St. Vincent's Isn't The Only Place Closing

Today is the last day of operation for St. Vincent's hospital in the Village.  For more than 160 years, the hospital has taken care of the neighborhood.  It has even taken care of me when I had my bike accident a couple years ago and broke my wrist.  But as of tomorrow, it will become merely an "Urgent Care Center" tending to local cuts, scrapes, and minor medical emergencies.  Anyone needing surgery will have to go uptown.


Though the closing is shocking, what I've noticed lately is somewhat more shocking; the number of local businesses shutting down in general.  As the nation's economy supposedly improves, things here have seemingly gotten worse in recent months.  There are countless "closed" or "for sale" signs in storefronts all over the Village.  Some of them are stores that have been around for decades and others just a year.  


I've been taking some photos recently of all these closing....these pics below are just in a few blocks radius of my apartment. Along with the closure of St. Vincent's, they are truly signs of the times.