Certified Open: Agata and Valentina

Now open in the former D’Agostino’s location is Agata and Velentina, a high-end grocery store with an Italian flair. Lots of meats, cheeses, and prepared foods. Prices sort of on a par with Garden of Eden. One gripe: the store layout forces you to follow a single path and the result can be crowding and claustrophobia at certain times of the day. Try it out.

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    Manhattan-based fans the of Indian culinary institution Jackson Diner will once again have to hop the subway to Queens to get their fix. The University Place outpost, which opened in 2010 with its primo cheap eats lunch buffet, closed this weekend, and it won’t be returning. Owner Manjit Singh told DNAinfo that the restaurant’s lease had expired and that the landlord planned to raise the rent to an unspecified amount. Already paying $25,000 a month, Singh decided it was best to leave. This morning, a sign with the name of the closest Indian Restaurant — Curry Kitchen on 8th Street — was posted outside the restaurant. No word yet on who will take over the space.

  • Restaurant Gossip

    Spice Cafe, the Thai place at 10th and Unversity, is moving on Dec. 29 to 39 East 13th St. That’s weird because that’s the current location of Tong. Is the brand new Tong going out of business already?

    In other news, Tokyo Lamen on University is “closed for renovations” and promises to reopen as a higher-end noodle place, like the three or four other noodle hot spots that have opened recently in the East Village.

  • Opening and Closing

    Opening: A Steve Madden shoe boutique north of Union Square on Broadway, a new high-end Japanese restaurant at 13th and 3rd, and Tong Thai Brasserie right across University on 13th.

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  • Big Effort to Landmark Seven Nearby Buildings

    Check it out.

    The buildings feature various architectural styles and were home to garment manufacturers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. On September 25, 2018, the Landmarks Preservation Commission unanimously voted to add seven buildings to its calendar for consideration as individual landmarks. The buildings are located at 817 Broadway, 826 Broadway, 830 Broadway, 832 Broadway, 836 Broadway, 840 Broadway, and 841 Broadway. All of the buildings are south of Union Square in Manhattan. 

    The Landmarks Research Commission studied the area south of Union Square between 5th Avenue and 3rd Avenue, including where Broadway intersects the area, for historical preservation opportunities. The Landmarks Research Commission selected the seven buildings for their distinctive, intact architectural features and the importance of the buildings in Broadway’s history. The buildings were built between 1876 and 1902, a period where this area south of Union Square experienced rapid commercial development from a growing garment industry. Many of these buildings highlight innovative construction methods for this time, including the use of steel frames, electricity, and elevators. Of the seven buildings, five were built in the Renaissance Revival style.