The Vewer Avenue Tunnel

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Inside Manhattan's Graffiti Tunnel It started the way most things do these days: with a phone in my hand and nowhere particular to be. I was scrolling through the usual digital noise when a video stopped me cold. A crowd of people spilling into a tunnel, its walls erupting in color so dense and layered it looked less like concrete and more like the inside of someone's fever dream. Tags, murals, massive bubble letters stacked ceiling-high. My thumb hovered. I watched it again. That was the Park Avenue Tunnel, buried under one of Manhattan's most recognizable thoroughfares. And from what I could gather online, it had become something of an open secret, a once-busy vehicle artery turned accidental gallery. Legendary names were showing up on those walls. Local favorites, too. I'd heard of mob bombs before, those spontaneous, loosely coordinated art invasions where writers descend on a space and leave it permanently changed. But this felt different. This felt like a fa...
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After Dark Sports Bar & Lounge



A once-popular sports bar located in the bustling city of New York has had a tumultuous history with the Department of Buildings due to several building code violations. This establishment, which was erected in 1966 as a modest two-story building, with a second-floor cabaret and a first-floor restaurant, has been a beloved entertainment destination for many years, according to records. However, since March of 1992, the proprietors have failed to procure a Place of Assembly Certificate of Operation (PA), which is required by New York law for any venue that hosts gatherings of more than 75 people indoors or 200 people outdoors for various purposes such as recreation, education, religion, socializing, political activities, waiting for transportation, eating, drinking, or similar activities.








Despite repeated violations, this trend persisted until March of 2012, before the establishment was eventually forced to shut down, likely sometime between December 2012 and May 2018. But what will become of this formerly checkered location in light of the city's hyper-gentrification boom? As it turns out, plans are in the works to convert the property into a one-story eating and drinking establishment, complete with a drive-thru and two off-street parking spaces. Its appearance is expected to resemble that of the neighboring Starbucks, and the new tenant is slated to be none other than the fast-food chain Popeyes.








In retrospect, my arrival at the location was regrettably belated, only to witness its partial demolition. With a degree of frequency, I had passed by this building adorned with many party flyers affixed to its walls and fencing, beckoning all to partake in the upcoming festivities. Curiously, the entrance door was frequently ajar, yet I failed to take advantage of the opportunity to peer inside on those occasions. Upon finally venturing within, the interior was adorned with graffiti pieces, now rendered into obscurity. The lack of proper windows, only substituted with artificial facades, obscured any natural light, giving the ambiance a somber, dim quality.






A staircase led to the upstairs cabaret floor in the upper right-hand corner.


It remains to be seen whether this compact space can accommodate the heavy traffic of hungry consumers, both cars and buses that regularly traverse the congested Flatbush thoroughfare and the adjacent Kings Highway. However, let us extend a warm welcome to our new neighbor, and we eagerly await the debut of this new addition to the city's ever-evolving culinary landscape.


Current status: Half demolished due to a work stoppage order by NYC DOB. Apr 2023.

Location: 1917 Flatbush Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11210, USA

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