Toppled from Red Square, Lenin Rises Again on the Lower East Side
Lenin rises again.
Indeed, it somehow seems fitting, given the current political climate, that a statue of the Russian communist revolutionary would return to a Lower East Side rooftop. And so it goes.
Early Friday afternoon, workers were spotted hoisting the eighteen-foot, Soviet-era sculpture into place at 178 Norfolk Street. The copper tribute had been leaning on its side here since last September.
Michael Rosen and Michael Shaoul, co-owners/developers of the original Red Square, where the statue held court from 1994, reportedly own this walk-up tenement beside the Angel Orensanz Center.
Lenin was “toppled” from his longtime perch shortly after Dermot Co. purchased the 130-unit development for roughly $100 million. Red Square is no longer referred to as such, instead going by its address – 250 East Houston.
This 18-foot Lenin statue carries quite the history. It was originally commissioned by the USSR, but the implosion of that country in 1989 – the year Red Square was built at 250 East Houston – prevented its display. The developers of the property, Michael Shaoul and Michael Rosen, reportedly found it trashed in a backyard just outside Moscow and installed it five years later.
Recent Stories
Group Viciously Assaults Man on Allen Street, then Steals his Pants
Police say a man was assaulted, slashed, and robbed by a group of people in broad daylight at Allen Canal Streets Friday morning. According to the police report, at 11:30am, a pack of twelve individuals – both male and female – jumped the 26-year-old victim in the center median (aka Allen Street Mall). Surveillance footage […]
In Chinatown, it’s Elders Lost in Vaccination
As the nation’s coronavirus death toll exceeds 400,000, news of mass vaccination sites opening across New York city is certainly welcome. However, securing an appointment is proving a daunting task. The mayor previously stressed equity in treatment for vaccination, which is rolled out in phases. Yet, with the mandate that all appointments require online registration, […]
State Suspends Dudley’s Liquor License Over Sidewalk Dining Enclosures
The State Liquor Authority wielded its hammer last weekend, summarily suspending the liquor license of Dudley’s on Orchard Street. At issue was the sprawling street eatery constructed by the business, which wraps the corner of Broome Street. Inspectors paid a visit on January 15, and witnessed forty-five patrons “dining within inside enclosures located on the […]
Clayton’s Corner: Overthrow the Wrong Way
In this installment of Clayton’s Corner, photographer Clayton Patterson shares news that the Overthrow boxing gym on Bleecker Street is back in action. Then, crosstown on Essex Street, two cops stopped for a quick slice. However, flouting traffic by driving the wrong way to park in front of Champion Pizza. This move seemed to irk […]
How COVID and a Bus Stop Chased Benson’s from Essex Street
The following guest post was penned by Boogie reader Sydney Fishman. For five years, Benson’s held down the corner of East Houston and Essex Streets with craft beers, sumptuous burgers, and the occasional movie night. The movie nights, according to owner Annie Morton, were the highlight of Benson’s tenure on the Lower East Side. Before […]
