Chimney collapse at 528 E. 13th St.

Several readers have told us about a chimney collapse at 528 E. 13th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B around 8:30 tonight...

Witnesses said that everyone is OK... however, residents who live in the rear of the building will have to spend tonight (and perhaps a few other nights too) elsewhere... the Red Cross was going to put anyone up who needed it... One resident described the noise as "sounding like an earthquake."

The following photos are from EV Grieve reader Deanne Draeger...

According to the DOB, there have been three complaints against the building... In September 1997, "EAST WALLOUT OF PLUMP REAR YARD CHIMNEY PULLING AWAY FROM BLDG. BROKEN SHAFT."

On Oct. 8, 2010 — "BRICK CHIMNEY SEPARATING" ... and Sept. 22, 2010, "FAILURE TO MAINTAIN BUILDING WALL. NOTED: STRUCTURAL STRESS CRACKS AT NUMEROUS LOCATIONS ON ALL FLOORS OF EAST ELEVATION."

According to the DOB, Crisari Realty is the owner.

Bubble man back in Tompkins Square Park today

Photos by Bobby Williams...

Week in Grieview

[Ninth Street at Avenue C, by Bobby Williams]

New condos for Seventh Street (Monday)

Tuition for Cooper Union? (Tuesday)

So long Crazy Landlord sign (Friday)

David Cross reads EV Grieve comments at the UCBeast grand opening (Monday)

76 Third Ave. is coming down (Thursday)

Rent reduction for St. Mark's Bookshop (Thursday)

A memorial for Steve Jobs in Tompkins Square Park? (Friday)

Zip 10003 has how many chain stores? (Wednesday)

Pepper spray and NYPD on Avenue A (Tuesday)

Nevada Smith's new home (Monday)

The Lab is gone from First Park (Monday)

Long lines for the M15 Select Bus Service on First Avenue; plus scarves (Friday)

We noted our 10,000th post (Tuesday)

Hello Karl Fischer!: Meet 'NY's most loathed architect'

[532 E. Fifth St.]

In the Post today, Maureen Callahan takes a look at Curbed favorite Karl Fischer in a piece titled "NY’s most loathed architect."

Let's jump right in:

Since 2003, Montreal-based architect Karl Fischer has designed more than 200 residential structures in Manhattan and Brooklyn, each one looking very much like the last: glass-curtained boxes flecked with grim brick or concrete, characterless high-rises in bohemian areas that, like uninvited party guests, seem to neither know nor care that they are profoundly out of place.

"Like doctors, there is a certain ethic of the architect: You're not supposed to make anything worse," says Aleksandr Mergold, architect and professor at Cornell University. "I'm not saying Karl Fischer is making things worse. But he’s not making things any better. That Cold War look seems to come from a lack of imagination. Great business model, though."

Fischer currently has three projects working in the East Village ... 427 E. 12th Street ... 316-318 E. Third St. ... and 532 E. Fifth St. ...

Please explain

East Third Street near Avenue B.

Yo Post

Somewhere along Avenue A. And is this the start of a NYC paper sticker war?

Meet the Ass family on Seventh Street

Photo by Dave on 7th.

A note for Adam

Spotted by EV Grieve reader Rob on Avenue A between Second Street and Houston...

And now, your 7-Eleven branding on the Bowery

As we first reported on Aug. 29, 7-Eleven is opening shop on the Bowery in the long-dormant retail space at 52E4 — the 15 stories of condo...

Anyway! The green, orange and red has arrived...

A thank you from St. Mark's Bookshop

Now, on to the next crisis...

Previously.

Do rats know how to Push?

In our ongoing coverage of the TSP Ratstravaganza, we've discussed the problems with the trash outside the Park — specifically on the corners of 10th Street and Avenue A that provided another possible source of food. You know, just dart across the street for the smörgåsbord.

Anyway, the city has added new Push tops on the corner cans.

We waited to post these until the early reviews were in... so far, the new Push lids haven't been reviewed on Yelp.

Buy a book... or a children's book

Jeremiah has declared this as a Buy (Another) Book Weekend at St. Mark's Bookshop... Meanwhile, EV Grieve reader and blogger Marjorie Ingall notes in a post yesterday what a great resource the store is for kiddy books... with a small but well-curated section. She also talked with co-owner Bob Contant about the children's book section.

The good German

The Passions with "I'm in love with a German film star" from 1981.

The long lines for the M15 Select Bus service on First Avenue

[The line on Tuesday morning for the M15 Select Bus ticket machine on First Avenue between Second and Third streets]

The M15 Select Bus Service debuted back in October 2010. We haven't heard much about it since then.

However, in the last three to four months, EV Grieve reader Jenny notes that there are problems with the stop on First Avenue between Second Street and Third Street.

Per Jenny: "Nearly every morning one of the two machines is out of service and there are lines of 60-70 people at a time. You have to wait 15 minutes just to get through the line, and then sometimes the bus will wait another 10 minutes for others to get on the bus."

One way to bypass this: Jump on the bus, hop off at 14th Street to pay where there are more machines, and get back on the bus. For Jenny, this worked a few times — until the MTA police caught her without a receipt and fined her $100. She explained that the machines were down and showed them all her previous receipts. But, you know.

A solution: Add a third machine to this stop on First Avenue. Or at least send around crews more often to repair the machines.