Planned student protest gets the DOB to take action on closed-off school playground

Talk about an after-school special. 

Following classes on Friday, third graders at the Children's Workshop School on 12th Street between Avenue B and Avenue C planned to hold a protest to encourage the Department of Buildings to inspect an adjacent building that has forced the closure of the schoolyard since Jan. 9. 

As EVG first reported, part of the façade of a single-level building at 638 E. 12th St. next door crumbled, and pieces of concrete from the exterior landed in the playground, also used by students in the P94M program within District 75. 

The playground has been closed while the new-ish landlords of the 638 property made the necessary repairs, which were completed nearly four weeks ago. Despite all this, the DOB had yet to visit the site, forcing the students to stay inside and forego any outdoor activities in the schoolyard. (The playground is also open for neighborhood use on weekends.)

However, according to school sources, when the Department of Buildings heard about the planned protest (presumably from media inquiries), they suddenly built a fence on Thursday evening to protect the yard from the neighboring one-level building, then inspected the work on Friday morning. The schoolyard was deemed accessible to the students, albeit with a section closed off.

So, after school on Friday, the protest turned into a celebration as the students paraded from the building to the playground with the signs they had created...

As one school source told us: "This was an easy workaround that could have been done as soon as the repairs had been made, which, by the way, were done rather promptly after the complaint was reported to the DOB about façade condition, adding insult to the wait."

A parent with two children at the school told us last month that the closed outdoor space was "negatively impacting classroom behavior and depriving kids of much-needed fresh air, exercise, and time to socialize." 

As we understand, the fence is a temporary fix, and the building still needs to be inspected. 

The 8,900-square-foot structure, which has a long history (dating to 1989) of façade issues, had been on the sales market. Per the listing: "Ideal for a luxury residential condominium in a well-established Downtown Manhattan neighborhood" with "Four sides of light and air." (Campos Community Garden is on the building's east side.)

The structure behind 432 E. 11th St., sold last summer for $2.8 million. Public records show the buyer is affiliated with an LLC in Brooklyn that "provides development services for residential and commercial properties."

On Feb. 14, plans were filed for a 6-story residential building at the address. The plans show one residential unit per floor, likely meaning there will be condos as pitched in the sales sheet.

Demolition plans have yet to be filed, per DOB records.

Previously on EV Grieve:

• Façade repairs next door have prevented kids at this East Village school from using the playground

To be: Eddie Izzard's 'Hamlet' coming to the Orpheum Theatre in the East Village

Photo from Saturday

Eddie Izzard's solo performance of "Hamlet" is getting a four-week window at the Orpheum Theatre on Second Avenue between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place.  (H/T Steven!)

The show, currently in production at the Greenwich House Theater, will be moving to the East Village for an extended run from March 19 to April 14... tickets are now on sale here.

The performance has drawn decent reviews, though some outlets, like the Times, were tough. ("One comes away with the sense that Eddie Izzard didn't perform “Hamlet” so much as become defeated by it.")

In any event, this continues the post-"Stomp" life of the Orpheum... Rachel Bloom's "Death, Let Me Do My Show" most recently held forth here. 

"Stomp" ended its 29-year reign at the Orpheum in January 2023. Now, with performers like Bloom and Izzard taking the stage, the Orpheum is returning to its roots in the 1980s and early 1990s when it hosted Off-Broadway productions like Sandra Bernhard's "Without You I'm Nothing," Eric Bogosian's "Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll" and John Leguizamo's "Mambo Mouth."

Former Mad for Chicken spot for rent on 14th Street

This came up in the comments of the Koko Wings post from last week. The former Mad for Chicken outpost at 230 E. 14th St. between Second Avenue and Third Avenue is now for rent (signage arrived last week). 

The quick-serve spot that served soy garlic fried chicken and Korean-inspired dishes closed last fall. There's an eviction notice dated from November 2023 posted on the front door. It first opened here in late 2021.

MFC, which started in Flushing in 2005, still has other locations in the NYC metropolitan area. 

Meanwhile, BRING BACK WALID MENSWEAR!

Week in Grieview

Posts this past week included (with a photo above Avenue A from Sixth Street)... 

• Reports: In a hit-and-run, man struck and killed on 10th and D by an MTA bus (Saturday) 

• A visit to Veselka, as the East Village institution celebrates 70 years and another week for its documentary at the Village East (Friday) 

• That's all for now for Gizmo (Friday) ... Longtime East Village sewing business Gizmo needs a new home (Monday)

• Playground reminders in Tompkins Square Park; city to update Community Board 3 on asylum seekers (Tuesday) ... You can watch the Community Board 3 meeting right here (Wednesday)

• Revel vehicle wipes out Frank's curbside dining structure after hours on 2nd Avenue (Monday) 

• This 'Job' has been extended for 3 weeks at the East Village's Connelly Theater (Thursday) 

• Signage alert: Ben's Deli gains a Grill on Avenue B (Tuesday) 

• The city's first public e-bike charging site for delivery workers was unveiled on Cooper Square (Friday) 

• A visit to the Unprofessional Variety Show (Thursday) 

• On 5th Street, Etérea announces a March 30 closing date (Monday)

• Construction watch: 280 E. Houston St. (Wednesday) 

• A campaign to commemorate Flaco, the Eurasian Eagle-Owl that captivated NYC the past year (Saturday) 

• Boris & Horton fans work like a dog to save cafe (Wednesday) 

• About the Every Woman Biennial 2024 at La MaMa Galleria (Saturday)

• Deli marks the end of the revolving door of bars on the corner of 4th Street and 2nd Avenue (Wednesday) 

• Koko Wings has apparently closed on 1st Avenue (Wednesday) 

• The Chippery has not been open lately (Tuesday)

• Signage alert: Sugar Mouse on 3rd Avenue (Monday) 

• An e-bike shop for 1st Street (Monday) 

• Openings: YGF Malatang on 3rd Avenue; Conor's Goat on Avenue A (Monday) ... Apollo Bagels too (Friday) 

... and starting off March with some early spring cleaning ... on Houston and Suffolk (thanks Newman!)

... and on Seventh Street near Tompkins (thanks N&Lon7th!) ...

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Follow EVG on Instagram or X for more frequent updates and pics.

Parks Department collecting concerns and compliments

Photos by Steven

These signs arrived this past week at Tompkins Square Park (and other public green spaces)...  asking, "How are we doing?"

Specifically: "Report a concern or share a compliment about cleanliness in this area."

Per the sign, you can call (212) NEW-YORK ... text 311-692 or visit this website.

Can't think of any concerns residents may have about Tompkins... 

Sunday's opening shot (from last night)

Photo from last night by Steven 

A sign of spring approaching — Ralph’s Famous Italian Ices is now open for the season on the corner of Avenue A and Ninth Street. 

Another sign of spring — today's weather, 63 and sunny.

Saturday's parting shot

Crossing Second Avenue on a gloomy (and misty!) evening...

Reports: In a hit-and-run, man struck and killed on 10th and D by an MTA bus

Top image via Citizen 

An MTA bus reportedly struck and killed a man last night on 10th Street and Avenue D. 

According to media and police reports, the man — later identified as 45-year-old Shawn Gooding — was crossing 10th Street from the southwest to the northwest corner around 10:40 p.m. when he was hit by the MTA bus turning right with the green light onto Avenue D. 

Per NY1: "According to police, Gooding tripped and fell into the road near a marked crosswalk, and the rear of the bus struck him." 

First responders, who found Gooding in the roadway with trauma to his body, took him to Bellevue, where officials pronounced him dead. 

NY1 and other outlets reported that the bus driver did not remain on the scene ... "because he was likely not aware he struck somebody, according to police." Per amNew York, the 59-year-old driver "was shocked to learn of the incident." 

Both the M14D and the M8 pass the intersection where the collision occurred.

From 1010 WINS: 

The MTA directed 1010 WINS/WCBS 880's request for comment to the NYPD. "We don’t want to impede on their ongoing and active investigation," the MTA said. 

"Much of the information is still preliminary, so we want to make sure we respond accurately." 

 No arrests have been made, and the investigation is ongoing.

Photo early this morning by William Klayer

An afternoon of 'M E L O D Y' at 9 Avenue B

Over at 9 Avenue B between Houston and Second Street, 2B&2C: The Ken Cro-Ken Memorial Foundation continues to offer a variety of arts and programming for the community. 

Here's more about an afternoon performance tomorrow (3 p.m. Sunday) via the EVG inbox...

"M E L O D Y" is a new work that brings together an ensemble of acclaimed local musicians to perform an improvisation structured around a text by Mikhl Yashinsky. The text is inspired by a story by I.L. Peretz, "Migrations Of A Melody," which follows a melody from the moment it is born from the cries of the first child born in ancient days to its arrival here in New York City. Peretz's story explores music's spiritual nature and capacity to be reincarnated in various forms. 

The music is presented by 2B&2C to the public for a suggested donation of $10, which includes a glass of wine or free for those who choose not to donate. 

Per its website, "2B&2C: The Ken Cro-Ken Memorial Foundation cultivates and nurtures a thriving creative community engaged in interdisciplinary collaboration, experiential learning, and environmental activism through visual arts, music, and dance." 

Ken Cro-Ken died in July 2020 of cancer.

A campaign to commemorate Flaco, the Eurasian Eagle-Owl that captivated NYC the past year

Photo from November on the LES by @vinweasel_

As you may have seen, there's a movement in place to garner public support for a statue in Central Park commemorating the recently deceased Flaco, the Eurasian Eagle-Owl. 

Brandon Borror-Chappell and Mike Hubbard launched the Change.org petition this past week, noting to us that the 13-year-old Flaco's "all-too-brief story of survival, freedom, and resilience in New York City was powerful enough to warrant a commemorative monument." 

Note this is simply a petition, currently with just more than 3,000 signatures, and not a fundraiser. 

"We know there is an enormous distance between gathering signatures and unveiling a statue, especially in the highly protected grounds of Central Park. We will continue to push for broader public support, but also want to chart a path toward turning this into reality," they told us. 

And per the petition: "There are many hurdles before such a thing might be installed, but the first step is a demonstration of public support. Please consider adding your name to this petition and sharing with anyone who might do the same." 

Find the petition here. 

Flaco was found dead on Feb. 23 after apparently colliding with a building on the Upper West Side, according to a statement from the Wildlife Conservation Society, which runs the Central Park Zoo.

This weekend, Flaco the owl was memorialized by @GovKathyHochul, @NYCMayor and the front page of the @nytimes, recognizing how much he was embraced as a New Yorker. @edkshanahan’s article is fittingly titled “New Yorkers Mourn Neighbor They Could All Look Up To.”

(Cont’d) pic.twitter.com/DRrgYVKOXG

— David Lei (@davidlei) February 26, 2024

This past November, Flaco spent eight days in the East Village and Lower East Side.

Flaco was first spotted in the East Village on Nov. 6 at the Kenkeleba House Garden off Avenue B and Third Street. He was seen multiple times over the next few days here and on the Lower East Side.