[Updated] Reader report: Police SUV strikes cyclist on 1st Avenue and St. Mark's Place

According to several readers, an Interceptor SUV from the NYPD's 9th Precinct was traveling north along First Avenue — with its siren on and lights flashing — when it struck a cyclist crossing at St. Mark's Place this afternoon just before 4.

Witnesses believe that the cyclist, riding an e-bike and heading east, had the green light.

The images here are screengrabs from a 6-minute video that a reader shared showing the aftermath of the collision. (From the look of the crowd that had gathered, multiple people were filming this.)

The force of the impact propelled the cyclist into an area on First Avenue where a Verizon crew was working. One man on a hoverboard, a constant presence in the video, says: "He almost flew inside the truck! That's how hard they hit him."







From the video, the cyclist seems to be in a great deal of pain, screaming when the EMTs try to place him on a stretcher. He motions that he broke a leg. (The reader claims that the NYPD tried to make the man get up before the EMTs arrived, though that wasn't on the video.)







You can see the indentation where the SUV struck the cyclist...



We'll update when we receive more information about what happened and the cyclist's condition.

Updated 5/31

Patch follows up our story with a few more details.

The police were responding to a 911 call in which a 15-year-old boy was slashed at 14th Street and First Avenue.

The cyclist, 36, was taken to Bellevue with back and leg injuries.

And: "After the incident, cops slapped the e-biker with a summons for failing to yield to an emergency vehicle and operating an e-bike."

Egads! E Smoke shop demolishes 7th Street mural

[Photo from May 2]

Earlier this spring, new owners took over the 7th Street Village Farm on the southwest corner of First Avenue and Seventh Street... and a few readers wondered if the owners of its replacement, E Smoke & Convenience shop, would keep the murals on the Seventh Street side of the building.

An EVG reader shared this photo today... not really a good sign...



No word on the fate of the MCA tribute by @cramcept that's also on the store's property.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Egads! 7th Street Village Farm morphs into an E Smoke shop

Say hi to Sam, your new Ottendorfer librarian

[Photo by Stacie Joy]

By Marjorie Ingall

The Ottendorfer Library was born in 1884 as NYC’s first free public library.

When it reopened in March at 135 Second Ave. between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street — after seven months of fire-system and safety upgrades — a new librarian joined the team.

Friends and neighbors, meet Sam Jackson. (And she’s heard all your "Snakes on a Plane" jokes.)

Here's her story — and her love of manga — in her own words:

I grew up in Miami. My dad was a school janitor; my mom wanted to be a school social worker. Their pay wasn’t great, but what they had was time – if there was anything my sister and I were into, they were all let’s do this!

When I was into King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, Egyptian gods, anime — they were all about letting me explore those things. When one day the TV broke, and my mom says, “We’re not going to replace it,” we were all, “OK, whaddaya gonna do? Let’s read!”

I had a reading disability as a child. So when parents tell me they don’t want their kids to read graphic novels because it’s bad for them and it won’t help them read – well, I can speak from personal experience: Manga gave me the visual stimulation I needed and helped me match the words with the images and helped me love reading.

After college, I did a teach-abroad program in Mito, a small Japanese town that’s mostly famous for its natto — fermented soybean. Natto is to Mito like pizza is to New York. I had it in omelets and with Kewpie Mayo and on toast and with radish. Love it. You can’t get natto like that here.

In Mito, I mostly hung out with the oba-chans, the little old ladies. I volunteered at local community centers and the oba-chans gave me informal Japanese cultural lessons. There can be a lot of xenophobia in Japan, but people in their 80s and 90s embrace foreigners.

After the war, the American government sent soldiers to help rebuild; Blacks and Latinos were often sent to the rural country and the Caucasian males were sent to the city. I learned the words “good people” and “good memories” – and “eat, eat!” Tabate tabate! Everywhere I went, the grandmas wanted to feed me. OK, I will eat this random rice ball on a random train from a random stranger!

I studied technical theater in college, and after Japan I started working Off-Broadway as a stage manager. Still reading my little manga backstage. I was doing "And Away We Go" with Donna Lynne Champlin — two hours, no intermission — and it was [looks down, mimes turning pages] read, hand over the cigarette, read, hand over the gun. Fun. But the hours and the junk food and the no sleep were getting to me. I’d always wanted to work in the library, and now I thought “I need to make this real because my health can’t handle this.”

I love being a librarian. Free books! All you can read! I love to help patrons. You want a place to visit for free while you’re visiting New York City? I got you! Arts and crafts with kids? Yes! I get paid to go to New York Comicon and Anime NYC!

I started out at Seward Park, where my manga collection was the whole back wall. It was so beautiful. A thousand books. The teens in that space would devour them. One summer, four of my girls read the entire collection. It is the most satisfying thing when I see a graphic novel I just ordered missing from the shelves.

A few days ago, I ordered Planetes, Food Wars! and Fairy Tale Book 1 – all good introductions to manga. And they’re all gone. It’s great.

For teens, I often recommend Assassination Classroom. It feels new and different. There’s an assassin creature that wants to destroy the world, and he’s working as a junior high teacher. It’s not what you think it’s about. For both teens and adults, I really like What Did You Eat Yesterday?, a cooking manga about two men who are opposites who live together in Tokyo. One cooks and the other eats. One is a lawyer and the other is a beautician. Each book is a year in their life. It’s emotional, and the cooking stuff is so great; it’s just a sweet slice of life.

Personally, I love Solanin. It’s such beautiful art, and it’s about growing up and finding your place in the world. Not everyone loves it, but I gave it to one of my teens and she was crying. Not like secret-crying, like fully open this is good stuff! crying. We were in the teen room and I played her the song in the book — Solanin was made into a movie, so you can listen to the song — and she was crying and her friend was crying and I was gonna cry and I’m all, “I’M GONNA GET FIIIIIRED!”

The NYPL in general has a really good collection of manga and graphic novels. What’s on the shelves isn’t a hundredth of what we have. We have over 100,000 manga in the system. I rotate the section at Ottendorfer out every other month. I’ll talk about manga to kids, to grownups — to anyone who’s willing to listen. I’m kinda pushy.

Come talk to me. If you tell me what you’re interested in, I can probably recommend a manga you’ll like.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The untold tale of East Village shopkeeper Santo Mollica's comic-book past

Final demolition phase for 1 St. Mark's Place; more questions about lobbyists attached to project

Workers shrouded the exterior here on the northeast corner of Third Avenue and St. Mark's Place last week as demolition enters the final phase.

As previously reported, 3 St. Mark’s Place, 23 and 25-27 Third Avenue are coming down to make way for an office building with ground-floor retail.





The size of this new building has yet to be determined. As previously reported, Real Estate Equities Corporation (REEC) wants to transfer the air rights from the landmarked Hamilton-Holly House at 4 St. Mark's Place to add more floors and square footage to their office building, a move that has its critics, including Community Board 3 and State Sen. Brad Hoylman and Assemblywoman Deborah Glick, who reportedly called on the Landmarks Preservation Commission to deny the bulk waiver.

REEC has already filed permits (last October) for an as-of-right five-story, 29,030-square-foot building on the corner. If the air rights deal is ultimately OK'd, then the Morris Adjimi-designed building at 3 St. Mark's Place could bulk up to 10 stories.

Yesterday, the Daily News looked at the lobbyists tied to the project — those who happen to have connections with Mayor de Blasio. (We explored this angle back in February.)

Andrew Berman, executive director of Village Preservation, told this to the News:

"The mayor’s prodigious fundraiser, lobbyist Jim Capalino, is seeking favors from City Hall for his clients to lift restrictions and facilitate inappropriate development in the East Village. The number of projects this lobbying firm has gotten approvals for in this neighborhood is mind-boggling.

"Each new favor builds upon the next,” he continued. "First he got permission for an upzoning south of Union Square for an oversized ‘tech hub.’ Now he’s seeking air rights transfers to continue the spread of ‘Silicon Alley’ to St. Mark’s Place. The mayor’s pay-to-play practices are utterly transforming this neighborhood."

Capalino's spokesperson, Kenneth Fisher, had this response:

"Projects like these require multiple levels of public review and hearings and consideration of the merits by numerous public officials and professionals. Perhaps [Berman] would be more successful arguing on these merits rather than spreading absurd rumors."

As far as next steps, here's Curbed after the previous LPC meeting in April:

REEC will return to LPC at a not-yet-scheduled public meeting once they have altered their proposal to incorporate the commission’s recommendation that they lower the structure’s first setback to better align with St. Mark’s street wall and other feedback.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Demolition permits filed for northeast corner of 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

End is nearing for the businesses on the northeast corner of 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

New building plans revealed for 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

Concern over potential air-rights transfer for new office building on St. Mark's Place and 3rd Avenue

Developers of 3 St. Mark's Place are looking to increase the size of their proposed office building at 3rd Avenue to 10 floors with air-rights deal

The lobbyists behind the air-rights transfer and zoning variance for 3 St. Mark's Place

The Donut Pub outpost on Astor Place opens TODAY

[Photo from Sunday]

At long last the second location of The Donut Pub opens this morning at 6 at 740 Broadway and Astor Place.

This outpost was originally expected to open last fall (per the DP signage out front).

And no word yet if this location will be open 24/7 like the original.

That first Donut Pub has been on 14th Street and Seventh Avenue since December 1964. The no-frills, diner-like space once prompted New York magazine to write: "In a Krispy-Kreme and Dunkin' Donut world, it's comforting to know there are still places E.B. White might have recognized during his ambulations through the streets of New York."

Updated 7 a.m.

A quick walk by...





Previously on EV Grieve:
The Donut Pub opening an outpost on Astor Place

Joe’s Steam Rice Roll puts up the signage on St. Mark's Place

[Photo by Steven]

The signage arrived yesterday for Joe’s Steam Rice Roll here at 36 St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

This will be the third NYC outpost of the popular quick-serve establishment, which got its start in Flushing. Here's Eater with more about the shop and its owner, Joe Rong:

Rong began selling his rice noodle rolls from a tiny storefront in Flushing in 2017, and his craft quickly stood out. Unlike many other vendors, he grinds the rice for the batter in an electric-powered stone mill daily. His stand has drawn a loyal following, prompting him to expand to Manhattan last November with a stall inside Canal Street Market.

You can read more about the food at Joe's in this Hungry City column at the Times in January.

No word on an opening date on St. Mark's.

No. 36 has seen a variety of quick-serve concepts come and go in recents years, including Cheers Cut, the Taiwanese mini-chain of fried foods ... Friterie Belgian Fries ... Fasta ("Pasta Your Way") ... and the $1.50 branch of 2 Bros. Pizza.

Previously.

Tuesday's parting shot

EVG reader Vigilant EVer shared this photo from the new condoplex rising at 11 Avenue C (the former Mobil station) ... where someone hung a Soviet flag to the scaffolding on the property...

It promises to be the best of times, the blurst of times: Springfield coming to Cooper Union

For fans of "The Simpsons" ... this talk is happening Friday night at Cooper Union.

Via the EVG inbox...

Springfield Confidential: 30 Years Writing For The Simpsons

What: Mike Reiss has won four Emmys in his three decades writing for "The Simpsons." In this lecture, he will share backstage stories, secrets and scandals from the show in this hilarious presentation, richly illustrated with rare cartoon clips. Following the talk, Reiss will sign copies of his book "Springfield Confidential," a best-selling memoir of his three decades at "The Simpsons."

When: Friday, May 31, at 7:30-9 p.m.

Where: The Great Hall of The Cooper Union, 7 E Seventn St.

More: The event is free and open to the public. General public should reserve a space here. Please note seating is on a first come basis; an RSVP does not guarantee admission as we generally overbook to ensure a full house.

Resurfaced roadways on 1st Avenue and 2nd Avenue to have offset crossings

As you've likely noticed, the city has resurfaced parts of First Avenue (above!) and Second Avenue in recent weeks... (top two photos via Vinny & O)



The DOT has now added the markings to the roadway for the crosswalks, bike lanes, etc...









With the resurfacing comes an important change at intersections to make them safer for pedestrians and cyclists. The city is adding offset crossings, like you'll find on Fourth Avenue at 13th Street ...

Paving is now complete on 1st and 2nd Aves in the East Village. Our markings contractor will soon begin installing roadway markings. Crews will be updating #bikenyc intersections, adding off-set crossings to many of the intersections in this area. #BikeMonth pic.twitter.com/tQxPdN0VIY

— NYC DOT (@NYC_DOT) May 21, 2019

This morning crews are on 1st Ave in the East Village laying out where markings will soon be installed, including a new offset crossing at E 5th St. #bikenyc #BikeMonth pic.twitter.com/ssNIP8WKcT

— NYC DOT (@NYC_DOT) May 24, 2019

As David Meyer reported last week at Streetsblog, the arrival of offset crossings in the East Village comes two years after the driver of a box truck reportedly made an illegal left turn turn — across multiple lanes of traffic on First Avenue at Ninth Street — and slammed into cyclist Kelly Hurley, who later died from her injuries.

Per Streetsblog:

In the aftermath of her death, advocates implored the agency to rethink its use of “mixing zones” — which force cyclists and drivers to negotiate the same space at the same time.

After Hurley’s death, Upper West Side architect Reed Rubey came up withan alternative design, which was subsequently endorsed by Manhattan Community Board 4.

Rubey’s efforts partly inspired DOT’s chosen solution: the offset intersection, which it piloted at select locations in 2017 and 2018. In September, DOT’s “Cycling at the Crossroads” report showed that cyclists felt significantly safer at intersections with offset crossings [PDF].

[An example of offset crossing on 70th Street and Columbus Avenue]

And a look at First Avenue and Ninth Street on Saturday...





On Sunday, the Post, citing NYPD data, reported that "traffic crashes have already killed 71 people this year, up from 58 during the same time period in 2018 — a 22 percent surge."

In total, 39 pedestrians and 10 cyclists have been killed by cars or trucks on city streets this year. (There were 10 cyclists killed in all of 2018.) Drivers or passengers in vehicles accounted for the other 22 fatalities on city roads.

Metropolis Vintage has left 3rd Avenue; new Broadway space debuts today

[Photo yesterday by Steven]

Over the weekend, Metropolis packed up and moved out of its longtime home at 43 Third Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street ... and into larger space not too far away at 803 Broadway between 11th Street and 12th Street...


[Photo via Instagram]

The all-new location is expected to open today.

The shop had been at No. 43 for the past 23 years. As we've noted, Richard Colligan first opened the store in 1990 at 96 Avenue B between Sixth Street and Seventh Street...


[Courtesy of Richard Colligan]

Read an EVG interview with Colligan from 2010 at this link.

In June 2017, Metropolis Vintage unveiled a new logo for the shop designed by Punk magazine co-founder (and East Village resident) John Holmstrom.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Metropolis Vintage is on the move to a larger space nearby on Broadway

Cemetery wall knocked down during post-fire work behind 1st Avenue

A tipster points us to the East Side Outside Community Garden on 11th Street just east of First Avenue.

In recent months, workers have accessed the garden space to gain entry to the rear of 188 First Ave., which suffered a major fire last October.

While the structural stability of No. 188 was reportedly unaffected by the fire, the extension behind the permanently closed Uogashi needed to be removed.

Of concern to the tipster: The stone wall dating to the 1860s that lines the garden has been badly damaged during the work behind the First Avenue buildings...





Preservationists believe this is the western wall of a long-vanished cemetery.


[Map from 1867]

Here's what the wall looked like a few years ago...



The Village Preservation wrote about this cemetery back in 2013 (at the time, they were trying to spare part of the property from what became the luxury condoplex Steiner East Village).

While the cemetery opened in 1833, where the wall is located did not become the western boundary of the cemetery until the 1860s, and thus there may not have been a wall here prior to then. The cemetery remained on this site until 1909, so the wall also could have been built as late as the first years of the last century.

After the cemetery closed in 1909, the land was divided up and much of it sold. The eastern section became Mary Help of Christians Church (1917) and School (1925)

The school and church were demolished in 2013.

7th Street townhouse with rooftop pizza oven and basketball hoop sells for $15.75 million

[Image via Streeteasy]

The single-family townhouse at 64 E. Seventh St. has sold after nearly a year on the market.

The Real Deal noted the sale last week for the home between First Avenue and Second Avenue. Per TRD, an entity tied to William N. Joy — principal of a Florida-based investment firm Water Street Capital Inc. — paid $15.75 million for the property, which had an original ask of $18 million.

According to Streeteasy, No. 64 has five fireplaces, terraces off of the dining room and master bedroom, and rooftop garden with — why not? — a pizza oven and basketball hoop.

The sellers were two trusts and Lisa J. Fox.

The building received a gut renovation in 2010 that saw the removal of its longtime storefront.

Jeremiah Moss explored the building's history in this post from 2010.

Past occupants of 64 E. Seventh St. include:
• The parsonage for St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church
• The newspaper Russky Golos ("Russian Voice")
• The Les Deux Megots coffeehouse, whose readings featured Allen Ginsberg, Paul Blackburn and Carol Berge
• The Paradox, "said to be the world's first macrobiotic restaurant" where both Yoko Ono and folksinger Loudon Wainwright III worked
• Books 'N Things
• Tokio 7 (moved across the street)

Future tech hub demo watch

EVG regular Pinch passes along word that the former PC Richard & Son on 14th Street appears to be fully gutted ...



Per the 14th @ Irving website, here's what to expect on site this week:

[T]he team is anticipated to continue with selective hand demolition on the interior and exterior of the building ... the demolition team will start major hand demolition of the building from the east and west elevation working toward the middle of the building. This will include concrete chopping and torching the metal decks.

As you know, this is the future site of the 22-story Union Square Tech Training Center (aka tech hub) here at Irving Place. Our previous post has the back story.

Piccolo Cafe closes on 3rd Avenue

Piccolo Cafe closed after service back on Friday at 157 Third Ave. between 15th Street and 16th Street. (Thanks to EVG reader @bigpoppaeats for the tip.)

The small Italian cafe, which offered a variety of homemade pastries, sandwiches and salads, had been at this spot for 10 years.

Ownership didn't offer a reason for the closure in the goodbye note posted to the front door.



Piccolo Cafe has three other NYC locations.