Sidewalk stories

Yesterday, a little sidewalk work commenced on St. Mark's Place...

Today, the final product.

Much better!

Photos by Bobby Williams.

Here's your 2013 Frigid New York Festival info

From the EVG inbox today...

Horse Trade Management Group will present the 7th Annual FRIGID New York Festival, an open and uncensored theatre festival that gives artists an opportunity to let their ingenuity thrive in a venue that values freedom of expression and artistic determination.

In true support of theatre on the fringe of the mainstream, 100% of box office proceeds will go directly to the artists. Boasting over 150 performances and 30 shows over 12 days in 3 theaters, FRIGID New York will kick off the annual North American Fringe Circuit with a bang!

Riding the fringe of winter, the hit celebration of independent theater will run February 20-March 3 at The Kraine Theater & The Red Room (85 East 4th Street between 2nd Ave and Bowery) and UNDER St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place between 1st Ave and Ave A). Tickets ($10-$16) may be purchased online here or by calling 212-868-4444.

You can find the complete 2013 Frigid New York Festival lineup here.

Meanwhile, the Lo-Down has details here about three other local festivals... the Under the Radar Festival at Public Theater, Coil 2013 at Dixon Place and American Realness at the Abrons Arts Center.

Noted

East 12th Street this morning. Waking up on the wrong side of the Honda, via Andrew Adam Newman on Ave C.

Avenue A's anti-7-Eleven campaign now includes arsenal of 20,000 stickers

Well, it's becoming clear(er) that some residents aren't interested in having a big 7-Eleven on the corner of Avenue A and East 11th Street.

We received the following missive yesterday:

Attached is an image of stickers (20,000) that just came in and will be distributed throughout the East Village as part of a sticker campaign for when the 7-11 on Avenue A opens up. Basically people will be constantly stickering the door of 7-11 with these ... delicately placed next to the usual MasterCard Accepted stickers by the handle of the door entrance. The idea is to a) constantly remind consumers to turn around and shop elsewhere before going in and also to b) be a nuisance to the 7-11 store itself...

The email was signed,
@PoliticoNympho

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] More from the anti-7-Eleven front on Avenue A and East 11th Street

7-Eleven alert: Are 2 chain stores replacing Bar on A and Angels & Kings?

First sign of the incoming 7-Eleven on Avenue A

Meanwhile: There's a 'No 7-Eleven' meeting set for Jan. 16

From the EV Grieve inbox...

7-Eleven is coming to Avenue A at 11th Street. The residents of 11th Street won't sit for it. We're drawing the line of suburbanization here.

We have had about enough of chain stores and suburban franchises, Duane Reades, Walgreens and Chase Banks on every corner. We've chosen to fight. Join with us and let's start a city-wide resistance. Let's not sit for it any more.

MEETING: NO 7-11
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 6:30PM
545 EAST 11TH STREET
(Father's Heart Ministries, btwn A&B)

San Francisco has laws to restrict chain stores. NYC zoning laws don't prevent big box commercialism and the current mayor's planning department won't change those regulations. But a local election is coming.

Next year, this mayor will be gone — now's our opportunity to tell the coming administration that this does matter to us. If we don't raise the cry loud and clear, the new administration won't address it either.

It is not an exaggeration to say that the wholesale suburbanization and selling of New York lies in the hands of the people of New York. We've got to create the political will to fight against the death of this city. We've got to be visible and loud and persistent. New Yorkers have been sitting for it for a long time. We mustn't sit for it any longer.

There's likely a 7-Eleven near you, and if not, there will be. The 7-Eleven corporation has targeted the city for many more openings, intending to displace local commerce especially local bodegas. Don't sit for that.

Join the 11th Street resistance. Let's turn it into a Lower East Side resistance and a Manhattan resistance a Harlem and the Heights resistance and a Village and Chinatown resistance. Complacency=Suburbanization.

We're meeting on the 16th. Tell your friends. Bring your inventive ideas and your righteous indignation.

Live at 1 St. Mark's Place this summer; views of 51 Astor Place are free

This past weekend, I took photos of the "for rent" signs at the now-vacant Little Italy Pizza at 23 Third Ave. ... I've always been curious by the building that stands here on the northeast corner of Third Avenue and St. Mark's Place... long a witness to generations of new people entering and exploring St. Mark's Place and the East Village...

What's it like to live up there, behind that Falafel/Shawarma lettering? Turns out there's a new listing for a summer-only rental here. And it turns out to be much more luxurious than I ever imagined.

Check out the listing for 1 St. Mark's Place aka 23 Third Ave.:

Furnished Loft Rental – 1 Saint Marks – At Astor Place, the Heart of the Village, with views of Cooper Union and the Cube.

Enjoy loft living this summer in this spectacular Astor Place townhouse. This approximately 2000 square foot floor-through duplex features 14’ ceilings, exposed brick, original plank floors and oversize windows. There is also top of the line open kitchen with stainless steel appliances and granite counter-tops. Baths are modern with marble and an en-suite washer/dryer.

AND, there is an enormous private patio, an ideal space for entertaining this summer.

Here's a shot of that patio... (and it would be better with a view of the Gringo mural)

...and the interior...

The monthly rent: $6,000, and it's only available for July and August.

Just think, by then, you'll likely be able to see new office workers arrive inside the Death Star 51 Astor Place directly across the street...

Bonus shot of the corner from 1980 via our friend Michael Sean Edwards ...

Coyote Ugly turns 20 this month in the East Village

Coyote Ugly is gearing up for its 20th anniversary on Jan. 26. Per the Coyote Ugly website:

This anniversary is extra special and will be the best ever! Open to the public at 4pm! Private party 2-4pm for our regulars from the first 10 years.

Don't think I know anyone who was (or is) a regular here at the bar at 153 First Ave. between East Ninth and East 10th Street... was only here once myself.

Anyway, per the sign out front, Coyote Ugly founder Liliana Lovell will be at the bash ... you can read the bar's history here. There are 13 Coyote Ugly bars in the United States now... and a few more overseas... (A Coyote Ugly opened in Constanta, Romania, on Oct. 11, and Coyote Ugly Saloon opened in Novosibirsk, Russia, on Oct. 3. There are four other locations in Russia.)

Meanwhile, a reader said that the bar was closed part of last week. Not sure what happened. (It was NOT related to the DOH, though that was an issue in the past.)

Finally the NY bar is up and running!! OK that is a load off my shoulders. It doesn’t matter how old you are but... bit.ly/VnOcUr

— liliana lovell (@coyotelil) January 4, 2013

What do you get for a bar on its 20th birthday?

The Wayland's expansion on Avenue C will sell sandwiches

Back in July we noted that The Wayland on the corner of Avenue C and East Ninth Street was expanding into the empty space next door that previously housed Bite Me Best.

New York magazine this week (via Grub Street) has the scoop on the space, a 15-seat shop called Animals that will serve sandwiches from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Per New York:

About a dozen selections are priced between $8 and $10, including a pulled-bacon torta with refried baked beans and chile mayo, hot shrimp with harissa butter and celery slaw, and a vegetarian “kitchen sink” with jalapeño pesto.

No word yet if they will sell offbeat sandwiches such as, say, turkey with lettuce and tomato on whole wheat. Animals opens next Monday.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Wayland plans to expand on Avenue C

Elvis Presley in New York City

Elvis Presley was born on this date in 1935. On this occasion, we look at some of his time in NYC...

Here's an excerpt from a press conference he did June 9, 1972, at Madison Square Garden in the Mercury Ballroom at the New York Hilton prior to a four-show stint at Madison Square Garden. (Yes, I did post this 3 years ago.)



Here's a transcript of the press conference.

Also!

There is the Elvis-Mary Tyler Moore vehicle Change of Habit from 1969, one of the most grittily gritty movies ever made about New York and drug habits.

Per IMDB:

This movie is a stark portrayal of life among a group of heroin addicts who hang out in "Needle Park" in New York City. Played against this setting is a low-key love story between Bobby, a young addict and small-time hustler, and Helen, a homeless girl who finds in her relationship with Bobby the stability she craves. She becomes addicted too, and life goes downhill for them both as their addiction deepens, eventually leading to a series of betrayals.

Oh wait. That's the description for "The Panic in Needle Park." Sorry.

No, Elvis is a doctor. MTM is a nun. Bring some butter for this corn. "Flapper skirts on a bride of Christ! I don't like undercover nuns." Zing! Here's the first 8 minutes (with Spanish subtitles...) showing some vintage Midtown NYC.

Work finally under way on long-awaited Tompkins Square Park men's room documentary

OK, that's a joke. I think. Just a photo of some kind of film crew in the Park today... By Bobby Williams

Today on Avenue A

By Bobby Williams.

Gangster Squad Night at Theater 80 on St. Mark's Place tomorrow

Tomorrow night, The Museum of the American Gangster at 80 St. Mark's Place (aka Theater 80) is hosting a party for the launch of the new movie "Gangster Squad," starring Sean Penn, Ryan "Don't fight in Astor Place" Gosling, Nick Nolte and Josh Brolin.

Via Facebook...

Gangster Squad Night!

Tuesday January 8th, 2013

Doors open at 6pm
7 pm Screening of the 1931 Warner Bros Gangster flick THE PUBLIC ENEMY
8:30pm Join us at the William Barnacle Tavern for Gangster Squad prizes, screening passes and $2 off Absinthe!

No ticket or RSVP required! Screening and bar capacity is on a first come first served basis.

Gangster Squad in Theater's January 11

Noted

Via Grub Street, we learn about a self-professed "Starbucks-addict" who is going to visit every Starbucks in Manhattan in 2013. And blog about it here.

Per his blog's About section: "It is my theory that Starbucks can serve as a guide to the neighborhoods of Manhattan, with each store a reflection of its surroundings."

Ukrainian Christmas, and the St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church

EVG regular Mykola (Mick) Dementiuk reminded us that today is Ukrainian Christmas ... (and Orthodox Christmas Day).

[Via WallyG on Flickr]

And here's a little history of the St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church ... via the church's website...

The first record of a Ukrainian liturgy of the Byzantine tradition was celebrated in the church basement of St. Brigid located on Avenue B, on April 19, 1890 by Father Alexander Dzubaj. In 1892, the Greek Catholic congregation purchased St. Ilee in Brooklyn. Even in those days similar to today, land in New York City was very expensive and Ukrainian immigrants so poor, that it was not feasible for them to purchase a church or land in the city. Thus, it took Ukrainian Catholics another 13 years before they founded St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church in 1905.

Late in 1905, the Ukrainian community of Manhattan purchased the Colgate Chapel from a Baptist congregation on East 20th Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues. The chapel was converted into the Byzantine Ukrainian Catholic style and hence was born the first church of its kind on the island of Manhattan.

The new church was dedicated to Saint George and well maintained from its inception. In 1911, the need for a larger church was obvious and the congregation of St. George purchased a Methodist church on 7th Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues. The new location was immediately converted to the Greek Catholic style in order to serve a growing Ukrainian catholic community.

The current church building of St. George was built in 1978.

Here are two undated photos of the apartment building that stood on the southeast corner of East Seventh Street and Shevchenko Place before the current church was built... in the first shot, you can see the dome of the original St. George in the background ... (going east on Seventh Street...)

...this shot is from East Sixth Street looking north along Shevchenko Place to East Seventh Street ... you can see McSorley's straight ahead... the apartment building where the church is now is on the corner... and you can see a bit of the St. George Elementary School and St. George Academy in the near right corner...

[Via Facebook]

Claim: Second on Second closing this month on Second Avenue

Second on Second, the 10-year-old karaoke bar on Second Avenue, is closing at the end of the month, according to a tipster...

The tipster said that there was a rent hike, but it wasn't all that unreasonable. While business had been lagging a bit ... the tipster believes that there is still a market for karaoke...

No word on what might be next here. It's a cavernous space that will likely be highly desirable for some new venture...

So, after this month, the Cock will be the last bar left on the block here between East Second Street and East First Street. The Urge, the gay bar/club at 31-33 Second Ave., closed after New Year's Eve. They are expected to reopen this year at the long-vacant 14 Avenue B.

And you can expect some big changes soon enough a storefront away from Second on Second at 31-33 Second Ave. ...

As we reported on June 27, Ben Shaoul is planning on adding three floors to the existing building.

Lastly, Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken will eventually be taking over the corner space at East First Street. Oh, and there's always Mars Bar 2.0.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Ben Shaoul planning a 3-story addition at 31-33 Second Ave.

The former Whole Earth Bakery and Kitchen is now for rent on St. Mark's Place

The "for rent" sign went up here at 130 St. Mark's Place on Saturday. A full dumpster sits out front. The vegan bakery, which had been at this location since 1991 (34 years in business total), closed for good on Dec. 29.

Aside from rising rents, business had been down... and, of course, Sandy didn't help matters.

Owner Peter Silvestri held an auction at the store on Dec. 30...

[Courtesy of Bill the libertarian anarchist]

Meanwhile, The Villager reports this week that seven activists, organized by Fran Luck, traveled to Westchester County on Dec. 28 to hold a protest in front of Whole Earth landlord Ronald Friedman's office.

Per the article:

“We went up to Tarrytown because landlords who pull the strings on our community from afar, and without any consequence, should know that we will come to their communities to respond,” Luck said.

Whole Earth Bakery’s rent rose from $1,100 a month in 1991 to $5,300, an increase about three times faster than the rate of inflation.

205 Avenue A primed for 2 new floors

Back in August, we reported that a resident-free 205 Avenue A between East 12th Street and East 13th Street was getting a two-floor extension courtesy of developer Terrence Lowenberg and architect Ramy Issac.

Workers have been gut-renovating away these last few months... and now on the roof, the first sign of the new floors to come...

Meanwhile, here's an angle from the rear ... where it appears that workers gave been extending the back of the building as well...

[via EVG regular Greg Masters]

Max has apparently closed on Avenue B

As Eater first reported last Jan. 31, Max, the Avenue B stalwart, was expanding to Williamsburg some time in the near future... a few days later The Wall Street Journal reported that they would actually be closing the Avenue B location when the Brooklyn space was ready ... not sure what the status is with the expansion.

A reader noted the following yesterday...

@evgrieve Saw furniture being loaded into a truck this morning from Max on Ave B... any clue what's going on?

— James Feldman (@james_feldman) January 6, 2013

Another tipster reported that Max has, indeed, served its last meal here, as of New Year's Eve ... the place was closed last night...

Per the Journal last Feb. 3:

Luigi Iasilli, an owner, wrote in an email that he plans to close the East Village location as the neighborhood is getting "slow."

"I finally found what I believe I was looking for," he said of his Williamsburg site. "For me, [it is] going back to the roots, small space, $3,000 rent, a small yard, a mixed ethnic neighborhood with only a bodega across the street."

There are rumors that the east side of the Avenue here between Third Street and Fourth Street, the stretch of storefronts that included the LeSouk empire and Max, will receive a few extra floors during an upcoming renovation ...

[EVG file photo]

EV Grieve Eatery Etc.: Little Italy Pizza space for rent; Gruppo signs up on Avenue B

On Christmas Eve day, EVG regular Stephen Popkin spotted workers quickly cleaning out the short-lived Little Italy Pizza joint at 23 Third Ave. at St. Mark's Place. How quick was it? Noted one commenter:

I passed by just as the workers were hilariously loading trays of fresh pizza dough along with half used cans of tomato sauce and olives in the back of a white van while trying not to spill them all over the place. A guy carrying out a deli cheese slicer said they needed to leave in a hurry.

The space is now for rent... the listing isn't online just yet...

-----

Signage update on Gruppo, which is relocating to a new home down Avenue B... to 98 Avenue B between East Seventh Street and East Sixth Street ...

-----

And there's this...

@evgrieve@eastvillageny One of our regulars found our sidewalk sign, that was stolen during #SantaCon! Thanks. twitter.com/pangeanyc/stat…

— pangea (@pangeanyc) January 6, 2013

Drunken Santas apparently stole it that one awful day ... it randomly appeared Saturday night on East 11th Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue...

Here's your new Duane Reade signage on First Avenue; plus — will they keep the clock?

Oh! Back in May, a tipster told us that the Duane Reade on East 14th Street was moving into the former HSBC branch (the one that some residents tried to save) on First Avenue just north of 14th Street. Signage is now up. Think that clock that never has the right time will stay?

Anyway, a drug store is sorely needed here... as neighbors would have to walk directly next door to the CVS otherwise.

And the Duane Reade around the corner will eventually close ...

We Grievestrated the move on Oct. 2 ...

The soon-to-be-former Duane Reade space remains on the market (PDF) ... Seems like a perfect spot for a Walgreens!