RackedWire: East River Plaza Shrouded in Gloom; Nolita Businesses Take on Gawker

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EAST HARLEM—Curbed gets a good look at the East River Plaza big box complex. Now, in the interest of fairness, we should note that the photo set was taken on a day so dismal that it could make the brightest Jonathan Adler boutique look like a sad gray nothing. Still, it doesn't exactly inspire feelings of joy. Head over there to see many more pictures of the thing, all of them dour. [Curbed; Previously]

NOLITA—The Nolita Merchant's Association is not happy about Gawker's neighborhood recession map, which reported 20 new vacancies and only three new stores. The group has written a point-by-point refutation, available on Bowery Boogie. Salient excerpt: "So, on Elizabeth from Houston to Kenmare, there are a few spots looking for tenants, but within the past six months or so, there have been 9 new retailers opened just on this three block length of Elizabeth Street in Nolita." [BB]