CurbedWire, where reader rumors, innuendo, gossip, and the occasional verified factoid come home to roost at the end of each day. Got intel, ideas, or idle musings? The Wire awaits your call.
1) Flatiron: Even though the advertecture contest is over, a reader wonders, "Am I the only one who is disgusted with the sheer amount of sign dominance around the Flatiron Building? This historic building is, itself, wrapped in a Citibank ad. The buildings across the street are wrapped in Budlight and Heineken ads (actually the Heineken ad, which was absolutely immense, has been removed, leaving perhaps the largest expanse of white space in the city. Who knows what beer company is about to fill its space.) Note: there appears to be no work being done on either 'beer' building to warrant the sidewalk scaffolding. They are milking it." [CurbedWire Inbox]
2) Lower East Side: Could a former development du jour be back in play? A reader asks: "Does anyone know if something is going on at 7 Essex Street? Nine of the 17 units are listed on the NYTimes site. This is not a brand new building. Why would half the building want to sell?" Could it be the organized puking contests? [CurbedWire Inbox]
3) Stuy Town: A tipster drops this update: "Another thing Stuy Town neglects to mention in the glossy is the alarming number of times that they cut off the water and the place descends into the friggin' Dust Bowl. We're apparently entering the 'Great ST Drought of July.' Water didn't come back until after midnight Wednesday night (not until this morning for my shower) and is expected to go off again today. Perhaps they're building an aviary?" There are 96 species of birds migrating through. [CurbedWire Inbox]
4) West Village: Bad news for Off-Broadway performers and the people who love them. A tipster writes: "I just wanted to drop a note about all of the theatre space closing to make room for more condos. In particular the beautiful Perry Street Theatre. [Noted here previously.] The producers (Martin Platt and David Elliott) just reopened the space after the gorgeous 99 seat theatre was dormant for the past 9 years, they were told that they needed to be out, lights, stage and all by the beginning of August. So the struggling off Broadway community buries another theatre. In the past 3 months something like 5 theatres have announced that they will be closing for 'alternative uses and redevelopment'." Take heart. You still have two months to catch Treason. [CurbedWire Inbox]