33 ways Buzzfeed's East Village feature may depress you

Buzzfeed unleashed a post late yesterday afternoon titled "33 Ways Manhattan’s East Village Has Changed In Only 7 Years."

Using Google's new "time travel tool," Buzzfeed rounded up a whole lot of then (2007) and nows... such as!





And!





Head on over to Buzzfeed for 31 more! It's rather a lot to take in one viewing, so be warned...

20 years of Flower Power in the East Village

Photos and story by EVG contributor Stacie Joy

Last month, Flower Power Herbs & Roots, Inc. celebrated its 20th anniversary in the East Village.

The shop has had two storefronts in the neighborhood, beginning with East First Street between Avenue A and First Avenue, and now at its current location, 406 E. Ninth St. between between Avenue A and First Avenue.

Flower Power, which bills itself as "an indispensable resource to superlative organically cultivated herbs, roots, flowers, leaves and seeds," provides herbalist education (they do not diagnose or prescribe) on working in accordance with nature.



As Lata Chettri-Kennedy, the shop's founder and owner said, "It's not a religion or creed, it's a way of life, incorporating Earth-awareness and integrity; using local, organic, wild and well-sourced material."

The shop has more than 300 plants for sale, all stored in glass jars (the shop encourages avoiding plastic).





I asked her what has changed about the area since she first opened her doors. She recounted tales of drugs and cash stored under loose wooden planks in the floor and shooting galleries on the block.

As for who shops at Flower Power today, Chettri-Kennedy offered a lengthy list: Midwives, peace corps officers, musicians, wise women, witches, artists, herbalists, families and neighbors, visitors from all over the world.



The shop's staff, all educated herbalists, discuss teas, infusions, tinctures, salves and baths with the customers. The day I dropped by, I was greeted with a cup of garcinia cambogia antioxidant infusion (it was tart, like rose hips tea, but with a less astringent aftertaste) as Chettri-Kennedy sewed lavender and herb dream pillows and talked about green witchcraft and traditional herbalism.

The shop is open every day from noon until 7 p.m. Workshop and education, as well as internship info and schedules can be found here.

Writer Greg Masters revisits the 1980s East Village gallery scene

[Artist Larry Rivers in his 14th Street loft. Photo by Barry Kornbluh, from the book "For the Artists"]

Longtime East Village resident Greg Masters recently compiled the book "For the Artists: Critical Writing, Volume 1," which chronicles the neighborhood's burgeoning gallery scene in the 1980s. At the time, Masters was writing for a number of publications. This collection includes interviews with Rudy Burckhardt, Sandy Skoglund and Larry Rivers, among others, as well as reviews of museum and gallery shows from that time period.

We asked Masters a few questions about the project as well as his feelings about the East Village of 2014.

-----

How did you go about selecting the essays/interviews for Volume I? Were you looking for a common thread among the subjects?

This first volume of my critical writing focuses on visual art on display in Manhattan in the 1980s. For ARTS Magazine I made the rounds of the galleries on 57th Street primarily showing established artists. For Cover magazine, I wrote reviews and artist profiles covering the East Village scene – when 70 or so galleries suddenly sprung up in this neighborhood.



I enjoyed responding to the mix of recognized artists uptown and then also championing the work of less-established artists downtown whose work I felt was deserving of public recognition. The range of work was disparate – money and class uptown, plus the fervent energy of dedicated practitioners of the arts here below 14th Street – but a sense of community united it all, a clubhouse for those possessed of a proclivity for the creative.

I have a Volume 2 in manuscript that gathers my essays on books and music – from extended essays on Miles Davis, William Wordsworth and William Carlos Williams to interviews with Richard Hell – written over the past 25 or so years for various publications and websites. I plan to issue that soon.

Anything in particular surprise you about the materials when you went back to revisit the work for the book?

Not really. I believe the writing holds up. I'd been mainly a poet and short-story writer when I began writing art criticism. There was a precedent of poets doing this going back at least as far as Baudelaire. More recent precedents for me were Ted Berrigan and John Ashbery, though it was poet Edwin Denby's dance criticism and the painter Fairfield Porter's art criticism that were my real models. It was a way to reach a broader audience than the 20 or so friends who showed up for poetry readings. It also gave me an entrance into journalism.

Has this project made you nostalgic for this particular time and place?

Maybe a bit of nostalgia for my youth. It certainly documents an era when it was cheap enough to live in Manhattan that artists of all sorts could devote more time to their work, and we were all young enough to spend a lot of time together – showing up at each other's art openings, readings, performances, beds. The East Village was especially vibrant.

[Photo of East 7th Street by Cactusbones via Flickr]

Between the burnt-out buildings, oppressive political environment and the winters in tenements with no heat and hot water there was a lot of collaboration and support and socializing among the painters, sculptors, filmmakers, poets, dancers, writers, musicians and unclassifiable creative types.

You've been on the LES since 1975. Obviously there have been enormous changes... what, however, remains the same about the East Village in your estimation?

Well, physically the scale is still charming. It still has the feel of a village. It's still enjoyable to walk around here. There are not a lot of buildings higher than five or six stories and there's still remnants of the ethnic diversity that so enlivened the experience of living here. Certainly the nature of the shops and the demographic has changed. It's safer. I'm still getting acclimated to the idea that when walking down the block I don't have to look over my shoulder.

Meanwhile, on Avenue A...

EVG reader RJ shares this Urban Etiquette Sign from inside an apartment building on Avenue A.

Some context.

So apparently a few newer residents in this building are upset with a longtime resident smoking with his door open. And the two sides took to signs to hash it out.

The response from the longtime tenant is quite something ...

"Yeah, all right. Guess what? You uptight whiney little punk. Instead of my cigarettes I'm going back (exclusively) to my old favorite — cigars. Just to piss you off! I suggest you either relax yourself and chill out or move back in with your parents (who are probably paying your rent anyway)

Ya' punk!"

Your move, newer resident.

Construction watch: 415 E. Sixth St.

[Photo by Bobby Williams]

We haven't spotted much activity of late over at 415 E. Sixth St., where there's a condo conversion in the works for the Congregation Mezritch Synagogue. A sign out front notes that the project is expected to be completed by the winter of 2015…



The city approved the plans back on Dec. 27 … Workers will be rehabbing the building and adding two floors here at an estimated cost of $520,000, per DOB documents.

As previously noted, the landmarked building was in disrepair and the congregation's population had dwindled. Synagogue leaders signed a 99-year lease with East River Partners worth some $1.2 million. The renovations include a penthouse addition and an elevator. The synagogue will reportedly retain space on the ground floor and basement for their use.

DOB records show the project is still waiting approval on several fronts, including new sprinkler heads and "installation of manual and automatic heat detection system."

In 2008, Kushner Companies was reportedly close to purchasing the building. However, the deal to demolish it and replace it with condos fell through.

Eastern European immigrants founded the synagogue in 1892.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Plan to add condos to historic East Sixth Street synagogue back on

Play spot the potential penthouse atop the East Village synagogue

A final look inside the Anshei Meseritz synagogue on East Sixth Street

Reader report: Car slams into Saifee Hardware

Wow. Close call on the southeast corner of First Avenue and East Seventh Street just after 4.

Per @wlodarczyk: Watched this happen from across the street. No bystanders hit, amazingly.

Here's another photo via Bill the Libertarian Anarchist...



... and a few more shots via EVG reader Dillon Krug showing the emergency response...





So far, there haven't been any reports of injuries...

Updated 5:05 p.m.
This is Bill the Libertarian Anarchist's report of the collision:

"At 4 pm a car traveling north on 1st Ave. (supposedly at a high rate of speed) rammed into a van (not pictured) then spun over and hit the front of the flower-hardware store on the southeast corner of 7th St. and 1st Ave ... Just before I took [the above photo], the paramedics placed the driver (then on a stretcher) into an ambulance. He was mumbling incoherently."

Updated 5:49
This photo via EVG Facebook friend Michael Hirsch shows passersby attending to the driver (in the tank top) ...



Updated 6:41

NBC New York reports that "one person was taken to Bellevue Hospital in serious but stable condition" ... no mention if this was the driver or a pedestrian...

Updated 10

The Post reports that the BMW, which was heading north up First Avenue, "crashed into a parked van and then careened into" the store.

Saifee executive manager Mike Taheraly said that the plants out front "took most of the impact," and that the accident destroyed some $15,000 in merchandise.

As for the driver: "Witnesses claimed the BMW was speeding, but authorities said there was no criminality in the smash-up."

'Serendipity' has left Tompkins Square Park

[File photo via EV Grieve]

EVG note: We accidentally posted the draft version of this earlier! Which made no sense! Oops!

"Serendipity,", the life-sized sculpture of Christopher Gamble's silhouette arrived in Tompkins Square Park last June.

Fanny Allié's creation was expected to be in the Park through November... then she received an extension through April 25.

On Saturday morning, Allié removed "Serendipity."


[Photo Saturday by Bobby Williams]

"I wish it could have stayed in the Park," she told us.

In June, the piece will head to Miami for a stay in the summer house of a current East Village resident.

The silhouette is in honor of Gamble, a former Park regular who was homeless for nearly 28 years. Gamble now lives in an apartment run by the Bowery Residents' Committee.


[Last June]

Previously on EV Grieve:
The street-smart style of Serendipity in Tompkins Square Park

Serendipity to remain in Tompkins Square Park through April

Filmmakers will recreate the Tompkins Square Park Riot of 1988 this Thursday night

[Photo by Dave on 7th]

The low-budget adaption of the Eleanor Henderson novel "Ten Thousand Saints" started principal photography in the East Village back in January. To date, the filmmakers have turned part of First Avenue into Avenue D and recreated part of tent city in Tompkins Square Park to tell this straight-edge coming-of-age story set in the 1980s East Village.

Now, on Thursday, crews will be filming scenes depicting the Tompkins Square Park Riots of 1988… these carefully worded letters recently arrived on East Seventh Street and around the Park …



Crews will be filming from roughly 2 p.m. … till 3 a.m. Per the sign: "Given the sensitivity of filming late hours in a residential community, we are making our best efforts to film quietly after 10 p.m on Thursday, May 1 into Friday May 2."

Wow, a quiet riot. (Sorry.)

The husband-wife team of Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini direct. They directed the 2003 Harvey Pekar film "American Splendor" with Paul Giamatti.

More about the closure of Kim's: 'We are NOT closing because record stores are dying'

[Photo from last Monday by Williams Klayer]

As we first reported last Monday, Kim's Video and Music is closing soon at 124 First Ave. The following email went out this past weekend to the Kim's faithful…

If you haven't heard already, earlier this week we announced that Kim's Video & Music, here on 1st Ave, will be closing its doors this July. Business here has been steady and our Record Store Day last Saturday was easily the best yet with new and old customers flooding the store for 200+ exclusive releases. The point is, and you should be aware, that we are NOT closing because record stores are dying, business is bad, it's not like it used to be and oh terrible world. Not at all. The actual reason for our closing is that the lease is up in July and the rent is being raised to an amount we simply can't work with. It's an unfortunate situation and we really, really appreciate all the positive vibes and eulogizing that has been sent our way this week. We are hopeful that a new Kim's can be erected this summer, (likely at a smaller location), and we are in the process of exploring that possibility. Until then, please stop in at 124 1st Ave (between St. Marks/7th) to say hi and take advantage of our closing sale. ALL Music & Video is 30% off.

This will be the last New Music Newsletter until the foreseeable future. Kim's WILL be stocking New Releases as they come out until we close ... Other than that, thank you for your continuing support and business over the years and hopefully we'll see you at a new (and improved) Kim's later this year.

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] A really bad sign outside Kim's Video & Music on First Avenue (31 comments)

Source: Kim's staff looking for ways to save their store

Work on Educational Alliance extension, the former 'mosquito hazard,' resumes on Avenue D

[July 2012]

Back in the summer of 2012, the Orchard Alley community garden on East Fourth Street closed due to a "mosquito hazard" coming from the long-stalled site at 27 Avenue D, where the Educational Alliance planned to add an extension to their existing building. (NY1 covered the story here.)

There's plenty of progress to report here now … as the city has signed off on all the necessary permits.



The work continues…





The rendering on the plywood shows a building looking like…



… this.



After digging the foundation for the extension, the site sat dormant, collecting water and reportedly breeding mosquitos, dating back to 2008.

The Educational Alliance location at 25 Avenue D is a co-ed facility "for adults struggling with chemical dependencies." The extension will reportedly offer housing for its residents. DOB permits put the cost estimate for the new building at $4.9 million.

Here comes the protected 4th Avenue bike lane

On Friday, workers started putting down the green for the new protected bike lane…



… that will stretch from Lafayette and Prince Street up Fourth Avenue to East 12th Street.

And here is a look at the lane on Lafayette at Bond…



The new bike path will not remove any car lanes, but instead narrows them on Fourth/Lafayette.



Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] Looking at the First Avenue's new bike lane and 'floating lane' (64 comments)

Protest planned for reconfigured Avenues (153 comments)

Report: More support for protected bike lane on Lafayette Street/Fourth Avenue

Full reveal at 227 E. Seventh St.

[Photo from February by Dave on 7th]

The plywood covering the entrance to the all-new 227 E. Seventh St. came down on Friday...as Dave on 7th discovered...



The classic-brick building here (that people seem to like) just west of Avenue C will feature "classic full floor condominium residences" with either two or three bedrooms. Still waiting for pricing via the 227 teaser site.

For now, let's just admire the front door and window.




[Photo by EVG reader Greg]

Also, the rusty look is apparently in on East 7th Street, as Dave on 7th notes...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Asbestos abatement on East Seventh Street, then a new 6-story building

New building at 227 E. Seventh St. — revealed