Sidewalk bridge arrives ahead of demolition of 287 E. Houston St.; condos coming next

Getting to be time to demolish the two-level structure at 287 E. Houston St. near Clinton Street. The sidewalk bridge is now in place. (The demo permit was filed in March 2015.)

The plans, which still await city approval, call for an 11-story building with 28 residences.

Here's a recap from New York Yimby, who had the first look at the rendering earlier last month:

The boutique development will have two to four apartments on each story, including two duplexes on the first and second floors and a penthouse duplex on the top two floors. The plans indicate that the penthouse will have a private roof deck, and the rest of the residents will have access to a shared terrace. The apartments will range from one- to three-bedrooms, and asking prices will start at $1.1 million and go up to $5 million, according to PR reps for the development.

As we first noted on April 6, the new development already has a teaser site in case you'd like to get in on the action early.

The space previously housed a tax preparation service and a landscaping business.

Previously on EV Grieve:
11 stories of condos to join the growing East Houston residential corridor

A Santander Bank branch opens today on 13th and Broadway; and where's the Maison Kayser?

Well, not terribly newsy or exciting. That another bank branch is opening.

The address was previously home to a Cosi and Cohen's Optical. In November, there were reports that the Paris-based Maison Kayser was opening a 3,000-square-foot bakery on 13th and Broadway.

Given the arrival of the bank, an EVG reader asked if the bakery was still in play.

In looking at the report from last November in the Commercial Observer:

Paris-based Maison Kayser has inked a 3,000-square-foot deal at The Feil Organization’s 841 Broadway, the landlord announced in a press release. That space will be split up between the ground floor and mezzanine level of the eight-story building at the corner of East 13th Street.

Maison Kayser signed a 15-year lease, and will open early next year. It’s joining such retail neighbors as Max Brenner Chocolatier and Santander Bank.

So you have to figure that Maison Kayser will be opening in the storefront to the north of the bank branch...



In 2013, Gothamist named Maison Kayser one of the city's 12 best bakeries: "And though chain bakeries can be forces to fear, we have to admit this spot whips up one hell of a baguette," they wrote.

This location marks the ninth now in the the city for Maison Kayser.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: Maison Kayser opening a large bakery on 13th and Broadway (25 comments)

Week in Grieview

[Photo on 2nd Avenue by Derek Berg]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

Ongoing concerns about demolition work and elevated lead levels in Toledano-owned buildings (Monday)

A new lease for Jane's Exchange on East Third Street (Thursday)

Hawklet watch is on now in Tompkins Square Park (Tuesday)

Beetle House Beetle House Beetle House (Thursday)

Historic copper door returns to synagogue-turned condos on Sixth Street (Monday)

Former Ricky's space rebranded and ready to rent on First Avenue (Monday)

Bluestone Lane officially opens at 51 Astor Place (Monday)


[Please mind the photographer! DB]

DumplingGo expected to reopen later in May (Tuesday)

At Thirstea Café tea shop (Friday)

Seventh Street returns to 1981 for filming of young Barack Obama movie "Barry" (Tuesday)

Part 2 of our interview with Alan Good (Wednesday)

Report: No Fun on Ludlow Street sues the LES Dwellers for defamation (Thursday)

Albert Trummer's hospital-themed cocktail lounge Sanatorium now open on Avenue C (Wednesday)

615 E. Sixth St. has been sold (Tuesday) Ditto for 85 E. 10th St. and 112-120 E. 11th St. (Friday)

Desi Snack closed for now on Fourth Avenue (Wednesday)

Capturing two lightning strikes at One World Trade Center (Tuesday)

Mars Bar flashback (Wednesday)

Trash & Vaudeville-less 4 St. Mark's Place sells for $10 million (Friday)

A sidewalk bridge arrives outside Peter Brant's incoming gallery space on East Sixth Street (Thursday)

Today's free concert in Tompkins Square Park rescheduled for next weekend

Given the rain expected this afternoon, the organizers decided to hold off until next weekend. The show will be rescheduled for either next Saturday or Sunday... We'll update when that date is set.

The Facebook event page for the show is here.

Report: Death of man on East 4th Street ruled a homicide 11 years later

On Sept. 15, 2005, firefighters found a badly injured Serafin Vasquez inside his fire-scorched apartment at 120 E. Fourth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue. According to published reports, Vasquez had burns to his arms, legs and torso, and stab wounds to his head and body. He died six months later at age 60.

Now, per the Daily News:

The city Medical Examiner initially concluded the cause of death was undetermined.

In March of this year, a detective reviewing the case, which remained open, realized Vasquez’s death certificate failed to label the death a homicide, according to a police source.

The Medical Examiner’s said the case was reopened and the death was reclassified as a homicide in light of “investigative information."

No arrests have been made.

According to a Post article published on Sept. 17, 2005:

Cops said that Vasquez had been communicating until recently with a younger woman who was in jail on drug charges and that they thought he had sent her money.

She was being sought for interrogation last night.

Neighbors reported hearing a loud argument, in Spanish, coming from Vasquez’s apartment at about 2:30 p.m. Thursday.

Then the smell of smoke began creeping through the hallway.

One building resident said that Vasquez "was a really great guy. He would help you out in a second. He was the best kind of neighbor."

Report: Rat complaints on the rise

[Photo by Derek Berg]

At this current pace, the city's rat complaint record set last year will fall in 2016.

Per the Post:

New Yorkers have made 8,335 rodent complaints to the city’s 311 hot line so far this year, up 18 percent from the same period in 2015, when there were 7,076 complaints, and 39 percent over the same period in 2014, records show.

As previously noted, our very own Community District 3 ranked No. 1 in 2015, according to the Health Department, as having the worst rat problem in Manhattan.

CB3 district manager Susan Stetzer discusses the issue in the Post:

She said rats in her district ... feast on garbage from eateries and scraps left in Tompkins Square and Seward parks.

“There are more mountains of garbage on the street waiting to be picked up. Our increased development does not have the infrastructure to support it,” she said.

“The worst locations are city-owned properties. The Department of Health cannot issue summonses and clean up and charge back to the property owner if necessary.”

In related news... the trash can had been missing from the container marked "Keep Council District 2 clean" for the past four days on Avenue A at St. Mark's Place...



Previously on EV Grieve:
The East Village will be testing ground for a 'rat reservoir pilot'

How to get a free map of Lower East Side Community Gardens

Community gardener Helen Avery has been working with the Parks Department to create a map of the Lower East Side Community gardens...

The maps are done, and Helen will be distributing them for free today from 2-4 p.m. at La Plaza Cultural (southwest corner of Avenue C and Ninth Street) ... and Monday night from 6-8 at the Sixth Street Community Center between Avenue B and Avenue C...

[Updated] Reader report: Police investigate stabbing on East 3rd Street

There are few details at the moment... Per an EVG reader: the NYPD is investigating a stabbing on East Third Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

There are three officers on the scene outside No. 59 and No. 61. There is blood on the sidewalk... and some droplets of blood leading to Second Avenue.

Updated 5-1

In the Daily Blotter today, the Post reports that two men, ages 24 and 25, got into an argument around 3:20 a.m. with "unknown men." One victim "was slashed in the left hand and over the left eye and the other was stabbed in the left thigh. The victims made their own way to Bellevue Hospital, where they were treated for non-life-threatening injuries."

No arrests and no further information.

Oh, here's your BMW — right there on the sidewalk

EVG regular Salim noted this scene on East Second Street between Avenue A and First Avenue... after the DOT resurfaced the street. Guess the BMW owner didn't move his or her car beforehand. Or maybe there's another reason for this parking job.

Previously

Learn the difference between the Marble cemeteries this weekend

[New York City Marble Cemetery on 2nd Street this spring]

Both of the cemeteries will be open to the public...

New York City Marble Cemetery, East Second Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

• Sunday, May 1
11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

New York Marble Cemetery, Second Avenue between Second Street and Third Street

• Saturday, April 30
Noon to 4 p.m.

• Sunday, May 1
Noon to 4 p.m.

[Updated] April 29

Spotted near the 9th Precinct on East Fifth Street this evening.

Despite the lack of a newspaper to vouch for the date, we spotted Officer Tubbs leaving the station house... and he verified the sighting...

Updated!



Further proof comes via EVG reader Carol Puttre, who also spotted the tree...

Updated2!

All of this is moot... because we spotted this one today on East Fourth Street near Second Avenue...

With a little Patience

Roxanne Clifford, who fronted the London-based Veronica Falls, is back with a project called Patience.

This video is for "The Church," her melodic first single.

There's something about Mary

Yesterday, an EVG reader noted the arrival of three statues of the Virgin Mary in the previously empty spaces outside Most Holy Redeemer-Nativity Church on East Third Street between Avenue A and Avenue B.

EVG reader David sent these shots today...







Per David: "All three are the same — very worn-down-looking statues of Mary, but each has a very different surface. Is that supposed to look like marble? Quite surreal! I kind of like them..."

Billy Leroy shows his acting chops with 'Bourek,' opening today at Cinema Village

And starting today at Cinema Village on East 12th Street between University and Fifth Avenue... it's "Bourek," an independent comedy filmed mainly in Greece...and directed by New School faculty member Vladan Nikolic...



A familiar name/face has a lead role — William Leroy... aka Billy Leroy, who ran Billy's Antiques and Props on Houston and the Bowery for many years. He's not dead. He has been busy doing a little acting (as he did before the big tent folded) and appearing on a show for the Travel Channel.

Anyway, here's the "Bourek" trailer...



He'll be at the 7:10 p.m. screenings this weekend. Will be nice to see him around again.