Workers wrapped equipment in plastic and began tearing up parts of the building.
Workers have been stripping bricks and wood from the top of the building on the corner of 80th street and Broadway, apparently preparing for its imminent demolition, a reader with a view of the demolition told us today.
The reader sent in a photo and video of workers on the roof of the former Fox’s department store building. In addition to tearing apart parts of the roof, they covered other parts of the roof in plastic. It looks like the long-awaited demolition has begun, and before long we’ll be staring at a new 20-story residential tower.
Friedlands – its not too late to give the neighborhood that gave your family so much success a true quality and handsome building.
The Lestrand was a cheap mistake. Please do the right thing. I think you owe us.
Ironic that LPC can dictate so much only feet away in the “historic district” and anything (bad) goes in the same neighborhood. This site clearly has more effect on the whole area then the next to Lucerne site. Should we landmark all of the UWS ? i think not, but bad development and poor design makes me think otherwise.
please Friedlands.
Westside, let’s organize a campaign to force the developers put back the trees they uprooted. The block of Lastrand is the most depressing, ugliest block on the UWS. And one of the ugliest buildings. Yuck
Will they get to use the pool?
Will they get to use the gym? So many questions. So little answers.
Back in the 1960’s if was the site of one of the first Food City’s in Manhattan. The area in the late 1970’s changed and people were hitting Red Apple further north on 82/83 streets. Once Food City closed in the early 1980’s, the lots were broken into Price Wise and Fayva, the shoe store. Price Wise hung around until the late 1990’s when it relocated to 81 and B’way.
The past are fond memories, the future will be a nightmare with noise, debris being dumped into an already clogged sewer drain at the corner, crane taking up space, and loss of even more parking spaces for the residents of the UWS. There goes the sunlight!
I’m dreading the nightmare of demolition and then construction of the 20-story building– partly because my apt. looks out onto the roof of the current building (from the rear of a building on W. 79th), partly because of the major loss of light and air in the ‘hood, and mainly because Friedland seems to just build ugly, inappropriate monstrosities along Broadway with no consideration for the character of the UWS.
Does anyone know if the demolition will include 214 W 80th St., the Central Parking (old Apthorp Motor Car Co.) building? I’ve been told that it will, unfortunately; but guys at the parking garage said no.
During demolition they will likely find several cases of canned goods and boxes of cereal accidentally left behind when Food City vacated in the early 80’s. The expiration dates on those items will likely match those of food removed from their 94th street location that closed last year.
Formerly Woolworth’s and before that, a gift emporium back in the 1920s or so.
The Woolworth’s was on the south corner, at 79th Street, not on this site. The pool hall was over Woolworth’s. If I recall correctly, the rug store was, indeed, over the Food City where Filene’s and then Fox’s were.
The Woolworth’s space was later a Toys ‘R Us for awhile.
Actually, it was Kiddie City Toys until 1993, before Filene’s moved in.
Good call Cato, get them straight on this. Rug Warehouse was the business above Food City and Price Wise.
The pool hall was called “Guys & Dolls” and it was over Woolworth’s, which was on the NE corner of 79th and B’way.
Just to be clear, its Zales and Fox’s being demolished (for now).
Yes, I remember the Woolworth’s and then above it, I think it was a pool hall and then a rug store, right?
I’d forgotten about the rug store.
Yup!
Not so awful to have a new building i guess… Just please take care of the shattered info structure and the overused dirty subway. Not sure how many cars we need in the City? It’s all a mess.
Is that the building with the Banksy on the side??? What will happen to that???