Checking out the (sort of) new 421 E. 6th St.

A rendering has arrived on the plywood outside the under-renovation 421 E. Sixth St. ...





It doesn't look too different from the existing building ... from the exterior anyway.

Here's a side-by-side look (as noted previously)… showing the existing building (left) and the proposed front...



The address between Avenue A and First Avenue was a Con Edison substation built in 1920-21 that converted direct current to alternating. Artist/sculptor Walter De Maria owned the building from 1980 to the time of his death in July 2013.

As previously reported, the building will be a gallery space to display new owner Peter Brant's personal art collection.

Previously on EV Grieve:
About that "giant-robot laboratory" on East Sixth Street

RIP Walter De Maria

What is your East Village dream home?

Walter De Maria's 'giant-robot laboratory' going for $25 million; inside is amazing as you'd expect

Here's what Peter Brant wants to do with his new exhibition space on East 6th Street

Memorial Day cloud action

Photo looking downtown this afternoon by Bobby Williams

The Strokes now popping up on the Bowery

The Strokes have a new EP out on Friday, when they also headline the Governors Ball on Randall's Island.



Ahead of all this, the band (and Cult Records, the label run by frontman Julian Casablancas) opened a pop-up shop today at 350 Bowery between Great Jones and East Fourth Street.

The shop, open noon to 9 p.m. (except Thursday night, when there's a listening party for the new EP) through Sunday, is selling the band's previous records and other merchandise... there are also some DJ sets planned... not to mention an espresso bar by Everyman Espresso.

A photo posted by The Strokes (@thestrokes) on May 30, 2016 at 10:21am PDT

You can listen to a new track from the EP here...



And this is from 2013...

Noted

Some residents are really ready to have this VW removed from Seventh Street between Avenue A and First Avenue.

Anyone know how long the car, with the handmade "tow me" messages, has been here?

The city tagged the car for "investigation and removal by N.Y.P.D. rotation tow" on May 13...



Photos by Derek Berg

So long to the Yaffa Cafe mural

Earlier today, a worker painted over the Yaffa Cafe mural on St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue, as this photo by Allen Semanco shows.

Not really a surprise. The cafe closed for good after 31 years in September 2014, as we first reported.

The mural went up in 1993. It was a portrait of Lika Ramati, the former co-owner of Yaffa Cafe. The New York Times has more about the history of the mural in this article from 1999.

Here are two more photos via EVG reader Nick Monteleone ...





The owners of St. Dymphna's down the block are reportedly opening a Portuguese restaurant called Taberna in this space.

Updated 5-30

At the 29th annual Loisaida Festival

EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by the festival earlier today on Avenue C... and shared a few photos of the vendors, patrons and performers taking part in the annual Memorial Day weekend gathering...

Stupid clouds ruin Manhattanhenge

Not much of a Manhattanhenge this evening... and tomorrow night looks to be a washout...so there's always July 11-12.

Photos on 14th Street at Avenue C outside the Con Ed plant by Peter Brownscombe...

Time again for Manhattanhenge

[Photo from 2009]

As the Times notes:

This beloved event, known as Manhattanhenge, occurs when the setting sun aligns perfectly with the numbered streets that run east and west on Manhattan’s city grid, bathing traffic and skyscrapers in its warm red light.

Manhattanhenge is a two-day event that happens twice a year on opposite sides of the summer solstice. You can catch this year’s displays about 8:12 p.m. this Sunday [tonight!] and Monday [Memorial Day!], and again on July 11 and 12.

Not sure about the prospects for Manhattanhenging tomorrow with the rainy forecast.

The ghost of the Lil Crazy Legs mural arrives on 7th Street

[Photo from November by Derek Berg]

Back in November, artist Ernest Zacharevic created this tribute to Lil Crazy Legs on East Seventh Street between Avenue A and First Avenue (next to Porchetta).

Then, in April, someone buried it under a tag...


[Photo from April]

Now!

Someone did a pretty good job of outlining Lil Crazy Legs ...



As for what this was originally all about ... Zacharevic recreated photojournalist Martha Cooper's shots from the 1970s-80s around the city. Lil Crazy Legs — aka Richard Colón of the Bronx-based Rock Steady Crew from the early 1980s — is on the cover of her photo book "Hip Hop Files: Photographs 1979-1984."

Bella's Beauty Supply is closing on Avenue B

The shop with the colorful wigs in the windows closes for good tomorrow here on Avenue B between Second Street and Third Street ... Hair products and wigs are 50 percent off now until closing time.

Bella's opened in October 2011.

There has been some turnover in the businesses along here. The pet shop and deli closed late last year... and Choice Cleaners moved two storefronts to the north at the start of 2016.

Thank you Salim for the photo and tip!

Short films program tonight at the 6th and B Garden

Tonight at 8 at the 6th and B Garden (Avenue B at 6th Street) ... re-scheduled from last Saturday night's rain out ...

Head to the 6 & B website for more details.

Included in the program is a feature on Eddie Boros, the neighborhood character/artist who created the Tower of Toys at the Garden. Boros died in 2007 at age 74. The Tower was removed the next year.

Jennifer Esposito responds to reports that she fled East 10th Street for Denmark

[EVG file photo from 2015]

Page Six reported yesterday that Jennifer Esposito "plans to leave town after her legal drama with her gluten-free Jennifer’s Way baking empire." The destination: Denmark!

The actress, who was diagnosed with celiac disease five years ago, opened Jennifer's Way Bakery on East 10th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue in 2013. She responded to the report (also picked up by Fox News) on Facebook...


She also posted photos and a video of herself at the bakery yesterday.

As for the lawsuit, here's what Esposito had to say about it via Twitter...

What's even better? case has been DISMISSED entirely! No fleeing & the case dismissed? guess u got my name correct tho @FoxNews @PageSix

— Jennifer Esposito (@JennifersWayJE) May 27, 2016

Sunday in Tompkins Square Park: Memorial Day Punk Show

Via the EVG inbox...

There'll be political speakers, art work by Peter Missing and Jerry Foust and literature tables where folks can get the latest issue of The Shadow and Time Warp Zine.

Performers include:
> 1:00: Carla (No Police State Girl)
> 1:20: Ike's Wasted World
> 1:40: Nico (formerly of Star Fucking Hipsters)
> 2:05 Universal Truth Machine
> 2:35: Skitzopolis
> 3:00: The Wurst
> 3:35: Transgendered Jesus
> 4:05: Sewage
> 4:40: The Omega Men
> 5:20: The UNDEAD

East 3rd Street zen spirit

An EVG reader passes along these photos of a small zen garden that has arrived in this tree pit (along with a new tree several weeks ago) here on Third Street between Avenue A and Avenue B...





Hopefully it can survive the Avenue B weekend brunch crowd...