NEW YORK – For more than two decades, truck driver Joe Macken spent his free time building a massive scale model of his native New York City out of balsa wood and foam board.
When he finished, his daughter convinced him to show off the sprawling basement creation — which includes over 800,000 structures — on TikTok. The video clips almost immediately went viral, attracting millions of views.
Now, Macken’s incredible model is on display at the Museum of the City of New York. The exhibit, titled “He Built This City,” opened in February and runs through October 12. It showcases the vast scale model that has captivated audiences both online and in person.
“I never really thought about finishing it because I had so much fun building it,” Macken said during a recent visit to the exhibit.
The museum’s chief curator, Elisabeth Sherman, noted that Macken’s model is a unique piece that resonates with both social media fans and traditional museum visitors. “People always want to get their arms around this whole city, this city that is impossible to know and grasp,” she explained. “This model provides a bird’s-eye view that is rare in today’s world.”
Macken’s Journey to Create the Model
Macken’s passion for building the model dates back to his childhood when he visited the Queens Museum to see the Panorama of the City of New York, a famous scale model from the 1964-1965 World’s Fair. However, it wasn’t until he was in his 40s, after moving to upstate New York, that he began constructing his own version.
“I think, subconsciously, I might have missed New York,” he said, reflecting on his motivation to create the model.
Building the City Over Time
Starting with the iconic Rockefeller Center, Macken took about ten years to build Midtown Manhattan. The Empire State Building, with its intricate Art Deco design, proved to be the most challenging structure for him to replicate.
“I wanted to make it perfect,” he recalled. “People are gonna be looking at it.” Despite having no formal training in model building or architecture, Macken honed his skills over the years, becoming faster and more efficient.
“I wish I would have done it 20 years earlier, knowing that I would have enjoyed it so much,” he added. Now, he can build structures almost instinctively, where it once took hours to complete a single building.
Dedication and Passion
Macken dedicated nearly all his free time to creating the model. He often took materials with him on family trips and spent hours building during his downtime as a bus driver. “It was just something that I couldn’t stop doing,” he admitted.
As he neared completion, the project became all-consuming for him. “Before bed, I’d be so tired sometimes, and I wind up being there for four hours, falling asleep at the table,” he said. “It got bad. It was an obsession. It still is.”
While the model is not an exact replica of modern New York City, it holds personal significance for Macken. He included his favorite childhood diner and the old Kosciuszko Bridge, which was replaced in 2017. Even the twin towers of the World Trade Center are represented in his model alongside newer skyscrapers.
Visitors Experience the Exhibit
On a recent weekday morning, visitors eagerly explored the exhibit, searching for familiar landmarks and neighborhoods. Many used binoculars provided by the museum to get a closer look at the details of the model.
One visitor, Jonathan Skolnik, traced his family’s history through the model, sharing memories with his son. “I’m trying to do it all from memory,” he said, reflecting on the connections he felt to the miniature city.
After years of working in anonymity, Macken hopes to showcase his model elsewhere once the museum exhibit ends. He is also looking forward to expanding the model further into New Jersey and Long Island, adding over 50 new buildings.
To follow more of Joe Macken’s journey and find updates on his project, you can check out his TikTok videos or follow updates from the Museum of the City of New York.
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Follow Philip Marcelo at https://x.com/philmarcelo
