So, about that whole CBGBs is dead thing? It may be coming back, and soon. We have it on good authority that the legendary venue is still alive in spirit, and angling to take over a new space in Manhattan. With the contents of the original club still around in a basement somewhere, if all goes according to plan it will even look like the old space. We'll update when we have more information, which should be filtering in over the next few weeks. more ›

Yesterday, we were quite happy when word came that the city Buildings Department had given approval for Grimaldi's to install a coal-fired oven in their new Front Street DUMBO location, ending a month-long work standoff. And they wasted no time reopening, with lines around the block Saturday afternoon: "The Earth tilted back on its axis today. Long lines return at new Grimaldi's, all the way to the future Juliana's," tweeted FultonFerry. more ›

The Grimaldi's Pizza relocation saga has come to a happy ending: the city Buildings Department has given approval for Grimaldi's to install a coal-fired oven in their new DUMBO location. “The pie will be the same, maybe a little better,” owner Frank Ciolli told the Post. more ›

Hinsch's Confectionary, the 62-year-old Bay Ridge sweets shop with killer homemade ice cream and a fantastically retro decor has triumphantly re-opened after closing earlier this year due to financial woes. "We are so happy. Very very happy,” said one 82-year-old customer who was celebrating her 52nd wedding anniversary at the shop yesterday with a tuna fish sandwich and an egg cream. Marty Markowtiz was on hand, too, slurping down an egg cream with the rest of the hungry hordes, many of whom have been eating at the greasy spoon since childhood. more ›

It's been a while since we heard anything about the Jane Hotel, whose ballroom was shut down in October after numerous noise complaints were filed by locals (who also became a press force to be reckoned with, armed with a blog and Twitter). But today their worst nightmare may be coming true: the Jane's ballroom is reopening! Dun dun dun. more ›

The Beatrice Inn shut down earlier this year after neighbors had enough of the A-list crowd partying it up at all hours. As the same war is being waged by neighbors of the Jane Hotel, against their late night ballroom antics, word is that the Beatrice may reopen. more ›

Could the beloved, longest-running movie house in the nation be saved? The NY Post reports that the 91-year-old Ridgewood Theatre in Queens, on the block for $14 million last year after closing (a price that went down), will reopen partly as a theater. more ›

Last July 4th word came out that the Statue of Liberty's crown may have a shot at reopening, after being closed off to the public following 9/11. Now the Daily News reports that, according to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar (who visited the crown in January), the grand reopening could take place on America's 233rd birthday. more ›

The summer of 2007 saw the Moondance Diner get uprooted from 6th Avenue only to be hauled off to LeBarge, Wyoming. After a bit of downtime, the NY Times is reporting that the 1920s-era diner is set to reopen next month. Cheryl Pierce and her husband are the new owners, and have had their fair share of "bumps and glitches" to get over while restoring their purchase, but they are currently aiming for a January 9th grand reopening. The Pierce's also have a blog where they track their progress, it was last updated earlier this month with notes on the Alan Bushbaum "glass block" wall and their own "moon room" addition. The Star-Tribune reports that the menu will include traditional diner fare, "burgers, meatloaf, homemade fries and milkshakes/malts from an antique soda fountain"—you'll just have to travel 2400 miles to get it. more ›

Could it be that Reverend Billy prematurely administered last rites to Astroland, that highly romanticized jumble of third-rate county fair rides? After yesterday's report that unnamed officials were trying to broker a deal between Astroland owner Carol Albert and developer Joe Sitt (to whom she sold her 3 acres of property for $30 million in 2006), Mayor Bloomberg has now publicly entered the fray. Hizzoner told reporters yesterday that it "would be a shame if we lost" the Astroland rides, which are now up for sale. "What we're trying to do is to get Astroland to have another one-year extension of their lease so that we can get the rezoning done and then hopefully come to an agreement with Thor." Albert has not commented on the resuscitation efforts since closing Astroland for good on Sunday; a spokesman for Sitt insists there are no negotiations under way with the city or Albert. more ›

Well, forget about getting any closure; less than 48 hours after Coney Island amusement park Astroland supposedly shut down forever, city officials are working behind the scenes to try and keep it alive. The Daily News hears buzz from an unnamed official that if property owner Joe Sitt can be convinced to temporarily extend Astroland's lease, the city will agree to lease land to Astroland owner Carol Albert if and when a controversial plan for a new amusement area gets approved. But there are a lot of ifs at play here, and Albert has already moved to sell off the rides. Another catch is that both sides say no one from the city has contacted them. Albert's spokesman struck a bitter note: "Talk is cheap. It's just too much of an upstream swim at this point." more ›

Could the Roxy rise from the ashes of a troubled night club scene? Last year the famed club shut down to the disappointment of many, all echoing the "end of an era" sentiment. They originally opened as a roller skating rink and roller disco in the 70s, later transforming into a popular gay dance club. To make matters worse, the word on the street was that a developer would be turning the space, at 515 West 18th Street, into dreaded condos. Now amNewYork has gotten word that rumors of Roxy's untimely end were exaggerated, and "the owners will be appearing before the business license and permits committee of CB4" in an effort to re-open. more ›

Representative Anthony D. Weiner long advocated re-opening the Statue of Liberty's crown, which has been closed since the 9/11 attacks. Partly due to terrorism fears, the National Parks Service also noted the narrow staircase "violates every fire code in the city of New York and the state of New York and the state of New Jersey." However, Weiner blamed the park service for "a failure of creativity" by not solving the issues through renovation and evacuation plans. more ›

The Frying Pan, the party boat known for its rusty charm in a sea of slick Chelsea nightclubs, hasn't invited anyone to come aboard in quite some time. Last year it moved from Pier 63, its home for a decade, to Pier 66...but never reopened due to lack of permits. more ›