Next year the city has big plans to re-imagine Astor Place and Cooper Square. The plans are pretty far-ranging, with streets getting closed off and additional greenery planted, but there is one thing the new Cooper Square won't have if Community Board 3 has their way: Food vendors. Last night the board's Parks Committee voted on a resolution against any efforts by the city to install food vendors in the triangle between Third and Fourth Avenues. more ›

Back in December 2010 a lawyer at a Community Board SLA meeting told us that the Cooper Square Hotel was "very close" to being bought by the same folk who run the SoHo and TriBeCa Grands. And while that deal fell through it has now emerged that the hotel actually did change hands that month. In fact, it was taken over by Westport Capital in an "amicable" loan restructuring the same day they announced the Grand deal was donzo. more ›

The food at Table 8, a new restaurant located in the Cooper Square Hotel, is meant for people who like their seasonal vegetables but also those who might want a nice steak every now and again. Chef Govind Armstrong doesn’t favor a lot of day-long stock reducing, jellifying, foaming, or nitro freezing anything in the kitchen. Instead, he'll roast some mushrooms to pair with the halibut and sorrel, or add some tiny yellow popcorn shoots to the just warmed through sweet pea leaves with prawns and pistachio vinaigrette. No tricks. more ›

Yesterday the Village Voice blog Runnin' Scared noted that some construction netting was placed over the 36 Cooper Square facade (aka their HQ) over the weekend. A DOB permit on the building states there will be "selective repointing and replacing of damaged portions of the brick and stone with in-kind replacements." Today they found out that this includes the removal of the Village Voice sign. The building owners say the changes aren't a secret and they want the facade to look "like it did years ago," however, no one told the publication about the removal of their sign. Wonder if they'll get to keep the flag... more ›

A rendering for a building that will replace a Cooper Union engineering building has emerged (above). Designed by Japanese architect Fumihiko Maki, the 440,000-square-foot mixed-use building will replace the brown tribute to banality that currently hunkers across from the historic 1859 Cooper Union Foundation building. The 51 Astor Place building is to be demolished; the fate of the connected Starbucks (between Third and Fouth Avenues) is uncertain. more ›

After 40 years opening doors for the tenants at the same Upper East Side building, Jonah Seeman probably would not like to be remembered as the "Bad Breath Doorman;" who would? Still, he's happy he spoke up when he received his third disciplinary letter in nine months, suspending him for having terrible halitosis. The message was quite clear that he was going to be dismissed because of bad breath that someone--never identified--who felt that his oral odor was just too much to bear. Seeman is 60 years old and has worked at Gracie Gardens on East 89th St. since 1967. For now, it seems that his continued employment seems assured. more ›

Bad breath will usually cost one a second date, but who knew that it could cost one a job? Doorman Jonah Seeman was told that he shouldn't show up for work today because he was being suspended for having stinky breath. The 61-year-old worked as a doorman at a four-building complex on East 89th St. in Manhattan for 40 years, supporting his 81-year-old mother. Seeman was suspended twice before for his breath, the first time... more ›

With the Bowery Hotel now open, Gothamist thought it was worth taking one final look at the Bowery of the 1970s and '80s through the lens of Luc Sante, author of Low Life: Lures and Snares of Old New York. more ›

"This type of acquisition, tenement housing, is a big departure from what Extell has done before," said Steven Herrick, executive director of the Cooper Square Committee, which is helping tenants organize for a Sept. 19 community board hearing on Extell's plans. more ›

In keeping with the wine theme this weekend, Gothamist noticed this sign on 8th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues the other day. We can't help but get excited about a new wine store in the 'hood. is-wine bills itself as an "innovative wine merchant," and is currently located at 225 East Fifth Street, between 2nd Ave and Cooper Square. Have any of you been there? What do you think of it?
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Yesterday around 3pm we got a report that the geniuses who are knocking down 27 Cooper Square undermined the sidewalk, collapsed a scaffolding, and wounded three pedestrians. By the time we got up there around 5pm, the cops had already cleared the scene, but the sidewalk was still blocked off. If you haven't been up to the area in awhile, it's a shocking change-- they are literally tearing down the entire city block kittycorner to Cooper Union. For the millionth time, it's sad to see beautiful old brick buildings like the ones on this block torn down to make room for ugly condo highrises and NYU dorms. Bah! more ›

It's all about lesbian chic in City Hall these days! First, gay City Council member Christine Quinn is made the City Council Speaker, and now, City Council member Margarita Lopez dubs Mayor Bloomberg an "honorary lesbian"! And the Mayor didn't admit to watching the L Word or thinking about adopting a baby from China with his girlfriend - all he did was turn over a few city buildings on East Fourth Street to arts organizations in Lopez's district. Lopez's designation (Sapphicization?) of the mayor was in the context of saying she wanted the mayor to perform in a theater piece and he'd be "part of the group of people that I am part of, the gay-lesbian-bisexual-transgender community. And I'm making him an honorary lesbian." Mayor Bloomberg did laugh and say, "Let the record show that the mayor moved right along after that." Hmm, would Brian Ellner call Mayor Bloomberg an "honorary homosexual?" more ›

It had to end someday, we both knew, but our affair with the back gardens of this city's bars just kept on. Then, this week, we, the people, re-elected Bloomberg and it got damn cold. As a goodbye to all the good times we had in 2005, we're layering and taking our drinks outside for the last time this weekend. And because today is Veteran's Day we expect some of you to start early. more ›

Gothamist on whether Starbucks is overpriced. And kottke must have a java jones, as he links to explanations of all Starbucks drinks. more ›