Living Room Granted Another Extension While Planning Move
This image has been archived or removed.
The Living Room can likely thank Pianos for surviving so long after receiving the boot from its landlord at 154 Ludlow. Recall that plans had been in the works to convert the bi-level footprint into a performance-slash-gallery space with Mediterranean cuisine. But Community Board 3 didn’t take kindly to the plans and gave thumbs down in February. That seemingly put the proverbial monkey wrench into the proposal.
Translation – good news again for Living Room lovers during this stasis. Co-owner Jennifer Gilson reveals that the landlord of 154 Ludlow again extended their lease for the third time in as many months. Here they will remain through August.
Meanwhile, the fifteen-year-old venue is gunning for the former laundromat space at 173 East Second Street. The application for full liquor will be heard at the SLA subcommittee meeting next Monday night. But not without a NIMBY fight. Apparently the block association is opposed to allowing the Living Room to relocate its operations to this spot. For her part, Gilson says:
Of course there’s a good chance that if they block our liquor license, another less-neighborhood friendly business with less community history will take the space.
[On April 8] I will argue why after 15 years of enhancing the quality of life by hosting great music, kids shows, fundraisers, theater, etc., I should be able to stay in my neighborhood, which I helped to transform, and not be pushed to Brooklyn…
Recent Stories
Newcomer Tres Leches Cafe Keeps Orchard Street in Treats
A new bakery dedicated to all things tres leches is now serving in Hell Square. DIU Tea didn’t survive the pandemic, and its former footprint at 160 Orchard Street is now occupied by Tres Leches Cafe Downtown. The newcomer serves up a bevy of desserts, but also bagels, muffins, and coffees. It opened last month, […]
East River Park Advocates Appeal Redacted Resiliency Engineering Report
In a late-day mailer yesterday, East River Park advocates announced an appeal of the heavily redacted Value Engineering Study, the report Mayor de Blasio cited in 2018 when announcing the sudden change in the flood control plan. East River Park ACTION attorney Jack Lester sent an appeal on March 2 to the City’s Department of […]
Lower East Sider Spends Birthday Buffing Graffiti from MOSCOT on Orchard Street
For her birthday, a Lower East Side native only wanted to help MOSCOT restore its image. Its Orchard Street storefront, that is. You’ll recall that the exterior of the cornershop has gradually devolved into a mess of graffiti tags in recent months. Paint on nearly every surface, including the shutters and billboard boxes. There is […]
Clayton’s Corner: Martha Cooper to Middle Collegiate
Clayton Patterson sent his latest dispatch of imagery from his recent neighborhood walkabouts. The latest Clayton’s Corner is here. Legendary graffiti photographer, Martha Cooper, standing beside a payphone in Astor Place that features one of her iconic images. NY PopsUp spent last weekend at the International Center of Photography on Essex Street. It drew crowds […]
Upside Pizza Slinging Slices in Little Italy
Upside Pizza is now serving at the former home of Pomodoro in Little Italy. It opened on Spring Street this past Wednesday. Founder Noam Grossman and partners Eli and Oren Halali (behind 2 Brothers and Taqueria Diana) had been renovating 51 Spring Street since the fall. The pizza parlor opted for a gut renovation, resulting […]
