When we moved to Brooklyn in 1997, the Williamsburg Bank Tower (now officially One Hanson Place, but no one calls it that) was the one tall building, the skyscraper of Brooklyn, a landmark to orient oneself by. It had been for decades, since the late 1920s.

In the last decade it has gotten skyscraper company. Downtown Brooklyn is now practically overrun with buildings as tall and taller than this still proud elder statesman. You can get a bird’s eye view of that here. (You can get another, more ominous view of the Bank Tower here).

This view of the Williamsburg Bank Tower (taken on Atlantic Ave between Nevins and 3rd Aves) seems to represent its new, less exalted condition, no longer so singular in height, peeking around the sleek shiny surface of one of the neighboring upstarts disrespectfully muscling itself into the bank tower’s once pristine sightlines.

As George’s mother says in that classic musical*: “I miss the old view.”

*can you guess which? Answer in the tags.