not to beat a dead horse, but I am in love with the building now that that the construction netting has come off. Do you still hate it? — John on We Need to Talk About 56 Leonard

White Street b/w Broadway and Cortland Alley (side across from Harley Davidson) has been converted to NYPD and Health Department parking this week. No more 6pm parking. It's getting harder and harder to find street parking in the area, it's going to get worse when folks move into those multi million dollar condos. — TribecaMom on Seen & Heard: Opening Date for the Bennett Bar

Great post! I love this section in Vanity Fair too. — John on A Dozen New Enthusiasms

The two big exceptions in the Report were FiDi up 32% and Flatiron up 17%. — Luis Vazquez (FiDi Fan Page) on In the News: Moving Day at the Ladder 8 Firehouse

It is specious to argue in effect that one should not mar the views of Tribeca loft building rooftops when seen from the penthouse of 56 Leonard Street! One would do more good to lobby to extend landmarked districts--and prevent future buildings of the Leonard St Jenga high-rise type--than to try to protect unremarkable views of architecturally insignificant rooftops for the benefit of the views from high-rise apartments and offices, a.k.a. "real estate," especially those being built adjacent to landmarked districts! If the Landmark district had extended north of the Cast Iron House in question, the abomination that is the northwest corner of Broadway and Franklin Sts would not have been allowed to be so horribly disfigured, but would rather have been restored to its 1860s appearance. The strength of the Landmarks Law in preserving New York's history should not be undermined by proposals like this with significant new restrictions on Landmarked buildings for de minimis benefit to "real estate," namely "protecting" views of architecturally insignificant roofs from other "real estate", and said alleged benefit accruing largely to those people who choose to live and work in the predominantly non-Landmarked taller buildings nearby. A modern rooftop addition on an architecturally insignificant roof which is set back from the street is clearly visually distinguished from the original historic fabric when seen from above. Trying to blend the addition into the building would be more confusing and do more damage to the historical integrity. — James on Seen & Heard: Opening Date for the Bennett Bar

Even bricks would have been better than the "dinosaur bones" comprising the facade of 325 West Broadway! — James on In the News: Tracy Anderson’s Studio Is Moving

Ah, real estate speaks! Yes, the rooftops may in themselves be unremarkable but a glass box balconied extravaganza (crowned by its own HVAC unites and machine rooms) on top of an old building seen from above, whether from someone's apartment or from the floors of a public building, can look an unholy mishmash and change dramatically the perception of the building's having any any kind of innate historic importance. — George Bacon on Seen & Heard: Opening Date for the Bennett Bar

Landlords really need to realize these business cannot exist with such high rent constraints. Not only that but this business is not just any retailer but a specialty shop that added so much to our community. Hands On is a very special place where children are exposed to all forms of music at a young age and I know it helped foster a love of music for my kids. I am so disappointed they are being forced out! — KLG on Another Rent Casualty

They broke the news at their Saturday classes. Sad; our little boy loves it there. I expect it will languish vacant for some time along with all the empty storefronts in our once vibrant neighborhood... — M on Another Rent Casualty

Too bad! Their programming is really great for the baby-to-preschool set. My daughter loved their classes. — K on Another Rent Casualty

Will be sad to see them go. My kids have enjoyed the music and art there for years... — Nicole on Another Rent Casualty

Yes...it was Sloan's. Hated walking all the way over there in foul weather. — Makes you go "hmmm..." on Seen & Heard: The Food Emporium Deal Is Done

the local management had no control over the store. headquarters dictated that it follow the food emporium model which was an outdated version of an upscale a&p. think 1960s upper east side modern. what we need is a solid basic grocery with reasonable prices. hopefully, best market is smart enough to understand that they can only make it by supplying what whole foods doesn't focus on: national brands. p.s. the narrow lanes were put there to stop people from bringing shopping carts through them. — j on Seen & Heard: The Food Emporium Deal Is Done

Do people still use ashtrays? Smokers that I know won't even smoke in their own home - they stand outside and discard the butt there. — Andrea on New Kid on the Block: Concepts

And we shall call it Trumpghanistan.... Love that it is being developed but hate the fact that it is so grossly ugly... — Rohin on First Look: Huge New Riverside Complex

No. Few existing rooftops have any architectural significance when viewed from overhead (from largely private property) that additions detract from. Most undeveloped rooftops are tar beaches, that consist of HVAC units, elevator overhead machine rooms, and water tanks, none of which are original to most landmarked buildings. Further, most additions differ substantially from the original building in style, thereby delineating the old from the new. A rooftop addition that is not visible from any public thoroughfare balances the public interest in preserving the facade with the private interest to develop one's property (and pay more property taxes to support the City's budget). — James on Seen & Heard: Opening Date for the Bennett Bar

Food Emporium arrived years after Tribeca began. It was a cause for celebration when they arrived. Before them, some of us shopped at a supermarket (Sloans?) behind Police Plaza. It was the only downtown option. — A. on Seen & Heard: The Food Emporium Deal Is Done

there was no writing on the wall. All Pathmarks and Emporiums went bankrupt. That is why it closed. Maybe all the new people should really open up their eyes. people lost their jobs, we lost our supermarket that has been their since there was a Tribeca. — Tribeca Original on Seen & Heard: The Food Emporium Deal Is Done

The store manager should have seen the writing on the wall years ago. The major issue here was that the checkout isles were too narrow to allow the Tribeca moms to push their strollers through. Removing one or two, (they never were all open at the same time) creating more space for wider checkouts, would have enabled those with children (all of Tribeca these days) to do some shopping there instead of traveling further down Greenwich to Wholefoods. Also, the cheese counter was in a terrible spot. It should have been pushed over where the beer shelves were. Creating an open space for the deli counter to be more visible. I was in the neighborhood for years before i realized there was a bakery hiding behind there. — Greenwich on Seen & Heard: The Food Emporium Deal Is Done

Re Cast Iron House: There are cities which have landmarks laws which do not allow structures to be built on top of historic buildings. New York's law says that if you can't see it from the street you can basically build whatever you like. The stricter version says that looking down on a building from neighboring sites is important, too, in preserving the look of the original and will not allow such topping additions. Ought we try to change our law? — George Bacon on Seen & Heard: Opening Date for the Bennett Bar

I remember when this apartment was listed in 2013 and I was captivated by the floorplan. Also loved those kitchen walls that fold open or closed. If you look at the listing from then and compare it to the AD pictures, it's interesting to see what has changed and what hasn't: http://www.elliman.com/new-york-city/american-thread-building-260-west-broadway-11a-manhattan-vcpvfbq — AliceG on Loft Peeping: American Thread Building Penthouse

Food Emporium was weird towards the end - I went one day and all the cereals, even the weird granolas, were gone, except for Honey Smacks. Odd baby food and mint jelly remained until the end, and no one likes Dr Pepper, it was the very last soda pack to go. I like the vagueness of the next opening - late winter could be May if we go by last year! — Liat on Seen & Heard: The Food Emporium Deal Is Done

I had suggested that to S., but I wouldn't call it sickly-sweet (and it's hardly a once-in-thirty-years occurrence...). — Erik Torkells on Seen & Heard: A Sickly-Sweet Smell

Yes, its probably the spice factory. Often there is a strong distinct smell of cinnamon in the air (which I actually like). — local on Seen & Heard: A Sickly-Sweet Smell

I don't know George, but my whole family loves Cheryl! (I hope you read this, Best Market people!) — Supermarket Neighbor on So What Is Best Market?