Gemma's fake history

Earlier this week, Brooks at Lost City noted the "Est. 1886" underneath the sign for Standings, the sports bar on Seventh Street that has been there for, what, five years? He writes, "They even put up letters for 'Standings' that rather matched the font of the 'Est. 1886.' False advertising, I say, designed to snare rubes." (This formerly housed Brewsky's, a bar that likely wasn't around in 1886 either.)

I have the same feelings about Gemma at the Bowery Hotel.

Workers started tearing down John's Garage (below) here on the corner in the fall of 2003... which is now home to the Taavo Somer-designed Italian eatery ...

[Photo by rollingrck via Flickr]

... which is notable for introducing fine china to the sidewalks of the Bowery...



Anyway, I've never understood one thing about Gemma... up there in the corner...

...the 1954 date. The placed opened in 2007. The previous building here was demolished...

Last August, BoweryBoogie unearthed real-estate marketing materials for the Dry Dock Savings Bank, which called this corner home since the late 1870s... Dry Dock moved in the fall of 1954...

[Image courtesy of rollingrck via Flickr]

So it's possible that Gemma is paying homage to the year when the bank moved... or maybe they're just trying to give the impression to tourists that there's a lot more history behind Gemma than there really is...

Is 35 Cooper Square really worth saving?

The fight to save 35 Cooper Square continues. As we noted the other day, both Community Board 2 and 3 will discuss stopping demolition of 35 Cooper Square and preserving other Federal houses on the Bowery. Both boards will also discuss nomination of the Bowery to the State and National Register of Historic District. (CB3 passed a resolution on it last night. BoweryBoogie has more here.)

Meanwhile, in an opinion piece published yesterday afternoon, a writer for the Local East Village (the NYU-Times collaboration) wonders why we're fighting it. He admits that he is 22 years old and a resident here for only eight months — and "more privy to this neighborhood’s prolific bar scene than its historic past."

So, from his perspective:

The days of Diane di Prima living upstairs have long since passed. Over time, 35 Cooper Square evolved, from a residential haven for poets and writers, to – like it or not – a cheap watering hole. Over time, 35 Cooper Square’s become little more than an eyesore next to its surroundings. And somewhere over that time, 35 Cooper Square lost its history.

And, moving forward:

The East Village skyline will shift, and shift again. It always has. Who’s to say this is a bad thing, or that tomorrow’s residents won’t include the next di Prima, Hendrix, or Madonna? As East Villagers, it’s our duty to remember the past. But when we reflexively cling to our past, when we use 35 Cooper Square as a scapegoat for fear and uncertainty of an unseen future, we become something altogether different.

You can read the whole post here.

[Updated] A taste of the East Village while you're at SXSW!

Something called the South by Southwest Music and Media Conference is getting under way in Austin, Texas, today. And after all these years, I thought South by Southwest was part of the menu at Chili's. (Booooooooo!)

Just kidding about SXSW, now in its 25th year.

Anyway, a reader on the way to SXSW mentioned that there is an East Village in Austin.

Indeed! Here's a description of it:

The East Village isn't your average mixed-use building on the Eastside. It's a striking piece of art designed and built by renowned architects Bercy Chen Studio, nestled proudly within a historic, thriving, vibrant, rapidly growing community, harmoniously mixing the awesome old with the bold new, all within a few blocks of Downtown. The vibe in the 11th Street East End District is as unique as it is to live at The East Village.

I'm not sure what the point of this is other than to say it all hits a little too close to home ... namely the stupid, rampant development...

UPDATED:

Per Jeremiah's comment... Yes, thought this all looked a little familiar... here's the future 347 Bowery.

Apparently missing New School Housing cart found

On Eighth Street between Avenue C and Avenue D. Hope there's a reward! It's now taking up a lot of space in my hallway.

Someone finally buys the famed Cedar Tavern space

Well, here's some news that may (or may not!) cause our blogging friend Alex at Flaming Pablum to punch a few walls.

The Real Deal's Amy Tennery reports that the 2,295-square-foot retail condo unit and former home of the Cedar Tavern (RIP, 2006) has sold for $1.5 million.

Per the article:

The unit, located on the bottom floor of 82 University Place, a seven-unit condominium on the corner of 11th Street, was sold by Michael Diliberto, the building's developer and former owner of Cedar Tavern, which counted Jackson Pollock and Jack Kerouac among its patrons during its roughly 40-year tenure.

The sale came under major duress from lender Flushing Savings Bank, according to Kevin Salmon, a partner at the firm who helped broker the deal. After almost five months on the market, the unit sold to property owner Ascot Properties for $1 million less than its original asking price.

And a sale doesn't mean a Cedar Tavern revival. According to the article, there are restrictions specifically blocking a bar or restaurant from opening here.

As Alex wrote last month: "The fact that it's still an ugly, empty shell of a yanwsomely utilitarian workspace in the wake of it replacing a beloved neighborhood institution is still an untrammeled insult."

Oh, and here's another Austin, Texas/SXSW connection for you. As Grub Street reported, the owner sold the Cedar Tavern's bar to some nightlife types in Austin.

A close call on Second Avenue

Yikes. We don't know all of the particulars... EV Grieve correspondent Bobby Williams was on the scene in the aftermath this afternoon of a cab-pickup truck mishap on Second Avenue at Seventh Street. Witnesses said there weren't any injuries.

No one seemingly knows when Tompkins Square Park closes

When does Tompkins Square Park close? That's a question a reader asked after this experience Tuesday evening.

So tonight around 11:40 we're walking through Tompkins Square Park ... when we find the Ninth Street/Avenue A gate locked and the police telling us to go back.

We ask what's up and they tell us it's *always* been this way and the Park is closed before midnight. Continuing to practically ram us out the north-facing gate.

So, the reader decides to call 311 for more information.

They don't know the hours for the Park and send us to the Parks Department, who first claim it's "7 am till dusk" and then "7 am till 1 am," inviting us to get into some deep shit with the 9th Precinct to find out why they locked the Park up. Nobody is saying it's supposed to be closed before midnight, because nobody's an idiot.

Well, all you need to do is look at the official signs around the Park... like these two that EV Grieve correspondent Bobby Williams randomly photographed a little earlier this winter ...




Oh.

I've been run out of the Park myself at random hours. 11:10 p.m.! 11:45 p.m.! I've also found myself in the crazy TSP Game where the NYPD is closing one side... and you get to the other side only to discover the gates have been locked. And the officers there tell you to go back where you came. "But the other gates are also locked." Uh-oh! Now you've done it! Talking back to an officer!

Anyway, we all should have access to our public places ... Perhaps all involved officials may want to create consistent set hours before someone is arrested for walking through the Park at 11:40 trying to get home.

First apartments for 189 Avenue C hit the market

[Photo from February 2009]

Work on the new apartment building at 189 Avenue C at 12th Street has been creeping along... we noted that workers removed a lot of the plywood on the ground level about 13 months ago.

Now, though, five of the rentals have appeared on Streeteasy. They're available starting Tuesday, apparently. A two-bedroom apartment is priced at $3,400; a studio is listed at $2,400.

Here are the building details:

1 FREE MONTH
Brand New 35 Unit Luxury Building
2 Elevators
Pet Friendly
Fitness Center
Spectacular Roof Deck with River and Bridge Views
Virtual Doorman Services
Washer/Dryer in the Apartment
Dishwasher
Stainless Steel Kitchen
Huge Eat in Kitchen Counter
Tremendous Closets
Toto Bath FIxtures with Rain Showers
Independently Controlled Heating and AC
High Speed Time Warner and Verizon Fios Ready

Here's a view of the 12th Street entrance, just next door to the Social Security Administration Building....



We don't know much else about the building. The 189 Avenue C site that I linked to last year doesn't exist anymore. There slogan was "Come see what's new on Avenue C."

Previously on EV Grieve:
"Come see what's new on Avenue C"

As the Bao turns

To be honest, I've lost track of the comings and goings here at Barbao on St. Mark's Place... It seems as if Michael "Bao" Huynh will have three eateries on St. Mark's Place soon enough, as Eater reported last Friday. (Including one with a former Playmate! Woo!)

Anyway, the one that is open, Barbao, which used to be Bao 111, certainly looked closed for some renovations last night...

So I gave them a call...

Barbao: Hello? [Suspiciously]

EVG: [A little surprised, expecting to hear a greeting like "Good evening. Barbao."] Hi. Are you open tonight?

Barbao: No. Tomorrow night!

EVG: So you'll be open tomorrow night?

Barbao: Yes! [Click]

Art of scales

From the EV Grieve inbox ...

Starting tonight, the Michael Mut Gallery will be hauling out the industrial scales, hoisting them up and blowing open the doors to his paintings, artifacts and signature oil textured works. His art market will price works by pound – first weigh it then pay for it.

Michael Mut Gallery
97 Avenue C between Sixth Street and Seventh Street.
Through April 23.

Merry Ash Wednesday!

Speaking of the holidays, people around here don't seem to care much about this tree-tossing in March stuff. Our friends from One More Folded Sunset note this today in Park Slope:



And it includes the ICTTS-sanctioned front page as proof of its authenticity.

Bring out yer dead

The owners of the Bowery Hotel bought the land underneath the hotel for $13.5 million. (Curbed)