In April, the nearly 90-year-old Palm Restaurant, located at 837 Second Avenue, closed for renovations. Now rumor has it that it may never reopen.
An anonymous source sent the following message to Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York:
“There are very strong rumors that the original Palm Restaurant is not merely closed for renovations. I have heard from a very reliable source, who is in touch with people who work at other Palm restaurants in the city, that the building is not salvageable. What was supposed to be less than a one-year renovation may actually be a teardown. This would be another major loss for NYC.”
When the Palm Restaurant opened in 1926, it allowed artists to decorate the restaurant in exchange for their meals. If the rumors are true, the restaurant’s iconic artworks, which are drawn or painted directly on the plaster, are in serious danger.
This source also said that “restoration has not begun, and that other interested parties are looking at the property. The work was supposed to be finished by the end of this year.” [Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York] – Christopher Cameron