Report: The Village Voice is ending its print edition

After more than 60 years, The Village Voice is ending its print edition.

Said publisher Peter Barbey, who bought the weekly in 2015, via The Hollywood Reporter:

"For more than 60 years, The Village Voice brand has played an outsized role in American journalism, politics, and culture," Barbey said in a prepared statement. "It has been a beacon for progress and a literal voice for thousands of people whose identities, opinions, and ideas might otherwise have been unheard. I expect it to continue to be that and much, much more.”

The paper left Cooper Square, its home since 1991, in 2013 for a move to Maiden Lane in the Financial District.

More tributes TK...

The Village Voice is ending its weekly print edition. End of a journalism era in New York City.

— Michael M. Grynbaum (@grynbaum) August 22, 2017

Here's more via Poynter, which called the announcement "a symbolic blow for alternative weeklies across the United States, which have endured successive cuts and closures in recent years as print advertising revenue has dried up."

Updated

Here are thoughts via the Columbia Journalism Review.

EVG Etc.: Commercial rent tax battle; wedding on an M14D

[At the former Golden Market on 1st Avenue at 7th Street]

Police have arrested the Uber driver accused of raping an East Village resident after she fell asleep in his car (New York Post)

The East Village Queer Film Festival is underway at the Wild Project on Third Street (Official site)

A proposal to declaw Manhattan’s commercial rent tax has pitted de Blasio against his own party (The Real Deal)

Couple gets married on a 14D bus (B+B)

East Village man arrested, accused of taking peeping-Tom photos of neighbor (Daily News)

City Hall reported 70 pedestrians and cyclists killed by city motorists through July, and 8,074 injured, compared to 80 deaths and 8,502 injuries in the first seven months of 2016. (Streetsblog)

Pier 36 becomes party boat, cruise ship destination (The Lo-Down)

Celebrating the longstanding and ongoing ties between boxing and cinema (Anthology Film Archives)

Invasion of the outlet malls in NYC? (Gothamist)

Diversions: Andy Kauffman's 1979 show at Carnegie Hall (Dangerous Minds)

On Target for a summer 2018 opening on 14th Street and Avenue A

Last week, workers removed the sidewalk bridge and scaffolding at 500 E. 14th St. at Avenue A... providing a good look at the storefront that will house the Target small-format store...



According to the Target news room, the store in the base of Extell's 7-floor residential complex will open next summer. A few details via Target:

Approx. 27,000 sq. ft. over two levels.
Merchandise includes men’s and women’s apparel and accessories, home, food (with grab-and-go selection spanning sandwiches, salads, beverages and more), health and beauty and electronics assortment.
Services offered: Target Mobile and Order Pickup.

Checking in on the former Other Music space, soon to be a health-focused restaurant

Renovations continue behind the papered-over storefront at 15 E. Fourth St. between Lafayette and Broadway, the former home of Other Music.

The incoming establishment is called Broken Coconut, a quick-serve healthy restaurant serving items such as quinoa parfaits and coconut chia.

BoweryBoogie first reported on this last month, with Eater getting further details, including that the venture is via Scott Sartiano, the nightlife impresario who was one of the founders of both 1Oak and Butter.

You can see the progress from a gap in the papered windows...



Broken Coconut is currently hiring. The Craigslist ad doesn't have many details about the venture: "Full and part time jobs available for new quick service concept serving healthy, delicious meals on the go. We value hard working employees with a great attitude over experience. Competitive hourly wage plus tips."

Other Music closed in June 2016 after 20-plus years in business. The store's owners cited rising rents and the changing face of the music industry as reasons behind the closure.

The filmmakers behind the documentary on Other Music successfully raised the necessary funds last month to complete the project.

We made our goal! Thanks to our backers & to @mollydneuman & everyone at @kickstarter. We're so humbled & can't wait to show you the film. #othermusicforever

A post shared by Other Music Documentary (@othermusicdoc) on Jul 27, 2017 at 12:14am PDT

Just For Fen bringing rice noodles to 1st Avenue

Signage is up at 229 First Ave. between 13th Street and 14th Street... where Just For Fen is coming soon (H/T EVG regular Pinch!).

In this case, Fen meaning a type of Chinese noodle made from rice ...



Don't know anything else about the operation at the moment.

In three years, three quick-serve restaurants have come and gone at this location — Bago ... Hibachi Dumpling Express ... and 2 Bros.

[Updated] Starbucks signage arrives at incoming Starbucks on Avenue A and St. Mark's Place

The sign arrived yesterday...


[Photo by Fenton Lawless]

Still no word on an official opening date. Looks close to being ready, though.

Updated 11:30 a.m.

The rest of the signage has arrived this morning...



Above photo by Daniel Weiss

Previously

Watts up with the bright lights inside Key Food?

If you still have a pair of solar eclipse glasses, then you may want to bring them along the next time that you shop at Key Food on Avenue A... the grocery's new lights, as I discovered this morning, provide the ambiance of an interrogation room...



... perhaps this is an attempt to get people in and out of the store more quickly...



Anyway!

This is just the latest new development here ... joining the new Key logo that arrived in late July...


[Photo by EVG reader Steph]


[Photo from Aug. 1]

Key is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year...

This has nothing to do with a new LinkNYC kiosk

That toppled telephone booth is just a film prop... Crews are dressing up the front of 94 St. Mark's Place this afternoon... the filming here (and elsewhere) is for the Amazon series "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," a dramedy written and directed by "Gilmore Girls" creators Amy Sherman-Palladino and Dan Palladino.

The show stars "House of Cards" alum Rachel Brosnahan as a 1958 New York City housewife "who, through a series of events, winds up exploring the world of stand-up comedy."

Scenes for the pilot episode were filmed last fall at 7B/Vazac's/Horseshoe Bar.

Solar eclipse in the Park (and elsewhere)

Photos in Tompkins Square Park by Steven...







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Felton Davis was set up in his usual spot on Third Street and Second Avenue...



Photos by Frank Franca...

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On St. Mark's Place via @cybergal99 ...

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Peter Brownscombe shared these from 11th Street...





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and the moment inspired some eclipse 'ku...

a crowd in the park

she shares her eclipse glasses

with a tall stranger

after the eclipse

a garbage can overflows

with pin-hole boxes

•

Jeffrey Rabkin

[Updated] Report: Landlord makes eviction case against tenant with the Confederate flags

The drama continues over the flags on Eighth Street and Avenue D. DNAinfo reports that the landlord has filed a lawsuit against the tenant and is seeking to have him evicted.

Per DNAinfo:

William Green's glowing display of two Confederate battle flags in the windows of his top-floor apartment at 403 E. Eighth St. have posed a "clear and present danger" to the building and the surrounding community by sparking violence and mayhem, says the complaint filed Saturday by property owner 113 Avenue D, LLC in New York State Supreme Court.

Green, a rent-stabilized tenant with a lease dating back to 1996, is in violation of both the "Objectionable Conduct" clause of his lease and the Rent Stabilization Code because the flags are a nuisance burdening other tenants in the building and he should be evicted as a result, the lawsuit states.

Green has reportedly been out of town.

He said that he "found the sudden anger about the flags 'suspicious,'" according to emails included in the court papers.

Previous reports noted that Green was one of three non-market-rate tenants left in the building. According to Streeteasy, there are 23 units in the building. The previous listings show an average monthly rent of $2,395. Streeteasy does show any active rentals right now.

Per the listing:

This east village walk up building features beautifully renovated units and live-in super. The M14D bus stops right outside, and there is a citibike station across the street. Easy walking distance to the L, J, F, and M trains. There is a convenient dry cleaner downstairs as well as many bars and restaurants on Avenue C just a block away.

Public records show that No. 403 is managed by Yassky Properties. The building last changed hands for $865,000 in September 2000.

Updated 1:40 p.m.

Here's more from the Daily News:

Yassky’s attorney, Robert Gumenick, said he was not currently seeking Green’s eviction.

“Once the tenant realizes the extent of the problem, we’re hopeful the tenant will cooperate,” he said.

One longtime resident of the building, who did not wish to give her name, said the controversy was complicated by the fact that Green may be mentally ill.

“Obviously I don't want to live in a building with Confederate flags in the window,” the resident said. “(But) I don't know if he understands what that flag represents.”

Updated 8/22

The Post reports that the landlord has withdrawn the case.

“At this point, he feels it would be better to work it out with the tenant,” said Robert Gumenick, the lawyer for building owner Charles Yassky.

Gumenick declined to comment further except to say that Yassky no longer wanted to pursue the matter in court.

Updated 8/23

The Daily News has a short interview with Green.

“Absolutely not,” a defiant William Green told the Daily News on Tuesday when asked if he would classify himself as a racist.

The 43-year-old said the association of the rebel flag with secession and slavery is just a tale being told by select media outlets.

“That’s a fad, something that’s being created by MSNBC,” he told The News.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: Anger over Confederate flags on 8th Street and Avenue D

[Updated] Workers place tarp over flags on 8th Street and Avenue D

[Updated] Flags — and tarp — have been removed from building at 8th Street and Avenue D