It's an end-of-year tradition as reliable as the Times Square ball drop, except much sadder and way less glittery. Nostalgia-inducing blog Jeremiah's Vanishing New York has come out with its annual round-up of all the institutionsrestaurants, bars, mom 'n' pop shops, even chain stores that have been around for decades and become part of a neighborhood's fabricthat shuttered in the last year. "Jeremiah" (not his real name) lists about 40 spots that have gone by the wayside, along with the reasons for each one. Scroll down the list, and the same words appear over and over. Rent hike. Death by rent hike. Could not afford the rent. (Tale as old as time...)
There are also a few, like the beloved beautiful Rizzoli Bookstore on 57th Street (pictured), that were unceremoniously ousted by luxury developments or other new buildings. That spot on 57th is apparently going to be home to a seven-star hotel, whatever that is.
The following places being replaced by new construction are also on the roster of sad farewells.
Longtime bowling alley Bowlmor on University Place, which is being replaced by a 23-story building with 52 apartments, courtesy of developer Mackowe.
Houston Street's Middle Eastern food purveyor Bereket. Somewhat notorious developer Ben "The Sledgehammer" Shaoul wants to build 83 apartments there.
The distinctively red Pearl Paint building on Canal Street, which was home to the artists' mecca. The buyer? Mega-developer Vornado Realty Trust.
Dive bar Subway Inn ended its run of 77 years; in its stead, a "tall tower" of indeterminate height will rise thanks to developer World Wide Group.
If this sort of thing moves you in the first place, looking through the comments on the JVNY post is like taking repeated punches to the gut; each one is a reader outlining more neighborhood standbys that won't live to see 2015. RIP.
· 2014 Vanishings [JVNY]
· How We Lost 6,826 Years Of NYC History In Bloomberg's Era [Curbed]
· The Shutter [Eater NY]
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