This weekend, Jade Fountain ("As Old As Hills") had its final sale.
Most of the booze was gone from the shelves. What remained was 50% off.
In the window, they sold empty bottles for $5 each. Everything must go. Including Jade Fountain.
Meanwhile, an artistic banner has just been erected on the chain-link fence next door--a typical sight on locations about to be mega-developed.
It's called the Lower East Side History Tribute Fence and features something called "Babel Blocks." As The Lo-Down explained when the design was selected, it's a modern take on "It's a Small World," a collection of caricatures meant to depict the diverse history of the Lower East Side.
There's a bearded hipster holding an iPhone and another holding what looks like a Starbucks cup. There's also an Asian mom and a Hispanic mom, a Hasidic man, an elderly white lady, and what looks like a baker of artisanal doughnuts (or maybe cronuts).
Today, the people you see on this end of Delancey Street are mostly people of color, not middle class and not affluent. But that's been changing.
Of course, once the enormous, glittering Essex Crossing comes (yes, even with its selection of affordable housing), it will spur more development like itself, and much of this diversity will be wiped out. Notice that the banner is called a tribute to Lower East Side history, not future.
In the end, Delancey will be left to only a few of the Babel Block figures on this banner, and you can guess which ones.
this is really heartbreaking, I wish that Sheldon Silver would stop anything from developing there again, there really goes the neighborhood this time.
ReplyDeleteGoodbye diversity...
ReplyDeleteAs Manhattan becomes an island of towers, who will maintain all those buildings -- doormen, porters, window washers, supers, electricians, etc. Where are they to live? Reportedly, Europeans are snapping up the condos. Remember when the Japanese were going to buy up the commercial properties. That story seems to have had a different ending.
ReplyDeleteThat development is crazy looking.So huge.Instant (character less)neighborhood.
ReplyDeletethat is really ugly but i like the trees. why not build something to resemble prewar style? they look like factories. i remeber that area on 1970, my friends had a loft on clinton & delancy. i would be nice if they rehabbed some old buildings & kept them 4 or 5 stories high. guess there is no zoning? thats another place i will avoid. so tell us, what is left & where is it?
ReplyDeleteWatch these government buildings ignore the low rise contextual zoning limits. These are the same people who put limits on the building in the neighborhood in order to promote good light and air. Now they disregard the height limits to build tall glass buildings. Shame on them!
ReplyDeleteRemember, a great number of all these new apartments will be empty because they aren't actually purchased for living in. Just watch any of the Real Estate shows on Bravo and you'll quickly realize Manhattan is turning into one large investment bank of apartments. Who wants to live on a floor where three or four large apartments are empty because no one actually lives there? Not me.
ReplyDeleteSilver DID stop anything from happening at SPURA. For decades. It's just a shame that he and the powers that be finally approved this mess - a granfalloon for iZombies and tourists.
ReplyDeleteMaybe people should you know vote so many complain and so few vote shameful silver is horrible
ReplyDelete