Knave — as it was.

Talk about a double whammy. First came the news that Le Parker Meridien’s new next-door neighbor will be a new 296-room boutique hotel.  Then yesterday morning the new neighbor invaded Parker Meridien’s turf.

As guests sipped espresso and nibbled croissants at the hotel’s stylish Knave cafe just before noon, liquid concrete from the new building broke through the wall and flooded the room.

The “concrete lava” was up to a foot deep and moved tables and chairs, according to witness reports in The New York Post.  As stunned guests fled, construction workers rushed in with wheelbarrows to remove the invasive material.

In a statement, Steven Pipes, President of the Jack Parker Corporation, said that there were no injuries and that the damage hadn’t spread to the rest of the hotel. “FDNY was called into action immediately,” he said.

Knave opened in 2010 in what was once a public breezeway leading to the hotel. Wildly romantic with red velvet curtains, towering mirrors and carved wood settees it looked like set for a production of Romeo & Juliet and was a smart addition to the hotel’s other eateries, Norma’s, the baroque breakfast restaurant, and Burger Joint, a popular hamburger hang out.

For now, Knave remains closed and no date has been set for when Knave will reopen, according to hotel spokeswoman.

Update: Knave reopened May 18 — a month after the accident. The cafe looks much as it did previously.

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