EV Grieve

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

A 14-floor addition and new hotel for the Financial District?

Work (slowly) continues at 24 and 26 John Street in the Fiancnial District. At the former site of the Casual Grill and the Seh Ja Meh Korean restaurant. And just what is going into this space?

According to the permit on file with the city:

A 14-floor addition to create a hotel. The architect is the busy, Queens-based Gerald J. Caliendo. Hmm, what to think of this? For starters, there doesn't appear to be another need for hotel here. (The Hotel Reserve opened in December around the corner. And there's the luxury boutique hotel Gild Hall not far away.) And, as the Observer noted last summer, "Over the past 6 1/2 years, Gerald Caliendo ... had 1,604 individual new residential buildings permitted by the Department of Buildings, more than any other architect in the city."

Pearl Street Diner closed, but just for today because of R-Pattz

I really hate going up to my favorite places and seeing a sign tacked to the door. I always fear the worst. Like when I went up to the Pearl Street Diner in the Financial District yesterday for lunch.

OK, I can live with this for one day. And filming for the new R-Pattz film "Remember Me" takes place here today. Remember to leave your screaming teens at home.

[Top Pearl Street Diner photo via]

Psychic looking a little more permanent

The psychic/clairvoyant/chakra balancer who took up board above Rockin' Robin Raj at 114 Third Ave. now has spiffy new awnings and signs. Maybe they're here to stay? If so, then maybe someone wants to take down that "building available" sign.

Previously on EV Grieve:
I sense that Robin Raj gets a new upstairs tenant

Chipotle under way; X'mas decorations likely not in stock

Looks as if some work has begun on the Chipotle that's coming into the former Rhyme & Reason space on 14th Street and Irving Place.

Of course, workers haven't removed all the old signs just yet.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

And this doesn't even including filming "The Sorcerer's Apprentice"

From CBS 2:

A report released today by Transportation Alternatives noted the folowing:

* Every day more than 2.7 million New York City drivers speed.

* Only 1 in 12,698 get caught.

* A driver could speed every day in NYC and get ticketed only once in 35 years.

The group claims that the speeding and other traffic violators make the streets unsafe, but city records show that in the last two years traffic deaths in the city have been the lowest since 191

Day 8

Previously.

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning Edition

Enjoying Governors Island (Jeremiah's Vanishing NY)

The Native American population of Lower Manhattan (East Village History Project)

John Penley returning to EV (Neither More Nor Less)

A tribute to NYC's seedy hotels (Ephemeral New York)

Reports: Downtown artist Dash Snow has died of drug overdose (Gawker)

The Tube looks at NYC nightlife circa 1983 or so (Stupefaction)

A big, fat "Greek" shoot on Ludlow (BoweryBoogie)

Slum Goddess checks in from Italy (Slum Goddess)

The Vulture notes: "Now that her new single, 'LoveGame,' has reached No. 1 on the Billboard charts, Lady Gaga has become only the third artist in the last sixteen years to score three No. 1 hits from a debut album. Her esteemed company in this exclusive club? Avril Lavigne and Ace of Base."

Noted from today's Wall Street Journal... maybe I'm just misreading it:

Noted

Coming soon.

Bastille Day 1992 at Florent

In honor of Bastille Day, Karen Lillis has uploaded a set of black-and-white photos (like the one above) from a Bastille Day event at Florent from 1992.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Remembering Richard Leck: "He liked the anything-goes quality, the creativity and the street life"

Your invite to meet your new neighbor who wants to turn a men's shelter into a high-end sushi joint

On Monday, fancy sushi eatery Koi goes before the CB3 for a full-liquor license for a proposed restaurant at 347 Bowery, the site of the former Salvation Army's East Village Residence.

On Thursday night, Koi reps will look to liquor up concerned locals at Sala.

And they offer us an idea of what the place may look like...

Previously on EV Grieve:
On the Bowery: "What in the hell is this?"

At 504-508 E. 12th Street: Buyers beware

Massey Knakal has 504 and 508 E. 12th St. listed for $15 million. According to the property description:

The subject properties are two contiguous 6-story, mixed-use, walk-up apartment buildings totaling approximately 30,900 square feet. The property has fifty-four (54) residential units above four (4) stores on the ground floor. Of the fifty-four (54) residential units, twenty-seven (27) are free market, twenty-five (24) are rent stabilized and three (3) are rent controlled. The property has four unit types: two (2) studios, eleven (11) one bedrooms, thirty-seven (37) two bedrooms and four (4) three bedrooms. The rent regulated apartments are renting for approximately $28/NSF or 37% of market. All of the free market apartments have been gut renovated featuring new hardwood floors, stainless steel appliances and granite countertops.

I'm not sure how long these have been here ... if you look at the building, between Avenue A and Avenue B, there are yellow posters (six in total) on display in several windows.

To help you read it:

I know some of the backstory here about the landlord(s), though not enough to feel comfortable writing about... If you have something to add about the addresses/landlord(s), please feel free to share more in the comments.

The road to Wall Street and the Stock Exchange is getting...Eurocobble?

On Nassau Street yesterday...

...and the street will now feature Italy's finest Eurocobble.

Can't wait to see when the Eurotrash takes a walk on the Eurocobble.

(And the crowd boos!)

Looking at 128 E. 13th St.

Been some time since we looked at 128 E. 13th St. between Fourth Avenue and Third Avenue. The historic 1903 carriage house that belonged to Frank Stella was designated for demolition to make room for -- a seven-story condo. This is believed to be the last surviving horse and carriage auction mart building in New York City, according to the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (GVSHP).

Long story, of course! The building was saved in spring of 2007. And it will be home to the Peridance Center, who signed a long-term lease for use of the building as a dance studio.

Anyway, that was more than two years ago... While a new sign is up, there looks to be a lot of work left...

You can read more about it here on the GVSHP site.

Avenue B to get a little Panache

Last Friday, I mentioned there's a new "eating/drinking establishment" coming to 182 Avenue B at the former home of the Cafe de Nova.

And like that, a new sign appears...meet Panache Cafe (some day).

Smashing good time at Absinthe

Perhaps someone got annoyed by the noise? At First Avenue near Seventh Street.

Monday, July 13, 2009

Day 7

Previously.

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning Edition

Rev. Billy blesses Ray's (Jeremiah's Vanishing NY, Neither More Nor Less)

Bob Arihood also has many excellent photos from Saturday's TSP concert (Neither More Nor Less)

A plan for Coney Island (New York Times)

NYPD spends $1 million a year for typewriters (NY Post)

Where you can still find phone booths on NYC streets (NY Post) UPDATE: Sorry — didn't realize that Scouting New York had this story last week. Another case where the Post borrows without credit.

Stalking the cupcake truck on Third Avenue (Hunter-Gatherer)

A new Subway for Grand Street (BoweryBoogie)

Some classic Times Square marquees (Esquared)

Checking out the Sunday pool parties at East River State Park (Gothamist)

Sons & Daughters closing on Avenue A; new tenant for A and Third Street?

High-end kid's shop Sons & Daughters at 35 Avenue A is going out of business. Its last day is Aug. 23.

I'm wondering what will become of the mechanical dolphin out front?

This is starting to be a lonely stretch of Avenue A between Third Street and Second Street. The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) is the landlord along here. There are already two other prime storefronts available.

Check that! According to the NYCHA Web site, there's an application in process for the long-empty coffee shop at Third Street and Avenue A.

Weekend repeat: Karaoke taking over Mondo Kim's space

I orginally posted this Saturday afternoon.

For further reading on Mondo Kim's.

And thanks to Gothamist for picking up the story Saturday. I liked what Billy Parker had to say:

The space once belonging to Mondo Kim's record and video store on St. Marks Place is going to be opening as a new karaoke joint for the thousands of bridge and tunnelers who desperately need an alternative to Sing Sing across the street.