Category Archives: Neighborhood

Vercesi Hardware to close

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An old-time neighborhood standby, Vercesi Hardware is closing at the end of November. The history of the store which was opened by Paul Vercesi as a sheet music store in 1912 can be seen at http://vanishingnewyork.blogspot.com/2013/10/vercesi-hardware.html

The store became known as 23rd Street Hardware after the owner retired several years ago. 23st_hw-noteThe building was sold, will be demolished and turned into yet another luxury high-rise.

We have discovered that the The Xavier Society for the Blind in the adjoining building will be relocating and that building will be knocked down as well.

It is odd that every politico that has jurisdiction over EMP stopped us from going private in the name of ‘Affordable Housing’ yet they let thousands of 5-6 story building that people can afford to live in be knocked down by wealthy developers to be replaced by expensive condos. Why is it that EMP’s 750 apartments are the only answer to affordable housing? How about standing up to rich developers?

23st_hw

 

 

East 25th St Sanitation Garage Public Comment Period EXTENDED

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I received the following e-mail from Community Board 6 and, as they suggested, I sent comments to the City Planner that they listed at the end of the letter. Others that are concerned about having a sanitation garage across the street may wish to send their own comments.

Dear Neighbor,

Yesterday the Department of Sanitation announced that the Public Comment Period on the Draft Scoping Document for THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT (CEQR# 13-DOS-007M) for the Proposed DSNY Manhattan Districts 6/6A/8 Garage and Manhattan Borough Office, at 425 East 25th Street, Borough of Manhattan, has been extended from July 24, 2013 to August 14, 2013.  A copy of the DEIS is available at http://www.nyc.gov/html/dsny/downloads/pdf/garages/draft_scope_mn68.pdf
As you may already be aware our board has issued a negative resolution on the citing of this proposed garage and urge further comments on the proposal from the community at large.
Please submit your comments, if you have not already done so, to:
Abas O. Braimah, City Planner
DSNY Bureau of Legal Affairs
125 Worth Street, Room 708
New York, NY 10013
Thank you to everyone who has participated in this important issue already.
—
Sandro Sherrod
Chair

Epiphany Library to be closed for 3 months

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The Epiphany Library will be closed temporarily beginning August 15th to facilitate necessary upgrades to the building and its heating and cooling systems. The branch is scheduled to reopen in November 2013. During this construction, patrons are encouraged  to visit the following nearby branches:
Kips Bay Library – 446 Third Avenue
Ottendorfer Library – 135 Second Avenue
Muhlenberg Library – 209 West 23rd Street (near Seventh Avenue)

Hold requests can be picked up at Kip’s Bay, 446 Third Avenue (at E 31st St.), tel. (212) 683-2520

Here’s some interesting info about the Library from the Library’s website: The Epiphany Branch of The New York Public Library, once part of the Cathedral Library Association founded by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, has served the Gramercy Park-Stuyvesant Town area since 1887.

The current Epiphany Branch building, an elegant Carnegie Library, opened on September 29, 1907. It was a major neighborhood cultural and educational source until 1982, when it was closed for nearly two years for an extensive expansion and renovation; the restored library opened on July 16, 1984. http://www.nypl.org/locations/tid/24/aboutnypl-epiph

Carvel Store

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It looked like they were doing a little work in the Carvel Store. Could we hope that we will have a new tenant in there? Something good!

Maybe some traffic would help with the pigeon problem. Please don’t feed these winged rodents and if you see anyone else doing so, kindly ask them to stop!

carvel pigeon

Goodfellas restaurant now open

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goodfellas2Goodfella’s pizza/italian restaurant has opened on 2nd Avenue between 22 and 23 Street. They claim to have The World’s Best Pizza http://www.goodfellas.com/

While we’re on the latest Pizza News, Papa John’s on 2nd Avenue between 24th and 25th moved out in the middle of the night and closed. Probably way too much competition with 4 pizza places in 3 blocks; They had to face Grimaldi’s who claims g*d doesn’t make better pizza, Goodfella’s claiming to have the World’s Best Pizza and the old long-time neighborhood standby Mike’s who makes a damn good pie. Also, the $1 pizza at 28th Street and 2nd Avenue.

 

ICD Building to be torn down

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We have heard unsubstantiated rumors that the 6 story ICD building on 24th Street between 1st Avenue and the dead end will be torn down and a 22 or 26 story dorm for NYU Dental School school students will be built in it’s place. This building will block the windows for many F building residents who face north-west. It also means that G Building resident will have a huge dusty construction project 100 feet from their front door and many who are in the F-Line or G-Line will lose their views from their living room windows or terraces.

We hope that at least this project will coincide with our plaza renovation. It would be tragic if the ICD construction doesn’t happen until after the plaza renovation and we have 5-7 years of concrete demolition, building demolition, rats, dust, dirt and noise!

Does anyone else think that maybe it’s time to slow down development in Manhattan or at least plan it more carefully?icd-building

Area Hospitals after Hurricane Sandy

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It is almost 3 weeks since Hurricane Sandy hit and the VA Medical Center is still dark (see photo)!  Their web site gives no date for re-opening  http://www.nyharbor.va.gov/

We have heard that NYU Medical Center will be closed for a year!

We hear that Bellevue is also closed and that Beth Israel is inundated.