Tuesday, October 13, 2009

In the end, New York's historic first world trade center on Pearl Street razed for a condo, parking lot and goodburger

Well, nearly six years after first hearing about the project, the destruction of the historic swath of 211-215 Pearl Street between Gold Street and Maiden Lane in the Financial District — home to the city's first world trade center — is nearly complete. First, a brief bit of history about this space
per Pearl Street Revival:

The three neo-Classical business buildings at 211-215 Pearl St. are the last remnant of the Pearl Street dry goods district of the early 19th century, and are a valuable relic of New York and the nation's early commercial history. The city sold a very large portion of what commercializing Americans bought. The combination of overseas commerce and burgeoning domestic trade established New York as the commercial capitol (not just the biggest seaport) of the United States after 1815, and Pearl Street was the center of that trade.

211-215 Pearl Street is also tribute to merchants and manufacturers like William Colgate "who's entrepreneurial daring would set New York on course for becoming the world-class city that it is today".


Anyway. The Rockrose-owned condo is up and it appears to be running. Now just the small matter of the ground floor retail. Which appears to be set with coming-soon signage for a double food whammy — goodburger and a Pret deli.






As Pearl Street Revival noted, "Pearl Street was considered the city’s richest street and the highest valued mercantile establishments were located on this particular block."



Now, of course, it looks like any other block of a suburbified city.



For further reading:

3 Buildings From 1830's Threatened By a Tower (New York Times)

Lot still vacant where Pearl St. artists lost homes (Downtown Express)

Shaky Pearl Street Building Now Even More Endangered (Curbed)

Champagne Tuesdays at Superdive: "I'm pretty certain that everyone in the bar had just recently moved to New York"

Well, you know, we haven't made it over yet for Superdive's Champagne Tuesdays just yet... A reader almost got in.



However, blogger Fired 'n' Fabulous was there. Here's an excerpt of her report:

As soon as I stepped foot into the bar, I instantly wanted to turn around and run as fast as I could in the opposite direction. It was so crowded, and the hodgepodge of people was really just...weird. Ya know in the movie "Clueless" when Cher walks through the school campus with Tai and explains all the different cliques? That's what it felt like (minus the cool kids). Probably the most annoying group of people I witnessed were the Upper East Side frat boys with their faded T-shirts, backwards caps and flip flops. They were totally out of their comfort zone, and this, no doubt, was their first time making it down past 42nd Street. Guys, do a favor for all of us and stay uptown where you belong.

I'm pretty certain that everyone in the bar had just recently moved to New York, and this was their first big night out. It had to be. They were just so gosh darn excited about everything. And there was one guy behind me that was talking extremely loud to a group of people about "having sex all day long." Whoa, cool man. Is that his get-laid tactic? Does he think that's a turn-on? Let's hope for his sake that's not the only Ace up his sleeve, or else he's gonna have one lonely winter.


Photo via.

Tree used for missing persons flier now missing

For several weeks now, there has been a "missing persons" flier attached to the tree right on Avenue A at Ninth Street. I don't recall all the details — a young man had not been seen for some time. Very sad.

Walking along A the other day, I saw that the tree with the missing persons flier was now missing too.


Spa games on 13th Street

On 13th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue....

First, this spa on the north side of the street lost their lease....



...and they're moving up the street where Upland Trading used to be.



I bring this up because... at first glance, the renovations at Upland Trading had a bar/cafe vibe. But a worker at the site assured me it was just the spa moving up the street.

Happy holidays!



Or maybe these holiday lights on First Avenue near Fourth Street have been up for a long time and I just noticed them Sunday...? Just being honest. Anyway, let's just skip Halloween and Thanksgiving and get to the Big Stuff!

Monday, October 12, 2009

A sad note



Avenue A and St. Mark's Place.

Updated! Mysterious, low-flying helicopter returns...

I moved this post up top from yesterday afternoon... getting more reports that the thing is back hovering over the neighborhood this afternoon...




Circling now for like 20-30 minutes. Doesn't look like a police helicopter. I followed it to Avenue C after seeing it fly over Tompkins Square Park...

Previously.

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning edition



"Planning commish Amanda Burden has rezoned a fifth of the city, championed good design and driven developers nuts" (Crain's)

Saturday afternoon in TSP (Neither More Nor Less)

Slutty Halloween costumes for girls (Runnin' Scared)

An Ellis Island tour (Jeremiah's Vanishing NY)

TMBG celebrate the 20th anniversary of "Flood" (Rolling Stone)

The following photo was taken by Slum Goddess in one of the women's stalls in the Tompkins Square Park restrooms...



As she notes: "There seems to be a war brewing between the East Coast and West Coast Junkies in the park."

What's behind the German-themed plywood on Second Avenue?

So that plywood that shares the same colors as the German flag... on Second Avenue and Second Street.





Will soon be home to Heartbreak Cafe, which will apparently feature German/Swiss fare. And they were up for a beer/wine license this past March. A liquor license is pending. One of the names on the liquor license belongs to Christos Valtzoglou, the owner of the Greek eatery Pylos on Seventh Street.


How bazaar!: First retailer coming soon to E2E4 on the Bowery




Hmm... The Bowery Bazaar. Between Fourth Street and Third Street on the Bowery. Street level at the 15-story tower. I sent an e-mail to the address listed here to find out exactly what this will be. No response yet.

Previously.

A good question




As we pointed out Saturday, Third Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue was closed off while a crane brought in stuff for the Economakis family tenement-to-mansion conversion.

And a reader brought up a good question about some neighbors down the street who may not appreciate the street being blocked off for eight hours:

any word from the hells angels?

Looking at the work that will "enable St. Brigid's Church to last another two hundred years"

Work continues on St. Brigid's on Avenue B at Eighth Street...Can't tell a whole lot from the outside...



Here's the latest message from Edwin Torres, chairman of the Committee to Save St. Brigid's:

"The entire foundation is being strengthened; this will enable St. Brigid's Church to last another two hundred years."

He also posted these photos of the work being done in the lower portion of the church...




Saturday, October 10, 2009

Economakis mansion renovation shuts down Third Street today





No traffic today on Third Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue. At 47 E. Third St., the Economakis family is creating their 11,600-square-foot dream home from the former 15-unit tenement.





One neighbor watching the crane at work wondered how many more Saturdays would be affected by the construction.

Previously.

How long was that stretch Hummer on Seventh Street last night?




Um.

It was so long, that when the last person finally got out, there was daylight.

Hmm.

It was so long, that when the driver got to the Lincoln Tunnel, a passenger was still back on Seventh Street throwing up between cars.

Oh, you try then.

Friday, October 9, 2009

I don't know where we're going, but...



Or.

Noted (Bring it on edition)


Now on Craigslist:

Kirsten Dunst....Your Eyes Wont Quit! - m4w - 27 (East Village)

Maybe it was all those drinks you were drinking last night but you kept glancing over at me in the fire place at your secret hipster pizza speakeasy Was it something I did? When you danced around in your black tuby dress I thought you looked like a beautiful downtown caterpillar
OH Kirsten let's go to a loft party together. I will gladly be your leaf.

[Photo via.]

On the increased criminal activity in Stuy Town


We've had several posts in recent weeks/months about the increased crime in the neighborhood. We're certainly not alone. Our friend Lux Living has chronicled the increased criminal activity in Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village. On Sunday, a 28-year-old woman was attacked outside 8 Stuyvesant Oval. As LL reported, "the tenant was grabbed from behind and dragged into the trees near the building's M level where she was choked. She was able to fight off her attacker and nearby neighbors made enough noise to scare him away. Unfortunately incidents like this one are becoming all too common in Stuy Town."

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning Edition




At the New York Art Book Fair (Jeremiah's Vanishing NY)

"On average, the economists don't expect unemployment to fall below 6% until 2013; unemployment hit 9.8% in September." (The Wall Street Journal)

Birthday wishes for John Lennon (Flaming Pablum)

Noted from Page Six today:
Our story on "I Slept With Joey Ramone," the new memoir by Joey's brother Mickey Leigh and co-author Legs McNeil, mixed up two of the late band members. It was Johnny Ramone, not Joey, who said of Charles Manson, "He's like Hitler, only cooler." Leigh says, "I guarantee you that while admittedly not the most religious of the Jewish people on our block, Joey and I certainly reviled Adolf Hitler as much as any yarmulke-wearing neighbor. Nor were we delighted by the murderous mayhem of Charles Manson. We were basically peace-loving hippies."

The Bowery Mission turned 100 (BoweryBoogie)

Pete Wentz lookalike fails in Broadway bank heist (Runnin' Scared)

"Mischa Barton getting out of a taxi in front of the Black & White Bar on East 10th Street, yelling, 'I need a drink!'" . . . (Page Six)

World Series madness in Times Square circa 1920 (Ephemeral New York)

Bikini-clad bartenders wanted in Washington Heights (Eater)

"Then I got trapped in one of the Jewish Sukkah houses that have popped up all over downtown..They really can sense when you are a Jew..They all surrounded me yelling, 'You're jewish! Come in here! Now!'" (Slum Goddess)