Addressing the 'out of control' rooftop parties in the East Village

Curbed checks in with a piece on a contentious topic in this neighborhood — "East Village Rooftop Parties Are Out of Control — Can a New Bill Change That?" 

The article looks at the ongoing problems of these rooftop ragers, where partygoers have been known to climb/leap from building to building. 

On May 22, 24-year-old Cameron Perrelli reportedly slipped and fell while climbing up from 202 Avenue A to the roof next door at 200 Avenue A. 

Her death prompted local City Councilmember Carlina Rivera to introduce a bill that would ensure enforcement agencies have easier access to phone numbers of overnight building supers or contacts and require better oversight of rooftop use and capacity. (She has already introduced Intro 1292, which would require tenants to sign and acknowledge their understanding of the city's noise codes.)

The Curbed piece wonders how effective the new bill could be...

Rivera's newest proposal has its potential limitations, especially in the East Village, where many rooftop spaces would not require a certificate of occupancy. Under current DOB rules, only spaces that can hold 75 or more people or host events involving “excessive noise, vibration and other nuisances” need one. Smaller rooftops must meet other safety requirements, like having a code-compliant railing and exit signs, but the certificate is not required.

And there's another issue with putting an end to the rooftop parties...

Longtime East Village residents say those young renters only stay for a few years, and the constant turnover makes it harder to actually make any headway on tamping down the parties. 

"You can't really control it, because every time you get some tiny grip on the situation, there's a whole bunch of new residents," says Nicholas Peate, who lives on East 7th Street. Both Peate and [Robert] La Force are so fed up with the constant loud parties, they are thinking of moving out. 

"They market [these apartments] as a sort of a luxury frat house, that's the issue," Peate says. "So basically, they say, 'You're here, you're entitled, you're wealthy, you're white, and you can just do whatever the fuck you want.'"

Reader-submitted photos: 330 E. 6th St. (top); 100 Avenue A

 Previously on EV Grieve: 

• Neighbors address the rooftop parties at this 6th Street building 

• Department of Buildings: 202 Avenue A does not have a 'valid certificate of occupancy'

Neighbors address the rooftop parties at this 6th Street building

Some residents on Sixth Street have launched a flyer campaign to help address the rooftop ragers at 330 E. Sixth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

Per the flyers spotted on the block...

"We are a group of tenants living on 6th Street determined to address the issue of noise disturbances occurring every weekend — crowded parties on the rooftop with blasting music and guests yelling until late night."

Apparently, these have become a Friday-through-Sunday ritual these past few months.

There's an email address to receive updates on the group's action... as well as a prompt to file a complaint with 311. 

The landlord is Centennial Properties, which is the new name of convicted felon Steve Croman's 9300 Realty. 

According to Streeteasy, units range in price from $4,100 to $7,600 for three to four bedrooms. Amenities for a few units include balconies with at least one having a private roof deck.

H/T @vanishingny 

Where to apparently live like a movie star on East 13th Street

[Image via Streeteasy]

From outside, 228 E. 13th St. between Second Avenue and Third Avenue looks like a typical neighborhood walkup...

But! Don't be fooled. Here's a new listing for the penthouse at Metropolitan Property Group:

PALATIAL PENTHOUSE apartment with a massive WRAP AROUND TERRACE and a tremendous private ROOF DECK! If you want to experience downtown Manhattan like a movie star this is the place for you! The apartment is extremely private and occupies an entire wing of the building. It's located in an immaculate Art Deco ELEVATOR building with laundry room.

Take a look...







Three bedrooms and three bathrooms. Asking rent: $7,500 per month.

Updated 1/4

Streeteasy lists the unit at 228 E. 13th St.

Ben Shaoul curtails rooftop ragers at Bloom 62

[EVG photo from August 2014]

Over on Avenue B and East Fifth Street, Ben Shaoul's Bloom 62's roof deck had been attracting attention for its parties.

However, effective immediately, the party's over for now atop the former Cabrini Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation, which Shaoul bought and converted into high-end rentals.

A tipster shared a 10-page memo dated yesterday to the building's residents.

As you are aware, we have made several attempts to enforce the roof rules for the safety of all residents and their guests.

The roof is intended to be used and enjoyed by all residents in this building; however that is no longer the case. As a result of excessive parties, most of which have gone on well after permitted hours, the amenity space has been destroyed – and regrettably this has occurred too many occasions.

The most recent incident left the amenity space looted: alcoholic beverages, beer bottles, graffiti on the ledge, items thrown from our roof over to neighboring rooftops and broken furniture. This is simply unacceptable and will no longer be tolerated.

We regret to inform you that due to the events that have transpired on the roof, the Landlord is CLOSING the roof effective immediately. Access will be limited to emergency use. Anyone found on the roof in a non-emergency related capacity will be considered trespassing and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Once repairs have been made a revised roof schedule will be circulated.

However, at this time we are not providing residents with a new opening date. We understand this might be upsetting to those of you who have not participated in the destruction of private property — however it is our responsibility as a Landlord to ensure the use and enjoyment of every resident in this building, the safety of all its residents and our desire to respect our neighbors and the community in which we live.

We hope that this pause will encourage those residents and their guest(s) to reconsider their actions and remember that they are living in a community of fellow residents. We are optimistic that once the roof reopens, residents will treat this very special amenity with respect and help promote common courtesy by following the guidelines set forth by the Landlord.

The memo included several photos. (Per the memo: "We have included photos of the most recent incident below — they are incredibly telling and disheartening.")





The building is currently on the market for $80 million.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: Local politicians reach out to Ben Shaoul as re-sale of the Cabrini Nursing Center seems likely

More details on Cabrini's closing announcement

Have you heard the rooftop parties at Ben Shaoul's Bloom 62? (52 comments)

Trees arrives for Icon Realty's newest roof deck

There was a lot of activity this morning outside 154 Second Ave., Icon Realty's new residential building between East Ninth Street and East 10th Street where rentals range from $4,500 to $9,500.

EVG reader Dan Theisen noted that workers were hoisting some trees and bushes up to the landscaped roof deck…







… roughly right here….



Perhaps this will be a more tranquil rooftop experience. There are reportedly an "endless barrage of rowdy DJ dance parties" on the roof deck at the Icon-owned 205 Avenue A, as the Post put it last August.

205 Avenue A's 6-bedroom unit with rooftop deck is back on the market to annoy everyone

[EVG file photo]

In its short time as a renovated residence at 205 Avenue A, the 6-bedroom unit with a private roof deck has attracted the attention of the neighbors, the police and the media.

And now this special home — once dubbed an "East Village frat house" in a listing — is back on the market, a slightly alarmed neighbor tells us.

First, we'll head to the listing of this home courtesy of Icon Realty between East 12th Street and East 13th Street:

This is a gut renovated apartment with condo finishes featuring:

Bleached-plank hardwood floors
Recessed lighting
Carrara Marble countertops
Stainless steel appliances
Crown and baseboard moldings
3 Full Luxury bathrooms.

This apartment has a washer/dryer in unit!

This apartment features a Huge Private Roof Deck!

Asking rent: $10,800.

The listing includes photos of the unit… we'll just post one — the pièce de résistance...



After a particularly raging rooftop rager last August, Mitch Kossoff, a lawyer for Icon Realty, told the Post:

[T]here are guidelines in place for rooftop access, which only the top-floor tenants have access to. Parties past 10 p.m., loud music, consumption of alcohol, barbecuing and smoking are prohibited. Kossoff said he wasn’t aware of any complaints from last weekend’s bash but he’s ready to take necessary action, including eviction proceedings.

Not even a double-secret probation.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Friday night's rooftop party at Icon Realty's 205 Avenue A (49 comments)

Your 6-bedroom dream 'frat house' awaits you in the East Village

Icon Realty's new Avenue A 'frat house' is attracting attention

At 205 Avenue A, where the NYPD stops by 'almost every weekend'

The 'stop the rooftop noise' signs return on East 10th Street

The signs returned here along East 10th Street between Fourth Avenue and Third Avenue this past weekend ... in several shapes and sizes...





We last spotted this flyer/sticker campaign in April (read that post here) ... as far as we know, the signs date back to June 2010 ... so we can celebrate four years of rooftop noise here then.

'Friendly neighbors' have concerns about that 'nasty' kiddie pool on the roof

Few things in blog life please us more than Urban Etiquette Signs... like this one that EVG regular Spike shared from along East Second Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

First, the note!



Passive aggressive perfection!

And the aftermath... Ah! Turns out that the note wasn't in reference to a kiddie pool gainfully used by toddlers to keep cool during this recent Fall Heatwave of 2013™ ... it appears that the kiddie pool in question may have been keeping the brews cool during a recent rooftop rager...

Regardless. Someone sort of half-dumped the pool in question. No word on where the mosquitos are.

About other 'rooftop ragers' in the East Village

[Also, World War Z is on DVD now]

Yesterday's post on the stairwell collapse at 159 Second Ave. that left "30 collegiate partygoers" ("rooftop ragers" per the Daily News) stranded on the roof brought out a lot of comments/emails about other similar rooftop bashes in the neighborhood... maybe to epidemic proportions? Hard to say!

Per one reader:

I live on 12th Street, and the NYU kids who lives upstairs had their own rooftop rager a couple of weeks ago. My poor super had to come put a stop to it. He estimated there were 100 kids on the roof of our tenement building. Not only are they disturbing everyone, they are risking their lives.

Our building is old, and I am hardly an engineer, but I doubt our roof was made to hold all that weight. Plus, there aren't any railings, and someone, especially someone who is tipsy, could easily fall over the edge, which is probably about a foot or so high.

Anyway, it sucks for the rest of the us tenants as well as the supers on our block who are basically resident assistants now, forced to get up all hours of the night to babysit these out-of-control children. My building, once full of people who looked out for each other and took care not to disturb each other, is a dorm now, and I don't want to be back in college!

Have any other rooftop rager stories to share? Hit us up!

Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: FDNY rescues partygoers from 2nd Avenue 'rooftop rager' after stairwell collapse injures 1

Report: Partygoer may have caused stairwell to collapse at 159 Second Ave.

As for that stairwell collapse at 159 Second Ave. ... the Post reports today that a "drunken NYU teaching assistant crashed through three marble landings while trying to jump the stairs," according to unnamed authorities.

“The guy jumped. He broke through a couple of landings,” said a source with the city’s Office of Emergency Management, which had video of the 1:30 a.m. stunt gone awry.

A friend who lives in the building said Niu, a student at NYU’s prestigious Stern School of Business, “was barely moving” after his fall.

“[He] was definitely a little intoxicated and probably stumbled down,” the friend said.

Friends of the NYU TA said that he weighs roughly 150 pounds.

“I have no idea what kind of weight [the staircase is] supposed to sustain,” an OEM source said. “But, obviously, it was not being used normally. It was jumped on by a grown man from 10 to 12 feet in the air.”

Meanwhile, the missing sections of the stairwell stranded about 40 students on the roof. The student reportedly suffered broken ribs and a fractured ankle. Authorities are continuing to investigate the cause of the collapse, per the Post.