Can you legislate a storefront? That is what the Upper West Side is hoping. For more than a year, the Department of City Planning worked at a plan to rezone a swath of the once tawdry, now tony neighborhood, to protect the retail character on its main shopping strips. The plan, which has been opposed by local landlords, just won the conditional support of Borough President Scott Stringer. Read More
It’s a good week for Oregon. Last night, the Ducks won their first Rose Bowl since 1917, Portlandia has its season premier on Friday and The Observer has learned that the Rose City’s favorite coffee roaster is about to open its second New York store, a flagship planned for 30 West 8th Street in the Village.
Stumptown is one the Beaver State’s top exports, behind grass (sod, not pot), hazelnuts, Nike duds and indie rock. Read More
Soho and Noho has become one of those places “real” New Yorkers loathe to visit, like Times Square and Canal Street.
It’s jam-packed with funny smells, honking cars and gawking tourists. As if there were any question lower Broadway was anything more than an awful suburban mall, the kind of place most New Yorkers move here to escape, the latest lease at 691 Broadway proves it: Spencer’s Gifts is moving in. And who’s to blame? None other than that downtown scourge, N.Y.U. Read More
