Authorities are tending to numerous manhole fires near 7th Avenue & West 13th Street (right by St. Vincent's Hospital!) and the following streets are closed: 13th St. between 6th and 8th Avenues and 7th Avenue between 14th and 13th Streets. Some buildings (mostly St. Vincent's) are without power and are being evacuated but St. Vincent's main hospital and emergency room are not affected. While it does not appear these manholes exploded, this How Stuff Works......

Susan Sarandon and husband Tim Robbins testified before the Landmarks Preservation Commission today in protest against St. Vincent’s proposal to raze the distinctive O’Toole Building in the West Village, as well as four other buildings to make room for a 299-foot-tall medical building and a 235-foot-tall luxury condominium (in partnership with the Rudin Management Company). For the former Bull Durham stars, all that would mean a lot of noise and dust soiling the air near......

In presenting their argument for a massive demolition and construction project in the West Village – one that would raze the distinctive O’Toole Building (pictured) – representatives of St. Vincent’s hospital told the Landmarks and Preservation Commission yesterday that it will have to shut down if their proposal is not approved. Last month the commission unanimously rejected the hospital’s $1.6 billion development plan, which would demolish nine buildings to make room for a 329-foot-tall medical......