The Neighborhood School is in danger of losing its library

From the EV Grieve inbox...

[Marjorie Ingall]

Thanks to drastic budget cuts, we have lost funding for the library at The Neighborhood School. TNS is not a wealthy school (40 percent of our students qualify for free lunch) and our parent body is already stretched to the limit providing art and music education and field trip subsidies ... We need to raise $40K by June 27 to save our library.

So parents at the school on East Third Street have kicked off a grassroots campaign to raise the money. Here's a website with more information and background.

So far, they have planned two events... A comedy night on May 11 at 6:30 pm at Laugh Lounge (151 Essex) — the headliner is Moody McCarthy from "The Jimmy Kimmel Show." The $20 cover all goes to the library. And then on May 13 at McNally-Jackson bookstore at 52 Prince there's an event featuring Gloria Steinem, Times columnist Gail Collins and "Daily Show" co-creator Lizz Winstead.

You can also donate at the Save the Library website.

Parent Marjorie Ingall provided more background...

A perfect storm of budget disaster issues converged on us at once. There were Title I issues (the threshhold was raised to 60 percent, so even though our school is still 40 percent free lunch, we get no financial aid from Title I the way we once did), Fair Student Funding issues (the fact that our teachers tend to be very experienced punishes us financially) and other crises.

[Bill Massey]

And per the Save the Library! website:

Our amazing librarian Cheryl empowers kids to love reading, teaches them the research skills and media literacy they’ll need for the real world, and encourages them to use the web safely. She brings in wonderful authors, nurtures reluctant readers and does curriculum work in all our classrooms. Losing her will be devastating.

[Bill Massey]

FDNY rescues resident from East 12th Street building after its staircase is removed

The Lo-Down has a doozy of a post about 435 E. 12th St. The story begins with Kym Gomes leaving for work. Then!

She walked down the stairs of the five-story tenement that’s been home for the past 18 years but was stymied upon reaching the second floor landing. The problem? The staircase leading to the ground level was gone.

Renovations have been ongoing for the past couple of months. A notice posted in the lobby warned tenants that “repairs to the stairways” would begin Monday morning and continue through the week. “We strongly suggest that you stay out of the building during this time frame,” the notice read. But Gomes was more than a little surprised to learn the stairs had been completely ripped out.

The FDNY eventually arrived on the scene. She couldn't use the fire escape because the FDNY deemed it unsafe. Eventually the FDNY used a cherry picker and lowered her from a fourth-floor window. There's more, which you can read here.

According to the DOB, Ben Shaoul is the building's owner, The Lo-Down noted.

On second thought, workers have apparently returned to the Schwimmer's

On Tuesday, we noted that full-on construction had yet to re-start at the Schwimmer Palace on East Sixth Street...

The city had issued a Stop Work Order after a minor mishap on April 3... the city was allowing workers to address the specific violations — "missing guardrails, openings at egress, housekeeping, and interior scaffold no permits."

After our post, several nearby residents said that work had resumed...

Per one commenter:

I live next door. They were there today welding steel and laying cinderblock. According to my landlord they are NOT permitted to work yet just make safety (scaffolding) repairs. They are in violation.

Yesterday, we did spot workers at the job site...

Photos by Bobby Williams.

Former Nevada Smith's down to its last floor; city OKs work for new building

Just checking in on the former buildings that were 74-76 Third Ave. ... 76 is gone... and 74, the former Nevada Smith's, is a floor of rubble for now...

Like the hanging tags now on the side of the theater... And the soccer/football bar will eventually reopen at 100 Third Ave.

Meanwhile, as for the rest of 74-84 Third Ave., it may look something like this one day ...

That is the rendering that RKF has been using to lease the retail. As The Deal Deal noted, Karl Fischer is architecturing an 82,000-square-foot, nine-story residential building with 94 units here.

On Friday, the city approved the plans for the new building.

This is what the corner of Bond and Lafayette looked like on April 14, 2012

This year, we'll post photos like this of various buildings, streetscenes, etc., to capture them as they looked at this time and place... The photos may not be the most telling now, but they likely will be one day...

'White Glove Bandit' nabbed near Tompkins Square Park

Investigators from the FBI and NYPD arrested the so-called "White Glove Bandit" earlier today "as he walked into a bodega near Tompkins Square Park around 12:30 p.m.," the Daily News reported.

Law enforcement officials said that 42-year-old Michael McManus robbed four banks since January, including (allegedly!) the HSBC branch on Broadway and East Ninth Street yesterday.

Here's some video of him from the FBI (Hi Mulder! Hi Scully!) website... of the suspect robbing the Citibank on LaGuardia Place...



DNAinfo noted that McManus "has been arrested 50 to 60 times since 1992 for crimes ranging from misdemeanors to felonies, including robbery."

Just another photo of a couple pushing a made bed down Second Avenue

Slow down when you hit East Fifth Street — the NYPD is always lurking... via EV Grieve reader Blaine...

The Beat goes on at the Holiday today

A crew was on-hand today to film scenes for "Kill Your Darlings" at the dearly departed Holiday Cocktail Lounge on St. Mark's Place... set in 1944, the drama involves writers Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and William Burroughs and Lucien Carr's murder of David Kammerer...

Michael C. Hall, pictured here, plays Kammerer...

The Times has a lot of the backstory about the murder here; the version of the story for this film can be found in "And the Hippos Were Boiled in Their Tanks," the 1945 novel by Kerouac and Burroughs.

I'm sorry, I'm too distracted by the photo of the crew member ready to eat that slice to keep going...

Photos by Bobby Williams.

Here's your new East Ninth Street bike rack

Let's take a quick look at the bicycle parking rack that the DOT installed this morning in front of MUD on East Ninth Street... via EV Grieve reader Robert...

And the final product, via EV Grieve reader MP, who started off all this coverage today... A few people believe that this is the first one not only in the neighborhood, but also in the city (haven't verified this, but...)

Previously.

For rent signs going up at Kate's Joint; and here come the Starbucks rumors

EV Grieve reader Sam sends along these photos from this afternoon... for rent signs are going up at Kate's Joint on East Fourth Street and Avenue B, making the closure here permanent. Yesterday, the landlord took possession of the 16-year-old vegetarian restaurant. Regulars were hopeful that owner Kate Halpern would be able to reopen.

Meanwhile, a reliable tipster sends along this kick in the groin: There is a very real possibility that a Starbucks will open here.

Also, there's word that the landlord did offer to decrease the rent for Kate's by $2,000 a month.

Previously.

[Updated] DOT installing CityRacks in front of MUD on East Ninth Street

EV Grieve reader MP sends along these photos from this morning... DOT workers are currently installing one of those sidewalk bicycle parking racks in front of MUD Coffee on East Ninth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue...

MP mentions that this might be one of the first that the DOT has installed in the city... and that the MUD folks have been advocating for this...

Here's info about CityRacks via the DOT website:

CityRacks are free sidewalk bicycle parking racks, placed throughout New York City by DOT. They to encourage cycling for commuting, short trips and errands. CityRacks accommodate all types of bicycles and locks. CityRacks are not intended to be used for long-term parking.

Also, the rack will be attached on the street taking a parking space in front of the store. Perhaps a better placement for it given how busy MUD can get on a weekend...

Updated:
New photo via @bomarrblog ...

A bigger Bean coming now to 147 First Ave.

Last August, we first reported that the Bean would open an outpost on First Avenue at Ninth Street, home once to Anjelica's Herbs. At the time, the Bean planned on just taking the corner location. The smaller space on East Ninth Street remained for rent.

However, the Bean's Ike Escava told us that they ended up leasing the adjacent storefront as well, and they will combine the two. He said that the work will begin next week, with a June opening in mind.

Escava also said that he will commission Jim Power, who created mosaics for the Bean's Second Avenue location, to do more art for the new cafe ... along with other artists, including Nicolina.

Meanwhile, no word yet on when the upstairs will be ready for residential use. And hey — it was just two years ago that workers said they were putting in a motel here.

Another mosaic painted over; an 'Avenue Arihood' pole in the works

Speaking of Jim Power... a reader passed along the above photo... someone had recently painted over the mosaics at the base of the street lamp at the northeast corner of Seventh Street and Avenue A.

Not the first time that this has happened here. In May 2010, a reader noticed that someone had coated the base with gray paint. So the reader took it upon himself to Zip Strip it.

In any event, upon hearing this most recent news, Power said "just one more to rebuild," before noting that the mosaics on Avenue A and Seventh Street needed work. On that topic, Power said that he's planning to create an "Avenue Arihood" pole on the northwest corner ("Bob's corner") in honor of the late Bob Arihood.

11-17 Second Ave. breaks ground level

Was just a hole in the ground here at East First Street the other day... now, there's an elevation (of sorts) ...

Photos by Bobby Williams.

Coming soon. A 12-story apartment building. Previously.

Kilo is missing

Spotted on Avenue C.

Photo by Bobby Williams.

[Updated] Marshal seizes Kate's Joint

[Photo by Amanda Pearson via Facebook]

Word is spreading through the neighborhood this afternoon that the landlord has seized Kate's Joint on Avenue B and East Fourth Street. The legal document on the door is dated today. This shouldn't be a complete shocker. There was an Indiegogo campaign last month to help the 16-year-old vegetarian eatery with expenses.

Per the campaign:

Unfortunately, with the changing neighborhood and economic recession Kate’s Joint has seen a fall in business and rise in costs. Kate is currently in arrears with the landlord. Eviction notices have been sent, court appearances have been made, and if a substantial amount of money is not raised by April 11th, the next court date, the doors will shut permanently at Kate’s Joint. The East Village will lose another neighborhood landmark.

Kate's fell short of its $30,000 goal — raising just $5,000 during the campaign.

We hope to have more information soon. Perhaps Kate will be able to reopen soon. Maybe even start serving meat ...

Updated:

A reader sends along a few more photos...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Save Kate's Joint on Avenue B

Restaurant that never opened on Avenue B looking like a restaurant again

Back in June 2009, we noted that Caffe Buon Gusto was opening an outpost on Avenue B and East Fifth Street... CBG, as we never called it, was on the CB3/SLA docket a few times... but nothing ever happened with the space, which became, at times, a makeshift shelter and a canvas.

In fact, it is almost one year to the date since we last saw the gates open... Until this afternoon. A reader walked by a bit ago and was surprised to find the gates up and the lights on inside... Perhaps the space is back from the dead? Anyone with details on what's happening here?

More items from last night's CB3/SLA meeting: New eatery OK'd for Nice Guy Eddie's space

A few more items of interest from last night's CB3/SLA committee meeting... We mentioned that the committee OK'd the Joe's-to-Josie's change on East Sixth Street.

Meanwhile, according to Hannah Leighton at Eater, Team Andre Balazs withdrew plans to discuss a revamped Standard East Village until next month's meeting.

In addition, the committee approved the transfer of assets from Nice Guy Eddie's on Avenue A at Houston/East First Street to an entity called Downtown Dining LLC led by Darin Rubell of the Gallery Bar. Plans call for a restaurant serving "American comfort food." An EV Grieve tipster noted that Rubell was noncommittal about keeping the Kiss mural on the restaurant's south wall along East First Street.

Read the rest of Eater's coverage here. ... and The Lo-Down.

Still no sign of construction at the David Schwimmer estate

On the afternoon of April 3, the DOB issued a Stop Work Order at 331 E. Sixth St., the future six-floor home of David Schwimmer. (DNAinfo reported that a piece of debris "caromed off a scaffold" and struck a passerby, who EMTs took to Bellevue with a minor arm injury.)

And now, 10 work days later... there's still no sign of the full work crew as of this morning. According to the DOB website, the city lifted the Stop Work Order to allow workers to address the specific problems — "missing guardrails, openings at egress, housekeeping, and interior scaffold no permits."

In recent days, we've spotted two or three workers at the site to take care of these issues.

[Photo last week by Bobby Williams]

The DOB website notes that there are seven open violations/non-compliance issues at the address.

In any event, you can see that the construction site looks more secure.

On April 4. the morning after the city issued the Stop Work Order:

Today:

Not that residents miss the construction. Back in January, one neighbor called the work "insanely noisy."

Hellbound and down

This past Friday, Stacie Joy began a photo shoot with Samantha Clark (left) and Amanda Whip. The first stop was on the sidewalk on East 10th Street near Avenue A... which happens to be beside The St. Nicholas of Myra Church.

Quickly enough, a priest came out and, well, started yelling for them to leave. Despite being on a public sidewalk, Stacie and company packed it up "so as not to offend him further."

Anyway, probably no more randy than the scenes "Gossip Girl" filmed at the church back in October 2010...