EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning Edition

[Bobby Williams]

Martin Scorsese supports Bowery Preservation plans (BoweryBoogie)

Senator takes interest in NYU's finances (Runnin' Scared)

Legs McNeil on Richard Hell's new book (The Daily Beast)

Fancy makeover for Essex Street parking garage (Curbed)

Op-Ed: Soho House won't add much to the LES (The Lo-Down)

The Tompkins Square Park hawk went a little nutty (The Gog Log)

The new fake Italian Food Center in Little Italy (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

Rebooting "Escape From New York" (The AV Club)

... and a good show for a good cause tonight...

Out and About in the East Village

In this weekly feature, East Village-based photographer James Maher provides us with a quick snapshot of someone who lives and/or works in the East Village.



By James Maher

Name: Katie Kenney
Occupation: Student, Employee at Zaragoza
Location: Zaragoza, Avenue A and 13th Street
Time: 5 on Monday, March 19

I’ve lived in the neighborhood for four years and on 7th and D for three years. I’m from Rhode Island and I came here to go to the New School. I’m studying anthropology and I graduate in May. I’m actually writing my thesis about the ethnography of Zaragoza. It’s about family business. I had a regular in here recently asking me what I was going to do after I graduate and he’s like, ‘You’re probably going to be here full time after that.’ I mean, probably. The job prospects aren’t great. I’m probably just prepping myself for a lifelong career in food service.

Zaragoza is owned by the Martinez family. It’s the mom, Maria, the dad, Pompeo, and their son Reuben. Maria does all of the cooking at the restaurant and Pompeo is always here. They make all of the food at the family restaurant in Coney Island and bring it in every day. They’re the hardest working people that I’ve ever met in my life. We stay open late on the weekends and Reuben will tell his parents to go home and relax, and they’re like, “No, what are we going to do at home? Let’s just hang out here, it’s way better.” They stay all night.

I’ve been working here for three years. It’s going to be officially three years on March 25 and I will never let them forget it. The first year anniversary of working here I made them buy me a cake at Veniero’s. They wrote “Employee of the year” on it.

I eat here always. It gets very crowded at night. Even if it’s a very slow night at 2 am we’ll always get the drunk rush, no matter what. We used to get way busier because we had a liquor license but it expired and now there’s all this bureaucratic stuff to try and get it back. It’s taken forever. At one point we had to get everyone to sign a petition to give to the Community Board and there was a lot of community support. It’s just taken way too long. How busy we are also depends on the time of the year or the time of the month. When people just pay rent no one goes out to eat.

I started working here because I really needed a job. I used to come in here a lot and I was working at an American Apparel. That was the worst thing ever, so I had to quit that job immediately. I thought it would be great if I could just work here and then they hired me because they were planning to go to Mexico and they needed some extra help. Then it just stuck.

The thing that’s great about this place is that, since it’s a family business, they really appreciate their customers and they feel loyal to them. In this neighborhood there are a lot of small businesses, but you don’t get that everywhere. This place is very special. If I have the sniffles or a cold they give me medicine and say, “Katie do this and this.”

Also, they think rubbing alcohol is definitely going to fix any ailment that I may have. It’s rubbing alcohol and all of their cold medicines that I have no idea what they are. They take care of me. They’re like my parents here. They’re like, “Yeah we’ll adopt you.” We’ve went to soccer games and we go out to eat and all sorts of family stuff.

I always get the same questions. New people who just come in ... “Oh, how long have you worked here? Do you speak Spanish? How did you get this job? And do you live in this neighborhood?” Those are the four questions. As soon as someone new tries to talk to me, I’m like, “I know exactly what you’re going to say and I might as well just give you the answers right now.”

There are some people who seem to have some animosity toward me, like oh god she’s gentrifying this bodega. Maybe that’s true and they weren’t looking to hire some random white girl. I just kind of forced them too. And now that I’ve been here for so long, if anything, I’ve adapted to them. It’s very strange and random that I work here. For example, I’ll do deliveries and people get very uncomfortable. The last thing they expect is a little girl to show up. I show up and they’re fumbling to give me more money and I’m like you don’t have to tip me any more. I haven’t seen anyone open the door without pants yet though.

We get good reviews on Yelp. I read the Yelp reviews because I’m interested to know what people think about us and the last review that I read that mentioned me was like, “Yeah, there’s some weird white girl with a nose ring. I wonder what her deal is?”

James Maher is a fine art and studio photographer based in the East Village. Find his website here.

East Village apartment with 3-level zen garden now asking $10,000 monthly

When we last checked in on 532 E. Fifth St. in the fall, the newish eco-friendly apartment building between Avenue A and Avenue B, we were admiring the $13,000 apartment that came with its own THREE LEVEL PRIVATE PLANTED ZEN GARDEN (in the all-cap style of the listing).

As nice as all this sounded, the accompanying images were seemingly (and hilariously!) taken with the camera on the fisheye setting (Walleye Vision!)

Flashback!

Whooooaaaaa... careful, don't fall onto the grill...

Now TOWN is the broker, and the apartments have just been relisted... and they are (slightly) reduced. Here are the two prime rentals via TOWN:

• Penthouse #5R, renting for $9,900/month, is a 3 bed, 3 bath and features a private terrace, as well as a private roof deck. The space includes a large living room, gourmet chef's kitchen with a breakfast bar and in-unit washer/dryer, with access to a private terrace. The upper level offers a second living room and access to a private roof deck. Reclaimed oak wood flooring throughout, with American slate floors in the kitchen and bathrooms.

• Garden #1R, on the market for $10,000/month, has 3 beds and 1.5 baths and features a private, three-level, 860-square-foot Zen garden, an open chef’s kitchen and dining room with southern exposures overlooking the garden. The garden-level apartment features a flex living room with stone floors, an in-unit washer and dryer and access to the garden.

And the accompanying photos (these are the garden apartment) are no longer wonky.





...and the penthouse...





No word if you can hear the patrons of the Ace Bar from up here.

[Photos via TOWN]

Previously on EV Grieve:
Beaming up on Fifth Street

Demolition on East Fifth Street

On the way: A five-story apartment building for Fifth Street

532 E. Fifth St. ready for renting

Why yes — you can rent an apartment on East Fifth Street between A and B for $13,500 a month now

Update on the new community center and supportive housing on East 9th Street

The vendor registration for the 2013 Loisaida Festival (date: May 26) includes a mention of the group's "new Community Center" coming to Avenue C and East Ninth Street.

That would be at 710 E. Ninth St., just east of Avenue C, where workers are converting the former Henry Street Settlement Day Care #3 into a community facility space on the ground floor... with the upper levels serving as housing for homeless young adults and young adults no longer in the foster-care system.

Here's more information from the Loisaida Inc. website:

710 East 9th Street Building Development Project

With the support of the Manhttan Community Board #3 and the community, we were granted an equity position and standing in our original home, 710 East 9th Street. The result is a joint venture with Loisaida, Phipps Houses and University Settlement, a three-way partnership. Phipps Houses as the lead has supported and guided Loisaida thru the various stages of the development project.

The existing city-owned 4-story building on 9th Street was the 30-year home of Loisaida. It is being converted to a supportive housing facility and community center. The project will include 51 units of supportive housing with related program space located on floors two thru five.

Homeless young adults, young adults aging out of foster care and young single adults will occupy the residential units with children

Loisaida will occupy and operate a 10,000 sq. foot - new community center on cellar and first floor. This project is being developed though the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development HPD.

Our new community center will be a multi-generational and multifunctional facility offering services at no cost to local low-income residents of LES. We have incorporated a commercial kitchen, media center and performance space.

Occupancy is projected for 2013.

H/T MoRUS

Previously on EV Grieve:
Community center and supportive housing coming to East Ninth Street

Checking in on the community center-supportive housing project on East Ninth Street

Noted

Spotted outside 100 Avenue A yesterday by Bobby Williams.

A call to permanently drain Lake Astor Place

You've likely noticed the draining issues on Astor Place after any rain or snowfall ... specifically on the sidewalk adjacent to Jerry's Newsstand and the entrance to the downtown 6 ...



The lake (pond?) has made it to SeeClickFix, the website where residents can report problems in their communities using an app and connect with neighbors and local governments to get them fixed. (I never heard of SeeClickFix until a reader prompted me to it the other day.)

In any event, per the person who posted the complaint on Saturday:

"That area has high foot traffic and is difficult to navigate around the flood without dangerously stepping into the road."

Turned out to be a nice afternoon to be in Tompkins Square Park (unless you were this rat)

Cleared up nicely this afternoon... in time to bring people into the Park... to watch a hawk maul a rat...



Photos by Bobby Williams

More signs of spring in the East Village

East Fourth Street and Avenue B this afternoon... via the EVG Twitter account...

Springter has arrived in Tompkins Square Park

Confused!

Photo today via Andrew Adam Newman on Ave C.

Comet spotting with East Village resident Felton Davis

You can often find East Village resident Felton Davis stargazing on Second Avenue and East Third Street. However, he had to travel down to Battery Park last Wednesday to see the comet C/2011 L4 PANSTARRS.

He shared some photos and his story with us.

"It was a cold night, with a strong wind coming down over the Hudson, that made long-exposure photos very difficult. Comet Panstarrs 2011 last appeared about 100 million years ago, during the age of the dinosaurs. As it came around the sun last week, it was visible first in Buenos Aires and New Zealand, but took its time arriving in the northern hemisphere."



"As an amateur photographer, I have to confess that I was not able to get everything into one good photo. I could take a picture of the sunset with the Statue of Liberty on the left, and the crescent moon in the center. I could take a pretty good close-up of the moon. And of course every time the seagulls swooped over, I thought they must have sighted it. After all, birds live in the sky, and so must know whenever something unusual is about to appear!"

The comet is stil not visible here...





The comet is above the clouds... (That is Felton using the arrow!)



And at last.

"The comet finally appeared below the moon, with a tail extending up and slightly to the left. Only timed exposures of at least three seconds revealed the tail. It will rise higher in the days to come, but also grow fainter as it recedes from us on its long journey to the edge of the solar system."

The Post features Jennifer Esposito's East Village bakery today

The Post today has a feature on actress Jennifer Esposito's new "roll" (haha, Post) ... her gluten-free, dairy-free, refined-sugar-free, soy-free, peanut-free, allergy-friendly, organic bakery that opened on East 10th Street on March 2.

The piece touches on her 14-hour work days at Jennifer's Way Bakery and her battle with celiac disease... which led her to open the bakery...

And it's serious business here... to the article!

Rick Byrd, 56, a friend of the actress, who was recently manning the cash register, tells of how Esposito’s boyfriend, model Louis Dowler, recently came in with a sandwich from another shop and was made to leave, lest his lunch contaminate the space.

“We don’t even allow gluten on the premise,” says Byrd, who is severely gluten-intolerant himself. “It’s a safe zone.”

Previously on EV Grieve:
Actress Jennifer Esposito's Jennifer's Way Bakery opening soon on East 10th Street

Checking in on 427 E. 12th St., future home of a 6-floor Karl Fischer-designed apartment building

We haven't checked in on 427 E. 12th St. since February 2012. This is the six-story Karl Fischer-designed apartment building that we first mentioned back in July 2011.

At last look in early 2012, there were support braces in the muddy (and long-dormant) pit to help prop up 425 E. 12th Street... and complaints to the DOB about the construction causing "damage to phone lines at 429 E. 12th St. and cracks in bathroom walls."

These days, the building appears has finally reached that sixth floor, and looking like this...









DOB documents show two units each on floors two through five, with one apartment on the sixth floor... there's also mention of a "recreational area" on the roof.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Karl Fischer designing new East 12th Street residence

427 E. 12th St. back from the dead?

Plywood arrives for Apartment 13, the new restaurant from Paul Seres on Avenue C

Plywood went up late last week at the former location of The Porch on Avenue C between East Seventh and East Eighth Street... Apartment 13 is the new restaurant from Paul Seres, the former president of the New York Nightlife Association and a partner in The DL on Delancey and Ludlow...

A quick refresher on the concept, via CB3 paperwork:

All entrees at Apt 13 will be market driven and will be served in the same style as Korean barbeque. Every dish will be served with side dishes, appetizers, condiments, sauces, salads, and garnitures. Seasonally and locally driven. Family styled dinners. Meant to feel reminiscent of an intimate sit down dinner in our apartment. All dishes will change based on market availability. In following the theme and mission statement of apartment 13 we strive to not only support our local state Farms but also our neighborhood by featuring local artists and supporting local businesses.

There was opposition to this application. CB3 OK'd the liquor license in December (it failed to get the green light in October) ... we wrote about it in December. (Revisit that here.)

Here is what CB3 signed off on... via the minutes from the CB3 website (PDF)

Apartment 13 (115 Ave C LLC), 115 Ave C (op)
VOTE: To deny the application for a full on‐premise liquor license for 115 Avenue C LLC, with a proposed business name of Apartment 13, for the premise located at 115 Avenue C, unless the applicant agrees before the SLA to make as conditions of its license the following signed notarized stipulation that
1) it will operate as a full‐service restaurant, specifically a comfort food restaurant, with a kitchen open and serving food during all hours of operation,
2) its hours of operation will be 11:00 A.M. to 12:00 A.M. Sundays through Wednesdays and 4:00 P.M. to
12:00 A.M. Thursdays through Saturday,
3) it will play ambient background music only, consisting of recorded music, and not have live music, DJs,
promoted events, scheduled performances or any events at which a cover fee will be charged,
4) it will close façade doors and windows at 9:00 P.M. weeknights and 10:00 P.M.; Fridays and Saturdays,
5) it will only commercially use the second floor patio if it is first completely enclosed and soundproofed,
6) it will install additional soundproofing per the recommendation of an acoustical report, and
7) it will designate an employee to control crowds and noise on the sidewalk.
Community Board #3 is approving this application for a full on‐premise liquor license although this is a location in an area with numerous licensed premises because 1) Paul Seres, the principal of this application, has a longstanding history as a responsible liquor license holder at other licensed businesses, 2) this is an application for a full‐service restaurant with a locally sourced food and drink menu and moderate operating hours, and 3) this application will replace a preexisting problematic business.

No word yet on an opening date.

'All uses considered' for former Litro space on East Sixth Street

[Last December via an EVG reader]

There's a Craigslist listing for 308 E. Sixth St., which last housed the short-lived Litro, an Italian cafe ...

Per the listing:

Retail Space Available Previously Restaurant at 308 East 6th Street!!! - $7995
Vacant Space Available includes...
900 : Ground Floor
700 : Basement

Ideal for Restaurant, Boutique, / all uses considered / convenience / clothing / quick food / yogurt / ice cream / meatballs / pizza / dry use
12 feet of frontage on East 6th Street
NO KEY MONEY
fully built out space with kitchen and Hood
Vented for cooking
ideal location in Great east village neighborhood.
Possession : Immediate

Meatballs?

As for Litro, it opened early in the summer... and, as far as we could tell, closed by the end of the summer. The restaurant sat in a rather miserable-looking state... and the notice from the marshal arrived on Feb. 1, as this photo from EVG regular peter radley shows....

Notes left on discarded mattresses are usually awesome

Generally speaking. Here's one on East Eighth Street...



Would you take this mattress home? Maybe after a movie and dinner?

Previously on EV Grieve:
This week in discarded mattress epidemics in the East Village

EV Grieve Eatery Etc.: Renaming Riceton; cleaning out Tepito

A new name and awning for what was Riceton on East 14th Street near Third Avenue... not sure if the same owners are involved. Will ask the psychic next door.

-----

On Saturday, workers cleaned out the former Tepito space on First Avenue near East 14th Street...





Tepito closed in February... one reader thought that the owners were going to try a new concept here... though we haven't been able to verify that...

Who you gonna call?

Jose Garcia spotted this yesterday on East 10th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B... "I swear I thought this was a plumbing/skin care combo when I first saw it."

Anyway! No word if they were here for irrigating or removing moles. (Or both!)

Evening tweets

Well, this is just *stupid* twitter.com/evgrieve/statu…

— evgrieve (@evgrieve) March 19, 2013

Something Sweet looking for help to revive its East Village bakery

[EVG file photo by Dave on 7th]

Something Sweet, the family-owned bakery on First Avenue and East 11th Street, has been closed since July. There have been a variety of issues, including some health-related matters...

Now, though, the family is ready to get going again... and, as this ad shows, they are looking for some help...

Resident asks, What can I do about those 2 dogs left outside all day on 7th Street?

A note from a reader:

"I live next door to Cafe 81 on 7th Street and lately there have been two dogs left outside all day inside the fenced in area. They bark all day long. They're small dogs, but they're very loud and annoying. Sometimes a woman comes out of the building and gives them food and water, but mostly they're just out there alone. I've called 311 a few times, but nothing has changed. It's bad for the neighbors trying to get some peace and it's bad for these poor dogs. E.V. Grieve, can you and your readers please do something!!!"

The reader followed up later yesterday.

"An angry woman screamed out the window to Shut those dogs up! And someone came out and took the dogs in. Hopefully for good!"

Given the location, I'm surprised that no one has thrown a shamwow at the dogs.

Also, Cafe 81 has been closed now for months, as noted previously...

Previously on EV Grieve:
At Cafe 81, you'd better be quiet or someone will throw a shamwow at you

The big dig begins for 6-story, 2-unit condo on East 9th Street

[Jeff Day ©2013]

In Early February, we spotted a few workers in the soon-to-be-former parking lot at 327 E. Ninth St. pushing some dirt around here between First Avenue and Second Avenue ...

Late least week, the work really began on the six-story, two-unit residential building.


[Jeff Day ©2013]

Also, EVG regular William Klayer notes that the dig has turned up some underground brick from the previous structure here...





Anyway, it looks like this now ... and as a reminder of what will eventually materialize ...

[Via Curbed]

And how was your St. Patrick's Day weekend?

[Bobby Williams]

As you may have noticed, it was St. Patrick's Day/Weekend this past, uh, weekend. Most people we talked with talked didn't think the weekend got out of hand as perhaps anticipated. At least by SantaCon standards.

It wasn't incident free, as this photo by the post office on East 11th Street and Fourth Avenue shows...


[Photo by @gradydunning]

And we have no idea what happened here on St. Mark's Place. Likely had nothing to do with St. Patrick's Day. But there is a guy with a green shirt standing there!


[Photo by @Knickerbock4Lif]

And a few photos via Scoboco's Flickr account, where you can find more East Village shots here.





Some readers have already left their observations here. Please leave any additional St. Patrick's Day thoughts in the comments below.

Reader report: 8th Street Winecellar looking to open a 4th Street location

Last evening, members of the East 4th Street A & B Block Association and other concerned residents met to discuss several new bars-cafes-restaurants in the works for this part of the East Village.

Reps from some of the bars were apparently on-hand to discuss their ventures. One tidbit. We didn't know who was angling for the space at 211 E. Fourth St. vacated late last year by JujoMukti Tea Lounge. A tipster tells us that the folks behind the 8th Street Winecellar are hoping to take that space. They are expected to be on the April CB3/SLA committee agenda.

Here's a description of the place via New York:

Located below street level on a busy Greenwich Village block, this warm, unpretentious wine bar keeps oenophiles lingering with a helpful staff and shareable small plates of charcuterie and pigs in blankets. Owners Jonny Cohen and Michael Lagnese are veteran Union Square Café barkeeps—the T-shirt-clad duo are often caught behind the wood-accented bar, dropping an informed suggestion from their lengthy selection of affordable wines (no bottle over $100).

No word if they will change their name here to 4th Street Winecellar.

[Image via the 8th Street Winecellar website]