Beastie Boys’ Former Party House for Sale on Chrystie Street
There was a Dispatch in the New York Post last week that touched upon the availability of 55-59 Chrystie Street.
Bankrupted and liquidated of its occupants – all commercial – the court-ordered bankruptcy appointee seeks to refill the ranks.
The 46,350-square-foot building was reportedly undergoing upscaling to “higher-rent creative tenants” when, after shelling out roughly $1.9 million on the lobby, common areas, loft and office spaces, the current owner ran out of funds.
However, the article makes no mention of the musical history behind this classic building. This spot once served as the party life headquarters of the Beastie Boys. And it all happened thanks to British Airways, oddly enough.
The transatlantic airline company had copped a snippet of “Beastie Revolution” for use in a television ad campaign in 1983. It was done without properly licensing the track, which initially appeared on the second EP dubbed Cookie Puss. The copyright infringement case was a success, netting the band $40,000 in damages, which enabled the rental of 59 Chrystie Street. This Chinatown abode would function as home, recording studio, and party palace during the formative years when their transition from punk to hip-hop was forged.
The Beastie Boys would later give a shout-out to 59 Chrystie in the song “B-Boy Bouillabaisse,” which closed out the seminal 1989 record Paul’s Boutique.
Recent Stories
Report: Boba Guys Faces Allegations of Sexual Harassment and Racism
Boba Guys, the San Francisco-based tea chain with locations in Los Angeles, New York, and across the Bay Area, is the focus of fresh allegations of racial discrimination and sexual harassment, just weeks after it fired a manager for racist comments allegedly posted to social media in 2018. This runs counter to the public advocacy […]
Ludlow & Hester Nail Spa Fades from its Namesake Block
Just as phase 3 of the city’s reopening gets going this week, one Lower East Side salon won’t be returning. Ludlow & Hester Nail Salon, located at 29 Ludlow Street, closed in March in observance of state guidelines for the coronavirus lockdown. Spa chairs inside the six-year-old spa lingered in the interim, awaiting clientele. Until […]
Watch as Bandits with Crowbars Steal ATM on Ludlow Street [VIDEO]
Bandits are certainly emboldened by the apparent sense of lawlessness around the Lower East Side these days. And Hell Square is no exception. Police say that on May 21, two African American males stole the ATM stationed outside El Sombrero at Ludlow and Stanton Streets. A witness reported seeing the crooks haul the entire machine […]
Mulberry Street Closes, Gets More Outdoor Dining Space
Mulberry Street in Little Italy is now one of several stretches of city roadbed that is closed to car traffic in an effort to support outdoor dining for local restaurants. This comes in light of the extended pause on indoor dining, previously slated to open at half capacity this past Monday. This past Saturday morning, barricades […]
Martin Scorsese Co-Directing Documentary on New York Dolls Singer David Johansen
The life of David Johansen – flamboyant lead singer of the New York Dolls and Buster Poindexter – is now the subject of a new documentary. And it’s co-directed by Martin Scorsese. The treatment will chronicle the singer’s nearly 50-year career, which began as a teenager in the downtown New York City scene of the […]
