By Scott Etkin and Lisa Kava
La Caridad, the popular Cuban-Chinese restaurant that closed after 52 years on Broadway and 78th Street in July 2020, is reopening at 130 West 72nd between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues. There used to be dozens of Cuban-Chinese restaurants in the city, according to Eater, when people migrated to the United States from Cuba following the rise of Fidel Castro in the 1950s, but only a few remain. At La Caridad, “the Cuban side of the menu was fairly classic, and the Chinese-American items were dominated by lo mein and chop suey,” wrote The New York Times. The space used to be Friedman’s, which last year moved one block east along 72nd Street closer to Central Park. La Caridad means “charity” – Our Lady of Charity is a popular saint in Cuba. (Thanks to Christopher for the tip.)
3 Times, a Chinese restaurant known for its soup dumplings, is opening at 964 Amsterdam between 107th and 108th Streets. The large menu includes noodle dishes, fried rice, and other dim sum options. The space used to be La Piccola Cucina, an Italian restaurant. 3 Times has a few other locations downtown and in Brooklyn.
Forever Coffee at 2263 Broadway (81st Street) has closed for renovation and will reopen under new ownership with a new name and menu. Forever Coffee opened at this address last year. Its original location is further uptown at 181st Street and remains open as usual. (Thanks to Jackie for the tip.)
Playa Bowls, the açaí bowl chain, is opening on 72nd Street between Columbus and Amsterdam, replacing the urgent care center ClearMD. Playa Bowls, which was founded in 2014 on the Jersey Shore, now has more than 150 franchises across the country. There are two Playa Bowls already on the UWS at West 84th Street and West 110th Street. (Thanks to Shira and Dara for the tips.)
Douglas Elliman, the real estate company, has closed its gallery at 2142 Broadway between 75th and 76th Streets. One of the biggest brokers in New York, Douglass Eliiman has two dozen offices in the city, including two on the UWS. The agency has more than 6,600 agents across 115 offices, primarily in the Northeast as well as other major markets, such as California, Texas, Colorado, and Florida.
Westside Deli & Convenience and 9th Barber Shop have signage up next to each other on Amsterdam between 109th and 110th Streets. They replace the deli and unisex salon that were there previously.
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Looks like the AT&T store between on 77th and Broadway is closed. I noticed a for rent sign in the window.
Can you see if anything has been decided about the space that used to be Laytners? Looks like Zabars might do something with it but, it is in a transitory state.
Welcome back La Caridad! Cuban-Chinese is UWS soul food. Looking forward a bowl of hot & sour soup with a heaping plate of ropa vieja.
I’m THRILLED! I loved La Caridad! Everything about it was good, so I won’t specify…. YAY!!!
My children who lived in SF with their father … Would visit me in NYC and their favorite restaurant near us on the UWS was always La Caridad!! They still refer to it with so much affection! They’ll be happy it’s opened again!! Cheers!
Anyone else remember the ‘original’ [before expansion] Caridad at 78th as a small space on the corner with 4-5 tables and a counter to sit at?
Absolutely! The food was delicious! Meanwhile there’s a Chinese restaurant that moved there a couple of years ago.. Everyone thought it might belong to the owners of the former La Caridad.. It didn’t!
“Caridad” is a name common to many Latin American restaurants in and around New York City. Can you confirm that the owners, management, or kitchen staff at La Caridad 72nd are the same as at the former La Caridad 78? Or is it possible that the owners of the new restaurants are simply capitalizing on the fame of the old one?
The answer will become evident within the first week of its opening.
I heard it will have the same cook but owners are different.
Same owners
How were you able to confirm that they are the same owners? Thank you!
We still have commercial spaces available on the west side of Broadway between West 60th Street and West 62 where Melissa’s Deli was forced to close. Sephora opened and the NYIT Theatre is still not rebuilt from the water main break of 2020; but there is still commercial space not rented. We could really use an artisanal food shop like Murray’s Cheeses or Zabar’s or Eli’s or something, which would be fantastic. What we don’t need is more big, box store, shopping mall retail.
What we do need is Barnes and Noble back.
At this point, we need any tenant that is not selling drugs illegally or otherwise causing a health or safety issue. A “big box store “ like Target or a “shopping mall retail” store like Old Navy is without question better than a vacant store. Westsiders can’t complain about people hanging out, drinking or doing drugs, asking for money, or sleeping in vacant storefronts. and find something like an artisanal food store the only kind of acceptable tenant.
Does anyone know what is being planned for the area being demolished now at West 84 St and Broadway? Bunch of buildings on the East side of Broadway and extending 2/3 way up to Amsterdam is being demolished. What is planned to be built in this enormous space? Somehow I do not think it is affordable housing….
Once the “Borden’s Condensed Milk” building complex stretching from Broadway down 84th has seen various activity over years.
https://www.landmarkwest.org/theboulevard/2320-2326-broadway/
Fast forward to 1980’s the dairy was long gone and Rockrose development sought convert the Broadway property and former garage of Borden’s dairy (building with ornate façade on 215 West 84th) into luxury housing
https://www.nytimes.com/1984/03/30/business/about-real-estate-new-west-84th-st-rental-apartments.html
This was done and 215 West 84th became Eagle Court apartments.
Fast forward to 2010’s or so Naftali Group bought up 207-221 West 84th Street, assembling those lots for redevelopment into luxury housing. There was just one issue, one tenant refused to move out of Eagle Court and thus began a stand off between Naftali Group and Ahmet Nejat Ozsu that played out in the courts.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/16/realestate/tenant-protections-nyc-upper-west-side.html
https://nypost.com/2022/04/22/lone-holdout-tenant-is-blocking-this-70m-nyc-condo-tower/
https://www.alblawfirm.com/press-mentions/how-a-lone-tenant-is-holding-up-a-70-million-condo-deal/
Basically it was same old story often heard in NYC real estate news; one tenant (Ahmet Nejat Ozsu) was holding up a $70 million dollar development project by his refusal to move house.
Mr. Ozsu got lawyered up with one of the best: Adam Leitman Bailey and though details of why and how things came together by 2023 the former agreed to leave.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4S2we2IaDfw
Of course it is, after all someone will live there. Yes, it will not be housing for the poor, let’s not fall into the trap that was pointed out by George Orwell in Politics and the English language
Theyre tearing down the 4 buildings on 88th st and Amst where Mermaid Inn used to be. More luxury coming.
All that space to build just 45 luxury apartments. It’s insane.
OTOH project requires zero tax subsidies, during construction will generate tons of positive economic activity for state and city and other benefits.
Once building is complete property in question will also generate economic benefits (property taxes, wages paid to employees, etc…). Future residents via taxes paid (income, real estate, mortgage recording, etc…) and other spending will also generate income for state and city.
Again all this at no cost to NYC nor NYS rate payers so all and all sounds like a pretty good deal.
https://newyorkyimby.com/category/211-west-84th-street
I heard that Westville is coming to the former Artie’s space (the space that was used as a film set for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)!
That would be so exciting!!! Westville’s food is delicious and fresh!!!
Is Westville a restaurant?
I LOVE soup dumplings. Do you know when 3 Dumplings will open on UWS?
So La Caridad is opening across the street from the only other Cuban/chinses restaurant in the area La Dinastia
There is no comparison between the two. La Caridad was (will be?) far superior to La Dinastia. When La Caridad closed my husband and I were in yellow rice/black bean withdrawal and tried La Dinastia’s versions. We tried three times before we gave us. I am hopeful that the new La Caridad will have the same menu and the same people. It has been sorely missed.
I love the yellow rice and RED beans at El Malecon on Amsterdam between 97th and 98th.
Has there been any update on the HMart which is to open late summer? It was announced in March. It’s replacing the long gone Rite Aide on Broadway between 69th & 70th Streets? I live around the corner and it looks like nothing is going on.
I’ve been wondering about the HMart too. I’m really looking forward to having one in the neighborhood.
I wish it could take over the space of the long gone Duane Reade on Columbus and 75th. That corner has been vacant for years.
Forever Coffee, at Broadway and 81st, is now Juicy Jungle, a coffee spot with pastries and more.