••• “After a protracted battle that set off a national debate over freedom of religion, a Muslim center and mosque to be built two blocks from ground zero surmounted a final hurdle on Tuesday. The city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission voted 9 to 0 against granting historic protection to the building at 45-47 Park Place in Lower Manhattan, where the $100 million center would be built.” (New York Times) Related: State senator Daniel Squadron released this statement: “Today, the Landmarks Preservation Commission decision has affirmed values that define New York: we will not stand for intolerance, or let it stand in the way of building a diverse, vibrant city composed of people from all over the world. Our hallmark is our diversity, and I stand with the people of Lower Manhattan, the members of Community Board 1, and my colleagues in government to say that tolerance, diversity and mutual respect are as vital in the case of Cordoba House today as they have been in 400 years of New York history.”

••• “Condé Nast, the publishing giant, has signed a tentative deal to move its stable of chic magazines to ground zero, where it will anchor the skyscraper now under construction, according to two real estate executives who have been briefed on the negotiations. The deal to bring Condé Nast to the building once known as the Freedom Tower would signal a remarkable turnaround for a project that had been considered a marketing nightmare. The 1,776-foot-tall skyscraper will be the tallest building in New York when it is completed in 2013. If the deal goes through, employees of Condé Nast—publisher of Vanity Fair, The New Yorker, Vogue and 15 other magazines—would move in 2014 from their current home in Times Square.” (New York Times)

••• Daily Candy discovered Anaïs & I.

••• “An insider emails in regarding the closing of Bar Artisanal Tapas Bar and Restaurant Extravaganza. After speaking to a higher up at the restaurant group, ‘she told me everything is fine and that Terrance is moving bar to a bigger/better location & is also focusing on opening a new concept in the city.'” (Eater)

••• “A sneak peak at Nur Khan and Paul Sevigny’s relaunch of Don Hill’s will go down tomorrow night, with a ‘pre-renovation’ invite only show by Jack White’s side band The Dead Weather. The new owners are promising a ‘return to Old Skool NYC, when downtown was downtown and uptown and uptown was uptown.’ Queens will still be Queens. The club will then close out the month of August with previously scheduled shows before doing a larger roll out for Fashion Week.” (Eater)