Tuesday, May 31, 2016

You have mail! (but not here)

Via an EVG reader...

Has anyone else in 10009 found this kind of notice in their building?



The mail carrier could not gain entry into the building... and, "until further notice," residents will now need to pick up the undelivered mail from the USPS retail outlet on East 14th Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

I haven't been to this USPS location in awhile. Do they have more than one person working at the counters now?

Charlie Parker's neighbor is for sale on Avenue B for the 1st time in 50 years


[Image via Halstead]

As we first reported last Oct. 2, 151 Avenue B — the landmarked building where jazz great Charlie Parker once lived, arrived on the market for $9.25 million.

Now its next-door neighbor at No. 153 between East Ninth Street and East 10th Street is for sale.

Here's the pitch via the broker Halstead:

On the market for the first time in more than 50 years, this 23-foot wide, 5-story townhouse poses a rare opportunity to own an authentic piece of New York history in the vibrant and evolving East Village. Dating back to 1849, 153 Avenue B (located on Charlie Parker Place between East 9th and East 10th Streets) offers grand proportions, a brownstone facade topped by a boldly protruding cornice, and 12 large double-hung windows with exterior shutters framing views of Tompkins Square Park which sits across the street.



Endless possibilities to invest or live in this impressive property. Currently configured as 5 floor-through free market rental units, this is an incredible opportunity to transform the entire building into your dream single-family home in a prime park location; create an owner's duplex and maintain the upper floor rental units; or keep as a fully tenant-occupied investment property with opportunity to renovate and create a strong rent roll.

The garden floor unit was gut renovated in 2015 and is configured as a 2-bedroom featuring a private front door entrance and a newly refurbished backyard patio for relaxing or entertaining. The parlor through fifth floor units are configured as grand 3-bedroom loft-like spaces with soaring ceilings, wood-burning fireplaces, and rich in pre-war architectural details. The fourth floor unit was gut renovated in 2014 ...

The roof offers dramatic unobstructed views of Tompkins Square Park and the surrounding neighborhood. Recent improvements to the building include a new coin-operated laundry room on the garden floor, updated hallways, new boiler and hot water heater, electrical system upgrades, and steel beam reinforcement project under the direction of a structural engineer and architect. Come visit 153 Avenue B this summer. This East Village treasure is not to be missed.

The asking price is $6.95 million.

As for No. 151, the listing is no longer active.

Checking out the (sort of) new 421 E. 6th St.



A rendering has arrived on the plywood outside the under-renovation 421 E. Sixth St. ...





It doesn't look too different from the existing building ... from the exterior anyway.

Here's a side-by-side look (as noted previously)… showing the existing building (left) and the proposed front...



The address between Avenue A and First Avenue was a Con Edison substation built in 1920-21 that converted direct current to alternating. Artist/sculptor Walter De Maria owned the building from 1980 to the time of his death in July 2013.

As previously reported, the building will be a gallery space to display new owner Peter Brant's personal art collection.

Previously on EV Grieve:
About that "giant-robot laboratory" on East Sixth Street

RIP Walter De Maria

What is your East Village dream home?

Walter De Maria's 'giant-robot laboratory' going for $25 million; inside is amazing as you'd expect

Here's what Peter Brant wants to do with his new exhibition space on East 6th Street

Monday, May 30, 2016

Memorial Day cloud action



Photo looking downtown this afternoon by Bobby Williams

The Strokes now popping up on the Bowery



The Strokes have a new EP out on Friday, when they also headline the Governors Ball on Randall's Island.



Ahead of all this, the band (and Cult Records, the label run by frontman Julian Casablancas) opened a pop-up shop today at 350 Bowery between Great Jones and East Fourth Street.

The shop, open noon to 9 p.m. (except Thursday night, when there's a listening party for the new EP) through Sunday, is selling the band's previous records and other merchandise... there are also some DJ sets planned... not to mention an espresso bar by Everyman Espresso.

A photo posted by The Strokes (@thestrokes) on


You can listen to a new track from the EP here...



And this is from 2013...

Noted



Some residents are really ready to have this VW removed from Seventh Street between Avenue A and First Avenue.

Anyone know how long the car, with the handmade "tow me" messages, has been here?

The city tagged the car for "investigation and removal by N.Y.P.D. rotation tow" on May 13...



Photos by Derek Berg

Sunday, May 29, 2016

So long to the Yaffa Cafe mural



Earlier today, a worker painted over the Yaffa Cafe mural on St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue, as this photo by Allen Semanco shows.

Not really a surprise. The cafe closed for good after 31 years in September 2014, as we first reported.

The mural went up in 1993. It was a portrait of Lika Ramati, the former co-owner of Yaffa Cafe. The New York Times has more about the history of the mural in this article from 1999.

Here are two more photos via EVG reader Nick Monteleone ...





The owners of St. Dymphna's down the block are reportedly opening a Portuguese restaurant called Taberna in this space.

Updated 5-30

At the 29th annual Loisaida Festival



EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by the festival earlier today on Avenue C... and shared a few photos of the vendors, patrons and performers taking part in the annual Memorial Day weekend gathering...





























Stupid clouds ruin Manhattanhenge



Not much of a Manhattanhenge this evening... and tomorrow night looks to be a washout...so there's always July 11-12.

Photos on 14th Street at Avenue C outside the Con Ed plant by Peter Brownscombe...

Time again for Manhattanhenge


[Photo from 2009]

As the Times notes:

This beloved event, known as Manhattanhenge, occurs when the setting sun aligns perfectly with the numbered streets that run east and west on Manhattan’s city grid, bathing traffic and skyscrapers in its warm red light.

Manhattanhenge is a two-day event that happens twice a year on opposite sides of the summer solstice. You can catch this year’s displays about 8:12 p.m. this Sunday [tonight!] and Monday [Memorial Day!], and again on July 11 and 12.

Not sure about the prospects for Manhattanhenging tomorrow with the rainy forecast.

The ghost of the Lil Crazy Legs mural arrives on 7th Street


[Photo from November by Derek Berg]

Back in November, artist Ernest Zacharevic created this tribute to Lil Crazy Legs on East Seventh Street between Avenue A and First Avenue (next to Porchetta).

Then, in April, someone buried it under a tag...


[Photo from April]

Now!

Someone did a pretty good job of outlining Lil Crazy Legs ...



As for what this was originally all about ... Zacharevic recreated photojournalist Martha Cooper's shots from the 1970s-80s around the city. Lil Crazy Legs — aka Richard Colón of the Bronx-based Rock Steady Crew from the early 1980s — is on the cover of her photo book "Hip Hop Files: Photographs 1979-1984."

Bella's Beauty Supply is closing on Avenue B



The shop with the colorful wigs in the windows closes for good tomorrow here on Avenue B between Second Street and Third Street ... Hair products and wigs are 50 percent off now until closing time.

Bella's opened in October 2011.

There has been some turnover in the businesses along here. The pet shop and deli closed late last year... and Choice Cleaners moved two storefronts to the north at the start of 2016.

Thank you Salim for the photo and tip!

Saturday, May 28, 2016

Short films program tonight at the 6th and B Garden



Tonight at 8 at the 6th and B Garden (Avenue B at 6th Street) ... re-scheduled from last Saturday night's rain out ...

Head to the 6 & B website for more details.

Included in the program is a feature on Eddie Boros, the neighborhood character/artist who created the Tower of Toys at the Garden. Boros died in 2007 at age 74. The Tower was removed the next year.

Jennifer Esposito responds to reports that she fled East 10th Street for Denmark


[EVG file photo from 2015]

Page Six reported yesterday that Jennifer Esposito "plans to leave town after her legal drama with her gluten-free Jennifer’s Way baking empire." The destination: Denmark!

The actress, who was diagnosed with celiac disease five years ago, opened Jennifer's Way Bakery on East 10th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue in 2013. She responded to the report (also picked up by Fox News) on Facebook...


She also posted photos and a video of herself at the bakery yesterday.

As for the lawsuit, here's what Esposito had to say about it via Twitter...

Sunday in Tompkins Square Park: Memorial Day Punk Show



Via the EVG inbox...

There'll be political speakers, art work by Peter Missing and Jerry Foust and literature tables where folks can get the latest issue of The Shadow and Time Warp Zine.

Performers include:
> 1:00: Carla (No Police State Girl)
> 1:20: Ike's Wasted World
> 1:40: Nico (formerly of Star Fucking Hipsters)
> 2:05 Universal Truth Machine
> 2:35: Skitzopolis
> 3:00: The Wurst
> 3:35: Transgendered Jesus
> 4:05: Sewage
> 4:40: The Omega Men
> 5:20: The UNDEAD

East 3rd Street zen spirit



An EVG reader passes along these photos of a small zen garden that has arrived in this tree pit (along with a new tree several weeks ago) here on Third Street between Avenue A and Avenue B...





Hopefully it can survive the Avenue B weekend brunch crowd...

Friday, May 27, 2016

Claim: This truck hit a bike this morning on the Lower East Side



Via the EVG inbox...

On my commute this morning I watched this truck crush a bicycle going north on Allen at Houston. The young woman riding it jumped clear & looked ok. The truck didn't stop. I chased it down & got the plate. I think the truck said EAN Holdings. Surely someone on here knows the lady who was riding that bike.

The greatest Escape of them all



Director John Carpenter, who also composed the scores for most of his movies ("Halloween" and "They Live," etc.), is revisiting some of his theme songs for a release next month.

Among the themes — "Escape From New York" from 1981. In the above video, Carpenter is joined by his son Cody Carpenter and godson Daniel Davies.

Now we want to watch the movie. Again...

Lonely cone will work OT this holiday weekend protecting St. Mark's Place from growing sinkhole



Hopefully the M8 drivers will see this...



Photos by Steven

Updated 5-30

The cone has company for Memorial Day...