Thursday, December 17, 2020

11 p.m. in the East Village, and scenes from Winter Storm Gail

As of this posting (5:42 a.m. — good morning!), a snow-sleet combo continues to lash the city as the nor'easter — Winter Storm Gail — slowly moves on.

Forecasts for final snow totals range from 8-12 inches to a Jake Gyllenhaal/"The Day After Tomorrow"-type event ... we'll have more on the particulars in one of the 78 upcoming snow posts this morning.

Meanwhile, EVG contributor Stacie Joy shared these photos from a stroll around the neighborhood last night at 11...
... and in Tompkins Square Park...

Report of a small fire inside the empty P.S. 64 building on 9th Street

The FDNY responded to a report of a presumed trash can fire inside the empty building — the former P.S. 64 — at 605 E. Ninth St. last night around 8 ...
The Citizen app reported that firefighters quickly extinguished the small blaze. Witnesses reported that the FDNY cut a padlock and broke through the plywood surrounding the school between Avenue B and Avenue C to get inside the property. 

The fire was said to be contained to the southeast wing. No word on the cause, such as if a squatter was inside the former school. 

EVG reader Alta Tseng shared the top photo and this video clip...

   

Developer Gregg Singer, who bought the property from the city during an auction in 1998, has wanted to turn the building into a dorm called University Square. The DOB continues to maintain a Stop Work Order — dating to August 2015 — on the property. 

In years past several local elected officials, community activists and residents have asked for the return of the building for community use. The building became the Charas/El Bohio Community Center after the school left in 1977. The group was eventually evicted when Singer took over as the landlord. It has sat empty these past 20-plus years, causing locals to be concerned about its crumbling façade

H/T Eden and Steven!

Wednesday, December 16, 2020

Updated: It's still snowing

Gail says hi from First Avenue and Seventh Street...

And we're off...

The nor'easter dubbed Winter Storm Gail is here, as you likely already noticed. Photo from Tompkins Square Park this early evening by Steven.

Gallery Watch: In the Woods by Sally Saul at Rachel Uffner Gallery


Text and photos by Clare Gemima 

In the Woods by Sally Saul
Rachel Uffner Gallery170 Suffolk St.

In the Woods showcases a packed room and a half of new ceramic sculptures created with a sense of humor, anxiety and down-to-earthness from Sally Saul in her second solo show at Rachel Uffner Gallery. 

The array of sculptures within the space play and interact with our senses of familiarity and comfort while also introducing us to a "new normal." A new struggle, a new challenge, a new moment and a new movement. This show forces us to understand that one way to deal with this shitshow of a pandemic is well, to embrace it. (While wearing a mask, please).

During the last several months of living amidst the coronavirus and its subsequent social sorrows, Saul (married to the incredible Peter Saul) reflects on this confusing but unavoidable new world through her detailed expressions and use of finer details as a ceramicist. The work to me almost felt like a personal chronicling of the artists' time in lockdown, a documentation of pandemic experiences and a tribute to the American lives lost. 

Sally Saul consistently incorporates the everyday into her sculptural practice, and this time is no different. At In the Woods, we get to surround ourselves with her forest of birds, flowers and the natural world too, which we can understand as her refuge over the course of this work being created. 

Taking time to find enjoyment in the smaller pleasures, Saul's sculpture garden at Rachel Uffner Gallery remains light-hearted but is also question-provoking owing to its sophisticated documentative style. 

Will artists who are alive in 2020 continue to make reference to the pandemic we currently occupy? Will self-portraits include protective gear as political or apolitical symbolism? What sort of art history are we forming or moving away from? 

But forgetting about all of the more serious stuff, the works bulky form and playful undertones are also cause for a much deserved and maybe overdue giggle. This show has all of the right ingredients in it to make you forget about the weight of the world ... just for a moment. 

In the Woods is showing at Rachel Uffner Gallery until Jan. 30.
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Clare Gemima is a visual artist from New Zealand. New-ish to the East Village, she spends her time as an artist assistant and gallery go-er, hungry to explore what's happening in her local art world. You can find her work here: claregemima.com 

NY AG: Madison Realty Capital to pay more than $1 million for victims of fraud and tenant harassment

The legal fallout from Raphael (Rafi) Toledano's brief yet soul-crushing stint as an East Village landlord continues.

Yesterday, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced an agreement that secures more than $1 million in rent credits for harassed tenants and provides housing placements for 10 homeless families. 

The agreement with private equity firm Madison Realty Capital comes after James found that the company aided and abetted tenant harassment and other fraud by Toledano.

"Today's agreement stands up for all the tenants harassed and pushed out of their homes by a fraudulent landlord and the lender that financed his unlawful operation," James said in a statement. "Madison Realty Capital aided one of our city's worst landlords in his unlawful scheme, but we're holding the company to account and delivering real relief to the many victims through rent credits and housing placement."

Here's more of the background and current narrative via the AG's office:

With the financial backing of Madison Realty Capital, Toledano harassed tenants through coercive buyouts; executed illegal construction practices; and failed to provide tenants with utilities, repairs, and other necessary services. 

Even with this track record, in 2015, Madison Realty loaned Toledano over $100 million to purchase a 15-building portfolio in the East Village, despite his limited experience in managing a portfolio of this size, evidence of prior tenant harassment, and plans to continue to vacate rent-stabilized tenants and renovate units in violation of law.

Attorney General James’ investigation found that Madison Realty Capital knew or should have known of Toledano’s history, that the proposed conversions were unlawful, and that the aggressive schedule for buyouts and renovations was likely to result in tenant harassment. 

As a result of the loan that allowed Toledano to take over management of the East Village Properties, Toledano did exactly that — harassing hundreds of tenants, engaging in dangerous construction practices, and failing to provide basic services. In March 2017, the East Village properties filed for bankruptcy.

Under the terms of this agreement — which also resolves claims filed against Toledano’s former business entities in New York bankruptcy court — Madison Realty Capital must now take ownership of the 15 buildings in the East Village portfolio subject to $1.05 million in rent credits. 

These rent credits will be shared among the remaining tenants who suffered through Toledano’s mismanagement of these properties. The owners of the buildings will also ensure placement of 10 formerly-homeless families and will adhere to tenant health and safety protections during construction there. 

Under the settlement agreement with the AG's office, Madison wasn't required to admit wrongdoing.

"We are pleased to have resolved this matter without admitting or denying any of the allegations raised, and will continue to work with the tenants and community stakeholders to continue to improve the buildings and bring positive change to the community," a spokesperson for Madison said in a statement obtained by The Real Deal.

In June 2019, James announced a settlement with Toledano to put an end to his harassment of tenants and to prevent him from engaging in speculative real-estate deals designed to profit by violating New York's rent-stabilization laws.

In previous years, Toledano purchased 28 buildings in two separate portfolios from the Tabak family for a total of $140 million. Experienced real-estate players raised red flags about Toledano's heavy reliance on debt.

In an interview with The Real Deal in June 2016, Toledano, then 26, made "frat-tastic boasts about his wealth," including: "I’m worth a fuckload of money, bro."

Previously on EV Grieve:
• Tenants call out Madison Realty Capital: Stop warehousing rent-regulated apartments

• Report: Raphael Toledano files for Chapter 11; $145 million deal for EV portfolio is off the table 

Workers clear lot ahead of new-building construction on 6th Street and Avenue C

Workers have chopped down the three trees in the long-vacant lot on the northeast corner of Avenue C and Sixth Street... ahead of new-building construction here.

As we first reported on Oct. 19, there are approved permits for a 6-floor building with 11 residential units, a storefront and space for an unspecified community facility. 

There has been development talk for this lot dating to 2003. A former gas station, this corner has been vacant since the early 1980s. 

The rendering shows an aggressive fall 2021 completion date. Speaking of the rendering, someone has let his or her feelings be known about the project...
Previously on EV Grieve:

Another late-night break in, this time at East Village Finest Deli on Avenue B

Text and photos by Stacie Joy 

Early Tuesday — 3:08 a.m. to be exact — a thief bashed in the front door of the East Village Finest Deli on the southwest corner of Fourth Street and Avenue B. 

Manager Anwar Shahbain reports that the perp got away with five tablets, several cartons of cigarettes and some small bills for change in the cash register.
The surveillance videos that the Deli shared show the moment of the break in — the thief, who appears to have at least two lookouts, used the top of a fire hydrant to shatter the glass and enter the shop...

   

Given this and a previous two break-in attempts here back in June, Shahbain says they will be forced to buy and install a pricy rolldown gate.

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

Tuesday's parting shot

Here's a view from the southwest corner of First Avenue and 14th Street ... where, as you may notice, the Christmas tree vendors have already packed up and left — 10 days before Dec. 25. 

One of the vendors told Pinch, who took the photo, that they had sold out for the season.

A second Christmas tree for Tompkins Square Park?

Decorating in progress in Tompkins Square Park... 

Meanwhile, the lights on the other holdiay tree, planted in 1992, were turned on this past Wednesday for the season. 

Photo today by Steven.

Updating: East Village bars and restaurants temporarily close down again

Yesterday marked the beginning of Gov. Cuomo's second ban on indoor dining in the city because of the recent surge in the coronavirus pandemic. 

While outdoor dining, as well as takeout and delivery, can remain, several neighborhood bars and restaurants decided to temporarily close down anyway ...  including those places that have ample space for outdoor seating, such as Esperanto on Avenue C at Ninth Street (thanks to Eden for the photo!)...
Bars such as Josie's, Mona's and Sophie's, which reopened on Sept. 30, had been operating at the limited 25-percent indoor capacity ... and needed to close as they're without any outdoor space for patrons. 

Here's an in-progress look at who has shut down for now (several of these had been noted previously) ... several other restaurateurs were still mulling over their decisions... 

• Boulton & Watt, Avenue A 
• The Copper Still, Second Avenue
• Esperanto, Avenue C 
• The Gray Mare, Second Avenue
• The Jones, Great Jones
• Josie's, Sixth Street 
• Lucien, First Avenue 
• Mona's, Avenue B 
• Otto's Shrunken Head, 14th Street
• Penny Farthing, Third Avenue
• Phebe's, the Bowery 
• Sophie's, Fifth Street (pictured at top yesterday
• Sláinte Bar and Lounge, the Bowery
• Van Da, Fourth Street 
• Virginia's, 11th Street

Data that Gov. Cuomo released on Friday showed that restaurants and bars in the state accounted for just 1.4 percent of cases over the last three months while 73.84 percent of exposures were blamed on indoor household gatherings.

As multiple articles have pointed out, many restaurants were already struggling to rebuild their operations after losses sustained from the shutdown of dining during the PAUSE this past March.

--Updated 9:30 a.m.--

The Department of Sanitation has issued a Snow Alert for tomorrow starting at 2 p.m., which cancels all outdoor dining for the duration of the snow alert.

--

The restaurant industry expects more permanent closures if Gov. Cuomo decides to put into place a full shutdown again, which would also ban outdoor dining. (This after restaurant owners had to spend thousands to make their curbside setups compliant with ever-changing city guidelines.) 

Still, despite the end of indoor dining for now, many local bars and restaurants vowed to carry on ...

Celebrating 41 years of the Pyramid Club

Text and photos by Stacie Joy 

Staff gathered late Sunday afternoon outside the Pyramid Club on Avenue A between Sixth Street and Seventh Street to celebrate its 41st birthday. 

The Pyramid, a defining club of the East Village scene in the 1980s, has not been able to reopen since the PAUSE went into effect this past March. 

"We thank our friends, patrons, and the EV community for all the love and support over these past decades," club manager Maria Narciso told me. "You are part of what’s keeping the Pyramid spirit alive during this global pandemic."
There was also a Veniero’s carrot cake to mark the occassion...
To pay tribute to the club, Michelle Joni and friends boarded Glinda the Good Bus for a selection of 1980s music along Avenue A...
Previously on EV Grieve:

A break in at Kolkata Chai Cafe

Someone broke into the Kolkata Chai Cafe late Saturday night here at 199 E. Third St. just west of Avenue B. 

Proprietor Ayan Sanyal said that the incident happened around 2 a.m. Sunday... surveillance video shows the suspect repeatedly trying to break the glass in the front door with an unknown object ... before gaining access...

   

Aside from breaking the door, the perp took off with the cash register. 

"Thankfully there wasn't much cash and insurance should cover the door, but still a hassle and annoying incident in an already exhausting year," said Sanyal, who's hopeful that people will continue getting takeout this winter "because it's looking to be long, cold and short of any financial relief." 

Kolkata Chai Cafe opened here last September

And this marks the latest break in at a neighborhood business, joining a list that includes B&H Dairy ... Popeyes ... Tompkins Square Bagels ... and China Town.

Here then, the renovated 84 2nd Ave.

Workers have removed the plywood from outside 84 Second Ave. ... offering the best look yet at the refurbished building here between Fourth Street and Fifth Street. (Thanks to Goggla for the photo!)

As we've been posting (check out that link farm below!), No. 84 received a gut renovation that took the building from 5,829 square feet to 8,439 total square feet with a horizontal enlargement in the rear of the property. The modified No. 84 now also sports a retail space and four residences.

This property has changed hands twice in the past four years. Highpoint bought the building for $7.8 million in the spring of 2018. According to public records, the building sold in May 2016 for $5.1 million. The Sopolsky family had owned it for years.

Also as we've noted several times through the years, the address has a dark past, which includes the still-unsolved murder of Helen Sopolsky, proprietor of the family's tailor shop who was found bludgeoned to death in 1974, per an article at the time.

The storefront had remained empty since her death.

And here's the plywood rendering so you can see how the real-life No. 84 matches up...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Plywood and a petition at 84 2nd Ave.

Workers clearing out the mysterious 84 2nd Ave. storefront

Renovations proposed for mysterious 84 2nd Ave.

Mysterious 84 2nd Ave. sells again, this time for $7.8 million

There are new plans to expand the mysterious 84 2nd Ave.

Renovations underway at the (formerly) mysterious 84 2nd Ave.

A rendering and vintage erotic playing cards (NSFW) at the under-renovation (and mysterious!) 84 2nd Ave. 

A look at the building in 2009...

Monday, December 14, 2020

Restoring the Blondie mural on Bleecker and the Bowery

Over the weekend, the artist @praxis_vgz (h/t the LISA Project NYC) restored Shepard Fairy's Blondie mural on Bleecker at the Bowery. (Thanks to Robert Miner for the above photo!)

The mural had been tagged multiple times in recent months, as our friend Alex noted back in August ...
The mural has been here since August 2017.

The latest from the fire-damaged Middle Collegiate Church: the New York Liberty Bell survives

Here are the latest developments about the Dec. 5 fire that destroyed the southeast corner of Second Avenue and Seventh Street. (You can find all of our coverage via this link.)

For starters, on Friday, the FDNY said that faulty wiring at 48 E. Seventh St. was to blame for the six-alarm fire that destroyed the neighboring Middle Collegiate Church. An FDNY spokesperson told 1010 WINS that the fire has been deemed "non-suspicious." 

Myles N. Miller at NBC 4 reported that witnesses in the area first started smelling smoke around midnight. However, the first 911 call didn't come in until several hours later when a cab driver saw flames rising from No. 48.
Over the weekend, workers started removing the church's east-facing (back) wall in order to stabilize the site, according to the Rev. Jacqui Lewis, senior minister at the Middle Collegiate Church. (Photo below via Steven)
In some positive news, the steeple remains intact, which is where the New York Liberty Bell had hung in the belfry. The bell appears unharmed ... Some history of the bell via the Times:
It is about 25 years older than the cracked Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, according to a 1959 New York Times article.

Cast in Amsterdam in 1729, the bell was rung in 1735 to celebrate freedom of the press after John Peter Zenger, a German journalist, was acquitted of charges of seditious libel. He had published criticism of British tax collectors, according to the Times article.

It also was rung on the day that Representative John Lewis died in July and a week after the presidential election to celebrate "that love and justice" prevailed... 
Buildings Department officials said that they continue "to monitor and assess the stability of the remaining structure of the church, including the façade and the steeple, while cleanup operations are still underway." 

In one other development, Gothamist reported that there was a small fire at the scene on Saturday morning.
Around 9 a.m. Saturday, "something sparked up and the units that were on the scene did what they were supposed to do, which is just put some water on it," said a FDNY spokesperson who declined to give his name. The flare-up was so minor that the FDNY personnel on scene did not transmit a fire alarm, the spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, Church officials have started the rebuilding process (donation link here) ...