The two doomed tenement buildings have been derelict for some time, a place for mysterious grubby curtains and wondering about weird interiors. They are also the last remnants of the old block.
photo: Mark Kane
In this late-1970s photo by reader Mark Kane, they are the tallest structures on the block. To their left is James Renwick's 1869 headquarters of the New York City Department of Public Charities and Corrections. It was demolished in 1989 for the Loews Village 7 multiplex.
The trio of three-story buildings on their right disappeared, said Mark, "when the landlord pulled some of those 'decorative' columns from the storefronts, only to have the building facades collapse." There's a parking lot there now.
Once this pair of antiques is demolished, nothing will remain from the above photo.
Last ones out, turn out the lights.
photo: Mark Kane, close-up
Previously:
Before the Village 7
Lost Renwick Found
15 comments:
Anyone remember one of the few businesses (if not the only one) on that block- the used magazine store—
a huge dark dirty room with PILES of dusty magazines in broken cardboard boxes and on long tables, and a mean-spirited proprietor who shouted "DON'T TOUCH!! JUST LOOK AT THEM!"
Sobbing teenage prostitutes across the street, pawn shops and parking lots.
thanks marc for that vivid memory. i don't remember all that, but i do recall the prostitutes who were all over this area as late as the mid-1990s.
between 11th and 14th, 2nd and 3rd aves, they walked their stroll, always asking for the time or a light as an entry into, "you want a date?"
Quite a view without the NYU dorms.
The Minnesota Strip.
The whore who worked the area used to take me there countless times, Two, three bucks was the norm for going it in the hallways. And Marc if right, the teenage whores were lovely, yum yum
http://www.100Whores.com
Jeremiah- I am surprised that you let the last comment through with the url attached.
I always look up at those similarly derelict-looking buildings exactly one block north from here (between 12th and 13th) and wonder how long they'll last.
Andrew, that's Mick--he always attaches a URL!
Oh, cool. I usually block the comments with urls, but I didn't realize that he was a regular. Maybe I'll look a little closer now. Keep up the awesome work! Thanks, Andrew
Marc Kehoe: I remember the shop well. It was owned by Marc Ricci, who also owned a movie poster shop on 12th Street. Anything you bought there stunk from Cat piss and crap. Marc and his shops are long gone.
For Andrew Fine's info, 100 Whores is available at the St Marks Bookshop. Shows you what kind of sleazebag literature it is.
i'm fascinated now by this magazine store, but googling marc ricci magazines brings up nothing.
why couldn't google streetview exist in the 70s, 80s, etc.?
Sorry to be harping on this but in my tryst in "100 Whores" I do describe the building hallway
I knew I’d follow her anywhere as long as we did it. The hallway was on 3rd avenue between 11th and 12th Streets, a long hallway and in the back with about 5 steps going down. Weird, how they built this building, I thought, under the impression we were going to another building but she pulled her skirt up, showed me her beautiful nylon covered legs, removed her panties and sat back down on the stairs.
My book is filled with scenes like that, but I now know no one is really interested. Perhaps I should present them with my 1st place winning Lambda Award Bisexual novel, "Holy Communion" about the Lower East Side, fat chance on that one too. I'll shut up...
The magazine store was Gallaghers Magazines and Collectibles at 126 E 12th in the basement. He managed to get some good press for a moment as some fashion designers went there for back issues of Vogue. We remember him as the deadbeat drunk with the sour temper
Well, this post is a few years old, but googling Marc Ricci brought me here. Yes, he was my father's best friend growing up in Trenton NJ. Marc was an older gay man who owned "The Memory Shop," on E. 12th (I believe it was 107. My father actually crashed at that hole before he secured his apartment on 62nd. Od play bills, movie scripts... and he was worth millions when he died in the late 1990's. Oh, I remember one blonde hooker who'd pinch her nipples all the time. LOLOLOL!!
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