The M9's route to Battery City Park this past week

Since the fire destoyed a section of East Broadway in Chinatown last Thursday night, bus lines from the neighborhood heading downtown — the M9, M15 and M22 — have been slightly rerouted to avoid the blocked-off destruction zone around East Broadway and Allen. Though the MTA isn't really communicating this.



I can't speak much on this topic, but the M9 Riding Friend of EV Grieve (M9RFOEVG) said there's little or no communication from the drivers headed downtown. In the five business days since the fire, the M9 has traveled three different routes. One morning, the M9 took a left on East Broadway, then a right on Montgomery, then a left on to Madison. "The [bus driver] seemed like he had no idea where he was going. Then he'd stop at an M22 stop on Montgomery and answer a bunch of questions from M22 riders. Like why in the hell is there an M9 here and where are you going?" M9RFOEVG claimed the alternative routes added an additional 20 minutes to the trip.

This morning, though, M9RFOEVG reported that the M9 route was nearly back to normal. The bus just does a quick hitch around the destroyed buildings on East Broadway. And hence, it provides an opportunity for blurry photos:







Check out BoweryBoogie for the latest on the Chinatown fire.

Metal plates on Houston and Pitt driving some people crazy

These fliers were spotted on Second Street between Avenue B and Avenue C -- on the buildings that face Houston. The plates in question do make an awful ka-chunk! when a car/truck drives over them. Which is about every four seconds. It's annoying... On the bright side, you likely won't be able to hear the plates, at least during the day, once the Eastern stretch of Houston gets ripped up...

And what's happening at Pitt and Houston?

Bar threatens to call cops on a Thursday afternoon because some girls were standing in line to get free prom dresses next door

Wow. A doozy in The Villager this week. I'll link to it soon as it's online. Quickly, though! Last Thursday afternoon from 4-6, the good people at the Lower Eastside Girls Club were holding their annual free prom gown giveway at their HQ on First Street. As Lincoln Anderson reports, "hundreds of excited teenage girls lined up...in the process, blocking the way into The Elephant," the French/Thai bar/restaurant that doesn't exactly pack 'em in on a late Thursday afternoon. There were some words exchanged. And an Elephant manager threatened to call the cops. Lyn Pentecost, the executive director of the Girls Club, called the threat mindboggling. She lives on the block, and called the Elephant "a yuppie bar" and said that it "keeps the street awake all night every night." She claimed the manager got verbally abusive with the girls who were waiting for one of the 500 free prom dresses. The Elephant's GM, Eduardo Sontan, who was not in the restaurant at the time of the incident, told Anderson that they apologized to the the girls, but stressed the girls were blocking the entrance and the manager was worried someone might get injured by falling through the restaurant's sidewalk vault doors. He also said "I'm not against girls" and mentioned that Vice President Biden and Chelsea Clinton have recently dined there.

Is the wrecking ball in store for the Cooper Union Engineering Building?

In this week's issue of The Villager (not yet online), Scoopy addresses the hot neighborhood rumor: Will the Cooper Union Engineering Building on Astor Place be demolished, like, really soon? The Starbucks there is gone, of course. Continental owner Trigger told Scoopy that he heard the building was coming down next month. (By the way, Trigger said that he favors a Whole Foods or Trader Joe's coming to the space...Not sure if he was serious.) Edward J. Minskoff Equities has the long-term lease on the building. Minskoff CFO Ben McGrath told Scoopy: "We are not commencing demolition next month -- that's a certainty. Cooper Union is still in the building. ... Obviously, the economy has an impact on the decision, but we're still wrestling what to do and when to do it."

Scoopy also mentions that the school will have moved into Cooper Union's new academic building at 41 Cooper Square by the summer. The ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new building is Sept. 15."

Important news: New York City is the sixth-best place in the country for "good hair days" (Yeah, suck it L.A.!)

Interpret this survey as you please. And how did we finish behind Anchorage? Don't they have to wear hats year-round?

Peek-a-boo I see 2 (Cooper Square)

I swear I walked by the behind-schedule 15-story rental-retail combo at 2 Cooper Union just two days ago and saw nothing (the hole in the ground)... and now? Someone's working OT....

93rd Duane Reade in Lower Manhattan nearly complete

We're almost ready for more Duane Reade action ... at the former Staples store on Fulton and Water Streets in the Financial District.

"Sesame Street" characters seen doing whippets in Tompkins Square Park after filming yesterday

KIDDING! I took the above photos the other weekend. Some young adults were just making whipped cream for dessert, that's all.

Oh, but I did find a box of rotting bananas on Ninth Street and Avenue B right near where "Sesame Street" was filming.

EV Grieve Etc: Mourning Edition

Bob Arihood has the latest on the Avenue A groper (Neither More Nor Less)

Hmmm, Peter Pan Donut Shop (Jeremiah's Vanishing NY)

Bea Arthur tag painted over on Third Street (Flaming Pablum)

The Record and Tape Center is closing in Park Slope (Lost City)

NYC's first gourmet cupcake truck (Grub Street)

Broadway ready for pedestrians (Curbed)

Is the pee phone doomed? (Slum Goddess)

First look at Washington Square Park (Washington Square Park)

A hellhole no more: Orchard Street pothole paved over (BoweryBoogie)

Iggy and the Stooges to play "Raw Power" — first time in 36 years (Stupefaction)

Wish you were here: Old postcards to home from NYC (This Ain't the Summer of Love)

About Iggy's career as an insurance spokesperson (Hunter-Gatherer)

Laura Kennedy of the Bush Tetras has a birthday today. Wish her the best (Laura Kennedy Liver Fund)

First photos from the "Sesame Street" shoot today at Tompkins Square Park: How soon before the paparazzi and groupies (and drugs, natch) arrive?

On Avenue B. I'm going to heckle Fozzie Bear. (Uh, is he still on the show...?)

Magazine that I already thought folded folds

RIP Trump magazine. Another nail in the coffin of wretched excess?

Busy week for filming on Avenue B: Tompkins Square Park safe for "Sesame Street"

First, today, prepare yourself for the mindless bloodletting of "Hyperactive" shooting on Avenue B along Tompkins Square Park....




"Hyperactive." Certainly sounds like some drug-addled splatterfest, right? "It's 'Sesame Street.' It's for the kids," a crew member told me. Oh.

But Thursday! "Step Up 3-D," the long-awaited sequel to "Step Up 2: The Street," which -- duh! -- followed "Step Up," the winner of the Palme d'Or at Cannes in 2006.



Be ready to "Step Up," people.