Showing posts with label First Street. Show all posts
Showing posts with label First Street. Show all posts

Saturday, August 4, 2018

This block of 1st Street is trailer free for the time being after 6-plus years



Workers have removed the trailer that has sat here on First Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue these past seven years.

A reader who lives nearby said that crews will be starting water-main work on this block.



Since January 2012, the trailer served as an outdoor gallery via the Centre-fuge Public Art Project.

Centre-fuge was up to Cycle 23. (The art has not changed here since last August.)

The trailer was supposed to be relocated someplace nearby (I didn't walk around looking for it. Yet!)

Perhaps it will return to this spot. The Department of Transportation uses the trailer as an office for the East Houston Reconstruction project that is due for completion in 2077 (give or take a decade).

Anyway, here's a look back to May 2014... when Lexi Bella created a collection titled "Heroines of the Lower East Side" as part of the first Lower East Side History Month...

Monday, July 23, 2018

Trailer-outdoor gallery moving ahead of 1st Street road work



Workers will be moving the trailer that has sat on First Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue these past seven years ...



The trailer will depart this week for water-main work on this block. It's not known just how long it will be gone.

Since January 2012, the trailer has served as an outdoor gallery via the Centre-fuge Public Art Project.

Centre-fuge was up to Cycle 23. (The art has not changed here since last August.)

The Department of Transportation uses the trailer as an office for the long-delayed East Houston Reconstruction project that will — let's face it — never be finished, at least at the intersection of Houston and the Bowery.

Friday, January 20, 2012

[UPDATED] Centre-fuge Public Art Project kicks off this weekend on East First Street


From the EV Grieve inbox...cut-n-paste journalism — woo!

Centre-fuge Public Art Project, Opens for the Year

Pebbles Russell and Jonathan Neville are proud to present the Centre-fuge Public Art Project, a rotating outdoor gallery with work by multimedia artists. The project is dedicated in memory of friend, creator and Lower East Side neighbor, Mike Hamm.

In mid-2011 a drab, gray trailer popped up on the South side of First Street. The trailer functions as a temporary office for workers on the 2nd Avenue subway line. Centre-fuge Public Art Project will transform the trailer for one year into a rotating street gallery. Between 2 to 7 artists at a time will create work on all visible sides of the structure. The art will change over once every two months on a pre-set weekend. Artists must submit proposals in order for their work to be deemed appropriate for the broader community. The artists will supply their own materials.

The goal of Centre-fuge is not only to re-beautify this incredible block, but also to encourage the community to express itself in a public forum. With the closure of half of Houston Street, making underground way for the 2nd Avenue Subway line, the ever-growing presence of construction makes the block feel less like a neighborhood, full of individuals and more like a work site full of barricades and jackhammers.

You may read the whole release here... You can stop by this Saturday and Sunday from 10 am - 5 pm to see all this get started... Mike Hamm worked at Lancelotti Housewares and Alphabets on Avenue A. He died on Jan. 7. We'll have more about him in a post next week.

UPDATED: Given the crap weather expected tomorrow, the organizers have decided to postpone the start of the work until next Tuesday and Wednesday.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

[Updated] Fire on First Street

EV Grieve reader Bread Butter Cheese passed along word of fire trucks on First Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue early this morning.. it looked as if firefighters were walking on the rooftop of the building that housed the recently shuttered Elephant....



A reader originally thought it may be a false alarm... However, per a commenter:

Not a false alarm! I live the building and there was a fire on the first floor. It filled the entire stairwell with smoke and everyone had to use the fire escapes. I heard everyone got out of the building safely.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Outside Punjabi Grocery & Deli: Where are the cabs?

The East Houston construction project continues... apparently there's work to do on along East First Street too... the path between Avenue A and First Avenue has been a mess...




Something noticeable missing here: Cabs. Punjabi Grocery & Deli is, of course, a favorite stop for cab drivers to get tea and some affordable vegetarian food... not to mention use the restroom...



I'm not sure how long First Street will be a mess... I'm wondering what kind of impact this will have on Punjabi's business...




I was ready to duck inside the other day, and saw a healthy crowd inside ... enough to deter me from going in... the cab drivers seemingly just have to park a little further away for now...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Coming soon to East Houston: Construction, hell, rodent control stations

Long-threatened East Houston reconstruction starting this month

Monday, November 1, 2010

'Restaurant/cafe use preferred' on corner of Second Avenue and First Street

The corner space at Avalon Bowery Place on First Street and Second Avenue has remained vacant since work ended on the apartment complex ...



However, I recently noticed a new "for lease" sign on the doors... noting that "restaurant/cafe use preferred."

Monday, September 27, 2010

People waiting in line outside Prune don't read signs

You've seen the big lines here at Prune on First Street for weekend brunch....



While you're standing there, then you may want to read this sign next door outside the home of the Lower Eastside Girls Club....



Not that people are really paying attention to the sign....

Monday, August 23, 2010

Another pretzel ad plot twist

A quick Pretzel Crisps ad recap:

The first ad!



Complaints! Then!



Still, complaints! Now!



NYC the Blog has been busy reporting on this story. You can read it all here.


Previously on EV Grieve:
Into thin air: Pretzel maker removing 'too thin' ads


[Thanks to Thanks to EV Grieve reader K. Knipfing for the top two photos]

Friday, August 6, 2010

Pretzel logic

So... you remember that little controversy about the pretzel-ad campaign....like the one seen here on First Avenue and First Street...



NYC the Blog had been in touch with the pretzel people who said...

"Based on the feedback received from you and other bloggers, we will be taking the ‘You can never be too thin’ ads down."

The company has also apologized.

So they replaced the ad. And what did they replace it with?



Um.

Thanks to EV Grieve reader K. Knipfing for the photos.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Into thin air: Pretzel maker removing 'too thin' ads

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Into thin air: Pretzel maker removing 'too thin' ads

As you may recall last Thursday, we posted this photo from EV Grieve reader K. Knipfing ... pointing out the new make-us-feel-badly-about-our-bodies ad on the northeast corner of First Street and First Avenue...



NYC the Blog has been all over this too... even corresponding with the company:

Perry Abbenante, Vice President of Marketing at Snack Factory LLC, maker of Pretzel Crisps, responded to an email request for comment shortly after, explaining that they have been monitoring the situation, and will be "making some adjustments to the campaign."


And now!

He just followed up, and informed NYC The Blog: "Based on the feedback received from you and other bloggers, we will be taking the ‘You can never be too thin’ ads down."


The company has also apologized.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Ads on First and First still want us to feel badly about our bodies

EV Grieve reader K. Knipfing points out the new ad on the northeast corner of First Street and First Avenue...



"You can never be too thin." As K put it: "A timeless message from Pretzel Crisps lightly reminding you that you will never reach any 'goal' when it comes to your body."

Previously at this spot, H&M advertised its $4.95 "bikini tops" ...




Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Reminders tonight: Harvest party on First Street




From the inbox...

With the successful run last month of “First Growth,” a benefit exhibition of donated art works, First Street Green — the community organization working in cooperation with the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) to create a community cultural park—will hold a follow-up party and sale of new and remaining works to complete its summer initiative to raise local support for the project.
Many of the works on sale will be offered at the bargain price of $100 to help raise funds and mobilize community support to convert the rat-infested vacant lot at 33 East 1st Street into a cultural center and park with a sculpture garden and temporary installations.

Local groups working with First Street Green include the First Street Block Association, The Lower East Side Girls’ Club, and the Citizen’s Committee of New York City, which awarded First Street Green two New Yorkers for Better Neighborhoods Grants to help launch its campaign.

The closing or “harvest” party will be held in the temporary gallery space next door to the vacant lot where the rubble of a building demolished in the 1930s continues to be a serious health hazard to the neighborhood due to a persistent rat infestation.

The bargain sale of contemporary works of art by well-known local artists will garner increased support for the project by providing visitors with an opportunity to view and buy fine works of art and to read FSG brochures and posters illustrating the projected plans for the park while enjoying free food and drink provided by Joe Doe, Prune, Arlo & Esme, the Lower East Side Girls Club Bakery, and other local venders.

The Harvest Party will provide a one-night-only opportunity to purchase works of contemporary art at excellent rates (works selling for $100 or less will be identified with green labels at the party). The event is free and open to the public.
Help green the city by enjoying its local culture!





Previously on EV Grieve:
Residents pitching in to help refurbish First Street garden

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Friday, June 25, 2010

Residents pitching in to help refurbish First Street garden

So you might probably know this spot on East First Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue...





Now some local residents have gotten together to try to save this derelict lot, owned by the Department of Parks and Recreation.

Here's some history via the organizers, First Street Green:

"For years -- back when the laws in New York were a little less rigidly enforced -- a block resident named Mattie made sculpture installations there, and he'd let neighborhood kids in to play basketball. Since Mattie's death, the rat population has exploded and the pavement is riddled with burrows. The only purposes it serves these days are to skeeve block residents and to horrify the block's restaurant patrons (which might be amusing, but their horrified screams are obnoxiously loud). First Street Green (a group that includes block residents, artists, and others) has tried going through the proper channels to develop the lot into a simple sculpture park, with no success: Parks funds are nonexistent (Parks leaves rat poison once a month, and that's about it); the City isn't interested in setting aside money to develop it into a park because of its low profile; it can't become a resident-run Greenthumb garden because it's owned by the Department of Parks and Recreation. So we have two choices: It can stay like this forever, or we can raise the money ourselves to develop it."


So that's what the "First Growth benefit show" is doing tonight from 6-9 at 35 E. First St. (This is in the empty storefront in the building next to the lot/park.)

Per the invite:

"Come and brows, buy and admire the works of local artists with all moneys to benefit the rebuilding of the First Street Green park. Refreshments and wine provided from surrounding businesses will be served. This show will also feature a series of masonite 'rats' created and donated by the Lower Eastside Girls Club."

First Growth's goal is to remove the rubble and create a simple-to-maintain garden and cultural space. Click on the image below for more on the plans.

Monday, May 3, 2010

Phase 1: The Juice Press opens Thursday

A sign is up at the Juice Press on First Street near First Avenue... showing an opening date of Thursday... plus other details about what's to come here, such as cooking classes...




Previously on EV Grieve:
What's coming to the Robot Daycare/Missing Sock/Mime Academy space

Friday, April 23, 2010

The Elephant: "We truly think we are good neighbors"



Last week, I reported that Thai eatery The Elephant on East First Street had been shut by the city for allegedly serving an auxiliary police officer who is a minor. (And they've had at least two other run-ins the past two years, as Eater reported.)

In that post, I mentioned the fiasco from last May in which a manager at The Elephant reportedly called the police while a group of teenage girls lined up to receive free prom dresses next door at the Lower Eastside Girls Club. For some residents, that episode left a lingering resentment toward the restaurant.

After last week's post, Adria Jover Sala, who said she manages The Elephant, contacted me.

For starters, she said that the manager who called the police last year was fired "after that tremendous mistake." She said there is a new staff. "We have people from Morocco, Senegal, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Spain, Mexico... most of [them] with sons and daughters.

"We are all trying to do our job the best we can. I understand if The Elephant, years ago, caused some trouble in the hood, though right now it is run by new management and we are committed to our beloved First Street. We truly think we are good neighbors. We care for our street, have friends all over the block on First Street. We take the UPS deliveries for our building. We let kids from the park use our restroom... we are been living here so many years and I think we deserve a bit of respect."

But did they serve a minor?

"We are sure the guy was over 35... though if we took the risk to go on trial for that and by any possibility the undercover [officer] was 18, as it says in the report, then the stipulation was to close us for two months and a fee of $15,000."

As part of the penalty, the city is shutting down The Elephant starting today for one week. The restaurant will also have to close for one week in May.

"The city is so incompetent with those rules ... they don't let you work and improve the place while you are closed. This is like kids, you do something bad and they send you against the wall for two hours... the only difference here, we are talking about a business with families, children, etc. who depend on them ... doesn't the city realize the impact?"



I asked Adria, who is originally from Barcelona and has lived in the East Village for 10 years, is she believes they are receiving unwarranted attention.

"We feel we are unfairly targeted by the city. Everybody knows where all minors go for drinks with their fake ID, why the police don't spend their resources with better efficiency than coming to a small restaurant to shut you down," she said. "At this point I'm quite desperate because [the city] believes that we are a club or something like that and we just are a small restaurant, which for the last two years everyone is out before 1 a.m... I just hope the neighbors could appreciate our commitment.

"The worst part is, I'm not sure if we are going to survive with this two-week agreement anyway."

[Image via; larger image via]

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Dumbo drop: The Elephant shuttered again



The problems continue for Thai eatery the Elephant on East First Street. Per a tipster: They have a court order on their window today: “NYC vs. Thai Me Up, Inc.” closing them down. And the Elephant has had run ins with the law in previous years... like last July ... and May 2008... Word on the street is they allegedly served an underage auxiliary police officer. If the Elephant remains closed for any period of time, then perhaps the Lower Eastside Girls Club will be able to hold their annual free prom gown giveaway without having anyone call the cops...

[Update: The Elephant was back open this evening...the legal papers were still up on the side...]

[Image via]

Monday, April 12, 2010

What's coming to the Robot Daycare/Missing Sock/Mime Academy space

Well, for those of you have have been following the goofy sign saga at 70 E. First St. ...



According to an EV Grieve operative, the space will be home to a smoothie shop. No joke. Opens on May 15.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Another day, another wacky new store sign on First Street

Friday, April 9, 2010

Another day, another wacky new store sign on First Street

First, as Jeremiah noted at 70 E. First St., came the sign for Robot Daycare....



...then came the Missing Sock....




...and the latest, courtesy of an EV Grieve reader... The NY Academy for Mime.




Previously on EV Grieve:
A new shopowner with a sense of humor on First Street