Report: East Side students may not be able to return until late February

[Bobby Williams]

On Sept. 24, students and faculty from East Side Community School and Girls Prep Charter on East 12th Street evacuated the building when a maintenance worker found part of the eastern wall separating from the rest of the structure.

Looks now as if the students and teachers will be away for some time. Per NY1 last night:

It's not just the eastern wall, which officials say needs to be completely rebuilt, starting with the steel. The western wall also needs to be secured. They hope to finish by late February, move students back in and then replace the brick exterior after hours and on the weekends.

You can see the extent of the work in Bobby's photo.

And I wonder what all this does to the timeline on the sale and development of the Mary Help of Christians property...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Schools making it work while repairs continue at 420 E. 12th St.

With Park views and built-in AC

Avenue A and St. Mark's Place this morning. I'm thinking $1,795 a month.

Photo by Shawn Chittle, who sent the picture with the subject "crusty condo."

When St. Brigid's dared to have a picnic

I was doing some research about St. Brigid's on Avenue B and found this post on McNamara's Blog ... with a repost of an article from The New York Times circa July 22, 1869 BW (Before Woo)...

It is well known that the Roman Catholic Church in this country has forbidden picnics. The ordinance against them was issued last year, and this was the first season for putting it into practice. The origin of the prohibition was the great number of abuses which were found to prevail at these festive gatherings.

With one exception, no Church picnic has taken place this year — at least in connection with the Roman Catholic denomination. The clergy of that faith have exerted themselves vigorously in enforcement of their Church ordinance. They have denounced fairs and picnics from the altar, interdicted them by special mandate, and used all their influence in their several parishes for their suppression. And very effectually so far, with one exception, as has been said.

The people have, in general, yielded with docility to the voices of their clergy in the matter, and at some sacrifice of enjoyment have quietly foregone the annual festivity which was customary. The exception alluded to was the picnic held yesterday by the Total Abstinence Benefit organization in connection with the Roman Catholic Church of St. Bridget, Avenue B and Eighth Street.

Father Mooney is the pastor of said church, and when he heard of the contemplated picnic immediately denounced it and assailed its promoters. It was even announced in some of the papers that it would not take place, in consequence of being forbidden by the priest. But it did take place yesterday in Jones’ Wood, and, considering the ecclesiastical opposition it encountered, was a very successful thing its way.

The Brotherhood marched to the ground in the forenoon, and all day streams of people continued to flow in through the gates, even though the price of admission was fifty cents a head. The picnic was a quiet and orderly affair, held by temperance men and conducted on temperance principles. There was good music and much dancing, and by 8 o’clock in the evening all had departed for their homes. It would scarcely have been worth distinguishing from similar affairs of its class but for the collision between clergy and laity that took place in connection with it.

I know, I know. If you don't like picnics, then move back to...

84 Third Avenue is rising ...

First sign above street level of the 9- or 13-floor residential building here at East 12th Street...

Mysterious, rolled-up thing delivered to Tompkins Square Park

What do you think it is? Photo by Bobby Williams yesterday.

Before Zoltar, there was Treasure Chest

Sure, Zoltar (now repaired!) is getting all the publicity these days, but for my money, nothing beats the Treasure Chest on East 14th Street near First Avenue. I've long admired this game of chance outside the Community Grocery & Candy store.

For starters, I like its battered, I-Survived-the-Apocalypse look. You could ram it with an M14A (or M14D) bus and the thing would still gamely make you work for that pink teddy bear.

It seems like every time that I see it, there's another chain or tag on it. And more tape. Lots of tape. Perhaps holding it together, preventing its treasures from spilling out on the sidewalk...

And, recently, I finally saw another admirer admiring it... and playing! But he was gone by the time I got up to it... I was hoping that we could start a Facebook group or something.

Awnings and storefronts come and go around here. But not the Treasure Chest. Long live the Treasure Chest!

Fall Friday flashback: Commenter comedy gold

On Fridays this fall, and probably winter and spring and... we'll post one of the 12,000-plus EVG, uh, posts from yesteryear... like this self-serving one from Oct. 31, 2011...

-----------

Unfortunately, our busy social schedule prevented us from attending the Official Grande Opening of the new Upright Citizens Brigade theater/theatre on Avenue A and Third Street on Saturday night. On Saturday night, we drank alone again at the Blarney Cove.

Dave Itzkoff at The New York Times has an article on the opening, including details on the challenges of getting the space ready. (You know — Hot Chicks Room sign drama.) As for some of the entertainment Saturday night, Itzkoff noted:

A second show at 9:30 offered a grab bag of acts that were, in theory, supposed to keep their sets to five to seven minutes. Sue Galloway, who plays an ambiguously accented comedy writer on “30 Rock,” performed a character piece about a drunken office worker singing an aggressive version of “I Will Follow Him” at a karaoke night; David Cross, the “Arrested Development” star, read remarks posted on the East Village blog EV Grieve that complained about the Upright Citizens Brigade’s arrival. (“Go back to campus, you new jack cornballs,” one outraged commenter demanded.)

As a thank you, all the commenters who chimed in on the Upright posts will receive replica fruit plates that the guests enjoyed there Saturday night.

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] Your 'Hot Chicks Room' sign update

[Updated] Resident starting a petition to have the 'Hot Chicks Room' sign removed at the Upright Citizens Brigade (47 comments)

Breaking: UCB will remove the 'Hot Chicks Room' sign!

'Hot Chicks Room' sign will now bring ruin to compost

Dreams never end

Several readers told us that they were seeing New Order tonight (now over) or tomorrow at the Roseland Ballroom ... which is the perfect excuse once again to post all this ... New Order played the Ukrainian National Home on Second Avenue (between Ninth and St. Mark's) on Nov. 19 1981.

And here is a video of the entire show via our friend Karate Boogaloo at Stupefaction.

Wylie Dufresne bringing fancy cocktails for foodies to former Plum Pizzeria on Second Avenue

Here's some foodie action for this stretch of Avenue Woo. Grub Street is reporting that noted LES chef Wylie Dufresne (of wd~50 on Clinton Street) is opening a place at the former Plum Pizzeria at 157 Second Avenue.

Per Grub Street:

Alder will be a 50-seat pub. It will open in the former Plum Pizzeria space ... The kitchen will serve "modern casual food and well-crafted cocktails," according to a rep for the restaurant. The name Alder is the Old English analog for Ellery, the name of Dufresne's second daughter.

Reader report: Mysterious late-night activity at the former Cabrini Center

[Bobby Williams]

As you know, work continues on converting the former Cabrini Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation into residential apartments on Avenue B and East Street via developer Ben Shaoul.

Meanwhile, a tipster notes some late-night activity behind the building, where the construction staging is taking place. The tipster notes that construction usually takes place between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. (and with permit, on Saturdays). Recently though, a few workers returned at 8-9 p.m. Now, a few more developments have made our tipster curious.

To the tipster:

To begin, they've covered the gate with plastic sheets (perhaps to keep out the wind) but also obscuring the site from any onlookers from outside on the street.

Of more interest though, there have also been several unmarked white vans after hours. Most suspicious was [Tuesday night], because this was the latest and largest vehicle I've seen yet. I heard the bang of the truck gate opening at 2:30 am.
There was a large unmarked white truck with a few non-uniformed men in dark clothes.
There was also a red truck and a beige minivan — one of the vehicles belonging to a man in a white shirt.

They were in and out in less than half an hour quickly moving garbage bags. This is odd because there is a large dumpster right beside the truck that could have been used or a garbage disposal service could have been hired. Perhaps it's just my imagination and there is nothing to hide and its merely waste materials that need to be specially delivered to the dump. Yet its still suspicious that they would do this after hours — especially after midnight.

Any theories...?

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

Tompkins Square Bagels robbed; suspect captured on surveillance cameras

This was the scene outside Tompkins Square Bagels late yesterday afternoon on Avenue A...

Later, on the phone, owner Christopher Pugliese explained what happened. On Tuesday, TSB received a delivery around 12:40 p.m. During a lunch rush, the staff didn't notice that the vendor didn't close the basement doors on the sidewalk. That's when a man apparently walked down into the cellar.

A TSP employee entered the basement and spotted the man, who claimed that he was a city inspector. The employee went upstairs to find Pugliese. During that time, the man quickly left.

Upon closer inspection yesterday, Pugliese noticed that several small items were missing, most notably a laptop. The police who responded to the call said that they have been on the hunt for a man who has allegedly robbed a handful of other local restaurants.

The NYPD told Pugliese that the man captured in TSP's basement surveillance cameras is the person they are seeking to question in connection with the other robberies.

Said Pugliese: "Police say this guy is fearless."

Isn't there an app for that?

EVG reader Paul Kostabi sent along this photo from Lafayette and Great Jones yesterday... resourceful smartphone owner tapping into a lamp post for a charge... We'll probably really marvel at this one in about, oh, 50 years.

Like The Virgins, practicing for the very first time...

So, as you may have heard, some residents have been annoyed about The Virgins practicing in the lead singer's apartment on Second Avenue between St. Mark's Place and East Seventh Street. (DNAinfo had the story yesterday; the Post followed-up later.)

Per DNA's Serena Solomon:

"I think they are so full of themselves they keep their window open," said the resident, who declined to provide her name, at a meeting of the Ninth Precinct Community Council Tuesday night.

Though she admitted that the band's sound is polished, the 25-year resident of the block said the regular racket has been going for three weeks straight.

Perhaps it was all prep work for their CMJ show last night at Brooklyn Bowl. (And they have a new record coming out early next year.)

But some people like that this happens!

Kirk Villalobos, 33, who works at the popular French fry eatery Pommes Frites, said he can also hear the band playing from the restaurant and that patrons often step out of the spot to start dancing on the sidewalk.

"I like their music," Villalobos said, adding that he's heard the band rehearsing in the space for months. "Especially the guitarist when he plays a good solo."

(Will the city fine Pommes Frites for not having a cabaret license?)

Funny, though, that any bands actually still live around here.

To the Post!

"It's an odd choice for them to be right there," said the neighbor who admitted that she actually owns some of their albums. "Most bands are in a garage in Brooklyn."

(By the way, The Virgins have only released one EP and one album.)

And, finally, back to DNA for the classic "If you don't like/want" quote:

Andrew Mitchell, 34, who said he lives next door to The Virgins' practice space, has heard the band playing on numerous occasions, but always during "reasonable hours" of the day.

"A lot of people would say, if you don't want a band rehearsal near you," he said, "don't live in the East Village."

[H/t Madonna for that dreadful headline inspiration]

A plan to replace those floor-to-ceiling windows at 117 Second Ave.

EVG regular peter radley sent me this photo yesterday showing workers erecting a sidewalk shed on Second Avenue at East Seventh Street where that Song 7.2 place is now...

There are plans on file dated Aug. 29 with the DOB for the following here:

EXTERIOR RENOVATION AT 2ND STORY ONLY. REMOVAL OF EXT. ALUMINIUM & GLASS CURTAIN WALL/ STOREFRONT . INSTALL NEW INSULATED BRICK AND METAL STUD AT EXTERIOR WALLS WITH NEW WINDOW OPENINGS. PROVIDE AT THE LEVEL OF FLOORING & CEILING OF 2ND FL NEW WATERPROOFING COOPER FLASHING.

Hmm. "Removal of ext. aluminum & glass curtain wall/storefront" on the second floor.

That would be the distinctive characteristic of the corner building... and part of an old favorite — the Kiev, which closed in 2000. (Jeremiah has a history of the Kiev here.)

[2007, via Curbed]

[1979, By Michael Sean Edwards]

I'm not very good at DOB-speak, but it sounds as if the landlord wants to brick up the floor-to-ceiling windows... Sounds a little generic. The city disapproved the plan on Monday. And as of last week, this building is now in the new East Village/Lower East Side Historic District.

So what I don't know at this point: Because plans were filed before the Historic District designation, are the potential renovations OK to move forward? (If the city approves the plans.) Or will the building be protected from such a renovation that would change the character of a building because it is now in a Historic District?

Also, Song 7.2 was closed Monday and Tuesday ... they were back open last night with this sign...