Earlier this week, we spoke with Chinatown banker Thomas Sung, the owner of the Loews Canal Theater (31 Canal Street), about his plans for the recently-landmarked building. Last year, Sung and CREATE, an arts organization in Chinatown, announced they were looking into the possibility of turning the long-shuttered theater into a Chinese cultural center.
After testifying before the Landmarks Preservation Commission in June, Sung told us a structural engineer had just finished evaluating the feasibility of building a 12 or 13 story residential tower over the 1920′s-era movie palace. In a phone conversation on Tuesday, he summed up the results of that study and talked about what’s next in the planning process.
Since the theater is a large open space with no columns, Sung said, the high rise would need to be supported by, perhaps, 10 large steel beams around the perimeter of the original building. It would be a complex engineering feat, he believes, and an expensive proposition. There’s also the question of stability: engineers would, of course, want to be absolutely certain the structure could support the new building and not endanger the historic theater below. Continue reading Owner of Loews Canal Theater Discusses Plans
Liberal groups hoping to narrow the “enthusiasm gap” with the Tea Party and other conservative organizations before Election Day are mobilizing for a big rally in Washington D.C. on Saturday. Donna Elleby, president of CoDA (Coalition for a District Alternative), asked us to pass along the following:
Seats are available on a bus leaving from Avenue A and East 7th St at 6AM on Saturday, October 2nd, 2010 for Washington, DC. The cost is $10 but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. One Nation Working Together is a broad coalition of movements for peace and justice that is coming together to march for: Jobs and Sustainable Economic Recovery, Funding of Community Needs Not Militarism, Civil Rights and a Renewable Energy Future. Please email: ted8717@gmail or call CODA 212-777-9404 and leave your name and contact info to reserve a seat.
Downtown performance artist Joey Arias will be at the Abrons Arts Center this weekend and next in his first New York City concert appearance in nearly a decade. Arias, who recently spent six years as the host of Cirque du Soleil’s Zumanity is teaming up with jazz musician Ben Allison for the concert. CityArts has a nice article on the performers and the upcoming show here. $25 // Oct. 1,2,8,9 // 8pm // 466 Grand Street.
Comedienne, author, media maven and LGBT activist Kate Clinton will be at Dixon Place with her latest one-woman show, Lady HaHa, for a three-night-only engagement starting tomorrow. The multi-faceted performer (and Huffington Post contributor) celebrated her 25th Anniversary of performing with a 50-city It’s Come To This! tour in 2006 and replaced Dick Cavett on Broadway as the Narrator of The Rocky Horror Show in 2001.Benefit performance Friday night – $200/$100, $30, $25 tickets Saturday and Sunday // 8pm Fri. and Sat., 6pm on Sunday // 161A Chrystie Street.
Our friends at The Living Theatre have asked us to pass along information about their upcoming Conservatory. They write: Eight time OBIE Award winner, Judith Malina, founder of the Living Theater teaches technique to the next generation. The legendary, multicultural and internationally renowned, Living Theatre launches a new Conservatory Program for actors for 2010-2011. Continue reading The Living Theatre Launches Conservatory Classes
Have you got a computer, a television or, maybe, a cell phone to unload? Luck would have it the Lower East Side Ecology Center and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver are sponsoring an e-recycling event on Sunday. You can drop off used electronics anytime between 10am and 4pm on Delancey Street, between Chrystie and Forsyth. They do not accept home appliances, like microwaves or refrigerators, and cannot take any electronics from businesses. Check out the list of accepted equipment after the jump: Continue reading Electronics Recycling Sunday on Delancey Street
Tonight should be a fun night at the Nuyorican. They are presenting BOSS (Bunch of Solo Stuff) with new works by NY Times bestselling author Brad Meltzer, monologists Clay McLeod Chapman and Katie Northlich, and playwrights Laura Shaine and Daniel F. Levin, plus a speacial reading by Carlos Andrés Gómez. Hosted by Daniel Gallant. $7, $5 students // 6:30p // 236 East 3rd Street Between Ave B & C.
Political reporter Liz Benjamin quizzes Democratic Gubernatorial nominee Andrew Cuomo about his ability to work with Sheldon Silver, the powerful speaker of the New York State Assembly:
Most neckties worn at once via the World Record Appreciation Society
The World Record Appreciation Society is back at Joe’s Pub tomorrow night with some great guests out to set some pretty zany records. Joes’ Pub notes the event is “hosted by the Universal Record Database (URDB.org), a Web site The New Yorker says ‘is to the Guinness World Records as Wikipedia is to the Encyclopaedia Britannica.’ World records set at previous events have ranged from ‘Most Cocktail Umbrellas Fit In Hair In One Minute’ to ‘Tallest Drawing Of A Midget’ to ‘Most Bananas Fit In A Pair Of Pants At Once.’
Team Lucid NYC is heading to the 92YTribeca this evening for their monthly party featuring cutting edge presenters and performers who are out to do the world some good. This month’s show looks to be another enlightening experience. Continue reading Lucid NYC Party Heads to TriBeCa
Last night, Community Board 3 voted 23-13 (with one member abstaining) to approve a liquor license for La Flaca, a New Mexican restaurant replacing Two Boots Tavern at 384 Grand Street. This morning, we spoke with Daniela Libertini, who’s opening the cantina with her fiance, Bobby Gonzales. Daniela told us La Flaca will begin serving dinner a week from Monday, October 11th. In August, CB3′s SLA Committee approved the application, but the full board’s vote was necessary before a recommendation could be forwarded to the State Liquor Authority. About a half dozen residents of the Seward park Cooperative (located across the street from the restaurant) showed up last night to protest the decision. Continue reading CB3 Approves Liquor Permit for Grand St. New Mexican
A 67-year old man was rushed to Bellevue Hospital earlier today after an air conditioner came crashing from the 6th floor of a building on 2nd Avenue, falling on top of him. At around 8:30am, Tony Franzese was walking his dog, near 3rd Street, in front of the restaurant, Winebar. The air conditioning unit apparently hit an awning before bouncing off and striking Franzese. Channel 2 reported he suffered a head wound. A resident, Adrianna Grezak, shot video of the aftermath. An Eater tipster also appeared on the scene for the aftermath, but couldn’t get anyone to talk to him.
Earlier this week, we spoke with Chinatown banker Thomas Sung, the owner of the Loews Canal Theater (31 Canal Street), about his plans for the recently-landmarked building. Last year, Sung and CREATE, an arts organization in Chinatown, announced they were looking into the possibility of turning the long-shuttered theater into a Chinese cultural center.
