14th Street's twinkling lights tree returns to its roots

The Mystery of the Mysteriously Illuminated Tree on 14th Street has reached an unsatisfying conclusion.

As noted on July 23, someone adorned the tree outside Beauty Bar and Coyote Ugly with a cascade of twinkling lights complete with two wall-style switches here between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. 

In any event, the tree, as of last week, is now free of its cloak of white lights.

No one claimed responsibility, but an anonymous EVG commenter reasonably explained that the Union Square Partnership created it as a festive tester tree. Per the commenter: "They are considering lighting up a bunch of trees on 14th Street for the holidays."

Some readers enjoyed the pre-holiday lights spectacular... while others stated tightly wrapping a tree in strands of lights is harmful.

For now, the tree is back to just being a tree...

H/T Brock Michael Napoli

Someone wrapped this tree on 14th Street in lights — and no one knows who or why

Someone wrapped this tree outside The Beauty Bar on 14th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue with strands of lights — not to mention two wall-style switches. 

Beauty Bar bartender Brock Michael Napoli said the lighting happened sometime after his shift this past Sunday at 3 a.m. 

"Nobody knows who did it," he told us. "All we saw on our security cams was a person in a box truck thingy with a lift." 

For now it's a mystery... so might as well enjoy it...

Top photo via Brock Michael Napoli

The saga continues...

Photo today in Tompkins Square Park by Steven ... (see this post for the background).

So that tire clamp on Avenue A got the boot

A lot of people noted the lone tire sitting on the sidewalk on Avenue A and 10th Street this past Thursday... with the boot still attached to the wheel. 

We don't know what happened to the vehicle...or the tire... however, EVG reader DP did spot the tie-locking clamp... which someone tossed into Tompkins Square Park...

Mystery solved? Avenue A residents track down source of the incessant 'loud mechanical sound'

Updated 8:45 a.m.: The original resident who reached out about the noise last month said that this is "clearly not the issue we are dealing with." And: "We are fairly certain it's coming from mechanical equipment in the rear of the business at 171 Avenue A. We are in contact with them to hopefully get it resolved. Anyone else experiencing this can reach out at LongtimeLesRes@gmail.com.

Also: The sleuths do NOT live on Avenue A as previously reported.

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Late last month, a longtime East Village resident wrote in about "a loud mechanical sound" that has been driving residents along Avenue A between 10th Street and 11th Street a little bonkers. 

To recap the sound situation: 

Unlike most commercial AC units that cycle on and off, this sound is incessant, and it sounds like a cross between an AC unit and a refrigerator. Occasionally there is a mechanical grinding noise as well. The noise doesn't stop, is loud, and is making it impossible for us to have our windows open and is making it difficult to sleep. 

Over the weekend, some local residents who read the previous post believed that have tracked down the source of the noise — from atop 118 Avenue D in the Jacob Riis Houses at Ninth Street.

So the noise was coming from three avenues away? 

"Yes, it's crazy how this sound carries all the way over to Avenue A," one of the residents told us. 

Now to the sleuthing: 

We just kept circling around trying to find the source. We initially thought it could be coming from the East River Park construction area but when we went there, we heard it coming from inland and we just circled around, closer and closer until we found it. 

We were able to access the roof of 100 Avenue D thinking it came from there and that's where we saw the actual source — the rooftop of 118 Avenue D.

   

Now what?

"We're just not sure how to get the NYCHA to address the issue," the resident said. "We didn't contact anyone about it." (Yet!)

Given the distance from 118 Avenue D to Avenue A between 10th Street and 11th Street, certainly other residents must be experiencing sound issues as well — especially those who live near the Riis Houses.

Residents eager to track down the source of this 'loud mechanical sound' in the East Village

A longtime resident shares this... 

Early last week we noticed a loud mechanical sound coming somewhere from the rear of the strip of buildings on Avenue A between 10th and 11th, 10th Street between A and 1st and 11th Street between A and 1st. 

Unlike most commercial AC units that cycle on and off, this sound is incessant, and it sounds like a cross between an AC unit and a refrigerator. Occasionally there is a mechanical grinding noise as well. The noise doesn't stop, is loud, and is making it impossible for us to have our windows open and is making it difficult to sleep. 

Unfortunately, we do not have a solid idea where the noise is coming from so, we can’t contact the business or landlord responsible. If we knew where the noise was coming from, we have some ideas on how to address it.

If you are experiencing the same issue or know where the noise is coming from, please reach out to us at LongtimeLesRes@gmail.com. We can work together to hopefully get this resolved.

What was up with that plane today?

We received several queries late this morning about a low-flying airplane over the neighborhood (see screengrab of a Twitter DM above)... we were away at the time, and never heard anything else about it... perhaps you did?

[Updated] Jackhammers in tow, city workers investigate the Mystery Puddle of Avenue A

Uh-oh! There just might be something to that Mystery Puddle in the southbound lane of Avenue A at Sixth Street. 

Goggla reports that jackhammer-toting city crews are currently on the scene digging a hole under the East Spillage. (H/T Ade!) 

Hopefully, whatever the workers find won't lead to months of excavation and metal street plates like we've seen on Seventh Street and First Avenue. 

For now, though (brace), we may have seen the last of the Sixth Street Seaport. (H/T Molly!)

Updated 6 p.m. 

Work appears to be done for the day...

Should only have about another 4-5 months of work left here!

The mystery puddle in the middle of Avenue A

Sooo a few EVG readers have been asking about the mysterious puddle in a groove of the southbound lane of Avenue A at Sixth Street... 

The water level never seems to lower... and there isn't any sign of a leak. A thorough investigation of this body of water reveals that it is generally shallow enough to walk through and too small to traverse with a boat or raft. 

Oh, and the puddle pre-dates the heavy rains that the remnants of Henri and Ida dumped on the area.

Mystery aside, this puddle needs a name (Instagram and OnlyFans accounts can follow).

The mystery of the disappearing Rite Aid sign

Goggla shares this from the corner of First Avenue and Fifth Street...stay tuned for new signage? And are people liking this RA outpost more these days?

Updated 3/12

Per Stacie Joy: "At Rite Aid today: crew reports new lettering and signage (to reflect new colors, font, etc.) should be up next week. They told me they have no plans to close, that all Rite Aids are being rebranded."

3rd Street piano update

An EVG reader provided an update about that piano on Third Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue that appeared during Monday's blizzard... prompting a stranger to pay a visit and play a few songs... 

Anyway, as you can see, someone shoved the piano over. Or else it slipped. 

P.S. And who is going to comment, "This never would have happened if the Hells Angels still lived here!"

Mystery pianist playing some snow tunes on 3rd Street

During the snowstorm last night, a mystery man arrived ... and started playing a piano that was out on the sidewalk on Third Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue. 

EVG reader Max shared the photo and video clip below... and noted that the man returned this evening around 5. "He's taking some requests from neighbors out the window, and had some admirers stop to watch."

Noted

Remember that partially covered street sign that arrived on Ninth Street near First Avenue yesterday? 

Now there's one on 10th Street near Avenue A. (Not exactly our monolith but we will take what we get.)

 Photo again by William Klayer, who is not suspected of leaving these signs.

Noted

Mystery signage reveal today on Ninth Street near First Avenue... what could it be here in the westbound Ninth Street?????? Looking forward to the official unveiling! Photo by William Klayer.

Hi, who does this random curbside dining space belong to on the Bowery?

You've likely seen this red curbside dining structure over on the west side of the Bowery between Fourth Street and Great Jones... it's probably been there about a month... enough people (two!) have mentioned this now, so... who does it belong to?

There isn't any restaurant on that side of the Bowery now... Hecho en Dumbo was the last place in business at No 354, closing in June 2018... and Sage Kitchen next door has been closed for a few months. And there aren't any tables or chairs or anything helpful for dining out.

Anyway, it's there if you need some outdoor space...

Mysteries: Who placed these pink gumball machines along Avenue A?

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Updated below

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You may have seen these pink gumball machines fastened to light poles along Avenue A... there are at least two — one at 13th Street and one at Seventh Street...



As far as anyone can recall, they showed up some time between Saturday night and Tuesday morning, though no one seems to know for sure.

And the machines accept quarters (thank you Jason Charles for lending me a quarter!) ... and for that price, the machine dispenses one pink gumball (I remember when these were a nickel!) ...


[Gumball or palm not actual size]

Not immediately trusting of mysterious pink gumball machines dispensing pink gumballs, a careful analysis was conducted of the sphere...



Preliminary results show that this is, indeed, a ball of chewing gum in a candied shell.

No word just at the moment who might have placed these here... and, more important, why.

Updated 1/18

Thanks to tbar in the comments... turns this is a promo related to Machinegum, a new side project from Fab Moretti of the Strokes. (It's a good record BTW.)

More from the press release about the machines:

Pink gumball machines have been distributed throughout the city hung on lampposts, the color and multiplicity of which will symbolize the saccharine, lustful quality of commercialism. A single machine is also included in an unceremonious corner of a Sotheby's gallery during an exhibit of old master paintings. The machines dispense either bubblegum or clear capsules carrying pink painted quarters, depending on the luck of the draw. These capsules will also include a QR code that when scanned will direct the user to a security footage webpage that will give them exclusive content from machinegum.

There's also an art opening related to all this on Jan. 28.

Have they tried downloading and installing the uninstall support tool?

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Updated 8/24: This location reopened today, Saturday.

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From the tipline today... reports that the Starbucks on Avenue A at St. Mark's Place is TEMPORARILY closed. (Word is a problem with the AC.)

On the door is the familiar sign that has greeted potential patrons previously this summer: "Something went wrong..."



EVG reader Simon Dumenco has a theory about this now-familiar existential note in the window. "Maybe it’s a feature, not a bug? Starbucks is just trying to tell its resident laptop jockeys to take a break and get some fresh air and sunshine now and then?"

Thanks to Steven for these photos!

Monday's parting mystery postcard post

Our friends at the Tompkins Square Library on 10th Street posted these photos on Instagram today, noting: "To the mystery person who sent us a postcard with no message, from Theodore Roosevelt National Park, (in North Dakota!) we adore you."



Meanwhile, check out all the free events — classes, screenings, workshops, discussion groups — happening at the branch this month via this link.

[Updated] More mystery over those mysterious concrete barriers on 10th Street; our Stonehenge?

[Photo Sunday by Steven Hirsch]

As noted on Sunday, residents are mystified over the arrival of these six concrete blocks on 10th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue.

CBS2 is now on the case. "Residents, sanitation crews and even the police are confused as to why the blocks are there," the station reports.

Without saying why, a Department of Transportation spokesperson told CBS2 reporter Scott Rapoport to contact Con Ed about the chunks of concrete.

An EVG tipster confirmed that Con Ed is behind the behemoth barriers (OK, they're not that behemoth). The usual orange barrels are too easy to move and blow away too easily... so the contractor in charge wanted something sturdier, per the tipster.

Updated 11:30 a.m.

And someone has removed the barriers, as TXNYCgirl noted in the comments...


[Photo by Steven]

Updated 9 p.m.

Per CBS 2:

Con Ed had its subcontractor – Triumph Construction – remove the blocks. Spokesperson Michael Clendenin claimed the plan was to “block” off space to install gas service to a neighborhood building.

“We’ve had trouble before where cones and tape and the normal things you do to mark off the site,” Michael Clendenin alleged.

“This time they used the blocks so it could not be moved to make sure when other workers got there they’d be able to do it. Obviously this is something we apologize for it shouldn’t have been done that way...”

While the construction company had a permit to work at the site, the city issued them a summons and a $1,200 fine for taking up parking with no workers on site.

What lies beneath 9th Street and 3rd Avenue?

An EVG reader shared these photos of some type of underground brick vaults that a construction crew unearthed earlier today while doing road work... taken on the northeast corner of Ninth Street and Third Avenue.

Per the reader: "Would imagine they have something to do with structures originally along Stuyvesant Street, which means they could be very old. Not an expert on dating cellar construction."





EVG Underground Brick Vault correspondent Steven took these pics...







Perhaps we can find out what this was part of... maybe something to do with the elevated train that ran north-south along Third Avenue ... or the trolley system near here.

Anyway! Here are some photos of the area via the NYPL Digital Collections ... this is described as "Third Avenue, looking North from the 9th Street station of the Third Avenue L" from October 1927...



... a similar view, but from 1880 (and an early Instagram daredevil on the tracks)...



... and "27-29 Third Avenue, at and adjoining the S.E. corner of Stuyvesant Street. May 18, 1934." (Basically where the Bean is today...)



Updated 11/20
See the comments for more possible explanations of what these bricks might be part of... ———>

Previously on EV Grieve:
Reader report: Workers dig up streetcar tracks on 3rd Avenue