Trading China for Spain

Rock venue Irving Plaza is set to go quiet this summer for an eight-month renovation. The 150-year-old venue hosts its last scheduled show for the year on June 30—headlined by tropical band Guaco—before shutting down for work that is scheduled to last until next spring.

Live Nation, the concert hall’s operator, announced the planned renovations this week along with the Polish Army Veterans Association, which has owned the building since 1948.

The 3,300-square-foot hall was converted from a Polish-American community center into a concert venue in 1978. Since then, Irving Plaza’s marquee has listed big-name artists including Bob Dylan, the Foo Fighters, Radiohead and the Talking Heads. Paul McCartney played a surprise show there to a capacity crowd of about 1,000 on Valentine’s Day in 2015.

But, as some Yelp reviews document, concertgoers have complained about the venue’s narrow interior and a layout that makes it difficult to buy a drink or use the restroom without missing segments of the show.

Live Nation is promising that the venue will reopen with a revamped lobby, new bars, a downstairs VIP lounge and a remodeled mezzanine with a new configuration for box seats. A Live Nation spokesman said four new bathrooms are on the way as well.

Imagine a 538-foot tall condo at 5 West 13th St., and imagine it holding just 36 units (three units less than our co-op). Well, it’s very likely to happen.

7:00 AM    Morning Running Club with Paragon Sports (Fitness)
7:00 AM    Boot Camp with Circuit of Change (Fitness)
8:00 AM    Yoga with Jivamukti (Fitness)
10:00 AM  Yoga StoryTime with Karma Kids (Kids)
11:00 AM  Hot Peas ‘n Butter (Kids)
12:00 PM  New School Jazz (Music)
5:00 PM    Performance by Peridance Contemporary Dance Company (Music)
6:00 PM    Club Dance with Peridance (Dance)

Trees are arriving and are being planted at the north end of the park. Click here for all the details.

More than 100 booths fill Union Square Park for its annual Holiday Market. You’ll find plenty of affordable, quality items, as well as coupons for local businesses at the information booth. Your wallet will thank you. Update: The Union Square Holiday Market will be open November 16–December 24, 2024; find more NYC holiday content here.

Next week (November 4th to November 8th ), material and equipment deliveries and installation work will continue on the academic floors inside the building.

The following week (November 11th to November 15th), material and equipment deliveries and installation work will continue on academic floors.

This weekend the site will be open on Saturday and Sunday, November 2nd and 3rd for interior activities between the work hours of 7AM and 5PM as permitted by the City.