Spots: Downtown Manhattan — Financial District

Update — September 10, 2010: Both sides of the ledges have been skatestopped, again.

Spot:

Pyramid Ledges is easily one of the most recognizable New York City spots in skateboarding history. Over the years, it has been skatestopped numerous times by Water Street maintenance, only to be de-knobbed within a few months. There are two unknobbed ledges, made out of smooth marble, with ample brick runway. The ledge is about five feet long and wide enough at the top for noseblunts, lipslides, etc. But of course, this is New York City, where the idea of a “perfect spot” is non-existent, so here is the mandatory list of what’s wrong with it… About a foot before you ollie onto the ledge, there is a grate that may or may not annoy you. Some people have more trouble with it than others, but if you demand that your runway be ideal, it would suit you to bring a sign or something to put over it. The ledge also has a decent sized crack in the middle of it, on both sides, that also may or may not deter your trick. Typically, it is the type of thing that affects grinds way more than slides. And as you probably figured out, they put a huge spiked fence on the interior of the marble border, so if you just so happen to fall on it… well, you can figure out the rest. So circumvent that, people have been known to affix boards to the top of the spiked or simply put cardboard over it.

Otherwise, you can skate the knobbed ledges as gap-out ledges past the skatestopper, since it is installed only halfway in. There’s also a four stair and a three stair, in addition to a couple of other really low ledges.

Bust — ♦♦ / Occasional: For some reason, the building stopped caring if you skate here, but remember that it is near Wall Street, and your landing is a bus stop, so it’s really hectic to skate during weekdays. It’s best during the weekend or late-night.

Location: Gouvernour Lane and Water Street, right next to Wall Street. Take the 2 or 3 to Wall Street, skate east on Wall Street until you hit Water Street. Make a right, and skate half a block south on Water Street. The spot is on the west side of the street, between two buildings.

Pictures (Click to Enlarge):