NYC Building Dept. Not Just Bad, But Also Anti-Good

The NYC Department of Building, not content with green-lighting scads of ugly super-developments and looking the other way while developers skirt zoning laws and knock down a landmark structure here and there, have started filled out their schedule throwing roadblocks in the way of people who independently try to preserve New York architectural culture.

The Daily News reports that the City bureaucracy has put the brakes of the plans of that nice Wyoming man who wants to cart the Moondance Diner off to the Equality State. Vincert Pierce bought the eatery, one of NYC's last free-standing diners, with the idea of bringing the thing to the small town of LaBarge, which badly needs an address at which to chow down on burgers and such.

The move has been put off for at least 24 hours, because, said a city Buildings Department spokesman, the dept. needs a "clarification" from the new owner "explaining how he plans to move the diner and demolish the foundation." (Definition: The rich guy who wants to develop the property called the City and asked them to put the squeeze on Mr. Wyoming, because he doesn't want to get stuck paying for the destruction of the foundation.)

"Disappointed - I don't know. It's frustrating," said Pierce. We know how you feel, Vince.