And Economakis gets the whole building for his dream mansion

The New York Post reports:

Eight holdout tenants who fought for five years to keep their millionaire landlord from turning their Lower East Side tenement into a mansion for himself agreed to be bought out yesterday.

The last rent-stabilized tenants of 47 E. Third St. said they gave in because they weren't confident they would beat real-estate baron Alistair Economakis in the Manhattan Supreme Court trial scheduled to begin yesterday.

Economakis, the son of a Greek shipping magnate, bought the six-story building for $900,000 in 2003 and said he needed it as a home for himself, his wife and two children.

He reached deals with seven of the 15 tenants but the others fought until yesterday.

The tenants will each receive $75,000 under the settlement, except for one elderly resident, who will get $175,000.

Here is the Web site for Alistair Economakis -- The Other Side of the Story: 47 East 3rd Street

Previously on EV Grieve.

Just desserts for Seventh Street?

Yesterday, I mentioned that Butter Lane Cupcakes will be opening soon at 123 E. Seventh St. between Avenue A and First Avenue. Last night, I noticed the previously vacated (and seemingly short-lived) Italian cafe Affettati at 131 E. Seventh St. ...

...will be home to the forthcoming East Village Pie Lounge.




The sign on the door promises everything from Apple to Pecan to Banana Cream Coconut pie -- for $5.25 a slice. Now this stretch of Seventh Street already counts the Chocolate Bar at 127 as a tenant (since June).

[Deathly silence]

So that's the Chocolate Bar. And Pie Lounge. Can we expect, say, the Tapioca Tavern in the vacant store front at 125 E. Seventh St.?

An oral history of the Lower East Side

Filmmaker/video editor Paul Dougherty shoots John J. McCroary's recollections of growing up on the Lower East Side while looking at the book "Life on the Lower East Side: Photographs by Rebecca Lepkoff, 1937-1950." Dougherty, a native New Yorker and East Village resident, tells us more about McCroary on his YouTube post.



I have posted other video works from Paul here.

A Veteran's Day history lesson

In honor of Veteran's Day, Inside the Apple provides a nice history lesson on the origins of York Avenue, named in 1928 for WWI hero Sgt. Alvin C. York. Wasn't actually aware either of the origins of Avenue A and Avenue B. Inside the Apple explains:

In April 1928, York had the honor of having Avenue A from 59th Street northward named for him. The move was sponsored by the First Avenue Association in an effort to revive the fortunes of the east side, which was better known for its German enclave (later dubbed “Yorkville”) and Yankee owner Jacob Ruppert’s brewery. Back in 1807, when the city deployed surveyor John Randal, Jr., to map out the new Cartesian grid plan, he and his team chose to create twelve wide avenues that ran the length of the island from Houston Street north. However, this left the problem of the area of the Lower East Side and Upper East Side where there was enough room east of the grid plan for more streets. Randal solved this problem by naming these eastern avenues “A,” “B,” etc. and on the original 1811 map of Manhattan, there is both an Avenue A in today’s East Village and one on the Upper East Side. (East End Avenue was originally designated Avenue B.)

One opinion (not mine) on the "Top Ten Dirtiest Bars in New York"

Meet Now Live's Nightlife and Bar Guide just featured the "Top Ten Dirtiest Bars in New York." Presented here in its entirety without comment. (Oh, as an aside, the post featured a photo of Mona's with the caption, "You can smell this place through your computer." However, Mona's wasn't on the list.)

You’ve all accidentally stumbled into a bar that’s so disgusting that you wouldn’t even send your ex-girlfriend’s rich, better looking new boyfriend to. That bar that smells like throw-up and poop on top of a freshly burnt cat? You know what I’m talking about. Here’s a rundown of those bars.

1. Mars Bar - East Village - Why? Let’s just say last time I was there, there was a used bloody condom in the window sill.

2. American Trash - Upper East Side - Why? This place is the unflushed turd left in the toilet at the frat house that is the Upper East Side. Go here to score drugs.

3. Billymark’s West - Chelsea - Why? This place was featured in a previous post giving it the title of “Weirdest Bar in Manhattan.” Loaded with local homeless people, this place is more shelter than hot nightspot.

4. Rawhide - Chelsea - Why? Rawhide is your typical rough ridin’ Gay joint. Fully equipped with big burly old men who drag tiny little boys out the door 24/7. Stay away or go have some fun…either way.

5. Welcome to the Johnson’s - Lower East Side - Why? The used, very old, “white trash” furniture is just plain musty. Don’t sit down or else you’ll get herpes.

6. McSorley’s Ale House - East Village - Why? This place is gross due to its age. One of the oldest bars in NYC, McSorley’s sports an old spongey bar top, 2 types of beer (Dark or Lite) and has an inch of sawdust on the floor. Tread lightly because you may step on an old drunk that went missing 2 nights ago.

7. J Mac’s - Hell’s Kitchen - Why? J Mac’s is a dingy little place you can stop off at on 57th street right before you head out on the West Side Highway. Other than that? Not really sure why anyone would go here.

8. Blarney Cove - East Village - Why? Just walk by this place and peak your head inside. That’s about as far as you want to go with this place.

9. Down the Hatch - Greenwich Village - Why? Although this IS one of my favorite Saturday drinkin’ spots, DTH is pretty dirty. The fact that it is in a grungy basement doesn’t help at all.

10. Pussycat Lounge - Financial District - Why? Part awful strip joint, part stink hole, the PCL is a great place to die. No one will ever find you.

Honorable mention: Jimmy’s Corner & Coyote Ugly.

Of course, Mars Bar and the Blarney Cove are two EV Grieve favorites...

The way we live (drink) now

From New York magazine's Recession Index this week:

Approximate number of cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon ($3 each, the cheapest drink) sold at Max Fish in a week:

JULY 2008: 480

OCTOBER 2008: 960

This post doesn't really need a headline

Before Election Day on Avenue C near Sixth Street.



After Election day.

Market price?: Recent college grad will sleep in your yard or garage for $100 a month (anywhere in Manhattan)

From a Craigslist posting. Can't guarantee that this is authentic, but...:

$100 Yes I'm that crazy, but I want the minimum possible (anywhere in manhattan)

I want to get rid of my expensive rent and be semi homeless. Obviously there are a lot of risks so I'm wondering if there's anybody out there willing to lower my risks with a certain place to stay. I know the economy is bad so maybe you would like some extra money. I want to believe that there are people who are willing to help a person in need. I have up to $100 to spend on housing a month. Could I sleep outside in your backyard? Sounds crazy I know, but I've been practicing as I plan to get rid of my rent. So I'm in no danger of dying or getting sick. I'm probably the healthiest person within any given 2 mile radius. Maybe you have unused space in your garage. I could buy a filter/face mask. All I need is a small 6 x 3 corner of your living room. I have a sleeping pad to sleep on the ground as I prefer it to the couch. I can actually sleep on 3 lined up cushioned chairs.

I would only use your place for sleep. I will pay for any extra services/amenities. My goal is to live as simply as possible and try to be as unobtrusive as possible (unless you like having me around, I'm a very laid back good listener). I would wake up in the early morning and leave right a way and come back at night at a convenient time for you (unless I'm sleeping outside). I have one large book bag which houses all of my supplies.

I actually do have a lot of knowledge skills that could better your life if interested. I graduated magna cum laude at a tier 1 school recently. So maybe in return for room and board, I can provide errand services. I can clean your house, cook, pick up your dry cleaning, movie tickets, make reservations, wait in long lines, food shopping, walk your dog, water your plants, house sit, pick up your mail, research work on the computer etc. Anything that I can do while listening to music is fine. I'm in love with the Internet, and I read up on all sorts of information. I think I'm pretty qualified to tell you how to effectively learn languages, how to strength train and lose weight, what kind of gadgets to buy, how to save hundreds on groceries. My main passion lies with personal health (i'm cut with a six pack) and I'd love to help educate you on fitness and even cook great meals for you.

[Via New York City Metblogs]

Stat of the day

Just three applications for new buildings were filed in Manhattan in September, compared to 23 in September 2007 -- a staggering 87 percent plunge, city Department of Buildings data shows. (New York Post)

Demolition on East Fifth Street

Given the small parcels of open space on either side of 532 E. Fifth St., this four-story house was a rarity...which, of course, made it an endandgered species in this era of build-a-condo-on-every-piece-of-open-space development. It has been a four-unit apartment building. (As of last fall, a three-bedroom apartment was going for $3,500.)

Sure enough, the building is now being demolished. Don't know what's going in the space just yet, but the rumor among some locals is, of course, a condo.

Those locksmith guys will even leave a card on a building being demolished.

One of the condo-rumor spreaders frets that such change will usher in even further development (even in this economy) on this little stretch of the East Village.

Ludlow Street's iconic Kleen-Stik Industries becomes a cantina

Between Stanton and Rivington at 139-141 Ludlow, at the site of the Kleen-Stik Industries, Inc.

Oh, sorry...This is just a prop set for filming the TV series Cupid today. But don't give anyone any stupid ideas!




In October, our friend BoweryBoogie reported that the beloved graffiti exterior of the building had been cleaned. Perhaps this is why...for the film shoot?

Court date for 47 E. Third St. tenants/landlord

Showdown in court today over the fate of 47 E. Third St. (New York Post)

The EV Grieve 47 E. Third St. archive.