Foiled again

This morning on the Stuy Town side of 14th Street near Avenue A...





Not sure what this was about or if the foil interfered with Qualcomm's Vive 802.11ac Wave 2 4x4 chipsets in the nearby LinkNYC portals.

'Horse' sense

For no particular reason. Q Lazzarus with "Goodbye Horses" from 1988. (The Jame Gumb-Black Stallion mashup video is here.)

[Updated] During Town Hall, Mayor announces city's interest in re-acquiring former P.S. 64

Mayor de Blasio and outgoing City Councilmember Rosie Mendez co-hosted a Town Hall last night at P.S. 188, The Island School, on East Houston Street.

EVG regular Peter Brownscombe shared these photos and this one item of particular interest:

During the proceedings, de Blasio said that a mistake had been made in the past and his administration would take steps to reacquire the former P.S 64 and CHARAS/El Bohio community center on Ninth Street between Avenue B and Avenue C.

The Lo-Down was there, and here is the full P.S. 64 quote:

…the decision made a long time ago by the Giuliani administration was a mistake. For the Giuliani administration to put that building into private hands failed miserably, and we’ve seen the negative effect that has had on the community. So I’m announcing tonight, the city’s interest in re-acquiring that building. We are ready to right the wrongs of the past and will work with Council member Mendez and her successor (almost certainly Carlina Rivera) to get that done.

The mayor did not expound on this.

Some background on this ongoing story. Developer Gregg Singer, who bought the property from the city in 1998, had reportedly been pushing de Blasio's administration to remove a stop-work order that has been in place since 2015.

According to public records, Singer is continuing to retain lobbyist Jim Capalino, a former de Blasio ally, for the remainder of 2017.



Among Capalino's lobbying targets: the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development and the Office of the First Deputy Mayor. Capalino, according to a New York Daily News story in March 2016, steered $50,000 to de Blasio after pushing the city to lift the deed restriction at the Rivington House. (The mayor said in August 2016 that he has cut off contact with the lobbyist in the wake of multiple investigations into his administration, per Politico.)

It was previously reported that Singer has a signed lease with Adelphi University, with hopes of having students move in by the fall of 2018. That move-in no longer seems plausible given the current state of the building.

Preservationist groups and other residents have been opposed to Singer's plans, and want to see a return of the landmarked building to use as a cultural and community center.

Updated 6:30 p.m.

DNAinfo has a comment from Singer's spokesperson.

...Singer has no intention of selling the building, according to his spokeswoman, who said the property is appraised at $60 million and that the owner has already poured $80 million into upkeep.

"Singer has absolutely no plans to give the 'building' back," spokeswoman Nicole Epstein wrote in an email. "The city is trying to be a bully here."

... and you can watch the full 3-hour Town Hall here...



Previously on EV Grieve:
'Misinformation' cited as DOB issues Stop Work Order at the former PS 64; community meeting set for Sunday afternoon

At the rally for the former PS 64 today at City Hall

I Am a Rent-Stabilized Tenant

East Village resident Susan Schiffman has been photographing the apartments of rent-stabilized tenants living in the East Village for her Instagram account, I Am a Rent Stabilized Tenant. She will share some of the photos here for this ongoing EVG feature.



Tenants: J and T, since 1980

J, a native New Yorker, moved into the apartment before T. J lived for awhile in New Hampshire, but wanted to come back. She worked at a longstanding neighborhood business, which recently closed.

How did you find your apartment?

There was a Russian guy, a fixture on First Avenue. He sat on a wooden box with a cane, maybe he was Siberian. He collected old rubber bands on his cane. His name was Max. Although he spoke little English, he thought I was really funny. I told him that I was looking for an apartment. He took me to see a man who had apartments in a building that he owned. He had an apartment available on the top floor with loads of light. He rented it to me that day for $150.

















If you're interested in inviting Susan in to photograph your apartment for an upcoming post, then you may contact her via this email.

[Updated] DOH temporarily closes Starbucks on 1st Avenue at 13th Street

This inspection took place yesterday...



The inspection report with the reported violations has not been posted online just yet. Pubic records show that this location has an A rating from an August inspection with 9 violation points for "Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service."

Updated:

The DOH report is now online.

An inspector levied 33 violation points, the most critical being No. 1:

1) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
2) Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.

Updated:

The city gave this location the OK to reopen after an inspection on oct. 18. According to the inspection report, there were 0 violation points.

H/T @jcastro_nyc

The Earth School's Annual Fall Fair is tomorrow in Tompkins Square Park

Via the EVG inbox...

The Earth School (on Sixth Street and Avenue B) is hosting its annual Fall Fair on Saturday Oct. 14, from noon-5 p.m. in Tompkins Square Park, on the corner of Avenue A and 10th Street. The fair brings kids and adults together for an afternoon of outdoor fun and camaraderie. The fair is also an important fundraiser for The Earth School and its proceeds will benefit the school's enrichment programs.

Enjoy:
• silk screening
• a slime workshop
• make your own re-usable Halloween trick-or-treat bag
• cupcake decorating
• face painting
• the beloved photo booth
• fantastic PRIZES!

For the sporty, we have Mini-golf, Basketball, Toddler Games, and the Amazing Maze! The Fall Fair Shop will offer unique fashions and books for sale. Delicacies from around the world will highlight the diversity and multicultural heritage of the school.

Admission is free and tickets start at $1 for food and activities. Tickets can be purchased directly at the fair.

[Last year's Fall Fair action]

Space that was 5 restaurants in 1 year now for rent

In one year, 320 E. Sixth St. has been home to:

• Zerza
• 'Merica (for three whole weeks!)
• Zerza again
• Amoun Moroccan Mediterranean Cuisine & Lounge
• Mazmaza

Now the space between First Avenue and Second Avenue is on the rental market. Been waiting for the listing to show up online... but it's not there just yet.

Pop-up Mr. Bing has its grand opening tomorrow on St. Mark's Place

Mr. Bing has been in soft-open mode this past week at 115 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue.

The quick-serve shop, which specializes in the Northern Chinese street food crepe — aka a jianbing or bing for short — is having its Grand Opening tomorrow morning.

Per the EVG inbox: "The first 100 customers will enjoy a free bing [starting] at 11 a.m."

This is one of three new Mr. Bings to open in NYC. The St. Mark's Place location is apparently "the first to offer seating and late hours." The news announcement about the opening notes that "wine and beer [is] coming later this fall."

However, this Mr Bing is just temporary (as in a pop-up shop, not going out of business in three months): It's only going to be on St. Mark's through the end of the year. The other Mr. Bing shops will remain open. (Not sure what the deal is on the beer-wine license for the address, if that is temporary too. Mr. Bing was on the September CB3 SLA committee docket.)

The previous EVG post on Mr. Bing has more on the owner and operation.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Mr. Bing will sell traditional Northern Chinese street crepes on St. Mark's Place

343 E. 6th St. enlightened by new tenant

[EVG file photo]

The rental shop that specialized in Indian music and Bollywood cinema closed at 343 E. Sixth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue in October 2015.

After two months as J-Mar Special Touch barber shop ... workers bricked up the storefront in February and turned it into what everyone thought would be a residential space...


[Photo from February]

Per Streeteasy, the studio was asking $1,999 per month.

Anyway!

In the past week... the space quietly became ... a ... PSYCHIC!

East Village resident writes and performs 'The Bench,' opening this Sunday

East Village resident Robert Galinsky is the writer and performer of a new play opening this Sunday at the Cherry Lane Theatre in the West Village.

Here are details via the EVG inbox...

Golden Globe Nominated Chris Noth
Drama Desk, Obie, and Olivier Award-winner Barry Shabaka Henley and Cherry Lane Theatre present

THE BENCH, A HOMELESS LOVE STORY
Inspired by Real People and True Stories
Written and performed by Robert Galinsky
Directed by Jay O. Sanders

Based on true stories, "The Bench," set in urban decay and rubble, explores the emotional heartbreak of five homeless characters and the catastrophic hysteria surrounding AIDS in the 1980s. The sparse set is accented with hand-drawn imagery, from Daphne Arthur's graphic novel adaptation of the play, and audio design is by world renowned composer and multi-instrumentalist Deep Singh.

Oct. 15 - Dec. 17
Playing Sundays at 7 p.m.
Exceptions: NO Performances on Nov. 5 and Dec. 3

The show runs 65 minutes, no intermission

Said Galinsky in an email to me: "I am simply telling the story of every human who has the potential to be more than society wants them to be."

Find more info here.