This morning

Reader mailbag: Have you read the Citi Bikes Rental Agreement?

[Via @danielleintheev]

An email from a reader. First, he is all (mostly!) for the bike-share program and is planning to purchase an annual pass.

Disclaimer: "I hate Citibank and it's super gross to be advertising for them."

But! "...the utility of it is really fantastic."

So. The reader was reading through the Rental Agreement that you have to agree to for the membership.

"There are a couple of things there that are pretty weird to me. First of all — and I was expecting this — they've thought of the fact that people are probably going to want to cover up the Citibank logos with something else, either to avoid being a tool to advertise Citibank or advertise something of their own."

Makes sense!

"Section 5 Prohibited Acts."

You must not dismantle, write on, or otherwise modify or deface a Citi Bike bicycle or any part of a Citi Bike bicycle in any way. You must not write on, peel, or otherwise modify or deface any sticker on a Citi Bike bicycle in any way. You must not use a Citi Bike bicycle for any advertising or similar commercial purpose. This rule does not apply to the use of the seat height adjustment feature on Citi Bike bicycles."

Reader: "Now I don't know if that prohibits my idea of using some non-destructive floppy magnet material to just cover up the logos while I'm riding, but it sounds like it could. Maybe I'm just being paranoid."

And!

"Section 21 Waivers."
...
For good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, You do hereby knowingly, voluntarily, and irrevocably: (1) give Your full and unconditional consent to NYCBS and its affiliates, successors, and assigns to use at any time and from time to time, without any restriction, Your appearance and voice in photographs, videos, and other recordings, on all websites and for all press, promotional, advertising, publicity, and other commercial purposes, including all formats and media, whether now known or hereafter devised, throughout the world and in perpetuity; (2) grant to NYCBS and its affiliates, successors, and assigns (a) the right to photograph, videotape, and otherwise record Your appearance and voice, at any time and from time to time, (b) all rights, copyrights, title, and interests in the results of such photographs, videos, and other recordings, as a work for hire for copyright purposes, and (c) the right to use, reproduce, exhibit, distribute, transmit, alter, and exploit, at any time and from time to time and as NYCBS may decide in its sole discretion, the photographs, videos, and other recordings, or any component thereof, and all related merchandising, promotions, advertising, and publicity; and (3) waive, release, and discharge all Released Persons from all Claims that You have or may have for any libel, defamation, invasion of privacy, right of publicity, infringement of copyright, or violation of any right granted by You in this paragraph."

"Is that even legal???"

Thoughts? Just legal mumbo-jumbo?

Cooper Union photohunt

EVG reader Brian Barkovitz, a Cooper Union alum, shared the above photos... "Took these as a prospective high school senior in 2004 and as an alum on Tuesday. It's a damn shame."

Your chance to 'claim your prized position' on St. Mark's Place and 2nd Avenue

On Wednesday, workers cleaned out the now-former Eastside Bakery (.net?) on the northwest corner of Second Avenue and St. Mark's Place. There are now four empty storefronts here in this Theatre Condo complex.

Cohen's Fashion Optical moved out about two months ago... Michael "Bao" Huynh's Baoguette Cafe around on St. Mark's Place closed last fall... and Timi's Gelateria Classica™ closed in December 2011.

According to the listing at Walter & Samuels:



The listing puts the 1,600 square feet of retail at $400,000 per year – or some $33,000 a month. (This is what the Gap paid here back in the late 1980s.)

There's also a listing on the Winick site... noting four separate spaces, or perhaps, one big one... the marketing flyer says, "Claim your prized position."



As the listing notes: "Hot East Village retail opportunity located on bustling St. Marks Place."

The lone ground-floor tenant here is 7-Eleven, a seemingly popular place...

Report: St. George's Ukrainian Catholic Schools are closing in June

St. George's Ukrainian Catholic School on East Sixth Street at Taras Shevchenko Place will close after this school year in June, Scoopy reports in this week's issue of The Villager. The reason: Low enrollment. There are reportedly just 90 students from pre-K to 12th grade. La Salle Academy, who moved in a few years back, apparently uses the majority of the space.

However, a source tells Scoopy that La Salle will "eventually" return to their former home on Second Avenue and East Second Street. And then what happens?

"We think probably it will be taken over by N.Y.U. or Cooper Union," the St. George School source told us of the E. Sixth St. school building.

From the school's website, a few photos ... no exact date is given on these two...just some time in the 1950s...

This weekend at the 6th Street and Ave. B Garden

Via the EV Grieve inbox ... information about the the 6th Street and Ave. B Garden's annual plant and bake sale the weekend ... the funds raised go to to the Garden's Events Committee, which brings dance, theatre, music and other happenings to the East Village community.

As one Garden member told us, "This year, fundraising is especially important for us, as we are still dealing with aftermath of the Hurricane Sandy damage to our stage roof (under which most events are held). So anyone who comes by will also be able to donate funds directly to that repair effort, if they wish."

[Photo from after Sanday via peter radley]

Also of note.. Garden member Briar Winters, the pastry chef of the recently shuttered Masak on East 13th Street, will be baking her jasmine tea shortbread for the bake sale...

Jupiter 21's TV moment

The new Jupiter 21 is making the rounds on the local TV news circuit... Here's a jocular WABC-7 look at the new luxury residential building on Second Avenue and East First Street ... Worth watching for several reasons, one being John Vaccarro's interview...

Uh-huh: Red Mango returning to the East Village

You just can't make this shit up... on Second Avenue just south of East Fourth Street... a Red Mango will be opening soon... right next door to a gelato shop...



Red Mango opened and closed on St. Mark's Place a few years back... but apparently the FroYo Force is strong...

Report: Max Fish making it official in Williamsburg

[You never know when a photo of the Max Fish toilet will come in handy]

The folks at Max Fish have applied for a liquor license with Community Board 1 in Brooklyn, Gothamist reports today.

As reported earlier, high rents are apparently sending the Ludlow Street mainstay since 1989 packing to Metropolitan Avenue ... where, Gothamist notes, they have designs on a vacant 3,000-square-foot space that was asking $14,000 a month in rent.

There's a hearing to discuss the bar's application next Thursday at the Swinging 60s Senior Center, 211 Ainslie St., at 6:30 p.m.

We were told earlier that Max Fish is eyeing an August closing date on Ludlow Street. We were also told that the Asbury Park branch of Max Fish won't be reopening this summer.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The art evolution of Ulli Rimkus and Max Fish

From Tin Pan Alley to Max Fish

[Updated] Max Fish is apparently moving to Brooklyn; eyeing August close date

New roll down gates for 98 Avenue A

This morning, we posted a rendering that offered a hint of what 98 Avenue A might look like some day... Meanwhile, workers arrived at the address of the former East Village Farm today to install new roll down gates... Photo by William Klayer.