An update on Biker Bill's whereabouts

[Photo by Clayton Patterson]

Here's an update about Biker Bill, a regular through the years at Ray's and in Tompkins Square Park ... and a familiar figure at Bob Arihood's Neither More Nor Less...

People haven't seen him in some time ... Clayton Patterson passes along a message from Biker Bill yesterday:

I was involved in a hit and run. I have a broken arm and broken hip. I'm in the Richmond Center for Rehabilitation in Staten Island. I would like someone to come visit me at 91 Tompkins Ave., Staten Island NY.

And no word if Biker Bill ever started a Twitter account.

Happy birthday Jack Kerouac

Jack Kerouac was born on this date in 1922...

In his honor, a photo of Kerouac that Allen Ginsberg shot in the East Village outside Tompkins Square Park...


The caption reads:

Jack Kerouac wandering along East 7th street after visiting Burroughs at our pad, passing statue of Congressman Samuel "Sunset" Cox, "The Letter – Carrier's Friend" in Tompkins Square toward corner of Avenue A, Lower East Side; he's making a Dostoyevsky mad-face or Russian basso be-bop Om, first walking around the neighborhood, then involved with The Subterraneans, pencils & notebook in wool shirt-pockets, Fall 1953, Manhattan.

You can find other photos online that Ginsberg took of Kerouac and Williams Burroughs in the East Village ... like this one from Ginsberg's apartment at 206 E. Seventh St.

RIP JoBear la Stuffing

In early March, Goggla spotted this on East Second Street near Avenue B ... the note around the neck read "can't bear it anymore."



Now! Someone has cut the bear from the tree... and added this sign...



Previously on EV Grieve:
A brief history of humiliating Teddy bears in the East Village

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning Edition

[Tompkins Square Park yesterday, via Bobby Williams]

88-year-old old artist Taylor Meade has to live like this during the luxury renovation of his building (BoweryBoogie)

Judge tosses Bloomy's soda ban (Reuters)

Meet Pastor Richard Del Rio, who's running against Rosie Mendez (DNAinfo)

The end of the Rawhide (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

Great photos of when Domino was still a sugar factory (Curbed)

Controversial Bow already closes on the Bowery (Eater)

Norfolk Street synagogue won't tear itself down (The Lo-Down)

...and more from the No 7-Eleven chalkers last night on Avenue A...

Report: DOH temporarily closes the Sunburnt Cow on Avenue C

[File photo]

The DOH has temporarily closed drunk-brunch hotspot the Sunburnt Cow, reports Serena Soloman at DNAinfo this afternoon.

Inspectors found 56 violation points during a visit on Friday, including "the space not being considered 'vermin proof' and its toilet facility not being well maintained and having no toilet paper," per the DOH website.

Owner Heathe St. Clair blamed the ongoing Hurricane Sandy recovery for the failed inspection. The bar-restaurant on Avenue C was one of the many businesses along Avenue C to suffer from extensive Sandy-related flood damage last fall.

[Updated] Excavation continues outside the former Cabrini Center on Avenue B

On Friday, a resident who lives adjacent to the former Cabrini Center noted the unbearable jackhammering taking place in the building's parking lot off Avenue B at East Fifth Street. The health care facility for elderly patients is being converted into luxury residences.

Today, another resident passes along photos of the ongoing excavation (pointing out that few of the workers chose not to wear hard hats for this job). The nearby resident refers to the work here today as "obscenely loud."









Here's a little video action of the work...



Not sure what's going on out back... workers jackhammered out the former parking lot. One local joked that they were putting in a pool. Hmm. More likely the pump service room, the water room, etc., in the basement.

DOB permits show 81 units here, including a rooftop "public recreation space" as well as retail space.

Previously.

Today's lost and found

EVG reader Kyle spotted this on Avenue B and East Sixth Street this morning... I'm currently wearing it. Still. Let me know if you can prove that it belongs to you.

[Updated] Con Ed apologizes for the 'inconvenience' of waking you up at 4:30 a.m.

Twitter lit up again early this morning (or, late last night depending on your schedule) with reports of various weird alien noises, explosions, 747s landing nearby. That kind of thing. Similar, but not as loud as in the early-morning hours of Feb. 27.

Super weird alien noises and sirenish sounds coming from Stuytown right now, can't sleep! #stuytown #eastvillage

— Calvin Morrissey (@calvinmorrissey) March 11, 2013

@evgrieve hear anything about a punishingly loud buzzing noise at 4:15 last night near 14th and B that lasted an hour? Destroyed my sleep.

— David M. Goldstein (@dmg924) March 11, 2013

One resident did speak with Con Ed around 4:30 a.m. They were releasing steam pressure.

@lilyalta @evgrieve #stuytown was a release of steam pressure from our steam station. Sorry for inconvenience

— Con Edison (@ConEdison) March 11, 2013

And they are sorry for the "inconvenience," as you can see.

From a follow-up with Con Ed: "It was not planned. Was due to equipment issue."

Previously on EV Grieve:
East Village residents ask: WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT NOISE LAST NIGHT?

'Urgent community meeting' to discuss bar opening at 14 Avenue B

Flyers went up yesterday with notice of a community meeting on Sunday night ... of particular interest to residents of the southern stretch of Avenue B and the side streets.

First item of business:

• "We need to mobilize for the last step to stop a new nightclub from opening at 14 Avenue B."

That would be the so-called Epic City Pub, from the folks who owned Urge on Second Avenue. (Read more about this here.)

Lost track of this one. The full Community Board 3 denied this application last September for a variety of reasons, including that there are at least 12 full on‐premise liquor licenses within 500 feet of this location. (Find the meeting notes here via a PDF.) The bar is currently seeking a license directly from the State Liquor Authority. (There was a petition earlier.)

Other items to discuss on Sunday night:

There are also applications in the works for 173 E. Second St., currently home to the Klean & Kleaner laundromat ... and possible new location for The Living Room. This was on the March CB3/SLA docket, but the applicant withdrew.

Plus, there's an unknown applicant aiming to take over the former JujoMukti Tea Lounge at 211 E. Fourth St.

The meeting, sponsored by the East 4th Street A & B Block Association, will be held from 6:30-7:30 in the community room at 535 E. Fifth St.

[H/t to Ray LeMoine for the photo]

The 'East Village3' is ready for you; for that 'Industrial Chic feel'

[March 2012]

Back last spring, GRJ, a fund co-founded and co-managed by brothers Graham and Gregory Jones, closed on the 78-unit, three-building package of 50-58 E. Third St. for $23.5 million.

In April, 17 residents of the buildings received letters that stated, in part: "It has been agreed with the impending new owners that your lease will not be renewed and that you will be expected to vacate at the expiration of your lease." More such letters followed.

The residents banded together and formed a tenants group; local politicians came out to offer support during a rally on May 7. However, as one former resident put it, the Big Real Estate Machine was too great to overcome. In the end, we're not sure how many of the longtime tenants ended up leaving the three buildings.

Heavy construction began in the fall... and now, the first of the renovated units are available to rent this month. Per the Streeteasy listing:

"The Walk-Up Reinvented"

BE THE FIRST TO LIVE IN EAST VILLAGE LUXURY. Situated in the Heart of the East Village, the Three Buildings at 50-58 East 3rd Street (at 2nd Avenue) have been dubbed the "East Village3" aka The #EV3. These newly renovated units boast superior finishes throughout. The contrast of exposed brick, high-gloss cabinets and stainless appliances give the building an Industrial Chic feel. Each bedroom is equal sized and every roommate has their own bathroom, with private storage above.

Absolute brand new gut renovation to the entire building. From top to bottom these apartments are designed for optimal living. The apartment features include, Oak Floors with a dark Walnut Stain, stacked Bosch Washer/Dryer, LG Fridge, GE Dishwasher and Microwave, imported Cesar Stone counter tops from Italy, white high gloss cabinets, high hat lighting, 3 Real Full Bathrooms, waterfall sinks in the bathroom, extra storage space, crown moldings, exposed brick, video intercom, secure key fob entrance, plus the building is under 24/7 video surveillance for extra security.

Here's what that looks like...







There are three, three-bedroom units available, ranging in price from $4,900 to $5,150.

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

Advocate for East Third Street buildings moving to Washington Heights

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

More drama at 50-58 E. Third St.; 'heavy construction' awaits tenants who stay

And now the renovations really begin at 50-58 E. Third St.

Flea Market Cafe reopens today, and here's the menu

[March 2]

The new-look Flea Market Cafe was unveiled at the beginning of March, as we noted here. A few readers and regulars of the bistro grumbled about the cleaned-up interior — someone even thought that it looked like a "Pier 1 showroom" now.

But how about the menu? It's now online. (Click on images to enlarge.)











The Flea Market opens tonight... the new owners are from 10 Degrees around the corner on St. Mark's Place.

Previously on EV Grieve:
New-look Flea Market Cafe shows itself on Avenue A; reopens March 11

Last remaining plywood removed from the Economakis him, revealing NO GARAGE

A tipster sent along the above photo, noting that the last piece of plywood outside 47 E. Third St. — the former tenement that Alistair Economakis renovated for his family — was recently removed. The address was the site of a bitter landlord-tenant fight dating back to 2003.

Several neighbors were convinced that the former 15-unit tenement would include a garage. There was an application for a curb cut, but the city never approved the request.

Last May, City Councilmember Rosie Mendez told The Villager that the Economakises are leasing part of the ground-floor space to a medical facility ... and the garage would serve that facility.

Anyway, the tipster said that he or she couldn't quite tell what was behind the plywood all that time. "It just looks like a black wall." No hidden doors?

[November 2011]

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

More coverage here.

There goes the Lucky Cheng's sign

On Saturday, workers took down the Lucky Cheng's sign here on First Avenue...


[Photo by EVG reader Evan OHara]

Lucky Cheng's moved to a new home on West 52nd Street in the fall. We asked owner Hayne Suthon what she plans on doing with the sign. "I'll fix it and move it uptown."

Workers are currently renovating the space on First Avenue and East Second Street to make way for Pride and Joy BBQ.

Lucky Cheng's opened in 1993. Jeremiah Moss had an informative post on the building's history here.

These 4 new East Village restaurants are now open

As you may recall, Tribeca burlesque club Duane Park merged with the Bowery Poetry Club to create Bowery Poetry at 308 Bowery... the Duane Park part of the club opened this past weekend...





Bowery Poetry Club founder Bob Holman will operate Bowery Poetry Saturday afternoons, Sunday and Monday. Per DNAinfo, that is expected to start on March 18.

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On East Third Street at Avenue B, Heart N' Soul opened Friday at the site of the former Mama's Food Shop...

These photos are by @ThePeterHa ...



The menu features the "Coastal Southern cuisine" of chef Dave Conn, who spend a good part of his life in the South.



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Last Wednesday, East 12th Osteria, which serves Northern Italian fare via Roberto Deiaco, former executive chef at Armani Ristorante in the Armani flagship store on Fifth Avenue, opened its doors on East 12th Street and First Avenue...



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Finally... Back in January, Candela Candela abruptly closed at 92 Second Ave, ... at the time, a resident of the building heard that Mermaid Inn would be expanding into this space. That was NOT the case... In any event, the Candela owners have unveiled a new concept ... a vegetarian restaurant called Local 92 ...

And it's now open...



Per the menu: "The words LOw and CALories merge together in traditional middle-eastern dishes..."



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Anyone try any of these places? Any early reports to share in the comments?

The Feast bake shop opens today

Feast opened last Tuesday on Third Avenue near East 12th Street ... among other things, the place offers two large-format dinner options. (The Farmer's Market Feast and the "Nose to Tail Feast.")

Today, the bakery portion of the place opens. Feast proprietor Brian Ghaw also owns Savoy Bakery in East Harlem. The bakery will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Makeshift flea market returns to sidewalk outside the former Mary Help of Christians lot

Nice to see an impromptu flea market of sorts happen on Avenue A between East 11th Street and East 12th Street... the Mary Help of Christians flea market ended its run in the fall ... it now happens every Saturday at the Immaculate Conception Church on East 14th Street and First Avenue ...

Photo by Bobby Williams.

Week in Grieview

[Waiting for Prune's brunch, via James Maher]

Our interview with Sylvain Sylvain of the New York Dolls (Friday)

Revisiting Fetus Squat (Thursday)

TR Crandall Guitars opening on East Third St. (Monday)

Ada Calhoun is writing a history of St. Mark's Place (Thursday)

Video revisits the winter storm of Feb. 8 in the East Village (Wednesday)

A little more time for 9th Street Bakery (Tuesday)

We love Ink on A (Monday)

The Smith eyes basement expansion (Thursday)

Nobu alum heading to open Japanese restaurant on East Ninth Street? (Monday)

Your LES view of the Domino Sugar Factory might look like this (Monday)

THE EAST VILLAGE IS NOISY (Wednesday)

It snowed, some (Friday)

Another condo! (Thursday)

Live Fast closing on Clinton Street (Tuesday)

Caffe Buon Gusto closed on Avenue B (Monday)

At the Coney Island USA Spring Gala 2013

Coney Island USA held its annual Spring Gala last night at Webster Hall. The Gala's theme: The Burlesque Manifesto, which honored the role Coney Island USA played in beginning the neo-burlesque movement.

EVG contributor Stacie Joy was there and shared a few photos (maybe a little NSFW)...

















Find out more about Coney Island USA here. See Stacie's photos from the 2012 Gala here.

Richard Hell's New York (Mystery Lot shout-out!)

Richard Hell continues to do some press in advance of the release of his memoir, "I Dreamed I Was a Very Clean Tramp," on Tuesday.

Today, the Post features the longtime East Village resident in its weekly My New York feature... You can read it here.

And he was a Mystery Lot fan!

10. Vacant lot, north side of 13th Street, between Second and Third avenues (now a construction site)

“Whenever I would have to walk across town, I’d try to wrap myself down 13th Street. The lot was all overgrown. And when you were walking down 13th, the buildings that were still standing on 14th Street gave it this kind of broken-toothy kind of edge to it. A friend of mine wanted to make a movie with me — and my first idea was to do something in that lot. I put on a bunch of wounded-person makeup and staggered out from behind one of the 14th Street buildings. I have the footage, somewhere.”

Aside from the interviews that we've already mentioned (The New York Times last Sunday, the Observer), there have also been Hell Q-and-As in New York magazine... Esquire ... Spin has some book excerpts here.

Previously.

There's something about Marty

Here's the completed work at the Houston/Bowery Mural Wall, which was unveiled yesterday at noon ... a surprise to honor legendary graffiti photographer Martha Cooper's 70th birthday.

A growing number of graffiti artists started the tribute yesterday morning at 7. Cooper arrived with her cousin at noon, thinking that she was going to be seeing a new mural — something other than her nickname on the wall.

Brooklyn Street Art has a lot more about the event... with photos and names of everyone who collaborated on the work.

Per BSA:

The brand new “Marty” mural is up for an incredibly short time, possibly only days, so if you have an opportunity or inclination, catch this personal and public display of affection for a lady who helped us all appreciate art in the streets.

Animal NY has more from yesterday here.