Tuesday, June 18, 2013

The Halal Guys are coming to the East Village


The Halal Guys, proprietors of the crazy busy food cart on 53rd and Sixth, are coming to the East Village, per a tweet this afternoon... Details to come on where you can find their chicken and lamb over rice ... not to be confused with the imposter halal carts parked nearby in Midtown ...

Branch down near the Tompkins Square Park dog run



@timjulien shared this photo this morning... a large branch came down south of the dog run in Tompkins Square Park... hopefully the rest of the tree is OK...

Today in photos of people sleeping on the sidewalk to see Hanson tonight at Irving Plaza



Hanson is halfway through a two-night stand at the Irving Plaza to celebrate the release of their latest release, "Anthem."

Hanson, of course, was an American rock band formed in New York City. First active from 1964 to 1973, its best-known members were Lou Reed and John Cale, who both went on to find success as solo artists.

OK. I know that's not funny.

Anyway, EVG reader Christina spotted people sleeping outside on the sidewalk this morning for tonight's show. And as for last evening's show? Per Christina: "A lot of screaming happened. Not as much as when the Jonas Brothers were there, but still a lot of 30 year olds were having a really good time."

"Middle of Nowhere," which the brothers released in 1997, sold 10 million copies worldwide.

Permits filed to demolish former theater turned grocery at 100 Avenue A


[Bobby Williams]

The city OK'd a demolition permit yesterday for 98-100 Avenue A, which housed East Village Farms until Feb. 7, 2012.

Developer Ben Shaoul purchased the former theater turned market last month for $15.5 million, according to public records. (While the name of Shaoul, president of Magnum Real Estate Group, isn't listed on the records... his name appears as the owner of the property on the asbestos abatement flyers that went up in early June. Magnum's name is also on the demolition permit.)

Nothing is on file yet with the DOB regarding a new building for the address here between East Sixth Street and East Seventh Street. However, a listing for the retail spaces that we noted last month provides an idea of what Shaoul and company have in mind ... a large retail space with 40 residential units above...



Last year, the previous landlord — Suh, Yon, Pak Associates, Inc. — proposed to keep the store on the first and second floor, and then add a third and fourth floor for residential use. For whatever reason, the landlord never got this plan approved. Subsequent plans on file with the DOB showed a proposed addition to the back of the building ... and increasing the size of the store at the first and second floors.

As we've previously posted, the Avenue A Theatre opened here in 1926. It was operated by RKO, followed by Loew's. It closed in 1959. The various markets here used the theater space for storage.

[1949, via Cinema Treasures]

On Jan. 12, 2012, we posted photos of the not-so-secret theater inside here from photographer Kevin Shea Adams. (You can read his post and see more photos here.)

[Kevin Shea Adams]

[Kevin Shea Adams]

Several residents were hopeful that a developer with the ways and means and desire to preserve would restore the building for use as a theater. But that's too much to ask for.

In any event, you likely won't be seeing less of this out front ...

[Bobby Williams]

Previously on EV Grieve:
A little bit of Hollywood on Avenue A

East Village Farms is closing; renovations coming to 100 Avenue A

Inside the abandoned theater at East Village Farms on Avenue A

Reader reports: Village Farms closing Jan. 31; building will be demolished

Asbestos abatement continues at 98 Avenue A, Ben Shaoul's latest East Village trophy

Mars Bar replacement now leasing at Jupiter 21



We noted yesterday that the plywood has come down at Jupiter 21, the new luxury apartment building that went up at the former Mars Bar space on Second Avenue and East First Street ... Yesterday afternoon, the official news release landed in our inbox announcing the start of leasing at Jupiter 21.

(Several of the residents of the former buildings have already secured their co-ops here at the promised rate of $10.)

Now let's just dig right into that news release for details:

In continuing the transformation of the East Village, BFC Partners announces that residential leasing has successfully begun at Jupiter 21, a newly-constructed 78,000-square-foot rental building located at 21 East 1st Street. The 65-unit, 12-story building, designed by GF 55, offers 52 market-rate rental residences and 13 affordable condominiums.

“Given the incredible demand for this neighborhood, we have already seen tremendous activity,” said Joseph Ferrara, a partner with Don Capoccia and Brandon Baron at BFC Partners, Jupiter 21’s developer. “The Jupiter 21 rentals are being greeted so positively that we are renting up the building quickly.”

Comprised of studio-, one- and two-bedroom apartments, Jupiter 21 features a unique display of innovative design that captures both the eye and imagination. Each unit is equipped with natural hardwood flooring, sleek modern cabinetry, stainless steel European appliances, designer fixtures and oversized windows. The building also includes best-in-class amenities such as central air conditioning, GE washer & dryers in every unit, rentable on-site storage and a full-service concierge. Many of the units also have terraces or balconies, offering spectacular views of New York City.

Stylish and modern, residences at Jupiter 21 feature Kohler deep soaking tubs and walk-in frameless showers, Kohler fixtures and floor-to-ceiling porcelain tiling. Kitchens include Caesarstone Countertops, Kohler Fixtures, glass back-splashes, Bertazzoni cooking ranges, Summit International refrigerators and Miele dishwashers.

Jupiter 21 is a pet-friendly residence that features an attended lobby and live-in superintendent, in addition to other amenities including video intercoms, a virtual property management service by mybuilding.org, and a roof terrace with expansive city views. Homes in this beautiful, modern building will start at $3,450 per month for studios, $4,500 per month for one-bedrooms, and $5,575 for two-bedrooms. The Corcoran Group will handle leasing for the 52 rentals.

In addition to its rental units, the mixed-use property includes 10,832 square feet of retail space along 2nd Avenue. Tenants will include TD Bank and a yet to be decided lounge/bar venue.

Occupancy is expected for early June 2013.

So is that "yet to be decided lounge/bar venue" really going to be Mars Bar 2.0?

Also, the Jupiter 21 website is live with photos, floor plans and what not.

Here's a look at the roof terraces:



Jupiter 21’s two communal rooftop terraces are equipped with couch seating, grills, television, outdoor surround sound and a posh wet bar. A DVD system allows for outdoor movie screenings. Taking place high above the lower east side, the outdoor oasis provides an escape from the day-to-day setting of city life.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The former Mars Bar is becoming a fucking bank branch

Mars Bar primed to make an East Village comeback?

An updated Films in Tompkins summer lineup


[Click on image to enlarge]

Rain has KO'd the first two free movie Thursdays in Tompkins Square Park... Organizers have rescheduled "Romeo + Juliet" and "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?" in August.

The revised schedule is above... and right now, the weather looks good for Thursday. You might be able to actually watch "Rushmore."

Today in The Wall Street Journal not liking Citi Bikes



Well, this piece is actually from the paper's weekend edition... in which reporter Anne Kadet bought a 24-hour access pass... She wasn't a big fan:

The trip home was worse. Upon docking in the East Village to avoid overtime charges, I discovered the station's kiosk screen was cracked; it wouldn't give me another bike. The station at First Avenue and Third was down. The kiosk at Houston and Allen wouldn't read my card.

That's when it started pouring. I cursed the system: "I hate Citi Bike! I hate Citi Bike! I hate Citi Bike!"

The nice lady who answered the Citi Bike hotline was sympathetic, but couldn't direct me to a functional station. Finally, after trying one last kiosk, I gave up and took the F train home.

I hate to say it, but if Citi Bike were NASA, there'd be a lot of dead astronauts. Of the 10 trips I took, eight had significant snafus. Yes, the system's launch was initially delayed due to software issues; perhaps they should have delayed a bit longer.

The whole article is here ... though you may need a subscription to access it... A few weeks back, Wall Street Journal editorial board member Dorothy Rabinowitz ripped Mayor Bloomberg and the entire bike-share program. Ripped it good.

‘37 Vibrations’ love story project launches tonight at 2A


[A test run at 2A last Friday]

We know several people who are excited about this project... so, from the EVG inbox...

What if one story could change a life, and what if that life could change the world?

Linda Perkins explores the ripple effect in her new collaborative love story project, 37 Vibrations.

For 37 Vibrations, Perkins interviewed 37 people and wrote down the love stories they told her. Each story was printed to look like pages in a book then rolled up and placed in a hand-painted bottle. The bottles will be passed from one person to another, and Perkins encourages each person who gets a story to log its location here and then pass it along to someone else.

“Some stories were funny, other took great risks. There were grand romantic gestures, big secrets, magical moments. Some were sad or heartbreaking or even tragic. The common thread that I witnessed over and over again was the incredible bravery it takes to fall in love. Even when our hearts get broken, somehow we survive and learn something valuable about ourselves along the way,” Perkins said.

At the launch party, open to the public, readers will tell the first five stories in the series and then they will be released into the wild. There will also be music, heart-shaped pizzas, and a screening of, “So You Found a Bottle,” projected 40-feet tall on the building next door.

The party is tonight from 7:30-10 upstairs at 2A, 25 Ave. A.

“In music, the difference between a happy note and a sad note is 37 vibrations per second. I want to see what vibrational effect 37 love stories will have on the world,” said Perkins.

ABOUT LINDA PERKINS

Linda Perkins, a certified storyteller, is a member of the Directors Guild of America and has worked with luminaires such as Ang Lee, Robert Altman, Bill Condon, Eddie Burns, and Nicole Holofcener. She lives on the Lower East Side.

Find the 37 Vibrations website here.

Monday, June 17, 2013

Kembra Pfahler and The Girls of Karen Black



YouTube Day wraps up at EVG today with this this great video by Walter Wlodarczyk from June 5 ... in which Kembra Pfahler and The Girls of Karen Black perform at Participant Inc. as part of the series of One Night Stands for the Gordon Kurtti Project this month ... The Girls start on East Second Street and make their way to the gallery space on East Houston...

Read more about the Gordon Kurtti Project here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Spend Easter Sunday night with the Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black

It rained really hard today, then it stopped



Some First Avenue streetscenes from this afternoon via Bobby Williams...