I'm struck by the defensiveness of the Hudson River Park Trust in waving off the NY Post's and NYC Park Advocates' unearthing 50 tickets thus far this year for motor-vehicle driving on the Hudson River Greenway. Why don't they comb their records rather than blow smoke? Better yet, why don't they post those records for public scrutiny? — Komanoff on In the News: A History of Drivers on the Bike Path

Has anyone heard of a tax abatement program that landlords use to counter vacant retail leases? There must be a hidden incentive for keeping all these store fronts unused? If so, shame on you Mayor. All these retail and restaurant closing with increase unemployment. Soon, the uncontrolled real estate construction boom will lead to a ghost town. — Lewis Gross on Seen & Heard: Another Small Business at Risk

Exactly! When we moved into IPN there was a pizzeria, a sushi restaurant, a nail salon, a deli, a coffee/dessert cafe and a dry cleaner downstairs. Now there is just the Duane Reade and a hundred pounds of garbage that swirls around when the wind blows. And IPN wonders why they have so many vacancies? It used to be a neighborhood with conveniences. Now it’s just real estate. Thanks, Stellar! — Megco on Seen & Heard: Another Small Business at Risk

It's too bad that you couldn't tell if the car making the illegal right turn had a dashboard parking permit from the 1st Precinct. ;-) — James on Seen & Heard: Sprinkles Land Ice Cream Shop

I found construction plans from 111 Murray that had landed on building roof (with an alarmed door) as far east as Church Street. — James on Seen & Heard: Sprinkles Land Ice Cream Shop

It will be interesting to see what the revised filing states. The original filing mentioned a 46 foot deep rear yard; 30 is required for legal residential use. (The original application was for a new 42 story building.) If the new building is built with a shallower yard and they could not get a light-and-air easement from the neighbor, they could not put legal windows on the west wall anyhow. — James on New Design for Tower on City Hall Park

My guess would be for the elevator banks. The lot is already small, and most of the building is set back, making it even smaller. The elevators have to go somewhere, and there likely isn't enough room in the middle (without compromising the living space). — Erik Torkells on New Design for Tower on City Hall Park

Looks like they switched from a cheap knock-off of 56 Leonard to a knock-off of 30 Park Place — Leo on New Design for Tower on City Hall Park

Welcome. — TG on New Kid on the Block: Shopboy

Much better, but the west wall looks completely windowless. Why? — mruptight on New Design for Tower on City Hall Park

The sign appears to say "Farm Garden Nursery," which is backed up by this New York Times mention: http://www.nytimes.com/1996/12/15/nyregion/christmas-trees-and-wreaths.html. — Erik Torkells on When Tribeca Was Small (Part One)

Just ate at the new incarnation of Pakistan tea House earlier today. So delicious. Thanks for writing about it. Now I can get my samosas fix in the neighborhood instead of tracking up to Lahore in SoHo. Yippee! — TribecaMom on New Kid on the Block: Burger N Grill

I was born and raised in Tribeca - and I want to thank you for sharing a picture of the plant nursery that was on W Broadway and N Moore/Walker. We used to get our Christmas tree there every year and have fond memories of helping my dad pick out potted plants in the spring. Can anyone remember what the name of the nursery was? Though I could draw a floor plan of it from memory, the name completely escapes me! — Neighbor on When Tribeca Was Small (Part One)

These are two different types of construction equipment. The video in Tribeca shows a *hanging* scaffold. (This should have been hoisted up and secured to the building when not in use.) Today's collapse in Soho involved a sidewalk shed, possibly with fixed scaffolding on top. It should have been initially installed so as to resist wind loading. — James on Scaffolding on the Rampage

Yes IPN. Called 1st Precinct and dispatcher told me cops came and only saw a netting unsecured as watched the platform dangle and bang. Called back and told them FDNY was on the scene. Dispatcher very rude. 1st Precinct clueless. FDNY very heroic. — John on Scaffolding on the Rampage

That's IPN, 80 N Moore — Dan on Scaffolding on the Rampage

My question exactly - maybe this could be a showcase for the Vanta Black finish. — Andrea on Where in Tribeca…?

Sorry, had to fix it. — Erik Torkells on Nosy Neighbor: What Are Those Holes in 1 World Trade Center?

"Widow" washing is a most unfortunate typo in connection with Durst. — James on Nosy Neighbor: What Are Those Holes in 1 World Trade Center?

It was absurd to reject the proposed expansion of the Sidewalk Seats parklet on Duane Street. The area proposed as the extension of seating is always blocked off and not usable for parking anyway, so no additional street parking would be lost. This little area is not a part of Laughing Man but equally availableto all, though the proximity it both it and the Duane Street Patisserie works extremely well. It is set up for face to face conversations in a way other local parks aren't, and the ocassional sidewalk congestion that is sometimes complained about would most likely have been decreased, not increased, with more places to sit down so that people don't have to stand on the sidewalk itself while conversing with friends. Most importantly, this tiny park enhances our neighborhood's sense of community, providing an informal place for people to sit down and talk and get to know each other. — Duane Parker on CB1 Tribeca Committee: The Unofficial Minutes (February 2017)

This is the same sad story over and over. Landlord jacks rent- business moves. Meanwhile the old space sits vacant while landlord awaits their "dream tenant" such as TDBank. And what has the old landlord gained by what they did? I cannot comprehend. SO SAD =( — Bruce on Seen & Heard: Another Small Business at Risk

For further the information about the “speaking of eyewear…. new at C21 today” item. The company selling that eye testing device in the photo has a website explaining the process. https://www.smartvisionlabs.com — JPL on Seen & Heard: Another Small Business at Risk

Now that Walgreen's purchase of Rite-Aid has been approved, Walgreens has confirmed they will be closing SOME stores when they are closer than one mile to another. But there is no confirmation that they'll be closing ALL their stores...or even MOST of their stores. — Makes You Go Hmmm.... on Duane Reade Is Closing a Tribeca Store

They do accommodate vegetarians. — Kai on First Impressions: L’Appart

I agree that this diminishes what made it special. However, without changing it could have been just another relic, a special place in this city that closes because they did not do enough (grocery) business to cover their rising fixed expenses. Tourists on Broadway are not buying specialty groceries and perishables or packaged goods to consume or take home. With respect to "similar establishments", and leaving aside the side streets, most of the delis and lunch places between Houston and Canal on Broadway have either closed or been displaced or will face enormous rent pressure on lease expiration. (Cafe Bari, Cafe Duke @ 545 Broadway, the Caribbean and subsequent deli food places at the NW corner of Broadway and Broome, Miro Cafe locations at 474 and 594 Broadway.) Even Gourmet Garage moved west from Broome and Mercer towards West Broadway. There is Starbucks and one other deli remaining on this stretch. D&D may soon be the only food place on the stretch. — James on Seen & Heard: Dean & Deluca Is Closer to Being a Deli