Editor’s Note: As part of a regular West Side Rag series, artist Michelle Hill interviews and draws Upper West Siders. This is the sixteenth installment in our Portrait of a Neighbor series.
By Michelle Hill
David Ippolito was born on June 1st, 1956 in New York City.
How long have you been living on the UWS?
Over the years I guess I’ve lived in nearly every neighborhood in Manhattan for at least 10 minutes. But I’ve been living on the Upper West Side consistently for the past 20 years. I mean, there’s something to love about every neighborhood, but I’m a West Side guy. From Inwood to South Ferry, I just like it better on the West than the East Side of town. But the “Upper West” just suits me.
What brought you here?
I’m a native New Yorker, the son of a New York City firefighter and a beautiful woman from Astoria, Queens. But I was a boy and went to high school out on Long Island. Ever since I was very young, whenever I came into Manhattan on a school field trip, or with my Dad to The Garden to see the Knicks, or for a parade of some kind I was mesmerized by the energy of this city and I was drawn to it. It excited me to my core back then and it stills does today. I’ve spent nearly my entire adult life living in Manhattan… a place I refer to as “Florence during the Renaissance” — and the only truly international experiment that works… EVERY day.
What have you been doing?
Well, I’m an artist. And for the past 23 years I have been living a life beyond my wildest dreams. So many of my Creative and personal dreams have come true, and so… I keep dreaming. I mean why stop now? For the past 23 years I’ve enjoyed a ridiculously unique career as “That Guitar Man from Central Park” — a singer/songwriter who’s been making a fun living almost completely under-the-radar. (https://www.thatguitarman.com) But “what I do” really depends on which day it is. Some days I’m a playwright. Some days I’m an actor. Some days I’m a graphic artist. It all depends on the direction that Little Voice of Inspiration takes me. Recently I’ve written my first Broadway style musical called “POSSIBILITY JUNKIE”. It’s a ride… a fascinating adventure and a challenge. But, what a Life!
What do you wish the new mayor would focus on?
Y’know, being mayor of this town has got to be such an enormous and daunting job, I wouldn’t presume to know where to begin. But since you asked, the first thing that pops into mind: 3 things, I guess… paying good teachers what they deserve in our public school system, economic inequality overall, getting this town’s share of funding from Albany and the federal government to repair our crumbling infrastructure.
What do you miss about the old Upper West Side?
Everything is a trade off… everything changes and evolves. There are changes I like and those I don’t. There are things I miss and things I don’t. But that’s life. I mean, I love that Verdi Park at 72nd Street is no longer “Needle Park”. I love that the crack houses are gone from West 109th Street. I don’t miss them. But it saddens me every time they tear down a beautiful, old, pre-war structure and put up another one of those glass and steel monstrosities that make every city look like Houston; buildings in which the store fronts on the ground level are invariably leased to chains like The Gap, Starbucks, Michaels, TJ Maxx… and any number of banks!!! Actually, the only thing I find appealing about those new glass and steel high-rise buildings is how easy it will be to take them down in the future!
I live in Chelsea for 26 years now, And I love it I love my apt. its nice and quiet too. We have Duane Read, CVS, Trador Joes, fairway, Bed bath and beyond, Harmons beauty store, I moved from the pits the Bronx awful place I got robbed and all. Im here 26 years and I am careful walking still this day. I love my bldg. and I live in a good one too. The waiting list is closed that’s how good it is around here. My bldg. rocks,,,
I met David on the Pier off of Christopher Street sometime after 9/11. He had his guitar and he was singing many of the songs we love from the 60’s and some very fine ones of his own making. It was a beautiful summer evening with boats sailing and traveling the Hudson River, the sun setting and many of us looking at our empty skyline lost in thought. He is very engaging and the audience loved it. Since then I’ve heard David play many times–in many venues, but Central Park! He’s very special and a NYC treasure.
David Ippolito is a truly smart, sensitive, creative man with a rich soul. He represents the best in New Yorkers . I’m proud to be a ‘neighbor’ of his.
Love the portraits!