Tavern on the Green Demise

[Foofoogal]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091230/ap_on_bi_ge/us_tavern_on_the_green

Just awful.

 

[Tomasso]

At least the city ain't gonna tear it down like they did the Central Park Casino, back in the day. Now that was a swanky joint.

 

[dhermann1]

The destruction of the Casino was a personal vendetta between Robert Moses and Jimmy Walker, the then mayor. You can still go to the spot where it stood: the foundation and driveway are still visible near 5th Ave. You can easily visualize what a cool place it must have been.
As far as Tavern on the Green is concerned, I've had a number of very pleasant experiences there. But I'm not losing any sleep over this particular transition. The building will still stand, and an equally snazzy place will be created. Everything they say about it having mediocre food and being a tourist trap is true. Plus a number of years ago there was a big kerfuffle (great word, thanks Fletch) over their treatment of employees. They were basically treating them as slaves, from what I read. May not have been the present owners. Anyway, we'll see what happens.
Another place every bit as fabulous that recently closed is Cafe des Artistes, on West 67th. It may be a while before that magnificent place opens its doors again.

 

[Bustercat]

Sad it has to go, but seems fitting... it was born in a depression, and will die in one.