Seen & Heard: “The Gargoyle Hunters”

••• From a rep at Knopf, publisher of The Gargoyle Hunters, a debut novel by John Freeman Gill that has been getting great reviews: “Much of the book is set in Tribeca in 1974-75, in the Washington Market Urban Renewal area, a Worth Street loft, and the Woolworth Building. The climactic sequences of the novel, meanwhile, centers on the theft of the 1849 cast-iron Bogardus Building from Chambers and West Streets, an unsolved heist that stunned the city and made the front page of The New York Times in June 1849 1974.” Is it just serendipity than I ran into this guy yesterday?

••• An update from Sam about Community Board 2’s efforts to deal with the Holland Tunnel traffic mess: “We had a productive closed door meeting today with members of CB2, PD, Hudson Square BID and City Council reps. DOT has begun a wide-ranging study of the whole tunnel area, but we are working to resolving more “low-hanging fruit” in the meantime with regard to quality of life improvements: honking, traffic, pollution. I urge any concerned residents of Tribeca, Hudson Square and SoHo to come to the 1st Precinct Community Meeting tomorrow night, Thursday March 30 at 6:30 PM at 16 Ericsson Place to voice your complaints, concerns and solutions to PD and council members on hand.” Sure, but I’d spend less time trying to persuade the cops to do something than trying to persuade the politicians’ reps to lean on the cops (and Port Authority), because that’s the pressure that’s going to have an effect.

••• Urban Archaeology‘s new store is open, across Franklin Street and down a few doors from the old one. Owner Gil Shapiro told me that they’re working on the downstairs now, which will be more showroom space and offices, and they’ll have a small backyard, too. The manufacturing side of the business, which used to be on the floors above the old store, is now in Long Island City.

••• Confirmation is below that Ever After is the name of the kids’ store opening soon in the former Dean’s restaurant. It’s taking the whole space, and it’ll focus more on girls than boys, with an emphasis on ages 6-16.

••• I had noticed the blue tarp on the top of the building that used to be Mariachi’s, but not that the windows have been removed from the building to the south. So presumably the full demolition is happening soon. (Signs about asbestos abatement are posted on the Warren side.) A rendering of the new building is here.

••• Shooting in the Broadway/White area on Saturday: The Greatest Showman, starring Hugh Jackman at P.T. Barnum. And back yet again at Broadway/Chambers: “Law & Order: SVU.”

 

6 Comments

  1. Just curious- if the Edward Laing Stores building was dismantled in 1971, and stolen piecemeal for several years thereafter, why would the New York Times report its theft in June 1849…? Unless the novel also is about time travel?

    Looking forward to reading the book though.

  2. Erik,

    Major update here re: Holland Tunnel.

    From Corey Johnson’s office:

    “One of the community victories won in conjunction with the 550 Washington ULURP was a commitment by the de Blasio Administration to conduct a $1.5 million comprehensive traffic study to address chronic transportation and pedestrian safety problems in Hudson Square/West Village (problems largely related to the Holland Tunnel).

    At April’s CB2 Traffic and Transportation Committee, the DOT will make a presentation about this study and outline its scope, contours, goals and timeline. We invite you to attend and ask any questions you may have.

    Here are the details:

    CB2 TRAFFIC & TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE MEETING
    Shirley Secunda, Chair
    Thursday, 4/6
    6:30 PM
    NYU Silver Building, 32 Waverly Place, Room 520”

    We hope to see many community members there!

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