Mike Akerly, Esq. and Kate Akerly - Manhattan & Brooklyn Real Estate

By Kevin Korber of Village Confidential

Rudin Management has rejected a design proposed for a possible AIDS memorial at the site of the former St. Vincent’s Hospital, according to the New York Daily News. The proposed Village AIDS memorial design was selected by a celebrity panel that included actress Whoopi Goldberg.

The chosen design for the Village AIDS memorial, which comes courtesy of Brooklyn-based architecture firm Studio a+i, would be a tree garden surrounded by mirrors on all sides with a granite exterior. The firm called their design “Infinite Forest.” Visitors would have been encouraged to write the names of loved ones in the park, rather than having an engraved list of AIDS victims.

However, the proposed park sits on land owned by Rudin Management as part of the deal to convert the former St. Vincent’s Hospital site into condos and commercial space. The city has given Rudin permission to develop a park on the site, and the company politely rejected the proposed design, saying that they have their own plans for a Village AIDS memorial park with the aid of designer Rick Parisi.

DNAInfo posted some of Parisi’s designs on their website in September. The designs were not well received by some residents, who called Parisi’s work “generic.”

By Kevin Korber of Village Confidential

Back in September, we covered the demolition of 331 East 6th Street, an historic East Village townhouse that was in the confines of the proposed East Village historic district. Now, the New York Post reveals that the owner of the demolished East Village townhouse is none other than Friends star David Schwimmer.

After purchasing the building for $4.1 million in 2010, Schwimmer was reportedly informed by the Landmarks Preservation Committee that the East Village townhouse could have potentially been given landmark status. Despite this, the building was demolished by the end of the summer of 2011. Schwimmer is allegedly planning to build a six-story residence with a working elevator and roof terrace, according to plans filed with the city.

Locals were furious with the demolition of the historic building, and their ire turned to the actor after rumors circulated among the blogosphere that he was most recent owner. Contractor Charlett Hobart told the Post that “People who have been living here a long time don’t like new people coming in here and tearing down old buildings.”

Representatives for Schwimmer have refused to comment on the situation.

By Kevin Korber of Village Confidential

Despite words of protest from students and parents, the Department of Education has voted to phase out the Legacy School for Integrated Studies on 14^th Street, according to a DNAInfo report. The decision came after a 9-4 vote from a panel that included Schools Chancellor Denis Walcott.

Legacy had been in the DOE’s crosshairs for some time after receiving a “C” grade on its 2009-2010 DOE progress report and an “F” for the 2010-2011 school. Teachers had told the website InsideSchools.org that many of the students of the Greenwich Village high school were reading below their age level.

The decision to close the Greenwich Village high school comes after a concerted effort from students to save it. That effort drew attention citywide when Legacy students marched to Union Square and held a demonstration in support of saving the school on February 1^st.

The closing is part of a program undertaken by the DOE to close underperforming schools as according to the new accountability ratings instituted by the DOE under Mayor Bloomberg. The program has encountered resistance citywide from parents who feel that little is being done to help these schools to improve.

By Kevin Korber of Village Confidential

The new luxury development at the former St. Vincent’s Hospital is inching closer and closer to a reality. DNAInfo reports that City Planning has approved Rudin Management’s plans to convert the old hospital into luxury apartments and commercial space.

The decision to approve the rezoning of St. Vincent’s Hospital was unanimous, and the City Planning Commission did not ask for any changes in Rudin’s original plans. City Planning Commissioner Amanda Burden said in the decision that the current plan “successfully integrates new and historic buildings into a site plan that respects the existing built context of the neighborhood.”

The decision outrage Village residents, many of whom have expressed vehement opposition to the new development. Andrew Berman, president of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, told the press that it was “disappointing that they gave privileges intended for a hospital to luxury condos. It’s just wrong.”

The proposal has already received approval from Borough President Scott Stringer’s office despite being rejected by Community Board 2. A City Council vote is required before any construction can proceed on the buildings.

The vote did not affect plans to convert the O’Toole building into an emergency care center. Proposals to convert the St. Vincent’s triangle into an AIDS memorial were also undiscussed.

By Kevin Korber of Village Confidential

New York’s record collectors were shocked upon finding out that Bleecker Bob’s, the venerable Village record store that has been a neighborhood fixture for almost 45 years, would be leaving their West 3^rd Street location in April. The news broke on several blogs this weekend, along with a false rumor that the space would be taken up by a Starbucks.

Bleecker Bob’s had been at several locations throughout the Village before settling on West 3^rd, and the store had gained its fair share of history. Rock legends Jimmy Page and Frank Zappa, both of whom were friends of owner Bob Plotnick, tended the counter at various times, according to legend. The store had also become a destination for punk fans at a time when very few stores carried punk records.

However, as time passed, the store was forced to rent out its back room as a tattoo parlor while letting a pipe dealer set up shop in front of the store. Currently, a new location for the Village record store has not been determined, but EV Grieve speculates an East Village move.

No one knows what will fill in the store front once the famed Village record store picks up and leaves, but one thing is for sure: it probably won’t be a Starbucks. Upon the announcement of the impending move, speculation became rampant that the coffee chain would be opening up another location where Bob’s once stood. Locals were outraged: the owner of nearby Café Reggio told Vanishing New York that “a Starbucks would take 30% of our business. All the NYU kids want their mocha frappuccino.”

All the rage turned out to be for naught: much to the chagrin of one New York Times writer, both Starbucks and Bleecker Bob’s confirmed that the coffee chain would not be setting up shop there.