Clemente Soto Velez Cultural Center Reveals Facade After 3 Years
This image has been archived or removed.
Clemente Soto Velez Cultural Center is reawakening after a long slumber. Her eyes are opening ever so slowly, but there’s still plenty of crust lingering.
While checking out the debut of Rivington Court this weekend, we gazed south to a sight not seen in more than three years. The hulking, yet historic corner-hugger at 107 Suffolk Street recently uncovered a section its facade. Parasitic scaffolding and netting were removed to reveal a lighter-hued, sandblasted exterior.
This image has been archived or removed.
While the relief is overdue, this eyesore of iron did propagate a rather popular graffiti target. Nevertheless, let’s hope this particular removal is just the beginning of the total takedown!
This image has been archived or removed.
The non-profit Clemente Soto Velez Center was founded in 1993, and hosts two experimental theaters and studios for fifty-three visual artists. Facade upgrading began in August 2009 with funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.
Recent Stories
Cactus Store Resumes Summertime Residency on Essex Street
The Cactus Store returned to the Lower East Side this weekend for its fourth seasonal outing, and first since coronavirus ruined everything. As before, the succulents sellers plant annual roots in the lot at 5 Essex Street. Infrastructure from prior years remains in place. Saturday was opening day. The Cactus Store is a product of […]
Ludlow Street Pizzeria Hits the Open Market
La Margarita Pizza might not have much time left in Hell Square. The Ludlow Street pizzeria is now pitched on the open market. The 800 square-foot store at 268 Ludlow appeared on Craigslist in late-May for $9,000 per month in rent. The listing caps some eight years in business for the Lower East Side pizza […]
Everynight Charley Checkup: Vilray at Rockwood Music Hall
What follows is the beginning of a periodic checkup of the downtown music scene with Everynight Charley Crespo, prolific Editor of The Manhattan Beat. The vocalist, guitarist and songwriter known simply as Vilray (pronounced vill-ree) has an uncanny ability to bridge past and present. Vilray, who does not use his family name, was raised in […]
Mictlan Mexico Brings Orchard Street South of the Border
There is a new taqueria on the Lower East Side. Natalin Perez, who currently operates Haab out in Brooklyn, just lifted the curtains on her new project. The fifteen-table restaurant at 17 Orchard Street, Mictlan Mexico. It takes the reins from the Fat Radish, which spent ten years serving the neighborhood before the pandemic chased […]
The Menace of Summertime Saturday Night on Ludlow Street
With comfort levels of close-quarters partying seemingly back to pre-pandemic norms, Hell Square has rebounded in kind. Neighbors report that any quality-of-life progress gained in this sixteen square-block sector over the last few years completely evaporated. The hordes of hellraisers were out in full force again this past Saturday night. One week after a roving […]
