Thursday PM Linkage

· What gentrification? Two old Jews spotted on the Lower East Side [VNY]
· Trump Soho left off list of new buildings with 'abs' [Sun]
· Tishman Speyer's huge Gotham Center in LIC's Queens Plaza moves forward [TRD}
· Durst/Vornado say Condé Nast will rejoin their Hudson Yards bid [TRE]
· Williamsburg can't stop groping its sultry beer babes [Gothamist]
· Starck-designed Morgans Hotel closing up shop for $9 renovation [NYology]
· Greenpoint rumormongering: church properties to yield more fingers? [NYShitty]

CurbedWire: Glam on Amsterdam, Caledonia Lottery Update!

UPPER WEST SIDE—One glance at the rendering for Related's twin-towered The Harrison leads to a question: what the heck is that building in the middle? It's the Amsterdam Inn, a budget hotel between 76th and 77th Streets that also houses the Westside Brewing Co., the same establishment that was in the news recently regarding the destructive qualities of neighboring construction. A tipster writes: "The Amsterdam Inn wouldn’t sell out to Related. But rumor has it the Inn owner may actually go ahead and convert it into a real boutique hotel. West Side Brewery’s lease was up in February but they got extended to September. Not sure what happens then." A boutique hotel, just what this city needs! [CurbedWire Inbox]

CHELSEA/MEPA NORTH—An all Related CurbedWire! The rental portion of the developer's new Caledonia building, which is almost on top of the High Line, features one of the most anticipated affordable housing lotteries ever seen. Writes one entrant: "I got my wait list notification for Related's Caledonia housing lotto in the mail today. Very jealous of the people who will get these cheap apartments and those ahead of me on the list but, honestly, kind of happy with my very low wait list number." Careful where you do that yoga. [CurbedWire Inbox]

PriceSpotter Big Reveal: Zip It, Upper East Side!

Location: 12 East 64th Street
Asking: $2,150,000

When you strip away the context, sure, this apartment is—as a commeter said—"a walk-up one bedroom with no closet space, basically." But this is the classy Upper East Side, between Fifth and Mad, meaning the walk-up is in a townhouse, bearskin litters the floor, chairs get firmly planted in front of fireplaces and that den is a bedroom because they say so. To all those who guessed under $2 million, what, you thought they'd price it as a 1BR? Heck no, or as our anonymous correct guesser put it, "Not a one bedroom, not a two bedroom. A one-and-a-half bedroom. $1.2MM for a 1 bed room, $3.1MM for a two bedroom. So $2.15MM for a one-and-a-half bedroom." Can't argue with that logic.
· Listing: Exquisite Townhouse Residence [Sotheby's]
· Curbed PriceSpotter: Zip it, Upper East Side! [Curbed]

As Burg Power Plant Falls, A Vision of What It Could Be

The Power Plant on Kent Avenue in South Williamsburg is being demolished by Con Edison right now to the consternation of preservationists, but a readers sends the rendering above of what it might look like if saved. He writes:

I used to live near the old powerhouse on Kent Avenue that is being demolished by ConEd. I have been studying ways that this building could be re-used - as a cultural institution, library, housing, studios for local artisans, etc. It could also be adapted to allow community access to the waterfront.

The building was turned down for consideration by the Landmarks Commission and the utility says it can't find a buyer for the building because the cleanup would be too costly. (Asbestos is said to be baked into the walls.) So, after first denying it would be demolished, the building is coming down so the cleared land can be sold. There's sentiment in the community for using the land for affordable housing, but Con Ed is likely to sell it for luxe condo development. Historians were interested in photographing the interior to create a record of the building, but a Community Board 1 member told us they'd turned down the request, citing "safety concerns." Nice rendering, though.
· Kent Avenue Power Plant Coming Down or Being Spruced Up? [Curbed]

Drug Company Makes Feelings About East New York Known

"East New York ain't TriBeCa," the ANIMAL gang notes, "but is inferring that it's a TOILET appropriate?" Oh, the billboard is for an HIV drug with a "low risk of diarrhea," and it's not a commentary on East New York? Oh. Sorry, honest mistake.
· Maybe the Most Depressing Billboard You'll Ever See [ANIMAL]

Construction Watch: Hell's Kitchen Swimming Hole Closed

After megadeveloper Related's plan for a mixed-use development that included an 1,800-seat Cirque du Soleil theater didn't quite pan out (too Canadian), the huge vacant piece of land on West 42nd Street between Tenth and Dyer Avenues took on a new identity as the Hell's Kitchen swimming hole. But when Related announced that it had cleared the way for the rumored 60-story hotel/condo, we knew that the clock was ticking on the unofficial pool. Indeed, a Curbed tipster sent in the above photos of the site, where Related's worker bees are busy excavating and laying foundation. Related had said they would release details on the 440 West 42nd Street project "soon," and we're still waiting. Guys, how about a rendering? Or at least tell us what you did with two years' worth of rainwater!
· Swingin' Related Switches it Up in Hell's Kitchen [Curbed]
· Hell's Kitchen Swimming Hole Might Go Hotel [Curbed]

On the Racked: American Apparel in Hell, Muji Madness in Midtown, Soho Pottery Barn is Dead, More

And now the latest from Racked, covering retail from the sidewalks up.

[Photo courtesy of Femia]

1) Hell's Kitchen: American Apparel is this close to opening their store on Ninth Avenue between 43rd and 44th Streets.

2) Midtown: The The ginormous Muji that will be the Japanese chain's second US store and its New York flagship inside the new New York Times building on Eighth Avenue between 40th and 41st Streets is opening by the end of the month.

3) Soho: The Pottery Barn on Broadway below Houston is toast. Be afraid.

4) Tribeca: The Steve Alan sample sale has turned into a big deal. Racked has a photo gallery of the line, etc.