Scott LynchGood morning, East Village.
51 Astor will feature a “black-and-white granite lobby anchored by a 14-foot-tall red rabbit sculpture by Jeff Koons. Three storefronts will wrap around the ground floor, one of which will house a bank, Mr. Minskoff said. A school will occupy a second-floor space. And there will be a public plaza at Astor Place and Third Avenue.” [NY Times]
The operators of the Soho House “have decided to take some more time for community outreach before moving forward with their Lower East Side expansion plan, so the liquor application has been withdrawn, for now.” [The Lo-Down]
Grant Stoddard visits Bowery Bliss, the new swingers club on the Bowery: “A half dozen more people inhabited the lounge now; the new arrivals were on the older side. We’d barely taken our seats by the fireplace when two more guys in their forties swooped in. One, Marcel, was French but lived in Boston, from whence he’d driven down to ‘party.'” [Timeout]
Speaking of the Bowery, preservation efforts are ramping up: “After years of seeking, and failing, to get city landmark status for even small, largely intact, stretches of the Bowery, the groups have recently intensified efforts to convince City Planning to create an overlay zoning district that would cap building height on the eastern side of the street to 85 feet, reflecting zoning restrictions that are already in place on the western side of the street.” [NY Observer]
The Department of Buildings sided with 133 Third Avenue in its dispute with N.Y.U. The university had sued the builders a few months ago when an error during construction saw concrete pouring through the walls of 129 Third Avenue, an N.Y.U. dorm. But 133 has received a full building permit from the buildings department. [Curbed]
Lafayette, the upcoming French restaurant north of Houston, will start taking reservations as early as April 15. Meanwhile, windows still remain covered. [Eater NY]
Over the weekend, two political candidates for the Lower East Side in the City Council tried to influence the opinions of members of an important political club, Coalition for a District Alternative. Margaret Chin, the incumbent, and Jenifer Rajkumar are vying for a seat on the City Council. [The Lo-Down]
A list of New York City’s most iconic sandwiches gives the top three slots to eateries in the East Village and Lower East Side. Top honors go to the pastrami sandwich at Katz’s, followed by the pork buns at Momofuko, and the falafel sandwich at Mamoun’s. [Eater NY]
Months after Hurricane Sandy, DeVine Intervention is finally here. Union Square Hospitality Group is holding a wine auction to benefit victims of Sandy. The auction is now live. [Eater NY]
Snack Dragon, the taco shop in the Lower East Side, has now opened another outlet in Williamsburg. [Eater NY]
New Museum will host a walking tour, “The Bowery: How it Got There and Where It’s Going.” [New Museum]
“Acclaimed chef Wylie Dufresne opens his highly anticipated restaurant, Alder (aldernyc.com), Thursday. For his 56-seat East Village spot, Dufresne will put a modern twist on traditional tavern fare such as pigs-in-a-blanket made with Chinese sausage and chicken liver toast. [NYDN]
