••• I was walking Howard down Leonard yesterday (en route to leaving a note on those handcuffs—if anyone can tell me the story behind them, I’m at tribecacitizen@gmail.com) when I noticed that the two single-story garages at 11 Leonard and 15 Leonard had their doors open. And a construction crew was inside 11 Leonard. I snapped a photo inside 15 Leonard (right), and Howard and I kept going. On our way back, I accosted a worker; I asked if something was happening to the buildings, and I was told, “We’re taking a tank out of the ground.” Just because it was there? Or because the buildings are in play? UPDATE: Manhattan Loft Guy pointed out on Twitter that in 9/11 (um, September 2011) he wrote a post on neighboring 155 Franklin that mentions the possible development of 11 Leonard. (Look for the blue part.)

••• The long-delayed Pediatric Ophthalmic Consultants office on Reade appears to have opened.

••• I learned a couple of interesting things at North End Grill yesterday. First, my lunch companion pointed out that because I don’t have kids, I didn’t know that Blue Smoke has a neat activity: As soon as kids arrive, they’re given pig-shaped cookie dough to decorate with sprinkles, and the cookie then gets baked for them. Also, we were surprised to see a line on North End Grill’s credit card receipt for City Harvest. Our server, noticing us discussing it, explained that it’s a month-long fundraising drive for the charity, and that the restaurant’s parent company, Union Square Hospitality Group, will match all donations. As these sorts of things go, it’s better than being asked in front of everyone in line at Whole Foods whether you want to donate a dollar to whatever (Maybe if you spent a little less on olive oil you could spare a dime…), and it’s far better than when hotels add a charity charge, with the idea that you have to ask to have it removed.

••• Looks like Near and Far Food Company is happening after all, because Lafayette Grill & Bar—after 16 years at 54 Franklin (at Cortlandt Alley)—has closed, and the demo has already begun. I didn’t shoot the huge dumpster outside because there was a man standing in it.