The Downtown Alliance unveiled “Restore the View” today, the latest installation in its re:Construction program, which gussies up downtown construction fencing. The program began in 2007 and has gotten bigger each year, with five installations done earlier this summer and now three from Pasquarelli, the first artist to conceive of more than one. “Restore the View” just went up over the weekend at the site of Fitterman Hall, across from 7 WTC. “Secret Gardens” will mask road construction on Chambers Street and “Hours of the Day” is going up on a plaza across from the new W Hotel on Washington Street. Not only is it nice that the Alliance is concerned with how these sites look, but it means there is a lot of work still going on downtown.

Still, one project is conspicuously missing, and that is the Urban Umbrella, the winner of last winter’s UrbanShed competition. UrbanShed was launched by the DOB and the New York chapter of the American Institute of Architects with the goal of redesigning those ubiquitous construction sheds that must be set up at even minor construction or renovation sites. The hope was to make something more transparent and accessible, something apparently achieved by the Urban Umbrella. Apparently because the new construction shed was to be installed some time this summer at one of Lower Manhattan’s multiple construction sites. So far nothing. James Yolles of the Alliance said it should be up by October, DOB said year’s end. Still no word on why there have been delays, but it’s too bad because who is going to want to huddle together on a blustery fall day for the ribbon cutting?