A unique art installation, known as the world’s tallest filing cabinet, stands in Burlington, Vermont. Named “File Under So. Co., Waiting for“, this towering structure was constructed in 2002 as a response to the prolonged delays in building the Interstate 189 bypass into downtown Burlington.
Local artist Bren Alvarez created the filing cabinet, which consists of 38 drawers, as seen in the attached first and second images. Each drawer symbolizes a year’s worth of paperwork that Alvarez amassed while working on a local street project. Although the installation boasts the title of the tallest filing cabinet on Earth, the validity of this claim remains uncertain, as other artworks make similar assertions.
The tower, officially titled “File Under File Under So. Co., Waiting for…”, serves as a commentary on the bureaucratic delays that plagued the construction of the “Southern Connector,” a roadway designed to link Interstate 89 to downtown Burlington. Initially proposed in 1965, the road project faced numerous setbacks due to bureaucratic obstacles and legal disputes.
In 2020, the filing cabinet was relocated a few hundred feet west to accommodate the Southern Connector’s construction. It now resides in the parking lot at 208 Flynn Ave.
Visiting Information:
The installation is located on the southwest edge of town. To reach it, drive north on US 7/Shelburne Road/Ethan Allen Hwy for five blocks from the I-189 turnoff. Turn left (west) onto Flynn Ave, and after five blocks, the filing cabinet can be found in a parking lot on the right, between Foster St. and Briggs St.
Address:
220 Flynn Ave
Burlington, Vermont, 05401
United States
Photo by Wikipedia
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