Death Star getting its shield!

EVG reader MP takes note of the following today at 51 Astor Place...

Per MP: "How long before the Empire attacks?"

And one day...



Hat tip to MP for the headline too...

Study: Bicyclists and pedestrians power local East Village businesses

Here's part of a news item from StreetsBlog from yesterday...

Transportation Alternatives has released a new study [PDF] showing that people who walk, bike and take transit to the East Village are local retailers’ best customers.

In a random survey of 420 East Village pedestrians, 95 percent of respondents said that they usually walk, bike or take transit to the neighborhood, with only 5 percent using a taxi or private automobile. TA asked respondents how often they visit the area and how much they usually spend per visit, using the replies to calculate how much each person typically spends per week in the area. The interesting patterns emerge when you segment that information by how the respondents got to the neighborhood. It shows that bicyclists and pedestrians are bigger spenders than those who arrive by taxi and car.

StreetsBlog has a few charts and some analysis if you'd like to dig into it here. The report itself is 19 pages.

Bonus chart!

Angel Memorial House for sale on Avenue B; condos or single-family home in the offing

The longtime home of the New York Gospel Mission at 149 Avenue B near East Ninth Street just hit the market for $5.5 million. According to the Massey Knakal listing:

This 5 story plus lower level elevatored building is located directly across from Tompkins Square Park and will be delivered vacant. The property was gut renovated in the mid 90’s and is currently constructed of concrete and steel. This is an excellent opportunity for either a user to convert to a single family or a boutique condo conversion.

According to its website, New York Gospel Mission was founded in 1895 by Dr. Bernard Angel. He died in 1929, and his daughter Ruth became the director. In 1944 the mission purchased the five-story building at 149 Avenue B, and named it Angel Memorial House after the founders.

God's work is no longer necessary in the East Village, just more places for people to enjoy $27 cocktails.

Here's what's coming to the former Life Cafe space

We've been interested in learning about who was taking over the former Life Cafe corner space on Avenue B at East 10th Street. As mentioned on Monday, an applicant going by Yardbird LLC is on the October CB3/SLA docket for a wine-beer license. (9th Street Espresso is expanding into the other half of the storefront.)

Nialls Fallon, one of the partners in the new venture, sent me an email on Monday night. "We will be opening a cafe and wine bar in the coming months," said Fallon, who's still working with his business partner Gareth Maccubbin on refining the concept.

Both partners live in the East Village (Maccubbin directly across the street) and both have restaurant experience at two buzzy Mulberry Street eateries. Fallon was the general manager at Torrisi while Maccubbin held the same position at Torrisi spinoff Parm next door. Both resigned from their respective GM positions to work on this new project.

I mentioned that a lot of people were curious about the space's future, given that things around here have a knack for turning into either Subways/7-Elevens/Starbucks or bro-tastic bars. Plus, for some people, Life Cafe had been a regular spot for many years.

"We decided on the space for two reasons, the first being we didn't want to see the 7-Eleven-Starbucks scenario you mentioned happen there. Second, we wanted to be in an iconic space that carried on some form of community identity and East Village-ness," Fallon said. "I am excited to create something new and make sure that the corner remains owned and operated by locals."

Oh, and are they really opening a place called Yardbird next door to a newish bar called Blackbird?

"Yardbird is a reference to being on the corner of Charlie Parker Place, and was named before Lakeside turned into Blackbird," Fallon said. "Nonetheless, 'bird' will not be included in the name of the space."

Previously on EV Grieve:
After 30 years, Life Cafe closes — 'until further notice' — in the East Village

Mystery Lot killer REVEALED; bland, glassy box in custody

Good lord.

Curbed yesterday posted parts of the news released trumpeting the arrival of development sprouting right now at (officially) 211 E. 13th St., formerly the longtime home to the Mystery Lot.

Some details from that release:

Units will have nine foot ceilings, and a third will have "substantial outdoor space." There will also be six "private rooftop cabana terraces," which we assume will be connected to penthouses. Shared building amenities include a library, fitness center, residents and business lounges, and a rooftop terrace with an outdoor kitchen.

Back with more when we're done weeping.

[Some time ago]

Previously on EV Grieve:
City approves new building for Mystery Lot

The Mystery Lot likely facing a luxurious end

The last days of the Mystery Lot

DL team hoping to take over the The Porch on Avenue C

Big things are in the works for the former Porch on Avenue C between Eighth Street and Seventh Street. People behind the LES soap opera the DL (formerly Ludlow Manor) at 95 Delancey are aiming to open a bar-restaurant concept, according to paperwork on file with CB3.

"Apartment 13, 115 Avenue C" is on the October CB3/SLA docket. Behind the new venture is Paul Seres, president of the New York Nightlife Association and a member of Community Board 4 (serving Chelsea). Ludlow Manor/DL (and The Delancey) partner Aleksandra Drozd is also listed as an applicant.

The application (PDF) lists a "restaurant-bar" opening here with 36 tables (and 80 seats) and 1 bar with 12 seats (plus a patio on the second floor). No opening time is listed, but closing time is midnight Sunday-Tuesday; 2 a.m. Wednesday-Thursday; 4 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

Food will be served during all business hours, and sample menu items include small plates of bone marrow gremolata ($14) and lobster brulee ($15).

How is the DL? Here is BoweryBoogie on it in July: "Scourge is probably the best word to describe the new party palace at 95 Delancey Street." A Yelper called the DL "one of the douchiest, skeeviest places I've ever visited."

There's not enough time to get into all all the history with the pre-DL incarnation, the Ludlow Manor, which included the involvement of Lady Gaga ex Luc Carl.

Seres came into the operation earlier in the year, and he gave his side of the story to The Lo-Down back in March. Read that here.

Out and About in the East Village

In this weekly feature, East Village-based photographer James Maher provides us with a quick snapshot of someone who lives and/or works in the East Village.

By James Maher

Name: Sarah "Sas" Stewart
Occupation: Environmental Engineering Marketing and Communications
Location: Avenue C between 7th and 8th
Time: 12:20 on Sunday, Sept. 30

I was born in Detroit originally; that’s where a lot of my family still is. I spent a couple of years in Hawaii, in Kauai, surfing, scuba diving and doing accounting — you know, the usual. Then I moved to New York about 6 years ago and have been living in the East Village for 4 years. Adventure brought me here. I had never lived here before or been here before and I just fell in love.

We were living in a small apartment that we loved a couple years ago and had very much made our own — until we got a letter saying that we were not going to be allowed to renew our lease. Then, shortly after, we got a lease and so we signed it and sent it back.

After a lot of trips to the public records department, we found out that our apartment had been illegally destabilized and they were trying to kick us out to turnover the apartment. It was a battle. The Cooper Square Committee helped us out and can tell you a lot of people’s stories similar to this. We had to get a lawyer and were lucky to find someone who would do it for free. It was terrible and they tried to take us to court and get us on a blacklist ... but it didn’t make us leave the neighborhood. We technically settled out of court and we haven’t had to really press to see if we still are on that list. A husband and wife own the building that we live in now and they’re wonderful and approachable and respectful.

This neighborhood has been a large part of our lives, but my fiancé got an opportunity to work in Vermont — and it was an opportunity that we couldn't turn down. So he moved up there recently and commutes to the city on the weekends and I will be following him up probably in the next year, but we're definitely going to be back. How can we stay away?

James Maher is a fine art and studio photographer based in the East Village. Find his website here.

Rockit Scientist Records to become a bubble tea shop on St. Mark's Place

John Kioussis, the owner of Rockit Scientist Records, which closed on St. Mark's Place in the spring, passed along word of the new tenant: A bubble tea shop. Uh-huh. Seems about right these days.

"Thank you NY real estate," he said on Facebook.

Jeremiah Moss first reported on Rockit's departure. Kioussis told Jeremiah, "my lease is ending and i don't want to renew at the current rate, i asked for a rent reduction and was turned down. While business wasn't great, it just isn't worth paying $8500 a month."

In six-year eviction fight, 'sushi defense' keeps East Sixth Street resident in apartment

A so-called "sushi defense" has saved a longtime East Sixth Street resident from eviction. The Daily News reports today that State Appellate Division judges ruled 3-to-2 that Masako Mogi could stay in her $992-a-month studio at 409 E. Sixth St., where she has lived since 1980.

The landlord, not named in the article, had been trying to evict her for six years. The landlord's attorney offered records showing that Mogi used a below-average amount of electricity — evidence she spent most of her time in a second home in Vermont.

But! For her part, "Mogi testified that she often eats out, orders takeout or makes sushi, which doesn’t require much juice."

I looked at Streeteasy, and found that the average price for an apartment here runs $2,715.

The most recent "gut renovated" apartment went for $3,000 this past summer. The listing included one of those stalky YouTube videos of the unit...

[Updated] In which we don't have any idea of what happened

So Bobby Williams spotted this blue tarp covering something in the middle of Tompkins Square Park this afternoon...

And just like that, two people showed up to uncover it...

... then a film crew appeared out of nowhere...

... and the actors...

...and they all left just as quickly once the rained kicked in.

Any guesses except what this really was are welcome.

Updated 10-3:

Oh, a blog friend says that it was a Bruce Weber commercial for Dior.

Noted

Um.

Going on until 3:30 today in Union Square. Per the Merrick Pet Care Facebook page: "Food worthy of a fork. This is the standard we hold ourselves to. Using only ingredients of the highest quality, it's food that elevates the bowl. It's food you will be tempted to eat." Top photo by Dave on 7th.

Same old rat story in Tompkins Square Park

Well, you've heard and seen this one before... this morning, while walking in Tompkins Square Park, I saw that someone had just plopped down about 10 pounds of bread chunks ... a few squirrels were nibbling on the feast...

... when the rats emerged from the nearby holes ...

Well, you can only really make out one rat in this photo...

And nearby...

Mickey Leigh on his brother Joey Ramone's 'New York City' video

You may have seen the new video for Joey Ramone's "New York City," which was released last Tuesday. (I first saw it over at Flaming Pablum.)

Ramone died in 2001; his posthumous album, "Ya Know" came out in the spring.

"We had to do something without the artist’s involvement, but that would pay homage to the artist," director Greg Jardin told Fast Company.

So Jardin took thousands of still photographs of Ramone's friends, fans and strangers throughout the city and "pieced them together to create a stop-motion tribute film in the spirit of the artist and the song," per Fast Company. (You'll likely spot a lot of familiar faces in the video.)

As you can see, the video starts in the East Village and first features Ramone's brother, Mickey Leigh, a longtime musician who also plays on "Ya Know?"

Via Facebook, I asked Leigh a few questions about the video.

What are your thoughts on seeing the final product — especially thinking back to how terribly hot it was during the filming in July?

I could not be happier about the way this video turned out. I love it! Director Greg Jardin did an amazing job. It's perfect for this song, and perfect for Joey. Fast, funny — the energy and feeling you get from it is just totally uplifting.

The love and respect all the people involved had for Joey emanates off the screen. Everyone had the right spirit, which is what inevitably got them through the shoot, as this was filmed during the most brutal heat wave in NYC on record. One of the producers actually did suffer heat stroke. But, thankfully, a few days later she was OK and back in action.

You do a lot to keep Joey's spirit alive as well as raise money for lymphoma research through the annual Joey Ramone Birthday Bash. How does it make you feel to see the continued outpouring of affection/accolades with the new record and now the video?

Seeing that outpouring of love for my brother is what makes it all worthwhile for me. It's what enables me to keep going, and ward off the attacks and vicious insults hurled at me by the few blackhearted hatemongers too poisoned to enjoy what the vast majority of Joey's fans are so thrilled about. Their loss.

I do get a little appreciation from some of the more thoughtful people out there, and I appreciate that more than I can say right here. But, the display of sheer joy, and expressions of love for Joey from the overwhelming majority of his fans, far outweighs anything and everything else. They are just so happy to be hearing these new songs, and seeing this video. That's what it's all about for me.

A few signs of fall

As I first reported, it is now the fall. And I have done a lousy job of documenting this change of season...

[Pumpkins arrived last week at Sheen Brothers on Avenue B]

[Ditto at the Greenmarket at Tompkins Square Park. Photo by Bobby Williams]

[Time again for the annual Tompkins Square Halloween Dog parade. Photo by Via ~ Joan]

[The leaves are turning color ever so slightly in Tompkins Square Park]

[Football fans are collecting their favorite gridiron great stickers from the Daily News ... and attaching them to a bench in Tompkins Square Park]

[Anheuser-Busch has unveiled its branded football cans]

[The TV networks are introducing their interesting, thought-provoking fall shows]

[Halloween City has unveiled its new scary masks]