1) Chinatown: The latest development in the knock-off handbag and watch business is the mobile fake shop. Racked reports fake shops on wheels such as "a van parked on Baxter Street just north of Canal filled with faux designer bags." There isn't only one.
2) West Village: Over on a confusing stretch of Eighth Avenue, Steven Alan and Sergio Davila will return in August, Shoegasm is probably still alive but Coffee Sweet Heart's fate is very much unkown.
3) Chelsea: Do check out the pics of the Billion Dollar Babes' Vivienne Westwood Anglomania sale and there's still a few minutes left to hit it up before leaving town for the weekend.
Yesterday, we mentioned that a fellow named Andrew Tilley will be the latest brave soul to try to manage the legendary Hotel Chelsea, having to contend with difficult ownership, difficult tenants, etc. Today, Hotel Chelsea blog Living With Legends goes on the offensive, "revealing" Tilley's "schematic" for rehabbing the old bohemian haunt. LWL writes:
As you can see, he plans to renovate the façade significantly – landmarking be damned – and to get rid of that pesky El Quixote, despite their 75-year-lease. Though we had been hoping for a Starbucks, it seems Tilley has come up with an even better idea: an M & Ms Store! Tilley is used to working in Times Square, you see, when he could just pop around the corner at any time for a sugar fix. We’re hoping to get a big, strapping M & M Man Straddling the Chelsea sign, but plans may not have been finalized yet and I certainly don’t want to jinx it.
CHELSEA—Our item yesterday regarding rental listings at Chelsea's Onyx (right) may have been a little misleading. Corcoran broker Joseph Bongiovanni explains: "Having sold out the Onyx Chelsea myself, I can tell you it is, in fact, sold out. A few condo owners who bought and closed are renting out their units. The 'For Rent' sign is for the commercial space. For the record, the Onyx never stalled although there was a slight delay of putting up the façade. It is an awards-winning façade designed by the highly acclaimed FXFowle." [CurbedWire Inbox]
FAR WEST VILLAGE—Regarding The Jane hotel (that's the official name, not Jane Hotel) and its gritty renovation, an inside source has this to say: "The Jane is actually being carefully and beautifully restored by Sean MacPherson and Eric Goode, not renovated. They are taking every precaution in restoring the NYC landmark hotel into a stylish, yet affordable place to stay." [CurbedWire Inbox]
SOMEWHERE IN QUEENS—Smokey Oval Park is already an awesome name, but tomorrow the patch of green will be renamed in honor of late Yankee great Phil "Scooter" Rizzuto, who grew up in nearby Glendale. According to the Parks Department, "The park has been known as Smokey Oval since it opened in 1938, but it was officially named in 1987. The name refers to the park’s location across from a Long Island Railroad terminus, which once made it a landing area of soot and ash from the railway smoke." [CurbedWire Inbox]
This morning, for the first time since 2005, we were blessed with new images of The High Line. Coming at you now in a series of three posts, a look at what's arriving soon to West Chelsea's elevated rail tracks. Brace, as they say.
It's not part of the official press materials, but a new book distributed at today's High Line press event contains a tantalizing glimpse of something called the 18th Street Plaza. Set between Tenth Avenue and the High Line itself—and currently a parking lot—the plaza features a broad stairwell, open space on ground level, and, most excellently, a cantilevered snack bar straight out of The Jetsons. Per official word, the 18th Street Plaza would be built subsequent to Phase One, pending funding and approvals. Cross your fingers.
Have tough times arrived over at The Onyx, the often-stalled 52-unit condo project at 261 West 28th Street? Perhaps the infamous credit crunch is to blame for the RENT NOW signs which have recently appeared there. It was only a year ago that the Onyx gang was partying it up, celebrating the possibility of living within that big stack of black. So, besides the general economic craziness, what's going on? Gripes from those who bought there have not gone unnoticed. Still, being a stone's throw from midtown, and with the Lincoln Tunnel so close, what could there be not to like? Those who are still interested might want to take a look at a couple of listings, the first starting just below $6K per month for something new with 1-bed 1-bath while $7K brings a 1-bed with a big spacious terrace for viewing the world below. Deals abound!
· Development Update-o-Rama: Stalled at Onyx [Curbed]
· Onyx Parties Down [Curbed]
· New Development GripeWire: Chelsea Edition [Curbed]
UPDATE: Corcoran broker Joseph Bongiovanni writes: "Having sold out the Onyx Chelsea myself, I can tell you it is, in fact, sold out. A few condo owners who bought and closed are renting out their units. The 'For Rent' sign is for the commercial space. For the record, the Onyx never stalled although there was a slight delay of putting up the façade. It is an awards-winning façade designed by the highly acclaimed FXFowle."
This morning, for the first time since 2005, we were blessed with new images of The High Line. Coming at you now in a series of three posts, a look at what's arriving soon to West Chelsea's elevated rail tracks. Brace, as they say.
Phase Two is the highlight of today's High Line rendering release, and not just because the public has basically seen nothing from this stretch since it was wild fields. To situate you, Phase Two picks up where Phase One leaves off at 20th Street, runs straight as an arrow to 30th Street, where it turns to circle the railyards in a portion of the segment insiders like to call Phase Three. This section won't open to the public until 2009 at the earliest, but oh, is it going to be worth the wait.
Where to begin? Uh, how about with these two words: Woodland Flyover, seen above in all its insane glory. Oh, and did we mention the 26th Street viewing spur, where High Line pedestrians become commodified elements of a faux-billboard, or the 30th Street cut-out, which really has to be seen to be understood? It's all in the photogallery above, with helpful captions to aid in reading comprehension. Note that for this segment of the High Line, existing architecture hugs the rails more closely, which the architects considered in crafting the various microclimates. Function follows form, or somesuch.
This morning, for the first time since 2005, we were blessed with new images of The High Line. Coming at you now in a series of three posts, a look at what's arriving soon to West Chelsea's elevated rail tracks. Brace, as they say.
Phase One of The High Line runs from Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District to 20th Street. We've seen some renderings from this stretch before (particularly the Gansevoort-to-15th bit), but nothing like what came to light today. Above, for instance, we have the new sundeck water feature at the 14th Street bend, which features half an inch of running water for barefoot frolicking (and, when the weather's cold, becomes just part of the planking). Click into the photogallery above for the full Phase One overview, including images that make André Balazs' Standard Hotel seem suddenly, dare we say it, passé.
At today's announcement, by the way, Friends of the High Line honcho Robert Hammond re-asserted that Phase One is "on schedule and on budget to open by the end of this year." Be that as it may, it does represent an evolution from the initially expected Fall '08 opening, and leads one to wonder if they might be better served waiting until the tender young blossoms of Spring '09 to cue the masses. Time will tell.
A Curbed reader sent this e-mail for "Ask Curbed" consideration, but folks, this issue runs much much deeper than queries regarding fire codes. Rose Associates, now in charge of Chelsea's massive London Terrace Gardens rental development that takes up a full city block, is stealing tenants' doormats. At first, the charges were made slightly offhand, but now the situation is clear:
I am a current resident of London Terrace (24th Street) and I'm sure this has come up before, but the building has a *serious* grudge against doormats. When I first moved in 2 years ago, my spouse and I purchased a beautiful (read: expensive) doormat to celebrate our own place (we had roommates before) and all was fine and well....until one day, the doormat was gone.
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CHELSEA—Our 
A Curbed reader sent this e-mail for "Ask Curbed" consideration, but folks, this issue runs much much deeper than queries regarding fire codes. Rose Associates, now in charge of Chelsea's massive London Terrace Gardens rental development that takes up a full city block, is stealing tenants' doormats. At first, the charges were made 
Hey, remember 
