The going rate for New York history on the Bowery: $22,500 per month

As far as we know, plans are still in the works to turn the former Amato Opera on the Bowery into a theater/bar/restaurant... The people behind the V Bar said their plans are at least one year away...

In any event, on Monday, NYC the Blog had a link to the Amato Opera listing...



Youch... $22,500? Good luck...

Village Fabics closing Aug. 31

And a reliable source says that the landlord has already found two takers who will pay double the current rent here on First Avenue and 11th Street.



Previously on EV Grieve:
Closing sale at Village Fabrics

Village Fabrics to close next month

Sapporo East closed for "emergency construction"

Here on 10th Street and First Avenue at Sapporo East...



...there are dueling signs: One apologizing for the "emergency construction" as well as a stop-work order ...



The DOB says there is no permit for the work being done here...

40 Avenue C getting another renovation

40C on 40 Avenue C between Third Street and Fourth Street closed about this time last year for renovations...it became Batista, a 1950s-style Havana club...

And as of this week, Batista is seemingly getting a gut renovation...

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning Edition

Miniatures for dwellers of the urban underbelly (Jeremiah's Vanishing NY)

A look at Hendrix 40 years later (NME)

NYU takes it expansion summer tour to CB2 (Runnin' Scared)

Anxious about LES gentrification, 1977 (Patell and Waterman’s History of New York)

And now — 3 Sheets Saloon (BoweryBoogie)

Pics from Dog That Bites Everyone at Csquat (Slum Goddess)

Save our community gardens! (The Gog Log)

Jill goes to Rock Rock Rockaway Beach (Blah Blog Blah)

Making-that-small-East-Village-space-livable piece everyone is talking about for some reason (Core 77)

And via EV Grieve reader Lambert Jack... recently spotted on Attorney near Houston.... Jerry's folks piggybacking on Sammy's posters...




By evening, the flyer had been torn down. Maybe Jerry had been found...

Your opportunity to help shape CB3's liquor license future

From the EV Grieve inbox...

Community Board 3 is hosting a Policy Meeting of the SLA & DCA Licensing Committee

Thursday, August 19 at 6:30 p.m. -- University Settlement at Houston Street Center -- 273 Bowery (at Houston St)

We will review and evaluate changes to Community Board 3's existing policies and procedures guiding the Board's approvals/denials of all types of liquor licenses for establishments within the CB 3 district. All previous "resolution areas" will be reviewed.

We want to hear from YOU!

Please fill out a "Request to Speak" form by 7 p.m. Speakers will be limited to 3 minutes.

· What are your plans/visions for the area?
· What are your concerns, problems?
· What do you want to retain in our neighborhood?

Here's the current policy.

Some pretty big picture questions up there...What do you want to retain in our neighborhood? We could be there all night.

This comment from Daria yesterday sums up what a lot of people have been saying here in recent years:

I used to look forward to new restaurants, excited like, to see what new places we'd have to eat at. now i feel like, "let's see what new places they are building for THEM."

that pretty much sums it up. stuff that used to open around here used to excite me because I felt like they were for those of us that live here. And now I feel like they are for those who don't.

Meanwhile, the current system seems arbitrary and dysfunctional for granting licenses... Like on Avenue B, Sigmund Pretzel Shop, which closes at 8 p.m., was denied a license to sell beer and wine... Meanwhile, a few doors down, Billy Hurricane's gets the OK for a two-level bar featuring a signature drink that will be limited to two per person. (Yes, I realize that this was a transfer from Midway/Rehab... and not a new license... still)

Sin Sin meets the neighbors

This is a brief report on the meeting that took place last Wednesday night starring Sin Sin, the NYPD and local residents...the summary is courtesy of the East Fifth Street Block Association...

During the course of the disorganized meeting, various residents reiterated some of the problems they were experiencing as a result of Sin Sin's method of operation, ranging from people partying in their cars, to crowds on the street, trash and waste deposited by patrons, violence from patrons ... These were not new items being discussed, as they were brought to light recently at CB3 and other meetings.

Sin Sin owner Phillip seemed unable to muster any kind of serious commitment to dealing with these problems. He did say he would hire an additional bouncer, but only when pressed. His attitude waffled between saying that Sin Sin takes every reasonable measure to ensure quiet ... to denying that Sin Sin was even responsible for the behavior on the street.

He was promptly told that most everyone in the room has personally witnessed the mayhem emanate from Sin Sin. ... We left the ball in his court, asking him to write out his proposal to remediate the problem, asking him to specifically address security and patrons loitering on the street, and to look at his programming to see if changes could be made there.

Lt. Ferguson was nearly as bad as the club owner. He recounted statistics that the block association has known for years, and was responsible for bringing to the officials' attention. When asked what the police would/could do for our community, he seemed at a complete loss and said that they were overwhelmed with this sort of thing throughout their/our precinct. He gave out numbers to call ... but his inability to commit to dealing with this problem was disheartening.

The upside of the evening is that there is now an official record, witnessed by the police of the unwillingness of the bar to try to remediate the problem, AND their persistence in denying that they are the cause.

Previously on EV Grieve:
NYPD hosting meeting between Sin Sin and neighbors tonight

East Village noise wars new battlefront: Sin Sin/Leopard Lounge

How Lit Lounge is trying to be a better neighbor

East Village losing its Nathan's/Pizza Hut/Arthur Treacher's mashup

The northwest corner of Second Avenue and 14th Street is fairly unremarkable... You got your Pizza Hut-Nathan's-Arthur Treacher's combo...



Maybe not for too much longer... that block is on the, eh, block...



As the ad says, "Same great place. Brand new look."

A new look that doesn't include the current tenants. The space can be chopped up into several pieces... and even the second floor may be available...

New Avenue B rock club to feature White Castle's, Artichoke and a 'Weirdo Room'

UrbanDaddy has details on the "New Luxe Rock-and-Roll Attic Bar" in the former Uncle Ming's space on Avenue B near 14th Street... (Above Bee Liquors and across from Mona's...)

Introducing White Noise, a new luxe rock-and-roll bar in the East Village (naturally), opening [this Friday] with the promise of hazy Jack Daniel’s nights, impromptu live shows and a crowd that feels good being bad.

Climb the stairs to White Noise’s hidden second-floor lair ... and you’ll be thrust into a world of vintage couches covered in black vinyl (leather is so pretentious), a bar layered in old tin roofing and windows boarded up and covered in thick black curtains. Even the chandeliers have been dipped in black tar.

It’s the sort of dark cavern that will gracefully usher in your next night of moody carousing with hot muses and rigorous academic debates about bass players, which may just end with a session in the secret "Weirdo Room," where you will sit alone, under a strobe light, and contemplate the meaning of "Stairway."

And the next morning, when the hot blaze of the Sunday sun proves too much, you can head right back in for their hangover party (starting in a few weeks), complete with vintage rock operas playing on a projection screen, microwave White Castle burgers and slices of Artichoke pizza.

The reader who sent me the link included a simple comment: "Gawd, this looks awful."

Community gardens reminder

From the Time's Up Save Our Gardens Action Group:

The next public event is tomorrow at 11 a.m. at Chelsea Rec Center, 430 W. 25th St. We will convene for our rally at 10:30. There is much planning and coordinating that needs to happen to keep our momentum and success going...

Come to the Planning Meeting tonight at 7 at ABC No Rio. At that meeting, committees will be formed so we can better mobilize and spread out the fun. Please come prepared to sign up for a committee — things are moving very fast!! The Gardens need everyone's participation. The committees suggested thus far are:

1. Fundraising - grant writing - North Star Emergency Grants
2. Media/Press/Social Networking
3. Communications and Fliers
4. Props/Banner/ Art Committee
5. Photos and Video Committee
6. Food/Dumpster Divers Committee.
7. Legal Committee
8. Event Planning

Things that I learned today!

The difference between the Belgian flag and the German flag!

Belgium!


Germany!


Uh, sorry!

Previously on EV Grieve:
More German-themed plywood for Second Avenue

Acronym alert! New community coalition forms in response to NYU expansion plans

Meet CAAN!

Following the suspension of the Community Task Force on NYU Development by Borough President Stringer, a dozen community groups have formed a new coalition to respond to NYU’s 20-year expansion plan, NYU 2031. The Community Action Alliance on NYU 2031 (CAAN) is composed of neighborhood, preservation, parents and building groups which are concerned about the detrimental impact NYU’s massive growth plans would have on our neighborhood.

CAAN is working to ensure that elected officials and the Community Board support the recommendations of the Community Task Force on NYU Development, which met for over four years with NYU. The Community Board and local elected officials have not yet taken a position on the NYU 2031 plan, but will ultimately take the votes which determine whether or not the NYU plan is approved and enacted.

Please do not attempt any of this in the new First Avenue bike lanes

The King of New York BMX competition rolled into Tompkins Square Park over the weekend...



Thanks to EV Grieve reader Steve for the photos...






And I hope that nobody gets any funny ideas now about the new First Avenue or Second Avenue bike lanes....

Things that don't look fun

Swimming (standing?) in a dumpster pool on Park Avenue.



Photo taken by Our Lady of Perpetual PMS.

Kurve/Rhong Tiam's long, strange trip is apparently over

Oh my what a wacky few years here on Second Avenue and Fifth ... where Kurve became Rhong Tiam East... the potted-plant neglectors here have been "closed for operating" illegally ... battled local taggers... given themselves a Michelin star...

The location is seemingly closed now... Let's start with Friday evening.



I walked by several times later and never saw any private parties inside. Unless it was off-site....




And people were stopping by to eat...



Yesterday, the place looked pretty dismantled...and the phone was not in service.




And all last week, there were offering 25 percent off...



To be honest, I actually called for delivery one night last week. Was curious about their food. However, I was told the special was reserved for people who would eat in the restaurant... not for people who wanted it to go or delivered...

Oh, also on Friday, a photographer and her subject were using the wall for whatever this was...



All Kurve Koverage.

More German-themed plywood for Second Avenue

First, as you will recall, a new restaurant is coming to the space behind the German-themed plywood here on Second Avenue at Second Street...



And now -- the plywood is gone!



No worries, though, German-themed-plywood lovers! Um, yeah, this is actually the Belgian flag... duh. Sorry.

Check out the Crazy Landlord space the next block up on the northeast corner of Third Street...






This will soon be home to the Belgian ale place that wants to be a "sexier Balthazar."

Previously on EV Grieve:
What's behind the German-themed plywood on Second Avenue?

"Crazy Landlord" cleans up his corner: Here comes a "sexier Balthazar"

Former Miracle Grill space on the market

Hmmm... we've been wondering what's going to be happening here on First Avenue near Seventh Street ... Seems as if the Miracle Grill has been closed for (three!) years... apparently there won't be any outdoor space here...considering the garden is now a condo.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Former Miracle Grill garden not-so-suddenly looks like a condo

Crazy ideas of the week: Turn Ray's into a tiki bar

The East Villager has a Page 1 feature this week on Barry Kushelowitz’s tiki-rich apartment on Seventh Street...


[Photo by J.B. Nicholas]

Here's an excerpt that's rather funny and, probably, a little alarming...:

Does he have any interest in opening up his own tiki-themed establishment? Yes, he says, but real estate in New York is too expensive and the city has become too "sterilized." One idea he has is to use his collection to turn Ray’s Candy Store, on E. Seventh St. and Avenue A, into a tiki bar, with Ray Alvarez, the store's owner, as emcee.

"Ray could come down at night and tell stories," Kushelowitz said. "He's got a million stories."

Motel for First Avenue and Ninth Street looks less likely now

Several readers have passed along this news (thank you!) after signage went up on Friday...We now have a better idea of what's going in here at 147 First Avenue at Ninth Street...




So much for our motel theory! Anyway, whatever comes here promises to drive up the rents for nearby businesses who are already struggling... soon, this whole stretch will be one big Momofuku...

And EV Grieve reader Blue Glass sent along a photo with another angle...




Previously on EV Grieve:
Ninth Street and First Avenue shocker: Motel ... Hello?

Blockbuster: 147 First Ave. set for demolition

German burgers coming to Seventh Street

So!

At the former Mohammed Falafel Star space on Seventh Street near Avenue B... the barn/stockade/dungeon-looking thing...



So we've heard that it may be a burger place... or a Mediterranean eatery... And now! A name!



It will be a German burger joint... Of course, we were rooting for a dungeon...Thanks to EV Grieve reader Peter H. for this photo...