Missing Louie Shoe Rebuilders

I am certain that nobody else in this athletic-shoe-loving world cares about this but me, but it's getting harder and harder for New York to get a shine on its shoes. I recently noted the disappearance of Star Shine off Times Square. There is no place to get a shoe shine in the Theatre District now. Grand Central has always been a hive of shoe shine stands; businessmen on the way to the office or important meetings have long been the clientele. But I noticed the other day that one of the long-standing shine joints—the one down the 45th Street Passage, I forget the name—had decamped.

Soon after, I passed down 32nd Street alongside the Empire State Building and was reminded that Louie Shoe Rebuilders—a longtime resident in the skyscraper—had left a couple years back, replaced by some anonymous food chain. One of the things that distinguishes New York from other cities—aside from the extensive subway system, and swarm of yellow cabs, the numerous food carts, the ubiquitous newsstands, the breakneck pace of the pedestrians—was that you could easily get a shoe shine, wherever you were (at least in Manhattan). This aspect is disappearing. Along with it, is yet another avenue in which a small businessman can get a leg up in this expensive town.

Some Stuff That's Interesting

Some good folks have launched the new Bloomberg Watch, the title of which site says it all. It's organizer is Neil Fabricant. Sez they: "We’ve just launched www.bloombergwatch.com to add our voice to those who feel that Michael Bloomberg’s term limits override and his ensuing candidacy represent a radical departure from and a challenge to the fundamental principles of democratic government: the rule of law and the consent of the governed. True, the city council had the legal power to do what it did, and there will be an election in November. The forms have been observed; that is why we use the word “challenge.” We see this election is a watershed moment in our political history; a teaching moment much like the 1975 fiscal crises or the election and administration of Barack Obama." They also plan to run a lot of juicy cartoons, like the Nast-like contribution above. (This is great news for me, since I'm standing by my pledge never to post a picture of Mike's nasty face again. But cartoons? Yes!)

Times Square when it wasn't full of people sitting on their asses in lawn chairs. [Greenwich Village Daily Photo]

The historic Tower Buildings (their real name, not Cobble Hill Towers) in Cobble Hill, built to serve working-class people, are going condo, putting them out of the reach of most working people. [Brownstoner]

The Empire State Building is going to get a super swanky cocktail lounge, The Empire Room. Could be great. Could be cheesy. [Eater]

Restless offers a fair analysis of the new monstrosities along the Bowery. (Guess how I feel about them?) [Restless]

Forgotten New York walks across five NYC bridges that cross the Harlem River. All I've got to say is "All Persons Must Leave When Draw Gong Sounds."

Does the Empire State Building Deserve This?

The Empire State Building, New York City's most famous building (the country's?), will soon be the home of the toddlin' town biggest Starbuck's, the New York Post reports.

I ask you, is this anyway to treat a landmark that has survived a plane crash, a huge gorilla and millions of tourists? The coffee monopoly will occupy a three-level space and a total of 8,400 square feet on the 34th Street side, the same area that was once blighted to TGI Friday's.

On a happier note, Landmarks Commission gave the go-ahead to plans to to restore and revitalize the Art Deco lobby. Architects Beyer Blinder Belle will oversee the project.