Under Cover

A toast to P.J.’s

Cheer up you thirsty NYMEX traders. Those of you who have been glumly trekking past the empty old Edward Moran watering hole for the last five years need not despair much longer. There is gas at the end of the tunnel. P.J. Clarke’s on the Hudson will light up the storefront any day now.

Britton Woodruff, manager of the newest P.J. Clarke’s, tells UnderCover that the power that be, Con Ed, looks like it will finally come through and let the World Financial Center space overlooking North Cove Marina open by early next week. “We can’t wait to open,” he gushed.

A casual-neat, invite-only crowd got a sneak peak at all of the goodies to come at a preview party Tuesday night. Charlie Maikish, who heads the Lower Manhattan Construction Command Center dropped by as did several staffers from the Battery Park City Authority and its sister Parks Conservancy including Vince McGowan, Sidney Druckman, T. Fleischer and John Cashin.

With more than a century of experience watering Upper East Siders, P.J.’s is cut out to play with the big boys Downtown — it’s about three times the size of the original. The bar boasts more than half a dozen types of single malt Scotch, shellfish galore, and, yes, plenty of stick-to-the-guts meat. The woodsy, brick-like, back bar is the place to be. The all-class CD machine’s got Satchmo, Sinatra and Holiday.

“We need a place down here with really good burgers,” one salivating patron said.

No lesbians here

Mike Bloomberg is no honorary lesbian, Lesbian International will have it be known. The New York Chapter called an emergency meeting after former City Councilmember Margarita Lopez bestowed hizzonor with the title and promptly revoked it.

“The coveted title, ‘Honorary Lesbian,’ is used to recognize extraordinary services done by a non-lesbian in service to the lesbian community,” Lesbian International explained in a press release. The New York chapter never received a formal application from Lopez, who is a lesbian.

Lopez declared Bloomberg an honorary lesbian at an East Village ceremony last week for one of the six city buildings being transferred for $1 to 10 cultural organizations that are part of Fourth Arts Block.

Lopez’s Jan. 12 proclamation was not the first time she lavished the mayor with praise. In June, she declared the two were like “Romeo and Juliet” because of their opposing party affiliations. “People wonder why I love this man,” she said at the time. “I have no choice.”

Apparently not everyone is feeling the love. There are strict rules when it comes to tapping a non-lesbian for the title and Mayor Mike does not fit the bill. “The New York City chapter has reviewed the Mayor’s case, and has concluded that he does not currently meet the standards for this title,” the press release said, citing his decision to file court briefs against same-sex marriage, his veto of the New York City Council’s Equal Benefits and Dignity in All Schools bills, and “his continued participation in the homophobic St. Patrick’s Day Parade.”

Makeup Downtown

Downtown divas longing for that perfect powder puff need not trek to Soho much longer. Beauty favorite Sephora is returning to the neighborhood this spring. It’s 10th location will be a lofty 6,700 sq. ft. spread at 150 Broadway at Liberty St., the New York Post reports. Sephora’s original Downtown store in the World Trade Center concourse was destroyed on 9/11.

Remaking a landmark

The Cass Gilbert building facing the World Trade Center site at 90 West St. was tapped as the “Project of the Year: Adaptive Reuse” by New York Construction magazine. The 23-story landmark office building from 1907 was carefully cleaned and restored after sustaining heavy damage on 9/11. The Beaux-Arts tower re-opened last year as a 410-unit luxury rental complex, with the help of $106.5 million in Liberty Bonds.

WWW Downtown Express