EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning Edition

[Photo of Caravan of Dreams on East 6th Street by Fallopia Tuba]

2 people injured in a fire at the Lillian Wald Houses this morning (DNAinfo)

A section of Delancey Street now co-named Dashane Santana Way (The Lo-Down)

The Fringe Festival returns (The New York Times)

When a car nearly wiped out Yonah Schimmel's in 1970 (BoweryBoogie)

Christo and Dora watching at Tompkins Square Park with Goggla (The Villager)

Community garden tour in the East Village (Off the Grid)

About the new executive director of the Third Street Music School Settlement (Crain's New York)

And there is a campaign underway to save the Subway Inn from the wrecking ball (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

A story of neighborhood heroism, 1960 edition

Anyone remember Pauline's bar and grill on First Avenue near East Seventh Street?

Thanks to EVG Twitter friend @RTSNYC for this find from The New York Times on June 7, 1960.

Kita the Wonder Dog of East 10th Street is on the mend!

In recent days/weeks we've had several Kita the Wonder Dog of East 10th Street sightings … while she is wearing some kind of protective paw thing. (Not the technical term!)

So we reached out to Kita's owners for a report.

"She is still recovering from a torn tendon that happened during the brutal icy winter. She's been treated by a variety of local and non-local vets to varying degrees of success. Now she travels to Long Island every Thursday morning with a fabulous vet who apparently has a national reputation for diagnosing the undiagnosible."

The poor dear! What is the prognosis?

"By all accounts, including hers, Kita is on the mend. She avoided having to need surgery. She's looking forward to being able to chase tennis balls in Tompkins Square Park and East River Park very soon."

On the next episode, Kita responds to the commenter who writes, 'If you don't like torn tendons, then move to … '"

Previously on EV Grieve:
Meet Kita

The further adventures of Kita the Wonder Dog of East 10th Street

The further (often truly) amazing adventures of Kita the Wonder Dog of East 10th Street

Happy holidays from Kita the Wonder Dog of East 10th Street

Kita the Wonder Dog of East 10th Street has her first ever annual checkup

Holiday greetings from Kita the Wonder Dog of East 10th Street

Summer greetings from Kita the Wonder Dog of East 10th Street

The documentary that captured the Bowery's high-end restaurant transformation

In case you haven't seen it, the 2005 documentary "Bowery Dish," which chronicles the Bowery's transformation from skid row to high-end restaurant row, airs tonight at 10 on Channel 13/WNET.



The director, Kevin R. Frech, is a 20-plus year resident of the East Village. He filmed between 1999-2004, after noticing that more restaurants were popping up on the Bowery. He wanted to document the changes.

The film debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival and later aired on the Sundance Channel.

With the arrival of even bigger bold-face-named restaurateurs such as Keith McNally (Pulino's then Cherche Midi) and Daniel Boulud (DBGB), we asked Frech about what has transpired on the Bowery since the film's release.

Did you ever anticipate that the Bowery would continue to transform to such a degree as it has in 2014? Seems like a sequel is in order!

Yes, I really want to make a sequel — follow some of the camera angles from the original to show what dramatic changes have happened lately. When I set out to make the film, I could see the street was about to undergo radical change, but I was amazed at how fast it happened.

While I knew it would continue after the film was completed, I had no idea how much further it would go. Keith McNally, the New Museum, all of the high-rises and galleries. Meanwhile the flophouses are mostly gone, the Salvation Army is gone, and only the Bowery Mission remains from the rougher days of the old Bowery.

Honey House, now serving coffee on East 11th Street

A new coffee shop opened this week at 334 E. 11th Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

The place is so new, there isn't a sign yet outside.

EVG reader Jake Seliger stopped by Honey House yesterday, and shared these photos with us. His take?

"The space is small — somewhere between Abraço and Third Rail — but has a few seats," he reported. "They're supposed to get pastries in the next couple days."

EVG reader Russ also stumbled by the place, and liked the vibe. The owner, who previously ran the clothing boutique at this location, was hanging LP covers on the wall. He will eventually bring in a record player to listen to the vinyl.




[Photo by EVG reader Russ]

Buy this skinny East 13th Street building alone — or with 3 other NYC properties

The building at 216 E. 13th St. between Second Avenue and Third Avenue is now on the market. The 9-studio walk-up is asking $4 million.

Or! The four-floor building can be paired with three other properties from other neighborhoods. In total, the portfolio has 53 apartments (plus two retail spaces) with an asking price of $23.5 million. (All cash.)

A PDF with the property descriptions is here.

Catch some solar flares on the Lower East Side

EVG Twitter friend ‏@travishuggett shared this with us from earlier today...

"I watched a woman ride her bike up to the corner of Broome and Orchard, strap this can to a light post, and ride off. I looked inside and there is a tiny video screen playing footage of what I think are solar flares on the surface of the sun. It's weird. I love it."

Anyone happen to spot any of these solar-flare cans around?

Updated 8/8

Ah, thanks. The video installations are the work of Nora Breen.

The Dusty Rebel has documented more of them here.

Archie & Sons now 'closed for remodeling'

[Photo by EVG reader Russ]

Ugh. As the sign shows, the 50s-style luncheonette on Third Avenue at St. Mark's Place is closed for the month of August.

They opened just about a year ago to the date.

We're big fans of their food. However, the closure, temporary or not, doesn't come as a total shocker. In recent months, the hours became more sporadic, the offerings became more varied (juice bar! smoothies!), the quality of food seemingly deteriorated, the staff changed. Plus, we were the only people inside the last six or so times inside. (And we were not there at off hours.)

We were hoping that they would catch on — particularly with all the office bodies (and students) coming to the IBM Watson Building across the street.

Still, it wasn't also tough to opt for Archie's over old favorites the Stage and B&H …

Previously on EV Grieve:
Archie & Sons, a new luncheonette, opening very soon at 23 Third Ave.

Coolest building on the Bowery may or may not be for sale

[Via Wikipedia Commons]

Yes, that graffiti-filled one at the corner of Spring Street … long a source of mystery!

In 2008, New York had what is believed to be the media's one and only inside look at the place:

The building at 190 Bowery is a mystery: a graffiti-covered Gilded Age relic, with a beat-up wooden door that looks like it hasn’t been opened since La Guardia was mayor. A few years ago, that described a lot of the neighborhood, but with the Bowery Hotel and the New Museum, the Rogan and John Varvatos boutiques, 190 is now an anomaly, not the norm. Why isn’t some developer turning it into luxury condos?

Because Jay Maisel, the photographer who bought it 42 years ago for $102,000, still lives there, with his wife, Linda Adam Maisel, and daughter, Amanda. It isn’t a decrepit ruin; 190 Bowery is a six-story, 72-room, 35,000-square-foot (depending on how you measure) single-family home.

Anyway, Crain's New York is reporting that the circa-1898 building has been listed at RFR Realty. ("The ground and second floors have 18-foot ceiling heights and are ideal for retail use.")

But is it really for sale? Per Crain's: "RFR declined to comment and the photographer, Jay Maisel, did not respond to multiple requests for comment on the fate of the ornate six-story, granite and brick building."

Real-estate experts figured the landmarked would fetch $50 million on the open market. And those were 2008 estimates.

Landlord tells residents of 149 First Ave. that they need to vacate ahead of demolition

There's a lot of drama unfolding at 149 First Ave. just north of East Ninth Street.

All tenants (and all rent stabilized) received the following letter from the landlord this week — a "notice of non-renewal and vacate request."

"We have been advised by our engineer that the building has serious deterioration issues and has to be rebuilt and most probably demolished.

"As a matter of safety, we have to vacate all the apartments in the building."

And it doesn't matter how long the tenant has left on his or her lease — "please do not take longer than 90 days to leave. Thank you."

There's nothing on file with the DOB about either a gut renovation or probable demolition. The most serious recent infraction appears to be that the landlord failed to file an annual boiler inspection report for 2012.

It appears that tenants aren't ready to pack their bags. They are already organizing, as this notice on the front door shows.



Meanwhile, if the building is truly going to be gut renovated/condemned/demolished, etc., then the landlord likely not need bother trying to fill the vacated storefront, still on the market for $9,500 rent per month since This Little Piggy Had Roast Beef closed in March.

Updated 2:31
Now with an updated flyer showing the correct date for the meeting with tenants.

4 years later, Le Jardin Bistro returns, opens in former Apartment 13 space on Avenue C

[Image via Facebook]

Here's more information about the new restaurant that opened Monday in the former Apartment 13 space at 115 Avenue C between East Seventh Street and East Eighth Street.

Turns out it is Le Jardin Bistro, which was originally housed on Cleveland Place until its 2010 closure. (They opened in 1995. Here's a review from the Times.)

A rep for the restaurant emailed us info yesterday:

The new outpost of Le Jardin Bistro will serve well-priced classic dishes like rich and hearty Cassoulet, traditional Steak Frites and Bouillabaisse paired with an equally accessible wine list.

Divided between two floors, Le Jardin Bistro boasts a stately and inviting oyster bar, dining room and small patio on the first floor with an open kitchen, additional dining room and namesake ‘jardin’ seating open year-round on the second floor.

Here's a dinner menu.


[Click on image for more details]

You can find the wine and dessert menus here.

Le Jardin's hours are: Monday - Wednesday 5 p.m.-midnight; Thursday - Saturday 5 p.m.-2 a.m.; closed Sunday.

Apartment 13 closed during the July 4 weekend.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Apartment 13 will not be reopening on Avenue C

Free tonight in Tompkins Square Park: 'Labyrinth' and David Bowie as Goblin King Jareth

Tonight brings Jim Henson's fantasy adventure "Labyrinth" from 1986.

Let's hit that plot:

Fifteen-year-old Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) accidentally wishes her baby half-brother, Toby, away to the Goblin King Jareth (David Bowie) who will keep Toby if Sarah does not complete his Labyrinth in thirteen hours.

OK!



The summer film series wraps up next Thursday night with — !!! — "Midnight Cowboy."

As always, bring mosquito repellent. Or put some on at home. It's your West Nile Virus!

Horse Trade Theater Group becoming Frigid New York

[EVG file photo]

We get news releases! From the EVG inbox...

After 16 years as a for-profit producing organization Horse Trade Theater Group will merge into FRIGID New York. Horse Trade will still operate as a venue manager for The Kraine Theater at 85 East 4th Street and UNDER St. Marks at 94 St. Marks Place, but all in-house productions, festivals, and the Resident Artist Program will now be presented by the nonprofit organization FRIGID New York, producers of the annual FRIGID Festival.

"After many years producing indie theatre we've found that we can offer our artists more opportunities as a nonprofit organization” said Managing Director Erez Ziv. “This will also allow us to consolidate our programming, and invest more in each production. We're very excited for what the future holds."

FRIGID New York’s 2014/2015 season will include RadioTheatre’s HP Lovecraft Festival, Clay McLeod Chapman’s The Pumpkin Pie Show, new resident artists The Battalion, The Drafts play reading series, Gotham Storytelling Festival, the Winter Burlesque Blitz, The Fire This Time Festival, the FRIGID Festival, the first annual LGBT Festival, Downunder Improv Festival, and monthly residents Stand Up and Take Your Clothes Off, Sketch Block, Thank You Robot, Adam Wade, The Wasabassco Hellfire Club, Naked Girls Reading, Open Mic Downstairs, Ten-Foot Rat Cabaret, Cabaret Showdown, Radical Vaudeville, and The History of Beer.

New retail space for 165 Avenue B revealed

[EVG file photo from January]

The new retail space at 165 Avenue B, currently undergoing a head-to-toe renovation, made its first appearance this week.



Let's take a different angle!



The listing for the storefront here just north of East 10th Street arrived back in May via RKF :

NEIGHBORS
Back Forty, Discovery Wines, Eleven B, Mercadito, Ninth Street Espresso, Waffles [sic] & Dinges

COMMENTS
Newly created retail space
New storefront, HVAC, bathroom and mechanicals
Non-contiguous Basement space can be made available
Situated at the base of a luxury residential building
Steps from Thompkins (sic) Square Park
Venting is possible
All uses considered

Aside from a bank, froyo or anything served in a hoof, what do you think might work for the space?

Previously on EV Grieve:
165 Avenue B back on the market

165 Avenue B has been sold, and 2 apartments are on the market

'All uses considered' for new retail space at 165 Avenue B