Apparently, one of NYC‘s last remaining “railcar diners” will not be saved from the wrecking ball after all. The Cheyenne Diner once stood on 33rd Street and Ninth Avenue in Manhattan since the 1940s, when rail travel was elegant and railcar-shaped dining attractive. Last April, the Cheyenne was closed to make way for (that’s right) a luxury apartment building.
Mike O’Connell, a Red Hook developer, tried to rescue the diner and planned to move it to Brooklyn. He envisioned placing the Cheyenne Diner in Red Hook on Reed Street with an adjoining beer garden and revamped menu.
“The new location is across the street from [O'Connell's father's] Red Hook Stores, a Civil War-era warehouse, now home to artists’ studios and the Fairway supermarket.”
“It’s going to be a little more upscale with a seasonal menu and maybe organic,” said O’Connell.
However, O’Connell failed to obtain the necessary permits to haul the diner across the Manhattan Bridge. His alternate plan to ship the Cheyenne across the East River also failed; he was unable to find a barge operator offering affordable shipping costs.
Source: The Brooklyn Paper
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January 13th, 2009 - 11:23 pm
what a pity. i have a soft spot for themed diners.
January 13th, 2009 - 11:42 pm
I have a soft spot for most nostalgia-related matters. it’s unfortunate that we often find that the past–the people, places, and things we took for granted–is so expensive, when not impossible, to reclaim.
Thanks for the feedback, Grace.