Village Works, the gallery, bookstore and artist space, continues to shape up at 12 St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.
The new sign went up late last week.
And per an Instagram post on Friday: "Slowly making it happen at Village Works ... opening show happening soon!" While prepping for the grand opening this past month, Village Works has held a sidewalk sale every day.
The new space will also eventually feature a cafe. Read more about it via this EVG post from March 29.
Founder Joseph Sheridan was previously set up at 90 E. Third St., just west of First Avenue. However, he needed to find a new storefront after he lost the lease with a rent increase.
There isn't any mention of this closure on Gorin's social media or website. Google lists them as "permanently closed" and someone removed the signage and menus from the restaurant's exterior fence.
The ramen shop opened here in January 2020 and only had three months of uninterrupted service before the start of the pandemic in March 2020.
Signage arrived late last week for Offside Tavern, which opened in mid-April in time for the Stanley Cup playoffs here at 94 Avenue A.
As previously noted, this is a new iteration of Offside, which had a three-year run at 137 W. 14th St. until the pandemic-related PAUSE of March 2020.
During the NHL season, OT is a hockey bar — specifically for fans of the New York Islanders. (The Hurricanes knocked the Islanders out of the playoffs with a 2-1 OT loss on April 28.) The place made enough of an impression that when the Islanders opened UBS Arena in late 2021,the new venue included an Offside Tavern tribute bar located in Section 217.
August Laura had a brief run at the address, opening in October 2019 ... then a haphazard schedule during the pandemic before finally shutting down in December 2021. They took over the space at Sixth Street from what some people considered an East Village institution — Sidewalk, the restaurant bar and live music venue (home of the Antifolk Festival) that closed in February 2019 after 34 years.
Pini Milstein, who retired, was the principal owner of the building and the operator of Sidewalk. According to public records, Penn South Capital paid $9.6 million for the property in March 2019. The building's new owners added a one-floor extension here in 2020.
A scene from a procession today for St. Martin de Porres on Eighth Street between Avenue B and Avenue C via the Parish of Saint Brigid-Saint Emeric ...
On Wednesday, EVG reader Maite Castillo shared the above photo from 13th Street at Second Avenue showing Godzilla possibly reaching the end of the line.
However, after 30 live-action movies, you figured we hadn't seen the last of Godzilla... and today EVG reader Joem spotted the King of the Monsters alive and well outside the Wingstop on 14th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue...
One note for anyone concerned that the trailer would take the ping-pong table out of commission... there looks to be enough room ... just go easy with the sidespin on the ball...
The EVG inbox lit up this morning... as workers arrived in Tompkins Square Park to set up a construction office outside the field house... as renovations onsite are set to begin... (thanks to Steven and others for the pics)...
While this 18-month work project was expected to start this spring, the early word is that some residents-Parkgoers were surprised by how large the trailer is ... not to mention some temporary fencing.
As previously reported, the field house and the space behind it — dubbed the Slocum area as it includes the Slocum Memorial Fountain — will be closed during this time. In addition, the Tompkins Square mini pool will be out of commission for two consecutive summers.
The Parks Department website lists a September 2024 competition date for the $5.6-million project (PDF here), which will:
• Upgrade existing restrooms to code
• Upgrade Parks and maintenance and operations space
• Add first aid and lifeguard locker room spaces in the building
• Reconstruct interiors
• Clean and partially repoint exterior brick
Porta potties are expected on the scene at some point... as the Park bathrooms will be closed. (Get your stall selfies quickly!).
Bill Brady, an art dealer and gallerist who had lived in the East Village, died on Sunday. According to published reports, he went into cardiac arrest following an asthma attack. He was 55.
He opened the ATM Gallery on Avenue B in 2001... before relocating to Chelsea. Brady and William Leung launched another ATM Galley on Henry Street in 2020.
Bill Brady was a gallerist for over 25 years. During that time, he made a profound impact on the art world with his ability to bring new artists to the forefront of the art scene. He believed in young talent and devoted much of his career to identifying and nurturing that talent. Whether he was working with emerging artists or established masters, Bill had a knack for identifying work that was fresh, exciting, and thought-provoking. His support and guidance helped many of them achieve great success.
His contributions to the art world were numerous and far-reaching, and his impact on the careers of many artists cannot be overstated. As we mourn the loss of Bill Brady, it is important that we also celebrate his life and legacy. We can honor his memory by continuing to support the artists he championed.
Photo from the Broadway-Lafayette station by Jeremiah Moss
On Monday afternoon around 2:30, Jordan Neely boarded the uptown F train at the Second Avenue station. [Early reports mentioned that he entered the train on Second Avenue. That narrative has seemed to change.]
According to the Associated Press, "he was yelling and pacing back and forth on an F train ... witnesses and police said, when he was restrained by at least three people, including a U.S. Marine veteran who pulled one arm tightly around his neck."
Video taken by a passenger shows the unnamed 24-year-old former Marine holding Neely in a chokehold while other riders restrained him on the floor of a train. The former Marine was taken into police custody but later released later Monday without being charged.
Neely, who was 30, died from compression to his neck as a result of the chokehold, the medical examiner ruled yesterday.
Per the Times: "The episode, filmed on a nearly four-minute video that shows other riders helping to pin down Mr. Neely while others looked on, has led to a police investigation and spurred advocates for the homeless, city officials and others to call for an arrest."
And from The Guardian: "Advocates argued that the circumstances surrounding Neely’s life and death — his struggles with homelessness, food insecurity and mental health struggles — reflected longstanding failures to provide social services to impoverished New Yorkers."
Here are some of the headlines about the death of Jordan Neely and the aftermath...
• NYC subway chokehold death ruled a homicide, as groups demand justice for Jordan Neely (NBC News)
• Possible charges against Marine in chokehold death of Jordan Neely as NYPD and Manhattan DA confer (Daily News)
I’ve always liked catching new-to-me music at the local New Colossus Festival, and the 2023 edition was no different.
I was especially keen to hear East Village-based singer-songwriter-composer Franzi Szymkowiak and her band Lukka with Ashley Gonzalez on bass and Simon Fishburn on drums. Lukka’s dreamy and immersive sonic landscape was the perfect fit for an indie-pop/shoegaze showcase at Arlene’s Grocery on March 11...
A few weeks later, I caught up with Franzi in the East Village to talk about growing up in Germany, the rigors of busking, and feeding off the energy of NYC.
You studied classical piano while growing up in Germany. Where did your interest in music originate?
It was mostly my mum who pushed me to take classical piano lessons. I didn’t enjoy it that much as a teenager but I guess years later it paid off when I started writing songs. I started playing and singing my favorite songs, and that’s when something sparked. I guess it was the combination of both that gave me the endorphin rush.
Just as a side fact, I recently found out that my great-grandmother, who was a waitress, would also from time to time grab her guitar and start singing popular German folk songs for her dining guests to make an extra buck. That was in the 1930s, so maybe it’s in the genetics after all.
You taught yourself how to play guitar at age 15. Did you have aspirations to be a musician then or was this more for fun?
I started learning the guitar to be able to sing my favorite songs at the time. I think I knew then that I wanted to make a living as a musician, I just didn’t know how. I got into music from the ’60s back then, I loved the Beatles, Rolling Stones, and other bands from that time period.
If I remember right, I already imagined having my own band to perform my own songs. When I was younger, I hoped to make a living on that but you know it’s really hard nowadays.
You spent years busking around the world. How did that experience shape you? Did you ever tire of the constant hustle?
After I finished high school in Germany, I traveled to Australia and ended up staying there for almost four years. I played a lot in the streets there. I actually got quite professional having an amplified music performance.
Of course, it takes a lot of strength to carry all that shit around the city. I am talking about two big heavy batteries, an electric power converter, an amplifier, a microphone and stand, cables, a keyboard, and a seat. I had one trolley that carried everything.
Once that thing got stuck in between the subway train and the platform, the doors closed and the train started moving but luckily stopped after a couple of seconds. I think that’s when I had enough!
However, playing in the streets connected me to a lot of people, which was great. The experience also taught me not to give a damn what strangers think of me.
January marked your 10th year in NYC. Was it always a goal or dream to live here?
I came to New York when I was 22. Back then I was naively thinking that this is the place to be to ‘make it’ in the music industry, which of course right now I know is not true. But I loved the scene and I connected quickly with really talented artists and musicians who would inspire and support me. I have never been as creative in any other city as here.
I think that the city’s energy feeds you. (I actually have a song “Feed Me” that is derived from that.) The East Village always had a special vibe to me. What I love is that there are so many music venues and lots of live music. Lots of interesting and strange people do walk the streets, it’s entertaining in a way. For me, there is The Accordion Lady, for example, the rock’n’roll guy with the chihuahua dog, the Lady with Pink UV protection visor and too-long toenails. So many characters...I do like that.
You’ve described the tracks on your Something Human record as “heady psychedelia and nostalgic 1980s new wave.” Who have been some bands that influenced you?
Definitely influenced by the ’60s and ’70s bands as I mentioned before The Beatles, Rolling Stones, and Led Zeppelin. After Bowie died, I got heavily influenced by the Trilogy he did in Berlin, and also the people he worked with: Brian Eno, Lou Reed and Iggy Pop. That period made me experiment with synths much more. Also, bands like Tame Impala and Unknown Mortal Orchestra opened my mind to different guitar effect pedals and sounds.
How has Lukka’s sound evolved? What’s next for the band?
I do have all the songs for my third album ready to record. It is going to be much quieter and synth-affected, and the compositions will be more complex. I am not sure how it will all come out in the end. It’s very experimental in a way.
You can catch Lukka on June 1 at Rubulad in Bushwick, and keep up with the band on Instagram.
