Seven empty storefronts on one stretch of Seventh Street

On Sunday, the Personal Affairs boutique closed after 11 years in business...

With PA's departure, there are now seven empty storefronts on this stretch between First Avenue and Avenue A...

(Xoom, the smoothie shop, is moving to a new location in the East Village.)

This block still has a neighborhood feel to it ... where community members come together at St. Stanislaus Church or the Peter Jarema Funeral Home ... and this stretch of Seventh Street has its quirky charms, such as Anthony Pisano's storefront home where he has lived the last 32 years... ... It's the kind of place where a cat named Pretty Boy was considered the Mayor of Seventh Street...

Meanwhile, though, for better or worse, this block has become the Food Capital of NYC with the celebrated likes of Butter Lane, Luke's Lobster and Porchetta, among others.

And there's the new apartment building at 92 Seventh St. — with a three-bedroom going for nearly $6,000. The ground floor will be home to another restaurant.



With all the heralded food, and more likely to come, I worry that this precious stretch of the neighborhood will simply become one big line of people waiting to eat.

Your chance to add more floors to a 'rare 1860s' townhouse

The listing at Prudential Douglas Eliman tells the story:

MOTIVATED SELLER RETIRING & MOVING OUT OF NYC WANTS TO HEAR ALL OFFERS! Rare 1860's four story single family townhouse located in the most coveted East Village neighborhood with the potential to be the truly special home of one's dreams. This house could easily be restored to a luxurious residence or developed into a lucrative boutique, restaurant, condominiums or Bed & Breakfast, especially considering the building's F.A.R. which would permit the addition of two more floors (500-600 ft of buildable space). Current owner has short-term roommates. The East Village has never been more attractive as a burgeoning cultural center with immense residential interest and incredible investment opportunity in terms of income growth potential. January 2011 through 2012 NYC Property Assessment Value is $3,885,000. This house will be Delivered Vacant and will be on any user or investors short list, due to its versatility and value.

The price was reduced this week by 5 percent to $3.985 million.

The next sliver of space for development: The parking lot at 277 Seventh St.

In recent years it seems as if, say, some restaurant gardens and single-level buildings have a shorter and shorter life expectancy around here. Soon, they may all be pricy apartments. Massey Knakal now has a listing for the 22-foot-wide parking lot at 277 E. Seventh Street west of Avenue D... Per the listing:

A 22’ wide vacant development site on the northern side of East 7th Street between Avenues C and D. The site benefits from a curb cut. Currently, there are 10 cars parked at an average rent of $300/month. It would be suitable for a single family or multi-unit development.

And the price for the parking lot: $1.95 million. This space is adjacent to the new Lower Eastside Girls Club building presently under construction here on Avenue D between Eighth Street and Seventh Street.

Coming soon to Seventh Street: coffee and ice cream

The city issued permits last week for the former City Copies on Seventh Street just east of Second Avenue. We've been curious what might be going in here... Workers on the scene told an EV Grieve reader that the storefront will soon be home to "coffee and ice cream."

6:38 p.m., Seventh Street, Jan. 26

Filming for "The Last Quartet" continues this evening on Seventh Street between Avenue C and Avenue D. While it's a fairly small production, one reader noted: "Film crew showed up at 4 am on Avenue C and 7th Street. Apparently had trouble parking, woke my roommate up yelling directions to the trucks."

Meanwhile, on Seventh Street, the East Village's original frozen car asks, 'What about me?'

On Jan. 16, we posted these photos by EV Grieve contributor Bobby Williams on Seventh Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue...

Same situation has what happened on East Second Street yesterday... broken underground pipe results in frozen car.

But, outside this post, there was zero media coverage. And the Icicle Audi gets on the local TV news, the Post, Gothamist...

Reps for this car contacted us to see what we could do about getting it some love and attention. Anyone?

NYPD: Laptop thieves accidentally started fire and killed a dog on Seventh Street

Per the NYPD Daily Blotter in the Post today:

Two burglars accidentally set a Lower East Side apartment on fire while trying to flee, police sources said.

The suspects first tried to break into a first-floor apartment on East Seventh Street at 11:30 p.m. Jan. 5. When the 79-year-old woman who lives there began screaming, the suspects clambered down a fire escape.

They then entered a ground-floor apartment and swiped jewelry, a laptop computer and credit cards. While slinking off, the two perps — who had been using a lighter as a flashlight — accidentally set something on fire. They escaped in a cab, paid for with a stolen credit card, as the flames ravaged the apartment, sources said.

One firefighter was injured and the tenant's dog was killed.

The NYPD is looking for the two men in the photo above. Tipsters can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or submit tips at nypdcrimestoppers.com or text info to 274637 (CRIMES), entering TIP577. Photo and info via Runnin' Scared.

For more on this photo, go here.

There is now a large hole in the middle of Seventh Street

Between First Avenue and Second Avenue is presently closed... and the DEP is on the scene.

Nothing yet on what's going on here...

Frozen drinks trend getting out of hand

This one has Correlejo Blanco tequila, chipotle chili agave, toasted cardamom infused agave, chipotle chili toasted cardamom infused agave, red pepper puree, cucumber, Dimmi Italian cordial, fresh lime, untoasted agave, orange bitters and hickory smoked ice melter. It's $27,000. You get to keep the car

Actually, EV Grieve contributor Bobby Williams passes along these ice car photos from Seventh Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue...

[Updated] Fire on Seventh Street

[From EV Grieve reader Clotilde Testa — check out her website here]

There are multiple reader reports of another fire last night around 11:45 ... best estimates at this point puts it at 129 Seventh St. above the Peter Jarema Funeral Home... as of this time, we do not have any details on the extent of damage or injuries. One reader reports hearing breaking glass and a woman screaming, "is he alive! Is he alive!"

We'll certainly have more on this as the day progresses

Updated: Per DNAinfo — "A blaze began on the first floor of a five-story East Vilage residential building at 7th Street and First Avenue just before midnight, an FDNY spokesman said. The fire was contained to one apartment and was put out by 12:13 a.m., officials said. One firefighter was transported to New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center for minor injuries after working on the East Village blaze."



[From EV Grieve reader Steve]








[From reader Clotilde Testa]


[Courtesy of Nik]


Previously on EV Grieve:
13 fires in the East Village since May 2010

Newspapers continue discovering East Village streets

Yesterday, The Wall Street Journal reported on East Third Street, noting that the area is becoming a nightlife destination, which doesn't always make some longtime locals happy.

Meanwhile, The Real Estate Section in the Times checks in with a piece on Seventh Street titled "Musty Old, Clever Young East Seventh Street."

This is a stretch of the East Village that has enchanted local publications for centuries. For instance, Time Out featured Seventh Street last February.

Anyway!



Unfortunately, I didn't make it past the fourth paragraph of the Times article ... with the scene described at Abraço...

"A lanky Italian with one leg of his corduroys tucked into an argyle sock leaned against a tall, skinny wooden table on the sidewalk, sipping from a demitasse and reading The Financial Times. Inside, a rumpled young man lingered in the open window, wearing homesickness for Brazil on his comely face. At his elbow, a middle-aged woman in matte red lipstick and a hand-knit snood was eyeing the cured olive cookies and chatting about the charms of her East Village neighborhood.

Behind the small counter, one of the proprietors, Jamie McCormick, worked his La Marzocco machine and called greetings to his regulars. “Where you been?” Mr. McCormick said to a reedy young man in a motorcycle jacket with a striped scarf tossed loosely around his neck. “You been on tour?”

Whoa! This is a dangerous level of adjectives. Let's toss a few of them into Wordle!



Oops. I don't think I put them back correctly.

"A hand-knit Italian with one leg of his corduroys tucked into a wooden sock leaned against a skinny argyle table on the sidewalk, sipping from a demitasse and reading olive cookies. Inside, a rumpled scarf lingered in the open window, wearing homesickness for Brazil on his middle-aged face. At his elbow, a comely woman in striped red lipstick and a lanky snood was eyeing the reedy Financial Times and chatting about the charms of her tall neighborhood.

Behind the young counter, one of the proprietors, Jamie McCormick, worked his La Marzocco machine and called greetings to his regulars. “Where you been?” Mr. McCormick said to a cured young man in a motorcycle jacket with a matte small man tossed loosely around his neck. “You been on tour?”

Dora Park Apartments getting a bath

One of my favorite apartment buildings, the Dora Park on Seventh Street across from Tompkins Square Park, is getting cleaned up... watching workers on the scene this morning... hope no one wanted to sleep in...




Here's a shot from the invaluable Forgotten New York showing the detail above Dora Park's doorway...

Bus stop

Yesterday morning on Seventh Street between Avenue A and First Avenue.... another one of those Americana moments that gives the neighborhood a small-town vibe...

A bicycle thief

Here's a partial narrative from a 7 year old recounting how his bicycle was stolen on Seventh Street... via @XoomNYC

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning edition

Here comes Walmart, again (Crain's)

An early look at the "New York Dive" documentary (Jeremiah's Vanishing NY)

Saying goodbye to Ruby's (The Brooklyn Paper ... Amusing the Zillion has more coverage. ... ditto for Grub Street)

An Eighth Street video now and then (Flaming Pablum)

Protesting against an NYU tower (Curbed)

About that boyfriend-stealing Lady Gaga (Runnin' Scared)

A drink at Nice Guy Eddie's (Eater)

At the SPURA rally (BoweryBoogie)

EV Lambo's Midtown friend (Stupefaction)

And from [jdx] — extra place, squared

A memorial on Seventh Street

In front of 272 E. Seventh St., where 21-year-old Christopher Jusko was stabbed to death early Monday morning.

Prosecutors: Accused wanted to settle dispute 'like men'

[Siegel for News]

The Daily News files their report on yesterdays's Seventh Street slaying:

The East Village man charged with fatally slashing a fellow graffiti artist had challenged his victim to settle their dispute over a woman "like men," prosecutors said Tuesday.

The claim came as Jairo Pastoressa, 25, was arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court and held without bail for the stabbing death of Christopher Jusko Monday.

Prosecutors said he was clutching an 8 1/2-inch knife as he stood on the second-floor landing of his E. 7th St. apartment as Jusko — and the woman they were fighting over — arrived at about 5:15 a.m. early Monday.

........

[Pastoressa's] lawyer, who said cops are still looking to question the girlfriend, asked that his client be put on suicide watch.

Previously.

Report: No bail in Seventh Street slaying

The Post has just filed this report on yesterday's Seventh Street slaying:

A man charged with fatally stabbing a love rival had lured his victim to his East Village apartment with a false promise they’d "settle it like men," prosecutors said today.

Instead, Jairo Pastoressa, 25, "sliced the victim in the neck, and as the victim turned away, stabbed him in the back" in the apartment on East 7th Street near Avenue D, Assistant District Attorney Caitlin Nolan told a Manhattan Criminal Court judge in successfully asking that Pastoressa be held without bail.

The victim, Christopher Jusko, was unarmed and "made no physical actions against the defendant," Nolan said.

But Pastoressa’s lawyer, Spiro Ferris, insisted that his client may have been acting in self-defense during the argument.

At the Seventh Street crime scene

As DNAinfo reported earlier this morning, the body of a 21-year-old man with stab wounds to his neck was found outside 272 Seventh St. between Avenue C and Avenue D...




Detectives continue to work the crime scene. There is an unsubstantiated account from several onlookers of a second victim.





With news crews arriving on the scene, there will certainly be further reports today.

Police have Seventh Street at Avenue D blocked off

This is per a reader, who notes the street has been blocked off the last two hours... no word just yet on why.