61 Fifth
I have often passed 61 Fifth Avenue and wondered about its history and its future.
my flickr
It has been vacant for awhile, fire destroyed much of it. Recently, 10th Street refugee Danal moved in next door and now #61 is under contract, according to Massey Knakal. We don't know what it will be, but we know what it once was.
photo source
Massey Knakal's description says, "The previous tenant was 61 Cafe, a restaurant/bar with dining areas and roof access. Built in 1938, 61 Fifth Avenue was originally the home to Schrafft's restaurant."
the candy window in 1940
The Schrafft's chain demolished the previous building. Here it is being torn down in 1938. According to the verso of the photo, this building went back to the early Dutch days and was part of the Brevoort estate. Minetta Brook once went streaming past. When Schrafft's took over, the March 18, 1938 Times headline said "Restaurant Chain Will Enter Washington Square Area for the First Time."
Photo: NYPL
I wonder if the neighbors were upset. Of course, Schrafft's had already been around for 77 years at that time, but it does force us to think about the way capitalism repeats itself, like a neurotic in the throes of a repetition compulsion. Sometimes, that notion is almost comforting.
In the 1980s, the Schrafft's building was occupied by Texas expatriate fave Lone Star Cafe, complete with giant iguana on the rooftop.
I'd like to see the building restored. Unfortunately, according to MK, "The building is neither landmarked nor within any historic district making the as-of-right development the highest and best use for the property. The development opportunity at 61 Fifth Avenue has vast potential. The location alone sets the site apart as there is tremendous demand in the end-user luxury condominium market in this thriving neighborhood."
And what's the asking price? $17,500,000.
Maybe some modern-day Brevoorts will turn it back into their private mansion. And then, in about 2108, the great-grandchild of Schrafft's and grandchild of Starbucks will claim the property for their Washington Square chain. Until 2208, when someone will lament the passing of that future chain--but we don't have to go that far with the whole "cycle of capitalism" thing, because by 2208 New York City will be controlled by blood-sucking, night-dwelling humanoids.
As we know, they're already among us...
Gossip Girls in front of 61 Fifth
my flickr
It has been vacant for awhile, fire destroyed much of it. Recently, 10th Street refugee Danal moved in next door and now #61 is under contract, according to Massey Knakal. We don't know what it will be, but we know what it once was.
photo source
Massey Knakal's description says, "The previous tenant was 61 Cafe, a restaurant/bar with dining areas and roof access. Built in 1938, 61 Fifth Avenue was originally the home to Schrafft's restaurant."
the candy window in 1940
The Schrafft's chain demolished the previous building. Here it is being torn down in 1938. According to the verso of the photo, this building went back to the early Dutch days and was part of the Brevoort estate. Minetta Brook once went streaming past. When Schrafft's took over, the March 18, 1938 Times headline said "Restaurant Chain Will Enter Washington Square Area for the First Time."
Photo: NYPL
I wonder if the neighbors were upset. Of course, Schrafft's had already been around for 77 years at that time, but it does force us to think about the way capitalism repeats itself, like a neurotic in the throes of a repetition compulsion. Sometimes, that notion is almost comforting.
In the 1980s, the Schrafft's building was occupied by Texas expatriate fave Lone Star Cafe, complete with giant iguana on the rooftop.
I'd like to see the building restored. Unfortunately, according to MK, "The building is neither landmarked nor within any historic district making the as-of-right development the highest and best use for the property. The development opportunity at 61 Fifth Avenue has vast potential. The location alone sets the site apart as there is tremendous demand in the end-user luxury condominium market in this thriving neighborhood."
And what's the asking price? $17,500,000.
Maybe some modern-day Brevoorts will turn it back into their private mansion. And then, in about 2108, the great-grandchild of Schrafft's and grandchild of Starbucks will claim the property for their Washington Square chain. Until 2208, when someone will lament the passing of that future chain--but we don't have to go that far with the whole "cycle of capitalism" thing, because by 2208 New York City will be controlled by blood-sucking, night-dwelling humanoids.
As we know, they're already among us...
Gossip Girls in front of 61 Fifth
OMG! I look out my office window at that building - I never knew it was a Schraffts!
ReplyDeleteI think this location also did a brief stint as a "Brew Burger" in the late 70's before becoming the Lone Star. Recently it was a generic Korean deli. I work near this location & walk by there on my way home. The fire that happened here about 2 years ago really looked suspicious, everything was incinerated, it looked like a bomb has gone off. I was wondering if there would ever be some kind of investigation, but that doesn't seem to happen anymore in bloomberg's real estate kingdom.
ReplyDeleteIn the 70's, the Riese organization, which bought out Schrafft's, turned it into a Brew Burger...a very strange chain where you could have a burger served on a pewter plate, a glass of beer, and rum raisin ice cream. Those were your choices.
ReplyDeleteI was sitting in The Lone Star eating dinner on July 13, 1977 and I watched the lights go out all up and down Fifth Avenue...the second Major Blackout!!
I love this building and wish something would be done to return it to it's former limestone elegance, but you know that won't happen.
Mr. Fuji's Tropicana... Anyone remember that?
ReplyDeleteThis was by no means a generic Korean Deli. You walked past the salad bar, up a flight of stairs to a closed door which contained another flight of stairs. Up those you were led to one of the best evenings of your life: a little hidden Korean Karaoke bar. they had outdoor seating which made you feel like you were in a friends backyard from Queens that was somehow transplanted into Manhattan. Though having a very small grasp on the english language, Ken the bartender was one of the coolest motherfuckers I ever did meet. Not only did he load us up on free soju (which is like a korean vodka that grants the drinker with super-powers, but unfortunately the next morning the powers will dissipate and you're left feeling like dry dog-shit on a winter sidewalk)but he would smoke joints with us patrons and hang around generally laughing his ass off. Man, that place was fantastic and always basically vacant besides my friends and I. When you drank too much, you simply walked back down stairs and ordered a cheap ham and swiss hero...then walk on back up.
ReplyDeleteThere's no way the previous building went back to the Dutch colonial days. The grid was not even platted until the early 19th century - if it was part of a big estate there is no way it would fit perfectly into a grid plan superimposed 200 years later.
ReplyDeleteI see at Google Books that the writer Ford Madox Ford lived here in 1935.
ReplyDeleteI could have sworn that the picture looked like the Ethan Allen that is/was on Fifth Avenue, but I've finally figured out that that is at/probably was at 71 Fifth Avenue.
Was there a rug merchant there circa 1991? With the front window full of little cold-painted Austrian Vienna bronzes with little scenes of Arabs milling around on Persian carpets? Or am I thinking of the Ethan Allen shop?
Anyone got an update - has it been sold, pulled down etc I have asked my brother to check it out as I no longer live in NY and he does, but he lives in mid town and says he is too busy to go look for me......
ReplyDelete61 5th is still standing. no changes yet.
ReplyDelete