When Did That Go?

I guess I knew the Broadway Inn had to go sometime—it was just too cheap and too small to survive in today's Times Square, and was part of a block that has been falling down address by address—but somehow I missed it's actual exit.

I walked by its location at the southeast corner of 46th and Eighth today and found the doorway boarded up. Looked like it had been that way for some time. The Broadway Inn was a small hotel used mainly by bargain-seeking tourists looking to see a few shows and lower tier theatre professionals. The rooms were small, but clean and inexpensive. The lobby, which was on the second floor, had a twee charm to it; the place was more like a bed and breakfast than anything.

The old eatery and bar JR's used to be part of the same building. On the 45th Street side of the block is where the low-rent restaurants Barrymore's and Sam's used to be. Rumors have been flying around for years that this end of the block is to be torn down so that another large hotel, possibly one with a theatre inside, might be erected. Something's up, that's for sure, because the businesses keep closing and nothing's coming in to replace them. The Shubert Organization is thought to be involved somehow, since they own or owned a number of the properties that now lay dormant. The whole thing's a big freakin' mystery that's sure to end badly.