Thanksgiving for Sandy Survivors

Volunteers are at St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery preparing for the free Thanksgiving meal for people displaced by Superstorm Sandy... 1-4 today...

Per @AMDuross on Twitter — 11am lots of people from EV and other neighborhoods rolling in with donations. Smells amazing.

Manhattan Kids Club II raising funds to rebuild Sandy-damaged facilities

From the EV Grieve inbox...

Manhattan Kids Club II is a nurturing, educational child care facility on East 14th Street ... Hurricane Sandy filled the school with 4 feet of water leaving it unusable for the children and staff. The MKC community is coming together on behalf of the owner Beth Garcia to raise money for the restoration of the space, new furniture, educational materials and supplies.

The facility was ravaged by hurricane Sandy last week, with 4 feet of flood waters rushing through the doors, destroying everything... Everything from walls and insulation, carpeting and flooring was destroyed by the storm. Every toy and book, cubby and desk had to be thrown away. Every single thing will need to be replaced.

A crowdsourcing campaign is under way — the school's modest goal of $2,500 has been exceeded... but a lot more is needed for the facility's complete gut renovation and restoration of supplies, according to one parent ... you can learn more about it here.

Free legal assistance for Hurricane Sandy victims today

Today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Haven Plaza ... East 12th Street and Szold Place...

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Image via Matt LES_Miserable

The inside story of Con Ed and Superstorm Sandy

I've been curious about some of the events of Oct. 29, when the East River was flooding Avenue C... and before the lights went out for the next 4-5 days. I'm trying to even remember what happened that night. It seems like longer than 16 days ago. Maybe that's a good thing.

What I recall. About 6:30 that Monday night, with the storm on the way, I decided to take a walk around the neighborhood. Maybe get a drink. See what was going on. Take some pictures. Great idea!

I stop by a few places. Not many people around. At this point, I'm just inside Vazac's. Before entering the second set of doors, I pause and quickly glance at my phone/email. There's an email from EVG reader faces from 7:01 p.m. saying that 14th Street and Avenue C was under water. He sent this photo:

It is now much later than 7:01. I leave and head east on Seventh Street... About a third of the way from Avenue C, I encounter the water rising on the street. I talk with a few people. No one is panicking. So far. I figure I can go back to Avenue B, and head south for a better vantage point. I'm right near that big Tompkins Square Plaza apartment complex at 190 E. Seventh St. when the sky to the southeast lights up in that greenish tint ... an explosion from somewhere. I heard a variety of WHOOOOAAAAAAAAs and WOOOOOOOOOssss and WTFs.

EVG regular William Klayer took this shot at nearly the moment he heard the explosion about 8:13 p.m. or so:

Figure it might be a good time to go home now. And you know the rest, after the second explosion...

Anyway, Stephen Gandel at Fortune has published a detailed account of what happened at Con Ed the night of Superstorm Sandy... and how the utility eventually restored power to the city.... an excerpt...

By the time [Con Ed CEO James] Burke reached the command room, word was already circulating through the media and among his staff that Con Ed's 13th Street sub-station, one of the largest in the city, had blown up.

In the room, John Miksad, one of Burke's top lieutenants, was on the phone with a crew at one of the lower Manhattan power stations that had been turned off getting a report on the flooding when the lights in the command center went off and on. Miksad looked up at one of the three giant screens at the front of the room that displayed the number of Con Ed customers who had lost power. Before the lights went off it was about 100,000. When the screen came back on a moment later, the number had jumped by more than 200,000.

John McAvoy, another one of Burke's top lieutenants, was already on the phone with workers at the 13th Street station when Miksad came over. Everyone was okay. They didn't see any fires. Power was out. The first floor control room was still dry but outside the streets had turned into rivers. Water was pouring over the wall. They wanted out.

Miksad, though, wanted in. His computers weren't telling him anything. He would need to get into the plant and look at the equipment to know what had happened, but he couldn't leave the command center. He told McAvoy to send an engineer on the rescue mission.

Shortly after that, Miksad got an e-mail with a link to the now-infamous youtube clip of the 13th Street substation. That was the first time he saw the flash. Technically, the plant hadn't blown up. It was what they call an arc, kind of like the spark you sometimes get when you plug something into an outlet, except much more powerful. Arcs happen. But the flashes are only supposed to last fractions of a second before breakers divert the current away from the problem. The flash Miksad saw in the video went on for 30 seconds, and it seemed to come in waves. He watched the video again and again. "That's when I knew we had a problem," says Miksad. "And it was a very, very big one."

Read the whole article here.

[Updated] S'MAC seeking help

From the EV Grieve inbox... via S'MAC at 345 E. 12th Street just west of First Avenue...

In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, like all downtown restaurants, we sustained heavy losses due to spoiled inventory and loss of business, and are working with our insurance carriers to see how much we can recover.

In the meantime we have decided to carry a full payroll for our staff for the week that we were forced to shutdown, but in order to do this we need your help.

If you intend to eat at S'MAC at any time in the next year, we ask that you consider putting that amount on a S'MAC gift card and use that card when you come in to eat in the future.

Please consider using S'MAC gift cards to fulfill a part of your Holiday gift-giving this year. And please buy that gift card now rather than wait until later in the year.

Either of these ideas will allow us to collect cash, that you had intended to spend at S'MAC, up front and use it for employee payroll now.

To purchase a S'MAC gift card, please go here.

Updated 9:27

DNAinfo has a piece on S'MAC's gift-card campaign tonight... Per the article by Serena Solomon, owner Sarita Ekya estimated that her Sandy-related losses were $90,000.

S'MAC, which first opened in 2006, has three locations — East 12th Street, East 33rd Street and a small kiosk on First Avenue and 1st Street — that were not damaged in the storm but were all forced to close. The East Village and Murray Hill locations were shut for eight days and the kiosk for 11 days.

S'MAC also decided to pay workers for the time the restaurants were closed during the hurricane.

However, now the bills have started arriving and rent on the shops is overdue by more than 10 days, she said.

2 weeks later: The lingering effects of Hurricane Sandy in the East Village

On East 11th Street and Avenue B yesterday. Photo by Goggla.

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On East 11th Street near Avenue C Saturday. Photo by Shawn Chittle.

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East 14th Street near Avenue C yesterday.

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Avenue C just past East 14th Street yesterday.

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Near East 10th Street yesterday.

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Avenue C at East Ninth Street Friday night. Photo by Andrew Adam Newman on Ave C.

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East Eighth Street near Avenue C yesterday.

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East Ninth Street near Avenue C Saturday.

Are you getting a rent abatement?

From the EV Grieve inbox...

Dear Residents,

We are writing to you after one of the most devastating storms in New York City’s
history. While most of our tenants were largely unaffected by the storm, those of you receiving this letter had to endure a lack of electricity, heat, hot water, and, in some cases, cold water as well. Many of you were lucky enough to have friends and family who could provide you with shelter during this time. Others were able to find hotel rooms. Some of our residents had nowhere to go aside from a city shelter. Regardless of your specific situation, we want to express our sympathy for all that you went through last week.

As we’re sure you know, all of your building superintendents remained onsite for the duration of the blackout. They did an amazing job making sure that the buildings remained secure and checking in on all of our tenants, especially those who are elderly or infirmed. They continued doing their jobs with a great attitude and exceeded our expectations in every way.

In addition to the supers, we know that many of you checked in on your neighbors during this time. Some of you even invited your neighbors over to your homes. Because of your empathy for others, you are helping to build real communities within your buildings. We thank you for your good humor and good spirits during a tough time.

While we recognize that there are plenty of people who are far worse off than you, we wanted to do our own small part to compensate you for the headache caused by the storm. On your December rent bill, you will see that we have abated your rent for the period of time that your building was without power. For 229 East 12th Street, 339-345 East 12th Street, 75-81 Orchard Street, and 101 Avenue D, your rent will be abated for 5 days. For 201-207 West 11th Street, your rent will be abated for 6 days.

We hope that you are all comfortably back in your homes and back to your normal routines. We also hope that all of your friends and family members are safe and sound.

Best regards,

Dermot Realty Management Company

Anyone else care to share how his or her landlord is handling the days without power? I've heard from a few tenants who said their landlord is doing something similar to the above. I've also heard from tenants who don't even think their landlord realized that there was a hurricane...

Meanwhile, Curbed has a handy, post-Sandy when-you-should-pay-rent guide right here.

Fundraising campaign under way for Kasadela on East 11th Street

Several readers have pointed us to the crowdsourcing fundraiser under way for Kasadela, the popular Japanese cafe on East 11th Street near Avenue C ... an intersection that was hit hard by Sandy's storm surge.

Per Go Fund Me:

As many of our fans know, we've sustained about 70% worth of damage. Damages include: sewage all over the entire basement, inventory destroyed ... broken kitchen appliances, two freezers, a refrigerator, the gas line is malfunctioning effecting the stove, fryer, broiler, and grill, the dining room's warped wood floor, soiled furniture, records and paperwork, computer, fax machine, printer/scanner, the list is endless seriously; we had a pretty big basement so we kept pretty much everything down there.

It is mind boggling to write this we have no idea what to do with ourselves. Our goal of $50,000 is to clean and sanitize the premises, adequately replace inventory, repair appliances worth salvaging replace those unworthy, renovate the floor, and return most things back to normal at least enough to get back on our feet.

[W]e will continue to put forth our best efforts to re-open but have faced several challenges and a lack of support from our Insurance co. We were reluctant to use this website, but friends & fans insisted that we accept their support now more than ever instead of relying on the system. Thank you for your continued support since 2003 ...

Here's the site with more information on the fundraising campaign.

This afternoon on Avenue C

Noted

One way to give rid of a storm-damaged car: Leave the keys on the hood. Photo by Bobby Maher.

Unless someone just forgot their keys on the hood...

14 photos of the post-Hurricane Sandy blackout in the East Village

Many readers sent photos from the blackout after Hurricane Sandy. I didn't have the chance to post them at the time. So... here's a look back... thank you to everyone who shared their work...

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Photos by Shawn Chittle.

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Photos by Michael Rosenthal.

(C) 2012 Michael Rosenthal

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Photos By Kevin Shea Adams
@kevinsheaadams
Find more photos of his photos here.

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Via Downtown in the Dark. Find more photos here.

Info clinic this a.m. on Hurricane Sandy recovery

From the EV Grieve inbox... sorry for the short — someone just sent it to me...

... and presented by a lot of people...

Helping Hurricane Sandy pets

From the EV Grieve inbox...

Ten days have passed since Hurricane Sandy battered all five boroughs of New York City, Long Island and coastal New Jersey. While enormous governmental and nonprofit relief efforts brought food, water, blankets and baby supplies to the hardest-hit areas where residents remain without power and basic amenities, food and supplies for companion animals remain especially scarce.

In fact, many residents remain huddled in damaged homes, still unable to venture very far for supplies. They are very grateful for any provisions to care for their furry family members. Carloads of supplies have been emptied with such astonishing speed that reinforcements are a critical need. That's where together we can help.

With the support of Bayou Rescue, a national nonprofit group founded during Hurricane Katrina and based in North Carolina, and The Lo-Down, a group of Manhattan residents and business owners are collecting pet food and supplies, as well as cash donations to purchase them. A caravan of vehicles and volunteers has been coordinated to deliver supplies to areas in need including the shore towns of Staten Island, Queens, and Long Island on Sunday.

Here’s what you can do:

Donate supplies (in Manhattan): Saturday, Nov. 10 from noon to 3 p.m., bring dry dog and cat food (in 5-10 pound bags), canned dog and cat food and cat litter to one of two locations.

• Downtown: Ruff Club dog club, daycare and boarding facility, 34 Ave. A in the East Village.

• Uptown: Instinct Dog Behavior & Training boarding, training and rehabilitation center, 1795 Lexington Ave. in East Harlem.

Donate funds to help us purchase supplies: Make a tax-deductible financial donation to Bayou Rescue by visiting BayouRescue.org/donate. Please note “Hurricane Sandy Pets”
in the memo section of your check to ensure your donation is properly routed.

Report: Power still out at 26-story Haven Plaza on Avenue C

[This morning at Haven Plaza by Dave on 7th]

Haven Plaza on East 12th Street at Avenue C is one of the many area buildings that is still without electricity or heat in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

As the Post reported today:

Water pressure in the building goes up only a few floors, elevators are disabled and residents are forced to trudge up and down the stairs for necessities.

“My daughter goes up and down 14 floors, five times a day, to bring me food and water,” said Iris Bido, 71.

Meanwhile, on the Lower East Side, the power is still out at Knickerbocker Village. The Lo-Down reported this morning that partial power has been restored at four of the 12 buildings in the affordable housing complex on Monroe Street.

And there's no end to the crisis here. There is still up to 25 feet of water in the mechanical and boiler rooms on the west side of Knickerbocker, The Lo-Down noted.

When Avenue C became part of the East River

On Monday, I posted a photo of the floodwaters on East 14th Street and Avenue C. In subsequent emails, several readers-residents said that they didn't realize the extent of the flooding...

Several Avenue C residents shared photos from the storm surge on Oct. 29. However, nothing probably quite captures the scene as this video does, shot around 8:15 p.m. on East 11th Street looking toward Avenue C.



Here's another video via YouTube that Daniel Scott uploaded ... showing the scene at East Eighth Street...

Cafecito reopens tonight on Avenue C

Cafecito on Avenue C near East 12th Street reopens tonight... first time that the Cuban eatery has been able to open since the surge from Hurricane Sandy flooded their establishment on Oct. 29.

[File photo]

A quick post-blackout observation

Just a post-Sandy blackout observation... BoweryBoogie noted this too the other day: an uptick in graffiti that occurred during the blackout ... a few examples...

BoweryBoogie heard (unconfirmed) that the NYPD arrested four graffiti artists for tagging walls during the blackout.

And maybe no hope...

Spotted several variations of this sign in the side streets around Avenue C and Avenue D...

Funding Alphabet City Rescue Mission

From the EV Grieve Facebook page... East Village resident Jenny Adams started this fundraising project...

We need some help down here. Our little section of Manhattan — affectionately known as Alphabet City - was completely flooded when the East River broke its banks during Hurricane Sandy.

This area has a lot of heart, and it's also got a lot of housing projects, lower income families and people who were struggling to make do before this storm.

I've been talking to neighbors and friends on our street, where most of the buildings took on 10 to 15 feet of water in the basements. Besides being weeks away from restoring running water, power and heat in a lot of them, the housing projects are in dire need of assistance.

As of this morning, Adams has raised $6,400 of her $10,000 goal. She also updates the site with her latest relief efforts...

We dropped off dozens of blankets and jackets and socks. 50 hats, 50 scarves and 50 mittens. 50 Power bars, Clorox bleach, rubber gloves and can openers.
AND! We somehow managed to find 12 packages of D Batteries!

(If you live in Lower Manhattan right now, you know that finding a store with a D Battery is the equivalent of finding Narnia ... in your shoe.)

Today, we spent roughly $900 for people in need. Oh, and we gave Diane at K-Mart a $200 gift card to give to her sister in New Jersey. Her sister lost everything in the storm, but we are working to make it better.

Find the fund-raising page and more information here.

Forum Friday for small businesses affected by Hurricane Sandy

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