East 10th Street: Now with a little less shade

During the Great Thunder Blizzard of 2011 snowstorm the other night... part of this tree on East 10th Street between Third Avenue and Second Avenue came crashing down ... there were no reported injuries...

[Via SoulSeller]

This morning, the block was, er, blocked off while tree crews took to cleaning up the remains...

10th Street, 9:01 a.m., Jan. 30

[Updated] 10th Street fire now treated as a crime scene

Following up on our previous post... there was a heavy police and fire presence on 10th Street between Avenue B and Avenue C this afternoon. One witness reported a fire. According to a commenter: "I just spoke to someone working on site who is the 'board up guy'... he said a man set his apartment on fire right before shooting himself." (Please keep in mind that none of this has been officially confirmed by police or fire personnel.)

Reliable sources have confirmed this story... The man was believed to be living in an apartment on the top floor... more details will follow... Police are currently at the scene, and are remaining tight-lipped — not even responding to queries from neighbors here.

While standing here, several fire trucks pulled up... but the crews didn't stay long...

More to come...

Patrick Hedlund has more information at DNAinfo. Per his story: "Authorities at the scene said that a man on the building's fourth floor, where the fire started, had shot himself in the head and died. Police said they didn't know if there was a link between the shooting and the fire. The NYPD and FDNY could not confirm that information."

More photos from the East 10th Street fire/crime scene

EV Grieve correspondent Bobby Williams was on the scene this afternoon for the fire on East 10th Street between Avenue B and Avenue C... (Read more here.) It is now being treated as a crime scene. Several commenters as well as people on the scene believe the resident on the top floor shot himself before the fire started... Please keep in mind that none of this has been officially confirmed by police or fire personnel.

Fire on East 10th Street

Several readers are reporting on a fire on East 10th Street between Avenue B and Avenue C...

Per one: "I saw it after the fire was put out but something BAD happened earlier, tons of ambulances/ladders. I even saw one guy who looked bloodied being taken away on a stretcher..."

And from another reader: "10th btwn B & C, 4 story bldg next to Charas. Lots of trucks, a hook and ladder, I don't see any smoke or fire. They've been there about 40 min."

[Photo via EV Grieve reader Ashir]

A tribute to Ruta

On East 10th Street via EV Grieve reader Bobby Williams.

East 10th Street storefront lassos Cowgirl Cupcakes

Thanks to EV Grieve reader Leesy for this shot of Cowgirl Cupcakes coming to East 10th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue. No word on an opening date... And I do like the art on the roll-down gate. Maybe it's the image makeover that the often-maligned cupcake needed?

Window shopping on East 10th Street

So what's going on at 325 E. 10th St.?

Speaking of 325 E. 10th St. ... A reader sent me an e-mail saying that he or she had been in the process of renting an apartment here. That was until the other day.



"After a long application process (for which we were approved) we were told the entire building was no longer going to be listed for rent. This was while we were in the process of cutting checks for lease signing. Something is up with this building. We were given no explanation, and everyone involved felt as if we had been worked over. This deal has been in process all week, and I know personally I felt comfortable enough with how things were moving to not continue looking for apartments. Could be a condo conversion, or a complete sale of the property to a third party ..."

StreetEasy has listings for 12 units here. I sent an agent at Icon Realty Management an e-mail asking if units here were still available. He responded, "Yes, to schedule a viewing, please call me." I sent a follow-up note, ID-ing myself as a blogger, and asked for clarification on what was happening here. I didn't receive a return response. That was last Wednesday.

In any event, while walking by recently, an agent was showing the apartments... the front door was open. And a worker told me that it was OK to walk in and take a look. So I did.



There are two buildings here.... a courtyard separates the two... From what I could tell, the second building contains the studios, which start at $2,000.




Everything in the studios are top of the line, including the washer and dryer... but the studios seem small — even by small East Village studio standards.




...and here's a one-bedroom unit in the front building...





And here are a few photos from the roof of the second building... the "roof decks" are listed as an amenity here. Doesn't seem like much of a party destination — a little too close to the neighbors .... not that that will deter anyone...






Finally, when I looked at the Icon site last night, there weren't any units listed here now. The jilted renter thinks that the second building is still on the market, but not the front building. So, what's going on with 325 E. 10th St.? This is a story that's likely to be continued...

With two 'public roof decks,' 325 E. 10th St. ready to contribute to 'lively community'

Back in April, we told you about the year-long renovations coming to 325 E. 10th St. across from Tompkins Square Park....



Well, this may be a record... the scaffolding came down yesterday ... and 20 of those renovated apartments have hit the market .... starting at $2,000 for studios and up to $4,200 for two-bedroom pads...

Here's the listing per Streeteasy:

This amazing boutique building sits on Tompkins Square Park. This Classic walk up has been completely gut renovated and now has classic New York features like black and white tiled hallways, wall moldings and elegant lighting.

There are 14 brand new fully gut renovated Studio, 1 Bedroom and 2 Bedroom apartments with condo finishes. Each apartment features: wide plank walnut wood floors, recessed MR-16 lighting, kitchens with walnut cabinetry, carrera marble countertops and stainless steel appliances, and bathrooms with pedestal sinks, and marble tiles. Each apartment has its own Premium LG Washer and Dryer. This building also features a Landscaped Courtyard and 2 Public Roof Decks.

You can't tell from the street, but there's another building behind here that's only accessible through 325. Which explains the second "public" roof deck. And where the courtyard is.

As a fourth generation resident of 10th Street told me last night, "It looks like a dorm."



Indeed.

Will 325 E. 10th St. now "contribute to the lively community" like the sign promises?

C'mon you guys — really, keep this door closed! No, seriously...

Despite some apparent thievery at the Theatre for the New City through the East 10th Street doorway, people just wanna keep the door open anyway...




[Photos courtesy of Blue Glass]

Shear madness?

Speaking of new bars, the Blind Barber has opened on 10th Street near Avenue B....at the former Plan B space (same owners, I believe)...

Frank Bruni paid a visit at the Times... Here's a Frankenblurb or two... He described it as "a new establishment in the East Village with a worrisome moniker but an amusing conceit: Every $40 haircut or $30 shave comes with a cocktail (or beer or wine) from an adjacent lounge in back, enabling the patron to do follicular and spiritual maintenance all at once."

And!

Although we reporters are usually loath to admit this sort of thing, the release got my attention. It heralded a “barbershop and lounge mash-up,” casting the enterprise as “the ultimate experience in multitasking.”

“Not enough hours in the day for that much needed haircut?” it asked. “Has yet another social obligation cut into your grooming time?” Enter the Blind Barber, where you can socialize and groom simultaneously, or at least in rapid succession, under one roof. Get buzzed while getting buzzed. Combine hygiene with high jinks.

Uh, anyway, I walked by the place Wednesday evening and spotted a bouncer and velvety-looking ropes....



Back in January, Fork in the Road noted that Blind Barber would also be serving food from Gnocco next door...

Jurassic Pipes on East 10th Street

Yesterday, I was walking down that nice stretch on East 10th Street between Third Avenue and Second Avenue...on the way to drop off the CB3 application forms for my friend Chloe*...



...when I came upon these workers and these...these... pieces of something...



At first, I thought it was some sort of... of ... steampunk exhibit... I finally asked the worker. He said that they were removing the old boiler. Good lord... I think this is an Benjamin Maugham original!

--------

* not really