No Charlie Parker Jazz Festival for Tompkins Square Park this summer

Back on Thursday, SummerStage announced its 2021 season lineup ... with reduced-capacity in-person events returning on June 17. (Ticket requests begin tomorrow at noon.) The shows include the annual Charlie Parker Jazz Festival on Aug. 28-29. 

However, unlike in past years, Tompkins Square Park will not be hosting the Sunday portion of the festival. Performances on both days will be in Harlem's Marcus Garvey Park/Richard Rodgers Amphitheater, where it will be easier to support SummerStage's 2021 social-distancing guidelines and ticketing process. 

--update--

The shows are FREE. You do need to request a ticket, though. As Gothamist and other media outlets reported, there are also some shows, all in Central Park, that will serve as a benefit where there is a cost for tickets, including George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic on June 27, Machine Gun Kelly on Sept. 13 and Indigo Girls & Ani Difranco on Sept. 21. This link has more info on the shows.

--

The festival started in Tompkins Square Park in 1993 ... taking place near or on Parker's birthday on Aug. 29. Additional dates were added in Harlem in 2000. 

Parker, who died in 1955 at age 34, lived at 151 Avenue B from 1950-1954. That residential building between Ninth Street and 10th Street is landmarked. 

Photo from 2019 by Steven

Saturday's parting shot

City officials meeting early today to make sure that no one sells zines, hosts a drag show or plays live music in Tompkins Square Park ...

[Updated] Parks Department clears out the encampment from the Tompkins Square Park chess tables

This morning, workers from the parks and sanitation departments brought up a truck and dismantled the encampment that had grown in recent weeks inside the chess tables area in Tompkins Square Park. 

Felton Davis shared these photos from just inside the entrance on Seventh Street and Avenue A...

Per Felton: "How much time did they give to people to grab their stuff and go? I'm not sure."

Meanwhile, the Parks Enforcement Patrol tossed the young adults from XR Youth who were getting ready to hold a flea market with art, clothing and zines... (thanks to Steven for the photo)

Apparently, you need a permit. And if you apply for one, they won't sign off on it anyway.

Updated 6/6 

People moved back into the area around the chess tables this morning ...

Photo by Steven...

EVG Etc.: Resident sues NYPD after 2020 deli shooting; Metrograph plots in-person return

• Cops in riot gear shut down Washington Square Park and Union Square last night at 10 to enforce new weekend curfew rules (@vanishingny ... Gothamist)

• Paralyzed East Village resident sues the NYPD after 2020 deli shooting (Daily News ... previously on EVG) 

• Kjun — a well-reviewed Korean-Cajun takeout and delivery operation — is moving in with Hi-Collar on Ninth Street (Eater) 

• Metrograph launches new TV app, announces September return to in-person screenings (Deadline) 

• Rivera vs. Hussein in District 2 Council race (City Limits) 

• Kate Goldwater, owner of the Seventh Street thrift boutique AuH20, details how she was able to maintain her business during the pandemic (CNBC ... previously on EVG) 

• The future of Governors Island (Gothamist) 

• An ode to Porchetta, the former specialty sandwich shop on Seventh Street (Salon) 

• When hippies took over Tompkins Square Park in June 1967 (Off the Grid) 

• A look back at East Village Other, which chronicled the counterculture movement (JSTOR Daily) 

• Because several people sent me this link: Former One Direction member Zayn Malik involved in a dispute outside Amsterdam Billiards Club on Fourth Avenue and 11th Street (TMZ) 

Photo last night from Tompkins Square Park

Speaking out against another power plant for Stuy Town-Peter Cooper Village

The Stuyvesant Town-Peter Cooper Village Tenants Association is holding a rally tomorrow (Sunday, June 6) at 10 a.m. to speak out against plans for another "polluting power plant" on the property. 

Per the invite: "We’re not the only ones affected: so will be anyone within at least half a mile of the plants. According to the city, we have some of the worst air, and environmental justice is a concern." 

The rally is on Avenue C between 15th Street and 16th Street. Several local elected officials are expected to attend. 

Details and background here via the Tenants Association:

In 2018, Beam Living announced they would be constructing a power plant fueled by natural gas purchased from Con Ed on the Main level between 245 and 271 Avenue C. The plant would produce steam for 24 buildings, and the electricity would go back to Con Ed to offset management’s costs. Renderings of the plant shown to the Tenants Association and to tenants depicted a smaller, less intrusive structure than the final version. The plant was almost complete in 2020 when Beam Living announced a second plant, this one to be constructed under the floor of Garage #1 on 20th Street. Any electricity produced would be sold back to Con Ed.

Dazed and confused

 

Getting ready to go out on the town with New Order from 1983... the video for "Confusion" was filmed in part at the Fun House on West 26th Street. 

(Thought of this in part because I saw that tix for New Order and the Pet Shop Boys went on sale today for the Garden in September 2022 — rescheduled from this past September.)

Details on Open Garden Day NYC and Art Around the Hood tomorrow

Some local community gardens will be taking part tomorrow (Saturday!) in the fourth annual Open Garden Day via GreenThumb... activities include garden tours, arts and music, yoga, gardening workshops, etc. 

You can visit the NYC Parks website here for details. In addition, 20 local community gardens are participating in Art around the Hood. Details at the LUNGS website. 

Highlighting one event over at the First Street Garden between First Avenue and Second Avenue... where there'll be a zine and plant swap ...

Top photo from the 6th & B Garden

Today in corned beef hash news

The corned beef hash is back on the menu at McSorley's, 15 E. Seventh St., for the first time since March 16, 2020. 

Photo and hashtag by @plannedalism

Uprooted tree in Tompkins Square Park

Ugh. One of the beautiful American elms honey locust trees came down in Tompkins Square Park last night over between the main lawn and the dog run ... William Klayer shared these photos...

Combination of winds, wet soil and rotten roots? (Anyone?)...

Updated... Here's a view from the dog run via Derek Berg...

You can own the shuttered Avenue A diner Odessa, now for sale on Craigslist

Odessa has been closed for nearly 11 months at 119 Avenue A between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place.

Last July, longtime manager Dennis Vassilatos said that Odessa, which dates to the 1960s, was shutting down after a prolonged slump in business due to the pandemic.

However, closer to the last day, co-owner Steve Helios told Gothamist that Odessa was only closing temporarily, that the space would be renovated. (The building's landlord is Odessa partner Mike Skulikidis.) Few people bought this story, though. 

And for these last 11 months, Odessa has sat frozen in disco-fries time, without any noticeable activity inside.

However, an EVG reader (thanks, Bobby!) noticed that the diner was recently put up for sale on Craigslist... 

Per the ad:

Odessa Diner for Sale — Large Diner/Restaurant is a neighborhood staple for 44 years. Bustling business is located on a very busy street across from Tompkins Square Park and draws crowds with 24/7 service. It comprises over 2,000 SF on the ground level and 2,000 SF in the basement. Most of the business is walk-in with a significant possibility for growth by creating a large take-out business. Great casual and quick dining options for a densely populated area. Significant growth & expansion opportunities. 

Alternatively, it can easily be converted to other dining concepts with full bar. The location is ideal. Seats 100 in the restaurant and 9 at the counter. Kitchen is fully equipped and in excellent condition. Full basement with walk-in boxes and freezers. Full liquor license. Full breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night menu. New lease will be given to buyer. The owner requires that buyers provide Proof of funds. First time offered. Great opportunity.

Asking price: $400,000.

Who's in?

Nexus Flea returns tomorrow in a new (nearby) location

The next East Village Flea (aka Nexus Flea) happens tomorrow (Saturday!) — in a new location! Actually, two locations: The more than 20 local artists and merchants will be selling their wares from the northwest and southeast corners of First Avenue at Second Street.

Organizers said that the Parks Department will no longer let them hold the event on First Street and First Avenue at Peretz Square ... and their request for a permit was denied.

The flea market started on April 3 this year (relive that one here!) ... and they're running every other Saturday for now from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Thursday's parting shot

The devil is in the details ... There will be hell to pay ... What the devil? Photo on Seventh Street today by Derek Berg...