Vanishing New York Backup

Citibank bikes have been parked in Times Square and hooked up to 12-volt "deep cycle batteries." Stationary riders (mostly tourists, one assumes) are pedaling like crazy to charge the batteries. The energy they produce will then be dumped into the city's power grid to "offset the demands" of the Waterford crystal ball's midnight drop. “With the year’s biggest party being powered by Citi Bike pedals," said Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan, "the world is in for an even more electrifying experience when the ball drops." After filling the city's veins with Bloomberg Administration-approved tourist juice, riders can then go to the Times Square Applebee's for a $375 New Year's Eve "ton of food" dinner . It seems a perfect send-off for Bloomberg's last moments in office. I'll be counting the seconds. But I prefer this version of New Year's Eve in Times Square.

At the end of each year, I usually do a round-up of that year's vanished places. But this year is special. This year means the end to the evil Bloomberg era, so I offer this "Master List" of Vanished New York from 2001 to 2013 . It's been 12 merciless years of destruction and loss, from "significant" losses to countless "smaller" ones--neighborhood laundromats, shoe repair shops, drugstores--far more than I have compiled here. If you look only at this list and add up all the years in business represented, we lost approximately 6,926 years of New York City history in only a dozen years. And we know the real number is much higher than that. Clearly, we need strong protections for the city's small businesses. Many of the closures were due to the impact of gentrification, either through rising rents, demolition for luxury development, or a decrease in business due to their neighborhood's up-shifting of demographics and values. A few closed

I'll be taking the week off. But you can find me on Facebook-- join my Facebook page for more links and discussion, and see you back here Monday. Happy Holidays!

VANISHING Reader Jim Duffy lets us know that A-1 Music , on First Avenue in the East Village, is closing. As Jim says, "It's an old-school storefront music shop for students, children, beginners, and hobbyists. You won't find vintage gear or Fender or Gibson, but you'll find student trumpets, harmonicas, melodicas (I bought mine there a few years ago), mouth-harps, shakers, student violins, tuners, picks, and other small items. They also provide lessons and piano tuning. A little dog comes up and sniffs you and then returns to its doggy-bed in the back of the shop ." I've always liked walking by this place, with its cluttered window, and bought some books of music there over the years. I went in to say goodbye and pick up a few last items. The owner told me they've been there for 26 years, but business isn't great and the rent is just too high . They looked for a more affordable space in the neighborhood, but found nothing. They p

If you missed In No Great Hurry , the documentary on New York street photographer Saul Leiter, you'll now have another chance. The Film Society of Lincoln Center will be showing the film beginning Friday, January 3, for one week only . Mr. Leiter passed away just weeks ago at the age of 89. I interviewed his friend, Tomas Leach, director of the documentary last month, and recently asked him some follow-up questions--about what Mr. Leiter was working on at the time of his death and if we can look forward to more of his beautiful photography. Mr. Leach replied: "It seemed to me that Saul was never really 'working on' something in the same way that people often do. He was a photographer, so he took photos. He was a painter, so he painted. That was as essential to him as walking and eating are to people. There's been a little burst of attention since Saul's passing. Maybe it will be the kick to wake people up to this great artist hidden amongst us. But as

Street photographer Robert Herman has been taking pictures of New York City since the 1970s. His excellent book The New Yorkers is a vivid collection of his work from 1978 - 2005. In it he has captured the faces and places of the vanished city. I talked to Robert recently and asked him some questions. all photos by Robert Herman How would you say the city of today compares visually to the city you captured in your book? The city I photographed in the early 80’s is almost gone. Back then, it was a city of small businesses and storefronts. Where I lived in Little Italy, the shop owners would invariably recognize you when you walked in. Soho today is mostly a mall made up of corporate stores. I miss the graffiti that made for compelling commentary when juxtaposed in a photograph. The city is safer today, and I like that, but it feels less quirky and less alive. I like the signage of the small, old shops, the clutter, which is lacking in the chains' facades. What do you th

Award-winning Village Voice cartoonist M. Wartella has just published a book of his work, Wartella's Strip Show . I picked one up recently at the Comic Arts Brooklyn fest and was impressed, especially by his giddily incendiary "Runnin Scared" pieces, many of which chronicle moments of extreme gentrification in the city. You'll be able to find the book in stores January 14. Until then, you can view an excerpt here and buy it online here --or get a signed edition on ebay . I asked Wartella a few questions about his work. What made you decide to publish a collection of your work and why now? I needed to unload all this crap! I've been cartooning professionally since I was ten years old, so that's 25 years worth of printed matter that was filling my closets. It was time to set it all free and the amazing guys at Burger Records, an awesome little record label outta L.A., they believed in it and made it happen! I'm most interested in your R

VANISHING This morning, reader Dave Mack sent in the following photo and bad news. Stile's Market in Hell's Kitchen is closing on December 31. They hope to open another location in the neighborhood. photo: Dave Mack We expected this to happen, but were reassured by Stiles that it would not happen, about a year ago when their neighbor, the Big Apple Meat Market, was forced out of the location to make room for a giant, glassy, luxury tower. Back then, Stiles put up signs saying, "We are not closing!!! We are not going anywhere! Stile's Farmer Market is here to stay!!!" this photo: Andrea Kleiman, January 2013 Today, DNA Info contacted the owner, Steve Stile, and reported: "the longtime grocer was forced out after the building was sold. 'My family's so sick you cannot imagine,' he said. 'We tried everything in our power to stay there... We're heartbroken, very heartbroken.' " They've been here since 1987. pho

I always liked the Star Shoe repair shop on Bleecker at Crosby. In business since at least 1985, and probably much longer (some say 60 years, some say 70), it had good signage and a nice, jumbly interior that only comes with advanced age. It also looked good next to a corner grocer with an old Optimo cigars sign. Lost City liked it too. Last year, he wrote, "The world inside is very old Village. Vagrants, drifters, grifters and neighborhood eccentrics seem to recognize that they will not be given the bum's rush." When its landlord (it's in the Empire State Bank building ) covered the side with plywood, I was concerned. But Star Shoe endured in its old spot. No more. The building has renovated and upscaled the side, wiping out Star Shoe, the corner grocery, a locksmith, and something else--a Chinese take-out joint maybe. It had been an odd little corner of the old New York that had yet to be sanitized away. Whenever I walked by, I wondered how long it woul

There will be an impromptu rally today at 11:00 AM to save Jerry Delakas' Astor Place newsstand, reports EV Grieve . This week, Jerry showed up to work to find his newsstand had been seized and padlocked by the City . Jerry has been working this newsstand for over 25 years. The ownership of it and its license were willed to him by the previous owner when she passed away, but the city doesn't see it that way. Watch The Paper House Report to get a full understanding of Jerry's story--and to see why the City is absolutely wrong in their decision to take away this man's livelihood. The Paper House Report from Nicole Cimino on Vimeo . The old newsstand, before Starbucks came, and before the City stole everyone's stand , granting ownership to Spanish company Cemusa and their dull, stainless steel boxes.

The sad, stupid saga of the 9th Avenue block between 17th and 18th Streets continues, as the Stonehenge Group reveals their glassy new facade. "120 Ninth" is clean, sterile, and as beige as it gets. The perfect color for our increasingly monotone town. Here's how it looked a couple months ago, with the marketing banner spread across it, complete with images of the sort of soulless, cookie-cutter businesses that the developer hopes to attract. It doesn't get more blah than this. Here's how it looked when it was still alive, a colorful jumble of authenticity and originality, of humanity. These lost businesses provided vital functions for the local community. A dry cleaners and tailor shop, a wonderful barber shop that gave shelter to the homeless, bodegas where kids could go when in trouble, the Sweet Banana Candy store with its empanada lady and everything--all of them run by local, independent business people with deep ties to the community.

As EV Grieve first noticed this morning , the city has shuttered Jerry Delakas' newsstand on Astor Place. When I passed by, Jerry was standing by the stand in the falling snow. He showed me the broken padlock he found and said, "I just got here. I thought someone broke in." Someone did. It was the city that broke Jerry's lock and put on a lock of their own so he could not open for business today. Jerry showed up for work this morning thinking he'd make a day's pay. He said that the city did not tell him they were seizing his stand. Technically, Jerry still has 11 days to appeal the recent ruling that he pay $37,000 or vacate. Now, for those 11 days, he won't be making income. Jerry has been fighting the city for years --after the city took away everyone's stands and gave them to Cemusa. As Grieve summarized earlier: "He has operated the stand here for 25-plus years. However, he's not the legal license holder. He has been subl