That's terrible news, I loved this place. Wooly Public secretly had one of the best burgers in the entire neighborhood. This spot will sorely be missed if it is indeed closed for good. — James on The Wooly Public seems to be closed permanently

I would agree that $60 is too expensive for a men's basic haircut, even in Tribeca. Mike & Sons (Church and Murray) charges under $40 for the same. The other barbershop on Church & Park Place around the corner is similarly priced. — James on New Kid on the Block: Tribeca Barber Spa

http://a810-bisweb.nyc.gov/bisweb/JobsQueryByNumberServlet?requestid=2&passjobnumber=123169980&passdocnumber=01 — james on Action — hopefully — at 1 Hudson

Separately, it is never in the "landlord’s financial interest to keep a retail space empty for four years rather than lease it out at a rate lower than the landlord would ideally prefer." There is no cost savings or magical deductions. If you did not work for 4 years, your taxes would be a lot lower because presumably your income would be a lot lower. That said, if NYC really cared about vacant storefronts, a good first step would be to pass a law to make minimum storefront rent clauses in mortgages void and unenforceable as being against public policy. However, it is a lot easier for simple minded politicians to sell the notion of greedy landlords rather than greedy lenders who have tied the landlords' hands. The real "villain" in the scenario you describe--to the extent that freely contracting parties can be said to be villainous--is the mortgage lender who mandates a minimum monthly store rent as a condition of the mortgage. If a lease were signed for a lower rent, it is an acknowledgement that the value of the building is lower than the value against which the mortgage loan was made. That hurts the lender's financial position. That is why a lender would write a mortgage making such a lower rent a default by the borrower under the mortgage. The lender is happy to have an empty storefront on the books at a higher potential rent, while the borrower pays the mortgage from his own pocket if need be. — james on Action — hopefully — at 1 Hudson

‘ cops work with boyscout troop’ to clean up graffiti on Canal Street? Is this a crime squad or just the first warning shot from the developers who have been itching to tear down the whole neighborhood for years? Absurd and terrifying. Remember 5 Points in Long Island City? Canal Street is the new frontier for the real estate bonanza. I would like to know who is behind this strange operation. — R on In the News: More trouble at Taylor’s place

With respect to this location, apparently an artist named Holton Rower bought the co-op unit some time in 2017 or earlier. A DOB application lists him as "unit owner" and the scope of work as "GENERAL RENOVATIONS INCLUDING DEMOLITION AND ERECTION OF DRYWALL PARTITIONS, PLUMBING AND MECHANICAL DEMOLITION." Presumably this is who wants to open an art gallery. Permits were pulled in February 2018, so you would have to ask Mr. Rower what the source of the delays is. It does not seem like this is a "warehoused" retail space. That said, since the premises is listed on the certificate of occupancy as use group 6 retail and the proposed use sounds like use group 17 art gallery, it is unclear whether the C of O will need to be changed for the intended use. — james on Action — hopefully — at 1 Hudson

Hope the plan is for this to be more than just a pop-up exhibition. It would truly be refreshing to bring some additional gallery spaces back into the neighborhood. Yes, some already exist, but using our reserve of recently vacated places for the purpose of sharing the opportunity to appreciate visual art and photography is a good thing. — paul on Gallery coming to Nobu Next Door?

This new re branding and ownership re opening will be interesting. I remember when The Jimmy on top of The James was the absolute it place to be. Good that he can open Veranda since he closed Aldea last spring. — j. on The James hotel is now ModernHaus SoHo

Gave these guys a go yesterday and very happy with my haircut. FellowBarber (Soho and WV are closest to us) charge $65 and can be hit and miss depending on who you get. These guys washed and shampooed my hair (which other barbers don’t) and I got a neck and shoulder massage. Looks like hot towels will return post pandemic as they have the equipment. A great addition to the neighborhood! I will go back. — ReadeStGreg on New Kid on the Block: Tribeca Barber Spa

He paid $60 for a 8 minutes haircut. — Richard on New Kid on the Block: Tribeca Barber Spa

I’m still unclear on why it is in a landlord’s financial interest to keep a retail space empty for four years rather than lease it out at a rate lower than the landlord would ideally prefer. I think it is related to business expense deductions but am not sure. Can anyone illuminate? Thanks. — Don on Action — hopefully — at 1 Hudson

I am so sorry for what you and your family experience. I truly hope things start getting better and that you and family are able to feel safe in this country and city that you call home. — j. on Neighbors organizing against homeless shelter for Wooster Street

I too feel sympathetic to the homeless and mentally ill but at the expense for the safety for my family? I am Asian and am afraid to take the train. My parents have already been accosted on the train for being Asian and we all carry pepper spray to protect ourselves. So many of these violent criminals (mostly homeless) are back on the streets after these attacks. Fidi is a complete mess after the homeless took over the radisson. Why live in constant fear for your lives and your families lives to help the homeless who are doing most of the random attacking?? It doesn’t make sense. I love nyc but we are truly regretting buying down here because now we feel like we are stuck here and the city keeps getting worse. All our tax dollars are being spent on people who don’t make me feel safe. Bottom line. — TribecaSouthie on Neighbors organizing against homeless shelter for Wooster Street

I'm a long time small property owner(small business owner) in Chinatown in which my commercial spaces subsides the rent for my rent regulated tenants(who pay between 100-300 a month) I need to be able raise and lower my commercial rent when the city doesn't allow me to raise the rent on the rent regulated tenants. My commercial tenants pay for a majority of the bills of my old building. SBSJA would put me in further financial difficult. I can't afford the Property taxes, Utilities, Insurance etc.....I am small business myself who has been trying to fight gentrification and been providing affordable housing. In his fight about fighting landlords, he has failed to mention the small mom and pop landlords who have been trying to keep the community together. We are not the landlords that he have been actively trying force Rent Stabilized tenants to leave. As small business owners, we are asked to provide affordable housing with the business model. In return we receive no help from the city and state. Landmarking our buildings are not going to help either because it will lead to rising cost of fixing it(city bureacracy) which will force us to sell. A lot of us have been long standing tenants(generations) of Chinatown and will be displace in exchange for developers and big business. We ask the next city council member to help us. — NYC Chinatown on The Candidates 2021: Christopher Marte for CD1

Thank you for bringing 105 Washington into this conversation. The focus has been on the highly publicized other shelters being proposed downtown yet 105 Washington is a "safe haven" which by it's own account provides shelter to those most resistant to sheltering - severe mental illness & addiction - without rules of sobriety or curfew. Sounds like a pressure cooker disaster for the residents of downtown. And if you inquire about safety or sobriety you get gaslighted! It's insane. — LOVENYC on Neighbors organizing against homeless shelter for Wooster Street

On the Tribeca Grill front, saw some action there yesterday. Looked like they were prepping to reopen. OpenTable shows reservations available starting 4/28, so that could be their target. Terroir has a sign in their window that they're opening early May. One White has also made major progress over the past few weeks. Probably opening very soon. — person on In the News: Seahorse alert!

Chris Marte is my choice for many of the same reasons others have expressed. He is very present in our neighborhood and seems quite open to hear what we all are thinking. — Vicki Green on The Candidates 2021: Christopher Marte for CD1

A seahorse! Love seahorses. I saw a dolphin in the North Cove of Marina in March. It was a magic moment. — j. on In the News: Seahorse alert!

Counterfeiting is a highly organized, global crime. They folks on the street are low level runners. The NYPD is ignoring a major, very high dollar value crime, and have been except for the occasional crackdown. — A. on In the News: More trouble at Taylor’s place

It's official, back office city workers returning to work in person one day a week starting 5/3. — TribecaMom on Seen & Heard: Curbside Canvas on film

60 bucks is steep! That should come with a shave and hot towel treatment. 16 is more reasonable. — ClipperSteve on New Kid on the Block: Tribeca Barber Spa

j, I'm not sure if James was referring to that, but yes, I was referring to that, and more so the apparently counterfeit "designer" handbags for sale. The handbags are commonly spread out across the sidewalks to make them impassable, a problem compounded by crowds of tourist "shoppers". In addition there are the lurkers gathered on the corners and at subway entrances which their printed lists of items for sale and often whispered words of "Gucci" or "Rolex". All of this, along with the mad Canal Street traffic, graffiti, and abandoned storefronts and buildings, creates a sense of lawlessness around that intersection. It seems like minor problems compared to the greater problems of the city and world, but I fear also that small problems lead to bigger problems (more serious crimes, etc.). I don't understand how this goes on for years, decades, and the city just lets it happen, in plain sight. — Marcus on In the News: More trouble at Taylor’s place

(That was meant as sarcasm, in case you thought that was serious comment.) — G on In the News: More trouble at Taylor’s place

This window display is gorgeous. Every detail is stunning. Butterflies and tulips are two of my favorites (not to be cheesy) but tis true. I haven’t walked past this storefront past week or two. Glad you captured it. — j. on Seen & Heard: Curbside Canvas on film

That's pretty standard these days unless you're going to a chop shop like the one on Fulton where I think it's $16 (nothing wrong with that). Gentleman's Barber Shop on Church is $50 for example. Think of it as basically 30-45 min of someone's time, rent, build-out, electricity, etc. and you'll see why it gets to $60 pretty quickly. — DB on New Kid on the Block: Tribeca Barber Spa