At the residents meeting for the Smith Houses

On Wednesday night, New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) officials briefed residents of the Smith Houses on the Lower East Side about their plans to to lease playground and community-center space to developers within public housing areas.

As The Lo-Down reported, members of the Smith Tenant Association boycotted the meeting, in part, because residents wanted at least a 10-day notice and opportunity to review the proposals. The city pushed ahead anyway.

Six Lowa, a DJ and music producer who was born and raised in the Smith Houses (his grandmother has been a resident since the complex opened in 1953), attended the meeting to document what took place. He shared his thoughts on a newly created blog. (You can read that here.)

He concludes:

My personal thoughts are that the projects in the Lower East Side and along the FDR Drive have always been eyed at by developers for some years now. They now realize it's prime real estate next to the waterfront, all 3 bridges, City Hall, South St Seaport, World Financial District, & Police Headquarters. It all starts with the building of private housing on NYCHA playgrounds and parking lots. What's next? Whose next?

[Boycotters outside the meeting. Photos courtesy of Six Lowa]

The Daily News has coverage of the meeting here.

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning Edition

Homeless man sets himself on fire inside the Bleecker Street Station (BoweryBoogie)

John Penley concludes his NYU campout (The Villager)

Lovals grumble about the cabs stacked up outside at the Madina Masjid mosque and Islamic Center of America at the corner of East 11th Street and First Avenue (DNAinfo)

Update on the New Amsterdam Market (The Lo-Down)

Call Martin Scorsese: Condos planned for Mulberry Street condos (Curbed, previously on EV Grieve)

A mini-documentary on Jayne County (BlackBook)

Rainy Union Square in 1912 (Ephemeral New York)

Photos of Greenwich Village in the 1950s (Gothamist)

History of 1 Astor Place (Off the Grid)

Johnny Rotten reviews "Katy Perry: Part of Me" (Dangerous Minds)

Deadline approaching to help revive Something Sweet

As we first reported on Monday, the owners of Something Sweet are looking for help to revive the longtime bakery on First Avenue and East 11th Street. The deadline for the so-called casting call is tomorrow, per the above ad.

DNAinfo's Serena Solomon was with the family yesterday when they revisited the shop, closed since last July.

[W]ithin minutes of rolling up it doors, former customers walking past came in to embrace Kathy.

"To me it was old Europe," said Anna, customer of 40 years, who declined to provide her last name. "I always said when that [Something Sweet] closes, it's over for the East Village."

Previously.

Spend Easter Sunday night with the Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black

[Photo of Kembra Pfahler by Walter Wlodarczyk]

On March 31 (Easter Sunday!), there's an all-ages concert featuring a rare appearance by the Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black and their brand of ferocious glam-punk as well as Youthquake and No Bra at Santos Party House on Lafayette. (Tickets are $15, and available here.)

We asked Kembra Pfahler, the lead singer of the Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black (and an East Village resident) for an update on the band via Facebook.

"Yes, it's a special show. After a bit of a hiatus, Samoa the originator and original guitarist is back! Gyda Gash is on bass and Michael Wildwood is on drums. We traveled last spring to England and Berlin together, but this will be the first large scale Karen Black show with this fabulous band.

"We are also working on a new album together — 'Fuck Island.' We are doing new work from the album in progress like 'Soldier of Female" and 'I Am a Big Black Cat.' I am working on a new feminist movement called 'Future Feminism.' All of the new work is related to this, and saving the world one show or song at a time.

"Youthquake and No Bra are also playing. We are all friends and are looking forward to the show."

So are we.

[Updated] Reader report: Bar 82 is closing

Word was spreading last night that Bar 82, with its ample back room for bands, poetry readings and other events, is closing at the end of this month. At least one performer with an act booked after March 31 took to Facebook last night with the news.

Several other sources confirmed the impending closure. The bar opened here on Second Avenue near St. Mark's Place in 2008... the bar was a reincarnation of sorts of Verchovyna Tavern aka George's Bar aka Bar 81, which sat for decades on East Seventh Street until a rent hike KO'd it.

We'll have more information on the closing as it becomes available.

Updated 1:31

Per Bar 82's Facebook page:

Bar 82 is going to close it's doors at the end of March. We would love to see you all before then. I'm going to keep this page open after the fact to tell everyone where your favorite bartenders might end up just to be cool. Please come by and say hello and goodbye and hello again somewhere else. It's important to us bartenders. We love you peeps.

Here's what the city has planned for open space at Meltzer Tower

This week, more details emerged about the city's plan to lease playground and community-center space to developers within public housing areas. On Wednesday, we looked at the plans for Campos Plaza.

In the image above, you'll see what's in store for the Meltzer Tower off of East First Street between First Avenue and Avenue A (via the NYCHA website):

Max Meltzer Tower on Manhattan's Lower East Side is a 20-story building exclusively for seniors with 230 apartments housing an estimated 246 residents.

Meltzer Tower has a $10.5 million unmet need for capital building improvements over the next 5 years.

Proposed Development on Land Lease Site(s)
East 1st Street Site
Site Area: 13,000 SF (Approximate)
New Construction: 121,500 SF of Residential Floor Area (Approximate)
18,500 SF of Commercial Floor Area (Approximate)
97 New Apartments

Current Uses on Land Lease Site(s)
-Landscaped Seating Area

Benefits for Meltzer Tower Residents
-Redesigned Central Plaza with resident participation
-Preference for new low-income apartments
-Emergency power generation for critical building systems
-Temporary and permanent job opportunities
-Enhanced security for development

Here's the presentation that officials gave on March 13.

NYCHA Infill Sites Presentation for Resident Meeting 3-13-13 (Meltzer Tower) from NYCHA Nyc-Housing

A reader pointed us to the FAQs for the proposal.

Wouldn’t this be disruptive to the community?
Construction would not take place forever, and would be conducted in a strictly monitored fashion. Additionally, construction would generate job opportunities for NYCHA residents. Once the new building is in place, there would also be additional, permanent job opportunities for NYCHA residents to pursue.

Heart N' Soul introducing to-go menu, Meat n' Three

A tipster spotted this to-go menu in the window at Heart n' Soul, which opened on East Third Street at Avenue B several weeks ago in the former location of Mama's Food Shop ...



Richard Freedman, who has owned the building that housed Mama's for the past 30 years, left a comment on our previous post about Heart N' Soul. In part, it read:

When Brendan and Jeremiah bought the food shop I did everything I could to help them. A couple years ago when they were running into problems I forgave unpaid rent and lowered their rent. Again and before they closed, I met with Jeremiah and his wife and again offered to lower the rent. I guess the emotional and financial commitment to the restaurant was too much, but I know they tried very hard and I wish them the best.

I don't know if I'm going to succeed, but I hope people will give us a fair chance. It is my hope to keep the best of the old mama's (classic meat and 3 menu) plus some new and hopefully interesting items.

Let's take a look at David Schwimmer's East Village mansion

Well, you can now see more of David Schwimmer's new mansion on East Sixth Street, as Curbed pointed out yesterday...

We took a photo ourselves. Still got some plywood to go for the full reveal.

Thoughts? One Curbed commenter said: "Nice windows, brick looks like burger king."

And a few other comments:

"not sure why a multi-million dollar celebrity would want to live in such an ugly building with tenements on either side."

"I heard that it's a meth lab."

Previously on EV Grieve:
Is David Schwimmer the 'Friends' star who now owns the demolished 331 E. Sixth St. townhouse?

Outrage over total demolition of historic East Sixth Street townhouse

Here is David Schwimmer's East Village home

A moment on Avenue A

Thought the photo looked cool both ways... Photo(s) by Grant Shaffer.

Meanwhile, at the former Mystery Lot...

Work atop The Jefferson continued until 10 last night. You have to put in a lot of hours to create a "tasteful oasis of state-of-the-art living in an enclave of 18th and 19th Century charm."

Photo by Nick Solares.

Checking in on the Treehouse, where you can find free live music every Sunday night above 2A

[Lenny Kaye and Kevn Kinney at The Treehouse]

On Sunday night, The Treehouse, the live music venue upstairs at 2A on Avenue A and East Second Street, welcomes Lenny Kaye and Cindy Lee Berryhill.

Treehouse proprietor Tom Clark is also on the bill, teaming up with his longtime friend Brian Halverson for a set of the "Never-Be Brothers." (It's a loving tribute to the Everly Brothers.) As always, the shows here are free on Sunday nights. (Start time: 8:30 p.m.)

Anyway, it seemed like a good time to check in on the Treehouse, which Clark launched upstairs on Sunday nights in July 2011. Via an email, Clark said that he wanted to create a vibe that was reminiscent of some of the places he had played in the good, old days when there weren't seven bands on the bill and the person running the show was nice and actually cared about the musicians and sound.

Has the Treehouse turned out as you planned it?

I have to say yes. It really could gone a lot of different ways in the beginning. It could have been insanely busy, then fizzle out, or it could have just fallen on it's face, like so many places have done.

I was lucky to know a good few talented people I could call on to get the ball rolling [for] the first shows, so a precedent was set of quality. Since the Treehouse is only on Sundays, I have to be kind of particular about the acts I choose because you only get four Sundays (usually) a month.

It's really grown into a nice destination on Sunday nights. No cover, a LOT of interplay between acts. Just good vibes. I hate to use that term, but that's what it is. I can't tell you how many emails I get a day from people wanting to play, and notes from people saying how much they dig it. I have every single show on video. I'm putting a site together now, where I'm gonna be posting clips.

A lot of really great venues have gone by the wayside — the original Sin-e, Banjo Jim's, Lakeside Lounge. It has hard to find places like those to play anymore.

What has been the best part of running The Treehouse?

I don't know about you, but I think having a job you look forward to is pretty nice. I get to watch and hear amazing songwriters like Lil' Mo (Monica Passin) and incredible guitar players like Fausto Bozza fingerpick like I could only dream of doing.

When I'm up in the little sound booth, I often turn around, just to survey the crowd, and it's a sea of smiling faces. That's really nice to see in this jaded day and age. I also love the fact that I get to play guitar with a lot of these cats. Always a thrill.

This Sunday is gonna be extra special. My pal Lenny Kaye is gonna play, and the lovely Cindy Lee Berryhill is in town from LA and asked if she could play. Then me my buddy since I was 13, Brian Halverson, are gonna do a set of Everly Brother songs like we used to do — and those damn songs are HARD, and we try to stay true to the originals. And then we will see what happens after that. That's always my favorite part. The stuff that's NOT planned. That's really where the magic is.

-----

Clark, a guitar collector for years, also lends his 1949 Gibson J45 as the "house guitar."

"Most people, when offered, tend to go for it," he said. "Of all my guitars, it's my favorite, and you wouldn't believe how many musicians have never played a great guitar. I think at least 50 people have used it for their shows. I enjoy watching it be played. Guitars are happiest when they are played."


[Clark uses 2A's projector to show the performances on the wall across East Second Street. You have to be inside and upstairs to hear the music, though. Photo by Lauri Hornik]

'Straight Outta Tompkins' is real, and it is now filming around the neighborhood

"Straight Outta Tompkins" started filming on March 12. We heard about the film, but, to be honest, we thought the person who told us was joking. You know — a play on Straight Outta Compton. However, it is an actual production. Here's the description via the film's Facebook page:

A feature film written, directed and starring Zephyr Benson.

"Straight Outta Tompkins" is real, authentic and: Straight Outta Tompkins

Inspired by true events, "Straight Outta Tompkins" is a shocking, brutally honest view of today's Lower East Side, New York City drug trade.

We witness a powerful drug ring many don't dream exist: a consortium controlled by upper class, white, privileged young adults.

Seen through the eyes of Gene, a charming 18 year-old, a ‘pitch away’ from a college baseball scholarship.

Abandoned by his family, Gene finds a 'surrogate,’ seemingly more loving family within the underbelly of the L.E.S. drug community.

Gene is faced with one simple decision that could rob him of his youth, his innocence, his life.

There are also updates on the production's Twitter account. There's video of a shooting-up-heroin scene here.

Zephyr Benson, who attended attended NYU's Tisch School of the Arts in Filmmaking, is the son of Robby Benson, the boyish-looking actor your older sister totally had a crush on in the 1970s.

Checking in behind the plywood at 316-318 E. Third St.

Time for a check behind the plywood here at 316-318 E. Third St., where a Karl Fischer-designed, 33-unit apartment building is in the works ... replacing a circa-1835 single-family home.

EVG reader Bobby G. sent us these photos showing the work in progress...



Bobby points out that this area was known as the Dry Dock district ... and that ground water is close to the surface in this area, especially at high tide...

So. The cement the workers poured Tuesday quickly became submerged...





Should be good for mosquitos soon enough.

Also, in the middle photo in this post... you can see the progress at Alphabet Plaza, the 12-story mixed-used apartment building at Avenue D and East Houston.

Previously on EV Grieve:


Another parcel of East Village land ready for development

33-unit, Karl Fischer-designed building rising at former home of Community Board 3 member

Landmarks Preservation Commission rejects hearing for 316 E. Third St., paving way for 7-floor condo

Lovely townhouse with bucolic gardens on East Third Street ready for "creative expansion"

3 new floors for 31-33 Second Ave.; extension for neighboring building as well?

Work continues at 31-33 Second Ave., where developer Ben Shaoul received the OK from the city in January to add three floors to the existing building. (When we broke the story last June, the permits were still pending approval.)

Plans on file show that workers will remodel the existing commercial space on the ground floor ... remodel the existing apartments on the 2nd and 3rd floors ... and add on top of the existing building. Each floor will contain two apartments.

Meanwhile, a tipster passes along word that there's an extension planned as well for 23-27 Second Ave., above the former Second on Second, the 10-year-old karaoke bar that closed in January. However, there's nothing yet on file with the DOB to back up these claims...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Ben Shaoul planning a 3-story addition at 31-33 Second Ave.