Zapped!

These photos from earlier this afternoon are by Gregory Patrick... looking downtown from Third Street and Avenue B...

'Hearts' of darkness

The Crocodiles with "Hearts of Love" from 2010. It's all fun at the beach until the 2:38 mark, when the gratuitous violence begins!

And the band will play Maxwell's Wednesday night...

Looking at (the former) Nice Guy Eddie's this afternoon

As BoweryBoogie noted this morning, workers have quickly gutted the former Nice Guy Eddie's space on Avenue A at Houston/East First. Workers have scrubbed the Eddie's name from the exterior. The 16-year-old bar closed last Sunday, and will be converted into a restaurant serving American comfort food.

And kiss the mural goodbye?

Previously on EV Grieve:
How do we feel about the Kiss mural outside Nice Guy Eddie's?

Moving truck stuck in East Seventh Street sinkhole

We heard reports late this morning about police activity on East Seventh Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue... including the presence of crime-scene tape...

Turns out that it's for this moving truck, whose rear wheel got lodged in a sinkhole (or, perhaps, caused the sinkhole...)

Thanks to EVG reader @Knickerbock4Lif for the early accounts and these photos...







... and via another reader...







...and EVG reader Ryan...





And not the first time a moving truck has been nearly swallowed by a sinkhole in the East Village.

2 hours until Germany-Greece at Zum Schneider

Around 12:45, some 30 people were waiting for Zum Schneider to open at Seventh Street and Avenue C. Euro Cup 2012 quarter-finals this afternoon — Germany-Greece at 2:45.

Previously.

Rents going up, duh

The Rent Guidelines Board met at Cooper Union last night to vote on increases for rent-stabilized apartments in NYC.

And? Could have been worse!

Per Curbed, which has a nice summation of the evening:

The RGB voted 5 to 4 to approve an increase of 2 percent or $20, whichever is greater, on one-year leases, and a 4 percent or $40 increase on two-year leases. The owner members had wanted 5 percent and 9 percent, while the tenant members wanted a complete freeze.

Cabrini Center patients out by the end of today; closes for good June 30

Following up on our post from yesterday about the awning coming down at the Cabrini Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation on Avenue B and East Fifth Street ...

We asked Patricia Krasnausky, president and CEO of Cabrini Eldercare, for more details on the closing. Via email yesterday afternoon, she noted that Cabrini took down the awning (and other signage) because they were worried that the new owner "might handle it badly."


[Via Twitter]

As for the closure: "All of the residents will be moved by the end of this week, and then the rest of the employees," she said. "We will turn it over [to the new owner] on the 30th. We had a closing liturgy and reception last Friday."

The last resident is moving out today. The man, a former garment worker for Montgomery Ward who has lived on the Lower East Side Side since 1953, will be transferred to a facility in Borough Park in southwest Brooklyn.

There isn't room at a facility anywhere closer. He's on several waiting lists. In a message last night, his daughter, who grew up with her mom and dad on Clinton and Delancey, said that "staff and families have been crying all day. I'm so angry right now."

As previously reported, developer Ben Shaoul, the building's new owner, will convert the health care facility for elderly patients into residences, either condos or rentals. Plans to sell the Center to a for-profit operator never materialized.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Claim: Ben Shaoul is the new owner of Cabrini nursing home, will convert to condos

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

Q-and-A with Patricia Krasnausky, president and CEO of Cabrini Eldercare

What it costs to live in newly renovated apartments above a Starbucks in the East Village

Back in March, after seven or so years of stop-start renovations, we finally got to see the new-look 219 First Avenue...

[March 30]

We confirmed the Starbucks for the retail space here at East 13th Street... But what about the residential space?

A few of the rentals hit the market yesterday, per Streeteasy. Let's take a look.

NEVER LIVED IN top of the line 1br +DINNING area SUPER BRIGHT
Top of the line Kitchen new stainless steel appliances + DISHWASHEr. Cherry wood cabinets.
CORNER unit, get AMAZING sun light.
13th st and 1st avenue.
Queen size bed LARGE californian closet.
NEW bathroom (TUB)
tons of sunlight and PERFECT Union Square location. VERY high ceilings.
PLEASE note, this is available August 1st or a bit later.
Next to all, bars, restaurants, grocery stores, L train is a Block away and 4 minutes walk to Union Square subway station

(Do the words in all caps spell out some sort of message...?)

Anyway. A 600-square-foot one-bedroom unit is $2,450...











There's also a two-bedroom unit (650 square feet) available for $3,000. As crazy (sad?) as this sounds, these aren't as expensive as we expected... Streeteasy puts the median two-bedroom price in the East Village at $3,420.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Today in rumors of another Starbucks opening in the East Village

219 First Avenue ready for a chain store, probably

After 20 years, Magic Fingers, Old Good Things closing on East 10th Street

After 20-plus years, longtime East Village resident Susan Leelike is closing her shop, Magic Fingers, Old Good Things, at 220 E. 10th St. (Between First Avenue and Second Avenue.)

Costume jewelry and collectibles are 25 percent to 50 percent off ... as the sign below reads...The store hours are Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays 3-7 p.m.



While a rent hike is the usual culprit in these situations... Leelike reports that it wasn't a greedy landlord that helped lead to the closing of her shop that specializes in vintage accessories. She cites a combination of a bad economy and some health issues... and it all leaves her with mixed feelings.

"I am both happy and sad about the closing," she said in an email.

[UPDATED] Free film (to watch) tonight in Tompkins Square Park: The French thriller 'The Axe'

Hey, the Films on the Green Festival is back ... and tonight in Tompkins Square Park, there'll be a free screening of the dark thriller "The Axe" ("Le Couperet!") by acclaimed director Costa-Gavras, adapted from the bestselling novel by Donald Edwin Westlake.

Let's take a look at the trailer for the 2005 film ... there'll be lots of shooting!



The Cultural Services of the French Embassy and the City of New York Parks & Recreation sponsor the Films on the Green series. [Updated] The movie starts at 8:30 p.m., per the Films on the Green Festival website.

H/t to Esquared for letting us know about the series...

UPDATED:
Due to the storm and all... the organizers have rescheduled the movie to SATURDAY night.

No! No! No! This is the SUMMER OF THE BEES!

Spotted yesterday on Seventh Street... Bedbugs had their time in the sun. It's the Summer of the Bees! So it should read... "Free: Not Bees Infested." Or something in keeping with the spirit of the note.

CBGB Film Festival announced; new Clash film on tap

Per Variety (via The Chicago Tribune) yesterday, the CBGB Festival announced the final lineup of its inaugural film event ... the festival includes the world premiere of the documentary "The Rise and Fall of the Clash."



Other premieres include "Rock 'N' Roll Exposed: The Photography of Bob Gruen" and "What Did You Expect? The Archers of Loaf."

The screenings will take place July 5-8 at the Sunshine, Village East Cinemas and the Anthology Film Archives...

Go here for the times, theaters, tickets, passes, panel information, etc.

Thank you, and good night

Balloons and things

Streetscene from Avenue C and 9th from late this afternoon... photo by Bobby Williams.

Workers remove Cabrini Center awning on East Fifth Street

As we first reported back in March, the Cabrini Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation, which provides health care for low-income elderly residents in the East Village, will close this summer.

In November, we noted that developer Ben Shaoul was the mystery buyer of Cabrini on Avenue B at East Fifth Street. Depending on the source, the space here will be converted to rentals or condos...

We never heard an exact closing date for the Center, which opened in 1993. Cabrini officials said in the spring that the closure process would last several months — likely until July.

The photo above by EVG reader @zmack shows that workers have removed Cabrini's awning. We've reached out to Patricia Krasnausky, president and CEO of Cabrini Eldercare, for more details on the closing.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Claim: Ben Shaoul is the new owner of Cabrini nursing home, will convert to condos

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

Q-and-A with Patricia Krasnausky, president and CEO of Cabrini Eldercare

2 East Village streetscenes this morning

St. Mark's Place...


[Shawn Chittle]

Avenue A...


[Dave on 7th]

What is happening with the Bowery Poetry Club?

[Monday outside the Bowery Poetry Club, where the sign has been removed]

We've heard a lot of speculation in recent weeks about the future of the Bowery Poetry Club. All sorts of rumors have been flying around, from an imminent closure to a months-long renovation.

Given the speculation, we decided to address a few of the rumors here.

In early May, the Club that Bob Holman founded in 2002 launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise $50,000 for "a special dining experience that would include a bar, cafe/restaurant and a remodeled performance space," as BoweryBoogie noted.

However, three days later, someone cancelled the campaign.



We've heard that several promoters have taken their shows to other locations over issues with the Club. Meanwhile, there is little, if anything scheduled at the Club toward the latter stages of the summer. One producer with a monthly gig there has scheduled his show at another location for end of July.

One insider told EVG contributor Stacie Joy, "Bob told me there might be some be some changes, which is why there's little on the calendar for August. I'm hoping it's nothing major and trying not to worry."

According to another inside source: "Bob is insistent that this is a change and not the end. The plan is to close for renovations beginning in August. Of course it will have a different feel when they re-open but who knows? It might be even better than it is. At this time, no deal has been finalized, thus little information has been released."

We asked Holman for his take on the Club's future.

"Well, I'd hoped to be able to put rumors to rest by now — but really, there's no news till this New Idea becomes real! (or not!)," he said via email, adding, "Don't mean to be mysterious."

"But — rest assured — the Club is not closing!"

Building that houses Odessa Cafe and Bar for sale on Avenue A

Dave on 7th heard the rumor that the building that houses the Odessa Cafe and Bar at 117 Avenue A is for sale... sure enough, a sign has just arrived...



...this is the (old) cafe/diner space... the newer diner is next door at 119...



Unfortunately, we don't have much information about this listing. The HPNY site is under construction. An Odessa source tells EVG contributor Shawn Chittle that the owner lives in Arizona, and is asking in the $3 million neighborhood for the property. The landlord offered to sell the building to the Odessa proprietors, who own 119 Avenue A as well. They are passing on the sale for now.

The Odessa Cafe currently has three years left on its lease.


[Shawn Chittle]

Jane's Sweet Buns 'is currently under construction'

On Monday, we noted that Jane's Sweet Buns on St. Mark's Place has been closed of late... Meanwhile, Proletariat, the 10-seat bar that opened last month and has seemingly taken up most of the space for Buns, remains open...

On Tuesday, in the comments, EVG reader Bayou pointed out the arrival of an "under construction" sign on the front door... Anyway, a partial photo of that sign is above... No word on how long the construction will last...

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] There's now a (sort of) secret beer bar behind Jane's Sweet Buns

Bakery opening on St. Mark's Place

Has Jane's Sweet Buns closed?

Tree asks, Don't pee on me

Forget the location... East Fourth Street? Photo by Bobby Williams.