Organizers say the benefit event is mostly for the meal and conversation ... though they will touch on some strategizing on preservation and landmarking in the East Village and Lower East Side moving forward... More details here.
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Brunch for preservation tomorrow
From the EV Grieve inbox...from the Lower East Side Preservation Initiative...
[Click image to enlarge]
Organizers say the benefit event is mostly for the meal and conversation ... though they will touch on some strategizing on preservation and landmarking in the East Village and Lower East Side moving forward... More details here.
Organizers say the benefit event is mostly for the meal and conversation ... though they will touch on some strategizing on preservation and landmarking in the East Village and Lower East Side moving forward... More details here.
Friday, July 27, 2012
Are you missing a bird?
From a reader just now in Tompkins Square Park:
Unfortunately, the reader didn't get a photo... but if you are missing a bird...
I saw a smallish, grey and blue (maybe some purple) budgie or parakeet or little parrot looking bird flying around tompkins square park at about 12:30 today. He was on the fence on the west/north side of the center lawn. When I stuck my hand out he flew away (he can fly pretty well) to the rail on the lawn just west of the center lawn. I tried to get close to him but he wouldn't let me. He was hanging with the wild birds and they weren't attacking him so maybe he'll be ok, but he must belong to someone.
Unfortunately, the reader didn't get a photo... but if you are missing a bird...
One more photo of the derecho of the millenium
7:30 last night looking south from the East Village ... Photo by c ring.
When we almost lost St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery to a fire
On July 27, 1978, a fire nearly destroyed the St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery, long a focal point of the community. At the time of the blaze, workers were nearly done with a $500,000 restoration of the historic church on Second Avenue and East 10th Street.
According to an account by Tom Sotor in the East Side Express:
The fire began when a workman's welding instrument ignited a section of the timber cornice, and from there the blaze spread rapidly. "Smoke was pouring out of the hell tower when we arrived," recalls one of the first firefighters on the scene. "I said to myself, 'This ceiling's going to go.' And sure as hell, there was a partial collapse." The rear section of the 50-foot high peaked roof collapsed a half-hour after the fire began.
The 75 firefighters involved with the three-alarm blaze Were faced with many other problems as well. A six-foot iron fence that surrounded the church and a graveyard on one side prevented the companies from utilizing anything but portable equipment. Consequently, a tower ladder had to be employed to spray the front and rear, while the sides of the church remained practically unassailable.
There was also danger of the 150-foot steeple collapsing. "We kept an eye on the steeple'supports," explains John J. Moffatt, the commander in charge of the fire. "If it fell, we would have had a lot of injuries."
There weren't any reported injuries... though the fire caused major damage to the church, including the loss of the roof and nine of the 23 stained-glass windows.
The Citizens to Save St Mark's was founded to raise funds for its reconstruction ... supervised by architect Harold Edelman. The restoration was completed in 1986, with new stained-glass windows designed by Edelman, who personally supervised the entire project, according to his obit in the Times from 1999.
And a little snippet of the history via the Church website:
The St. Mark’s Church and its yards are just a few reminders of the once vast “bouwerie,” or Dutch plantation, which Peter Stuyvesant, governor of New Amsterdam purchased in 1651 from the Dutch West India Company. When Stuyvesant died in 1672, his body was interred in a vault under the family chapel he’d had built in 1660. In 1793, Stuyvesant’s great-grandson, Petrus Stuyvesant, donated the chapel property to the Episcopal Church with the stipulation that a new chapel be erected and on April 25, 1795, the cornerstone of St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery was laid.
Bike rentals at Busy Bee
We've been writing about the upcoming
60 hours of Conrad Schnitzler on East First Street this weekend
Via a post at Gallerist, we learn the following: Audio Visual Arts on East First Street (just east of Second Avenue) is presenting a nonstop marathon of the audio work of the late German artist and musician Conrad Schnitzler outside its storefront. Per AVA — Nothing will be repeated.
The Schnitzler starts at 6 tonight and runs through to 6 a.m. on Monday.
Some Schnitzler background via AVA:
Conrad Schnitzler (1937 – 2011) is legendary in the German electronic and avant-garde music scene as a founding member of Tangerine Dream and of Kluster, but his intermedia work from the 60s, 70s and 80s is far less known. On the anniversary of his passing, New Yorkers will have a rare opportunity to see and hear many of his seminal multi-channel concerts and film/video works, most of which have never been screened or performed in the US until now.
First of the Tompkins Square Park Riot Reunion shows this Sunday
From the EV Grieve inbox...
THE TOMPKINS SQUARE REBELLION IS ON!!
24th ANNUAL TSP RIOT REUNION!! Commemorate the anniversary of the mini police riot of July 30, 1988, followed a week later by the infamous 6 hour riot inside and outside of Tompkins Square Park on August 6, 1988, in which hundreds of "New York's Finest" from all over the city descended on our neighborhood, indiscriminately clubbing anyone in their sights in furtherance of a non-existent midnight park curfew.
Where: Tompkins Square Park: When: July 29 + August 4 + 5, 2012
These shows celebrate the vitality of the counter cultural scene that has survived on the Lower East Side, despite the rampant gentrification, soaring rents and lost venues that have contributed to the cultural genocide sweeping New York City.
Sunday, July 29:
Blest Mess
Dust Angel
Gas NYC
Nihilistics
Rejuvenate
Iconicide
We'll post the lineups for the shows on Aug. 4 and 5 later next week...
A Mystery Lot slice of life
From last evening... via EVG reader Katja... featuring an NY1 crew... an NYPD cruiser ... and more ...
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Meanwhile, right before the end of the world...
AKA more photos of the derecho (a derecho?) ... Hey, more incoming storm photos ... these shots via EVG reader Tony Devers...
In case you already haven't done so, RUN! HIDE!
Oh, just cashing in on the bad weather hysteria... Still, be careful out there...
[Via @edwardzick]
[Via EVG reader Chris M]
Reader report: Potential geyser on East 12th Street?
A reader notes that people have called 311 to report water bubbling up through a crack on East 12th Street.
"They said to call 911 if it gets worse. People are stopping to check it out. Maybe I should charge admission to this natural wonder."
More demolition shots from 193 Avenue B
Earlier today, we noted that workers were now demolishing the old theater on 185-193 Avenue B... EVG reader Rik Rocket shared some photos from the start of work yesterday....
Demolition finally starting at formerly historic counterculture theater
After a few false starts, demolition is under way at the long-empty 185-193 Avenue B at East 12th Street. EVG reader Ron Z sent along these shots from today....
There are plans waiting approval at the DOB for a mixed-use seven-story building with 44 units. (You can read a short history of what's happening with the space here.)
The address was a movie theater for many years, first the Bijou in 1926, then the Charles. (The theater closed in 1975, and a church took over the space.) A fire broke out in the building in October 2006.
Previously on EV Grieve:
Revival planned for church and theater on Avenue B
Inside the Charles
Former landmark countercultural theater now for rent on Avenue B
7-story building in the works to replace former countercultural theater/church on Avenue B
More drama at 50-58 E. Third St.; 'heavy construction' awaits tenants who stay
Here's more on the saga of 50-58 E. Third St. As Curbed noted, the new owners are GRJ, a fund co-founded and co-managed by brothers Graham and Gregory Jones. (Pictured.) They closed the 78-unit, three-building package for $23.5 million.
Someone slipped this following note under the door of the building's remaining tenants...
Good afternoon,
I wanted to send you an email to introduce myself as I will likely see you around the building in the coming weeks. I work with GRJ who is the new owner of 50-58 East 3rd Street. As you may have heard, GRJ has extensive plans to renovate 50, 54, and 58 East 3rd Street and I am personally speaking with all tenants about relocation opportunities and buyouts.
Many units on your floor and the floors above you and below you are already vacant or will be vacant in the next few weeks. Heavy construction will begin in all of the units and hallways in 30 days and many tenants have accepted our offer as most people aren't interested in living in a building that is under construction and they would much rather move during the summer months.
Are you available to speak this week? Please give me a call at the number below. Thank you in advance and I look forward to speaking with you.
Meanwhile, we also hear that tenants who live in basement apartments were given notice that they had 10 days to vacate their homes ... given that that space was zoned with the city as storage/commercial space ... and their apartments were now deemed "illegal dwellings."
However, according to the tenants, the previous landlord renovated the spaces into habitable apartments. Some tenants still have time left on their leases for these units...
Previously on EV Grieve:
Reader report: Three apartment buildings sold on East Third Street
Advocate for East Third Street buildings moving to Washington Heights
More about the lease renewals at 50, 54 and 58 E. Third St.
Tenants at 50, 54 and 58 E. Third St. banding to together in face of building sale
Tenants turn detectives to out short-term rentals and illegal hotel guests
This past weekend, The New York Times published a piece about residents of Stuy Town listing their apartments as hotel rooms on the website AirBnB.com.
(For most residential buildings, a 2010 law prohibits rentals of fewer than 30 days. Although those who microsublet for fewer than 30 consecutive days and remain present in the unit along with their guests — and those who don't accept money from renters while away on vacation — are exempt, according to city officials, as the Post recently pointed out.)
Short-term rentals of this nature have been a problem for the housing complex for about two years and residents are concerned about things like bed bug infestations – which are on the rise — and security risks. Unhappy with CWCaptial and Rose Associates' response to the ongoing problem, residents have taken their frustration to the Tenants Association's Facebook page, posting links and the names and addresses of the hosts. From the article:
In related short-term hotel news, two apartments at 31 St. Marks Place appear to have surfaced on another short-term rental website, manhattanbnb.com. A tipster believes the apartment listed as “#15 St. Marks Place” is really an apartment at located at 31 St. Marks Place.
Says the tipster:
Now that the media outlets such as the Times are on the story, more and more residents are feeling empowered to do something about the short-term rentals in their buildings. We'll be posting more of these moving forward...
Previously on EV Grieve:
The house rules of a short-term rental on St. Mark's Place
(For most residential buildings, a 2010 law prohibits rentals of fewer than 30 days. Although those who microsublet for fewer than 30 consecutive days and remain present in the unit along with their guests — and those who don't accept money from renters while away on vacation — are exempt, according to city officials, as the Post recently pointed out.)
Short-term rentals of this nature have been a problem for the housing complex for about two years and residents are concerned about things like bed bug infestations – which are on the rise — and security risks. Unhappy with CWCaptial and Rose Associates' response to the ongoing problem, residents have taken their frustration to the Tenants Association's Facebook page, posting links and the names and addresses of the hosts. From the article:
John Marsh, vice president of the tenants’ association, blamed the complexes’ leasing agent, Rose Associates, for not policing the “explosion of short-term rentals.” The tenants, in partnership with Brookfield Asset Management, are trying to buy the properties.
“It’s odd that people who are not private investigators can take these people’s information and find them on the Internet,” Mr. Marsh said. “Given that capability, you would imagine that someone like Adam Rose, who is quite resourceful, can do the same,” he added, referring to the co-president of Rose Associates.
In response, Joe DePlasco, a spokesman for Rose Associates and CW Capital, which took control of the two complexes in 2010 after Tishman Speyer defaulted on the property, says they have sent sent cease-and-desist letters to 50 tenants since the middle of last year.
In related short-term hotel news, two apartments at 31 St. Marks Place appear to have surfaced on another short-term rental website, manhattanbnb.com. A tipster believes the apartment listed as “#15 St. Marks Place” is really an apartment at located at 31 St. Marks Place.
Says the tipster:
"I’m curious about the development of two of the apartments in the building being used as hotel rooms aimed at tourists.
I stumbled upon this website www.manhattanbnb.com with the cringe-worthy motto “Live Like We Live!” which lists one of the apartments in 31 Saint Marks Place as “#15 St Marks Place”
I don’t understand how one couple with the cutesy name, John n’ Lucy, have all these apartments in the neighborhood to let out to tourists. John n’ Lucy certainly have never lived in my building.
Now that the media outlets such as the Times are on the story, more and more residents are feeling empowered to do something about the short-term rentals in their buildings. We'll be posting more of these moving forward...
Previously on EV Grieve:
The house rules of a short-term rental on St. Mark's Place
Thanks for the Plywood Blogging Portals!
We've been meaning to do this since the plywood fence went up last month around the incoming apartment complex at 74-84 Third Avenue...
Thank you for including Plywood Blogging Portals... these handy portals will make our job so much easier to snoop around and take photos of the construction minutiae... we're getting up in our blogging years, so this will save us from climbing, jumping or rappelling...
Still, not much to see back there just yet.
[Last week, probably]
And some day...
Thank you for including Plywood Blogging Portals... these handy portals will make our job so much easier to snoop around and take photos of the construction minutiae... we're getting up in our blogging years, so this will save us from climbing, jumping or rappelling...
Still, not much to see back there just yet.
And some day...
Noted
A reader sends us the following... "It seems that the bar crawl/scavenger hunt trend continues, this time with an 'Olympic' theme on Sunday, July 29th."
Per the reader: "Hopefully the East Village/Little India portion of the day will be over early. Wishful thinking."
[Image via]
"You sprint to catch the subway in the morning, jump hurdles at the office, and not-so-gracefully dive into bed at the close of the day — sounds like you're primed for the Olympic Scavenger Hunt, which starts in the East Village. With today's deal, pay $30 (regularly $60) to partake in this boozy, fun-filled event on July 29. Arrive decked out in costume (for extra points) at SideBAR or the Village Pourhouse downtown at noon to register, pick the country you want your team to represent, and have a libation. Then, begin your journey through Little Italy, Chinatown, Little India, and more, where you'll find hidden clues, solve riddles in foreign languages, and earn points. Best yet, you'll enjoy discounted, internationally themed drinks along the way at neighborhood bars, and conclude your excursion with an after-party at a secret location — just don't treat a tabletop as a podium."
Per the reader: "Hopefully the East Village/Little India portion of the day will be over early. Wishful thinking."
[Image via]
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)