St. Croton Gatehouse. It was in use for 100 years. Until about a month ago it looked like this. Its interior is now being demolished.

The Gatehouse served as a mixing chamber for the old and new Croton Aqueducts, with water flowing from the two tunnels through 12 big iron pipes and on to Central Park and Harlem. From 1890 to 1917 all the water heading south of 135th Street flowed through this structure. It was probably the single most important building in New York.

The part above ground is nothing compared to the interior hidden below the iron grate floor, where the staff of Aaron Davis Hall kindly gave me access.

I'm an Architectural photographer and registered Architect, born in New York. Recently The Port Authority asked me to furnish the Downtown images for murals at the Temporary PATH Station at The World Trade Center Site.