This Morning's Flames

It is worth noting that several foundations are located in the immediate vicinity of the fire that brought down a building on East 62nd Street this morning. One block down: the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Lily Auchincloss Foundation. The Russell Sage Foundation is two blocks up. Currently under renovation is the townhouse purchased by the Vilcek Foundation slated for occupancy next year. And there may be a new foundation in the neighborhood when Mayor Bloomberg ends his term; he's reportedly purchasing a six-story mansion in East 78th Street for his philanthropy. New York philanthropies are in a competitive market for the best real estate, but the new goliath had an easier time of it. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is building a 12-acre campus in downtown Seattle, scheduled for completion in 2010.