1) South Slope: A tipster snaps a photo of the reno at the second location of lauded Carroll Gardens pizza place Lucali. Of the new 6th Ave. and 20th St. edition he says: "Renovation has begun, the contractor guy confirmed that it was going to be a pizza place. So far they've dug out the basement and are clearing the interior. " The first location is owned by Mark Iacono; the second will be run by his brother Chris. [PLYWOOD]
2) Greenpoint: A reader sends in the above photos of the renovation at popular Mexican spot Papacitos: "They are expanding into the space next door, which used to be a psychic parlor. There are two signs in the window explaining the expansion, one of which mentions that the new expanded dining room will be open on August 17th. It looks like they're doing a pretty big overhaul of both spaces, tearing up the floors and walls of each. An opening date of six days from now seems a bit ambitious..." [PLYWOOD]
3) Sunset Park: Eating in Translation notes that the Brooklyn location of the popular Prosperity Dumpling will be opening later this month. The new outpost at 4317 Eighth Ave. (and 44th St.) will be more spacious than the original at 46 Eldridge. [PLYWOOD]
4) Midtown East: Midtown Lunch reports that Italian sandwich shop Piada is coming to the Citigroup Building at 53rd and Lexington (in the former Starwich space). Piada has already been serving up their flatbread sandwiches at their other Manhattan location, on Clinton between Houston and Stanton. See the menu here. [PLYWOOD]
5) East Village: EV Grieve posts photos of the renovation of the former Cure space at 131 East 7th Street. Workers report that the shuttered small plates/wine bar will reopen as a "coffee shop/small plates place" in the next six weeks. The jinxed location has housed a lot of businesses in quick succession: first the short-lived Italian cafe Affettati, then it was almost the home of the East Village Pie Lounge, and Cure just opened in mid-April. [PLYWOOD]
6) Greenwich Village: A tipster sends word that the shuttered Rickshaw Dumpling location on 8th Street (between Broadway and University) will be a Rockwell's Express. Though the website is up but not running, the USDA prime signage and the logo suggest a hamburger joint. [PLYWOOD]
7) Williamsburg: On September 9, the iconic music venue Knitting Factory will reopen at 361 Metropolitan Avenue in the former Luna Lounge space. The Knitting Factory has been open in Manhattan since 1987, first on the Lower East Side and then in TriBeca. According to the Times, they will kick off their opening with a show from Brooklyn band Les Savy Fav; future acts include Boss Hog, Rasputina, the No Neck Blues Band, and Titus Andronicus. The Brooklyn space is part of a growing Knitting Factory empire, which includes clubs in Boise, Idaho, and Spokane, Wash., as well as a national touring agency and an artist management company. [PLYWOOD]
·Leah Herman
