Two weeks ago, we had a sneak peek of the rendering for the spiffy new Slipper Room, courtesy of a small banner onsite. But that wasn’t enough of an advertisement. Oh, no! Now there is an enormous signboard of same sitting atop the sidewalk shed.

Behind the tightly-locked plywood, meanwhile, demolition of 167 Orchard Street is nearing completion. Much of the rubble has already been carted to the sidewalk dumpster.  However, for the time being, there are still remnants of the old one-story structure.  For instance, parts of the checkered floor and even one of the velvety windows remain.

Big Red is on its way to 257 Bowery.  Indeed, it appears preparations are now underway for the ambitious new elevator inside the Sperone Westwater Gallery.  A bare-bones platform was just installed behind the towering frosted glass, and has occupied different levels of the structure at various intervals.

The lift is a focal point of the overall design, and was conceived as more than just passenger transport within the gallery.  It will itself become a flamboyant movable exhibition space.  Last year, the New York Times reported that the 12-by-20-foot elevator car will have an eye-popping maximum capacity of 240 people, and will be painted “Ferrari red.”

[Photo Credit: Curbed]

More on the elevator from the architect Norman Foster’s website:

The centerpiece of the concept is a 12 x 20-foot moving room that connects the five floors where works of art will be displayed. The room allows visitors to move gradually between levels and will be a prominent feature along the Bowery, visible from the street, its gentle pace contrasting with the fast-moving traffic. At any given floor, the exhibition space can be extended by parking the moving room as required, by the use of an additional elevator and stairs which provide alternative access.

Other Business and Community Groups participating:

Green Mountain Energy
Le Salon D’Art
LES Ecology Center
NYC Fire Department

According to one worker in the store, Gotham Fine Yarn will not be relocating.  Owner Rebecca Lai is reportedly moving “overseas” sometime in mid-August, and is taking the business with her.  The quirky sub-level shop hearkened back to the area’s garment district heyday, and definitely catered to a niche crowd (Lai even taught lessons there).  Moreover, it was always a fun place to browse and shop for gifts.

It’s the field of choice for the annual Showdown in Chinatown, and there are always matches being played, from early morning to late at night. Later today, a marquee team from the English Premier League will allegedly be there. Wong Wong is reporting that Manchester City FC will make a surprise appearance on the field, ahead of their friendly with the Red Bulls on Sunday.

Here is the unconfirmed scoop:

We got word that Manchester City will be making an surprise appearance at the Nike Pitch at Sara D. Roosevelt Park on Chrystie and Rivington on Thursday, July 22nd. Not sure if it’ a training session or an Umbro promo event but we’ll be there……….in our Adebayor Arsenal jersey.

Considering all the building’s garbage ends up mere steps from the entrance, we are not looking forward to the smells here. The inevitable olfactory cocktail of street-baked trash and faux bread will be quite overwhelming.  But there is still time…

So, where in the neighborhood do you think Subway will open its next outpost?

Walk by the corner of Rivington and Ludlow Streets on any given day, and you will likely encounter an older gentleman who is surrounded by woodworking tools and random furniture in need of repair.  His name is Andres, and he is your trusty neighborhood handyman.  The guy to fix all of your busted worldly possessions, right there on an always-bustling sidewalk of Hell Square!

Andres has some sort of arrangement with the Felix Tailor Shop at 97 Rivington, occupying their cellar as base of operations.  During the warmer months, he organizes his wares on the steps to the lot formerly known as the First Roumanian-American Congregation Synagogue. Every day.  Neighborhood residents drop off all sorts of items for a quick repair job – dressers, chairs, bicycles, couches, etc.  And he sits on that staircase, chatting with the neighborhood and with his buddies from the tailor shop.  Some people walk by his sidewalk workshop and ask about prices, while others stop and say hello.  But most tend to sidle past without even flinching.  We walk into Felix for more background on the guy, and the tailor whistles him over; we begin talking.

Our conversation is brief. Speaking through a heavy accent, we immediately learn that Andres is an old-school wheeler-dealer. A hustler.  After some pleasantries and introductions, he tries to unload a cheap mirror.  ”That’s a good mirror, brand new back.  Thirty dollars,” he says.  We’re not interested.  ”Okay, for you, $25. The glass is all new. You see.”  We kindly decline the offer, and instead ask for a business card. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a card for George Upholstery, claiming it’s his son’s shop.  Scribbled on the flip-side in black ink is Andres’ own contact info.

Still intrigued, and now with a new lead, we head over to George Upholstery, the charming below-grade furniture fix-it shop at 153 Ridge Street. The proprietor for whom the store is named greets us at the entrance, and he recoils at the mention of Andres. “No, I don’t know why he keeps saying that he’s my father, Jesus Christ. I keep telling him not to say that. He talks shit like crazy.” We figure that the fib is a piggyback ploy for more business.  And George confirms our hunch when he reveals that Andres shows up once a week with upholstery gigs, “which he doesn’t know how to do.”

Their tenuous relationship notwithstanding, the respect is still there.  George admires how Andres is still out there on the street passionately fixing stuff at his age, yet wonders aloud why he doesn’t retire. He loves it too much: “I guess if he retired he’d drop dead.”

So next time you need your junk fixed, know that Andres is there, ready to haggle.

The apparent closure comes a couple months after Community Board 3 denied [PDF] their application for a wine and beer license.  The official website is still promoting grand opening deals from back in April.  Time stands still.  JC Hibachi first planted its flag at 198A Orchard Street back in early March.  The space was formerly occupied by Open the Sesame Noodle Bar.

Over the weekend, a number of folks were unloading splintered wood and rubble into twin dumpsters out front.  Peering into the open doorway, it was evident that some serious renovation is currently in the works.  One gentleman affiliated with the venture informed us that they are “knocking down some walls” and hope to have the space up and running after Labor Day. We’ll keep you posted.

Yesterday evening, Orchard Street denim boutique Self Edge hosted a wildly entertaining Rockabilly Hob Nob with great music and deep sales.  Wild Records recording artist Omar and the Stringpoppers flew out especially for the event (first time in NYC), and boy did they please.

It was good old fashioned rock ‘n’ roll, with plenty of back-beat, slap-bass, and guitar licks.  Roughly one hundred people jammed the street outside of 157 Orchard to watch the band blast through a forty-minute set.  And their songs had people riled up, even in the ninety-degree heat.  Hardcore fans danced up a storm, while more casual listeners bopped along with the beat.

Founded in 2001, the Stringpoppers are a revival outfit, effortlessly channeling the early greats in musical style and dress – Elvis, Gene Vincent, Carl Perkins, Chuck Berry, and Buddy Holly.

It should be noted that lead singer and acoustic guitarist Omar Romero popped the D string during the last song.