Another old Smartmom haunt is closing. The Moondance Diner, which in the 1980’s was a cool diner not far from the Film Forum when it was on Watts Street.
The Moondance was a fave spot for dinner before and/or after a silent flick or a film noir at the Film Forum.
Ah yes, in their dating days, they used to catch many a movie at the Film Forum. A Girl with A Hatbox and Lulu with Louise Brooks, The Wind with Lillian Gish, Children in Paradise, Kiss of Death and Kiss Me Deadly (what a double-bill), Pigs and Battleships, The Man Who SHot Liberty Valance…
The Moondance Diner, which was under different management then, was candle-lit at night and a cozy and cool spot by day. Seeing the fabu neo sign always inspired her to hum that fabulous Van Morrison song. And boy was that a great neon sign.
Sadly, the landlord refuses to allow the current Moondance owner to move the diner to Queens.
Looks like it’s the old wrecking ball for Moondance. How sad. Look for a high-rise condo. Just what this city needs.
Au Revoir, Moondance. We won’t forget you.
American Diner Museum
P.O.Box 6022
Providence,
Rhode Island 02940 USA
http://www.dinermuseum.org
Media Release
HISTORIC MOONDANCE DINER TO BE SPARED
NEW YORK, N.Y. – In early August, diner patrons, preservationists, &
community groups, will be “dancing on the moon,” as the culturally &
architecturally significant Moondance Diner (80 6th Ave, SoHo), will
be spared from demolition and has found a new home. The Moondance
Diner will soon be transported to La Barge, Wyoming where it will
again serve a population of five hundred plus at growing tourist
industry.
New Owners Vince & Cheryl Pierce are quite excited about the diners
move and their new venture in the diner business near the Green
River.
Michael Perlman, Queens’s preservationist & founder of the
Committee To Save The Moondance Diner, and Kyle Supley, a Brooklyn
historic preservationist, immediately joined forces & campaigned to
save the diner, when its fate was in limbo earlier this year. Perlman
urged & worked with Extell Development, who generously donated the
diner to the American Diner Museum the Rhode Island non-profit, and
the only organization in the United States devoted to the
preservation, history & restoration of historic factory built diners.
The Moondance Diner is a highlight in terms of its diverse patronage
including celebrities, and the motion picture, sitcom, & Broadway
world (Spiderman, Friends, Igby Goes Home, Sex in the City, etc).
This is also where Jonathan Larson was employed for a decade prior to
producing the Tony Award winning Broadway musical RENT. The Mondance
Diner, formerly called the Holland Tunnel Diner, retains several
original &/or distinctive elements; chrome detailing, a barrel roof
ceiling, wrap-around windows, counter & stools, as well as a famed
retro revolving moon sign by the late architect/designer Alan
Buchsbaum & designer/signmaker Jim Rogers.
According to Daniel Zilka , Director of the American Diner Museum, A
true “diner” is a prefabricated structure built at an assembly site
and transported to a permanent location for installation to serve
prepared food. Webster’s Dictionary defines a diner as “a restaurant
in the shape of a railroad car.” The word “diner” is a derivative
of “dining car” and diner designs reflected the styling that
manufacturers borrowed from railroad dining cars. A diner is usually
outfitted with a counter, stools and a food preparation or service
area along the back wall.
During the 40’s & 50’s eras, diners numerously dotted the 5 boroughs,
and brought together individuals of various occupations in a cozy,
personable ambiance. Today, they are becoming an endangered species
at an alarming rate. American Diner Museum has assisted in the rescue
from demolition more than thirty diners thru community awareness.
Photos of the diner can be found on the American Diner Museum web
site at
http://www.dinermuseum.org
The Moondance Diner is being moved to a great location, Wyoming! And has been bought by wonderful Wyoming natives who want to keep it in all of it’s glory. I hope people go to Wyoming for it’s grand opening.
Any updates on Moondance?
Houston Street has a few slivers left from the days when Robert Moses widened it for a trans-Manhattan Expressway.
A good one exists at Houston north side east of 2nd Avenue by a subway, near Anthology, the Sunshine Cinema, Whole Foods, several new high rises and the venerable Liz Christy community garden. This site is partially occupied by “Irreplaceable Artifacts.” Maybe a symbiosis can be proposed…
first the wetlands, now moondance!!?? WTF. More condos that most people cant afford – awesome!!
Greetings Diner Fans!
An art auction/fundraiser to save the Moondance Diner (through relocation) is scheduled for May 3rd (6-9 PM) at renowned artist Ruth Litoff’s SoHo studio at 80 Varick St, and admittance is free. Bidding is also online. Please read the following press release for more information, and please help spread the word by forwarding this message to as many contacts as possible. Your assistance & possible attendance would be greatly appreciated! Recent press coverage on NY1, the NY Times, & AM-NY follows the press release below:
For Immediate Release
FUNDRAISER TO SAVE THE MOONDANCE DINER:
Oldest Extant Diner in NYC!
NEW YORK, N.Y. (May 1, 2007) – A fundraiser to save the historic Moondance Diner, will be held on Thurs, May 3, 2007, from 6 PM to 9 PM at artist Ruth Litoff’s studio at 80 Varick Street, #9E (one block west of Moondance). Diner owner Sunis Sharma, concerned patrons, artists, preservationists, & community groups, are coming together, as Ms. Litoff will auction off her artwork. We hope to spare the culturally & architecturally significant Moondance from demolition, since it is slated to be replaced with a high-rise condo. Possibly on May 15th, the diner will close its doors forever. Therefore, it is urgent to raise sufficient funding to transport the diner to another site within the 5 boroughs. Freestanding diners were erected on site in one piece, and manufactured to move.
The “1933” Moondance Diner, located at 80 6th Ave in SoHo, is a highlight in terms of its diverse patronage including celebs, and the motion picture, sitcom, & Broadway world (Spiderman, Friends, Igby, Sex in the City, etc). This is also where Jonathan Larson was employed for a decade prior to producing RENT. This railway car-inspired diner, formerly called the Holland Tunnel Diner, retains several original &/or distinctive elements; chrome detailing, a barrel roof ceiling, wrap-around windows, counter & stools, as well as a retro revolving moon sign by artist Alan Buchsbaum.
During the 40’s & 50’s eras, freestanding diners numerously dotted the 5 boroughs, and brought together individuals of various occupations in a cozy, personable, & striking ambiance. Today, they are becoming an endangered species at an alarming rate, but the Moondance Diner can be salvaged. Please join us in solidarity to celebrate nearly 75 years of the Moondance’s diverse history, with hors d’oerves, cocktails, & music, and an art auction that will be integral in determining its fate.
Moondance Diner visuals:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8095451@N08/ (Courtesy of Michael Perlman)
**To start bidding on Ruth Litoff’s artwork prior to & post May 3rd, please visit:
http://www.ruthlitoff.com/
For more info, contact:
Ruth Litoff, Renowned Artist
(212) 925-0272
rlitoff@nyc.rr.com
###
Recent press coverage is as follows:
1. http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?&aid=69098&search_result=1&stid=8
2. http://www.amny.com/news/local/newyork/ny-nydine275188959apr27,0,7040122.story
3. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/29/nyregion/thecity/29moon.html?_r=1&oref=slogin