Today in Urban Etiquette dog poop signs

On the topic of Urban Etiquette Signs, a reader sent us the shot below from East 12th Street near Avenue B where "there is always dog shit smeared on the sidewalk."

Here's one way to perhaps curb this kind of non-practice ...

This sign led to a conversation about the worst blocks for uncurbed dogs. Aside from this stretch, one candidate suggested was the north side of East Second Street between Avenue A and First Avenue ... on the sidewalk, dubbed by someone as "poop alley," along the Village View parking lot.

That aside, remember — You don't fuck with East 12th Street.

Illegal work continues at former Mundial space on East 12th Street

The most recent bars to inhabit 505 E. 12th St. — Mundial and Totem — were nightmares for some nearby residents here on the block just east of Avenue A.

Recently, residents have noted that workers are busy renovating the space... which is fine, except that there aren't any work permits on file with the DOB.

Per one neighbor: "The work furiously continues on the former Mundial space ... with no sign of a work permit. They were working on the space well into the night last night."

"They got a lumber delivery a little after 8 this morning, and one of the guys who is working on the space is hustling to get it all inside."

"Why do I get the feeling that whatever this space is going to be, it isn’t going to be a good neighbor?"

People should know by now: You don't fuck with 12th Street.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Another nightmare bar for 505 E. 12th St.?

Last night's CB3 recap: Residents 1, Bar Owners 0

Here comes the fear again: 505 E. 12th St. back on the market

El plywood comes off at El Camion

The plywood is off at El Camion, formerly the Raven, 194 Avenue A at 12th Street.

According to a readers, there's a full bar with nine seats ... and 18 tables packed side by side — not an inch between them. Another reader reported seeing some business types (owners? investors?) inside for a meal yesterday afternoon... But the place was sealed up last night...

Some residents on Avenue A and the nearby side streets are understandably nervous about what kind of crowd El Camion will attract... More on the low-key side, like Benny's, or more like, say, something in the Diablo Royale Este-Señor Swanky’s mix... Said a reader: "I am praying it'll be a nice, quiet little corner joint and not a loud hangout!"

Back in May, the CB3/SLA committee denied their application for a liquor license ... However, despite CB3's denial, the State Liquor Authority ultimately approved the license.

On Nov. 30, Patrick Hedlund wrote about El Camion at DNAinfo... Per his story:

"The man, who was listed in online records for the restaurant's corporate company but declined to provide his name, did confirm that the emphasis will be on food rather drinks, and that the space would close no later than midnight or 1 a.m. on weekends."

Meanwhile, someone affiliated with the restaurant has a Twitter account...



And here's another shot via EV Grieve reader Paul W...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Coming to 154 Avenue A: Mexican restaurant

Coming to 194 Avenue A: Mexican restaurant

That's the word from EV Grieve reader tintin2000, who was walking by and asked a worker on the scene.

Per tintin2000: "I thought it was going to be a bar cause it had a big bar in the space, but they said it is going to be a Mexican Restaurant. I asked if it will be overpriced ... and they said no — authentic Mexican and cheap."



A lot of work is going into the former Raven space here... Also, In May, the CB3/SLA committee denied their application for a liquor license for a Mexican eatery doing business as El Camion III Inc.

Here comes the fear again: 505 E. 12th St. back on the market

A reader noted that a For Sale sign went up 505 E. 12th St. (the former Mundial and Totem space) ... which, perhaps, means the new bar on May's CB3/SLA meeting is no longer a go... the "corp to be formed" here was not approved by the CB3/SLA committee...

Now someone else can take a shot here... According to the listing:

BEAUTIFUL EAST VILLAGE LOUNGE WITH KITCHEN
Approx. 1400 sq ft plus 500 sq ftS back yard, 30 foot store front, and full basement

Price: $140,000
Rent: $7,500
10-year lease

As a reader/nearby resident has said about this space: "Another bar opening up in the Mundial space is my worst nightmare."

Previously on EV Grieve:
Another nightmare bar for 505 E. 12th St.?

Last night's CB3 recap: Residents 1, Bar Owners 0

Another month, another Superdive scratch; Plus, Avenue A bars give it another go tonight

Once again, Superdive was on the agenda for the CB3/SLA meeting... to transfer their license, etc. This makes four consecutive months that they've bowed out of the meeting ...

Meanwhile tonight... the bars who were rejected at last month's meeting on the northern part of Avenue A are all back on the docket...

Renewal with Complaint History
Forbidden City (Lo-Eng Inc), 212 Ave A (op)

Applications within Resolution Areas
Percy's (Steelbar 180 Inc), 210-212 Ave A (op) (Al Diwan)

Alterations/Transfers/Upgrades
MBM Lounge Inc, 212 Ave A (trans/op) (Forbidden City)

And another scratch...
Jay Cox Coal, 503-505 E 12th St (trans/op)... This is the former Mundial/Totem space...

I'm also not aware of any community outreach by these establishments since the last meeting...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Last night's CB3 recap: Residents 1, Bar Owners 0

All is well at Northern Spy

The folks at Northern Spy sent us a tweet earlier today in response to our report this morning. Per the tweet: "all's well, our peeps handled it as best they could considering the guy's state." I asked if anyone there knew the man who was arrested. Northern Spy said that it was random, though the man does live nearby.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Wild scene in front of Northern Spy this morning

Wild scene in front of Northern Spy this morning

A reader notes a disturbance this morning on 12th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B... in front of Northern Spy, where a man in a gray t-shirt and shorts was trying to enter the restaurant.

Per the reader, who also provided the photos: "Some of the guys from the restaurant were trying to restrain him and kept telling him to get down on the ground, but he wasn't listening, and he was even trying to open the door to get into the restaurant. All in all, it was about six guys trying to get control over him."

The man's t-shirt was torn to shreds by the time police arrived. The man was placed inside an ambulance. "I suspect the guy was either drunk or mentally ill."

Last night's CB3 recap: Residents 1, Bar Owners 0

Last Thursday, I wrote about the next CB3/SLA meeting... held last night.... For residents on the northern stretch of Avenue A who are tired of a neighborhood over-saturated with bars, there were reasons for for concern. On the original docket (I believe Forbidden City was a scratch):

Alterations/Transfers/Upgrades
-- El Camion (El Camion III Inc), 194 Ave A (trans/op) (The Raven)
-- Percy's (Steelbar 180 Inc), 210-212 Ave A (trans/op) (Al Diwan)
-- MBM Lounge Inc, 212 Ave A (trans/op) (Forbidden City)
-- Corp to be Formed, 503-505 E 12th St (trans/op)

Plus, the popular Westville at 11th Street is applying for a sidwalk cafe license...

Due to work commitments, I was unable to attend last night's meeting... The Lo-Down was there. As they report: "Westville Restaurant’s sidewalk cafe license was rejected on the grounds that Avenue A is already overburdened with bars and late night crowds."

Jill was there too. Here's what she had to say at Blah Blog Blah ...

Tonight's Community Board 3 SLA Committee meeting was possibly historic. The Upper Avenue A residents had such a strong turnout, and Dolores' pink signs made a dramatic impact when 24 people held them up to the astonishment of the room. Even the committee members were taking photos.

And!

But signs are one thing, getting something done is another. And victory was the word of the evening. The northern part of Avenue A has been under siege by an incredible influx of bars, and tonight three more were on the agenda, plus a sidewalk cafe license. The end result, which is often a testament to stamina more than brains, was that nobody got their license approvals tonight, and one of the three bars withdrew their application in the face of so much opposition.

Jill goes on to discuss her conflict on this issue... She loves bars and restaurants and going out. But. Enough is enough.

"There has come a moment in the past few years where the tipping point was reached, and the number of bars has outnumbered everything else. Instead of the diverse place I've lived for so long, our little streets have become a mecca of nightlife, a Temple Bar or Bourbon Street zone that is on the verge of being truly unlivable. 19 bars within 500 feet simply have to be enough to choose from."

Thanks to Jill for attending and quickly writing this up...

More on this as the day continues...Here is Eater's coverage.... and perhaps more from The Lo-Down... and maybe Fork in the Road?

For more on the nightlife discussion....

Avenue A, 9:13 p.m., May 8 (read the 68 comments) .... "Another noisy bar" slated for Avenue A; actually, make that several noisy bars, perhaps

"Another noisy bar" slated for Avenue A; actually, make that several noisy bars, perhaps

Unfortunately, I couldn't make the latest noisy bar community meeting on 13th Street last night...



I went to the one last summer in which the Superdive manager attended. I still recall the longtime resident who said that "this isn't a neighborhood that 'sits on its ass' and looked at the Destination and Superdive reps and said that they are officially 'put on notice.'"

If anyone attended last night and wants to pass along details... I'd appreciate it...

Anyway, there's plenty of reason for concern. Take a look at this month's CB3/SLA slate on Monday ... all sorts of activity on the northern stretch of Avenue A:

Alterations/Transfers/Upgrades
-- El Camion (El Camion III Inc), 194 Ave A (trans/op) (The Raven)
-- Percy's (Steelbar 180 Inc), 210-212 Ave A (trans/op) (Al Diwan)
-- MBM Lounge Inc, 212 Ave A (trans/op) (Forbidden City)
-- Corp to be Formed, 503-505 E 12th St (trans/op) (I'll have more on this one - the former Mundial and Totem)

Plus, for good measure, the popular Westville at 11th Street is applying for a sidewalk cafe license...

Meanwhile, as I posted on Saturday, there was an "open house" this past Friday at 5 p.m. (!) for the new bar/restaurant going in the old Raven space at 12th Street and Avenue A...



I've asked several neighborhood power brokers about the open house... and no one knew a thing about it. Jill at Blah Blog Blah, who has chronicled many of the noise-related issues in this part of the neighborhood, said that she walked by Friday at 5:30 p.m. "I ... didn't notice any event."

And she echoed my thoughts. "Come to think of it, what an inconvenient time to have an open house, right when most of us working stiffs are still commuting. Maybe [the owner] thought he'd get his support from the students who live in the building."



Previously on EV Grieve:
New bar slated for 12th Street and Avenue A

Observations from last night's noisy bars meeting

Another nightmare bar for 505 E. 12th St.?

We've talked with several residents in the past about problems stemming from the former bars at 505 E. 12th St.... Mundial and before that, Totem... So a few people are anxious now that the following has appeared on Monday's CB3/SLA docket:

Corp to be Formed, 503-505 E. 12th St. (trans/op)

I was never in Mundial or Totem. Here's the Totem writeup from Shecky's to show you what you missed:

Totem: Join the ultra-hip Williamsburg and NYU kiddies as they jungle boogie ‘til they can’t boogie no more at this Alphaville hotspot. Prance without dancing (as it’s legally prohibited) around the totem poles, saunter over to the lounge area, or plant yourself in the outdoor garden. Featured drinks include the house special Totem Pole and the slightly less subtle Beaver Juice. Note: the menu literally warns patrons to mind the alcohol content of these drinks, thus reflecting a certain acknowledgement of attracting a young clientele. The Totem rocks throughout the week but occasional theme nights, like the cyclical Full Moon Party, can be a howl.

We don't know just yet what this "corp to be formed" is going to be bringing to the block. At this point, any new venture is bound to cause high anxiety for neighbors.

An open house for a new restaurant on Avenue A

At 12th Street and Avenue A... a new bar/restaurant is in the works...



Did anyone go to this open house?



Previously on EV Grieve:
New bar slated for 12th Street and Avenue A

Delta Phi offers an apology; but are they sincere? "If not, the wrath of 12th Street will be a good college lesson for any young man"

Jill has an update on the story she has been covering at Blah Blog Blah. She spoke with members of the Delta Phi fraternity on 12th Street. According to her post just now:

[T]he fraternity has said that they've made attempts to reach out to as many of their neighbors as they could to apologize for the disturbance their party caused.

In response to an email that I sent to both them and NYU, they have assured me that they will take great pains in the future to ensure that their parties will not attract as many people by limiting the number of invites distributed. They said that the turnout was unprecedented and unexpected, unlike any of the previous parties they had on Avenue C and that they do not have big parties every week, and plan only one more next semester, but they say it will definitely not be as big a party, and they will post notices around the block so that we will have advance warning.

Currently four people are living full time in the frathouse apartment. I recommended that they volunteer their services in the garden across the street from their house, which might go a long way toward a mutual understanding and respect for the community, the block and the East Village. I also think they will learn a thing or two about drinking.

Some other blogs have picked up this story and it is making the rounds around NYU also, so either they are on notice to be on their best possible behavior, or the news will make them more popular than ever and cater to that pent up frathouse demand that NYU's been missing all these years. Only time will tell if they are sincere about making amends. I for one certainly hope they are and keep to their word, as I will be holding them to it personally and I have their phone number. If not, the wrath of 12th Street will be a good college lesson for any young man.

Previously.