The art world is breathing a sigh of relief today as the announcement of The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation's director stepping down was announced. For many, Thomas Krens has been more of a dictator than director; with a focus on franchising a "McGuggenheim" business over exhibiting modern art or focusing on the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed building itself.The Guggenheim flagship -- one of New York's top tourist attractions -- was falling apart. (Its crumbling facade is......

Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a woman fell from a building at 35th St. and 5th Ave. in Manhattan, a body part was found on 20th Rd. and 18th St. in Queens, and a pedestrian was fatally struck at 50th St. and 6th Ave. in Brooklyn. Architects may lose the 408 foot spire that tops off the Freedom Tower because giant antennas may be technologically obsolete. An alliance of broadcasters are considering moving to......

As we've mentioned, the Guggenheim is being renovated -- but what's currently going on under all that scaffolding? Now that the museum has been stripped of its paint, it's time to choose order the paint cans. Unfortunately, the Guggenheim isn't sure what color to paint the exterior, because architect Frank Lloyd Wright actually chose a different shade of color for the building - a color that was painted over five years after the museum......

The Plaza, you know that place where the kids in Gossip Girl hang out, is turning 100 years old today. The date is marked by the first guest to ever check in to the famed establishment. Who was it? The fancy-named Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt, and of course a PR-driven hotel manager was behind that. The NY Times reports that "His arrival was orchestrated by the Plaza’s first manager, who wanted the new hotel to open......

This week NY Mag has a scathing analysis of Thomas Krens' tenure at the Guggenheim, calling the air around the museum during his 17-year reign "distorted and toxic." Writer Jerry Saltz says the museum is beginning to recover only now, two years after Lisa Dennison, who is now leaving to become executive vice president for Sotheby's North America, replaced him when he left to run the Guggenheim Foundation. Krens gets blasted for bungling what......

TONY blog has a report on the most endangered sites in the world. The World Monuments Fund released its 2008 list yesterday, which is packed with far off places. The U.S. isn't exempt, of course, with a whopping seven endangered structures: the Salk Institute in California, the Frank Lloyd Wright–designed Florida Southern University Historic Campus, historic neighborhoods of New Orleans, Route 66, Main Street Modern, Tutuveni Petroglyph Site in Arizona and our very own New......

Myspace.com/heresthethingcomedy is Sean O'Connor , Nick Maritato , and Andrew Wright . You're going to be hearing those names a lot starting February 6th when their show makes its debut at The People's Improv Theater. They'll lure you in with their line-ups, but it's their hilarious sketches and stand up is what's going to keep you coming back for more. Sean O'Connor Why should people go to HTT? I think people should go to......

This fall First Fridays at the Guggenheim returns beginning October 7, and we have 5 tickets to give away for "opening night". You can listen to NYC's hottest DJs (curated by Flavorpill) while sipping cocktails in the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed space. Not to mention, check out the only US venue for RUSSIA! - an exhibition of over 250 masterpieces from Russia's greatest museums. Here's this years First Fridays schedule. Oct 7 (WIN TICKETS to this......

- Hey, wacky junkie Jewels, last seen on the ground in the NY Times, talks to the Village Voice! - A small group of fans rallied in Queens as Jets President Jay Cross met with varius Queens politicos - people will take any reason to tailgate on a work day - The police bust a crack den across the street from the 92nd Street Y; and tomorrow, there's a 2PM program of Better than the......

It's Frank Lloyd Wright's birthday today (thank you, Google, for the reminder), and Gothamist would like to take the time to think about the man. There was a time in Gothamist's life when we wished we could be Frank Lloyd Wright, because we were mesmerized after a visit to the Guggenheim Museum AND the This Old House where Bob Vila visited Taliesin West. Frank Lloyd Wright, a man of the Midwest, didn't really like New......

Matthew Barney's crazy contribution to art and film, The Cremaster Cycle, premieres in Los Angeles this week. The L.A. Times interviews him and points out: Film Forum, the Greenwich Village independent movie house that is currently showing the entire "Cremaster" cycle, reported 11,000 tickets sold over the April 25 to 27 weekend. "We just can't believe that 11,000 people went to see those films" in a weekend, says longtime Barney collaborator and "Cremaster 3" associate......