Tough times for a rat in Tompkins Square Park

So. Bobby Williams heard that the red-tailed hawk was tussling with a rat in Tompkins Square Park earlier ...

Bobby thought that the rat was dead.

However, in something out of a Coen Brothers movie (Ok, that's a stretch...), Bobby came back later and saw that the rat — with a missing chunk — had dragged itself out of the grassy wood-chipped area and was still alive...

The rat was gone the next time Bobby looked.

[UPDATED] Reader report: Passenger shoots out cab window on Avenue A

Matt LES_Miserable passes along the following... tonight on Avenue A near 14th Street...

As you can see, someone blew out the window of this cab...

The police were on the scene. According to Matt, the driver was very shaken up... He told Matt that a passenger "shot out" his window ... perhaps a dispute over the fare?

UPDATED:

Garth Johnston followed up on this story today at Gothamist... Unfortunately, not much else is known. Per the post:

When we called the NYPD's DCPI they had no information on the incident. Curiouser though, when we tried to reach out directly to the Ninth Precinct this morning nobody answered the phone either on the main line or at the community affairs desk. Finally, the TLC couldn't help illuminate the situation as these sorts of things apparently aren't even reported to them by the NYPD.

On Avenue A, lining up to see (OMG!) Austin Mahone

For unknown reasons, Austin Mahone, the 15-year-old Justin Bieber-inspired YouTube sensation, performed earlier this evening at Drom on Avenue A... and there was a line for the performance/meet-and-greet that stretched around East Sixth Street ...

It's OK if you want to press play. You are mildly curious.



Photos by Bobby Williams.

Rentals likely at Houston and Suffok

[EVG file photo]

Two weeks ago, BoweryBoogie brought the news that the owner of parcels of land on East Houston — specifically the now-vacant 255 (above) — and Suffolk Street are seeking a rezoning here.

This afternoon, Crain's is reporting that bids are due tomorrow for the L-shaped space, where a building of up to 70,000-square-feet could be constructed. Those involved with the sale believe the new owner will go for apartments here. Per Crain's: "'The site is a great footprint in a next great neighborhood,' said Nat Rockett, executive vice president at Cushman & Wakefield Inc., which is marketing the site.

Here is 255 E. Houston, which will be demolished in the process, from a few years ago...

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning edition

Kudos for Tompkins Square Bagels (East Village Corner)

Cops nab an LES purse snatcher (The Post)

Another one gone along old Gasoline Alley (Jeremiah's Vanishing NY)

The nightlife future of 199 Bowery (BoweryBoogie)

Trying out The Toucan and the Lion on East Sixth Street (East Village Eats)

NYC isn't looking at a white Christmas Dec. 25 (Runnin' Scared)

The rats are out front of the Hotel Chelsea (Living with Legends)

[Matt LES_Miserable]

Video of 'CHARAS Comes Home For The Holidays' yesterday, with footage of the arrests

Here's more on yesterday's CHARAS holiday party and community potluck that ended with several arrests. Per the description from YouTube:

A community get together at CHARAS/El Bohio marking the 10th anniversary of the eviction from the building at 605 E. 9th St in the East Village/Lower East Side, New York City.

The party, led by the Hungry March Band, marched over from Tompkins Square Park to the boarded up building. Performers roped off an impromptu stage and began entertaining the crowd. Perfomers included Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping "Earthalujah" choir; Great Small Works performing "the true story of charas"; and several speakers including carlos chino garcia. The occupy wall street statue of liberty puppet also made an appearance.

At the end the crowd was asked to join in on a protest action involving banging on the blue construction fence with wooden sticks. As they did so, the police began mobilizing and several arrests were made. Gregg Singer the developer was also seen walking past the building.

The arrests start at the 21-minute mark. The Observer reported that the NYPD arrested three people.

Previously on EV Grieve:
'CHARAS Comes Home For The Holidays' ends with arrests

Will old PS 64 get a theater for nonprofit groups?

Rebranded P.S. 64 up for grabs: Please welcome University House at Tompkins Square Park to the neighborhood

'Public Assembly' for the former P.S. 64 on Friday

Coming to the former Tonda space: Piccola Positano

The new sign is up at the former Tonda/E.U. space on East Fourth Street near Avenue B...

They already have a profile on Open Table. Luigi Celentano is listed as the executive chef...

Celentano is the executive chef at Gigino Trattoria, which opened in Tribeca in 1994. Bob Giraldi and Phil Suarez own Gigino Trattoria.

Giraldi was also behind Tonda and, before that here, E.U., the first "gastropub" in the East Village. And that was drama city. E.U. battled the SLA for 18 months before finally getting approved for a beer and wine license. (Read more E.U. drama here at Eater.)

Anyway, this is all much different than what reps taking over the space pitched to the CB3/SLA back in April. (Read more on this here.)

Here are the minutes from that meeting, with the information about what was coming in here:

• 4AB LLC, 235 E 4th St (trans/op) (Tonda) VOTE: Understanding that 4AB LLC, with the proposed business name of Fleurie, has entered into a memorandum of understanding with the East 4th Street Avenues A to B Block Association, regarding its use of 235 East 4th Street, to deny the transfer of a full on‐premise liquor license to 4AB LLC, with a proposed business name of Fleurie, for the existing business Tonda, located at 235 East 4th Street, unless the applicant agrees before the SLA to make as conditions of its license the following signed notarized stipulation that 1) it will operate as a full‐service restaurant, serving food to within one (1) hour of closing, 2) its hours of operation will be from 8:00 A.M. to 12:00 A.M. weekdays and 11:00 A.M. to 1:00 A.M. weekends, with the exception that a street facing window will be open from 8:00 A.M. daily from which coffee and pastries will be served for take out, 3) it will install additional soundproofing as needed, 4) it will close any doors and windows by 10:00 P.M. weekdays and 11:00 P.M. weekends, 5) it will not have DJs or live music, 6) it will designate an employee or employees whose responsibilities will include monitoring the sidewalk to discourage patrons from loitering on the sidewalk and will provide a waiting area within the establishment to prevent patrons from waiting outside.

Not sure what all happened to these plans. At least from the Open Table description, we'll have Italian here... and it enters an already-crowded Italian restaurant market right here with Perbacco across the street ... Max around the corner on B ... Il Bagatto and Supper on Second Street ... to name a few...

EV Grieve reader Alexis Weiss took a look inside the other day... here's how it was shaping up so far...

The Mars Bar awaits its turn

Saturday at 11-17 Second Ave.

Someone to watch over me

Meanwhile, Goggla passes along this photo from the sidewalk shed outside the Mars Bar...

"There is a frog? Pig? Gargoyle thing perching atop the construction ... I like to think it's warding away evil spirits..."

Yes!

A new top for the Tompkins Square Park ping-pong table

On Friday, a truck pulled into Tompkins Square Park...

... to deliver a new top for the Park's ping-pong table...

I don't believe anything was wrong with the last one... the thing is seemingly indestructible ...

Anyway, it is ready for another year of ping-pong ... as well as cellphone use...

...pizza eating...

[Bobby Williams]

...and equipment storage...

[BW]

BONUS:

18 seconds of Susan Sarandon playing ping-pong here last month...



Previously.

First look at PermaBase, opening soon on Third Avenue

Ha. Just kidding about the PermaBase. Old construction joke.

It's actually going to be a Japanese restaurant called Kotobuki here on Third Avenue near 10th Street... and we're sure their food won't taste like cement board...

Strangely enough, during my last reading here, I envisioned this happening

The "for rent" sign went up Friday on East Third Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue...