East Village finally getting that crucial pita/sports bar combo

As Eater first reported, the former Bounce Deuce on Second Avenue and Sixth Street is becoming something else... now the signage is up...




And as you can see, the Queens-based Pita Pan is taking over...Their fries look good.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Your up-to-the-minute Bounce Deuce news

Howl! soon is now

The Howl! Festival starts Friday in Tompkins Square Park. All the details are here. There are lots of other related events in the neighborhood throughout September, including a film festival, poetry reading series, performance art and more. The East Village Howler has posts on many of the upcoming events. Of particular interest to me on Sept. 19, Punk Rock, Forever!

No undergarments will be harmed during the filming of SATC2

Yes, that was really bad, that headline. Filming for "Sex and the City 2" gets under way yesterday. According to the Post: "Sarah Jessica Parker, wearing angelic white and a pair of gold Jimmy Choo heels with bright red soles, happily cavorted on the Upper East Side before jumping into a cab."

Image via.

Liberty heights: 19 new floors of residential for FiDi (why, oh why...)

Nothing seemed to be going on at the boarded up 67 Liberty St. between Broadway and Nassau Street in the Financial District for some time. Then, as a tipster noted this week, "they're adding floors rapidly."



Indeed, the former five-story office building is being converted to residences. Oh, not just the existing five floors -- developer Ron Shoshany is adding 14 stories to the structure. Work was approved for this spot in September 2004.





In any event, we just can't imagine how this is going to look... aside from really out of place. For starters, 65 Liberty Street next door is the former Chamber of Commerce of the State of New York. (Now home to the International Commercial Bank of China.) It's a A Beaux Arts landmark erected in 1901. A faux-op for next door then.

By the way, Joseph P. Day, real estate auctioneer and broker, bought 67 Liberty for his business in July 1919.

UPDATE: I found a rendering over at Newman Design.



As the copy there reads:

"Located in lower Manhattan, 67 Liberty Street Condos is a 19 story luxury residential rental building. The property was converted from a five-story commercial building into a 19 floor residence through creative application of zoning regulations. The design plan retained the skin on the first five stories, thus preserving the existing zoning, setbacks and utilizing the maximum FAR. As a result of the building’s narrow architecture, an interior scissor stair was designed."

Physical anti-graffiti on the LES

Ran into one of the city's anti-graffiti crews the other morning on Essex and Broome in the LES. (The sworn enemy of the Graffiti Friend of EV Grieve.)



The fellow was busy waterblasting the tags on the Eisner Brothers memorabilia/sporting goods/underwear store at 75 Essex...






What was coming from the building seemed like blood...pouring into the streets...




I went back hours later to see what was left. I guess they don't do windows.

13th Street shock box

Perhaps you're walking on 13th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue. And you're feeling just plain tuckered out. You could seek refuge on that rather temporary-looking bench up the street. And being so tired, you may not notice the warnings...that glare from the A Building and all...

Noted

On Avenue B at Fifth Street, the site of the seemingly abandoned Caffe Buon Gusto.

Essex Street, 5:44 p.m., Sept. 1

Historic La Salle Academy attacked by viral marketing campaign

Ah, yes — the La Salle Academy, at Second Avenue and Second Street, recently celebrated its 160th anniversary.

But can it survive an attack by Sony's big blowupalooza coming this holiday season — "2012"?






A reader, who passed along the last photo in this set, is not impressed by the ad: "It's covering a big portion of the corner and it's really bad. They try to make it look like it was defaced, but it's not."

Benefit yesterday for the children of Eric "Taz" Pagan

Last night, nine bars in the neighborhood donated half of their register to establish a college fund for the two children of slain Forbidden City bouncer Eric "Taz" Pagan.

I stopped by a few of the participating bars early in the evening to check on the turnout. And have a few drinks.

Drop Off Service was, quite frankly, packed. Friday night packed, perhaps. (Not that I've ever been there on a Friday night. Heard someone else say that it was like a Friday night to the bartender. And there were two bartenders working.) Next door, Destination was pleasantly full. Across the street, Forbidden City was crowded. Several people stopped in just to make a donation to the college fund.



The next block to the south, Common Ground was also full. At 9 p.m., a quick check of Superdive found four people inside. Habibi Lounge wasn't open when I first walked by...then, around 9, I saw two people at the bar.

One aside: a couple was moving into an apartment on Avenue A between 13th Street and 14th Street. Despite several open spaces along the east side of Avenue A, they decided to park directly in front of Forbidden City. Which is fine, but I was curious if they knew what had happened...or what was happening this evening...



In any event, I have no idea what the final tally will be from the bars. But from what I saw, a lot of people came out to provide support...

Previously on EV Grieve:
EV bars come together to create college fund for Eric "Taz" Pagan's children

Mystery Lot weeds whacked; fresh garbage dumped in its place

Noticeable changes at EV Grieve favorite The Mystery Lot on 13th Street near Third Avenue. First, someone whacked the weeds....



...deposited some garbage and shrubbery...



...and fed the pigeons...



Previously on EV Grieve:
An appreciation: That empty lot of 13th Street

Another view of the Mystery Lot

Bars/restaurants news and notes and what not

The 5C Cultural Center & Cafe on Avenue C and Fifth Street is getting a paint job...



Coming soon to First Avenue between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street...



And 40C on Avenue C near Third Street is transforming into Batista, a 1950s-style Havana club...




The Redhead on 13th Street near First Avenue apparently doesn't serve food on Sundays...

Noted

Second Avenue near Ninth Street.

Noted

Houston near Avenue B.

And, this is obvious, but the song popped into my head...

Thinking about the future

I took this photo about three weeks ago on Avenue A between 13th Street and 14th Street. I didn't think much of it at the time. It looks like a homemade sign. And it's hanging in front of a former beauty salon.



Now, after the shootings that killed Eric "Taz" Pagan one block away, I can't help but look at the sign differently.

Coming soon to Seventh Street: Luke's Lobster

On Seventh Street near First Avenue between the two Caracas Arepa Bar locations.

UPDATED: Oops, didn't realize that Grub Street reported on this a little earlier this afternoon... they have a lot more information on the owners, two former lobstermen.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Dead Lobster

Reminder: Drinking for a good cause today

Sophie's and Mona's are also taking part today. And I believe Destination... A commenter on Friday's post asked why Destination wasn't included (given the bar's proximity to Forbidden City and friendship with Eric "Taz" Pagan")...to which Destination's Mason Reese later responded, "Truthfully, no one called or mentioned this to me at all, since hearing about this, I've reached out and made the offer."

UPDATE: Destination is taking part. Confirmation in the comments.

Previously on EV Grieve:
EV bars come together to create college fund for Eric "Taz" Pagan's children

Cooper Square Hotel now sporting dead tree benches

Well, as the headline says, the Cooper Square Hotel now sporting dead tree benches...





Perhaps these are the remnants of the trees that were chopped down on Fifth Street next to the hotel back in April.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Why the trees were cut down on Fifth Street next to the Cooper Square Hotel

16 hours on 12th Street

Just taking one last look at yesterday's NYU move in on 12th Street...the site of the former St. Ann's church....



Best moment maybe ever: An SUV pulls up, the man behind the wheel next to his daughter yells to an NYU security guard on the sidewalk, "Excuse me, do you speak English?!"



Anyway, at least the neighbors were prepped...



Previously on EV Grieve:
NYU students are REALLY moving in! NYU students are REALLY moving in!

NYU students are moving in! NYU students are moving in!