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In New York City the battle against new and old is everywhere, but its front lines could be said to be in the East Village, where "old-timers" fight tooth and nail to save their treasured businesses and buildings against the glut of Starbucks and developers. While the beloved St. Marks Bookshop was recently given a reprieve, numerous other businesses are being steadily converted from mom and pop shops to "big box" stores, even in small-box spaces, and buildings considered historic are being torn down to make room for...shall we say, significantly less historic buildings? Which brings us to the case of the erstwhile Ross from Friends.
In 2010, David Schwimmer reportedly bought an East Village townhouse built in 1852. (Though his name isn't officially attached to the deal, the New York Post's sources confirm he's the owner.) It's located at 331 E. 6th Street, two doors down from the Community Synagogue, which has been designated a National Historic Landmark. Though the Landmarks Preservation Commission informed him twice last year that 331 E. 6th (which, according to Street Easy, cost nearly $4 million) could also receive landmark status by the end of this year, Schwimmer tore it down anyway.