EV Grieve

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Rebranding Bowery and Bond

[EVG file photo]

The storefront on the southwest corner of Bond and the Bowery has sat empty since the Washington Mutual closed up in March 2009 ... the space has gone though an assortment of brokers...

Previously, the space was "the new intersection of cool."

It was also a photogenic intersection for Bringing it On...

And most recently — a pitstop for Claire Forlani's disembodied scotch ad hands...

Now, there's a new listing at RKF for the corner space... say hello to "the new 328 Bowery ... where Bowery meets Bond" ...

...and your upscale neighbors...

No word on asking rents. The listing does note that an "all new storefront [will] be delivered Summer 2013."

Meanwhile, last call for our Bowery-Bond nickname to take off — BowBo.

Mee Noodle Shop returning to First Avenue

As you may have heard yesterday, Mee Noodle Shop is returning to the East Village after a seven-year absence, as Eater first reported.

Mee was previously on the northwest corner of First Avenue and 13th Street — now home to a Starbucks and that new stack of apartments.

So Mee Noodle Shop, once a favorite spot for Allen Ginsburg (steamed flounder in ginger sauce), is taking a storefront a few doors up from its previous location of 15 years ... to the space recently vacated by Birdbath Neighborhood Green Bakery.

Up until last week, designer Demian Repucci had plans to open a pizzeria here at 223 First Ave. Bruno Pizza LLC was on this month's CB3/SLA committee docket. This would be the first time running a restaurant for Repucci, who along with designer Thomas Schlesser, won the James Beard Foundation award for Best Restaurant Design for his work with Blackbird Restaurant in Chicago.

However, the lease didn't work out, and Repucci said via email that he is working on securing another space.

A broker told Eater that the Mee should be open in a month or so, though that seems really optimistic ...

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

Starbucks confirmed for 219 First Ave., former home to Allen Ginsberg's favorite Chinese restaurant

The East Village Eye archive officially goes online this week

From the EV Grieve inbox...

All 72 issues of the East Village Eye, the legendary magazine published from 1979 to 1987 that covered and was actively engaged in the arts, politics and social currents of the time, are being scanned and preserved in searchable PDFs. While we undergo development of several integrated projects, we begin with ten full issues deemed to contain the most relevant fashion-related content. This launch coincides with the current show at the Metropolitan Museum of New York entitled “Punk: Chaos to Couture,” which we seek to augment with this contribution.

Not every rock'n roll-filled mag covers fashion, but a key part of the reaction to the purposely dressed-down, self-effacing attitude of the previous era was to consciously use clothing to display individual creativity, vitality and viewpoint. This is why the Eye devoted pages to the work of Animal X, Betsy Johnson, Manic Panic, Natasha, Patricia Field, Trash & Vaudeville and many other such leaders in the field, not forgetting the naturally stylish on the streets of New York, from the Lower East Side to the South Bronx.

Keep looking for new developments here, where we will continue to add to the discourse with more issues and other materials about the Eye, the East Village and the era. And don't forget to follow our Twitter page @EastVillageEye for more news and updates.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Q-and-A with Leonard Abrams, publisher of the East Village Eye

9th Street Bakery: still on a month-to-month lease, and serving giant treats

Back in January, we first reported that 9th St. Bakery, which has been around since 1926, will have to close due to a rent hike ... as well as a downturn in business.

However, the longtime bakery is still holding on with a month-to-month lease. Oleg, who has owned the bakery with his wife Tetyana since the 1990s, remains hopeful of staying open through the summer.

The other day, Oleg told EVG contributor Derek Berg that they are still waiting to hear from the landlord about a rent increase.

Meanwhile, they still continue to sell giant treats...

Oleg says that he plans to start a delivery service in the event that they close. There will be a minimum order of $7. Hopefully it will never have to come to that.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Reader report: 9th St. Bakery is closing after 87 years (59 comments)

[Photos by Derek Berg]

Films on the Green return to Tompkins Square Park this summer for 2 Friday nights

From the EV Grieve inbox...

The French Embassy along with NYC Parks and Recreation is thrilled to announce the 6th annual Films on the Green festival. Films on the Green is a free out-door French film festival that brings classic and contemporary French cinema to New Yorkers in different parks around the city, select Fridays throughout the summer, beginning June 7.

Events are free and open to the public. Not to worry there are English subtitles!

This year's theme celebrates love — " à la française," the seduction, the passion, and the jealousy. French DJ’s from WNYU will spin music before the screening, so make sure to get there early! Films begin at sunset (approx. 8:30), we invite you to pack a picnic and bring a blanket to enjoy this summer’s festival.

Oui! Uh, and here are the two screening slated for Tompkins Square Park:

June 28 — "Angel and Tony" by Delaporte

July 5 — "Heartbreaker" by Chaumeil

As for other outdoor movies... DNAinfo had a rundown yesterday of some of the free movies showing around the city this summer. No word yet on any Thursday night screenings in Tompkins Square Park.

Monday, May 13, 2013

Today in Tompkins Square Park

Don't know what was going on... but it was apparently entertaining to watch...

Photos by Bobby Williams.

High-speed chase ends with guns drawn on East 14th Street and First Avenue

...We're awaiting more details on what went down here... James and Karla Murray shared these photos, noting that the chase ended with a multi-vehicle crash at East 14th Street and First Avenue...

More information as soon as it's available...

Updated 11:40

Here are two more photos at the scene via @pycior ...

There is speculation among witnesses that this was about a stolen vehicle... no official confirmation yet... Other witnesses say that the police drove west in the eastbound lane of East 14th Street to stop the Jeep ...

Report: The Joffrey Ballet School will lease 2 floors of the former PS 64 for student housing

The Joffrey Ballet School has signed on to lease the first two floors of the former PS 64 for student housing, The Wall Street Journal reports today. (You may need a subscription to access the online brief.)

Developer Gregg Singer said that the school, which Robert Joffrey founded in 1953, will take 120 of the beds, with a monthly rental rate of between $1,550 and $1,650. While the school has a dorm on Grove Street, there is a wait list for rooms for the dance students, some of whom are high school age.

"The dormitories are important for us because they create a safe, comfortable environment," Lee Merwin, director of operations at Joffrey Ballet School, told the Journal.

Previously, the Journal reported that Cooper Union has an agreement in place for 200 of the beds at the former P.S. 64 and CHARAS/El Bohio community center on East Ninth Street near Avenue B.

Some residents and local politicians want to see the long-controversial building returned for community use. There is a "Save Our Community Center MARCH AND RALLY" scheduled for Wednesday evening. Details here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Rebranded P.S. 64 up for grabs: Please welcome University House at Tompkins Square Park to the neighborhood

Efforts continue to fight the dorm planned for the former PS 64 on East 9th Street

Testimony Of Councilmember Rosie Mendez regarding the former PS 64

Former center for the Hare Krishnas for rent on Avenue B

The Hare Krishnas moved out of their home at 96 Avenue B back in July 2011 ... The space has been vacant since then... and, as you can see, it's a sizable space — 1,500 square feet...

The listing doesn't appear to be online just yet at Tower.

Meanwhile, there are plans on file with the DOB from April 2012 for the following:

RENOVATE EXISTING TWO STORY MIXED USE BUILDING BY UNDERPINNING CELLAR TO CREATE HIGHER CEILING,NEW CONCRETE SLAB, PARTITIONS, WINDOWS, PROPOSED NEW THIRD, FOURTH AND PENTHOUSE LEVELS AS PER PLANS FILED HEREWITH. OBTAIN A NEW C. OF O. UPON COMPLETION.

However, per city records, the city disapproved these plans in May 2012. So, perhaps adding the additional floors won't be happening.

Previously, from 1990-1995, 96 Avenue B was home to Metropolis Vintage Apparel...

[1994, via Richard Colligan]

...which has been at 43 Third Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street since 1995

Attention East 5th Street neighbors: 'We will never be a bar!'

On East Fifth Street, Risotteria Melotti is taking over the short-lived Ballaro Bakery near the 9th Precinct, as we first reported. And they are on this month's CB3/SLA docket for a beer-wine license.

Ahead of that, this sign appeared on its front window earlier last week... (Unfortunately, we never saw it before the Block Association meeting Thursday night...)

[Photo courtesy of Goggla]

The sign reads, in part:

"We, their managers and chef, applied for wine/beer only license because we would like to be able to serve a glass of wine with our risottos.

We will never be a bar! No people screaming outside! We live in the East Village and we would never expose our neighbors to such things!"

Ah, the old "we would like to be able to serve a glass of wine with our risottos" line, eh?

Ha, just kidding!

This is the first American outpost for the Melotti family, who live in Isola della Scala, in the south of Verona, and who has always produced, processed and sold their rice in Italy. (As we cut-n-paste from their website.) They opened a restaurant near Verona in 2002. (Read their story here.) You can find a menu and see photos of the food here.

So ... Are such notes/signs necessary today in a neighborhood where the thought of a new place serving alcohol sometimes brings about unmitigated hysteria?

Chefs Danny Mena and Julian Medina joining forces for East 13th Street Mexican restaurant

Noted chefs Danny Mena and Julian Medina appear to be joining forces to open a Mexican restaurant on East 13h Street, according to documents on file on the CB3 website. (PDF here.) An entity titled Masombrado LLC is looking to take over the space at 432 E. 13th St. that last housed Masak.

Mena is the chef and co-founder of Hecho en Dumbo while Medina is chef-owner of Toloache, Yerba Buena and Yerba Buena Perry. The new restaurant is called Sembrado en Mexico, according to the paperwork filed ahead of the month's CB3/SLA committee.

The restaurant, described as "classic Mexican food [with] grilled sustainable meats," has proposed hours of: Sunday, 11 a.m.-midnight; Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-1 a.m.; Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-2 a.m. ... with 12 tables seating 34 people.

The restaurant will be seeking a full liquor license.

51 Astor Place's Fourth Avenue entrance is actually on East Ninth Street

Over on the Fourth Avenue side of the incoming 51 Astor Place building... (sidebar: Woo — balloons!)

The entrance has come into view... As EVG regular Terry Howell points out ..."I did notice that they seem to have built it wrong way round. The sign says "100 East 9th St." when the door is obviously on 4th Ave. This will really confuse the tourists."

Perhaps. Meantime, we're still confused by our headline.

A new sign at Lula's Sweet Apothecary, which remains closed on East 6th Street

On Friday, we noted that Lula's Sweet Apothecary, the popular vegan ice cream shop on East Sixth Street, had been closed of late. At outgoing voice-mail said that they were currently closed during a reorganization. The above sign arrived on Lula's gate this past weekend. Not many more details, but fans can sign up for progress reports via a mailing list or Twitter.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: Divorce could force closure of Lula’s Apothecary on East Sixth Street

Demolition of 35 Cooper Square began 2 years ago (almost) today

Actually it was May 12, 2011 ... and the historic 186-year-old house was gone by May 25, when the funeral was held ...

Anyway, you know the story. (You can revisit one of our 34,231 posts on it here.)

Meanwhile, as we first reported last Aug. 21, developer Arun Bhatia filed paperwork for a 9-story dorm for an unspecified school in this space. Then, in April, subsequent paperwork filed with the DOB points to a 13-story dorm instead... All plans remain pending with the DOB.

For now, enjoy the graffiti.

[Saturday]

Previously on EV Grieve:
Something 28,998 square feet or so coming to Cooper Square (and goodbye Cooper 35 Asian Pub?)

Doom and doomer: More of Cooper Square primed for development

Cooper 35 Asian Pub part of development deal on Cooper Square

Subway replacing Subway on East 14th Street

The Subway closure on East 14th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue was fairly short-lived... signs went up last week showing that this location will soon be under new management...

And that's a lot of exclamation points.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Reader report: Marshal seizes Subway (sandwich shop) on East 14th Street

Sunday, May 12, 2013

On the ground and in the air today

Tompkins Square Park and the downtown skyline via Bobby Williams...

All in all a good day?

Week in Grieview

[Photo on Avenue A by Michael Sean Edwards]

RIP Taylor Mead (Thursday)

Students take the president's office at Cooper Union (Wednesday)

Landmarks Preservation Commission asks to see modified plans for the former PS 64 (Wednesday)

Papaya King opens on St. Mark's Place (Thursday)

The great Block Drugs adding vision care next door (Monday)

Looking at punk nostalgia (Tuesday)

Sigmund Pretzel Shop closing to reopen as a restaurant on Avenue B (Monday)

The Christodora House receives Cultural Medallion (Tuesday)

Small fire at incoming Pride and Joy BBQ (Wednesday)

Chopping down trees on Third Avenue ... and St. Mark's Place

Open-air shops closing on Broadway to make way for condos (Thursday)

Restoring the Mosaic Trail (Friday)

"I was kind of the blue-collar harm reduction superstar junkie" (Wednesday)

Local 269 space back on market (Tuesday)

A Little Free Library on Extra Place (Monday)

... and by far the most-viewed post of the week: Amanda Bynes enshrined in the East Village (Monday)

Which made worldwide news...

[In which EVG learns about SEO...]

For the Love of Taylor Mead (1924-2013)

Via the EV Grieve inbox...

For the Love of Taylor Mead (1924-2013)
Bowery Poetry, 308 Bowery
Monday, May 13, 6-9 p.m.

Come celebrate the oft-storied life and "brilliant downtown zen" poetry of this quintessential New York figure. Facebook event page is here.

Mead died Wednesday night after suffering a stroke. He was 88.

Photo of Taylor from 2012 by Hughbert Burckhardt.

Reader mailbag: Is it legal to park next to a docking station before the Citi Bikes arrive?

This weekend, several readers sent us photos of vehicles parked next to the new docking station on East Sixth Street at Avenue B...

[EVG reader Mark]

[Dave on 7th]

[EVG reader John]

The actual Citi Bikes will likely arrive on or just before the expected May 27 launch date... Once the bikes arrive, parking next to a docking station won't be possible. (Well, we'll see.)

Anyway, a reader, who wanted to be clear that he wasn't complaining about Citi Bikes, simply asked if it is legal to park next to an unoccupied docking station. Because he has a car, temporarily, and it can be tough to find a place to park around here. (And why would he have a car? To make it easier to visit his mother who's in a nursing home in a place not convenient to public transportation.)

There aren't street signs pointing to any offense by parking next to the docking station ... Along here, there's just the alternate side parking sign ...

Anyone know? Is this a parking offense that deserves a ticket?

Bending elm looks safe for now in Tompkins Square Park

Workers arrived and cordoned off the area surrounding the great bending elm in the center of Tompkins Square Park last Monday...

[Photo via MoRUS]

One of the tree's support cables came off during Sandy ... and the other cable was looking on the frayed side.

But! The tree is back open to the public (not sure about squirrels)...

As this photo by Bobby Williams shows, workers braced the tree with an additional cable...

GammaBlog has some nice Park shots from yesterday here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] Concern for the bending elm in Tompkins Square Park

More support on the way for the bending elm in Tompkins Square Park?