Biker Billy Lives

Spotted these "Biker Billy Lives" messages around various walls the last day or two...

There's Biker Bill, a regular through the years at Bob Arihood's Neither More Nor Less...

Biker Bill Says : "What Do You Mean ... Do I Twitter?"

[Bob Arihood]

There were rumors going back five months or so that Biker Bill had passed away. No one ever confirmed that. But then, some people don't recall seeing Biker Bill of late. I thought I saw him a few weeks ago outside Ray's.

Of course, there's the imposter Biker Billy.

Definitely haven't seen him lately.

Does Biker Billy live?

A Bowery and East First Street now and then

Our new friends over at NYC Corners launched their site last month... Per their description:

Whenever possible, we will show side-by-side photos of a particular street corner taken years or decades apart... and that's when the real magic happens.

And here's one of particular interest: the southeast corner of East First Street and the Bowery circa 1942 and today...

Wonder if Blue & Cream will start selling expensive photos of Al's Barber Shop?

Alphabet City Beer Co. sign up now on Avenue C

[Photo by EVG reader Nathan Archambault]

The sign is up now for the incoming Alphabet City Beer Co. on Avenue C near East Sixth Street... it's the beer-themed retail outlet (and small bar with tastings and food like cheese, meat and pickles) from David Hitchner of Alphabet City Wine Co. a few storefronts to the south. (He also owns In Vino on East Fourth Street.)

We haven't heard about an opening date just yet... the last word on their Facebook page dated late April: "Getting close."

More details to follow.

[Via Facebook]

Next time, the rat may be driving the car

A reader comment on our post about rats in Tompkins Square Park from yesterday:

We just discovered a new twist to the EV rat problem — we were driving our car (which we park on the street) to pennsyvlania, when the engine light went on. When we got there, my husband popped the hood only to see a rat disappear into the engine! The mechanic called it a "mickey mouse" job and says it happens all the time in manhattan — the rat chewed 1200 fucking dollars worth of damage to the wiring!

For more on this topic:
Under the Hood, a Cozy Rat Retreat
The New York Times
December 2003

[Image via]

A bag of 'fuck you' under the Tompkins Square holiday tree

Ah, Santa has come early this year...

What did he/she leave for us?

Oh.

Photos by Bobby Williams.

Is anyone missing a tuft of hair?

Or maybe a weave? Or wig? If so, then let us know. We found this on Avenue A this afternoon. (And is there a reward?)

Photo by Bobby Williams.

Max Fish opening a summer outpost on the Asbury Park boardwalk

Paper has the scoop that Max Fish is opening an Asbury Park outpost this weekend. Owner Uli Rimkus said that the bar will be open weekends through Memorial Day, then daily the rest of the summer. Rimkus said that she has made the space to "look like Max Fish but beachy, with blues, greens and clouds." [Via Eater]

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning edition

[An EVG favorite]

Funding campaign under way for the Living Theatre (BoweryBoogie)

The mean rent for Manhattan in April: $3,429 (Curbed)

One reason why the 5 train sucks (Gothamist)

Why you won't be getting any more of those Mikey's Burger menus shoved under your door (Eater)

Another High Line victim (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

German bakery opening on Orchard Street (The Lo-Down)

And from the EV Grieve inbox...

The Here Kitty Kitty Titty show is a neo-burlesque extravaganza featuring crazy cat ladies, sexy kittens and of course, titties. We know everyone has a little cat love inside of them and we want to celebrate that naughty feeling through burlesque!

Tonight
The Kraine Theater
85 e. 4th Street
Doors at 10 pm, Show at 10:30 pm sharp

Meet the landlord who owns 50-58 E. Third St.

[Bobby Williams]

The Voice filed a story yesterday on the ongoing situation at 50-58 E. Third St., which included a rally on Monday in which City Council member Rosie Mendez spoke.

As you may know, Abart Holdings LLC has sold (or is selling) the buildings at 50, 54 and 58 E. Third St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue. Seventeen residents of the building with market-rate apartments received letters that stated they must move out within 60 days.

Wasim Lone of Good Old Lower East Side told the Voice that he has been trying to contact the landlord on behalf of the tenants, but they've refused to take any calls. "The landlord's request is quite outrageous, considering he's trying to kick out 17 families out of the houses in just two months," Lone said.

And Ben Kim at the Voice did a little digging and discovered who the landlord is behind Abart Holdings LLC: Abe Haruvi. (The Voice wrote in October 2000 about how Haruvi allegedly tried to evict long-term tenants elsewhere in the city.)

In November 2010, the Post reported that Haruvi owns more than 40 Manhattan buildings. And, "Several years ago he allegedly tried to evict rent-stabilized tenants by wrongly claiming he needed their homes for his personal use."

Also, according to the Post in November 2010: "A 65-year-old housekeeper at the Palm Beach home of Manhattan landlord Abe Haruvi says she was made to work from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. and forced to share living quarters with her employers' dogs." She filed a lawsuit for unspecified damages.

Anyway, here's a photo of the house that Haruvi bought last November in Palm Beach for $7.8 million (down from an early high of $17 million). You can read about it here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Reader report: Three apartment buildings sold on East Third Street

Know your rights: Help with understanding NYC rent laws

More about the lease renewals at 50, 54 and 58 E. Third St.

Tenants at 50, 54 and 58 E. Third St. banding to together in face of building sale

Tompkins Square Park still not quite rat-free

[Monday in the Park. Photo by Bobby Williams]

Dunno about you, but I've noticed an increasing number of rats in Tompkins Square Park of late. Well, not quite return to the bad old days of July 2011.

Not really a surprise. After all, it is Hey-Let's-Buy-A-Pizza-and-Leave-Half-of-it-in-the-box-and-leave-the-Park-to-get-drunker season.

Plus, it's spring.

Back in March, The Villager reported that Park officials had brought Ratstravaganza under control. Park officials have certainly done a lot to curb the rat population.

And has anyone seen the Elusive Pigeon Lady? We also haven't seen the red-tailed hawk(s) as much either. Among other things, they eat rats.

Here then, where Nevada Smith's once stood

I've been wondering what has been going on behind that sidewalk shed-plywood combo where Nevada Smith's once stood at 74 Third Ave. between 11th Street and 12th Street ...

So I asked a passerby for a lift so I could dangle over the plywood with my camera.

OK then. Here we are.

Just an empty lot for now. I thought workers may have already started a little excavating for this — the future.

As The Deal Deal reported, the corner will one day house an 82,000-square-foot, nine-story residential building with 94 units.

The city approved the plans last month.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Those persistent rumors about 74-76 Third Avenue and the future of Nevada Smith's

The East Village will lose a parking lot and gain an apartment building

Here is your 5 Napkin Burger sidewalk cafe

Back in January, the CB3/SLA folks OK'd a sidewalk cafe for 5 Napkin Burger at 14th Street and Third Avenue. Several times we questioned whether they'd be enough room for a sidewalk cafe on a busy stretch that features food carts, bicycles, Trader Joe's food pallets, food truck lines, commuters, that one guy, etc.

Anyway, now we know... the sidewalk cafe is out ...

Perhaps they'll DBGB it and add some four-ton planters and stuff to provide a little barrier for eating.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Will there be enough room for a sidewalk cafe outside the new 5 Napkin Burger on 14th and Third?

On Avenue B, a living room big enough for your very own Mardi Gras

In case you are in the market for a four-bedroom apartment with terrace... take at look at 93 Avenue B at East Sixth Street, which hit the market Monday for $5,995 a month. Per Streeteasy (via EastVillage Cribs.com):

"The living room is BIG. Big enough to have 20 guests comfortably."

No word if the current tenants will be leaving behind the Bud Light Mardi Gras decorations.

Pinkerton is missing

Flyer spotted on Second Avenue and 13th Street.

Report: Misdemeanor assault charge in East 14th Street parking-space punch case‎

A Manhattan jury this morning convicted Oscar Fuller of misdemeanor assault for punching a woman in an argument over an East Village parking space in February 2011, the Post reported.

The jury acquitted Fuller, an electrician in Queens, of felony assault for punching Bronx resident Lana Rosas in the ensuing argument. He could serve up to one year in jail. The judge will sentence Fuller on June 13, the Post noted.

Rosas was reportedly in a coma for nine days. According to her mother, "Rosas is still struggling with brain injuries, unable to work or drive, and her life revolves around her therapy sessions."

Fuller's first trial ended in a mistrial last November. He has said that he was defending himself. Rosas was standing in the space on East 14th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B to save the spot for her boyfriend.

[Photo by DNAinfo/Patrick Hedlund]

[Updated] Resident creates petition to 'Stop national retailers opening in the East Village'

Now with working links!

On our post about 7-Eleven earlier this morning, a reader left a link to a new petition ...

Per the petition:

Zip code 10003, which we all know as the East Village, now has the most national retail stores of any zip code in nyc (except for one that has a huge shopping mall). This means Subway instead of CBGB, 7-Eleven instead of your friendly neighborhood bodega, Starbucks galore, and more banks that any human possibly needs.

It's time to stop the madness. It is time to say no to giant corporations and to gentrification. It is time to save whatever is left of this neighborhood's character.

Back in November, The Center for an Urban Future released its fourth annual study ranking the national retailers with the most store locations in New York City. The 10003 Zip Code, which includes Union Square and parts of Fifth Avenue, came in third for most chains overall in New York City with 169.

Meanwhile, you can find the petition here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Zip Code 10003 has 169 chain stores

Ready for CBGB the movie too?

[Horrible photoshopping via EVG]

By now, you've probably heard about the CBGB summer music festival, via The New York Times. (BoweryBoogie first got wind of the festival back in January.)

Guided By Voices are playing CBGB Festival - July 7, Central Parkcbgb.com/festival/music

— Guided By Voices (@GBVTweets) May 8, 2012

Meanwhile.

Over at Forbes this morning, Roger Friedman notes that the CBGB story is set to become a movie. Per the article:

"Husband and wife filmmakers Jody Savin and Randall Miller have placed a casting call for a bunch of characters who were part of the early CBGB's scene including singer Genya Ravan. They say they’ve cast the club's late owner, Hilly Kristal, but haven’t released the name yet. (It would be a good part for Bill Murray.)"

We first recall hearing the news of the movie last May via The Hollywood Reporter, who noted that "the film, tentatively titled CBGB, that will cover the years 1974-76."

In any event, this is all now happening.

RICK PAGANO is casting CBGB about the famous NY underground rock club, home to bands like The Ramones and Misfits. CastingAbout.com

— CastingAbout (@CastingAbout) May 4, 2012

Under-renovation 315 E. 10th St. in full view now, though how's that rooftop addition looking?

Work seems to be quickly taking place in the circa-1847 building at 315 E. 10th St. As you'll recall, the city OK'd a one-floor rooftop addition here in January hours before the Landmarks Preservation Committee approved the East 10th Street Historic District.

Last Wednesday, workers removed the sidewalk shed ...

And here's how it looks at the moment...

[Above photos by Bobby Williams]

Here's an after and before ...

Developer Ben Shaoul has been converting the building from nonprofit use to residential. Preservation groups and various neighbors had been concerned that the rooftop addition would change the aesthetic of the street. Plus, well, Shaoul and a few previous roof-top additions have caused plenty of controversy.

In early April, the addition was quite noticeable from various points in Tompkins Square Park across the street. (See this post for a look.) Particularly with the bulkhead for the elevator.

Now, with the trees filled in, it's not as easy to spot the addition from Avenue A and East 10th Street...

...though the bulkhead is visible still from several vantage points in Tompkins Square Park.

And how does it look up close? Our friend Jose Garcia sent us these... as you can see, the extra floor is currently painted an uninspired cellblock gray.

Given how it looks now, it's likely a good thing that we can't see it from the street level.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A bid to protect the integrity of 315 E. 10th St.

Landmarks Preservation Commission expedites hearing on East 10th Street Historic District

Workers quickly start dismantling roof of historic 315 E. 10th St.

Perhaps you consider parking elsewhere?

On East Seventh Street alongside 7A and under a debris chute ... Hey, is there a sun roof?

Anyway, as you probably noticed since the fall, the building that houses 7A on the corner (109 Avenue A) has been undergoing renovations... including converting some existing commercial space to residential use and reconstructing a portion of the existing penthouse, per the DOB. We had planned a post on this earlier... perhaps we'll pick it up again later.

[Photo via Doug Quint at the Big Gay Ice Cream Shop]

[Updated] MCA immortalized on East Seventh Street

Tribute to the late Adam Yauch here just west of First Avenue. Artwork by Cram Concepts.

Photo by Zachary McCue via.

Updated: Another take this morning via @dens ...