And just like that, Lady Liberty's crown will be closed to the public again—along with the rest of her! The crown just reopened again last year, after being closed off since just after 9/11. According to the NY Post, the Statue of Liberty will be closed for security upgrades starting starting sometime next Fall, meaning no visitors will be allowed in the crown, base or pedestal for up to 12 months. The park surrounding the statue will be the only thing visitors can access during the time—which happens to be the Lady's 125th anniversary! Guess she deserves a vacation. more ›

Perennial NYU freshman drinking hole and drunken air hockey tournament headquarters Cheap Shots was reportedly issued two court orders yesterday for "illegal activities." The bar was shut after serving underage auxiliary police officers on three different occasions, leaving 19-year-olds stranded and $5 Car Bomb-less. Attorney Allison L. Arenson told NYC The Blog, "It can not be denied that the subject premises is a public nuisance, and as such should not be allowed to remain open even one more day." The real question is, how did it take them this long to figure that out? more ›

Marred by scandals both real and hyped, community organizing group ACORN has suspended most operations nationwide, effective today. In September, Congress voted to cut funding for the group, which came under investigation last year because some employees were accused of submitting false voter registration forms with names such as "Mickey Mouse." (ACORN had received $53 million in taxpayer funds since 1994, according to Nebraska senator Mike Johanns.) The vote came in the midst of the infamous "undercover pimp/prostitute" videos, which were carefully edited by a young conservative gadfly to suggest that an ACORN employee in NYC was advising a young woman how to hide prostitution money from the IRS. (Before all that, there was the embezzlement of funds by the group's founder, and, as Norman Oder recalls, the shady acceptance of $1.5 million bailout from Atlantic Yards developer Bruce Ratner.) more ›

After 65 years in business, the classic Diamond District Kosher luncheonette Diamond Dairy has bought the farm. The cause of death, naturally, was a rent dispute. "My lease had expired, and I tried very hard to renegotiate, but it just didn't work," Shmuel Strauss, who had run the business for the past 18 years, told the Post. "It was very disappointing. It really was a little piece of New York." Reviewing the joint in 2006, Midtown Lunch found the latkes "delicious" and the semi-hidden location "amazing." more ›

Vox Pop, the previously victimized lefty coffee house in Ditmas Park, was shut down Tuesday for non-payment of back taxes. At the time, the state was demanding $56,000 to remove the locks from Vox Pop's door, but CEO and general manager Debi Ryan tells the Village Voice, "I've been able to negotiate." Now the Man has agreed to let Ryan reopen for $10,000, but that's still beyond her reach. So she's selling "shares" in Vox Pop for $40; with your share you get a copy of the recently published Vox Pop book, which details the cafe's five-year history. Plus free coffee refills! more ›

After less than nine months in business, the ambitiously-designed sustainable seafood restaurant Harbour has gone down to Davy Jones. The publicist writes, "Yes, Harbour has closed. After much success but struggles due to their location, they have decided to close their doors." The location he's referring to is the forbidding far west end of Houston Street, which many critics predicted would ultimately scuttle Harbour, despite its sometimes excellent seafood and amusing nautical design. The place reportedly cost $3 million to open! more ›

Students arriving for class this afternoon at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice building at 445 West 59th Street were greeted by a worker using a bullhorn to warn them: Stay away! Bed bugs! Classes canceled! Basically, the school's gripped with panic and they're one step away from painting a giant red "B" on the front door. After employees complained of itchy rashes this week, the administrators called in one of those trained dogs, who turned up the pests on the first three floors. more ›

For at least a decade, Pratt's made a big deal about how its 25-acre grassy campus doubles as a much-needed public oasis for the Clinton Hill community. But the gates to Eden are closing. In June the campus was shut to the public to accommodate a major "beautification" construction project, and when it reopens again in a month only authorized visitors and those with Pratt ID cards will be welcome. Well, outsiders will be allowed to cut through the campus to get from DeKalb to Willoughby, but they're no longer invited to linger. Some wonder whether the change is in response to a perceived crime spike in the neighborhood; last month a Pratt architecture student wound up in a coma after a violent mugging near campus. Whatever the motivation, neighbors are already up in arms, and there's even talk of a petition! But one Pratt student, commenting on The Local, wants the neighbors to know they're not alone—"there are a lot of rules for Pratt students on campus, too. For example, we’re no longer allowed to skateboard." Which reminds us; student sit-in season is almost upon us! more ›

Anyone who strolls along Greenpoint's desolate West Street—just one tantalizing block from the East River—is familiar with the frustration of finding many streets leading to the water gated off. It's not as if there's some waterside idyll waiting on the other end of the block, but there's still something refreshing about being able to stand by the river and watch the sunset or fish (shudder). more ›

Despite the efforts of Chloe Sevigny's t-shirt, it looks like the West Village's Beatrice Inn, which has been closed since April, will not reopen. The NY Post reports that in order to get the party started again, "they'd have to pay $23,000 in fines, install a fire door that matches the period exterior of the building, and put in a sprinkler system." And since their liquor license runs out next year, and will not be renewed at that time, the owners have decided to call it quits. Looks like the neighbors win this one. In the past they had complained about the club, including the late-night traffic that streamed into an apartment upstairs which was used as a VIP lounge for the often A-list clientele. Owner Paul Sevigny even moved one such neighbor into the VIP lounge apartment rent-free when he complained about the noise in his own residence, which was above the noisy dance floor. more ›

Coming soon to Times Square and Herald Square: Vehicle-free Broadway! Starting on Memorial Day, two stretches of Broadway, from 42nd to 47th streets and from 32nd to 35th streets, will transformed into pedestrian plazas in an experiment that will last through the end of the year and may become permanent, the Post reports. Mayor Bloomberg is expected to announce the plan today, and promise that the change will actually improve the overall traffic flow, because Broadway disrupts traffic where it intersects with other streets. As part of the changes, Seventh Avenue will be widened from three to four lanes at 45th Street. more ›

As a counterpoint to a scintilla of retail resiliency on Greenpoint's funky Franklin Street (hello Alligator Greenpoint and River Barrel), one interesting venue went the way of the dodo this weekend: East Coast Aliens, a 7,000 square foot production studio and performance space, which you may remember from the Mizz Greenpoint Pageant and, um, a Cassidy video. Anyway, it's a big waste of potential for the neighborhood; owner Eric Majorelle says that after three years the film studio could never get off the ground because of all the cacophonous construction above his head, which his landlord never mentioned when he signed the $5,000 a month lease. After two years, the noise finally subsided when two residential floors were finished, but by then the economic death spiral had begun. It's unclear what's to become of the space, but Majorelle plans to get some payback by creating a website for tenants to report on bad landlords. Since badlandlords.com seems to be taken by, naturally, a group of landlords, check back on badlandlords.org in a couple months. more ›

The Holland Bar, a "classic old man" dive bar in Hell's Kitchen, was gutted late last year after the landlord refused to renew the lease, in the hopes of converting the building for residential use or selling it. But as you may have noticed, it's not exactly a sellers market, and now the landlord has agreed to let the Holland stay, with a little 20 percent rent increase. Following up on EV Grieve's scoop last week, the Times dropped by to observe the dive's comeback, which is proceeding like a sodden phoenix stumbling from the Pall Mall ashes: Owner Gary Kelly has to start from scratch to recreate place—even the plumbing was ripped out. One regular tells him, "I feel like a homeless person without a cardboard box," to which Kelly replies, "Don't worry, I’ll get you your cardboard box." Awww, enabling never sounded so sweet. more ›

The Cheyenne Diner, one of New York City's last streamlined railway car-inspired diners, is one step closer to its relocation to Birmingham, Alabama. On Sunday workers removed the Cheyenne's neon signs in preparation for the move, which is to take place within the next few weeks. Last April, owner George Papas (who also owns the nearby Skylight Diner), closed the Cheyenne, which was built in 1940, and prepared to demolish it to make room for a nine story condo. more ›

Two distinct East Village establishments are on the verge of going under, and though the businesses are polar opposites, their troubles highlight the downward spiral of the neighborhood into a boarded-up ghost town dotted with high rise condos. Exhibit A, Kurve, is no surprise; the long-delayed Thai restaurant from acclaimed chef Andy Chang (Rhong-Tiam) finally opened last Autumn to disastrous reviews . But given Kurve's groovy design and its party zone location, it seemed possible the drunken masses would keep it afloat. In better times, maybe, but today Eater reports that the restaurant has been abruptly shut down, with an eviction notice on the door demanding $52,253.43 in back rent from last May. more ›

After 15 years of slinging Southern style fare out of its super-funky Alphabet City home, Old Devil Moon closed last night. And so the city loses its best pancakes; made with cornmeal and whole wheat, these thick cakes had an incomparable texture and bold flavor that made them peerless in this town. Though we had noticed a slight drop in overall quality in recent years (maple syrup sacrilegiously mixed with Aunt Jemima, home fries less chunky than years past, biscuits less moist), the place was always packed for brunch, and the naughty Masturbakers operation run out of the back seemed to be doing brisk business. Vanishing New York stopped in last night and learned that "even though the rent is decent, there just wasn't enough money coming in, and the owner just had twins, so she doesn't have the time and energy to continue to devote to a business that is not doing well." RIP ODM; you will now be gutted and taken over by some yuppie organic restaurant. more ›

Damn Manhattan, this is just cold: First the Ohio Theater announced its imminent demise, and now the funkiest venue in town, The Zipper Factory, is getting bagged and tagged. Time Out NY reports that the deceptively capacious room (located in a former Garment District zipper factory) and the attached bar will cease operations immediately. Since opening in 2001, The Zipper Factory has become well-regarded as a hotspot for burlesque, music, comedy and other eclectic performance art; we most recently caught A Murry Little Christmas there. Speaking to Variety, proprietor Lee Z. Davis attributed the closure to "a disagreement over real estate." But what's there to disagree about? The NYC real estate market has been sucking the soul out of this town for years. Goodnight, sweet Zipper Factory; we'll miss your recycled vintage bus benches. Oh, and the Cutting Room closes tonight, too! more ›

Plans to move the old Cheyenne Diner from its current location near Penn Station to a new home in Red Hook have fallen through, as many feared last week. Michael O’Connell, son of Red Hook developer Greg O'Connell, who bought the old prefab gem after it closed last April to make way for a condo, says it's too big to transport over the East River bridges. O'Connell considered moving it by barge, but that "proved 3 times as costly as traditional figures a year ago," according to a press release from Michael Perlman, a New Yorker who's become The Fixer when it comes to relocating doomed diners. more ›

Kefi, the insanely popular Greek restaurant (photos) with the astonishingly sane prices, was closed yesterday by the Health Department. Chef Michael Psilakis—who has never been slapped with such a serious DOH penalty at his other hit restaurants, which include Anthos and Mia Dona—says the problem had to do with a paperwork oversight, not the usual "rat rodeo" situation that has shuttered other eateries in recent years. The Health Department confirms they closed Kefi after it failed its initial pre-permit inspection:

They were found operating without a permit and a Food Protection Course certificate holder present. Other factors that contributed to the closure included holding several food items at unsafe temperatures and having no hand washing sink in the food preparation area in the basement. In order to reopen, the operator of Kefi must apply for a permit, correct all conditions that led to violations, submit an affidavit of correction to the Health Department and schedule a re-opening inspection.

When the vintage factory-built Cheyenne Diner near Penn Station closed last April after 68 years in business, widespread dismay was quickly replaced with hope when a Red Hook man bought it for $5,000 and promised to move the prefab gem across the East River. But it's been almost nine months since the closure, and the diner's gone nowhere because, as it turns out, it's too big to be moved over the Manhattan Bridge, even in two pieces. more ›

The other day we caught wind that Studio B in Greenpoint is on the market, but now we've received an email from JD Productions (who put on events there) stating: "It is with deep regret that we have to announce that the owner of Studio B has decided to close it's doors effective immediately." IMMEDIATELY! Okay, composure. Mr. John Davis's email continues: "It seems that after a great start, the club had struggled to keep promoters and develop their nights quickly enough. By the time I had put the Sunday Shoutin! event together, it was clear that the club was in deep trouble. I did make an attempt to buy the space from the owner but his asking price was completely unrealistic. This is the second time in 6 months he has suddenly closed the club and in doing so has damaged his reputation amongst patrons and promoters." Studio B is keeping mum at the moment, but if they ever return our request for a comment we'll update the post. For now, just remember the good times. UPDATE: Mr. Davis sent out an email seconds ago stating "due to contractual agreements Studio B will be operating this Saturday and also for NYE and New Years Day, after which time it will cease operations. Sorry for any confusion but the club just informed me of these updates." So like three more shows, then closed forever! more ›

Earlier this month we learned that after more than four decades in the East Village, kitsch mecca Love Saves the Day will close. Yesterday we dropped by and, with owner Richie Herson's approval, took some photos of the eclectic boutique—an activity that's ordinarily forbidden. By the way, it's a great time to stop by and pick up some Christmas gifts while paying your respects; the store has slashed prices 30%-50%. more ›

The east side Scores will pick up its crumpled dollar bills and jiggle into history by the end of the year, the Daily News reports. It's not quite clear if this means the entire Scores chain, which includes clubs outside of New York, is going down, but a lawyer for the owners says, "It's over; it is what it is." more ›

Argh, must everything that makes life worth tolerating in New York City be systematically eradicated? According to Alexis Soloski at the Village Voice, the Ohio Theatre on Wooster Street will soon be extinct. The building that houses the illustrious avant-garde theater is being sold by its owners because "maintenance expenses and preservation of the façade required by the city created an untenable financial burden," and artistic director Robert Lyons has no illusions about affordable rent under the new owner. Which sucks because the 24-year-old Ohio—currently occupied by Les Freres Corbusier's Dance Dance Revolution—plays host to some of the most exciting theater on earth. As Claudia La Rocco at WNYC put it, "That’s just great: protect the façade but not the beating heart underneath...As a friend put it yesterday, 'it’ll be a real shame if the legacy of the Bloomberg administration and the boom years is a handful of bland generic populist cultural centers.'" [Photo cred] more ›

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East Village kitsch mecca Love Saves the Day (MySpace) will close next month after more than four decades in the neighborhood, Vanishing New York reports. Originally opened in 1966 on 77 7th Street, the day glo-painted shop moved down the block to its current location at Second Avenue and 7th Street in 1983, just in time for a cameo in Desperately Seeking Susan, in which it's immortalized as the boutique where Madonna traded in her leather pyramid jacket for rhinestone studded boots. more ›

The season's second David Mamet revival on Broadway, American Buffalo—which officially opened Monday on the heels of Speed the Plow, the playwright's Hollywood satire—is toast. Oh well, this is what happens to a show when its review in the Times begins: "Ssssssssst. That whooshing noise coming from the Belasco Theater is the sound of the air being let out of David Mamet’s dialogue. Robert Falls’s deflated revival...evokes the woeful image of a souped-up sports car’s flat tire, built for speed but going nowhere." In the wake of the Times pan, it was announced today that the production, which stars John Leguizamo, Cedric the Entertainer and Haley Joel Osment, will likely close on Sunday. One only hopes the Mamet-esque announcement that preceded each performance—"We kindly request that you turn off your f#cking cell phones"—will get the Tony nod it so richly deserves. more ›

A reader tells us that the notoriously loud and trendy Delicatessen in Soho was closed this morning, sealed off with police tape, and crawling with cops. Along with the photo, he writes: "To the left of the two cops is a distraught manager-type telling me not to take pictures." more ›

The funky little Two Boots Pioneer Theater on Ave A—known for its eclectic indie programming and late night screenings—closed on Friday after a free night of movies that included Truffaut's The 400 Blows, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and the annoyingly overrated Donnie Darko, which was the first flick we saw there back in 2001, high five. Opened almost a decade ago, before the neighborhood devolved into the Meatpacking District East of today, the single screen, 99-seat theater finally succumbed to the obscene rents that also scuttled club Mo Pitkin's, which was owned by the same people. Jeremiah Moss has a sad report from the closing party Friday night, and he notes that the Two Boots pizza and the video store in the same building are also on the market. Keep on sucking, East Village! more ›