Closed: Scarpina

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.

Today Goathamist reports that the city has picked Simon Oren’s Chef Driven Market, LLC to run the restaurant in the pavilion in the northern tip of Union Square. The company currently runs the 5 Napkin Burger chain, as well as a string of other restaurants throughout the city.

The current plan is to run an all-day seasonal American restaurant that will utilize produce from the Union Square Greenmarket, from April through October. The operators also want to annex part of the space just north of the pavilion for outdoor seating and a bar area. The city has reportedly agreed to a 15 year deal with the company. This comes a few months after news broke that OV-Hospitality’s plans for a restaurant in the space called City Farm Cafe fell through.

Art supply store Sam Flax is closing its store at 11 West 19th St. There are big savings on things like high-end office furniture, all kinds of art supplies, stationery, and lots of picture frames. The sale will run through June.

A 5th Ave. welcome to Merci Market, which is opening just around the corner at 5th and 13th in a space formerly occupied by a series of trendy restaurants that ended with Danal. The neighborhood has lost four corner delis in the past ten years, so while this one may be pricier than the ones that have departed, at least it will be convenient.

Looking west on 13th St. at the corner of 5th Ave., 1915

Next week (January 23 to January 27), Superstructure work will continue at and 3rd, 4th and 5th floor levels. All sidewalk sheds around the site have been opened up.

The following week (January 30 to February 3), we will continue superstructure concrete and slabs on 4th and 5th floor levels.

This weekend the site will be open on Saturday, January 21st for superstructure related activities between the work hours of 7AM and 5PM as permitted by the City. To control noise levels within the site, work activities will be limited to the placement of formwork and concrete, plumbing and electrical work, rebar for concrete placement, using the crane and equipment to support all activities. Safety horns are used, and required by law, to coordinate lifting with the crane and to alert the workers of the danger overhead. We have directed the operators to limit the use of horns to one short sounding and to use the crane later in the day so as to avoid any excess noise.

In addition to the normal work this Saturday we will be installing the main auditorium trusses at the 3rd floor level. During the installation 13th St. will be closed as well as some lanes on 5th Ave. Pedestrian traffic will also be temporarily closed on the east side of 5th ave. for safety during the lifts.

Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns. Thank you.

Jane R. Crotty
Senior Vice President
George Arzt Communications, Inc.
123 William Street, 22nd Fl.
New York, NY 10038
T (212) 608-0333