About the Boiler Dilemma

From the EV Grieve inbox...

Beware — The push is on right now to get all buildings in NYC to convert their boilers to Natural Gas.

Don't let this happen to your building! As we all know, East Village buildings are increasingly populated with at least a few, and usually with a majority of young business-oriented tenants with a strong sense of entitlement who care little about the future of the neighborhood. When decisions are made about the maintenance and preservation of their buildings, the only criteria they consider is immediate cost, convenience and mainly the future sale price of their domiciles.

ConEd is giving New Yorkers the option to switch to #2 heating oil boilers — OR offering substantial discounts for conversion to gas burning boilers. Both options continue our dependance on the use of fossil fuels. There ARE alternatives, but ConEd and Bloomberg are both pushing natural gas. ConEd is the sole supplier as well as deliverer of gas — unlike the current heating oil or alternatives, so the switch to gas will add billions to ConEd and Oil and Gas Corporations' already outrageous profits.

The City’s new heating oil rules require buildings to stop using heavy oils by 2030, (and if your boiler uses #4 or #6 oil, you mush switch soon). Building owners are tempted to convert to gas, due to its current low price. But what is the true cost of “cheap” gas, when fracking could ruin our air and water, and bring radon-laden shale gas to our stoves? Are conservation, solar thermal and biodiesel realistic alternatives?

More info here.

Report: 99-year lease in play for 74-84 Third Ave.

[From November 2011]

The Real Deal reported last night that a development company called YYY Third Avenue signed a 99-year ground lease "that requires payments each year of about $1 million" for 74-84 Third Ave.

The site is currently home to a in-progress demolition of the former Yummy House and Nevada Smith's. As The Deal Deal noted, Karl Fischer is architecturing an 82,000-square-foot, nine-story residential building with 94 units here. (The permit is still pending for all this.)

A YYY Third Avenue rep said that the site would be a rental building with studios, and one-, two- and three-bedroom units. "He declined to comment on the annual rental payment or elaborate on the project."

Previously on EV Grieve:
Those persistent rumors about 74-76 Third Avenue and the future of Nevada Smith's

The East Village will lose a parking lot and gain an apartment building

Workshop tonight on rodents and pests

Workshop starts at 6:30 p.m. at 535 E. Fifth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

Via EV Grieve reader Steven.

Spring

[The New York City Marble Cemetery]

[East 10th Street and Avenue C]

[Matthew Silver at Astor Place]

Photos by Bobby Williams.

EV Grieve Etc: Mourning Edition

[Bobby Williams]

Last-ditch efforts to landmark the Bialystoker Nursing Home (BoweryBoogie)

Visiting Anthony Pisano on Seventh Street (Tripping With Marty)

An excerpt from Johnny Ramone's autobiography (New York)

A buyer for historic 25 Stuyvesant Street (The Real Deal)

Zombie spring! (The Grumbler)

Something to read while texting: 'How to Roll A Blunt For Dummies' (Runnin' Scared)

Get your fried pizza on Ludlow Street (Eater)

The Hoodie Shop opens on Orchard (The Lo-Down)

The classic Carmine's at the Seaport still sits empty after a rent hike forced them out two years ago (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

Breaking: Large dead lobster spotted in Tompkins Square Park

Just now via Jose Garcia.

Uh, explanations?

More from Jose:

"Definitely not alive but clearly had a rough night. Maybe missed the party bus or something. Who knows?"

More about the lease renewals at 50, 54 and 58 E. Third St.

Last Thursday, a resident told us that Abart Holdings LLC has sold (or is selling) the buildings at 50, 54 and 58 E. Third St. on this block between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

Another tipster has shared a copy of the letter that some residents of the three buildings received...

Per the letter: "It has been agreed with the impending new owners that your lease will not be renewed and that you will be expected to vacate at the expiration of your lease."

Per the tipster:

"There are definitely much older families who live in the building, and suddenly they've been unceremoniously thrown out. The building is terrible as it is — several break-ins, terrible staircase, the entrance is poorly maintained — and now they are kicking everyone out."

But the residents are getting organized.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Reader report: Three apartment buildings sold on East Third Street

Know your rights: Help with understanding NYC rent laws

Another makeshift shelter arrives along the Liz Christy Garden

As we reported on March 7, city officials dismantled and discarded the makeshift shelter that a homeless man had been living in the past three months on the Bowery at East Houston...

One thing probably doesn't have to do with the other... but the timing made a few readers curious... DBGB set up its sidewalk cafe four days after workers removed the shelter, which sat about 30 feet from the southern edge of the cafe...

In any event, we noticed that the man, who a Liz Christy volunteer said is from Cuba, has set up a much smaller space not too far away from where he was... so far, nothing more than a chair and a few bags...

[Bobby Williams]

Workers continue 7-Elevening the former J.A.S. Mart on St. Mark's Place

As you may unfortunately remember, we reported that a 7-Eleven will soon open on St. Mark's Place at Second Avenue in the the former J.A.S. Mart. (The official address is 133 Second Ave.)

Workers have been molding the 7-Eleven into shape, as this shot from yesterday by Bobby Williams shows... expect the sign and awning any day or two now ...

Previously on EV Grieve:
7-Eleven continues to feast on the East Village; next up, St. Mark's Place

Today is the first day of spring

Read somewhere that NYC received 4.5 inches of snow this whole winter (December-January-February).

[Via ~ Joan, Jan. 21, 2012]

Did you miss it a little?

Updated: Live look-in at the CB3/SLA meeting; 200 Avenue A denied

One of the agenda items tonight at this month's CB3-SLA committee meeting — Bikinis at 56 Avenue C. Petrit Pula, one of the principals for what he called a Barcelona-style eatery that will serve a type of sandwich from coastal Spain, shared details with us here.

By Shawn Chittle's account, 13 people tonight spoke out against the proposed establishment, including seven from 56 Avenue C. There were three who spoke in favor. The Bikinis folks were looking for a closing time of midnight on weeknights; 2 a.m. on weekends. Per Shawn, CB3 said they'd approve midnight seven days a week, but the Bikinis folks balked at the reduced weekend hours.

Updated 8:24 p.m.

The committee unanimously voted against the proposed art gallery-restaurant at 200 Avenue A, the former Superdive home.

DOH temporarily shutters Japadog on St. Mark's Place

EV Grieve reader AC noted that the DOH temporarily closed Japadog here on St. Mark's Place... The inspection must have happened late this afternoon — the report isn't on the DOH website just yet. The popular hot doggery opened between Second Avenue and Third Avenue on Jan. 5.

Meanwhile, unrelated, EV Grieve reader Venya noted that someone borrowed/stole/swallowed the J in Japadog a few weeks back...

Workers replaced the J in due time...