(This small 5-story building)is now privately owned but has a weird history,
none of which I can really confirm. For years it had a sign across the entrance which
labeled it "The House of Free Russia;" shabby people came and went
occasionally, then it began to deteriorate even more rapidly than
before, at least on the outside; the steps crumbled and had to be blocked off, the
windows were filthy, the door was replaced with piece of plywood and a chain.

When West Side real estate took off, there were rumors that some group
had purchased the building, planned to tear it down and put up what we call
a 'sliver' building, tall (15, 20? stories) and thin-thin-thin, on that lot.

The Normandie next door (which is the "Thin Man" site - 140 RSD) got
wind of the plan in time, and took them to court. Had they been able to build
the new building it would have blocked windows in many co-ops on the east
side of the Normandie, drastically changing the light and lowering property
values.

Someone blinked, the Normandie won, and apparently a single family has
purchased the place and begun endless renovations. Rumors among the doormen
on the block are rife, but no one knows really anything about it. Whispers
like, "Did you hear she's torn up the ballroom floor and replaced it --
twice?" abound, but who knows? I'd guess they've been at it ten years
now and someone seems to be living in it, but there's still work going
forward.

- Pat Robbins