The Paper of Record for East and West Villages, Lower East Side, Soho, Noho, Little Italy and Chinatown
September 4, 2014 • FREE Volume 4 • Number 21
Cooper protest continues as new tuition kicks in, new security comes on BY ZACH WILLIAMS
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TUITION, continued on p. 13
Katz’s reportedly sells its development rights, but deli will be staying BY GERARD FLYNN
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ecent news reports and rumors that a developer will be hoisting luxury condominiums atop Katz’s on the corner of Houston and Ludlow Sts. aren’t true, Jake Dell, the famed deli’s owner, told The Villager this week.
“The look, the feel” of Katz’s, now in its 126th year, will stay the same, Dell said. He did confirm, however, that he had made a deal to sell “air rights,” also known as development rights, to a developer, whom he declined to identify. But an agent from KATZ’S, continued on p. 6
PHOTO BY TEQUILA MINSKY
tudents began the new semester at The Cooper Union on Tues., Aug. 2, with a reminder outside of the school’s Engineering Building that the fight to keep the 155-year-old college tuition-free continues. The Committee to Save
Cooper Union deployed a table, signs, pamphlets, a top-notch P.R. representative and plenty of vitriol toward the school’s administrators and board of trustees. I nc om i ng f r e s h me n , though, were their overall target as the group comprised of alumni, students
Governor Cuomo, left, marched on Eastern Parkway Monday with Mayor de Blasio, Chirlane McCray and their children, Dante and Chiara, at the West Indian Day Parade. His challenger Zephyr Teachout was also there. See page 20.
Dorm plans O.K.’d for former CHARAS; Mendez vows to fight BY LINCOLN ANDERSON
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ast November, Gregg Singer, the owner of the former CHARAS/El Bohio building, assured The Villager he would eventually get the city’s O.K. to convert the interior of the landmarked, old former school into a college dormitory. Singer had gutted the space, but then the work ground to a halt. “Just waiting for approv-
als,” he calmly said back then. “You know — it just takes time.” On Aug. 14, the Department of Buildings approved Singer’s plan application to “build out” the University House dorm inside the old P.S. 64, at 605 E. Ninth St. However, while permits are now likely to follow, they still have not been issued to allow work to start. “University House is an exciting new state-of-theart college living experience
with a grand opening for the 2016/17 school year in the heart of the East Village,” reads a description on the project’s Web site (www. university-house.info/project_info.html). “The redevelopment and historic restoration of this century-old landmark, a former New York City elementary school, will be transformed into a modern, amenity-rich home deDORM PLAN, continued on p. 12
They’re getting TUFF for L.E.S........................page 4 Rebecca Lepkoff in words & photos..............page 8 Accordionist is in tune with it all.....................page 14 Nico: Underground ......................page 19 | May 14, 2014
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