Monday, October 13, 2014

Former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office slated to be demolished



First came the post office's closure … then the asbestos abatement … then the davey drill.

Next: the owners (Benenson Capital Partners) of 438 E. 14th St. filed the demolition permits on Friday.

The post office and former Stuyvesant Stationery shop next door will be coming down for some unspecified new development, which has been rumored now for the past year.

And to recap our recap:

This post office branch just west of Avenue A closed for good in February. (The USPS is leasing the former Duane Reade at 333 E. 14th St. for retail services.) Previously, the Stuyvesant Stationery shop next door to the post office lost its lease and closed. Both single-level buildings share the same landlord.

To date, there's nothing on file with the DOB regarding any new development here.

Meanwhile, it is becoming very clear that I will never see the birthday present from my mother that ended up here in 1992.

To memories of waiting in line…


[Just an hour to go! Photo by Adam H. via Yelp]


[Photo by Gian G. via Yelp]

Previously on EV Grieve:
Today in rants: the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office

Meanwhile, at everyone's favorite local post office branch...

UPDATED: Did you hear the rumor about the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office branch closing?

Report: Closure of the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office is pretty much a done deal

First sign of more development on East 14th Street?

Asbestos abatement to begin at former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office

Davey drill arrives ahead of rumored development at former East 14th Street post office

Never-ending construction at 185-193 Avenue B continues to never end



While discussing the other day how quickly 10 Bond was racing toward completion, we mentioned the scant progress at 185-193 Avenue B, 20-some months in the making.

As previously noted, there's a 7-story mixed-used residential building with 41 dwelling units in the works for the corner here at East 12th Street. The building will include the new home of the Elim Pentecostal Church.

We took a look late last week to see how it was progressing. Looks like the crew is up to three floors now...





Nearby residents and school children endured months of relentless pile driving and other building-rattling noise. There were complaints about cracks next door at No. 183, which we heard put a temporary halt to the construction.

The rendering notes a completion date of October 2014.



Nine floors in 19 days? Let's do it!

Previously on EV Grieve:
Inside the Charles

Former landmark countercultural theater now for rent on Avenue B

7-story building in the works to replace former countercultural theater/church on Avenue B

Construction site at 185 Avenue B remains shut down for now

[Updated] The 'insane' noise and pounding are back at 185 Avenue B

Another look inside the pit of the former 98-100 Avenue A



Here's the latest look inside the former theater-turned grocery between East Seventh Street and East Sixth Street ... where the crawler excavator is playing king of the hill atop the pile of bricks.

This view comes courtesy of EVG reader John Cline.

Developer Ben Shaoul is putting in a 6-floor residential building with 29 apartments and ground-floor retail here.

Previously

Sunday, October 12, 2014

Reader report: The return of the guy with the kids in the car


Via the EVG inbox tonight...

I had never encountered him before tonight. Yes, the guy who says "are you from around here" and then says his kids are in the car and he needs money ...

Had a run-in with him just now at East Sixth Street and Second Avenue, and didn't get to hear his whole pitch because as soon as he said his kids were in the car I just immediately said no. He didn't even push it — just spun abruptly on his heels and crossed Second Avenue.

I can't believe this guy is still working this neighborhood after all this time. It must be more lucrative for him than other nabes.

Previously on EV Grieve:
East Village grifter alert: Beware the broken vodka-bottle scam!

East Village grifter alert: Beware the man with the sob story who offers you a wedding ring as collateral

Snowy afternoon grifter alert

Reader report: 'my kids are in the car and I'm out of gas' scam guy back in action

Touring the East Village on New Year's Day 1995



Our blogging friend Alex at Flaming Pablum came across this video the other day.

Highlights of this walk include The Gas Station, the performance space/art gallery on Avenue B at East Second Street (now an apartment building with a Duane Reade) and Eddie Boros' Tower of Toys (RIP 2008) in the Sixth Street & Avenue B Community Garden...

Week in Grieview


[Photo outside Gem Spa yesterday by Derek Berg]

Someone dumped motor oil in this Steve Croman-owned building (Friday)

Permits filed to demolish former 2nd Avenue BP station (Wednesday)

The Whitehouse Hostel has closed for good on the Bowery (Monday)

Activity again at the long-dormant 25 Great Jones (Friday)

Now open: Barcade on St. Mark's Place; King Bee on East Ninth Street (Thursday)

A matcha bar on East Fourth Street (Friday)

An Out and About recap (Wednesday)

Interior of 137 Avenue C is gutted (Monday)

Longtime East Village resident Jack Smead has some of his photos on display at the 11th Street Bar (Thursday)

Local pols blast 7-Eleven for blocking order to remove noisy refrigeration unit at 170 Avenue A (Tuesday) and .... 1 year later, 7-Eleven asks for more time to move noisy refrigeration units from residential windows (Wednesday)

Pricing and interior shots of the 'intimate new development' at 277 E. Seventh St. (Tuesday)

Possibly albino bank robbery suspect has been busy (Wednesday)

Checking out Centre-fuge Cycle 15 on East First Street (Monday)

Residents continue to speak out about living conditions in Jared Kushner's 170-174 E. Second St. (Wednesday)

The Yaffa mural returns to view (Tuesday)

People behind Gestations still pretending to be opening a bar for pregnant women on Avenue A (Monday)

Avenue A Classic Food opening soon on ... Avenue A (Wednesday)

Lunar eclipse! (Wednesday)

The Subway Inn has a new home (Wednesday)

Looks like The Cock won't be moving into the Idle Hands space (Wednesday)

At Empellón al Pastor, with graffiti on the outside and Charles Bukowski on the inside (Tuesday)

The Post discovers graffiti around the city (Friday)

The changing of the facade at 9 Bleecker St. (Tuesday)

And thanks to Tim Hayes at CBGB for giving 50 EVG readers tickets to the CBGB Music & Film Festival (Tuesday)

Rave like it's 1999 in Tompkins Square Park



Dunno much about this undated video from 1999 … a reader came across it the other day.



Worth noting: The boy's reaction at the 51-second mark … and the introduction of who is presumably the "Rave Santa" in the title at the 1:26 point.

Here's another longer video … this one is dated from April 1999…

Saturday, October 11, 2014

$10 specials proving popular



Second Avenue between East Fourth Street and East Fifth Street today.

Photo by EVG contributor Derek Berg

6th and B Garden Harvest Fest is still on today



Via the EVG inbox...from the Sixth Street & Avenue B Community Garden...

Our Harvest Fest is still going on today despite the rain (it's forecast to clear up around 2 pm, the start of our event). From 2-7 pm, there's food, live music and tons of raffle prizes donated by businesses in the community. This is our biggest fundraiser of the year, and helps keep our garden open and able to serve the community with workshops, events and activities.

On the southwest corner of Avenue B and East Sixth Street.

And from earlier in the summer via the EVG Vine account... a quick history of the garden...

A call for a Bendy Tree Memorial Bench in Tompkins Square Park


[EVG photo from February]

There is a petition in circulation that states:

We, the residents and friends of East Village's Tompkins Park, would like the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation to permit the installation of a six-sided wooden memorial bench enclosing a decorative potted tree in the place where "Bendy Tree" stood for decades until being removed on September 20th. A creatively designed bench by a local artist and a potted tree over "Bendy Tree's" stump would best honor the unique character of the beloved "Bendy Tree."

Here's a photo illustration of how it could look...



You may find the petition here.

Last weekend to visit the New York City Marble Cemetery this year



You can visit the historic New York City Marble Cemetery on East Second Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue today and tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Historical displays will be available for visitors to learn more of the history of the Cemetery and those interred (interned?) here.

You won't have this chance again until 2015.

And this is all part of Open House New York.

Read more about the cemetery here.

Friday, October 10, 2014

Wish you were here



As we understand it, these were two groups of visitors — one from Boston, the other from Tokyo — who converged in Tompkins Square Park this afternoon ...

Photo by peter radley

Catch the breeze



Thud is a Hong Kong-based quartet who just released their first single... a shoegazer called "Lime."

Report: New Clinton Street condos start at $1 million


[File photo of 50-62 Clinton St. via BoweryBoogie]

Back in March we first caught the renderings for the new luxury residences headed to the single-floor row of storefronts at 50-62 Clinton St. between Stanton and Rivington.

Today, the Daily News and Real Estate Weekly have more details about just how luxurious: The condos will start around $1 million for a one bedroom, $2 million for a two bedroom and $3 million for a three bedroom.

Via Real Estate Weekly:

“The project’s defining elements are its smaller-sized units and moderate price points, all without compromising on design or quality,” said Dan Hollander, managing principal of DHA Capital.
Here's the updated rendering...



H/T Curbed

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] The future of 50-62 Clinton St will look something like this