Free legal assistance for Hurricane Sandy victims today

Today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Haven Plaza ... East 12th Street and Szold Place...

[Click image to enlarge]

Image via Matt LES_Miserable

85 Second Ave. is for sale

We spotted the listing for 85 Second Ave. the other day. We were waiting for more details. So far, though — there's not much posted about the five-floor building at East Fifth Street.

Per CitySites, there are three apartments in the building... as well as the retail tenant, BareBurger, which spans two floors. Asking price: $7.8 million.

The storefront was once home to neighborhood nemesis Sin Sin.

[EVG file photo]

Hyatt Union Square is now opening Jan. 2; and where's the the hydroponic bamboo garden?

One of our favorite five-years-in the-making developments, the Hyatt Union Square, now has an official opening date of Jan. 2, per the Hyatt Union Square website.

Earlier estimates put the opening around Nov. 15 here at Fourth Avenue and East 13th Street.

Which explains why there's still no sign of the hydroponic bamboo garden and halo!

Test drilling at the former Mary Help of Christians lot

A work crew was in the Mary Help of Christians lot yesterday on Avenue A and East 11th Street ... hanging out with a Davey Drill and testing water levels and the composition of the soil ... steps to take before any development can go up here... whatever that may be... stay tuned.

Photos by Bobby Williams.

Previously.

Say hello to Jupiter 21 at the former Mars Bar (for real)

[Oct. 20]

So the new apartment complex that's rising at the former home of the Mars Bar on Second Avenue and East First Street has a name — Jupiter 21.

[Pause]

Jupiter 21.

That's per the official news release that went out yesterday... Curbed had the details:

The building will ultimately have 65 units: 13 affordable condos, 52 market-rate studio through two-bedroom rentals, and two commercial condos. Nine of those affordable condos "have been reserved for the tenants of the original buildings displaced by the new construction" ...

Jupiter 21.

Can you think of a worse name for a building here? Maybe something with Uranus?

Previously.

Here's a blackout-friendly apartment with a fireplace on St. Mark's Place

Seems appealing at the moment — fireplace and all ... though this "junior" one bedroom at 42 St. Mark's Place is going for $2,850. Per the listing:

This classic NY apartment on St. Marks Place has several exposed brick walls with a wood burning fireplace. It provides outstanding light, 11 foot ceilings and an open layout. Your bathroom has been renovated in a clean and contemporary style while the loft style bedroom offers you the best night sleep.

There's an open house tonight from 6-7. Bring a log. Stay awhile.

R.A. Dickey's trip to Tompkins Square Park propelled him to win the Cy Young Award, maybe

Back in May, New York Mets knuckleballer (and all-around-nice-guy) R.A. Dickey was in Tompkins Square Park to watch people throw Wiffle balls and stuff.

Today, he won the National League Cy Young Award, the first knuckleball pitcher to ever receive the honor.

What saved his season and put him in the all-time record books?

Tompkins Square Park, of course.

The stats back this up sort of.

At the time of his visit to the East Village, his record was 3-1 with a not-so-great 4.45 era.

Since then, he went 17-5, and lowered his era to 2.73.

What do you think it is about the Park that turns journeymen pitchers into Cy Young winners?

Previously on EV Grieve:
Allright meat, show him your heat

Reports: Hurricane Sandy damages bike-share program equipment; more delays?

[Citi Bike NYC]

There are multiple published reports this afternoon that Hurricane Sandy has likely added another delay to the city's already-delayed bike-share program. Per the Post:

Bikes and electronic docking components for the program are being stored in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, which took on four to six feet of water during the storm surge two weeks ago.

Officials at the Transportation Department say they are now "assessing" the damage.

They won't say if the first of 10,000 street bikes that were supposed to hit the streets starting in March will be rolled out on schedule.

The Times has more details here.

First sign of the incoming 7-Eleven on Avenue A

For a few months now, people have been talking about the 7-Eleven coming to the corner of Avenue A and East 11th Street... in the space previously occupied by Bar on A and Angels & Kings... workers even told residents as much.

Still, despite plenty of evidence, nothing at the DOB actually said 7-Eleven. (There was mention of a "convenience store.")

Anyway, paperwork went through today to "ERECT NON-ILLUMINATED NON-ADVERTISING AWNING ON WALL. 12 SQ FT COPY TO READ STRIPE 7-ELEVEN."

On this topic... a reminder about tonight's meeting where the supersize 7-Eleven is sure to be discussed...

Block Association Meeting
Wednesday, November 14, 7 pm
@ Father's Heart Ministries
545 E 11th St

Anyone living on 11th Street is a member of the 11th Street A-B-C Block Association.

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning Edition

[Outside Elsewhere Espresso on East Sixth St. via a special EVG correspondent]

13 new hotels on the way for the Lower East Side (The Lo-Down)

Selling off Lucky Cheng's — and dibs on the tiki canoe! (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

Cleaning out SoHo Billiards on East Houston (BoweryBoogie)

The 'gentle poet' of the Lower East Side slums (Ephemeral New York)

A week in the life of the Northern Spy owner post-Sandy (The Huffington Post)

Looking at a boarded up South Street Seaport (The Gog Log)

Last call for Hogs N' Heifers? (Eater)

A review of Calliope begins: 'The southern blocks of the East Village aren't the dreamiest destination for leisurely dining (see: NYU pubs) ... (The Wall Street Journal)

Someone stole this bike on Second Avenue this morning

From the EV Grieve inbox...

My bike was stolen today ...

Stolen outside The Bean on 3rd Street and 2nd Avenue
Time: 10:45am
Date: Wednesday, November 14th

Model: Linus, Dover 1 single speed
Color: Black
Details: Silver basket (that's a pre-basket photo above)

Anyone with info... or if you spot it on Craigslist... we'll contact the owner... let us know via the EV Grieve email

And the bike was locked...

[Updated] Rebreaking! Union Market opens this morning at 10:30 today at noon

On East Houston and Avenue A... Photo and info via EVG regular samo...

Been a long time coming. The signs went up for the space on Feb. 4, 2011, as we first reported.

Previously.

UPDATED. Hold on! Via @IansTweets ... it's now a noon opening!

Everything that you've ever wanted to know about the new benches outside Starbucks on First Avenue

CB3's Transportation & Public Safety/Environment Committee meets tonight at 6:30 ... and on the agenda:

• "Starbucks Coffee (Starbucks Corp), 1st Ave and E 3rd Street – new revocable consent to install, maintain and use 4 benches on the sidewalks of the southwest corner of 1st Ave and E 3rd Street"

The Starbucks here in the former Bean space opened back in February. There have been a few temporary-looking benches in the meantime (like the ones in the photo above!) ...

The CB3 website has a PDF with all the detailed details about the new benches.

Here's a look at what's coming.

I'm a little surprised that they're not going with the HDA -TR 30-M16x190/60 expansion bolt. The HDA -TR 22-M12x125/50 only has an embed depth of 125 mm. Oh well.

But on a serious note. Any thoughts on permanent benches here?

Petland is moving away from East 14th Street, fueling more new development rumors

In late September, we laid out the three rumors about the future of East 14th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B. (Read that post here.) The most severe of the rumors: All the space starting at the ABC Animal Hospital west to Avenue A will be developed into some type of housing-retail complex.

The speculation has returned with the arrival of a moving sign at Petland: The store will be relocating to First Avenue.

An EVG Facebook friend asked the manager why they were moving. The response: The landlord is tearing down the building.

So far, there aren't any permits on file with the city indicating any immediate demolition... Still, most people we've talked with figure this block has a relatively short life span as it is now...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Conspiracies: What next for 14th Street and Avenue A?

Those ongoing rumors about the future of East 14th Street between Avenue A and B