The End Is Near

 

Tribeca Citizen T-shirtsTribeca Citizen will cease publication on December 31. [Note: See the update below.] The main reason is that I’m moving to California. But I’m also ready to take on a new challenge. I’m not sure what that means yet; let me know if you have any ideas.

When I started this site in the spring of 2009, I never thought I’d be doing it nearly ten years later. If it took off, I planned on building it into something larger than just one neighborhood blog. The site did turn into a legitimate business, but for various reasons—some personal, some endemic to hyperlocal journalism—I never got around to expanding it. And while I have a few regrets about that, I have found running Tribeca Citizen rewarding every single day, in ways I never could have imagined. I have met so many terrific people, learned a lot about topics I didn’t think I cared about, and become a member of a community, which is something I hadn’t previously experienced as an adult.

I’ll save the thank-yous for later. In the meantime, please keep reading and contributing.

P.S. The site is still for sale, of course. And so are the T-shirts.

UPDATE: There has been a lot of interest in keeping the site going, and I’m increasingly hopeful something will work out. Stay tuned…. I’ll be blogging through at least January 15.

 

105 Comments

  1. I’m so sad to hear this .
    What a loss for our community .
    Certainly a gain for California.
    You will be missed.
    Best of Luck on your New Endeavors .

    • So sorry to see you go but best wishes. Tribeca Citizen is terrific, a well-writtten and reliable source for local news. It has been a great endeavor, many, many thanks.

  2. Congratulations on a new adventure – and what a loss for the community! I had been dreading this day since you posted your buildings wish list over the summer, fearing you knew more than you were letting on :)

    And when and where is the goodbye party for us to raise a glass of thanks for all Erik has done???

    Fair winds and following seas…

  3. This is quite distressing. I enjoy TC very much. I have lived in Southern California, and trust me, it’s awesome. Everyday felt like vacation. Good luck to you.

  4. Sorry to hear you will be leaving. I will miss your neighborhood reports.
    Best of luck wherever, however you find yourself.

  5. I read all of the local news websites/blogs and TribecaCitizen is the most informative and entertaining. Eric you will be missed! I hope this site doesn’t have to die though!

  6. Sad news! I moved to California 5 years ago and still read this site often to keep up with all the happenings of my old neighborhood (that I still really miss!) Thanks for being awesome! And good luck with your next adventure!

  7. someone should buy it to keep it going. What ideas do we have?

    • Erik has been a community treasure and the community should make a real effort to find someone local to buy
      Tribeca Citizen.
      We need to brainstorm with MBP about grant $ and perhaps paying an intern to keep it afloat until
      A permanent owner can be found.
      Erik, I remember the night at the CB I meeting when you sat next to me and told me your plans.
      You far succeeded what you described to me back then!

      BRAVO!!!! Many thanks!! God speed.

      • Finding the money is straightforward, but the challenge is finding someone to run it who could even come close to making the dedicated savvy effort that Erik does in making this site the go-to place it is.

        Thank you.

        • I know an excellent freelance journalist who would have the perfect voice, time, and the passion…she’s may live in Brooklyn, but she’s always in TriBeCa…let me know if we should reach out to her

    • adam: get oprah or Gail to buy TC!

  8. Oh no! I so enjoyed your writing and up to date information. I will now be in the dark on the happenings around me in the nabe that is forever changing.

    Best of luck!

  9. Thank you Erik! Wishing you CAVU – (Ceiling And Visibility Unlimited)!

  10. Oh no! What are we going to do without you. It connects us all to our community. Funny, I was going to write how much I love TC and appreciate all your hard work. Maybe if I wrote sooner you wouldn’t have decided to leave:(
    WoW California….I don’t know. Best of luck. Veronica

  11. I’ll miss TC. It’s been great, and now how am I going to understand the little nuances of the neighborhood I walk in everyday??? Erik, you have shed light on and into so many areas over the past few years, I’ll miss your insights.
    Best of luck to you!

  12. I really enjoy reading Tribeca Citizen to find out all the stuff going on in the neighborhood- boo hoo.

  13. Will the t shirts go on sale ?

    • Sale?? The first thing I did when I saw Erik’s note was buy a t shirt (even though I already have one). I think it should command a premium as it will be a collector’s item.

  14. TC is part of how I got to know the neighborhood when I moved here 5 years ago and part of how I’ve enjoyed my time here ever since. I’m writing this from my semi-annual California vacation, so I can’t blame you for wanting to move here. Thanks for all you’ve done to make downtown living more fun and more informed. Best wishes in the new chapter!

  15. On our first visit to NYC, 2011, we stayed in a Tribeca highrise and the Citizen pointed us to the Duane Park loft peeping tour. Ever since, it was a joy to receive and read the Citizen. In a concise format you manage to mix a great variety of insights into American and NYC life with quasi neorealistic pictures from daily life in this agreeable (though not very affordable) part of Manhattan. Very sorry to see the Citizen discontinued, but many thanks for these hundreds of editions. (Haarlem, Netherlands).

  16. I’m so sad to hear this! I look forward to every newsletter and always appreciate the news and roundup of all local happenings! I really hope someone can pick this up when you leave… any takers?? Good luck in California!

  17. You are a wonderful asset to our community and will be missed. You provided a crucial service to Tribeca. Best wishes on your journey.

  18. Very sad news! We will miss you.

    As others have commented, TC made this actually feel like a neighborhood!

  19. Tribeca won’t be the same without you and the Trib. All the best to you

  20. So sad to see you go, loved the blog and catching up on the local news! Wish you all the best – hopefully a new exciting chapter ahead.

  21. Will miss TC very much …despite no longer living in Tribeca TC always kept us connected. Congratulations on what you did ET, masterful. Can’t believe someone isn’t knocking down your door to take it over . Looking forward to whatever the new adventure/venture ends up being !

  22. I’m so sad to see you leave. Your reporting and interpretations of Tribeca were spot on and honest and you will be missed… a lot. All the best to you on your new journey. All good things.

  23. I wish you all the best in California! That being said, this is a serious loss for the community. Unlike all the forgotten restaurants, Tribeca Citizen will be remembered as the gold standard for hyperlocal news for years to come. I am grateful for all the time, energy and work you’ve put into making TC what it is. You will be dearly missed.

  24. So grateful for your heart and writing and point of view- you are irreplaceable. Best of luck to you

  25. You have given me day to day news about the neighborhood and I have enjoyed it all. Best of luck on your move!

  26. Like everyone else I will truly miss Tribeca Citizen. I loved looking at it every day to keep up on what’s happening in our neighborhood. You did an excellent job! Enjoy the warm climate in California!

  27. I am incredibly saddened to read that Tribeca Citizen is coming to an end. Even if you sell it, it will be hard to find someone with the passion, the talent, the wit, the zeal that you have shown for the neighborhood that you love so much.

    7 and a half years ago I was impressed enough with your page that it inspired me to do something similar for the Financial District and so, FiDi Fan Page on Facebook was born. From the beginning I have included Tribeca and BPC in my coverage and will continue to do so, but you are the best single source of all things Tribeca and have been important course of news for me as well. THANK YOU! You will be sorely missed by many.

    All the best in your new life in California. In a few years, I’ll be headed out there myself to retire, but until then, FiDi Fan Page will continue to be my passion. All the best!

  28. Bon Chance in new adventures! song on! U will B missed, Tribeca will not B the same (but already isn’t)

  29. I am farklempt. I’ve read your site since I first moved here five years ago and have learned a lot about my neighborhood — and my neighbors. I work from home so TC was like my water cooler, especially when something noteworthy was going on. Godspeed to you and your husband!

  30. Thank you Eric, I have truly enjoyed TC. Good luck in cali…we lost another one to the west coast.

  31. We are sad to see you go – but wishing you the best of luck. We will forever be grateful for the amount of support you showed when we first opened our studio on Jay St. We had so many clients find us because of the Tribeca Citizen. Have an amazing journey!

  32. Sad news indeed. Will miss all your insightful updates on the neighborhood we all hold so dear. Best of luck Erik!

  33. Sad to hear – I left Tribeca to move out West as well, but I have enjoyed returning to your website now and again to hear about happenings in the old neighborhood, such as it is. Best of luck to you! You will be missed!

  34. Erik- I can’t begin to thank you for all you have done for the community, but especially for the championing of small businesses in our little village. During the past 9 years I have always been comforted to know that someone is on our side and trying to help out. You have been a pillar in the community, lending a voice where needed and facilitating the voices of others. You will be sorely missed!

  35. Erik,

    You have done such an incredible job keeping this community informed of everything taking place within and without.

    All with a sense of humor and wit that always brought a smile to my face.

    Wish you all the best in Southern California…. I am sure you will miss our NY winters (sic)

    Thank you again for everything. We will MISS you!

  36. You forgot to capture the menagerie of pigeon and dog poo.

  37. This is TERRIBLE news for Tribeca — and for your loyal readers, of which I’ve been one for many years. But happy for you, Erik. Best of luck in Cali!

  38. We will really miss you. Thank you for supporting Taste of Tribeca and our schools over the years. Best, best of luck to you in your new life!

  39. I am interested in purchasing the website. How can you best be contacted?

  40. I’m actually progressing in talks with one buyer. I’ll add you to the list of folks who might be interested should that fall through.

  41. Erik,
    So sad that this new year will not have your even journalistic hand, solid wit, and insightful and engaged reporting. We have so much information coming to our inboxes, but I know many of us felt Tribeca Citizen was always a must-read. Congrats on what you’ve built, good luck for what’s next.

  42. Erik,

    You have done an incredible job and made this neighborhood really feel like home to all of us who live here.

    Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

    Best of luck with the next chapter of your life!

    And please update us about what happens next for Tribeca Citizen.

    With Great Respect,
    Frank

  43. Erik, thank you so much for all the vital info we seek as a community. The neighborhood became friendlier and more accessible thanks to your journaling. You even stood up for me when my building had very bad tenants by alerting the community about the inappropriate events in my neighbors apt. They were eventually evicted and life became more tolerable. I wish there was something I could do to keep your blog going. Wishing you all the best,

    – Robbie

  44. Thank you, Erik for providing a service that really made feel Tribeca like a community. I always looked forward to reading TC. I lived in Tribeca for 15 years and recently moved to the east end of Long Island. TC was the one thing that still connected me to the neighborhood I loved and – still miss. I do hope it continues, and perhaps you can guest editor ever now and then. Much success to you!

  45. I am disappointed and sad to read this news. In the 19 years that I worked in Tribeca I have never met a kinder, nicer and more genuinely caring person than you, Eric.
    I very much looked forward to reading your “paper” and being updated in all the news “ that fit to print”
    You very especially kind to us while we owned Antiqueria Tribeca, and for that I will be immensely grateful.
    Wishing you the best of luck in whatever you go and chose to do.

  46. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

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