Where Have You Gone, George Gershwin?

The above nondescript line of storefronts is all that's left of Tin Pan Alley, the songwriting mecca of the early 20th century which was concentrated on W. 28th Street between Broadway and Sixth Avenue. They tell me there's a plaque on the block somewhere commemorating its history, but I can't find it. Otherwise, there's no indication of the mind-bending amount of cultural history that was made on this small stretch of street.

Given the number of songs rattling around in our collective memory that were hatched here and the great musical careers that were born on this strip of street, it's neglect by the City is one of monumental proportions. "After the Ball," "Sidewalks of New York," "A Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight," "Hello My Baby," "Only a Bird in a Gilded Cage," "Bill Bailey, Won't You Come Home," "Down By the Old Mill Stream," "Give Me Regards to Broadway," "K-K-K-Katy," "The Darktown Strutter's Ball," "In the Good Old Summertime," "Peg o' My Heart" and hundreds more—all written here. I don't know about you—and I don't know what it says about me—by I know a good chunk of all those songs by heart.

That the ramshackle assortment of buildings have survived at all is some sort of miracle, I guess. It's easy to look at these structures, with their stairs leading up to windowed, second-story storefronts, and imagine Irving Berlin trotting up a flight to try and sell another ditty. The stairway to the right of the blue awning above was once Shapiro, Bernstein & Company, a leading music publisher, and later on the Jerome Remick Music Co., another biggie. Remick's main claim to fame was that teenage George Gershwin worked there as a song plugger—that is, he played songs for potential buyers.
Gershwin met Irving Caesar here. Together they wrote "Swanee," Gershwin's first hit and the man's career was made.

At 49, below, was M. Witmark & Songs, which was responsible for hundreds of hit songs. Later is was Paul Dresser Publishing Co. Across the street was Leo Fiest ("You can't go wrong with a Fiest song.") Ought to be a small City museum on this block somewhere.

Rat-Squirrel House Lady Disappoints DOB

Fate wants me to report on the Rat-Squirrel House of Kane Street, Cobble Hill, because everytime I walk by there something official is happening.

The sorry-looking redbrick building, which was spray-painted and roped off by the fire department yesterday, received a visit from the Department of Building today. (Two guys wearing official DOB jackets—cool!) They were armed with a digital camera and ready to inspect. (See them above.) But the derelict lady landlord who reportedly lives inside the ruin wasn't answering the door. Ready for questioning, however, was a furry squirrel, who climbed out of the garden level window to greet the DOB men. (And it was a squirrel this time, no doubt. Fuzzy tail and all.) Today's snow will no doubt speed along the building's demise. Stay tuned.

A Good Sign: La-Rosa Cubana Cigars

Signs, actually. Count how many times they say "Hand made cigars."

The wonderful La-Rosa has been in a second floor space on Sixth Avenue near 31st since 1958. Most of their ciggies are made with Dominican leaf. I'm guessing the store got its name (and keeps it) because it began when relations between the U.S. and Cuba were still cordial.

To me this window-front is pure New York and what the City should look like. Take note, Bloomie. Subways and Cemusa do not look like New York.

Flatiron in the Snow

Just thought I'd get all Stieglitz on you.

Some Stuff That's Interesting, and Some That's About Pizza

There's hope for St. Savior's in Maspeth.

Ancient Carroll Gardens bar P.J. Hanley's may soon serve ancient food of Italy.

The facade of 211 Pearl Street just doesn't look happy.

Developer Billy Stein gave 360 Smith architect Robert Scarano the heave-ho. Now, how do we give Billy Stein the heave-ho?

Di Fara slices are up to $4 and I don't care. They charge $3.50 for the crap as Sbarro's, don't they?

It's Snowing

Holy moly, it's snowing. My head was so bent over work all day, that I didn't even notice until the wife called and told me. Looks like it will be a decent fall. The great snow-drought of 2008 is over.

Stop Me Before I Predict Again!

We over here at Lost City are feeling a little wigged out right now. Our intention with this blog was always to cry out against the real and potential losses of crucial aspects and addresses of the New York City landscape. But we never intended to become some kind of Cassandra, predicting cultural deaths before they occur.

But that's what seems to be happening. Last year, I wondered aloud how long an antiquated business like G&D Television Repair could last. By December it has closed. In December, I warned that St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Woodside, Queens, ought to be landmarked before it fell to ruin. A few days later, it was gutted by a horrible fire. Also in December, I remarked that the landmark-district building 149 Kane Street was in such poor shape it was in danger of falling down. Yesterday, it all but did, and is on the verge of being condemned.

It's enough to give a guy a blogging block. But, wait, maybe I can use my new powers for good! Worth a try. Let's see...I have a strong feeling that, if nobody does anything the prevent it, Chumley's in danger of reopening by the end of the week.

D-Day for Queens Landmarks

Does Queens matter?

The city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission will decide today. It is expected to vote this afternoon of two buildings up for landmark status: Congregation Tifereth Israel in Queens, and the Jamaica Savings Bank building. City Room suggests both will make the grade. If so, good. If not, it will send a pretty clear message that no buildings in Queens are worth preserving and that the political machine controls all real estate issues out there.

UPDATE (6 PM): Both made the cut! Yeah!

Is This the End of Rat-Squirrel House?

As much as I am disinclined to revisit the rat-squirrel controversy of the decrepit heap that is 149 Kane Street in Cobble Hill, I must report this momentous news.

The red-brick disaster—a landmarked building so poorly kept by its whacked owner that the stoop is crumbling, the roof leaks, the cornice sags and half the windows are boarded up—may be a-comin' down. Walking down Henry Street at 4:30 PM today, I saw a gathering of fire engines by 149. Upon closer inspection, I saw the sidewalk in front of the slum to be cordoned off and a big "X" and "RO" spraypainted on the facade. Looking up, the facade was more droopy than I remember. "RO," I soon learned, stood for "Roof Open."

A number of neighbors were gathered on the sidewalk heatedly discussing the recent events. From what I could gather, a considerable part of the roof had come showering down, spurring the arrival of the authorities. An inspection of the house—in which the owner still dwells!—revealed alarming conditions. A local landlord said a protective shed, which would cover up the facade, was on its way, as well as a building inspector, who would determine if the structure was a danger to the public. (Duh.) If it couldn't be repaired, it would have to come down. This worried the landlord, because he had been told that, if the address was torn down, it would take one or two buildings with it. That's up to three landmarked, century-old buildings, all gone due to some old lady's carelessness.

The Department of Building, pretty swifty when it comes to computer records, has already recorded its finding: "STRUCTURAL DAMAGE AT THIS ABOVE LOCATION. PORTION OF THE BUILDING IS CONSTANTLY FALLING OFF THIS BUILDING. ROOF IS CAVING IN, ETC... BUILDING SHAKING/VIBRATING/STRUCT STABILITY AFFECTED."

Asking around the neighborhood in the past few weeks, I was shocked to learn the owner of the residence, Arlene Karlsen, was not an absent landlord, but actually lived inside, with the rat-squirrels and everything. She also owns a brownstone on Henry Street, in equally bad shape.

Well Said

I usually don't pull out comments, but this observation, by one "baha" in response to the post on Fazil's Times Square Studio, was so well put and to the point, I didn't want anybody to miss it:

The city in which I was born, as were many generations of my family before me, is dead. I mourn it every day. It was working class, middle class, and, indeed, upper class, living in this city together. Now only the upper-ultra-luxe class, or whatever they call themselves, are welcomed by Mayor Boston Business Man. May he rot in hell for destroying MY city. Do you remember the sign saga? An old law decreed that all NYC store signs had to be one foot tall, and include only name and address. Bloomie decided to enforce it. Walk along East Sixth Street sometime, and see what he's done by enforcing that law. It was rolled back in a week or two, but it destroyed that block, due to two thousand dollar fines. Those restaurants couldn't afford the fines, nor the new signs. He has no feel for this city. Go home Bloomie, to the Bahamas, or wherever you're spending the weekends these days.