Preservation groupies unite! Here's your new Landmarks Application resource

From our inbox...The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation sends along word that they have introduced a
new Landmarks Application page that provides details on every application to the Landmarks Preservation Commission in Greenwich Village, NoHo, the East Village, the South Village and the Meatpacking District that requires a public hearing.

Per the release: "With this new page, you can find out critical information about current and past proposals to make changes to the exterior of a building, construct a new building, or demolish an existing building which is either landmarked or within a historic district in these neighborhoods."

At first glance this seems like an invaluable resource....This should keep us busy the next few days....

Community advocate Harry Wieder killed by cab on the LES

Harry Wieder, a Community Board 3 member and an activist for gay and disabled rights, was struck and killed by a cab last night on Essex Street. He was 57.

According to DNAinfo, Wieder was leaving a Community Board 3 meeting at PS 20 when the incident occurred on Essex Street between Houston and Stanton.

“I will miss Harry terribly,” CB 3 Chairman Dominic Pisciotta told DNAinfo. “He contributed so much to the board, and you could always count on him being at nearly every meeting. He loved serving the community, and most of all fighting for it.”

As The Lo-Down noted: On Wieder’s Facebook Page, he described himself as a: “Disabled, gay, Jewish, leftist, middle aged dwarf who ambulates with crutches…”

An unscientific survey! What you had to say about the B&H sign

The other day I posted photos of the new-look front at B&H on Second Avenue... I asked for your thoughts... But first!



I checked in with Jim and Karla Murray, the acclaimed photographers behind "Store Front: The Disappearing Face of New York." They include this photo of B&H circa 2001 in their book:



And what do they think of the 2010 version?

While we will always miss the old version of the sign, we have to applaud them for not going the vinyl awning route that so many stores now use. The green color of the sign and entire storefront IS very attention-grabbing. Not many stores have a green storefront!

And here are your comments...

Anonymous said...
I like it! They kept the sign true to its roots, only green.

Bowery Boogie said...
tasteful.

creature said...
Agreed. I like it.

marjorie said...
I love it too! i kinda wish it didn't clash with the green of the awning, tho. i'm anal like that.

Ken Mac said...
not bad at all!

glamma said...
thumbs up

VH McKenzie said...
I'm on the love train. Could have been a disaster but it is just a freshened up version of the original.

Looks like they're going for a more streamlined appearance by sticking with the all-green (sorta) color scheme. Good for them, good for the EV.

BrooksNYC said...
Likey!

Anonymous said...
i knooow, it's probably the best that can be done, and it is in good taste in staying w/ the original, but can i just say i miss a tiny bit the faded blue and just plain ol' letters? but everyone's right -- at least they didn't due a huge bubble sign.

UPDATED:

So...that's new sign: 9... hate the new sign: 3

Previously on EV Grieve:
B&H hangs its new sign: What do you think?

Toy Tokyo is moving

As you can see, Toy Tokyo, the collectibles hotspot where you can buy the likes of, say, Nintendo Super Mario Brothers Mushroom Slippers, has cleaned out its store on Second Avenue near Seventh Street ...



Have no fear, though! They're simply moving...



Still have no fear! The new store will be just a few blocks away at 91 Second Ave.



...where workers are busy stocking the store for Saturday's grand opening here...

Rite Aid's sign gets more comical

On 14th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B.

On Seventh Street tomorrow: Smurfs, Ted Danson, craft services

Yesterday, smurfers placed more signs around the neighborhood about filming "The Smurf Movie" here in Mushroom Village...




P.S.

Thursday promises to be a busy day for filming on Seventh Street... up on the next block, "Bored to Death," starring Ted Danson and Jason Schwartzman, will be setting up shop...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Smurfs up: Mushrooms, blue creatures in store for Thursday?

The guy who owns Luke's Lobster is smart

Luke's Lobsters over on Seventh Street near First Avenue opened last fall... and, judging by the crowds, people seem to love the place...

Anyway, I only know a little about the owner, 25-year-old Luke Holden ... he joined forces with the help of his father, Jeff, owner of the seafood supplier Portland Shellfish in Maine. (Luke grew up in Maine and spent his summers lobstering...) The press has mentioned Luke worked at a bank before starting his restaurant ...

Anyway, here's something for all you Luke's groupies... an interview with Luke, who did his undergrad work at the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University where he double-majored in finance and small business management, from Vault's Career Blog...

VAULT: You’ve just left a career in investment banking to own and operate your restaurant full time. Which firm did you work for, and what was your position?

Lucas Holden: I was a third-year analyst at CS Capital Advisors (formerly Cohen and Steers Capital Advisors) before leaving to start Luke’s Lobster. The investment banking team specializes in M&A capital-raising and restructuring services principally dedicated to the real estate investment trust (“REIT”) space.

You may read the rest of the interview here...

Your Shepard Fairey/Cooper Square Hotel daily update

Previously.

This week's sign of the apocalypse

The new MTV reality show, "Downtown Girls," starts on June 1. (Read the release here.)

Downtown Girls - MTV Shows

On 12th and Broadway, Quiznos and its erotic ads are gone, apparently

Our friend Alex over at Flaming Pablum noted over the weekend that the Quiznos Subs on East 12th Street and Broadway has apparently closed... I don't think I have ever eater at one... Regardless! A quick salute to the nudge, nudge promos from this store's front windows... to all the beef dips and toasty bullets that I never had!





Previously on EV Grieve:
Window shopping at Quiznos

Smurfs up: Mushrooms, blue creatures in store for Thursday?

Signs went up yesterday on parts of Seventh Street and Avenue A for...



HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

Here's the story from the official news release:

Audiences everywhere are in for a Smurfy good time as the Smurfs make their first 3D trip to the big screen. When the evil wizard Gargamel chases the tiny blue Smurfs out of their village, they tumble from their magical world and into ours -- in fact, smack dab in the middle of Central Park. Just three apples high and stuck in the Big Apple, the Smurfs must find a way to get back to their village before Gargamel tracks them down. The film is set for release August 3, 2011.

Neil Patrick Harris, Jayma Mays, Sofia Vergara, and Hank Azaria star on camera opposite an all-star voice cast. Anton Yelchin will play Clumsy Smurf; comedy legend Jonathan Winters, who voiced roles in the “Smurfs” television series, will voice Papa Smurf; Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Katy Perry will play Smurfette; Alan Cumming will play Gutsy Smurf; “SNL’s” Fred Armisen will voice Brainy Smurf; and George Lopez will play Grouchy Smurf.

Hmm... the Smurfs must find a way back to their village before Gargamel tracks them down? I think this plot might be more interesting:

The Smurfs are mistakenly accused of killing a big time gang leader named Cyrus. Soon they have every gang in the city out to get revenge. The Smurfs must make their way from one end of New York to their turf on the other side of the city.

Seriously, though... is the East Village going to stand in for Smurf Village? Do they run into Fratty Smurf or Bachelorette Party Smurf?

Oh, and P.S.

What's red, white, and blue, and has stars?

Papa Smurf after falling down the stairs, drunk.

New HSBC reminds customers not to bring guns into the branch

Progress and progress at the new HSBC branch on Second Avenue and Ninth Street... the hours and other matters have been posted...



Reminder: No guns, please... if you happen to have a hog leg strapped to your ankle, perhaps you can ask a passerby to hold if for you while you do your banking business...



And the branch has a name...



Which is likely very bad news for patrons of the Stuyvesant HSBC branch on First Avenue just past 14th Street...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Stuy Town neighbors rallying to save a bank branch

That baited area next to Croxley Ales

Last November, the former Croxley Ales beer garden went on the market on Avenue B near Second Street ... And, perhaps, as the first step of the next step (development!), the space is now being poisoned for pests...




Previously on EV Grieve:
Former Croxley Ales beer garden ready for development

PS 122 without the construction netting

With all the hoopla last week about the new-look PS 122 and its steel tower planned for the First Avenue arts mainstay ... I forgot to mention that the construction netting has come off...



...showing off the refurbished building...