Tuesday, March 22, 2011

*Everyday Chatter

A new sign outside McSorley's, on the Avenue of Puke:


Why save 35 Cooper Square? Because it's "all that stands between two angled, glass-and-steel buildings." [EVG]

The bike lane wars rage on. [NYM]

... and City Hall responds, saying Bike Lanes = good. [NYO]

The gentrification of Inwood, complete with noisy, boozy brunch. [CNY]

Inside the mysterious and very blue R&A Discount. [OMFS]

Phase 2 of the Washington Square Park redesign is ready for its unveiling. [WSP]

Beatniks in the Village of 1963. [FP]

Some residents fear that Chinatown "will soon be unrecognizable, transformed by the relentless forces of development." [REW]

Tomorrow: A talk at NYU on the Triangle Fire 100 years later. [P&W]

6 comments:

EV Heave said...

What's the rumpus with that sign outside McSorley's? Trying to put me out of business?

Caleo said...

Start saying your goodbyes to Chinatown now, while it is still mostly intact.
For the past several years I have visited and explored Chinatown every weekend, primarily because it is the last genuine ethnic nabe in lower Manhattan.
And I do so with a sense of foreboding loss.
I wish the community groups all the best and hope they can keep Chinatown alive as a distinct, thriving city within the city.
But we all know money controls this town, and developers ALWAYS get whatever they want.

Melanie said...

I walked through Washington Square Park a few weeks ago and it looked like they tore the place up once again. Last summer it looked better with some of the renovations which seem to have disappeared. Were some of these newer renovations taken up for the new design???

Melanie said...

EV Heave--funny-thought of you right away.

cathryn said...

Hi Melanie,

The redesign of Washington Square is a three stage affair. It's now in Phase II which is a huge amount of the park - whole eastern side and southwest quadrant. At least the eastern side should open relatively soon.

Cathryn
(I write the Washington Square Park Blog.)

snuggle bunny said...

Oh, they WISH Inwood was gentrifying. The RE is big and largely cheap--but the opening of one or two restaurants will not gentrify that neighborhood anytime soon. People have been talking about it being "up and coming" for 10+ years, and in the middle of a recession with the Bronx on one end and Washington Heights/Harlem on the other, Inwood is in no danger of becoming tony, beautiful, safe, quiet, or clean anytime soon. Move there while you can. If you think you miss NY from when it was still dirty, you can get all of the dirt and none of the charm for $1600 a month there.
Expect to commute an hour + if you work on the east side. Also, expect that most of your neighbors, depending on your block, do not work at all, so they'll be camped out by the park as you walk to the train and as you return.

They could use some froyo and some frat boys up there.