Tuesday, December 27, 2022

Long-vacant 8th Street building where worker died is being offered as a development site

EVG file photo

356 E. Eighth St., a vacant, four-story townhouse between Avenue C and Avenue D, is now available as a residential development site. 

The space is being offered for $3 million. Per the listing: "Property is a teardown. Existing structure is unsafe." 

On Dec. 24, 2015, a worker — 33-year-old Luis Alberto Pomboza — fell three floors to his death inside the building.

According to published reports, he was an undocumented Ecuadorian immigrant and father of five who lived in Brooklyn.

His death prompted then-Mayor de Blasio and Department of Buildings Commissioner Rick Chandler to announce in February 2016 that they were going to quadruple the penalties for serious construction-safety lapses, conduct a wave of more than 1,500 enforcement sweeps, and require new supervision at construction sites citywide to protect workers and the public amid the building boom.

No. 356 had been on and off the market in recent years (here and here). The listings pitched the space for "high-end apartments or a luxury home."

In the fall of 2015, there were approved work permits showing that the building would receive two new floors and a mezzanine.

After Pomboza's death, the DOB issued a stop work order and a full vacate order on the site. Ten different violations were reportedly uncovered at the worksite, including "failure to safeguard all persons and property affected by construction operations." A construction superintendent was to be present at 356 E. Eighth St. at the time of Pomboza's fall, but there wasn't one on site.

The owner is listed as Ingrid House LLC, per public records. 

Icicle works: Frozen pipes cause damage to several East Village businesses

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Several East Village business owners returned to work yesterday to discover an unwelcome gift after the frigid holiday weekend. 

We heard that frozen pipes burst in a handful of storefronts, causing damage at Moge Tee on Cooper Square between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place (above) and Gama Lounge, the comedy club in the basement of 50 Avenue B between Third Street and Fourth Street (below) among other establishments...
Other businesses that suffered water damage include Flower Power at 406 E. Ninth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue ... and Via Della Scrofa, the Italian specialty shop at 60 E. Fourth St. between Second Avenue and the Bowery. 

In an Instagram post, the folks at Via Della Scrofa said they'd be closed for the remainder of the year. 

One EV super told EVG contributor Stacie Joy that there were reports of broken pipes "all over the place."

Monday, December 26, 2022

Deal of the day

Photos by Steven 

In case you are celebrating Christmas later this year... or want to celebrate it all over again... there are good deals on trees at Saifee Hardware on First Avenue and Seventh Street... where these are free...

Police arrest suspect connected to the Dec. 19 murder on Avenue A

An East Harlem resident has been arrested in connection with the early morning murder on Dec. 19 on Avenue A

During a press conference this morning, police said Roland Codrington, 35, went on a violent rampage in which he allegedly stabbed two men to death and assaulted several other people before his arrest on Christmas Eve. 

Police said that 51-year-old local resident James Cunningham bumped into Codrington and his girlfriend around 1 a.m. on Dec. 19 outside Spike's on Avenue A between 13th Street and 14th Street. Video footage at the scene, police officials said, shows the two men arguing for about 20 seconds before the suspect is seen slashing Cunningham's throat. 

NYPD Chief of Detectives James Essig said the two men had no prior connection before Dec. 19. 

On Dec. 22, Codrington allegedly choked a bartender and stabbed two Good Samaritans at Teddy's Bar and Grill on Second Avenue in East Harlem. Media reports stated that Codrington showed up at the bar with a pit bull and a baseball bat. 

Early Friday morning, a 60-year-old pediatrician was found dead in Marcus Garvey Park. Police said that Codrington and the victim, Bruce Henry, got into a verbal spat that ended with the doctor being stabbed multiple times. 

The NYPD's investigation led detectives to Codrington and his girlfriend driving Henry's Mercedes-Benz in the Bronx on Christmas Eve. 

Essing said Codrington faces two counts each of murder and attempted murder and additional charges of second-degree assault and criminal mischief. 

Codrington had 12 prior arrests, Essing said. No word yet on charges against Codrington's girlfriend. 

Here's a video of today's press conference...

MulchFest begins TODAY

MulchFest Season is officially underway starting today (Dec. 26)  ... where now through Jan. 8 you can bring your Christmas tree to the center of Tompkins Square Park fir for mulching. 

Chipping Weekend then takes place on Saturday, Jan. 7, and Sunday, Jan. 8, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

Per the Parks Department:
We'll chip your tree and give you your very own bag of mulch to use in your backyard or to make a winter bed for a street tree.

Given how much more expensive trees were this season, some people may feel obligated to keep them longer than Jan. 8. 

Thanks to Steven for the photo!

Monday's opening shot

Ready for New Year's Eve at Lime Tree Market on Ninth Street and First Avenue ... photo by Steven...

Sunday, December 25, 2022

Sunday's parting shot

Holiday hydrant ... photo Derek Berg...

Week in Grieview

Posts this past week included (with a photo from the Theater for the New City yesterday by Lola Sáenz) 

• Man found dead with a slash wound to his neck on Avenue A (Monday) ... NYPD release wanted poster in connection with Avenue A homicide (Thursday

• Moroccan specialty shop Timbuktu being forced out after 20 years on 2nd Avenue (Tuesday

• Hamilton Fish Park Library reopens for limited service starting (Monday

• A Punk Magazine-Iggy Pop holiday 'Loser' extravaganza at Metropolis (Thursday

• Storefront renovations and reveals on 2nd Avenue and St. Mark's Place (Monday

• When Santa Claus came to the Lower East Side — with an assist from the FDNY (Thursday

• Season's Supermarket Greetings (Friday

• No new trees for these 2 East Village spots (Thursday) • Dunkin' debuts on East Houston (Thursday

• An EVG 15-year anniversary (Wednesday

• The East Village Sauce outpost shutters for now on 12th Street (Monday)

• Jell & Chill peacing out on 7th Street (Friday

• Signage alert: Caleta on Avenue A, with a Jan. 7 debut (Tuesday)

• FULL reveal at 14 2nd Ave. (Monday

... and a scene from the New York School of Burlesque student showcase last weekend at Drom on Avenue A (photo by Stacie Joy)  ...
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A Merry Mystery Lot Christmas

Thanks to Goggla for sharing this! A Christmas scene circa 2012 from the Mystery Lot ... the beloved site of far too many EVG posts on 13th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue... home since early 2014 to the Jefferson, an 82-unit condoplex.

Saturday, December 24, 2022

Saturday's parting shot

A montage of holiday windows on St. Mark’s Place... featuring the Sock Man... Fun City and Porto Rico ...