New open space at DEP site debuts on 4th Street near the Bowery

Work is complete on the new open space on Fourth Street between 2 Cooper Square and the Merchant's House Museum.

EVG reader JOY spotted the gates open yesterday... with a few folks inside the long-empty lot ...

According to the Parks Department website, construction is now 100% complete... and the completion date was moved up from October to this month.

As noted in previous posts, since the 1990s, the Department of Environmental Preservation has used this city-owned space to work on shafts connected to the underground network of tunnels that supply NYC's drinking water. 

Several years ago, there were public meetings to gather ideas for "passive recreation space" here between the Bowery and Lafayette. And this is the result of those.

As a few readers have noted, the design couldn't include large trees because the space is above the water-tunnel site ... and the roots would interfere.  

And to be clear, this is still an active DEP site... and, occasionally, city trucks will need to access the space... as the schematic shows...

[Updated] Can you Handel some opera in a community garden?

UPDATED!

Due to the rain expected on Friday, organizers have moved opening night to tomorrow (Saturday) and added a Sunday show. Friday reservations are being honored for both Saturday and Sunday. And per the organizers: "Come as you are. All are welcome."

Via the EVG inbox...

Opera Praktikos (OPrak) will present a one-act distillation of Handel's rarely performed opera, "Orlando" in collaboration with Opera Essentia as their inaugural presentation in the NY OperaFest. 

This distillation of Handel’s masterpiece, here titled "Orlando: Hero of Love," explores love and madness from contemporary sensibilities, centering on what it means to love truly and how to endure pain and loss.

Performances occur tomorrow (Friday) and Saturday at Campos Community Garden on 12th Street between Avenue B and Avenue C. There is an encore presentation on June 10-11. The start time is 6:30 p.m. Tickets are free, and you can reserve seats via this link.

In the photo below, Opera Praktikos co-founders Gregory Moomjy and Marianna Mott Newirth check out Campos Community Garden (photo by Dailin Mercedes) ...

Parting spring thoughts on the wisteria of Stuyvesant Street

Photos by Steven

On May 11, we pointed out — with concern! — that the wisteria ("the purple paradise of flowering beauty") outside 35 Stuyvesant St. at 10th Street never reached a full bloom this season. (See pic above.)

There were comments (and whispers!) that the wisteria was, perhaps, suffering from a root disease or some issue with the vines.

In any event, as this photo from yesterday shows, the wisteria is looking pretty lush as we move deeper into the spring... into the opening weekend for "Top Gun: Maverick."

Wednesday's parting shots

A new roller by MQ on the site of the former B Bar & Grill on the Bowery and Fourth Street...

If this stays up, then the art will eventually be entombed behind the 21-floor office building slated for this property...

The grocery cart garden of 4th Street is in full bloom this spring

Checking in on the grocery cart garden on Fourth Street this spring... looking quite healthy, as seen the other evening ... 

This plot arrived in the summer of 2020... check out our previous posts here.

Noted

A now-viral video from the Tompkins Square Park dog run yesterday... when a rat decides to dart across the space amid several dogs ...

Live from New York City pic.twitter.com/ziN3NZrWhR

— dinny (@dinfowars) May 24, 2022

Amelia and Christo's chicks looking ready to wing it in Tompkins Square Park

Photos Monday by Steven 

Amelia and Christo's 2022 chicks are GROWING so quickly... and looking more and more each day as if they're ready to branch out...

Goggla has excellent observations here about the hawklets, roughly 5 weeks old now... 

The appearance of the chicks will change quickly now. They will soon lose all the fuzzy down and should start exercising their wings more. The next step for them will be exploring the branches outside the nest... 

Goggla also shared some insights on photographing the red-tailed hawks or any other urban wildlife in a previous post. (AND PLEASE — NO DRONES!)

Gutting 207 E. 4th St., onetime home of Bob Arihood

Workers recently started gut renovations at 207 E. Fourth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B... the five-story building is now (presumably) vacant ... 

Posted permits note an interior-exterior renovation for the 15-unit building... no mention of any type of vertical or horizontal extension.

The building last changed hands in 2018 for $3 million, per public records.

No. 207 was also the longtime home of Bob Arihood, a photographer-journalist who lived in a ground-floor unit until he died in 2011. 

As I wrote at the time:

Bob chronicled the comings and goings of the East Village on Neither More Nor Less. His site was essential viewing every day. He seemed to deem himself a social scientist more than a journalist at times. His work was invaluable for showing the changes in the East Village ...

Thankfully, Neither More Nor Less is still online, and you can view his work here. His other photo site, Nadie Se Conoce, is also online here.  

Police looking for 2 suspects in attack on 2nd Avenue and 4th Street that left victim with a skull fracture

Police are searching for two suspects (above) they say critically injured a man in a late-night attack last week on the SE corner of Fourth Street and Second Avenue. 

The NYPD says that the two separately attacked the 46-year-old victim at 3:40 a.m. on May 18. Video footage shows the first suspect grabbing the victim from behind and throwing him to the ground, where he gets in his face and punches him before walking away. 

After the victim gets to his feet on the crosswalk, the second suspect smacks him onto the ground and punches him. Before leaving, the second suspect stops and drags the victim out of the roadway to the corner.

🚨WANTED-ASSAULT: 5/18/22 approx. 3:40 AM, E 4 St & 2nd Ave @NYPD9PCT Manhattan. The suspects punched a 46-year-old male victim multiple times & dragged him on the pavement. Any info call us at 800-577-TIPS or anonymously post a tip to https://t.co/TRPPY5zHV2 Reward up to $3,500 pic.twitter.com/FjhO7FkKrs

— NYPD Crime Stoppers (@NYPDTips) May 25, 2022

A motive for the attack is not known at this time. It's also not known if the suspects knew the victim. 

EMTs transported the victim to NYC Health & Hospitals/Bellevue for a skull fracture, and he is listed in critical condition.

Police said the suspects are between 25 and 35 years old.

Anyone with information that could help in the investigation is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). You may also submit tips online. All calls are strictly confidential.

Tompkins Square Bagels makes it signage official on Union Square West

The Tompkins Square Bagels logo now adorns the storefront at 23 E. 17th St. at Broadway.

As we first reported on May 9, TSB is opening an outpost here on Union Square West. This will be the third location after the original at 165 Avenue A and 184 Second Ave.

The storefront with 22-foot ceilings, previously part of the Paragon Sports footprint, is currently being built out... owner Christopher Pugliese is hoping for a September opening. 

You can check @tompkinssquarebagels for construction updates. 

Photo via @tompkinssquarebagels