Monday, July 21, 2008

Reggie Fitzgerald Triangle

The little triangle bordered by W. 4th, 8th Ave, and Horatio is vanishing. It was named for Reggie Fitzgerald, a gay activist and Village preservationist. Florent Morellet described him as "one flamboyant, aging queen, with tight leather pants, lavender, long-lapelled satin shirt and flowing neck scarf." When was the last time you saw one of those in this city? I used to see Quentin Crisp all the time in the window of the Cooper Square Diner, but such folks (and the diner) have vanished, too.

I wrote last month about the demise of Nick's hair salon on the triangle. Walking by recently, a postman told me it's turning into an upscale barber shop. I peeked inside. The walls are subway-tiled, the mirrors trimmed in heavy oak. The postman, who turned out to be a font of information, expects "men's haircuts for 60 bucks."



He also confirmed that, on the 4th Street side of the triangle, Action Care pharmacy has lost its lease. "The best kept secret in the Village" has had a For Lease sign on it for some time. How long, really, could it last next to Crumpler, et al?

And what about Miles Tinsmith? What about Mrs. R. Reese Spiritual Healer & Psychic? (Did they ever sell that Sand-Over-Sable colored "Ass-Machine" Bentley that threw the triangle into speculation about yuppies and gentrification?) "There are a lot of old-timers in that building," the postman told me. The freshly painted corner lot was bought and all the residents booted. Around the corner is the Lukoil gas station.



"Fuggedaboudit," the postman and I said in unison as we stood taking in the scene.

5 comments:

  1. I've lived on Horatio for 14 years--definitely sad to see them go, espcially the pharmacy. Also Shag down the street is going (not quite an old-timer, but still a kind of fixture on the street).

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  2. Yes most of the under 30 something implants moving to the city are very annoying.

    At one time, not so long ago, most of the new arrivals would quickly adapt to their new suuroundings.

    This is not the case anymore. Very often while riding the subways I find my myself questioning as to whether I am actually in New York or if I am in the midwest somewhere. Sure the midwest does not have subways. So that just makes it all the more strange for me.

    As far as the whole cell phone thing, these girls wearing the huge sunglasses and the flip flops have completely taken over the sidewalks. Mindless robots.

    When and if I have a daughter, I will use the examples I have listed above as lessons on how a young woman should and SHOULD NOT behave while out in public.

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  3. what are they going to place on the Reggie square? nearby, on Hudson, is a large playground. several condos could be thrown up there, offering views of MeePaw and its stylish crowd. so sad to see the West Village ruined.

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  4. It's not so much the yunnies from the midwest, as the yunnies from jersey/long island/westchester. Most people from the midwest wouldn't have enough money to rent an apartment in new york. Notice if the yunnies are calling it Manhattan or "the city"- you will know immediately where they are from.

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  5. Reggie was my uncle , he was an awesome guy, before I was born he was a model in mrnd catalogs, he was also a friend of Roxy Rocker so rockers cousin lenny kravitz mother, my uncle was very kind and giving always wanted to know how everyone was and if you needed something it wasn't a problem ,I miss him and my other uncle.

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