Mystery Lot, 9:21 a.m., May 22

Breaking: Storm topples Mystery Lot monster

Before!

[Via James and Karla Murray]

After last night's storm!

Previously.

Origins of the Mystery Lot Monster revealed!

During the weekend, a mysterious creature appeared in the Mystery Lot off 13th Street...

Most people thought it was likely just a student art project ... or a prank. That's what THEY what you to believe. We noticed the usual entry points into the lot have been sealed. So how did this thing get inside?

Well, this one-time innocuous photo taken during the winter by EV Grieve reader Ann now offers conclusive evidence...

The creature was hatched from this pod that fell to Earth from parts unknown.*

[* "allegedly"]

The Mystery Lot is living up to its name!

During the weekend, a reader sent along this photo from the beloved Mystery Lot on 13th Street... Good lord! What IS THAT!?

We investigated...

We also dispatched EV Grieve Technologically Advanced Form of Extraterrestrial Life Correspondent Bobby Williams to the scene...

It's either:

A) An art project created from materials found in the lot
B) An impromptu shelter
C) A monster

Being rational, we definitely think it's a MONSTER.

PS
We also got this upclose shot via James and Karla Murray...

13th Street, 9:47 a.m., March 6

Mysteries! Who shovels the sidewalk in front of the Mystery Lot?

Also, the blanket of snow brings the graffiti to life...






Long live the Mystery Lot!

At the Mystery Lot: Spirits in the materialistic world

Ah, Jeremiah beat me to this today... an art installation of sorts along the 13th Street side of the Mystery Lot that reads MATERIALISTIC, though a few letters appear to be missing now...

More on the history of 222 E. 13th St.

Last Friday, we posted about 222 E. 13th St. — a reader had asked whether the long-abandoned home was haunted. And we received an incredible response from several readers ... You can read some of the history of the address here.

A haunted house on 13th Street?

The Post had a "Haunted New York" feature on Halloween on well, haunted haunts around town... Per the article: "'We live in the 'most haunted city in America,' according to CUNY history professor and 'Ghosts of Manhattan' author Phil Schoenberg." Among the listed haunted locales: McSorley's and St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery. All fine urban legends.

Meanwhile, speaking of haunted... a few months back a reader asked me what the deal was with 222 E. 13th Street... right across the street from the Mystery Lot... The reader mentioned that he or she heard the long-abandoned house was haunted. And if I knew anything about its history.



I don't know much about this address... the DOB lists "Esglad Housing Development Corp." as the owners. A complaint to the DOB dated May 1, 1989 notes that the "recent firebombing of building damaged front hallways and possibly first floor beams."



Anyway, I'm throwing this one open ... Anyone know more about this address? Seems as if it has sat empty for about 20 years...

Outside the Mystery Lot today

[Updated] False alarm at the Mystery Lot

An EV Grieve reader and fellow Mystery Lot aficionado sent along this e-mail earlier today:

There's something going on there this morning. Looks like some wooden platforms have created a path from the base of the large building under construction on the corner of 14th and 3rd. And some dirty metal things (scaffolding parts?) are being placed on them. I hope this leads to some sort of haunted house installation. Likely not.

Then! Before EV Grieve could scramble onto the scene for a photo... the reader wrote back:

Well...it's gone now.

(The platform, not the Mystery Lot)

[Cursing at sky]

UPDATED!

A Curbed reader got a photo of the mystery structure....


[Via Curbed]

That large suitcase left by the Mystery Lot

The site of an oversized suitcase here in front of the Mystery Lot on 13th Street the other day left me a little uneasy....



Considering the grisly discoveries in luggage here in the past. I took a closer look... just a stash of damp, moldy clothes...

Also, during the weekend, someone in need put together a temporary shelter here...

The mystery of the mysterious pylons in the Mystery Lot

Even the slightest activity in the Mystery Lot here on 13th Street always prompts the fear... So, now, what to think of these pylons....





... perhaps in place to mark a new construction project?

Mystery Lot continues to fascinate

Been some more reader interest of late about the Mystery Lot... the long-vacant parcel of land between 13th Street and 14th Street just east of Third Avenue... Yesterday, a reader noted the presence of a man inside the lot — a man who wasn't whacking weeds, but merely taking it all in.... As the reader described it...."I saw a bearded gentleman enjoying the weather in there." Oh, yeah! See him below...



Meanwhile! Another reader wondered, "It could be a pretty sweet spot for a community garden, though I realize a glass windowed high rise is more realistic."

A blue tarp compromise

Should the the blue tarp remain up ... or down along the 14th Street side of the Mystery Lot...

Well! Here's a solution:



Previously on EV Grieve:
Blue tarp down! [Repeat] Blue tarp down!

Mowing the Mystery Lot

I can't recall having ever seen workers actually working inside the beloved Mystery Lot here on 13th Street... I always figured someone quickly -- and magically! -- cut back the weeds around 5:40 a.m. on a Sunday... And here we are in broad daylight... Anyway, I'm not sure how these fellows got inside...the main gate appeared to be locked from the outside. More mystery!



I was yelling at them to get their attention... I wanted to go inside (legally!). But, for some reason, they didn't hear me...



Meanwhile! Someone tagged the back of the billboard thing here...



When will someone hit the front?



P.S.
The blue tarp was back up the other day...




Previously on EV Grieve:
An appreciation: That empty lot on 13th Street

Another view of the Mystery Lot

Blue tarp down! [Repeat] Blue tarp down!

Tuesday at the Mystery Lot!



Now!






At least now we'll all be able to enjoy the new tags... As a reader noted the other day:

The tarp was down (still there, but down) this morning.

I'm not sure it means anything. A year or two ago a plastic fence was put up behind the chain-link fence. It was eventually taken down and as far as I can tell nothing had happened.

I like that lot. It looks just awful when they put stuff up to block the view.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Mystery lot singing the blues?

Mystery lot singing the blues?

All sorts of new developments here in the vacant lot (or mystery lot, as Curbed calls this space) between 14th Street and 13th Street east of Third Avenue... Aside from some colorful new tags, there's a mysterious blue tarp hanging on the 14th Street fence...





Your guesses are welcome as to what the blue tarp is for...

Previously on EV Grieve:
An appreciation: That empty lot on 13th Street

Another view of the Mystery Lot

Exclusive first look at "The Smurfs Movie" filming today in the East Village

Well, I can dream that they film a scene in the Mystery Lot...

Previously.

Making the rats feel at home in the Mystery Lot

Courtesy of the The Antagonist Movement. In the beloved Mystery Lot.