The squirrels ARE biting people at Rockefeller Park - my friend’s 4-year-old daughter was bitten last week. She was not feeding or playing with the squirrel beforehand. I’m not sure how the commenters above are pretentious enough to think that squirrels don’t bite just because they haven’t seen it happen with their own eyes. — Sam on Squirrels on the attack in Rockefeller Park

It's been headquartered in Wichita since the 90s. I promise that's not the problem. — Jill on Dean & DeLuca not closing — here’s hoping

When is the last time you've spent more than 5 minutes in a downtown city park? I'm guessing never. I've seen squirrels approach random people (not feeding them) almost every single time I've been in a park. They're not as hesitant as you'd expect, and most of them will keep coming back even after being repeatedly shoo'd away, if there's any sort of food nearby. I wouldn't say they're aggressive to the extent where they're going out and attacking people, but they are very ballsy and won't shy away from a human, which leads to these instances of people getting scratched and jumped on. — lowphat on Squirrels on the attack in Rockefeller Park

More on Original Vesuvio here from the Downtown Express and here from The New York Times. — James on In the News: Fire at site of Google’s upcoming offices

Tax photo c. 1940 here. — James on In the News: Fire at site of Google’s upcoming offices

Thanks, Nick. Keep up the great work — lowphat on PS 89 yard gets rehab, loses trees, but will get them back

To clarify: There's no marketing of a kids menu going on, or any curating for that matter. I met their daughter at the restaurant and asked her what food she liked. Her parents said she would get to choose the kids menu, and she made the burrito, sliders, ice cream suggestions on the spot. — Tribeca Citizen on New Kids on the Block: 87 on Walker

Love this story, and really wish them the best. Cocktails look great. Menu posted on here, and on their site, both seem a little overthought out. Most people now-a-days dont want intricate for intricate's sake. I don't think any kid's menu needs to be "designed" or curated. That is kind of eye-rolly and marketing this will bring more bad than good. You don't get much better than River Cafe, so I look forward to trying it in the next month or so. — Rick K. on New Kids on the Block: 87 on Walker

It bears noting that the original Vesuvio opened in 1920. That part of SoHo up to about Bleeker Street was primarily occupied by Northern Italians, many from Genoa including the Balducci family or the eponymous grocery store. — Heide Fasnacht on In the News: Fire at site of Google’s upcoming offices

He's anonymous! Goes by Invader. Like Daft Punk. — Tribeca Citizen on Where in Tribeca?

I ate at the bar and it was fine -- and I am sensitive to that. — Tribeca Citizen on New Kids on the Block: 87 on Walker

FYI, there's an online petition for this as well https://www.change.org/p/nyc-edc-save-the-rector-street-pedestrian-bridge-from-being-demolished — Sean Scott on In the News: Fighting to keep the Rector Street bridge

I am all for a ferry to battery park city and to Hudson yards. They should send the Coney Island ferry to wall st then to battery park then uptown along the hudson River. They should put all those overpriced ferries to new Jersey out of business. More foot traffic is good for business. — Tom on CB1 gives Heisman to NYC Ferry service

How is the noise level in the restaurant? — Karen on New Kids on the Block: 87 on Walker

Wow, DeNiro hates Trump yet sold his beloved film festival to the son of the man who made and maintains the illusion of Donald. — TG on In the News: Fighting to keep the Rector Street bridge

Great piece, and thank you for the comment. Yes, as part of the renovation we'll be using a poured-in-place, rubberized surfacing material to cover the tree pits to deter rats and other vermin. Hope that's helpful and looking forward to re-opening soon! Nick Sbordone Battery Park City Authority — Nick Sbordone on PS 89 yard gets rehab, loses trees, but will get them back

Who is the "artist"? — Campbell on Where in Tribeca?

https://www.nytimes.com/2001/04/05/nyregion/for-squirrels-cinnamon-is-now-the-new-black.html They were doing so well in Riverside Park that inbreeding yielded a race of cinnamon-colored squirrels. — steven david sclaroff on Squirrels on the attack in Rockefeller Park

Parents like to blame everyone else, including the squirrels, for their children's bad behavior. Who will they blame next? The fish? The birds? Wait, it must be the trees. Let's kill the squirrels and chop down the trees. — JMK on Squirrels on the attack in Rockefeller Park

Thank you!!! — KG on The Future of Independence Plaza

They are aggressive. I was sitting on a bench in Washington Square Park with a shopping bag next to me with items from Balthazaar bakery. The squirrel jumped on the bench and went for the bag. I also saw a squirrel attack a woman who was just sitting on a bench. It tried to grab her bag and she tried to shoo it away, but it wouldn't stop jumping at her. She eventually had to get up and leave; the squirrel would not back down. — Sayde on Squirrels on the attack in Rockefeller Park

Yes, keep your eyes open, you may see more in the city (for Manhattan usually Chelsea and points south). Next time you head a little north you’ll see a large one off west street on pier 40 - first pic here: https://viewing.nyc/here-are-some-of-invaders-latest-mosaic-street-art-installations-in-nyc/ You’ll also see a lot of damaged partial invaders or fully removed. The artist makes 2 of every piece: one goes on the street and the other is sold through a gallery for tens of thousands of dollars. Some will try to remove the street piece thinking they have value, but they don’t. There’s no paperwork that authenticates a street piece, and it’s just tiles which anyone can buy so there’s no proof it came from the artist. There’s a group that is taking it on themselves to restore the pieces, which is great, and is the case in this piece. It’s a shame most pieces have been damaged or removed since they have no value anyway, just lots of misinformation. — Dexter on Where in Tribeca?

Why are they aggressive, they don't attack people. They are asking for people. IT is the entitled people in Tribeca that are aggressive. And NYC Parks needs to plant trees that feed the squirrels instead of those exotic trees that bear no nuts or seeds for them. This whole city is sterile and now they going after squirrels. — Maire on Squirrels on the attack in Rockefeller Park

Every few years or so, someone decides to declare war against the squirrels and these ridiculous accusations against the squirrels are made. They do not attack and will usually run from people, dogs and children alike. If someone attempts to corner and catch them, I am sure they would defend themselves but their first course of action is retreat. Squirrels are quite cautious and while they will approach the person who is calling them over, they will not attack the person. Many people will lure the squirrel over without feeding them and still, the squirrels do not attack. This nonsense about squirrels attacking should be stopped! Dogs attack and bite people everyday on the city street but you don't get an article about anyone looking into this! Leave the squirrels alone and stop trying to create a panic when there is no need for it! — Stu Rabitsky on Squirrels on the attack in Rockefeller Park

Not mentioned above, but there was a large vermin issue around the trees, which I assumed had a big part to do in rehabbing the space. The entire perimeter of the south east side was fenced off to prevent kids from getting too close to the black rodent stations and the many rat holes near the roots. Once the new trees get put in, hopefully they can control all of that before it becomes an issue again. — lowphat on PS 89 yard gets rehab, loses trees, but will get them back