RIP Arturo Vega

[Photo by Curt Hoppe from March 2013]

Arturo Vega, the artistic director for the Ramones who created their iconic logo, has died. He was 65. Legs McNeil first reported the death on his Facebook page:

RIP: ARTURO VEGA: 1948-2013 Sleep gently my dear friend, you were the must optimistic, jubilant and fun pal anyone could wish for. I don’t know what the world will be like without, nor do I want to even imagine it… But I know you will find eternal happiness wherever you end up….I love you Arturo.

No other details are available at the moment.

At least 1 participant in the World Naked Bike Ride took a Citi Bike

So today was the annual World Naked Bike Ride day... and EVG contributor peter radley took a few shots of the riders on Second Avenue ... and at least one pants-clad participant took advantage of the Cite Bikes bike share program for the ride.





Oh, and there's video too... via EVG reader Kevin...

Below the clouds

A relaxing afternoon at the New York Marble Cemetery

Open Day today at the New York City Marble Cemetery on East Second Street... Bobby Williams stopped by for a moment to check out the peaceful easy feeling...

'Roofstock' tomorrow at 6th & B Garden

There's a "raise the roof" party tomorrow afternoon from 1-6 at the 6 & B Garden on Avenue B and East Sixth Street...

Per the 6th and B Garden website:

The garden was struck by high winds during the hurricane which brought down our beloved six story tall willow tree which has been a centerpiece of our garden for almost 20 years. Also our stage which has been host to hundreds of free performances for the community lost sections of the roof which exposes it to rain and snow damage.

The willow was cut into pieces by garden members and neighborhood volunteers and the branches and leaves were removed by the NYC Parks Dept. Unfortunately the massive logs from the willow remain in the garden and our stage roof is still broken and must be replaced.

Garden members are raising money to buy materials to replace the roof... For tomorrow's event, several local restaurants donated food (Gruppo, Veniero's, Veselka, among others) ... and there will be music all afternoon... Suggested donation is $10.

Find more info on the Garden's website.

-----

After Sandy.

[Photo by Mat Gundell]

The New York City Marble Cemetery is open until 5 today on East 2nd Street

Per The New York City Marble Cemetery Facebook page:

We are open today! The rain stopped, the sun came out and the birds are singing. And the cemetery is looking extra green & lush. Come and explore the beautiful cemetery today between 11am 'til 5pm. (Well behaved dogs & children are welcome. Pack a blanket & a picnic, but we do ask that you don't bring frisbies & balls due to the delicacy of the stonework.) We very much look forward to seeing you.

East Second Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

About the trees at the New York City Marble Cemetery

On the topic of the New York City Marble Cemetery... as we noted Tuesday, workers removed three diseased trees from the historic cemetery on East Second Street...

The Cemetery's Facebook page (funny that doesn't seem so weird) has an explanation about the tree removal:

All three trees were damaged during Super Storm Sandy last October, especially the one leaning over the sidewalk which lost most of its crown. At the time we got specialists in to save the tree and were warned that it might have trouble thriving or even surviving as it would be difficult for it to get enough nourishment from its remaining leaves. We decided it needed to be given a chance. but basically with its immune system so compromised it soon began to show signs of illness losing bark and developing large bare patches on its trunk. Neighbors contacted us to let us know it was in trouble. The other two trees had been showing signs of disease even before the hurricane. the smaller one nearest the gate was hollowed out by disease and the third, the larger one leaning towards the houses, had a problem at its base.

We really hoped that the problem would be small and slow-growing but, when we ordered special tests to check, the results that came back from the lab were that it had a fast growing pathogen attacking it and was, because of the position of the disease, likely to fail. So, very sadly, after spending thousands of dollars in an attempt to save these trees, we ended up having to spend thousands more dollars having to take them down — for safety reasons. Because of the increased danger of them coming down during a storm and their position next to the street we had no choice but to be cautious. We have plans, funds permitting, to plant some new trees in the fall.

We are gladly accepting donations towards the purchasing and planting of new trees — you may visit our website for details of how to donate via Paypal or cheque.

Thank you for understanding, and please know we did everything we could to save those trees. We loved them too!

And how was your rainstorm?

East 13th Street (above) and Tompkins Square Park (below, duh) ...

Rain, rain ...

Photos in Tompkins Square Park by Bobby Williams.

Ahoy! Ahoy! Land, sea and sky

The Skids with "Into the Valley" from 1979.

Rainy day distractions: Here is the 2013 Mermaid Parade Poster

Via the Coney Island Mermaid Parade Facebook page this afternoon:

Hot off the presses, the stunning 2013 Mermaid Parade Poster by Frank Kozik!

To register, find more info, etc., go here.

This morning

Photos by Bobby Williams around 6:30 a.m. ...



And in Tompkins Square Park, a sagging (or whatever) branch was making it difficult to play chess...





...and Gem Spa was (is) ready for the rain...

Asbestos abatement continues at 98 Avenue A, Ben Shaoul's latest East Village trophy

[Bobby Williams]

Developer Ben Shaoul is the new owner of 98 Avenue A, the former theater-turned market at 100 Avenue A. Public records show that an entity called Partners Vii/98 Avenue A Owner LLC purchased the property last month for $15.5 million.

While the name of Shaoul, president of Magnum Real Estate Group, isn't listed on the records... his name appears as the owner of the property on the asbestos abatement flyers that went up this past week.





East Village Farms at 100 Avenue A between East Seventh Street and East Sixth Street closed Feb. 7, 2012. Since then, not much of anything has happened inside the space, though the sidewalk does serve as a makeshift shelter.


[March 2013 via Bobby Williams]

Last year, the landlord — Suh, Yon, Pak Associates, Inc. — was proposing to keep the store on the first and second floor, and then add a third and fourth floor for residential use. For whatever reason, the landlord never got this plan approved. Subsequent plans on file with the DOB showed a proposed addition to the back of the building ... and increasing the size of the store at the first and second floors.

Nothing is on file yet with the DOB to indicate either a demolition or new building for the address. However, a listing for the retail spaces that we noted last month provides an idea of what Shaoul and company have in mind:

Size
9,767 sf - Ground Floor
5,850 sf - Basement
*Divisions Accepted

Asking Rent
Upon Request

Currently
Vacant (New Residential Development)

Frontage
127'5" on Avenue A

Notes & Highlights:
• Landlord will deliver vanilla box space and new storefront(s)
• New residential building will be above the retail (40 units)
• Unique large piece of retail space available in the East Village

Here's is the latest rendering... (apparently the Sidewalk doesn't exist in this future)...



For now, the interior looks like this...


[By Edward Arrocha]

Shaoul is currently putting the finishing touches on Bloom 62, the luxury building on Avenue B and East Fifth Street that previously provided end-of-life care for up to 240 low-income elderly residents in the East Village. As Crain's reported yesterday, "Magnum chose the name Bloom 62 to highlight the large amount of green space in the property, including a 5,000-square-foot courtyard, and a well-planted 10,000 square foot roof."

Previously on EV Grieve:
A little bit of Hollywood on Avenue A

East Village Farms is closing; renovations coming to 100 Avenue A

Inside the abandoned theater at East Village Farms on Avenue A

Reader reports: Village Farms closing Jan. 31; building will be demolished

Watch Steve Buscemi and Mark Boone Junior at the Gusto House on E. 4th St. in 1988

[Click image to enlarge]

EVG reader Rob D. shares the above clip from the Oct. 31, 1988, issue of New York magazine about Gusto House.

"I was having a moment of fond nostalgia the other day and went on a web search for this place," Rob wrote. "It was just down East 4th Street from Key Food on the north side of the street. I remember seeing MTV's Kevin Seal in a 'show' there."

You can read the clip about three East 4th Street residents who, starting in 1985, turned their apartment into a theater on three Saturday evenings a month...

Here were two of the performers, who went on to do a few more projects, from a night in 1988... Steve Buscemi and Mark Boone Junior ...

[UPDATED] An eviction notice for Luca Bar on St. Mark's Place

An eviction notice, dated yesterday, is posted on the door at Luca Bar at 119 St. Mark's Place ...



No other information is available right at the moment.

Almost two years ago to the date, the Marshal seized Luca Bar. According to The Local , the owners of the bar owed state tax officials $31,385.49, not including interest and penalties; that the bar has six open warrants for unpaid taxes dating to November 2009.

The bar did reopen several days later.

Its sister bar, Luca Lounge, closed last spring on Avenue B.

Updated 6-8

Luca Bar is open.

[Updated] Full week one observations: No, really — how is the Citi Bike bike share doing?

On Sunday, 24-hour and 7-day passes became available at Citi Bike kiosks... opening up the program to everyone (with a credit or debit card) who didn't buy annual memberships.

Sure, there have been plenty of glitches (as the New York Post is so quick to report).

Carlo Giurdanella sent this photo yesterday from East 11th Street at First Avenue ... pointing out that these two women, in town visiting from Holland, couldn't get the docking station to release a bike. The reader sent them to East 13th Street and Avenue A.



But. Hysteria aside. A reader sent this in an email:

I would love to see a follow-up story on Citi Bikes that looks at how they are being used in the neighborhood. I've noticed that many of the racks along Avenue B and C are completely empty in the mornings and full in the evenings, so it seems like there is a pretty sizable contingent of people using them to commute.

A quick aside: This person was vetted and found not to be a Citi Bike shill!

Bobby Williams took that above photo in the middle of the afternoon yesterday on East Ninth Street and Avenue C. (This docking station was out of commission all last weekend, as several readers noted.) There is one bike left.

People are using the bikes, yes? No?

Meanwhile, laat weekend, Wall Street Journal editorial board member Dorothy Rabinowitz ripped Citi Bikes, Bloomberg, et al.

Yesterday, Journal sports columnist Jason Gay provided his own take in a column after actually riding a Citi Bike:

The whole experience was rather simple. I believe this is the point of the bike. Somehow this act has become 'controversial' in New York. Sharing bicycles. …Some of the arguments against bike share are just confusing. I don’t know how to handle the argument that we don’t need bike share because everyone who wants to bike already owns a bike. That’s like saying that we don’t need restaurants because everybody has a kitchen.

I don’t know what to do with the argument that bike share stations take up valuable space on a public street. You know what is also taking up valuable space on a public street? Your car. My car.

And!

I don't know if it's actually controversial or it's just fun to make it sound controversial because that is what New York does. ... If anything, the 'outcry' about bikes sounds more like a last gasp, the same kind of gasp that always happens when a city is confronted with change.

Updated 9 a.m.:
Just saw these stats over at Fast Company...

The new Citi Bike program in New York seems to have proven hugely popular: In just 10 days, they have been ridden more than 100,000 times.

And you can find a heat map thing here that explains "the average change in travel time across the city when a commuter has access to a Citibike."

Your guide to the new neighborhoods of New York City

In the ongoing discussion yesterday about what to call the Midtown South area of the former East Village now that Facebook is moving to 770 Broadway at East Ninth Street. ... EVG reader Giovanni provided some inside information in the comments, which we shall replay here for your horror/amusement — or both!

Actually the real estate moguls who shape NYC like so much silly putty in their dirty little hands have a few other names planned for the area formerly known as the East Village:

SoFaBo: South of Facebook

NoFaBo: North of Facebook

ZuckerVille: where Mark Zuckerberg lives, right next to FarmVille.

LoJackita: the neighborhood to which your car was towed to make room for the new CitiBike racks.

BroHo: in honor for the residents who have recently moved in from places like Ohio. As in, "Yo bro, you seen my ho?" Also known as WooHooville.

Stuyversy: The merger beween Stuytown and Gramercy into one giant neighborhood with lots of trees, no stores, and thousands of drunk NYU students. You'll know you live there when they raise your rent mid-lease by 50% and you have to move out.

CitiBike City: for the place formerly known as Alphabet City. Avenue A will be Adventure Avenue, B will be Bankster Boulevard, C will be Cupcake Drive, and D will still be Avenue D, since no developer can ever seem to figure out how to gentrify it.

Condos at The Jefferson released into the wild

Back on April 23, The Jefferson — the luxury condos that rose up from the former Mystery Lot on East 13th Street — unveiled its pricing and floor plans.

And yesterday, five of those units arrived on Streeteasy... including a 582-square-foot studio ($850,000) and a pièce de résistance, the 1,300-square-foot penthouse ($2,895 million).

And a smidgen of the marketing copy:

There is no more charming, lively and exciting neighborhood in Manhattan than the East Village. It is alive with history, culture and creativity — but living here can be a challenge. Most residential buildings are over 100 years old and built to a scale unsuited to contemporary lifestyles. Many find the compromise worth it. But the Jefferson provides perfect answer, with no compromise required.

Not sure if The Jeff has sold any units... however, at least two scalies are now squatting on the roof garden...



Previously on EV Grieve:
City approves new building for Mystery Lot

The last days of the Mystery Lot

Before it was the Mystery Lot

The Mystery Lot developers using famous dead comedians to sell condos at The Jefferson

The Jefferson reveals what '21st Century living in the heart of Olde New York' costs

Mind the rats please

EVG reader Robert Miner spotted this just off East Houston and The Bowery. What will they want next?

Tonight's screening of 'Romeo + Juliet' in Tompkins Square Park has been CANCELLED

Per the Films in Tompkins Facebook page:

UPDATE: Due to inclement weather, tonight's screening of ROMEO + JULIET has been postponed until Thursday, AUGUST 15th. Films In Tompkins will resume as schedule next Thursday with O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU.

Anyway, I can tell you how "Romeo + Juliet" ends! (Spoiler: Not well.)

And here is a shot of "Romeo" star Leonardo DiCaprio leaving the Bowery Hotel ahead of the rain...


[Not really]

Previously.

Report: East Village topless advocate now living and spreading her message in Philadelphia

[Second Avenue and East 11th Street last summer; reader submitted]

East Village topless advocate Moira Johnston made international headlines last summer for walking around, well, topless. She was raising awareness that it's OK and perfectly legal for women to be topless in the city. (She has a website titled Topless Moira, which has not been updated since last summer.)

Despite the return of spring-summer (sprummer), people have said that they haven't seen Johnston in the neighborhood — topless or otherwise.

Cassandra Garrison at Metro has an update today:

Now, as warm weather returns to the east coast, Johnston, 30, is spreading her message in Philadelphia, but scaling it back a notch by covering her nipples with a pair of pasties. She was spotted in Philly’s Rittenhouse Square yesterday, according to New Jersey 101.5. Apparently, she is a native of the City of Brotherly love. Johnston also said her mom is a breast cancer survivor who supports her nude endeavors.

Meanwhile, International Go-Topless Day is Sunday, Aug. 25.

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] There is a woman who has been walking around the East Village topless (NSFW)

Shocking revelations: People like looking at photos of topless women on the Internet (NSFW)

EV Grieve Etc: Mourning edition

[Yesterday in Tompkins Square Park via Bobby Williams]

Robert Sietsema on Maxwell's closing (Eater)

2 members of Pussy Riot were at Bluestockings Monday night (Runnin' Scared)

An "Urban Forest" for First Park? (DNAinfo)

Karen Finley sexting at the New Museum (The Lo-Down)

The great Block Drug Store (Off the Grid)

State Senate bills aim to control liquor licenses (BoweryBoogie)

Details about who bought Chloe Sevigny's East 10th Street apartment (Curbed)

A whole lotta Howl! (Slum Goddess)

128-year old Bell Bates closing in Tribeca (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

14th Street ghost signage (Ephemeral New York)

And I missed this interview with Richard Hell from last week in BuzzFeed.

East Village flyer tells Church of Scientology members that they must see 'After Earth' — 3 times

[Photo by Chloe Sweeney McGlade via Facebook]

Spotted this morning on St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. A stern request for members of the Church of Scientology — they must see "After Earth," possibly to be known as The Worst Movie Ever Made, a minimum of three times. Per the small print: "Failure to do so will result in severe consequences." (Per various reports, "After Earth" is full of Scientology-laced themes and messages.)

It's all an effort to cheer up "After Earth" star Will Smith, who isn't used to such box-office disappointments. The flyer says that you can even send Will a positive video message.

But remember, regardless of the gag with the flyer, DANGER IS REAL.


[Avenue A on May 25]

Development back in play for East 14th Street and Avenue C

[February 2012]

Looks as if there is renewed interest in the southwest corner of East 14th Street and Avenue C.

The R&S Strauss auto parts store here closed in the spring of 2009. And nothing has happened with the building since then (save the addition of more graffiti...)

Billy Gray reported at the Commercial Observer yesterday that Avison Young is now exclusively marketing 644 E. 14th St. "And a near-absence of height restrictions has brokers dangling the possibility of a tower on a site with 65,689 square feet of development rights," he noted.

As we previously reported in January:

According to the Massey Knakal Web site, the building was sold in January 2009 for $12.3 million. As the site noted: "The lot measures 114’9” x 88’and has a total buildable square footage of approximately 36,125 sq. ft. for residential use or 68,262 sq. ft. for a community facility, which will likely be the ultimate use of the property."

Turns out the buyer was Arun Bhatia, who currently has plans in place for a dorm at the former 35 Cooper Square. And the developer filed plans for a new 11-story building here on Dec. 23, 2009, per DOB records. The City disapproved the plans later in 2010.

These plans called for a 65,399-square-foot building. In an email to the Observer, Neil Helman of Avison Young's capital markets group said that the location "on two wide streets with virtually no restrictions on height limitations is also highly advantageous, enabling a tower to be erected, which would take advantage of the great East River views."

He expected a price to be the mid-$20 million range.

Is this a tough sell? The space is bounded by the Con Ed plant, which is prone to releasing steam pressure in the middle of the night and scaring the heck out of people.



... and Campos Plaza to the south... Security cameras, funded in part by City Councilmember Rosie Mendez's office, were installed here in March 2012 after an uptick in violence reportedly left residents living in fear.


Or is this really the beginning of a new era along here. As Jeremiah Moss wrote about R&S back in May 2008, this corner represents "an opening for the overall Meatpacking effect that is rippling up and down this main artery to reach deep into the East Village. The site has 'flagship opportunity' written all over it."

Man can't remember where he left his shoes in one of these Avenue B buildings

EVG reader Derrick Loris spotted this sign on two Avenue B apartment buildings Tuesday night... apparently a man with a phone number in the 203 area code had, possibly, a little too much fun (or something!) the other night ... and couldn't his way back to wherever he was...

Per the note:

"I forgot what apt. + building I left from, why I didn't return on Sunday. The guy who left his shoes. Hope it was here."

Perhaps he could try posting a Missed Connections?

And we welcome your theories about what possibly happened here.

Crossfit East River coming to East Ninth Street and Avenue C

A Crossfit gym is opening at 647 E. Ninth St. near Avenue C ... in space that, I think, previously housed the Mud truck.

If you don't know what the CrossFit brand is (like me!), then let's cut-n-paste this from the website:

CrossFit is the principal strength and conditioning program for many police academies and tactical operations teams, military special operations units, champion martial artists, and hundreds of other elite and professional athletes worldwide.

Our program delivers a fitness that is, by design, broad, general and inclusive. Our specialty is not specializing. Combat, survival, many sports and life reward this kind of fitness and, on average, punish the specialist.

The CrossFit program is designed for universal scalability, making it the perfect application for any committed individual regardless of experience. We’ve used our same routines for elderly individuals with heart disease and cage fighters one month out from televised bouts. We scale load and intensity; we don’t change programs.

The needs of Olympic athletes and our grandparents differ by degree, not kind. Our terrorist hunters, skiers, mountain bike riders and housewives have found their best fitness from the same regimen.

Also per the website:

CrossFit is also a community of more than 4,500 gyms worldwide. Those are all local, small businesses that share the philosophies of CrossFit and legally license the CrossFit name.

So, it's not like a gym where you go and putter around some elliptical thing and watch "Law & Order" repeats or those shouty guys on "Around the Horn" ... then stare at some weights, sneaking a few glances of yourself in all the mirrors, then leave. It's all about trainers and classes and stuff. Learn about the two East River trainers here.

Thanks to EVG reader Jeffrey Richman for the photo and tip.

Crossfit East River opens on Monday.

Report: Maps show that Midtown South does NOT include the East Village/Astor Place

[770 Broadway as seen in the reflection of the Death Star]

As various media outlets reported this week, Facebook is moving its NYC HQ to 770 Broadway at East Ninth Street.

And various media outlets noted that this was the latest tech company to move to Midtown South.

Right!

Sydney Brownstone at Runnin' Scared was as confused — and annoyed! — by this as anyone else around here.

When did the area immediately surrounding Astor Place (i.e. the Village) become Midtown South? Was it when 51 Astor birthed that terrifically lame office building? Did Midtown suddenly annex the rest of the world, turning Brooklyn into Midtown East and Canada into Midtown North?

We weren't the only ones surprised by the characterization of the 'hood.

"I am fairly certain that Astor and Broadway are not considered to be within our boundaries or even generically considered as Midtown South," wrote John Mudd, president of the Midtown South Community Council, in an email to the Village Voice.

And the Voice helpfully posted this map from Midtown South Community Council:



Meanwhile, some EVG reader reaction:

Richard Bensam said...
We have to fight this. No, I don't mean Facebook moving in -- we have to fight the "Midtown South" label. Slapping a classy-sounding new name on a neighborhood can be worth millions in real estate. This name is a big deal to them. Deny them this victory. Don't use it. Don't let the developers colonize and gentrify our very language and thoughts the way they do our streets and buildings.

And!

Alex in NYC said...
What the fuck? They call it MIDTOWN because it's in the MIDDLE OF TOWN. Astor Place, meanwhile, is DOWNTOWN, because it, by its very geography, is SOUTH (i.e. DOWN) from the MIDDLE OF TOWN.

So no. Midtown South.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Facebook is moving into the neighborhood; Midtown South expands its boundaries, apparently