Monday, July 16, 2012

Report: Citi Bikes launch now happening in August, most likely

[Shawn Chittle]

The city’s bike-share system will launch in August, not the previously announced start date of July (Streetsblog ... previously)

One way to keep rats out of the trash and practice your jump shot at the same time



Spotted in Tompkins Square Park today...

Photos by Bobby Williams.

Breaking: Chipotle gets new signage on St. Mark's Place

[Bobby Williams]

Previously!

[Via]

Countdown to City Council vote on NYU's expansion

As the Greenwich Village Society of Historic Preservation website notes... the City Council's Land Use Committee is expected to vote on NYU's proposed takeover expansion plan tomorrow.

Per GVSHP: "While the full City Council likely won’t vote until July 25, tomorrow’s vote IS KEY in determining what the entire City Council will do — and it is the City Council which ultimately decides whether or not the NYU plan is approved."

You can find their action plan on the GVSHP website here.

Meanwhile, last night, an array of noted authors and academics gathered at McNally Jackson Books on Prince Street to discuss NYU ... and read from the new book "While We Were Sleeping: NYU and the Destruction of New York" by the NYU Faculty Against the Sexton Plan...

EVG contributor Joann Jovinelly was there ... and she shared a few photos...


Fran Lebowitz

Arthur Nersesian

Kevin Baker

Sarah Schulman

Per Joann: "The book belongs on every New Yorker's shelf right alongside E.B. White's 'Here Is New York' and Colson Whitehead's 'The Colossus of New York.'"

It's a print-on-demand edition put out by McNally Jackson. The book is $10 with proceeds going to fund the fight against the plan.

Lebowitz doesn't have anything in the book, but she was there for support. "I don't normally come out for such events, but it's rare that I ever get to be in a room where everyone agrees with me."

Check out Occupy East 4th Street for more on last night.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Why the East Village should fear NYU 2031

Anniversaries

Three like-minded blogs/websites that I follow on a hourly-daily basis are celebrating anniversaries...

No. 7 for Flaming Pablum

No. 5 for Jeremiah's Vanishing New York

No. 4 for BoweryBoogie

That's 16 years of collected wisdom, news, vanishings, rants, inspiration ...

And, as I like to do in these serious moments, I turn to a 50-year-old animated TV series about a working-class Stone Age man's life...

A $4 million 'price break' for Avenue D development site

[Google Street View]

Back on May 21, The Real Deal reported that the above stretch of retail that includes a Rite Aid on Avenue D between Seventh Street and Sixth Street was on the market for $22.5 million.

The site is earmarked for a residential development that "could potentially rise 12 stories" — particularly with "the creation or preservation of affordable housing."

Well, all that will cost someone a little less... the price has been reduced by $4 million to $18.5 million...

Late summer opening date now for Union Market


We continue to watch the northeast corner of Avenue A and East Houston... where workers have been renovating/rehabbing the space for a new Union Market. Various construction issues have delayed the opening, once set for last fall.

Here's the latest, via an email sent to residents of 240 E. Houston:

The contractors for Union Market have nearly completed their foundation work and are moving quickly forward to build out their interior space. The store's exterior work is scheduled to commence in the next week and the UM owners will be installing new brick, full-height glass panels, and a clean, continuous signature awning that should give our Building a much improved look!

In addition, unlike the previous Commercial tenants, the UM contractors will be weatherproofing all seams, to minimize the street-level erosion that occurred in the past. This Board is partnering with UM to make certain the 240 east Houston entrance to our residences is clearly delineated.

The current goal is for a Grand Opening in late August or early September.

We understand the East Village storefront will look similar to the Seventh Avenue location in Park Slope...

[Via the Union Market website]

Previously on EV Grieve:
About Union Market coming to Avenue A and Houston

Mid-summer now at the earliest for Union Market on Avenue A and Houston

35 Cooper Square is looking pretty awesome

We were, of course, saddened to see the demolition of the historic, circa-1825 building at 35 Cooper Square in May 2011...

At the same time, we are enjoying what has taken its place — an empty lot that continues to attract an array of graffiti. And some new work went up in the last few days...




Perhaps this can become our own 5Pointz ...

The 8 Rs outside the former Cabrini Center


East Fifth Street at Avenue B.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Cabrini Center patients out by the end of today; closes for good June 30

Water cafe now open on East 10th Street


Back in May, we pointed out the signs for Molecule, the incoming water cafe on East 10th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue... Several readers told us that the cafe, which sells "hyper-filtered, perfectly pure, eco-conscious" water and various related supplies, is now open.

Unfortunately, it wasn't open for the day when we went by...


We'll stop by at some point. Anyone else try it?

Losing another Mystery Lot


Catching up with some news from late last week... The Lo-Down reported that an unknown buyer has purchased the two vacant lots at 327 and 329 E. Houston St. for $8.4 million, as well as two adjoining parcels at 331 E. Houston and 163 Ridge St. for another $4 million.

Of course, the Mystery Lot off East 14th Street/East 13th Street will soon be a new development too...



It's part of the portfolio that belonged to reclusive real-estate baron William Gottlieb ... The lot has been empty for seemingly eons ...

[File photos via EVG]

Venus and Jupiter over the Con Ed power station


Avenue C and East 14th Street around 5 a.m. Shawn Chittle, who took the photo, also sent along this handy map ...