Rogue bike discarders threaten sanctity of the East Fifth St. Tree Committee

On Monday, we noted that the East Fifth St. Tree Committee had returned with a vengeance, removing bikes from a tree guard between First Avenue and Second Avenue ...

Now, EVG reader Podunk notes more threats of discarding bikes parked on the sidewalk along East Fifth Street (between Second Avenue and Cooper Square), though it appears to be the work of another individual ... or, perhaps, a splinter group... Regardless, like the East Fifth St. Tree Committee, these people mean business...

Tokyo Rebel is leaving Avenue B

... for parts unknown just yet, as the sign shows...

And why? Per the Tokyo website:

Simple — our lease is up, and that's given us an opportunity to look for a better location. We signed a 3 year lease in 2009 knowing that by this time, we'd have a good idea whether or not we wanted to keep on keeping on, and whether we liked our current location or wanted to find a new one.

The good news is we definitely want to stay open. But we think we can do better than our current spot. We'd like a place that's easier to get to for more of our customers, for one thing. New York can have some challenging weather, so being nearer more transportation options is important for us and our customers.

We're also looking for a space that's better for events - ideally one we can host events in itself! But if not, then at least closer to appropriate venues. Hopefully we can run more events once we reopen.

After Aug. 25, you can still find their rock-punk-gothic goods at their website.

Still, another loss for Avenue B.

[Updated] Blackbird opens tonight at former Lakeside Lounge; 'for people who don’t want to be part of the woo-woo scene'

[Photo from Tuesday by Bobby Williams]

We've been curious about what would be taking over the Lakeside Lounge space on Avenue B... BoweryBoogie got the scoop late last week — the place will be called Blackbird, "owned and operated by Lakeside principal Laura McCarthy and a current 'bartender from Niagara.'"

Per BB's tipster:

Definitely NOT a whiskey bar. And not a dive. Just a bar for people who don’t want to be part of the woo-woo scene and who are too smart to wait in line for an $22 cocktail. [It's] intended to be a beautiful but comfortable bar with a rock & roll vibe.

And they're opening tonight, per a BoweryBoogie follow-up post. BB received an invite, which reads in part:

Please join us for riveting deejays, nightly open bar from 9-10 p.m, and simply the most charming people you will ever see in one room together ever again.

Late yesterday afternoon, we saw workers racing to get the place together...

Previously.

UPDATED:
The opening has been postponed... no opening date just yet...

Rumors: Former Life Cafe has a suitor

[Bobby Williams]

We also received a rather cryptic tip that someone is taking over the former Life Cafe space on the corner... (9th Street Espresso is expanding into half of the storefront, as The Villager first reported.)

The for lease signs have been removed... and the space is no longer on the NYREX site for available retail ...

We spotted workers inside the former Life, but they appeared to be using the space as an annex for the renovations next door at Blackbird...

Know anything about the situation here? Please send them our way via the EV Grieve email

The Dude abides tonight in Tompkins Square Park; plus, 'The Big Lebowksi,' pizza

The Films in Tompkins series continues tonight with "The Big Lebowski," plus pre-movie music by Main Squeeze Orchestra. And! A Two Boots 25th Anniversary Event. Which means free pizza.

And the movie's plot, in case that you've never seen it... via Wikipedia:

The Big Lebowski is a 1998 comedy film written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. Jeff Bridges stars as Jeff Lebowski, an unemployed Los Angeles slacker and avid bowler, who is referred to (and also refers to himself) as "The Dude". After a case of mistaken identity, The Dude is introduced to a millionaire also named Jeffrey Lebowski. When the millionaire Lebowski's trophy wife is later kidnapped, he commissions The Dude to deliver the ransom to secure her release. The plan goes awry when The Dude's friend Walter Sobchak (John Goodman) schemes to keep the full ransom.

Steve Buscemi, Philip Seymour Hoffman, David Huddleston, Julianne Moore, Tara Reid, and John Turturro star in the film, which is narrated by a cowboy known only as "The Stranger," played by Sam Elliott.

Anyway, whatever you do, don't go over the line tonight...



And, as always:

Free. Gates Open at 6 p.m. Music Starts ½ Hour before the Start of the Film (sundown)

Aug. 16 — Poltergeist, Music by Timbila

Aug. 23 — (rescheduled from July 26) Goldfinger, Music by The Luddites

Dates subject to Rain Delays.

Films In Tompkins is sponsored by Ella, The Blind Barber, Two Boots, Grolsch, GalleryBar, Tower Brokerage and NYC& Company.

East Village IHOP warns about advertises for new location

Up on the front door here along IHOP Way (aka East 14th Street)... Perhaps this is for the IHOP rumored to be opening in Tribeca ... The Tribeca Citizen is keeping tabs on the rumors of an IHOP on the corner of Church and Franklin.

H/T Eater.

Surveillance camera captures purple-gloved bandit burglarizing an East 11th Street apartment

So the NYPD is looking for the man in the above video who was nabbed on a surveillance camera breaking into an apartment at 516. E. 11th St. Monday afternoon, according to WNBC. (516 is between Avenue A and Avenue B.)

The Post noted that the man in a purple T-shirt and matching gloves made off with an iPad, watch and wallet.

If you recognize him through that clever disguise, then you may call 800-577-TIPS.

P.S.
Sorry that your have to watch a fucking commercial before viewing the tape. Thanks WNBC and New York Post!

Reader report: Smell of smoke, and, maybe, a missing snake on East Fifth Street

A reader sent along these photos these evening... noting that the FDNY responded to a call at 225 E. Fifth St. ...

... a firefighter said that a resident had smelled smoke...

... meanwhile, during all this, the man outside was yelling, looking for his snake.

...it was ultimately a false alarm... the only damage were the two broken front doors at No. 225 ... Don't know about the snake.

Red-tailed hawk returns to Tompkins Square Park, poses

No word yet on dinner plans.

Photos by Bobby Williams.

[Updated] Where you can get your free vibrator tonight on Third Avenue

Via the EV Grieve inbox...

As a summer heat wave sweeps the nation, the makers of Trojan™ Vibrations bring record highs into the bedroom by deploying a fleet of Trojan™ Vibrations Pleasure Carts across New York City. Brand ambassadors will be on hand to distribute free Trojan™ vibrators and pleasure seekers can take the "What's Your Vibe?" quiz onsite to find the perfect Trojan™ Vibrations product for them.

And, tonight, a Pleasure Cart will be on Third Avenue between 12th and 14th Streets from 7-10.

Andrew Adam Newman wrote about the campaign at The New York Times... Per the article:

Trojan plans to distribute 5,000 each of the Tri-Phoria device, which retails for $40, and the Pulse, which retails for $30, for a total retail value of $350,000. It goes without saying, surely, but Trojan asserts this is the biggest handout of vibrators ever.

Updated:

Well, this never happened. Gothamist noted that the Trojan folks and their marketing team never got the proper street permits. ... and this was this afternoon at the start of the giveaway in the Flatiron District... Meanwhile, on the Trojan Facebook page, people are pissed. Said one man:

After failing at 23rd St, I went to 13th and 3rd at around 6:30. There was a small group of people there. Closer to 7pm, the Ryder truck stopped in the middle northbound lane at the light for about 5 minutes, with flashers on. I was on the east side of 3rd, but crossed afterwards and a guy there said the driver said they were closed down for the day, no cart today, and then drove off. NOBODY EVEN GOT OUT OR STAYED THERE TO LET PEOPLE KNOW IT WAS CANCELED!

Here are 17 current East Village construction projects, bringing in 534 new residential units

Does it seem as if there's a lot of new construction going on in the East Village these days?

To me, there's more going on now than any other time in the five years that I've done this site.

So here are all the current projects in one post.

But a few things first. I didn't include commercial ventures such as the Hyatt Union Square ... or other non-commercial jobs such as St. Brigid's (but I did include 51 Astor Place — mostly because of its size and scope and neighborhood-changing potential).

I also didn't include rumored construction sites, such as Mary Help of Christians, which likely faces the wrecking ball one day... or partial building rehabs...or jobs that haven't started in earnest just yet, such as 33 Second Ave. and 227 E. Seventh St.

Anyway.

• 219 E. 13th St. (aka, The Mystery Lot)
What: 8 stories, 82 units of residential. Plus retail on the East 14th Street side.

..and the plywood went up on the East 14th Street this week...

• 74-84 Third Ave. at East 12th Street
What: 9 stories, 94 units of residential. Plus retail.

• 51 Astor Place (aka The Death Star)
What: 12 stories, all commercial; some educational use.

[Bobby Williams]

• 27 E. Seventh St.
What: Interior demolition and gut rehab of former rectory for the pastor and priests of the Order of Saint Basil the Great; later the illegal hotel the Village Inn. Conversion to residential. Per the DOB, there will be 11 units of residential.

[From April]

• 21 E. First St. (aka the former Mars Bar) at Second Avenue
What: 12 stories, 65 units of residential. Plus retail.

• 154 Second Ave.
What: Conversion of former funeral home into residential; plus addition of 3 new floors. 12 units of residential (still confirming final number). Plus retail.

[Terry Howell]

• 331. E. Sixth St. (aka Chez Schwimm)
What: Demolition of formerly historic townhouse; new 6-floor single-family mansion for David Schwimmer

• 427 E. 12th St.
What: 6 story, 11 units.

• 130 E. Seventh St. at Avenue A
What: Per the DOB: "Convert portion of existing commercial building to general residential use on floors 4 thru 7 ... reconstruct portion of existing penthouse."

• 315 E. 10th St.
What: Conversion from nonprofit use to residential. 9 units of residential. Plus one additional floor for penthouse apartment.

[Bobby Williams]

• 526 E. Fifth St.
What: Conversion of three-story multiple-dwelling building to a single-family residence

• 185 Avenue B at East 12th Street
What: 7 stories, 40 units of residential. Plus community facility and church.

[Demolition of the former theater via Kimberly Fritschy on Facebook]

• 542 East Fifth St. at Avenue B
What: Conversion of former Cabrini Nursing Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation into residential apartments (90 units). Plus retail.

• 710 E. Ninth St. (aka the Henry Street Settlement Day Care #3 building)
What: Conversion of former school into community facility plus 46 units of housing to serve homeless young adults and young adults aging out of the foster care system

[Bobby Williams]

• 316-318 E. Third St.
What: Demolition of formerly historic townhouse; construction of 7 stories, 33 units of residential

• 326-328 E. Fourth St.
What: Conversion of former two-building artist collective; addition of two floors and 18 units of residential.

...and the doorway...

[EVG reader Steven]

• 101 Avenue D
What: A community facility, the HQ for the Lower Eastside Girls Club, retail space and 78 affordable and market-rate rental units of residential.



If my math is any good (not really), then this makes 17 construction projects ... with an estimated addition of 534 residential units...(and various retail space).

Any construction projects/developments that I missed?

Out and About in the East Village

In this weekly feature, East Village-based photographer James Maher provides us with a quick snapshot of someone who lives and/or works in the East Village.

By James Maher

Name: Roger Jazilek
Location: 3rd Street between 1st and 2nd Avenue
Time: 5:50 p.m., July 25

"I’m reading the New York magazine about Martin Amis. He just moved to Brooklyn from London, so I find it interesting since I’m from England.

I’m a painter. I do hard-edge abstraction and I cut paper. I used to have a studio on 2nd avenue but I work out of my apartment now. I’ve lived in the neighborhood for 23 years, in this same building. It was very quiet around here. The Hells Angels are still down here, of course. It used to be the safest block because anyone robbing around here would be chased by them. But I think that’s calmed down now due to their bad knees. Now there are lots of kids everywhere — gangs of girls and boys running around all day and night.

I don’t know if you know the story of the tenement apartment right here where the owner turned it into his own mansion [the Economakis mansion]. It must be a big family but I haven’t seen any of them yet. Maybe they have a tunnel somewhere.

My favorite restaurant near here is Il Buco, and Mermaid Inn is also good."

James Maher is a fine art and studio photographer based in the East Village. Find his website here.