Morning View - Schnabel Building

Basquiat director Julian Schnabel's new West Village tower has been getting so many atrocious reviews that yesterday Superdaddy and I ducked out of beer bust to wander over to West 11th and see for ourselves. And, wow - is this thing fugly.

An 11-story addition to the top of an existing 3-story former stable, its proposed construction was fought in vain by Village preservationists. Schnabel ignored their concerns over the tower's incongruous height and then thumbed his nose at the neighborhood by painting the building a strange hue of pink, which he calls Venetian Red.

Yesterday's gloomy weather muted the color in my photo, so go here for a better shot of the hideousness. Oh, and read the comments on Gawker. My favorite: "This is what happens when you build on ancient drag queen burial grounds." It's rumored that Schnabel's pal Madonna has her eye on the penthouse.