Essex Street sinkhole now threatening to swallow this 'Village Voice' box

Back on Monday, BoweryBoogie reported on the sinkhole that formed at the southwest corner of Essex and Stanton Streets following Tropical Storm Andrea...

There's progress to report. Not so much in favor of pedestrians, cyclists or motorists (or newspaper boxes) though...


[Photo by EVG reader Riad]

Landlord serves eviction notice during Hurricane Sandy blackout

An EVG reader on Essex Street shares this stunning story. The 5-story tenement the longtime East Village-LES resident has lived in was recently sold. And the new landlord, named as Essex Funding LLC, is not offering new leases to any current tenants. Workers are planning a gut renovation.

OK. But then.

Per the reader:

I was in our apartment Wednesday afternoon when someone knocked. Our hallway is pitch black, so I wouldn't open the door. A guy on the other side had "paperwork" for me to "sign." It was a 30-day notice of termination of tenancy!

They also had a bunch of guys collected outside the previous morning with a dumpster to demolish and gut another apartment in the buiding. There is no light in the halls. It was impossible and completely unsafe ... and they didn't work, thankfully for them.

[EVG repost] Then and now: The Provident Loan Society of New York

Yesterday, BoweryBoogie noted a potentially troubling sign at the old Provident Loan Society building at East Houston and Essex... Workers had delivered a Davey Drill to the site, as BB pointed out, generally employed before a huge construction/demolition project. One Boogie commenter heard the mega-CVS rumor coming here... (Read his whole post here.) We'll stay tuned for further developments...

Meanwhile, it's a good time to trot out this EVG post from November 2010...

-------------------

I've lost track of how many clubs this space has been in the last 15 or so years... The space was originally The Provident Loan Society of New York, which opened here in 1912... the space served as a studio for Jasper Johns in the 1970s...

Amazingly enough, the classic revival brick building has retained its look through the years... Here are some photos from the NYPL Digital Gallery..... the first photo isn't dated...



from 1936...



from 1935...


and today...


I wonder if, in 1912, locals were annoyed that another bank branch was opening...

Cops looking for fake cop

EVG reader Justin S. spotted this yesterday at the Delancey-Essex Street station... the man pictured allegedly flashed a silver-star-shaped badge on a chain, claimed to be a police officer, then punched the victim in the face and stole his wallet.

There's no stopping the Subway invasion

On Thursday, we counted up the number of Subway (sandwich shops) in the East Village ... (find the answer here...)

Last night, EV Grieve reader Chis F. passed along this shot of yet another Subway setting up shop that we hadn't noticed ... A little out of bounds, but close enough at Essex and Stanton...

Aerial views of the Essex-Houston Street fire

EV Grieve reader Chris sends along more photos from the street/sewer/manhole/whatever fire currently burning on Essex at Houston...

Even the workers are impressed with the fire... this fellow is either taking photos or texting — or both!

Per Chris: "Fire department seems to be mostly just watching" for the time being...

Update: As of 2:11 or so, Chris notes that the fire is out.

[Updated] A big boom and fire on Houston and Essex

Just around 1:30 at Houston and Essex... Photos via Anonymous Octopus ...

Per the Anonymous Octopus: "Smells electrical. Some nice pretty mushrooms puffing out."

Three more shots from EV Grieve contributor samo...

Per samo: "Some are saying electrical fire where there was road construction."

Then and now: The Provident Loan Society of New York

As Eater reported Friday, the Element Nightclub on Houston and Essex is closing... Sunday marks the club's last night... Per Element management: "We are sad to say that the management of Element contacted us earlier to let us know that The Bank has been sold. They aren't sure what it will become but the one thing that is for sure is that it will no longer be a club."

I've lost track of how many clubs this space has been in the last 15 or so years... The space was originally The Provident Loan Society of New York, which opened here in 1912... the space served as a studio for Jasper Johns in the 1970s...

Amazingly enough, the classic revival brick building has retained its look through the years... Here are some photos from the NYPL Digital Gallery..... the first photo isn't dated...



from 1936...



from 1935...


and today...



I wonder if, in 1912, locals were annoyed that another bank branch was opening...

Community advocate Harry Wieder killed by cab on the LES

Harry Wieder, a Community Board 3 member and an activist for gay and disabled rights, was struck and killed by a cab last night on Essex Street. He was 57.

According to DNAinfo, Wieder was leaving a Community Board 3 meeting at PS 20 when the incident occurred on Essex Street between Houston and Stanton.

“I will miss Harry terribly,” CB 3 Chairman Dominic Pisciotta told DNAinfo. “He contributed so much to the board, and you could always count on him being at nearly every meeting. He loved serving the community, and most of all fighting for it.”

As The Lo-Down noted: On Wieder’s Facebook Page, he described himself as a: “Disabled, gay, Jewish, leftist, middle aged dwarf who ambulates with crutches…”

Wetsex and the city

Sign bandits on the loose in the Delancey/Essex Street station! Many thanks to EV Grieve reader Ryan for the photo.

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning Edition

Identical twin brothers from the East Village — who attended Stanford and Princeton — have been indicted for allegedly stealing $2 million from more than 30 victims using investment scams (DNAinfo)

The winter '09 of our discontent (Jeremiah's Vanishing NY)

Ask Biker Bill if he tweets (Neither More Nor Less)

Former Cooper Union Starbucks now being used to shill for vodka (Curbed)

Shake Shack to open in Nolita complete with rooftop terrace (Eater NY)

Neighbors ready to battle Nolitan Hotel (The Lo-Down)

BoweryBoogie reports today that this historic tenement at 5 Essex St. on the LES is slated to be demolished and provides some of the history here... Back in January, I made note of the great sign here...asking if the Dembitzer Brothers were still shipping "all over the world."

Physical anti-graffiti on the LES

Ran into one of the city's anti-graffiti crews the other morning on Essex and Broome in the LES. (The sworn enemy of the Graffiti Friend of EV Grieve.)



The fellow was busy waterblasting the tags on the Eisner Brothers memorabilia/sporting goods/underwear store at 75 Essex...






What was coming from the building seemed like blood...pouring into the streets...




I went back hours later to see what was left. I guess they don't do windows.

Essex Street, 5:44 p.m., Sept. 1

The signs at the Olympic Restaurant

Truth is, I saw the telltale neon signs appear on the windows a few weeks back at what is arguably my favortite restaurant around, the Olympic at Delancey and Essex on the LES. I didn't have the nerve to take an upclose look.



I always figured this corner was doomed in the new Blue LES... so, farewell to the Jade Fountain, which has been around since 1920...



...and the Olympic. With its little lunch counter and surprisingly comfortable stools.





Well, I finally decided to check it out this past week. Read the "Closing. Thank you to our customers" sign upclose. And what did I find on that orange sign?

News of expanded hours! Now open 24 hours Thursday through Saturday!

Heh. Well. Serves me right, Mr. Doomsday. So I went in and had the eggs, bacon, toast, home fries, juice and coffee -- $6 as always.

Per usual, the EMT guys were there. They sit down to eat inside the Olympic, but always get the food served in to-go containers -- in case they get a call during their meal. Never have seen that happen since I've been going there. (I figure the first time I need a paramedic -- perhaps from eating so many eggs-and-bacon meals from the Olympic -- the EMTs will arrive with food from the Olympic...)

Maybe another day I'll write more about the Olympic. Meanwhile, if you do go, check out the restrooms up the stairs in the back....

Two signs that I like on Essex Street

Next door to each other. I'm curious if the Dembitzer Bros. are still shipping all over the world...