2007 Vanishings

From the very old to the very young, New York lost many good things this year. The leading cause of death was greed, though there were a few other causes, such as structural collapse or a family death. The majority just couldn't pay the rent in this city. My choices came from the pages of this blog, and I am sure I've missed many. Please add your own favorites in the Comments section.

Hilly Kristal is the only person I listed, but I think of the many others who've vanished, not only to death, but eviction. Like the residents of the Breslin Hotel and other victims of development, eminent domain, and rising rents. New York is hemhorraging creative people.

I added Chumley's because while they claim to be rebuilding, whatever rises will not be the same, and Chumley's, the original, is surely dead.

That's it for the notes. I think the list, with its links and tally of years, can speak for itself. Combined, we've seen close to 1,000 years of New York history vanish in 2007.




1551 Broadway: 112 years old

Gertel's: 93 years old

The Playpen Theater: 91 years old



Chumley's: 79 years old

Jade Mountain: 76 years old

Hilly Kristal (& the spirit of CBGB's): 75 years old



Gordon Novelty Shop Signage: 73 years old

Moondance Diner: exact age unknown, in its 70s

Kurowycky Meats: 52 years old



The Funny Store: 50 years old

Copeland's: 49 years old

Donuts Coffee Shop: 32 years old



Sucelt: 31 years old

Teresa's: approximately 22 years old

Dick's Bar: age unknown

7th Avenue Books: 6 years old

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

8th St. Hyper-gentrified

Image
For some time, 8th Street has been a ghost town . The once-plentiful shoe stores and other small businesses that lined it have dropped like flies in recent years. Trendy restaurants have tried to get a foothold and failed. It's ripe for "revival" and now the big guns are being rolled in to force the street into hyper-gentrification mode . The Daily News files a startling report on 8th Street's upcoming upgrade--it's going from "under-retailed" to an "artisanal center." Marlton House, Jeff Bachner, Daily News Stumptown Coffee is coming first--they're a foodie favorite in the uber-hipster Ace Hotel (formerly the Breslin, a tragic story there). After that, BD Hotels , of the Bowery and Jane Street Hotels (more controversy there), will open a new boutique hotel in the former SRO Marlton House. The neighborhood flippers have arrived. Says BD Hotels' Richard Born, "We’ve had the experience of changing neighborhoods like wit
Read more

Carmelita's Reception House

Image
Some years ago, on the southwest corner of 14th St. and 3rd Ave. , above Disco Donut, there was a place called Carmelita's Reception House. Walter Grutchfield at 14to42 writes, "I'm not sure what it was, but Carmelita's Reception House dates from the late 1970s and derived from Carmelita for Bridal, Corp., (bridal gowns and such?) from the mid-1960s." Lori Horvitz recalls in her non-fiction story " The Last Days of Disco Donut ," "I thought Carmelita's was a massage parlor that doubled as a house of prostitution. Only years later did I find out it was a legitimate bar that frequently held parties for gay women ." Filling out the mystery, reader Yvonne B. sent in the above ad for "Girl + Girl" at Carmelita's, and we got an informative comment to my post on 14th and 3rd from "SF," who writes: "If anyone cares to read more about Lite Lounge at Carmelita's contact me. I rented Carmelita's
Read more

*Everyday Chatter

Image
Finding her beloved theater turned into a Sephora , Leslie Nipkow writes, "I want to sit in a theater seat and lose myself in somebody else’s imagination for a few hours. I want to be reminded that my world does not stop at the front of my face." [ Times ] The Stuyvesant Polyclinic is to be a "think-tank sort of thing" and not a private mansion , as previously marketed. I guess Lenny Kravitz wasn't interested after all. [ Times ] via [ EVG ] On Grand St., a developer's condo plans go up in smoke for a homeless shelter . He claims the locals were "jealous." [ NYP ] A look at one of the Bowery's last flophouses --and Sam Chang's (so far thwarted) efforts to turn it luxury. [ Metro ] “This might be the beginning of the end of the American empire .” [ Times ] The Cooper Union "hive" gets glass between the metal sheets: New blog in town : Check out "No New York." See Richard Sandler's films at the 6B Garden August 22-
Read more