Coogan's space, at 169th and Broadway, is owned by New York-Presbyterian Hospital. “They want about $40,000 a month more,” said one of Coogan's partners. That's a lot of beer.
This loss is hitting home with many New Yorkers, including Broadway luminary and Inwood native Lin-Manuel Miranda, who tweeted the announcement, saying "My stomach hurts from this news":
Graham Ciraulo, an organizer with the Northern Manhattan Is Not For Sale coalition, started a petition to Save Coogan's. Over 10,000 have signed so far.
And there's a rally at Coogan's this Sunday, January 14, at 12:00 noon, organized by Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, Congressman Adriano Espaillat, and other community leaders.
Whether you know Coogan's or you don't know Coogan's, you know it's another brick in the wall of the sterilized, de-urbanized, hyper-gentrified zone that New York is becoming thanks to unregulated landlord greed.
If you're sick and tired of that, then be there. And tell our city's leaders to make a real change -- pass the Small Business Jobs Survival Act and let's talk about bringing back commercial rent control. It's time to #SaveNYC.
*UPDATE: Coogan's has been saved!
I went on my first date with my NYPD detective (now ex) husband here. It was right after 9-11, and the cop/fireman vibe was thick there...in a good way. Very sad to see it go. Cops and firemen already can't afford to live here, now they're going to be shut out of socializing here. Combine that with doctors facing the same fate (actual doctors, not private practice, cash only plastic surgeons), and the quality of life for all you luxury condo dwellers is about to go down the tubes. Then again, you people never get sick, have anything catch on fire or get victimized by crime...so perhaps you'll just love it here even more once all the worker bees are out of sight.
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