Left rectangle ads redesigned
Robert Ripps book
History of Tribeca Buildings
Cocoon has opened in the Best Market Space
Cocoon — the new members club for families in the former Best Market space on Greenwich — is open for business, with a quick pivot for the pandemic. It has also reactivated what had become a desolate stretch of Greenwich.
The 16,000-square-foot space (there must be a basement since it is two levels) was designed from the beginning to be a gathering space for families, with classes for kids, workshops for adults, indoor gyms and a cafe. But now the space will also hold what they are calling “play nests” — private bookable spaces that get cleaned regularly — as well as a 6000-square foot play area and a parkour gym. The rate is $550 a month.
The owners — two downtown couples — had originally applied for a beer and wine license from CB1, but they decided not to pursue that option. (Parents might be able to BYO!)
There will also be an outdoor heated patio — and I assume that will be on the sidewalk out front, where there were a few things taking shape yesterday. (Very curious about how that will be permitted — and how it will torture other kids when they walk by!)
More TK on this and other details when I have a chance to take a tour.
27 Comments
Comment:
Medium rectangle #1 (top)
Right column rectangle ads
Mega rectangle
Restaurant guide icon
Hey let’s open a glorified daycare center dozens of people including non-neighborhood residents will be in during a pandemic. Cuz a zip code with one of the lowest COVID 19 infection rates in the city really needs that. Why did they want a liquor license & how were they even allowed to apply for one in the first place with a public school a short walk away in the IPN courtyard & PS 234 well within 500 feet away?
Let’s also not bring in a supermarket because we, Vornado Realty, owners of IPN, want as many non-market rate IPN tenants as possible to move out & pay more or groceries from Whole Foods & Morgan’s Market (& have elderly tenants walk to both.)
This is a waste of space.
This is totally ridiculous and very disturbing but consistent with the Owner’s lack of consideration for the residents of IPN. Yeah, we need a play space? OMG. We don’t have a supermarket, we are trying to get out of pandemic and this is what we need? Also, I don’t know who designed the outside, but it looks like total trash painting the brick white. Whose decision was that? Maybe that’s why there are so many empty apartments at IPN. Plus the rate is probably affordable to many of the neighborhood. Did they forget that many of the IPN tenants are voucher tenants and can’t afford this? No, Stellar and the Owners are money hungry thieves who could care less about the neighborhood. They were NEVER committed to us.
the timing is terrible for this business sadly. Indoor play spaces are not new to the nabe–we used to have “Sydney’s Place” or something like that about 10 years ago.
Good luck to them!
Yes!! Sydney’s Place- such a throwback. I have many great memories there.
Welcome to the neighborhood!
Whose bright idea was this? What a moronic thing to open during the height of a pandemic. They are probably paying top dollar for rent and asking an astronomical monthly feee to become a “member” of this glorified play space. Us true New Yorker know better to waste money on this crap when you have Washington Market Park & Battery Park right in your backyard. I grew up just fine playing in the plaza and running laps around the park. What many tenants need is a god damn grocery store. I visit my parent weekly to bring them groceries from NJ because they can’t get anything nearby. Many IPN tenants are elderly and have been there for many years and watched many of us grow up. Such a shame. IPN was the true defination of a neighborhood, not no more. No one cares and it’s a damn shame. They destroyed New York especially IPN (Tribeca). Rant over.
You speak the truth. Our kids grew up here just fine without this. You are right, why do we need kids coming from all over to play here. It should have been used for something useful but that wouldn’t be attractive to the big $$$$$ that moves in. Such a shame.
Exactly!
I DO completely understand the neighborhood frustration with losing services for old time residents, especially needing a more affordable supermarket, within close proximity. But that ire should be, and has been in the past, directed at Vornado.
I don’t think its fair to shame a place rich people want to take their kids to play. Cocoon didn’t force out the old tenants and raise the rents, they’re merely trying to open a business that caters to the wealthy. It’s not their fault and at least its a non vacant storefront. There are plenty of children locally, I really don’t see this as a magnet for kids coming from far away ( and other playspaces in other neighborhoods). Debating the necessity of this business is one thing, just like the need for a place that sells $100 5 year old t shirts, or has $400 spa treatments, but this is tribeca where these things exist. But these people aren’t the villains.
Of course it isn’t Cocoon’s fault but it is VORNADO’s fault not to consider the needs of the residents. Since Gluck/Stellar took over and now Vornado, NOTHING has been done to rent the commercial spaces with services that can be used by all residents. I am not saying ONLY for residents of IPN, that’s ridiculous. I think it is disgraceful that there wasn’t a Community meeting to discuss this. Was there?
I’m glad to at least see some of the vacant storefronts being filled, but I echo the sentiments about how useful a grocery store would in that area. This isn’t even something that would benefit me personally, but I strongly dislike the idea of Whole Foods basically having a monopoly on groceries in west Tribeca, especially now that the Amish Market is gone. I hope something can eventually be worked out that helps better serve that area.
Just sharing a different perspective since we’re a family living in the building. I can’t even describe how grateful I am to have Cocoon open during this current time. Parents have it unbelievably hard. Our kids and new baby, and my husband have been full time at home since the pandemic started. It’s been extremely stressful not having another space to visit, especially more so now that it’s getting cold. We needed a space like this to bring some sense of joy and normalcy back to the family. I think businesses like this help to remake NYC. Stay healthy and happy everyone.
I am dismayed at the hostility directed at these two families who have opened a kids’ center. WoW! It isn’t there fault we lost Best Market (which I loved!).
We should welcome them with open arms. When my daughter was young this isn’t something I could afford but I trust between all her friends and community she would have spent days there having fun and going to birthday parties. I am putting my Mom hat on now to scold you all! This isn’t how we treat our neighbors. Sadly I’m not surprised though.
Welcome Cocoon! I look forward to walking by with my dog and seeing a lot of fun and learning coming from your new wonderful space. And LOVE it you have Boxed Water!!! I’m a big fan.
$500 a month for a play space? What happened to play dates & going to the park? Guess it’s easier for all the babysitters to congregate & parents feel less guilty.
If I didn’t know Tribeca, this comment section sure would make me never want to live there. Y’all are rude with ugly ‘tudes. Maybe try not to bully your neighbors?
This is the most ridiculous idea for our neighborhood. I hope that this is not allowed open with the Covid virus still very much in our mists. And 6500.00 a year for a few toys and gym equipment? Have fun.
The previous owners and now owners of Independence Plaza did, and are still making their fortune, just as the trumps did. Took money from the government for “temporary” middle income housing, I’m sure with the intention of it becoming what it is now. Don’t you think something should be done to prevent this in the future? Our educators, first responders, and those we run to in an emergency deserve better than this, and so do all of our children.
Quick correction. The rate is $550/month if your billed biannually. If you want to be billed monthly, it will be $600/month.
seems like the last 4 comments are all by the same person:
kathy
nancy
karen
donna
They come from four different IP addresses and different emails, but many commenters use emails that are not real and/or are not functioning. I delete comments that are sent from the same IP address but use different handles.
Thank you, even though we might think alike, I have no idea who anyone commenting here is.
I think that is fully their intention. Readers only see the handle you enter, so you, for example, are only known as “Karen.” There are some commenters, such as James Bogardus, who always use the same handle so we know who they are even in anonymity. But others change their handle every time, sometimes to obscure the fact that it is the same person commenting. When I know that is the case, I deleted the doubles.
It just seems like such a strange coincidence. People rarely post their names, let alone 4 generic 2-syllable classic/older female names in a row(all with a negative bias on a new business). I mean no offense by the name generalization at all, these haven’t been popular baby names for quite a few decades.
Sorry for the assumption!
I understand, but all I can do is judge by the IP address. Of course someone could be really crafty and use several devices on the same network, just to outsmart us all. If that is the case, and it is worth that level of effort to them, I guess they deserve both the assumption and the suspicion!
It would make for better community relations if they offered discounts or scholarships to low income residents of IPN.
NORY runs camps out of the Cocoon space. I just signed my kids up for the mid winter recess camp the week of 2/15. I am actually looking forward to it. Poor kids have been cooped up at home and this business provides a safe space for them to do a holiday camp.
This place is like the Fyre festival of playspaces. Someone is going to be losing a ton of money on this idea if they haven’t already. I can’t imagine what the rent alone costs.