Mosque Light

I picked up a new wide angle lens last month with which I've been experimenting.  It lets me envision new perspectives as I can be quite close to the subject and get much more into the photo. So, I've been taking some different kinds of shots.

I was walking up Park Place and saw an abandoned building with Corinthian columns that caught my eye.  It was a great subject to shoot with the wide angle.  The light was rather dramatic as it was nearing sundown.  I thought the state of decrepitude was interesting.  I waited as a few people walked by and liked the photo here the best. I titled it "Passing the Past" uploaded it to Flickr and was done with it. 

From all the press, I now know this very same building is the controversial location chosen for a Mosque to be built (it is two blocks from Ground Zero).  I know they chose not to give it landmark status.  It seems the building is 152 years old, but the argument to protect it for historical purposes was because it was hit by plane debris during the 9/11 event.  Of course, many other buildings are in this category. 

I couldn't find any reference to what the building was, outside of being a Burlington Coat Factory clothing store.  Personally, unless there is a story about it (other than it being old) I wouldn't think it's a landmark. But as a photographer, I think its kind of cool looking when the sun is setting and I wouldn't knock it down to be a Mosque or anything else.  I enjoy seeing connections with old time New York, and want as much of it preserved as possible even if it isn't technically a landmark.