NEW YORK – Joe Macken isn’t a trained architect or engineer — but he just might be New York’s next top modeler.
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The 63-year-old truck driver from Clifton Park has spent the last 21 years building an incredibly detailed, handmade replica of New York City out of balsa wood, Elmer’s glue, and sheer determination. The result? A jaw-dropping diorama stretching 30 feet wide by 50 feet long, featuring nearly one million miniature buildings covering all five boroughs — plus slices of New Jersey, Westchester, and Long Island.
“I never thought in a million years I’d finish the whole thing,” said Macken, a Queens native, who started the project in 2004 with the RCA Building. “But I just kept building and building.” he told the NY Post
Each section is a tribute to the city’s architecture, from Central Park’s trees to Manhattan’s tapered Freedom Tower. The painstaking work — often done in the early morning hours before his food delivery shifts — required thousands of hours and an estimated $20,000 to $40,000 in materials.
As the model grew, so did his skillset. What once took him weeks now takes hours, thanks to his new technique of carving entire rows of houses from single pieces of wood.
The internet has taken notice. A TikTok video showcasing Macken’s model went viral, prompting praise from thousands and even a comment from YouTube’s official account calling for a museum exhibit.
But there’s a catch: the thing’s too big to move easily. For now, the entire model lives in a storage unit upstate.
Next up? Minneapolis. Inspired by his childhood love of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Macken says his next miniature city will be a breeze — relatively speaking.
“Only about two years,” he joked.
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