All is still quiet at Schwimmer Manor

Work appears to still be suspended at David Schwimmer's new home at 331 E. Sixth St. following Tuesday afternoon's debris mishap. The city issued a full Stop Work Order. We didn't spot any workers as usual this morning.

A Good Friday look at Mary Help of Christians

Mary Help of Christians on East 12th Street near Avenue A opened in 1917... and the ornate Roman Catholic church closed in 2007, as the Times reported. It was part of a realignment by the Archdiocese of New York.

Rumors of development here have been swirling since 2008, when The Real Deal reported that two-thirds of the playground space along Avenue A had been sold in an all-cash deal for $10.4 million.

Some four years later, the Church and adjacent school are still standing. But for how long? We heard from a longtime parishioner back in November, who said: "There are rumors that the church and school property are being sold by the Spring ... I'm afraid that NYU is buying it and going to build dorms." (Reps from NYU and the Archdiocese didn't respond to emails requesting comment.)

There is still a Spanish-language mass at the church every Sunday morning at 11:30. (The sign also mentions an English-language mass, but a church volunteer told me that they did away with that about 16 months ago.)

I went to mass there a few months back. There were perhaps 50 people there, an equal mix of older parishioners and young families with toddlers.

Last week, Off the Grid interviewed Janet Bonica, a parishioner who was born and raised in the East Village.

Here was her reaction to the church closing in 2007:

Our very foundation was pulled out from under us. We were always told that being a Catholic was more than just going to Sunday Mass; it was being a part of a parish community. We had a vibrant, active community, and it was taken away from us.

If Mary Help of Christians Church is demolished, I don’t think I will ever be able to go past that property again.

There are no words to describe the loss I feel. It is as deep as losing a beloved family member and, tied to the loss of the church, is the loss of our beloved Salesians of St. John Bosco. I cannot help but feel that we lost our church because it is sitting on a valuable parcel of real estate.

Indeed. Just look at the aerial view (via Off the Grid)... think what a developer could/would do with this prime real estate... the church, adjacent school and rectory, and playground where vendors set up for the weekend flea markets... (the three buildings on the southeast corner of 12th Street and Avenue A aren't owned by the Archdiocese...)

The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation and other community groups submitted a request to the Landmarks Preservation Commission asking them to landmark the church. The LPC denied the request. (Read about that here.) Janet Bonica said that she has written to Mayor Bloomberg and Cardinal Egan to no avail. She said they have even written the Vatican. As she told Off the Grid, "Obviously nothing helped."

[The Mary Help of Christians rectory]

The church in 1920 via the NYPL Digital Gallery ...

The makeshift shelter outside East Village Farms

If you've walked by the former East Village Farms on Avenue A between Seventh Street and Sixth Street early in the morning recently, then you've that seen the space is serving as a makeshift shelter of sorts...

The landlord is still waiting for the city to approve plans to renovate the space and add a rooftop residence.

Photos by Dave on 7th

Starbucks vs. the Bean

This is from our friends at Neighborhoodr... A quick headcount Wednesday evening:

1 customer inside Starbucks, First Avenue and Third Street
28 customers inside The Bean, Second Avenue and Third Street

Reminders: Tompkins Square Greenmarket is tomorrow

Not Sunday this weekend... so that people can be at home with their families, waiting for the premiere of Lifetime's "Client List" starring Jennifer Love Hewitt. Also, because of Easter.

This is what the southeast corner of East Third Street and Avenue C looked like on March 28, 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...

Hunts that involve Easter eggs and not pub crawls this weekend

Saturday at St. Mark's Church In-the-Bowery...

[Bobby Williams]

Sunday at La Plaza Cultural...

Please let us know about any other Easter-related hunts that involve eggs...

Noted

Just noting the arrival of the 7-Eleven stripage yesterday on the incoming St. Mark's Place shop...

Noted

Today in Tompkins Square Park. Photo by Bobby Williams.

Tanning season has started in Tompkins Square Park

[Yesterday in Tompkins Square Park, by Bobby Williams]

And now, the East Village via Google's augmented-reality glasses

Our friends at Wheeeeeeee! shared the video below... Nick Bilton at the Times has been writing about Google's sorta-secret augmented-reality glasses — Project Glass. Yesterday, Google shared its first venture into wearable computing in this video that shows the potential uses of the glasses... and the East Village has a starring role...



Please discuss.

Meanwhile, will someone please check on Jeremiah Moss?

From illegal hostel to residential at 27 E. Seventh St.

Back in April 2010, the city shuttered The Village Inn, the hostel that had been operating at 27 E. Seventh St. near Cooper Square.

[April 2010]

The city said that there were illegal hotel rooms in the residential building. The Inn's owners said differently.

In any event, in August 2010, the building hit the market for $6.85 million. Per the listing, "There are many possibilities for this structurally sound and restored building ... [it] would be perfect to house a non-profit organization, but could also be converted to floor-through condos, a rental building or a spacious single-family home."

The other day, we noticed the arrival of a sidewalk shed out front (photo at top) ... and via the DOB, we learned that there are plans on file for an "interior gut rehab" with a change in use from a commercial facility to residential.

The city disapproved the first plans on Feb. 22. Yesterday, the city issued permits for workers to remove plumbing fixtures and "interior non-fire proof structure."

We're not sure of the condition of the building. However, here are two interior shots from the August 2010 sales listing... Before becoming The Village Inn, the building served as a rectory for the pastor and priests of the Order of Saint Basil the Great ...

...and the view from the roof...

The address apparently started life as a hostel back in February 2008, as Down By the Hipster noted. As of March 2011, the building was going for $5.9 million, and then Douglas Elliman removed the listing, according to Streeteasy.

[Summer 2010 via Streeteasy]

Per DOB documents, developer Jay Wartski remains the building's owner. The Observer has described Wartski as an "accused slumlord and shady hotel mogul."

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Village Inn hostel on Seventh Street closed by city