In the Upper East Village, an ugly wooden green wall (above, covered by posters) has protruded out onto 13th Street and First Avenue for the past six or so months, a temporary safety fix for a condemned building that is starting to look increasingly less temporary. Peter Hyman, of the brand spankin' new blog Manufactured Dissent, mourns the passing of the Mee Noodle Shop and a not-so-generic Spanish take-out joint?both lost to the dreaded Green Monster:
Both restaurants have been forced out of business due to the larger structural issue facing this building. In a three block radius that has, in the last two years, seen the addition of a Dunkin' Donuts, a Blimpies, a Subway and a Popeye's Fried Chicken, the loss of two local favorites is particularly meaningful. Nothing is sacred in the path of commercial, chain-based gentrification, but the owners of this building owe a debt to these establishments for the harm this has done to their businesses, if not the larger loss of vibrancy to what was once a lovely corner.Requiem ... for a ropa vieja. After the jump, the corpse of his cuchifrito?his precious cuchifrito!
· Another Fine Mess: The NW Corner of 13th Street and 1st Avenue [Manufactured Dissent]