All About U THANT ISLAND

Tudor City ‒ specifically No. 45's back wall – makes the cover of the latest issue of New York magazine, whose featured story solves the mystery of that random rock pile in the East River just south of the UN.

It was originally named Belmont Island, and is composed of debris left over from the construction of a pair of trolley tunnels linking Manhattan to Queens in 1890. The islet was named after its millionaire financier, August Belmont, and in 1977 was unofficially renamed U Thant Island, after the late UN Secretary General. Owned by the New York State government, it's currently protected as a sanctuary for migrating birds. 

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A couple of observations about New York's cover:

1) The Tudor City sign ‒ albeit tiny and backwards ‒ finally makes the cover of the magazine. What took them so long?

2) A shocking cover outtake showing the Chrysler Building with One Vanderbilt looming behind it. As seen from Queens. Goodbye, sky.