Folks walking by 100 Broadway might not believe it, but that striking structure in front of the building is the city’s newest sidewalk shed and not a work of art.
The sleek steel and translucent plastic model is a dramatic departure from the 6,000-odd ugly plywood sheds at city construction sites and emerged from a competition that drew 164 entries.
Officials insisted that the cost, estimated at about $400 a linear foot, was competitive with standard wood sheds.
It also appears to be nearly indestructible.
Architect Andres Cortes said the thermoplastic polymer roof was tested by shooting clay masonry bricks at 105 mph from a distance of 25 feet.
“We watched the masonry blocks disintegrate or bounce back or crack,” he said as the shed was unveiled in a ceremony with Mayor Bloomberg.