Storefront renovations commence on the SW corner of the Bowery and Houston

Renovations are underway on the SW corner of the Bowery and Houston. Plywood arrived last week outside the long-vacant spaces at a building with multiple addresses (282-284 Bowery plus 87-91 E. Houston St.).

We don't know anything at the moment about what might be next here.

The last tenant at 284 Bowery was Cherche Midi, Keith McNally's French brasserie that closed in June 2018. (Before this, McNaly had unleased Pulino's Bar and Pizzeria.)

A for-lease sign arrived on the building in March 2023, only the second time we recall this space on the market in the past six years.  

This corner has also been a hot spot for street art these past six years. The construction plywood now covers the storefronts, obscuring murals that include the George Floyd tribute by @fumeroism that arrived in early June 2020.

There was also the recent arrival of this Marvin Gaye wheatpaste by @stikki_peaches...

[Updated] Someone placed an ad for AMC's 'The Walking Dead: Dead City' over the George Floyd mural on Houston and the Bowery

The George Floyd mural by @fumeroism arrived in early June 2020 on the southwest corner of the Bowery and East Houston... and has remained in place these past three-plus years. 

Hopefully, it will return: The AMC ad looks to be temporary — some kind of peel-and-stick mural. "The Walking Dead: Dead City" premiered last night. 

As a reader noted, bad timing for covering the George Floyd memorial on Juneteenth.

Updated 6/20 

Overnight, someone peeled off the AMC ad to reveal the George Floyd mural once again...

[Updated] Vandal on skateboard defaces new George Floyd bust in Union Square

Photos by Lola Sáenz 

Updated 10/26: Police reportedly arrested 37-year-old Micah Beals on the LES in connection with this vandalism.

Someone defaced a bust of George Floyd this morning on Union Square. 

According to police and published reports, a man on a skateboard tossed paint on the memorial before taking off around 10 a.m. The NYPD released this surveillance video...

On 10/3/21, at approx. 10:15 AM, in Union Square Park, a person on a skateboard threw gray paint on the face and base of a statue of George Floyd. Info? DM @NYPDTips or ☎️ 1-800-577-TIPS. @NYPDShea @NYPDDetectives @NYPDPBMS @NYPD13Pct @NYCParks @mayorsCAU pic.twitter.com/PxNQs1u6mw

— NYPD Hate Crimes (@NYPDHateCrimes) October 4, 2021

Volunteers and producers of the public art installation called SEEINJUSTICE later cleaned the paint off the bust.

Somoene vandalized the same statue of Floyd in June while it was on display in Flatbush, Gothamist reported.

The 10-foot statue of Floyd and one of John Lewis and Breonna Taylor were just unveiled on Thursday. They were created by artist Chris Carnabuci and will be on display here until Oct. 30. 

The statues of Lewis and Taylor were not vandalized...

Tuesday's parting shot

Photo in Union Square just after 5 p.m. ... via Twitter by NBC 4's Phil Lipof (@lipoftv), who was there getting reaction to the guilty verdict that was reached in the murder trial of former Minnesota police officer Derek Chauvin, who was charged in the death of George Floyd... found guilty on all counts.

According to the Daily News: "... about 500 people throughout the park shouted: 'Guilty! Guilty! Guilty!'"

2 new East Village murals honor George Floyd

The above mural by @fumeroism is on the southwest corner of the Bowery and East Houston... the other new work by @dragon76art arrived today on the northeast corner of First Avenue and 13th Street...

Scenes from peaceful protests in Union Square

Thousands (and thousands) of people took part in peaceful demonstrations against systemic racism and police brutality across the city this weekend as the anger over the death of George Floyd continues to show little sign of abating.

EVG contributor Stacie Joy has been at Union Square, and shared these photos from the weekend...

































The Instagram account @justiceforgeorgenyc has centralized information and daily updates on protests in NYC.

Metrograph and Club Cumming are open to protestors this weekend

The independent cinema down at 7 Ludlow St. is opening its lobby this weekend (2-6 p.m.) for people taking part in peaceful protests... offering up water and other supplies as well as use of the theater's restrooms.

Metrograph is the latest arts-theater space to take part in the growing Open Your Lobby campaign... other neighborhood participants include the Public Theater ... the New York Theatre Workshop ... and Performance Space New York.

For updated lists on NYC protests, you can visit @justiceforgeorgenyc. And you can make a sign today (starting at noon, and they have supplies) at Amy Van Doran's Modern Love Club, 156 First Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street.

Updated:

Club Cumming on Sixth Street between Avenue A and Avenue B is also open to protestors...

View this post on Instagram

We are here if you need us 1pm-5pm Water, Snacks, PPE, First Aid, Restroom #openyourlobby #blacklivesmatter

A post shared by Club Cumming (@clubcumming) on Jun 6, 2020 at 8:15am PDT

On the march

Thank you to East Village-based photographer Gudrun Georges for sharing these images from before, during and after some of the peaceful protests this past week...

Performance Space New York is now a rest stop for protestors; donations needed

Performance Space New York on First Avenue at Ninth Street is now offering protestors water and other supplies as well as use of their restrooms ...



And they are the latest East Village theater space to do this as part of the Open Your Lobby campaign... we mentioned yesterday that both the Public Theater and the New York Theatre Workshop are providing similar services in the afternoon and early evening hours.

At the Public Theater

As mentioned this morning, the Public Theater on Lafayette is one of the venues offering water and restrooms to protestors as part of the Open Your Lobby campaign... they'll be open daily from 2-6 p.m for people taking part in marches.

Outside, they're featuring the work of D.C.-based creator B. Peppers...