About Co-Op Maintenance Fees

The Pinehurst continues to have THE most useful website of cooperatives in the area.  Check out this discussion of cooperative maintenance fees that is posted on its website.  Once you get to the web page, click on the chart for more detailed information. 

UPDATED: New Salon on 181st Street

UPDATE 3/27: It's actually a threading salon, not a hair salon.  Photos of the new awning to come.

At the end of the year, Metro Art & Frame closed its doors (in our neighborhood at least), leaving yet another vacant storefront.  We were excited to see over the weekend that the facade had been redone with a new door and floor-to-ceiling windows.  They were papered over so it was still a mystery as to what was going in there.

Mystery solved: it's a salon.

Salon-in-progress on 181st

Ok, we applaud that a new business is in the neighborhood.  I think our record proves that we are hugely supportive of local business.  But a salon???!

Our neighborhood, particularly 181st between Broadway and Riverside Drive is chock-a-block full of salons (and laundry/dry cleaning for that matter...).  Groom Team is directly across the street.  There's a small salon on Cabrini just north of 181.  There's a salon next door to Exclusive Pizza.  There are at least two more salons en route to Broadway.

Do we really need a new salon or barber shop? Can the neighborhood support this type of redundant offering?

In a previous post, readers came up with excellent ideas for retail offerings that don't already exist here: a book store, a yoga studio, a consignment shop, art supplies.

Here's hoping that the other many empty storefronts get filled soon with exciting businesses that add more diversity to our neighborhood.

Have You Signed This Petition?

One of the things that makes our neighborhood so great is our community of small businesses. Over the past couple of years we've seen new businesses come and flourish but too many longstanding ones have had to close their doors. 

Most recently, VIM Pharmacy was forced to close their doors after 30 years of serving the neighborhood.  Their loss is pretty profound for this neighborhood and we're at risk of losing more local amenities unless we take action.

Please sign this petition to save local businesses today!
http://signon.org/sign/keep-nyc-neighborhoods?mailing_id=8521&source=s.icn.em.cr&r_by=6056253

The petition explains:

On October 31, 2012, VIM Pharmacy, a beloved neighborhood fixture in Washington Heights, closed its doors after 37 years due to an exorbitant rent increase. City-wide, many local businesses are being forced out by inflated rents and replaced with big chain stores. This undermines community well-being and quality of life, the viability of the neighborhood and hurts the local economy. 

They are hoping to get 750 signatures. They are at 502 right now.  So what are you waiting for?
Sign the petition now!

VIM Pharmacy Closing

Today is a sad day for Hudson Heights. 

After 30 years of business, VIM pharmacy has been forced to close its doors, effective immediately.  Years of rent hikes have forced them out; the rent has finally climbed to $30,000/month.  The owner, Brad, said he looked for another space in the neighborhood for a year but could not find anything with the size needed and/or an affordable rent.  As Brad said, the neighborhood loses the pharmacy and he loses everything.  He has sold the remaining inventory to the Rite Aid over on Broadway, allowing him to pay off his bills.  He is walking away with nothing.

These kinds of rents are simply not sustainable for our neighborhood!  We are at risk to lose other small neighborhood businesses who provide invaluable service and services to our community.

It's sad to realize that the landlords really do not see the true value of the businesses renting from them. Instead they only see dollar signs and the possibility to eventually find a tenant who will pay their rising rents.  Until that happens, they will simply write off the loss in rent and we will look at another vacant storefront.

Today is a sad, sad day.

Real Estate is O.K.

The real estate market in Northern Manhattan remains healthy according to this Crains New York article.  Sale prices have recovered and rents continue to increase.


http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20120717/REAL_ESTATE/120719898

New Coffee Shop coming to the Heights!

Commenter madrededudley tipped us off in May that Cafe Buunni would be taking over the JMB Shoe Repair storefront.  This sign in the window at 213 Pinehurst Ave confirms the news!

Looks like the neighborhood will get a coffee shop by the end of the summer.  Aside from the Starbucks on 181st & Ft. Washington there is no other coffee shop in the neighborhood, though you can get coffee & breakfast at 181 Cabrini and Le Cheile, among other places.

According to their website, "Café Buunni will be a coffee, tea, espresso bar, also serving some fresh juices and smoothies. We will offer a small selection of high quality food and baked goods."

We wonder if the shop will retain any references to its predecessor, the cobbler shop, a la Locksmith - the bar on Broadway and 192nd.

Business Closings on 181st

Following a recent trend of closing businesses in the neighborhood, Holy Moses Ladies Wear, a stylish dress shop on 181st between Ft. Washington Ave and Pinehurst, has closed.

Empty mannequins at Holy Moses Ladies Wear

Holy Moses was one of the few retail clothing stores west of Broadway.  Jennifer Ouellette's hat shop closed in December of last year.  Probus, which specializes in mens clothing and shoes just east of Ft. Washington, seems to be doing well.

In November, a sign was posted in the window of Holy Moses stating that the store would be closed for two weeks due to a "medical emergency."  This weekend, the store was empty of its considerable stock of evening wear and other womens clothing and accessories.

A simple online query showed that the business was incorporated in 1990.  Admittedly, in my 7+ years in the neighborhood I never purchased anything there.  While I often admired the fanciful dresses on display, I only ever went in twice. Once, the dress I wanted was sold out in my size.  The second time I couldn't find anything within my price range.  It also wasn't the type of store you'd just go in to browse through; it was chock full of racks of (usually) label or designer dresses - you told the owner or saleswoman what you were looking for and they'd bring forth a selection for you to try on.  However, it seems like they had a foothold in the neighborhood and it's a shame to think that health troubles caused them to leave.

Did you ever shop at Holy Moses Ladies Wear?  If so, what did you think?

Would you want a different retail offering here?  What kinds of businesses do you think this strip of 181st needs?

Port Authority Renovation Will Begin...Soon

I spoke with Stephen McBride of SJM Partners and Doug Slayton of Slayton Equities about their companies’ joint venture to overhaul the commercial spaces in the George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal.  The Port Authority, the station’s owner, is simultaneously planning an overhaul of the bus terminal and passenger spaces.   The renovation is long overdue and the commercial uses will surely fill a retail void in neighborhood.   The question for this blogger is whether it will improve the dismal streetscape around the station, which has been a source of urban blight for decades.

Much of the story has already been reported in the N.Y. Times and DNA Info.  SJM and Slayton plan to create spaces for a 15,000 square-foot supermarket; 15,000 square-foot fitness club (Blink, a subsidiary of Equinox); 30,000 square-foot Marshall’s department store; 10,000 square-foot restaurant; and numerous smaller retail spaces.   While the essential shape of the concrete structure will not change, the developers will install an entirely new curtain wall around the perimeter, replacing dirty and faded siding with more attractive glass. 

 

The developers are actively seeking local proprietors for the restaurant space and smaller shops.  But smaller businesses are understandably reluctant to commit to the spaces until the renovation has proceeded a little further.

The Port Authority plans to add bus lanes to ease congestion.  On Fort Washington Avenue the authority will create a new structure to house mechanical equipment on the western side of the street, which may serve to block some of the noise from the highway below.    (It may also displace the skateboarders and bikers.)

Renovations are expected to begin this spring and conclude at the end of 2013.   McBride and Slayton are enthusiastic and confident about the project and, after speaking with them, its hard not to share their optimism. 

The missing link in the project seems to be efforts to improve the streetscape.  The northern and southern borders of the site feature very narrow sidewalks that cannot be widened without narrowing 178th and 179th Streets, which is not likely to happen.  This may restrict pedestrian circulation around the structure.  Nor are there plans at the moment to landscape the Fort Washington side of the station, which features a somewhat bleak façade, soot-covered sidewalk and few amenities for pedestrians.  Hopefully the Port Authority will work on the streetscapes.  Whatever the result, however, the renovated station is likely to be a huge benefit to the community.  

Business Closings Near 187th

As was recently covered by DNAinfo.com, Ahn's Vegetable & Fruit Store closed at the beginning of the year.  A neighborhood establishment for more than 30 years, many were sad to see it go.  Since then, the metal grate has been down with no signs of a new forthcoming business.

We recently learned that the shoe repair shop on Pinehurst, nestled between Sava Spa and Vines on Pine, is also soon to close.  This is another neighborhood business that seemed like an indefinite fixture, part of the fabric of the neighborhood.

Of course, change is inevitable.  But we'd like to also think of it as a chance to brainstorm about what we'd like to see in our neighborhood.

• What suggestions do you have for businesses that might be successful on that commercial strip?
• What would add value to the neighborhood and be economically sustainable?

Share your ideas and any leads in the comments!

Save the Coliseum Open Meeting: January 12

The first open meeting to brainstorm about the future of the historic 1920's Coliseum Theater has been organized by the Save the Coliseum facebook page.  All members of the community are welcome!

DAY:  Thursday, January 12
TIME: 8PM
LOCATION:  Le Cheile located at the corner of 181st & Cabrini.  We'll be meeting in the Artspace, adjacent to the main restaurant.

This is a chance for people to gather in person to talk about ideas for the space, community needs pertaining to cultural events and to come up with ways in which we can support efforts to transform the Coliseum into a community-friendly - and community-supported - cultural destination.

Check out our previous posts on the Coliseum:
Save the Coliseum!
The Coliseum: The Original RKO Stage Exists!
What Happened to The Coliseum?

The Coliseum: The Original RKO Stage Exists!

These photos were taken this morning inside of the original theatre of the Coliseum, built circa 1920.

A view from the stage looking out over what used to be the orchestra pit and audience.

Looking house left towards one elaborate entrance.

Elaborate detail looking up where the curtain hung, partial view of the scrolled ceiling.

House right entrance.

Save The Coliseum!

Save the Coliseum!

We first noted the closing of The Coliseum in November.  Since then, a facebook page has been started in honor of saving and revitalizing historic building.  The theatre was built on the site of the old Blue Bell Tavern after it was razed in 1915.  A blog dedicated to the intersection of 181st & Broadway states that "in 1917 show business impresario BS Moss bought the property to build the city's biggest showplace which he aptly named BS Moss' Coliseum."  According to an excellent post on Cinema Treasures, "the Coliseum Theatre boasted to be the third largest theatre in the United States, with 3,500 seats, when it opened in 1920."  In 1968, it's interior was praised by the New York Times in a movie review:

"The R.K.O. Coliseum is one of the most handsome movie theaters in New York. It is well kept, and it has a lovely oval opening, surrounded with a wooden railing, from which it is possible to look down from the balcony onto the first floor."

You can check out a documentary about the theater here. However, the Coliseum wasn't the only movie theatre in the neighborhood.  There was also a cinema on Wadsworth between 180th & 181st that apparently opened in 1913!

There's clearly a rich history of films and entertainment in Washington Heights and a group of concerned neighborhood residents (this blogger included) is very interested in the preservation of a cultural destination in Upper Manhattan.

A Photo Retrospective of The Coliseum

1922: Just a year later the theatre would be purchased by RKO and at the time was the biggest movie theatre in Manhattan.

Photo via 181st & Broadway Blog

1935: The theater at its heyday.  (In 1930, Bob Hope performed here!)

To see photos from 1935, visit this Flickr account:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/brad_smith/4508324316/#/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/brad_smith/4507686081/

1967:

 

1986: The property had been split up into multiple storefronts and transformed into a triplex in the early 80s.

American Classic Images

American Classic Images

Present day:

photo via Cinema Treasures

Do you want to see the Coliseum saved?  Join the Facebook group and stay in the know!

Holiday Lights on 181st Street

A stroll down 181st Street from Ft. Washington to Cabrini Blvd. reveals that this section of Hudson Heights is particularly festive!  Regardless of religious affiliation, the Hudson Heights Gazette (HHG) thinks the lights and decoration bring a great sense of cheer to the neighborhood!

Take a virtual stroll with us here...

At the first corner you'll see Starbucks....corporate mandated decorations that are identical to
all the other Starbucks in the city?  Probably.  But we still like snowflakes.

Next door we have Moscow on the Hudson. 
Going to a dinner party? Pick up a box of decadent pastries and treats!
(BTW - did you know that there was a movie called Moscow on the Hudson
starring Robin Williams?!?! )

181st Street Bakery & Deli. 
Sporadic Hudson Heights blogger Patrick Moschitto recommends the egg & cheese on a roll.

 Next door is the Groom Team - perfect spot to get cleaned up for the Holiday Parties!

Across the way, it's cozy inside Sushi Yu 2 with their festive tree just inside the doorway.  This Japanese restaurant is great for dining in or take-out!

One of the neighborhood's newest editions, Saggio, is about to celebrate it's 1-year anniversary.  Intrepid HHG photographer Peter Smith's pick is the Papardelle with Lamb Ragu followed by a generous serving of the amazing fig gelato.

Cabrini Wines is known for its vast array of wines from all over the world.  They generally have Holiday packs at a great price....the perfect way to prep for a party or a host/hostess gift.

Neighborhood newbie Le Cheile shines with the eponymous house beer for $5. 
HHG contributor Melissa also enjoys the Chicken Parm & farmer's side of peas. 

The tree at 181 Cabrini.  HHG Founder Chris Rizzo's preferred meal here is:
James' Special Chicken and a glass of the Cabrini Malbec.

Happy holidays!  We hope you'll visit one or more of our great neighborhood establishments before the end of 2011.  Support the hood - go local!

Neighborhood Vacancy: Ouellete Hats

Ouellette Hats, a custom hat shop by Jennifer Ouellette is now closed.  The studio/store first opened on 181st Street between Pinehurst and Cabrini (just next door to 181 Cabrini) in 2007.

We noticed the papered window and lack of sign the other night and snapped a photo.

What do you think should go in this space?

Put your dreams in the comments!

One Bennett Park Update

I spoke to Ruddy Thompson of Thompson Development Group last night about the company's stalled condominium project at Overlook Terrace and 183rd Street.  Mr. Thompson, gregarious and unreserved in his comments, shared a lot of details about the large condominium project, its financial backers and what went wrong.  The details are too much for this blog, but here is the essential story.  After the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008, the project's key lenders pulled the plug on further spending.  This decision is somewhat mystifying given that the developer had already spent one-third of the $95,000,000 to plan the project, excavate the site and shore up the Hebrew Center.  Moreover, the market for family-sized apartments in Hudson Heights has remained very strong.

Mr. Thompson is now busy selling units in his newly completed condominium building at 231st Street in Kingsbridge.  But he pledged his commitment to One Bennett Park if the financing can ever be unfrozen.  Unfortunately, that looks very unlikely in the short term as the lenders are now involved in litigation with eachother.  Until that is resolved, we are likely to have nothing but a hole in the ground.

Quadriad in the News

The N.Y. Times has written about the Quadriad project; check out today's article.

The article does not mention one key fact--Henry Wolman stated in early 2011 that his company would not bring the project to the City Planning Commission for approvals if the community board rejected the four-tower proposal, which it did in September 2011.

I-Petition Against Quadriad Realty's Tower Plans

Update:  Community Board 12 voted against Quadriad Realty's proposal for four towers on Broadway.  The board's voting is advisory only and Quadriad can still proceed to the City Planning Commission, which gets the real vote on whether zoning changes and special permits will be permitted for this project.  As a reminder, however, this blogger heard directly from Henry Wolman that the Quadriad would not proceed with four, large towers if the community voted "no."  Instead, Quadriad would proceed with its plans for two, smaller, as-of-right towers--one on each side of Broadway.  So, Mr. Wolman, is Quadriad still going to the City Planning Commission?

For more on this story, see Carla Zanoni's article at DNA INFO.  

****

Several months ago, Quadriad Realty announced its intention to construct four soaring towers around Broadway and 190th Street, three on the eastern side of the block ("phase 1") and one on the western side of the block ("phase 2").   The towers would substantially exceed zoning limitations and would therefore need discretionary approvals from the City Planning Commission.  Quadriad also did something virtually unheard of among developers--it pledged to respect the Community Board's non-binding vote on the proposed applications.  To sweeten the deal, however, Quadriad also pledged a variety of subway, park and streetscape improvements if the project goes forward.   It has also pledged to dedicate a substantial portion of the rental units in the four towers to "middle-income families," which includes families that earn between 60 and 180% of the City's median income.

Since then, Quadriad has pitched its proposal at various meetings of the Community Board and its committees.  The community's response has ranged from ambivalent to hostile.  The four towers are simply too tall for many neighbors.  Notably, however, the current zoning would still permit Quadriad to build at least one very large tower over the 190th Street stop of the 1 train, albeit half as tall of the three towers that require zoning changes or special permits.  

Community Board 12 may vote on the project at its September 27 meeting at the Millstein Family Heart Center at 173 Fort Washington Avenue (between 165th and 166th Streets).  If the project is on the agenda, this is the best chance to make your voice heard.

One reader points out that opponents have an online petition against the project (Thanks for pointing this out Amy.)  For information about the project's four towers, check out http://www.quadriad.com/.  And for some sharp-tongued commentary, check out Curbed, New York City's real estate gossip site.

This blogger has had mixed feelings about the project since the start.  On the one hand, there is definitely a need for new housing uptown and I don't see anything wrong with market-rate apartments.  On the other hand, these towers are completely out-of-scale with our community.

Perhap the real deciding factor for me, however, is that these would be rental buildings.  I have absolutely no faith in owners of rental buildings to maintain these towers in first-class condition in the long term (see, e.g., Bridge Towers above).

So, I wish Quadriad good luck in developing these sites and give the company great credit for choosing Northern Manhattan for its next development project.  There is clearly a need for new housing, particularly family-sized housing.  But the current project is simply too big and too risky for Hudson Heights.  

-C. Rizzo

Hudson Heights Census

The U.S. Census Bureau began releasing results from the 2010 census earlier this year.  Hudson Heights is not an official neighborhood, so nobody has crunched the numbers on who lives here...until now.

Here is the Gazette's unofficial analysis of our neighborhood, which we have liberally defined as the area bounded by the Hudson River, Fort Tryon Park, Broadway and Interstate 95.   Population:  22,355; Demographics:  54% Caucasian Non-Hispanic; 35% Hispanic; 7% African American; 4% Asian.

This information is interesting but not particularly useful in deciding what kinds of improvements Hudson Heights might need--which is an important purpose of the census.

The more interesting figure from the census is the age of residents.  While I did not crunch those numbers in detail, I did some random comparisons between Hudson Heights and other middle- and upper-middle income neighborhoods in New York City.  The trend is clear; this neighborhood has a much higher percentage of residents under eighteen than other areas of Manhattan.  For example, on one block on Overlook Terrace, the percentage of young people is 20%.  On a few randomly selected blocks on the Upper West Side, that percentage is 9%.   Anyone who has walked through a local park recently will intuitively know this is true; there are lots of kids here.

These figures explain the extraordinary competition in Hudson Heights for family-sized apartments.  And they suggest that developers brave enough to build a new co-op or condo building with family-sized units will do quite well.

April 6, More on Quadriad's Towers

Community Board Twelve's land-use committee is meeting on April 6 at 7 p.m. to hear more from Quadriad Realty, which has proposed four new towers at 190th and Broadway.  The meeting will be held at the YMHA on Nagle Avenue.  See our January 12, 2011 article about the controversial project for more information.

Update:  Henry Wollman  of Quadriad presented his ideas for mixed-income towers that would require discretionary city approvals.  He also presented some designs for an as-of-right building east of Broadway that would only include market-rate rental units; this building would not require city approvals.

 Hudson Heights Gazette will be posting an article shortly on the proposals and the developer's track record from Brooklyn.  In the meantime, we've taken down the blog entry that expressed "qualified support" for the project.  It was clear from the April 6 meeting that the four new towers would be jarringly out-of-scale with the rest of the neighborhood.  Even the as-of-right building would be completely out-of-scale, raising questions about whether the zoning on Broadway should be amended to limit heights.

4469 Broadway

The new rental building at 4469 Broadway is starting to look like its architectural rendering (Hugo S. Subotovsky AIA Architects, LLC), see the rendering and recent photo below.  Simone Song Realty intends to begin showing apartments in April 2011.  I like the character, design and scale of this building.  Let's hope more developers propose market-rate rental buildings like this on Broadway as the real estate market recovers.