Upscale rentals and a rooftop reflection pool at The Nathaniel on 3rd Avenue

[Photo from May 10]

As far as we knew, the Karl Fischer-designed 9-story retail-residential complex on Third Avenue and East 12th Street … was going as 74-84 Third Ave. …

[From November 2011]

Anyway! That was only temporary! Say hello to The Nathaniel at 138 E. 12th St. …



We learned about The Nathaniel (who or what is this named for anyway?) via an article in the Post yesterday about new luxury rentals.

Luxury indeed!

According to the Post (we didn't spot this part online), studios start at $3,470; one-bedrooms start at $4,600; two-bedrooms start at $6,650; and three bedrooms at — !!!! — $11,500.

Here's a description of the place via Luxury Rentals Manhattan:

[T]he apartments for rent at the Nathaniel boast generous layouts, custom high-gloss cabinetry, white oak flooring, and oversized closet space. The kitchens feature caesar stone white countertops and each residence is fitted with a washer and dryer for your convenience. Select residences at 138 East 12th Street also offer private terraces. Luxury amenities at the Nathaniel include a 24-hour attended lobby, private gym, bicycle storage, club room, and rooftop sun lounge with reflection pool.

As pricy as this seems (IS), The Nathaniel is still more affordable than the incoming Eleventh and Third across the Avenue.

The corner parcel on Third Avenue and East 12th Street where The Nathaniel sits was previously home to Nevada Smiths, Yummy House and a parking lot.

[EVG file photo from November 2011]

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

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

Former Nevada Smiths down to its last floor; city OKs work for new building

Bendy thing sighting as 84 Third Ave. eclipses the AMC Loews Village 7

Westside Market coming to the East Village

Let there be LED light in the Northwest East Village!

[Photo via EVG reader Katja]

Several readers have pointed out the lights adorning the Jefferson, the incoming condos at 211 E. 13th St. near Third Avenue … aka, the Northwest East Village …


[Photo via EVG reader Uncle Pete]

Maybe it's some sort of lighting to bring this back home to the former Mystery Lot, where the Jefferson stands now?

Previously on EV Grieve:
About the 'Northwest East Village'

Here is your new East 9th Street bike lane!

Well last week a reader pointed out that the bike lanes hadn't returned yet on East 10th Street and East 9th Street after the recent pave job… well, the bike lane is back on East Ninth Street as of Wednesday. Kind of!

Not sure what is going on here between First Avenue and Second Avenue … maybe this is just for unicycles? OK, probably not done. Or did the city make some kind of mistake?









Thanks to EVG reader dbs for all the photos.

By the way, the bike lane on East Ninth Street between Avenue A and First Avenue appears to be the right size...

This weekend in Lower East Side History Month

There's a lot going on this weekend connected with the first Lower East Side History Month … from the Tenant Rights Walking Tour to the 27th Annual Loisaida Festival (now with three days of activities).

There are too many events to mention here.

So!

Head on over to the History Month event calendar for all the listings.

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning Edition

[Yesterday morning from 1st Avenue]

East Village resident dies in motorcycle crash on the Williamsburg Bridge (DNAinfo)

A look at the site "Now It's a Fucking FroYo Place" (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

Demolishing the LES Pathmark (The Lo-Down)

Surveying the messy Astor Place redesign (BoweryBoogie)

A "secret fitness spot" on the Bowery (New York Post)

A new chef at Northern Spy on East 12th Street (Grub Street)

... and tonight at Ella Lounge at 9 Avenue A... keeping some punk spirit alive with the East Village-based Jiggers Is King...

Updated: Part of East Houston is currently flooded, along with Katz's basement

Yikes! Part of East Houston near Ludlow is currently flooding (flooded?). Save the pastrami!

Not sure what is going on at the moment here ... crews have been working on the water mains as part of the never-ending East Houston reconstruction project now in its 457th year...

Updated 11:21: yep. Water main break per a reader at the scene.

Thanks to @maraaltman for the photo!

Houston floods. Luckily, looks like the water is going around the brisket. pic.twitter.com/N49wUlKvHQ

— Mara Altman (@maraaltman) May 22, 2014

Updated 12:02 p.m.

The basement at Katz's has reportedly flooded.



Updated 1:01 p.m.

Here's a shot of the damage on East Houston... a sinkhole has formed on the the eastbound lanes between Orchard and Ludlow...


[Photo via @luxtravelstyle]

Updated 1:27 p.m.

Katz's remains open!

Katz's is still open, despite the water main break. Just don't try to drive on Houston for a while... pic.twitter.com/BNc6c8TtfZ

— Katz's Delicatessen (@KatzsDeli) May 22, 2014

Updated 3:58 p.m.

According to published reports, 13 nearby buildings are now without water after the circa-1959 pipe broke under East Houston. In addition, Brooklyn Vegan notes that tonight's Stone Jack Jones and Ex-Cult shows at the Mercury Lounge have been cancelled tonight.

And there you have it...


[Photo via @hanakanna]

RUMOR: Gas station going, boutique hotel coming on Second Avenue?

IF the rumors are accurate, then the BP station and MRM Auto Repair at 24 Second Ave. at East First Street will close this summer to eventually make way for something the area doesn't seem to need — a boutique hotel.



Again, this is only a rumor… traced to workers at the station. There's nothing on file yet with the DOB for this address.

Of course, news of BP's closing wouldn't be so shocking, after all.

On Tuesday, WYNC featured a story titled "Say Goodbye to Manhattan's Gas Stations."

Per the article:

In 2004, the borough had more than 60 places to fill up, but now there are just 39. Fuel prices and consolidation are driving the nationwide trend, but in Manhattan, it's all about real estate.

"It's kind of like the gas station has a red flag on it that says: 'Call me. I'm the next site,'" said Adelaide Polsinelli, a broker with the real estate investment firm Eastern Consolidated.

Thanks to skyrocketing real estate prices, Manhattan gas stations are worth much more than the money the owner can make selling gas. Last year, a Getty near the High Line sold for $23.5 million. A few months later, another station in the borough went for $25 million.

And IF this is true, this means the East Village will no longer have any gas stations in another year or so. In March, Hakimian Property filed plans to erect a 9-story mixed-use building on the site of the Mobil station on East Houston and Avenue C. (The station was expected to be open until next year.) Meanwhile, the BP station on East Houston and Lafayette will be home to this one day.

Said Eastern Consolidated's Polsinelli to WNYC: "You see everything that was once industrial — auto body shops, garages, gas stations — and now they're all holes in the ground with cranes in them."

Previously on EV Grieve:
How much longer will the East Village have gas stations?

The East Village will soon be down to 1 gas station

The Mobil on Avenue C is still going strong — for now

You have a little longer to get gas on Avenue C

Plans filed for new 9-story building at site of Mobil station on East Houston and Avenue C

VIDEO: Watch the baby hawks of Tompkins Square Park dine on some rat

Here is the latest nest video from Francois Portmann on the Christodora House … showing Christo and Dora's three offspring dining on some delicious rat meat … while the parents take turns discarding the unwanted parts somewhere in Tompkins Square Park. (A quick note: Francois does not live in the Christodora. The owners of the apartment with the nest on the AC OK'd setting up the nestcam.)

Afterwards, you can check out Gog in NYC, where Goggla has many spectacular photos of the hawks at work and play. (But mostly work, to be honest.)

Find more hawk photos at Francois's photography site here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Red-tailed hawks nest on the Christodora House

The hawks of Tompkins Square Park have laid an egg at the Christodora House

More eggsciting hawk news from the Christodora House

Breaking (heh) news: The hawks of Tompkins Square Park are officially parents

OMG baby hawks! (UPDATED WITH VIDEO!)

Reader mailbag: What is going on with this construction in my building?

An EVG reader woke up the other morning to the sound of construction coming from inside this building on East 10th Street. There aren't any posted work permits ... and when asked, the workers shrugged and said that they didn't speak English.

So...

"I have emailed my apartment's management company asking what's going on with the building, and when we can expect it to be completed, but received no response ... based on experience, I will probably never receive a reply no matter how many times I follow up or call. Our super does not live in the building and I have never had any contact with him.

As of the end of the day, there are holes in the walls on every single floor in the building, as seen in the above picture. How do I find out if I am going to be woken up every morning by construction until the lease ends or not? Does anyone recognize, based on the picture, what this construction process could possibly be the start of? To my knowledge, the building doesn't have any structural or plumbing issues that need to be fixed."

Anyone have any ideas what these repairs might be related to?

-------------

We often get reader queries ... asking for help with, say, donating clothes or books ... or finding an East Village-based caterer... If you have a question for the masses, then try the EV Grieve email...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Reader mailbag: Places to eat that have that old East Village vibe (45 comments)

Reader mailbag: What do I do about my new neighbors who smoke pot all the time? (52 comments)

Reader mailbag: Where is a good place to get a cup of coffee in the East Village before 6 a.m.? (25 comments)

Reader mailbag: What has happened to the Cooper Station Post Office? (41 comments)

Reader mailbag: Can the landlord 'drill' the lock to gain access to my apartment for simple repairs? (15 comments)

Reader mailbag: Should we receive a rent abatement for having sporadic heat and hot water?

Mimi Cheng's Dumplings coming soon to the former Viva Herbal Pizzeria on 2nd Avenue

Viva Herbal Pizzeria, the gluten-free, vegan pizza joint at 179 Second Ave. near East 12th Street, closed at the beginning at the year.

These photos via Blue Glass show what's coming next: Mimi Cheng's dumplings …



Previously on EV Grieve:
Reader report: Viva Herbal Pizzeria has closed on Second Avenue (22 comments)

Please mind the new tree on St. Mark's Place

[Photo from May 2013 by EVG reader Ann]

Just about one year ago, plenty of people were pissed after the city chopped down a seemingly healthy ornamental Callery pear tree on St Mark's Place … on the south side of the street near No. 12.

A resident let his/her feelings known — arborcide!


[Photo by Chloe Sweeney McGlade via Facebook]

In November, someone used discarded cooktops, and many other items, to decorate the tree well…


[EVG photo from November 2013]

On Monday, the city planted a new tree in the spot, as part of the MillionTreesNYC program…



And by yesterday, there was a friendly reminder on the tree…



Previously on EV Grieve:
'Arborcide' — People are pissed that this tree was chopped down on St. Mark's Place

[Updated] Behold the cooktop sidewalk garden on St. Mark's Place

Hang out this summer in a St. Mark's Place penthouse — hammocks included

In case that you are in the market for a "furnished summer penthouse rental" on St. Mark's Place. Then you're in luck! Here's a new listing via Streeteasy:

gorgeous loft in the heart of the east village ...massive open loft with windows on 4 sides, a gigantic fire place, hardwood floors and 14' ceilings. windowed kitchen and windowed bath, top floor of elevator building.

Hmm, no mention of those hammocks seen hanging in the pic above. Also, that fireplace might not be too useful if we are in for the oppressively hot summer that summer weather predictors are, um, predicting...



Anyway! The rent: $5,900. The penthouse is at 12 St. Mark's Place — in the former German-American Shooting Society Clubhouse. Back in the late 1880s, the building housed a saloon, bowling alley as well as a small shooting range in the basement.