Breaking: Former bank branch to become a Duane Reade on First Avenue

[February 2010]

The now-shuttered HSBC branch (the one that some residents tried to save) on First Avenue just north of 14th Street is getting a new tenant. Earlier in the week, pcvstBee pointed out that renovations had started on the space.

Now, a reader passes along this tip ... that the Duane Reade on 14th between First Avenue and Second Avenue will be moving into this former HSBC space (yes, right next to the CVS). A Duane Reade employee and the Fruit Stand Guy outside the former HSBC confirmed this to the reader. (Woo! Sourcing!)

So what's the loudest block in the East Village?

We did that post last week about a reader looking for a quiet block to live on (helpful, by the way!) ... asking if such a thing even existed these days. (This post.)

Following that, another reader thought it might be sorta therapeutic to prompt a discussion about the loudest block in the neighborhood. Bar noise. Traffic noise. Noise noise. The usual.

Sure. What the Hell.

So.

I've never lived on these blocks, but they seem as if they could be really loud at times.

• St. Mark's Place closer to Avenue A (apartments facing St. Mark's Place)

• Third Avenue (OK, maybe between 10th and 12th...)

• Near or around Avenue A and Houston

Anyone else?

[File photo outside Superdive back in the day]

East Ninth Street smells like manure this morning

Just between Avenue A and First. Did a manure spreader jack-knife here last night?

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

Last Friday, we posted the item about the topless advocate who was walking around the neighborhood topless. (This post.)

Since then, we've received quite a few more photos (which we never posted) of the women, first identified by Racked as Moira Johnston.

Anyway, our post quickly became the most-viewed, uh, post in EV Grieve's five-year history, easily topping the former No. 1 — The East Village rolls out welcome wagon for new Starbucks.

Which begs the question: Will you start posting more photos of topless women?

Yes. And we will also include some peen for equal time.

Actually, that wasn't the question.

This is: What was the least-viewed EV Grieve post of all time?

Oh! So many to choose from.

Blogger doesn't keep track of such things. But if we had to guess. It was this one from July 9, 2008...

Per the post:

Drug store celebrity exit wars
Duade Reade has Mario Lopez gracing its exits (and disguising the store's security system). Not to be outdone, Rite Aid (at least the one on 14th Street between Avenues A and B) wants us to smell like David Beckham.

According to Google Analytics, no one even casually glimpsed at this post.

Benny is missing

Benny has been missing since last Friday. His owners are really worried ... all the info is on the above flyer...

Former Stuyvesant Grocery now open as Adam's Deli on East 14th Street

[May 7]

A few weeks ago, EV Grieve reader LvV passed along the good news that Stuyvesant Grocery, the deli on East 14th Street and Avenue A that a fire destroyed in May 2010, was reopening at the former locksmith shop ... just west on 14th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue.

Now, our friends at pcvstBee report that the store — now called Adam's Deli — opened yesterday...

[right to left Adam, Nasser & Sal via pcvstBee]

Previously on EV Grieve:
Conspiracies: What next for 14th Street and Avenue A?

Renovations in order for Stuyvesant Grocery and Pete's-A-Place?

Today in Tompkins Square Park

The Free Store got rained out.

Photos by Bobby Williams.

[Updated] EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning edition

[Photo by James Maher. Find more of his photos here]

21-year-old woman killed early this morning in a hit-and-run on Broadway and 14th Street (DNAinfo)

On putting together the new Joey Ramone record (NPR)

How the size of NYU's campus stacks up against other universities, such as Stanford (Off the Grid)

The Pen and Brush Club townhouse on East 10th Street has been sold (Curbed)

The move in New York State to ban anonymous online speech (Runnin' Scared)

A note for High Line tourists (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

Downed tree closes part of Clinton Street for the moment (The Lo-Down)

East Village resident Jim Gaffigan does not like Subway (Grub Street)

Photographer Camilo José Vergara has been documenting Harlem for nearly four decades (New York Historical Society)

14 photos of a rainy & stormy NYC (Gothamist)

Lower Manhattan restaurants of the 1960s (Eater)

Beastie Boys in London circa 1986 (BoweryBoogie)

... and not a very good endorsement here on First Avenue and East Second Street... ("in-house thief alert")

[Via Marjorie Ingall]

Accusations on Avenue A

EVG reader Ron Z. spotted this on the M14 stop on Avenue A and 11th Street this morning... We're not sure how widespread this flyer campaign is. Have you seen these?

In any event. We blocked out the man's face ...

Here now, a documentary short about the intersection of 14th Street and First Avenue

Karen Loew, who lives near 14th Street and First Avenue, passed along the above video ... which explores the chaotic crossroads in "Intersection: Babel." It premiered last Thursday at the LABA Festival at the 14th Street Y.

The video includes interviews with people on the street as well as community leaders to explain what is unique (and not!) about 14th and First. Per the description, "'Intersection: Babel' is a documentary short looking at a place that's all about leaving it."

Among other things, the video explores the hazardous transportation environment here... from the crisscrossing M14s and M15s (and placement of the bus stops) ... the access road to Stuy Town at the northeast corner ... the tricky left turn for autos (and pedestrians) from eastbound 14th onto northbound First ... the L entrance/exit that's pretty much in the intersection on the southeast corner...

Monsignor Kevin J. Nelan of the Immaculate Conception Parish says it's like "a mini Times Square." City Councilmember Dan Garodnick says that there's "a lot of activity but not a lot of personality" here.

Agreed!

Directed and produced by Karen Loew.
Videography and editing by Cory Antiel.
Dance by Julie Gayer Kris.