'Deception' at Astor Place; dead body takes a break

Crews were out this afternoon filming a scene for the new ABC crime drama "Deception" on Astor Place.

Then everyone took a break...



Photos by Derek Berg

Ramones Ramp mural damaged in Queens

[Ori Carino with Mickey Leigh in June 2016]

On June 5, 2016, East Village-based artist Ori Carino unveiled a new mural at the Thorneycroft Ramp in Forest Hills, Queens. The ceremony was part of a day of events organized by the Queens Museum, which was showing "Hey! Ho! Let’s Go: Ramones and the Birth of Punk" at the time.

Carino painted the image of the four Ramones at the ramp based on a 1975 photograph by photographer Bob Gruen.

Marc H. Miller, the curator of that Ramones show, wrote in to report that the mural has been damaged...



Michael Perlman, a historian who lives in Queens, believes that maintenance workers at the Thorneycroft Ramp at Fanwood Estates painted around artist the mural, possibly before it rained ... sending red, vertical streaks down the mural...



"Everyone loves the mural out there in Forest Hills," Miller told me. "I’m optimistic that the real-estate company that owns the ramp will get it restored. It's just a question of allocating some money for Ori to fix it."

Bali Kitchen will start serving Indonesian cuisine tonight on 4th Street

Bali Kitchen opens this evening at 5 here at 128 E. Fourth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

The small restaurant is owned by Jazz Pasay, a fashion designer in Indonesia who also loves to cook. He has worked at Indonesian and Japanese restaurants in the past. This is his first restaurant in NYC, according to a Bali Kitchen rep, who added "we are delighted to be part of the East Village."

Bali Kitchen is open daily from 5-10:30 p.m. You can find the menu via the Bali website here.

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Per Bali Kitchen: "We would like to invite the East Village community to celebrate our opening by giving a 15% discount when your readers mention 'EV Grieve' to our cashiers. This promotion is good until the end of September 2017."

48 Clinton St. for sale as development site

[48 Clinton St.]

Yesterday I noted that 238-240 E. Third St. between Avenue B and Avenue C is available as either a development site or as its most recent use — a theater space.

This is one of two properties that founders of the Blue Man Group sold this past summer for $18.5 million.

The other site is 48 Clinton St. between Stanton and Rivington on the Lower East Side. That rather mysterious building (pictured top) is also for sale.

According to the listing at RKF:

The property can be redeveloped up to 10,000 SF for a mixed-use development as per R7A zoning.

New residential projects include the adjacent 50 Clinton and The Ludlow, which have introduced 280 high-end residential apartments, bringing many young, affluent New Yorkers to the neighborhood.

A PDF of the property — billed as a "redevelopment opportunity" — notes that the four-level space has served as a recording studio.



No. 48 was once home to LoHo Studios, which an array of artists such Joey Ramone, Willie Nelson, Phish, Patti Smith and Joan Jett have used.

There isn't a price listed for No. 48.

Public records show that an LLC affiliated with Blue Man Productions bought the building in 2008 for $5 million.

Ummburger makes it official on 1st Avenue

The coming soon signage arrived over the weekend for Ummburger, a self-described burger bar here at 99 First Avenue and Sixth Street.

Work on the murals began over the Labor Day Weekend...and appear to be finished now...





In materials submitted to CB3 this past spring, the applicants described Ummburger as a "fast casual" concept serving a variety of burgers, including a vegetarian option. There are other sandwiches too, such as a fried chicken sandwich called the Southern Ummfort.

The previous tenant at this address, Mancora, moved across Sixth Street earlier in the summer.

H/T to EVG readers Bruce and Vinny & O for noting the progress!

Previously on EV Grieve:
Ummburger vying for the Mancora space on 1st Avenue

Dueling notes at the Miracle Garden on 3rd Street

An EVG reader shares these photos ... the above "Dear Garden Ladies" sign arrived at the Miracle Garden on Third Street between Avenue A and Avenue B ... stating:

We love this garden.

Please open it up for us. Its [sic] unfair to tease your neighbors by locking this special sanctuary.

Love your neighbors.

Someone from the garden (presumably) responded with the following letter...



...stating that "unfortunately not everyone had the respect we assume you have for the Garden & there has been severe damage (furniture broken, furniture stolen, plants trampled, plants pulled up & thrown everywhere .. etc. etc.) so for protection, we need a member around to make sure this doesn't continue."

Anyway, the letter goes on, ending with "We would love for the neighborhood to actively become involved and help."

Their monthly meeting is tonight at 7.

Just For Fen opens on 1st Avenue

Just For Fen is in soft-open mode at 229 First Ave. between 13th Street and 14th Street.

You can find some pics of their noodle dishes via the restaurant's Instagram account here.

As noted, Bago was the previous tenant at this address.

[Video] Nighttime along Avenue A on Sept. 11 and Sept. 12, 2001

Harold Kramer shared this video that he filmed on the evening of Sept. 11, 2001. Kramer, who owned the Raven Cafe on Avenue A and 12th Street, starts the clip by talking about the events of the day.

At around the 1:45 mark, he shows the Twin Towers mural that Chico quickly put up on the southwest corner of 14th Street at Avenue A. Kramer spent the bulk of the video with people at the mural the following evening.

As one New York Times reader said of the work: "It filled me with hope and sadness and some kind of love for all of the other New Yorkers living through the hours and days yet to come."

The landlord of the building eventually covered the mural with ads. The mural briefly reappeared in November 2013.



[EVG reader-submitted photos from 2013]

Noted

Spotted making a deliver this afternoon in Stuy Town... via @KarenLoew

Noted

An EVG reader shared this note to fellow residents from a building on Avenue A near 11th Street...

"If your apt is vibrating + noisy, please call the landlord."

So many possibilities...

EVG Etc.: Creating the 9/11 Tribute in Light; Reading up on the candidates

[Morning view from Astor Place]

How the 9/11 Tribute in Light comes together (Curbed)

A local Voter Guide ahead of Tuesday's Primary Day (The Lo-Down)

How the City Council candidates view the future of the former P.S 64 and CHARAS/El Bohio community center on East Ninth Street (Crain's ... previously)

A feature on the married chefs who run Fat Cat Kitchen on 14th Street (Town & Village)

A years-in-the-making restoration of "Soul City" via East Village filmmaker-artist M. Henry Jones on Thursday night (Anthology Film Archives)

Spike Jonze brings a new dance-based project to La MaMa (The New York Times)

More talks on the future of Sara D. Roosevelt Park's Stanton Street Storehouse (DNAInfo)

Senior housing for the fire-damaged Beth Hamedrash Hagadol on the LES? (BoweryBoogie)

Bird migration in Tompkins Square Park (Laura Goggin Photography)

Alex shares some photos from the summer of 2017 (Flaming Pablum)

Diversions: Sammy Hagar's influence on the early Clash (Dangerous Minds)

... and the NYPD released info on an assault that took place last month on First Avenue between First Street and Second Street.

The #NYPD is seeking assistance in identifying the person ⬇️in regards to an assault that took place on 8/12/17 at 25 1 Ave ☎️ #800577TIPS pic.twitter.com/XaZd7hg7rb

— NYPD 9th Precinct (@NYPD9Pct) September 8, 2017

3rd Street development site on the market for $12 million

238-240 E. Third St. between Avenue B and Avenue C is now on the market. The two-story building is next door to the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, which will be undergoing a gut renovation.

Here are the details about No. 238-240 via the listing at Cushman & Wakefield:

The lot is approximately 50’ x 106’ with a lot coverage of 5,253 SF. The building houses offices, a meeting area, and a large theatrical studio with 20’ ceiling heights. Furthermore, it was most recently used by a local entertainment company in which theatrical acts and stunts were arranged. The fire alarm, sprinkler and electrical systems have been upgraded recently. The CO allows for a maximum occupancy of 76 on the ground floor, and 12 on the mezzanine.

The building has approximately 4,500 SF on the ground floor, 850 SF on the mezzanine level and 800 SF in the basement. It is in the R8B zone, which has a 4.00 FAR for residential or community facility uses. The total buildable square footage is approximately 21,000. Note: There is an outdoor walkway alley on the westerly side of the property (the majority of the building is 43 feet wide).

This is an excellent opportunity for a developer to acquire a 50’ wide development site in the East Village. In addition, considering how unique the building is, the offering presents an incredibly rare opportunity in which the current building and configuration could be maintained for a user.

So, the options are build up for some housing... or maintain as a property for theater. Either way, the asking price is $12 million.

In a previous life the building served as a movie theater. Public records from July list two of the founders of the Blue Man Group — Chris Wink and Philip Stanton — as the previous owners, who received $18.6 million for this and another LES property.

In a deal announced in early July, Cirque du Soleil acquired Blue Man Productions. Specific terms of the deal weren't disclosed, but it is believed to be worth in the tens of millions, according to published reports.