# The Man Who Built NYC in Balsa Wood | New York City News

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/new-york-city-news-today-2-min-news-the-daily-news-now-7435038/the-man-who-built-nyc-in-balsa-wood-new-york-city-news
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/new-york-city-news-today-2-min-news-the-daily-news-now-7435038/the-man-who-built-nyc-in-balsa-wood-new-york-city-news.md
Podcast: [New York City News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now!](https://stenobird.com/podcast/new-york-city-news-today-2-min-news-the-daily-news-now-7435038)
Published: 2026-09-18T18:25:09+00:00
Episode link: https://sources.thednn.ai/92d8c51056ebebaf
Audio file: https://api.fastcast.ai/audio/e329aac8-7161-4976-84f4-90e119851406.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/new-york-city-news-today-2-min-news-the-daily-news-now-7435038/episodes/the-man-who-built-nyc-in-balsa-wood-new-york-city-news
Duration seconds: 92

## Resource

Joe Macken, with no formal design training and fueled by childhood Lego dreams, spent two decades obsessively building a jaw-dropping balsa wood and foam board model of New York City—complete with hundreds of thousands of tiny buildings, personal landmarks, and even the original Twin Towers. After his daughter posted it on TikTok and it exploded with 10 million views in a week, the Museum of the City of New York invited him to exhibit it as “He Built This City,” drawing crowds from social media fans to traditional museum-goers. Now, after its run ends October 12th, Macken’s already plotting expansions to include New Jersey and Long Island, proving this isn’t just a model—it’s a living, evolving tribute to the city he loves. Listen in comfort: Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN: advertise@thednn.ai This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting. Sources: https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/model-of-nyc-museum-exhibit-truck-driver-joe-macken/ More coverage & latest updates: https://sources.thednn.ai/92d8c51056ebebaf Report issues to feedback@thednn.ai.

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