Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Future of 276 Elizabeth apparently doesn't include the Cafe Colonial

For lease signs have gone up on the southeast corner of Houston and Elizabeth above the cozy Cafe Colonial, which opened here in 1994.



Based on the listing, it appears the future of this corner is destined to become high-end retail ... the rendering of the rebranded corner -- 73 East Houston Street -- shows lots of shopping bags and some thighs and calves...



The listing mentions all the new and fancy things that the New Era of the Bowery has to offer:

NEIGHBORS: Whole Foods, DBGB, John Varvatos, Vince, Tory Burch, Calypso, Blue & Cream and the New Museum

COMMENTS:
• On the same block as the new Keith McNally’s - Pulino’s Bar & Pizzeria Restaurant
• One block from Whole Foods
• Dense residential, seven day a week market
• Fantastic corner exposure


Is Cafe Colonial then the first victim in the McNallification of the neighborhood? It wasn't that long ago where Leonardo DiCaprio could be spotted here for brunch...
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10 comments:

  1. Jeremiah MossMarch 23, 2010 at 7:36 AM

    jesus, look at those scary people. aren't they leaving the city?

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousMarch 23, 2010 at 9:47 AM

    And everyone dressed up carrying multiple shopping bags! Fascinating - and scary - what thought went into creating this image. They are creating what they want. It all seems to have happened so fast in that specific area. (But maybe that's me...)


    Cathryn.

    ReplyDelete
  3. EV GrieveMarch 23, 2010 at 10:16 AM

    Hi Cathryn,

    Thanks for the note. Creepy, indeed. And all the shoppers appear to be walking arm in arm... or at least touching.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dan Beaver-SeitzMarch 23, 2010 at 10:39 AM

    It also seems to involve the near-total extermination of the male sex.

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousMarch 23, 2010 at 11:08 AM

    I have a business on that block. It's sad to see this happen, but the rumors have been flying for months, probably since November. Most of the stores on that street are struggling, so the Mcnally effect is really effective only for McNally.

    ReplyDelete
  6. LisaMarch 23, 2010 at 1:16 PM

    They're all white, too, those little Stepford brats. Not too hard to guess the target audience the ad campaign is going after.

    ReplyDelete
  7. esquared™March 23, 2010 at 8:05 PM

    expect mcnally to take over billy's antique, too

    ReplyDelete
  8. EV GrieveMarch 23, 2010 at 9:48 PM

    I'm with you, Esquared... Something ritzy is destined for that space....

    ReplyDelete
  9. ~evilsugar25March 23, 2010 at 10:24 PM

    dislike button.

    ReplyDelete
  10. AnonymousMarch 26, 2010 at 2:12 AM

    this is the oldest building (circa 1820) in the area some people refer to as "nolita" and i believe it is the last federal, dormer roofed one in the little italy special historic district...

    good luck getting those nice big wrap around windows approved!

    ReplyDelete

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