EV Grieve

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

The line for Prune's brunch is getting ridiculous

Oh, c'mon... just a shot of the usual long cab-gas line here on Second Avenue at First Street via Bobby Williams.

Avenue A, 3 a.m., June 7

At Fifth Street. Photo by Shawn Chittle

New sinkhole proves that the Bowery isn't all glam yet

EV Grieve reader Michele Campo sends along the above photo, noting that a (roughly) 6-by-6 sinkhole opened up on the Bowery just north of Broome Street just after noon today.

Meanwhile, look for the sinkhole to apply for a liquor license soon.

Former funeral home looks to double in size with help from 'the controversial penthouse king of the East Village'

Expect to see something much larger and glassy in place at the former Sigmund Schwartz Gramercy Park Chapel on Second Avenue between 10th Street and Ninth Street. Off the Grid, the blog of the Greenwich Village Preservation Society, reports that the owners have applied to make substantial changes to the 1937 building.

Per Off the Grid:

According to the Department of Buildings, an Alteration type 1 application has been filed, which is the most substantial type of alteration. Plans are to “Remodel the existing three story building and add 3 stories on top.” The ground floor will be commercial and the five upper stories will be residential (six apartments each on floors two through four, and duplex apartments on the floors five & six). This can mean anything from the existing building more or less staying in place on the exterior and three stories being built on top, to the existing building being more or less stripped down to its foundations and a new six-story building pretty much being erected in its place. The permit has yet to be officially issued.

DOB paperwork shows that Ramy Issac is the architect here. New York once called him "The controversial penthouse king of the East Village." Issac is well-know to many people in the neighborhood for his work with developer-landlord Benjamin "Sledgehammer" Shaoul.

Meanwhile, check out this history of the Sigmund Schwartz Gramercy Park Chapel at Jeremiah's Vanishing New York.

12th Street brownstone becoming mini university for Jewish education

We've been watching the work continue at this brownstone on East 12th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue...

However, this isn't your ordinary townhouse renovation.

Here's the mission statement from the Brownstone website:

The Brownstone’s mission is to use NYC as an experiential classroom to strengthen Jewish identity and peoplehood, foster community development and cultivate the next generation of leaders to ensure Jewish continuity for American Jews.

The Brownstone building, located in the heart of New York’s East Village, will be a hub of dynamic and engaging immersion learning programs for the local community and for collegiates and young adults from across the United States and abroad.

The six-story Brownstone will feature: tastefully appointed meeting rooms, classrooms, a spacious auditorium, library, sleeping accommodations, offices, lounge, dining hall and kitchen, as well as a garden and a rooftop terrace.

And, if you want to know more, then you may watch the movie...

The dog-pampering Nolitan taking reservations starting July 1

We haven't paid too much attention to the long-delayed Nolitan, the high-endy boutique hotel on Kenmare and Elizabeth. Been following the drama at BoweryBoogie, Curbed and the Lo-Down.

Anyway, happened to walk by it yesterday, and wanted to learn more... Per the hotel website, it looks as if they're accepting reservations starting for July 1 — at a special intro rate of $305 per night.

And according to ~~a press release~~ an article posted Friday at Delood:

When you are staying at The Nolitan Hotel you will have the best service, luxury and hospitality available to you. The staff is there around the clock to provide you with with whatever you need – And we mean WHATEVER – a shoe shine, a presentation printed, dinner reservations, or even a dog walker. All dogs from Neapolitan Mastiffs to teacup Chihuahuas are welcome at The Nolitan. In fact, the hotel has a Director of Pet Relations; a six-year old Shepweiler (German Shepherd-Rottweiler mix) named Penny. Penny will make sure all the pet provisions and amenities are in order when you let the hotel know you are coming with your four-legged friend. She’ll arrange everything from spa treatments to peanut butter ice cream and give you the scoop on neighborhood dog runs and pet friendly establishments.

Who is destroying the East Village monsters?

The other day, EV Grieve correspondent Bobby Williams spotted this dinosaur-monster thing outside La Plaza Cultural Armando Perez on Avenue C at Ninth Street...

Then, a few days later...

Flashback to the Mystery Lot...

[Via James and Karla Murray]

And, after "a storm," which is what the authorities what you to believe.

Then it disappeared.

Another view from 1991

We've had a few items lately about 1991. (Such as this one.) Billy Leroy passed along the above photo from 1991 ... The future Billy's Antiques was called Manhattan Castle and Props .. as Billy noted in the photo, it was a time when cope were making frequent arrests in the middle of East Houston just west of the Bowery... and the MTA apparently didn't care if you sold MTA signs...

[Photo by Clayton Patterson, courtesy of Billy Leroy]

Tomorrow night: 'Greenwich Village: Past, Present, and Future'

From the EV Grieve inbox...

Wednesday at 6:30 pm
Greenwich Village: Past, Present, and Future

The Village has been transformed over the centuries from farmland to row houses to tenements to luxury condominiums. How does a district that has long celebrated newcomers and defiant outsiders balance the old and the new? Join historians, planners, and community leaders for an evening of discussion about this important section of New York City and what its future might hold, moderated by Andrew Berman, Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, featuring Kurt Cavanaugh, Director, East Village Community Coalition and David Mulkins, Chair, Bowery Alliance of Neighbors.

Co-sponsored by the Historic Districts Council. This program is presented as part of the ongoing Urban Forum series New York Neighborhoods: Preservation and Development.

Reservations required: 917-492-3395 or e-mail programs@mcny.org

$6 museum members; $8 seniors and students; $12 non-members

$6 when you mention EV Grieve

Museum of the City of New York
1220 Fifth Avenue at 103rd Street

More info here.

Monday, June 6, 2011

Marilyn Monroe caught peeking out Seventh Street window

Photos by Bobby Williams.

Today in blimps flying over the East Village

Oh, and thanks to our sponsor, Farmers Insurance Group.

Photos by Bobby Williams.

Reminders tonight: A discussion on proposed rent hikes

Reposting this from yesterday...

This is at the corner of the Bowery where the CB3/SLA meetings usually take place.

Noted

Dave on 7th notes a crucial new business opening along Broadway at Eighth Street...

Formerly home to stores such as Benetton ...

The Economakis Mansion's latest feature: Branded Plywood!

Last Thursday and Friday, I did a little guest-posting at Curbed. Here is an item from late Friday afternoon...

Renovations continue at the Economakis Mansion at 47 E. Third St., the former site of a bitter tenant battle. Although it has been nearly two years since the 15-unit tenement emptied out to make way for a jumbo single-family home, the eviction wounds are still fresh.

Which is one reason why EconoWatchers are keeping an eye out for the slightest development, fueling rumors of a private garage along the way. Meanwhile, there is one new item to note: The Economakis-branded plywood. Rather stately, don’t you think?

Previously on EV Grieve:
And Economakis gets the whole building for his dream mansion

The 47 E. 3rd St. protest in video

At the 47 E. 3rd St. protest

Conspiracies: Where are all the fliers?

Former Sin Sin space to become bakery — with full-liquor license

The former Sin Sin space is on the docket for this month's CB3/SLA meeting on June 20. According to DNAinfo, a bakery-café tentatively called "Sweet Boutique" will open here in the next few months. The building's owner tells DNAinfo that the bakery will have food display cases and café seating on the ground floor with more seating, waiter service and a "small bar" on the second level.

And the early verdict from the East 5th Street Block Association? "It's a little confounding. I am unsure as to why a bakery would need a full liquor license," Association president Stuart Zamsky told DNAinfo's Patrick Hedlund.

Countered building owner Alex Shkolnik: He needs to serve alcohol and keep late-night hours for business to stay viable. "They have to have liquor," he said. "I don't think it's going to be bar."

Meanwhile, we need to add a "bakery" category to the community board-State Liquor Authority drinking game.

Previously on EV Grieve:
'The neighborhood will not rest until you are gone and Sin Sin’s license is revoked'

NYPD hosting meeting between Sin Sin and neighbors tonight

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

State seizes Luca Bar on St. Mark's Place for unpaid taxes: report

This past Thursday evening, EV Grieve reader Patrick was headed into the Luca Bar on St. Mark's Place near Avenue A for a drink... However, he was turned away by a marshal on the scene. He figured the owners would take care of what needed to be taken care of...

However, the Italian bistro remained closed over the weekend...

[Photos courtesy of Patrick]

According to The Local East Village, the owners of the bar owe state tax officials $31,385.49, not including interest and penalties; that the bar has six open warrants for unpaid taxes dating to November 2009.

Goat Town now peddling ice cream on East Fifth Street

Multiple tipsters pointed out that Goat Town now has an ice cream stand in front of their East Fifth Street restaurant... For the last month, they were one of The Madison Square Eats food stands in Madison Square Park. Friday was the last day for that.