From left: Katy Sparks and Tavern on the Green

The city has selected a Philadelphia nightclub and creperie operator to run the famed Tavern on the Green, Crain’s reported. The legendary Central Park venue has been shuttered since 2009, and previous attempts to reopen the restaurant have stalled because of negotiations with the New York Hotel and Motel Trades Council, the union that represents workers The new operator is the Emerald Green Group that runs the L’Etage nightclub and Beau Monde eatery in an old venue on Philadelphia’s South Street. They plan a casual restaurant and outdoor cafe, and have already reached an agreement with the workers union. [more]

Once one of Manhattan’s most storied institutions, the Plaza Hotel today seems like a cautionary tale in luxury real estate, the New York Times reported. The last nearly-dozen condo sellers at the Plaza sold their units at a significant loss, while its luxurious retail space has been forsaken by shoppers. Clark Wolf, an independent restaurant consultant, told the Times that the Plaza’s downfall represents a cultural shift in the city, one that is seeing legendary high-end institutions falling by the wayside. “It’s gone from being a landmark to being just a building,” Wolf said. “In an era without Tavern on the Green or a Café des Artistes, we need something. New York City is screaming for a landmark.”