John Legend's Bowery condo now $55,000 off asking price

Late last September, we learned that Grammy Award-winner John Legend was selling his two-bedroom condo at 52E4 — the 15 stories of condo on the Bowery and East Fourth Street — for $2.95 million.

Despite the celebrity connection and model-in-underwear-photoshoot cachet, the place is still on the market. But! Last week, the price dropped by $55,000 — or a whole 2 percent ... and it now sits at $2.895 million, according to Streeteasy.

Why just 2 percent? As Curbed pointed out in November, Legend's downstairs neighbor put nearly an identical unit on the market for $2.9 million — nearly $50k less, uh, duh. (The neighbor's unit appears to be off the market for now, though there isn't any sales info.)

Perhaps there's something else keeping away buyers ... like the 7-Eleven on the ground floor or fear of the French hotel coming (probably) some day to the corner of East Third Street ...

First look at Gaslight Poetry Club, opening tomorrow on East Ninth Street

Several tipsters were surprised to see the sudden arrival late yesterday of signage for something called "Gaslight Poetry Club" on East Ninth Street between Avenue A and First Avenue.

"I don't like the look of this at all," confided one tipster. "Anything with 'gas' in the name sounds dangerous, like gasoline or gastritis."

Another resident wondered what the arrival of poets might do to property values.

We checked with the CB3, the State Liquor Authority and the DOB and couldn't find any permits for the establishment.

The proprietor of Gaslight, who declined to give his name, told us that his cafe would welcome "dope addicts, free-love cultists — anyone who loathes hypocrisy."

Eh. OK. Boo.

The work is all part of the pre-production for tomorrow's shoot for the new Cohen Brothers movie, "Inside Llewyn Davis." Parts of East Ninth Street will be dressed to look more in tune with the film's 1960s setting. The film follows a protagonist loosely based on singer Dave Van Ronk, a friend of Bob Dylan’s. Oscar Isaac stars as the title character while Justin Timberlake co-stars as another folk musician. Carey Mulligan and John Goodman are also in the film.

Bobby Williams took a few more shots earlier yesterday...

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Coen Brothers want to dress up East Ninth Street

Wow, a Subway sandwich shop actually closed in NYC

After our post the other day about the new Subway opening on First Avenue, a reader told us that one of the sandwich shops actually closed recently on Madison Avenue...

Sure enough... we found it near 33rd Street...

This is what 23 Third Ave. looked like on Feb. 10, 2012

This year, we'll post photos like this of various buildings, streetscenes, etc., to capture them as they looked at this time and place... The photos may not be the most telling now, but they likely will be one day...

[Updated] FDNY battles three-alarm fire at 21 E. Second St.

[Maria Andrea via Twitter]

A three-alarm fire involving 140 firefighters reportedly broke out late last night at 21 E. Second St., a six-floor apartment building between the Bowery and Second Avenue. NYU students living in the adjacent Second Street Residence were evacuated as a precaution, @nyunews reported.

[Jason Lester via Flickr]

Earlier accounts via Twitter reported that the fire occurred in the dorm.

According to Washington Square News, the fire broke out just after 11 p.m. Two firefighters reportedly suffered minor injuries while three civilians were treated at the scene. The FDNY had extinguished the fire by 1:30 a.m.

FDNY officials told Washington Square News that the flames spread from the second floor through an air shaft to the fourth floor of 21 E. Second St.

Per the Post: "The three-alarm inferno ran mostly through one shaft in the building and was difficult to put out because several of the apartments were heavily cluttered, the FDNY said."

[Anna Frenkel via Twitter]

BoweryBoogie has more here. The Lo-Down has photos and coverage here. Find some photos via Jason Lester here.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation. NY1 reports that the Red Cross is offering temporary housing to 30 adults and four children.

Valentine's Evening, 2012

Photos by Matt LES_Miserable.

Young love, fueled by a squirrel

Today in Tompkins Square Park. Was the young man doing this to impress his lady friend looking on...? Or was he already feeding the squirrel, much to the delight of a secret admirer?

Ah. Young love.

And if this wasn't Valentine's Day, the headline might be, "This is farm to table [redacted]!"

Photo by Bobby Williams.

EV Grieve Etc: Mourning Edition

[East River Park by Bobby Williams]

How Park Slope teens are helping the homeless in the East Village (Daily News)

Looking at the exterior of the Rod Rogers Dance Theater/Duo Theater on East Fourth Street (Curbed)

San Francisco's Mission Chinese Food coming to Orchard Street (Diner's Journal)

"The East 10th St. Protesters" (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

Porsena opening a wine bar next door on Seventh Street (Eater)

Going on a John Lennon walking tour (Tripping With Marty)

A restaurant is opening under the FDR near the Seaport (New York Post)

[Photo by Michele Campo]

For more on the water-main break at Bowery and Delancey this morning... The Lo-Down ... BoweryBoogie ... NY1 ...

Avast! The Holiday Cocktail Lounge is becoming a restaurant that serves fish-n-chips

So you know that Robert Ehrlich, the founder of Pirate Brands, which makes Pirate's Booty, bought the building that housed the now-former Holiday Cocktail Lounge.

Last night, he went before the CB3/SLA committee and revealed his plans. (He never responded to our requests for an interview.) According to a report by Claire Nugent at Eater, the committee approved his plans to open "a new restaurant/tavern offering local, regional cuisine."

He is teaming with Barbara Sibley, the owner of La Palapa next door. Per Eater:

They said they hope their restaurant will echo the restaurants that have disappeared, with a menu offering those foods New Yorkers "miss" like Shepard’s Pie and fish 'n’ chips.

Ehrlich reportedly didn't win the rights to keep the Holiday name.

Updated 11:50 a.m.

Grub Street has more. Sibley, who will manage the space, said, "We're going to try to preserve as much of the history as possible."

Previously on EV Grieve:
The founder of Pirate's Booty is taking over the Holiday Cocktail Lounge

Why the future of the Holiday Cocktail Lounge may be in doubt

The house rules of a short-term rental on St. Mark's Place

We're hearing more about short-term rentals in the East Village following Friday's post about 528 E. 13th St. We heard from a former resident of 31 St. Mark's Place.

"I keep in touch with my old neighbors all the time and it sounds like the building has changed hands several times and most recently, we discovered that the owner is possibly illegally renting apartments like a hotel."

The resident points us to an Airbnb listing for a "DREAMY" apartment on St. Mark's Place...

The "approximate" address is 38 St. Mark's Place... which isn't an existing address on St. Mark's Place.

In any event, this particular listing is worth noting for the "house rules," which we reposted below... (The all caps are part of the rules; the bold is our doing)...

PLEASE BE COURTEOUS AND POLITE TO THE NEIGHBORS in the building. They do not want to live with crazy, loud people. Please: No crazy parties or loud drinking! TRY NOT TO TALK TO THEM. DO NOT TELL ANYBODY YOU ARE RENTING MY APARTMENT. DO NOT TELL ANYBODY WHICH APT YOU ARE STAYING IN. JUST TELL THEM YOU ARE A FRIEND VISITING. Please DO NOT TALK IN THE HALLWAYS. If anybody were to ask you something, you are a friend staying with me on holiday visiting New York and you did not pay me money to stay at the apartment BUT TRY TO AVOID CONVERSATION. Please try to be discreet going up the stairs and try not to linger in the hallways

Yet another chance to become Tom Cruise's neighbor

Every so often we'll tell you about units available in the American Felt Building on 13th Street near Fourth Avenue where, among other residents, Tom Cruise owns a place or two.

And we have the unit for you via Halstead.

This Fabulous high floor loft residence with open south and west views, in the heart of the Village, steps to Union Square features 12' ceilings, wood floors, wood burning fireplace, oversized master bedroom spacious second bedroom and newly remodeled oversized bathroom. Great gourmet open kitchen. The unit is tastefully decorated and it comes fully furnished. It is located in a well known full service condominium building close to great restaurants,shopping area and all means of transportation. Available immediately for a three to six months term!

And here's what your $8,000-per-month gets you...

(Are those photos of Suri on the wall?)

And we leave you with this real estate-ese left on StreetEasy about the building ...

This building’s name “The American Felt Building” says it all. It really is the one-time home of the American Felt Company, who supplied the hammer and bushing felt for the Steinway piano company, who’s showroom cum concert Hall was one block away back in the day. This was one of the first re-purposed buildings in the area, and remains one of the most desirable: the ceilings are high, the windows are big, the roof deck is wonderful (and under-used) and, not to be overlooked or undervalued, the construction is so solid you will never hear one of your neighbors; they could be playing Lizst on their Steinway piano and you would never know it. The floorplans may seem small, but some creative engineering has turned the loft apartments into unique spaces tricked out with platforms, balconies, extra windows, interior walls, etc. Truly, no two apartments are alike in this building.

What about someone playing the Black Keys?

Previously on EV Grieve:
Your chance to be Tom Cruise's neighbor

Coen Brothers Week begins here tomorrow

Back on Feb. 4, we noted that the Coen Brothers will be filming the 1960s period piece "Inside Llewyn Davis" in the neighborhood ... Tomorrow, they'll be filming in and around First Street and Second Street ... between Second Avenue and Avenue A...

They'll be towing your ass starting tonight at 8. (Important to note in case you are driving around here for a Valentine's Day Night dinner.)

Anyway ... The movie follows a protagonist loosely based on singer Dave Van Ronk, a friend of Bob Dylan’s. Oscar Isaac stars as the title character while Justin Timberlake co-stars as another folk musician. Carey Mulligan and John Goodman are also in the film.

Thursday should be a more interesting day for acting as if you don't give a shit gawking. The production crew will "temporarily dress several storefronts and buildings" to fit the period on East Ninth Street between Avenue A and First Avenue.

Reps at Zi Pep on East Ninth Street told Grub Street that "the entire block ... will be transformed into the sixties Village [and] ... The Southern Italian restaurant will be made over as a folk club."

Last time a film crew needed someplace to serve as a 1960s-style Greenwich Village club for a shoot, Sophie's heeded the call for "Greetings From Tim Buckley."

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Coen Brothers want to dress up East Ninth Street