After 35 years on East 9th Street, Mascot Studio is leaving the East Village

[Photo by Lola Sáenz]

Mascot Studio, a custom frame and fine art shop, is leaving its home of 35 years (25 years at No. 328) on East Ninth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue in the weeks ahead.

Peter McCaffrey said that he is relocating to Chelsea in collaboration with Pratzon Art Restoration, 122 W. 26th St.

We asked McCaffrey for more details about the move.

"I was offered a share in a space with a painting restorer I know personally, and that is coming at the right time for me," he said. "It will not be a retail environment but in a building with other creative companies."

McCaffrey's lease on Ninth Street is up in September.

"It has been difficult the last few years. Many of my old clientele have moved on and the influx of a more transitory population has affected my custom framing business," he said. "Selling art is another challenge, but I think the mindset of 'inexpensive and disposable' has become the norm as new residents come and go."

Through July, the shop is having a sale on frames, prints and some of McCaffrey's own work.

As he wrote on a Facebook post: "I am excited and overwhelmed by the prospect of the next phase. Thank You All! for the years of loyalty and support. See you in Chelsea."

An ugly scene at the 6BC Botanical Garden

Several readers/residents passed along an email that's circulating among garden members about an ugly incident Sunday in the 6BC Botanical Garden on Sixth Street between Avenue B and Avenue C.

A garden member showed up around 5 p.m. to work on her plot... she unlocked the gate. Several people came into the space upon the arrival of the gardener, including "a tall young man who said hi" who sat at the wire table in the back.

Here's more via the email to garden members:

Two other guys, a young man with a teenager sitting by the pond, started talking to me about what a treasure the garden is and we had a short conversation. While talking to them I turn, look around, and I see the first guy sitting at the wire table still, but completely naked and masturbating. I tell the two men I was chatting with ... "I must call 911." I did panic a bit, because at this point a good number of people were walking around in the garden.

Now the naked man is standing up and walking toward me, touching himself and growling, talking dirty. I start screaming “sir you must leave, we are calling the police.” He doesn’t care and honestly he seems very high. The gentlemen at this point reassured me they are staying with me while I call the police and as long as needed. The naked man is approaching and I start walking toward the exit, telling people to leave. I was hoping to lock him inside, but I couldn’t, too many people were still inside as well.

According to the email, the man walked outside the garden, turned west and headed to Avenue B. The woman, accompanied by the two other men, waited for the police from Grape and Grain next door.

The naked man left his clothes in the garden, so with the police I walked back there to show them where he was. Going through the pockets they found his phone and his ID: I recognized him in the photo. Something else was in his pockets, which I found very scary: a star-head screwdriver that can become a weapon in the wrong hands.

The email ends with a note about what an oasis of peace and harmony the garden is, though: "We are still in New York City and some crazy people walk around..."

The email did not contain a description of the man. We don't know if the police made an arrest in this incident. He probably wasn't too difficult to find given that he was naked and the police had his phone and ID.

Red Koi Organic Sushi Lounge has closed on 1st Avenue

An EVG reader notes that in fairly quick succession, Red Koi Organic Sushi Lounge at 57 First Ave. closed... was served an eviction notice from the Marshal and put on the market.

We didn't know too much about this restaurant between Third Street and Fourth Street... it opened, as we recall, in late 2014...



As you will no doubt remember, the space was home, too briefly, to the Pudgie's-Nathan's-Arthur Treacher's action-packed combo during the glorious summer of 2012. That fryplex of fatty fun was sadly gone by the end of 2012. But we have our memories. And photos.

[Photo from 2012 by Bobby Williams]

The listing for the space isn't online just yet. It was posted at $7,500 after Pudgie's died.

Last Manhattanhenge till 2017!

Some photos tonight on East 14th Street via EVG regular Peter Brownscombe...

Con Ed's helpful scratch-n-sniff mailer

An EVG reader came home today to find the above postcard in the mail... a safety message from Con Ed that includes a peel-and-sniff feature to help people detect the smell of gas (hint: rotten eggs) in their homes.

Per the reader: "I am marveling at the very potent scent it contains!"

Find more information at the Con Ed website on what to do if you detect a gas leak.

Citi Bike temporarily bumped from 4th Street for curb work

[Photo by Derek Berg]

Workers yesterday packed up the Citi Bike docking station on Fourth Street and Second Avenue...


[Photo by DB]


...and took it off to parts unknown, though only temporarily...

Station Update: E 4th St & 2nd Ave has been removed for the next month due to construction.

— Citi Bike (@CitiBikeNYC) July 11, 2016

Signs on the block point to a an expansion of the curb line, which Citi Bike officials optimistically believe/hope will last just a month...

On East 12th Street, 'The rats have taken over!'

On East 12th Street, we've heard from a few residents who have reported a growing rat problem on the block between Avenue A and First Avenue... (one resident took to leaving a note/cry for help on one of the residential buildings).

According to one resident, the dual construction sites across the street (Steiner East Village and East Side Community School) have contributed to the problem...



There are also two active construction sites behind East 12th Street with Thirteen East + West.

"The rats have taken over the block," the resident said. [On Saturday] morning, I witnessed a rat give chase to a squirrel across 12th Street. The squirrel won — barely."

The residents said they have called 311 to report the vermin.

Oh hi: The 22-floor Bowlmor Lanes-replacing luxury building

The rendering on the plywood along University Place between 12th Street and 13th Street – former home of Bowlmor Lanes — doesn't really illustrate just how large and luxurious the 22-floor retail-residential complex will be here...

You have to go to the website of architect Annabelle Selldorf for the full effect... (The Times had the full reveal back in late May.)



Per the Selldorf website:

This new 118,500 sf mixed-use project is located on the corner of University Place and East 12th Street in Greenwich Village. The primary urban opportunities of the site are to connect to the thriving pedestrian activity and contribute to the public’s experience of the streetscape.

To achieve this the two story retail base has expansive storefront windows interrupted by dark aluminum mullions that create an intimate rhythm and scale. Additionally, the 20 story residential tower above the retail base is set back to maximize the amount of sunlight that reaches the adjacent sidewalks and provide generous rooftop gardens.

The 50-plus-unit building, dubbed 21E12 by developer Billy Macklowe, will have homes ranging from $2.35 million to more than $15 million. The project was originally said to be 23 floors. Now just 22.

Last November, local elected officials, preservation groups and even actor Ed Norton rallied to have this area rezoned to put height limits on new construction along this corridor. Mayor de Blasio wasn't apparently too interested in the proposal.

This building will dwarf a new 7-story luxury condo going in next door at the corner of 13th Street.

Bowlmor Lanes closed in July 2014 after 76 years in business.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Building that houses Bowlmor Lanes will convert to condos, like everywhere else around here

76-year-old Bowlmor Lanes closes for good today

Bowlmor says goodbye

Bowlmor Lanes replacement: 23-floor residential building

Major changes coming to University Place and East 13th Street

How about some more condos for University Place

Here's what's left of the block of University Place that once housed Bowlmor Lanes

Former Downtown Auto space continues conversion to open-air food market

Work continues at 348 Bowery, where workers are transforming part of the former Downtown Auto & Tire left into an open-air food market... the new fence arrived last week... and the kiosks are coming together...



As we first reported on Feb. 1, the corner lot at Great Jones will showcase several quick-serve food vendors. BoweryBoogie noted yesterday that the space will be called — The Bowery Market.

The website for the market doesn't include any details on the vendors. Essex Street's Cabilito Pupuseria was said to be a participant. (Their crowdfunding campaign for a food stand has yielded $230 of a $18,000 goal.)

No word either on an opening date.

The address has been without a full-time tenant since Downtown Auto & Tire left in April 2012. The Deth Killers of Bushwick opened a pop-up shop here in February 2014, selling their brand of jeans and motorcycle stuff for several months.

Hopefully The Bowery Market will be a much more viable space than Boutiques on Bowery was across the street.

A look at the 2nd-to-last Manhattanhenge of 2016

EVG reader 8E took this shot tonight on East 14th Street...

There will be a half-sun Manhattanhenge tomorrow evening... then that's it until 2017.

Updated:

Here's a another shot via ‏@WonderlandNYC ...

Cloud watch

The cloud-shaped action (with many one flying bag) earlier over Tompkins Square Park today via Grant Shaffer...

At a commercial shoot for Starbucks, where craft services doesn't serve Starbucks

A crew was on Seventh Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue today filming a commercial for Starbucks Visa... EVG reader Daniel noted that the craft services did NOT serve Starbucks during the filming of said Starbucks commercial...





No word if craft services accepted Visa.