[Photos Thursday by Stacie Joy]
Rumors spread on Facebook last week that the 128-year-old Russian & Turkish Baths on 10th Street had closed.
According to one post, shared more than 300 times, workers were spotted carting out contents from the interior here between First Avenue and Second Avenue. One of the construction workers also allegedly told a 10th Street resident that the NYC institution was permanently shuttered. Meanwhile, the Baths' website still carried the "temporarily closed for COVID-19" message.
Several people reached out to us about the news after seeing the various Facebook posts.
In response to the rumors, management posted an updated message to their website and Facebook late last week...
As for the gutting, management shared this statement about that:
"We’re making superficial changes to the locker room, restaurant and greeting area so that when we open we are compliant with CDC guidelines for the coronavirus and we will definitely reopen as soon as we are allowed to."
There hasn't been any updated information from the city or state about when gyms and spas can reopen in NYC.
---
David Shapiro, who along with Boris Tuberman owned the Baths since the early 1980s, died in May. His son Dmitry has served as the general manager in recent years.
You can read more about the history here in this Times feature from 2016.
4 comments:
I am happy they are doing a gut renovation on the first place. It is much needed. Honestly, whenever I went to the men's locker room to change, the smell was awful. I had to hold my nose most of the time. I know this place is beloved by many generations and rightfully so. I just hope this reset will also enable the staff to be kinder.
stay forever! i love this place and can't wait to enter its steamy confines as soon as it's safe to do so! RIP david, i did not know he had departed this mortal coil.
I go on Boris Weeks but it's still sad to hear that David is gone. Virtual steamy hugs to his immediate and longtime banya-loving families.
Renovation is much needed!
Condolences to family
Post a Comment