Although the structure's exterior was protected by the New York City Landmark Commission, its interior (converted to offices and apartments in the early 1980s), with all its original Gothic detailing, had been virtually covered over with Sheetrock and paint.

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Construction on the structure, whose brightly colored exterior resembles a hulking Lego fortress sunk into a swamp, has been halted for years because of financial troubles, a foreclosure and an ownership change.

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An overly thick exterior will easily overwhelm the filling within, while a too thin shell will not maintain the structure of the bonbon if the centre is very soft.

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The design featured a wooden frame on top of a concrete-slab foundation, with an exterior covered in gray asbestos shingles. (Steel was in short supply.) The structure violated the Cambridge fire code, but it was granted an exemption because of its temporary status.

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