[Updated] Community forum tomorrow about the Rivington House

An EVG reader shared this photo of a flyer spotted near the former Rivington House on the Lower East Side.

The sign is for a press conference and community forum tomorrow (Monday!) at 11:30 a.m. Location: Speyer Hall at University Settlement, 184 Eldridge at Rivington.

The event is sponsored by the recently formed Community Voices To Save Rivington House.

To the usual recap: In February 2015, the Allure Group paid $28 million for the property, promising that 45 Rivington — the former Rivington Center for Nursing & Rehabilitation — would remain a health facility. In November, a city agency lifted the the deed in exchange for the Allure Group's $16 million payment to the city. Earlier this year, Allure then reportedly sold the property for $116 million to the the Slate Property Group, a condo developer who plans to create 100 luxury residences in the building that overlooks Sara S. Roosevelt Park.

The state attorney general, city comptroller and city Department of Investigation are all investigating the Rivington House deal. You can find the most recent development here.

Updated 6/27

Gothamist has a report on the rally hosted today by Community Voices To Save Rivington House.

"We want the place back," said Tessa Huxley, president of coop adjacent to Rivington House, where she's lived since 1981. "I don't need anyone to be punished, just give us back our facility. It's been a complete, deafening silence from the mayor."

Meanwhile, the petition campaign to "return the Rivington House to the LES" continues. You can sign the petition here.

When can you officially drink at 10 a.m. for Sunday brunch?

As you probably know, Gov. Cuomo and the NY Legislature recently agreed to reform the state's Alcohol Beverage Control Law that reportedly dated back some 80 years.

So bars and restaurants in the city will be able to start serving drinks at 10 a.m. on Sundays instead of noon.

But when will this go into effect?

A couple people asked me... Well, according this Associated Press article from last week:

The Democrat worked with state legislators from both parties and industry leaders to hammer out details of the bill approved in the state Senate and Assembly. Cuomo is expected to sign the legislation soon. It takes effect 60 days after.

I haven't seen any mention of Cuomo signing this just yet.

The New York City Marble Cemetery will be open twice a month throughout the summer

[EVG file photo]

The New York City Marble Cemetery on East Second Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue has expanded their Neighborhood Open Days through September.

Via the EVG inbox...

For the first time ever The New York City Marble Cemetery will be open twice a month throughout the summer!
Mark your calendars and bring sunshine!

Saturday June 11th
Sunday June 26th

Sunday July 10th
Saturday July 30th

Saturday August 13th
Sunday August 28th

Sunday September 11th
Saturday September 24th

The open hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. And you can go today. If you want.

Read more about the cemetery here.

Updated 11:25 a.m.

The larger New York Marble Cemetery at 41 1/2 Second Ave. between Second Street and Third Street is also open today from noon to 4 p.m. They are usually open the fourth Sunday during the warmer-weather months.

At the Drag March part 2

As promised, more photos from last evening's Drag March, which started in Tompkins Square Park ... at Avenue A and East Ninth Street.

The group, which Gothamist put at two-blocks long, marched to the country's newest landmark, The Stonewall Inn.

The photos on this post are via from EVG contributor editrrix. Find more of her photos here.

At the start of the 2016 Drag March

The annual Drag March departed Tompkins Square Park last evening for the walk to the Stonewall Inn... here are a few photos from EVG contributor Stacie Joy...



















Rev. Billy was also there...




[Rev. Billy photos by Fallopia Tuba]

More photos to come...

Street fair! Street fair! Street fair!

The sausage truck was rolling in early this morning for the [Generic] street fair/festival of mozz sticks today on Fourth Avenue between East 14th Street to Ninth Street or so.

Workers were still setting up for the day...



So I uploaded this post courtesy of the new @LinkkNYC kiosk on Fourth Avenue at 12th Street while waiting to shop...

EVG on EVR

East Village Radio is rebroadcasting the special today that I hosted with East Village-based photographer David Godlis and publisher-curator Marc H. Miller.

Godlis has a new photo book, "History Is Made at Night," which chronicles the heyday of the scene at CBGB between 1976 and 1979. Miller is the guest curator of "Hey! Ho! Let's Go: Ramones and the Birth of Punk" going on now through July 31 at the Queens Museum. We talk about the Ramones. And photography. And CBGB.

It's on at noon and 8 p.m. Listen in via dashradio.com/EVR or the Dash Radio app.

ICYMI, @evgrieve w/Marc H. Miller & @GODLIS_photos, listen Saturday (6/25) 12pm ET/9am PT & 8pm ET/5PT on EastVillageRadio. @RamonesOfficial

— East Village Radio (@EVRadio) June 24, 2016

Godlis and Miller will also be out at the Queens Museum today for a day billed as Ramones Mania. Among the events: the New York Punk Rock Heavy Metal Flea Market and screenings of "Rock ‘n’ Roll High School" and "End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones." Details here.

Enjoy your weekend, and mind the new 2nd Street sinkhole

Just a quick heads up as you start your weekend... sinkhole alert on Second Street between Avenue A and Avenue B...

Sinkhole bin

Ping @evgrieve pic.twitter.com/pI3M9dSDOd

— Jason Chatfield (@Jason_Chatfield) June 24, 2016

Wussy galore

Wussy released a well-received record back in the spring... the Cincinnati-based band plays the Bowery Ballroom on July 10.

The above video for "Dropping Houses" is a single off the most recent release.

Noted

Someone wrote a "Look up... Sometimes there are falcons" message in chalk right near where red-tailed hawk parents Christo and Dora have their nest with three youngins in Tompkins Square Park.

I'm thinking the message leaver:
• Was trying to be funny
• Doesn't know the difference between a falcon and a red-tailed hawk
• Was suggesting a band name — Sometimes There Are Falcons is pretty cool.

The 2016 New York City Drag March is tonight

Participants in the annual event will be gathering in Tompkins Square Park this evening... with the march starting at 8... and heading west to the Stonewall Inn.

We should have some photos from the Park to post later tonight or tomorrow morning...

Here's a 2015 pic from EVG contributor editrrix...

Looking at a cube-less (still) Astor Place

[Photo by Vinny & O]

The weekly Astor Place Construction bulletin (PDF) issued last Friday revealed that the Alamo would return on Wednesday to Astor Place...(Workers packed up and carted off the Alamo for safekeeping for the duration of the reconstruction back on Nov. 25, 2014.)



Perhaps city agencies all didn't confer on this. Despite this news bulletin inclusion, the Parks Department came out on Monday with an announcement that the cube wouldn't return until August, as amNY first reported:

Although there were fliers posted in the Village that gave a June 22 date for the art piece’s re-installation, the agency said it is being inspected by a conservator for final preparation.

“NYC Parks has historically contributed its expertise to the upkeep of the Cube,” Parks spokeswoman Maeri Ferguson said in a statement.

So, until August, please enjoy the ghost cube sticker... it doesn't spin, though...





Also, as we first reported on Tuesday, the first of Jim Power's mosaic lamp posts was put back in place, nearly two months ahead of what was expected.


[Photo via an EVG reader]

By the end of the day, workers wrapped up the light pole... which makes sense given that this is still an active work zone... (still curious about the timing on this pole's return...)



Also! The Astor Place Subway Plaza for the uptown 6 is coming together... workers have planted trees here...to replace the ones that got chopped down in October 2013...





Still no official word when all the reconstruction work will finally be complete on Astor Place and Cooper Square.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Alamo returns to Astor Place this Halloween

Five years later, Astor Place apparently ready for its 2-year reconstruction project

This is what it might be like living inside the Alamo on Astor Place

RIP Tony Rosenthal, the sculptor who created the Astor Place cube

[Updated] Neighbors ask Con Ed to water this tree 'dying of thirst'

Someone has placed a homemade sign in this dusty tree pit outside the Con Ed substation on Sixth Street at Avenue A...

"Dear Con Ed,

I am dying of thirst

Please... when you get a chance"

Updated 11:39 am

@evgrieve Hello. It might be a good idea to reach out to either the Parks Department or 311. ~RO

— Con Edison (@ConEdison) June 24, 2016

Iftar in the City on East 10th Street

[Photo by @GMKev]

Several readers told us about this dining scene tonight on East 10th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue... we weren't aware of what this was.


[Photo by Derek Berg]

Here's the official word:

The Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, Community Affairs Unit, and the New York City Commission on Human Rights are delighted to invite you to the first ever Iftar in the City, a festive dinner celebration that will bring together NYC’s diverse communities during the Islamic month of Ramadan. We’ll join Muslim New Yorkers as they break their daily fast, and will dine along a communal table stretching the length of a city block! The dinner will offer a delicious halal and vegetarian menu, and accommodations will be provided for those who are observing the sunset prayer.

The dinner was from 7:30 to 9:30.

Here's a scene with diners in place...

Hundreds in attendance of outdoor Iftar in the City dinner by @NYCCHR, @NYCImmigrants @mayorsCAU pic.twitter.com/lXPqfj0fOu

— NYC Human Rights (@NYCCHR) June 24, 2016