'Straight Outta Tompkins' is real, and it is now filming around the neighborhood

"Straight Outta Tompkins" started filming on March 12. We heard about the film, but, to be honest, we thought the person who told us was joking. You know — a play on Straight Outta Compton. However, it is an actual production. Here's the description via the film's Facebook page:

A feature film written, directed and starring Zephyr Benson.

"Straight Outta Tompkins" is real, authentic and: Straight Outta Tompkins

Inspired by true events, "Straight Outta Tompkins" is a shocking, brutally honest view of today's Lower East Side, New York City drug trade.

We witness a powerful drug ring many don't dream exist: a consortium controlled by upper class, white, privileged young adults.

Seen through the eyes of Gene, a charming 18 year-old, a ‘pitch away’ from a college baseball scholarship.

Abandoned by his family, Gene finds a 'surrogate,’ seemingly more loving family within the underbelly of the L.E.S. drug community.

Gene is faced with one simple decision that could rob him of his youth, his innocence, his life.

There are also updates on the production's Twitter account. There's video of a shooting-up-heroin scene here.

Zephyr Benson, who attended attended NYU's Tisch School of the Arts in Filmmaking, is the son of Robby Benson, the boyish-looking actor your older sister totally had a crush on in the 1970s.

Checking in behind the plywood at 316-318 E. Third St.

Time for a check behind the plywood here at 316-318 E. Third St., where a Karl Fischer-designed, 33-unit apartment building is in the works ... replacing a circa-1835 single-family home.

EVG reader Bobby G. sent us these photos showing the work in progress...



Bobby points out that this area was known as the Dry Dock district ... and that ground water is close to the surface in this area, especially at high tide...

So. The cement the workers poured Tuesday quickly became submerged...





Should be good for mosquitos soon enough.

Also, in the middle photo in this post... you can see the progress at Alphabet Plaza, the 12-story mixed-used apartment building at Avenue D and East Houston.

Previously on EV Grieve:


Another parcel of East Village land ready for development

33-unit, Karl Fischer-designed building rising at former home of Community Board 3 member

Landmarks Preservation Commission rejects hearing for 316 E. Third St., paving way for 7-floor condo

Lovely townhouse with bucolic gardens on East Third Street ready for "creative expansion"

3 new floors for 31-33 Second Ave.; extension for neighboring building as well?

Work continues at 31-33 Second Ave., where developer Ben Shaoul received the OK from the city in January to add three floors to the existing building. (When we broke the story last June, the permits were still pending approval.)

Plans on file show that workers will remodel the existing commercial space on the ground floor ... remodel the existing apartments on the 2nd and 3rd floors ... and add on top of the existing building. Each floor will contain two apartments.

Meanwhile, a tipster passes along word that there's an extension planned as well for 23-27 Second Ave., above the former Second on Second, the 10-year-old karaoke bar that closed in January. However, there's nothing yet on file with the DOB to back up these claims...

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

Watch a speedy behind-the-scenes clip for the upcoming CBGB biopic

Via the CBGB movie Facebook page...

Previously.

Saint Brigid-Saint Emeric gets mass-schedule holder display cases

Since reopening, Saint Brigid-Saint Emeric has had its mass schedule taped to the front doors here on Avenue B. But! In a new development captured by Dave on 7th yesterday, the church has installed display cases out front for the schedules and other announcements... (still hoping for bingo night...)

Goodbye to the first day of spring...

Photo by Bobby Williams.

Please return their cat

Dave on 7th spotted this sign this morning on Avenue A and East 12th Street.

Here's what's in store for Campos Plaza under the city's land-leasing plan

More details are emerging about the city's controversial plan to lease playground and community-center space to developers within public housing areas.

Via The Lo-Down, we've learned that the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) finally posted details on the spaces that will be earmarked for private development.

Here's what's planned at Campos Plaza (image above) via the NYCHA website:

East 12th Street Site

Site Area: 26,122 SF (Approximate)
New Construction: 90,000 SF of Residential Floor Area (Approximate)
Note: 20% of proposed residential units will be available to households at or BELOW 60% of Area Median Income (AMI)*

Current Uses on Land Lease Site(s)
• 45 Parking Spaces
• Compactor Yard
• Basketball & Handball Courts
Note: NYCHA will continue to provide parking spaces for all NYCHA residents with a current legal parking permit.

Benefits for Campos Plaza Residents
• Central Plaza redesign with resident consultation
• Preference for new low-income apartments
• Emergency power generation for critical building systems
• Temporary and permanent job opportunities
• Enhanced security for development

According to the Lo-Down, the plan would see "a total of 2,026 new apartments on the Lower East Side — about 400 of them designated as permanently affordable."

Of course, all this info arrives with about a month to go before the city will issue Request for Proposals for eight NYCHA properties in NYC.

Meanwhile, tonight, Smith Houses reps are boycotting the "public information" meeting about the plan. Per their news release:

“The Tenants’ Association Exec. Committee asked NYCHA to reschedule the meeting in order to give residents at least a 10-day notice and opportunity to review the proposals, but NYCHA is deciding to go ahead anyway. The Authority is making it seem as though their plan is a done-deal and residents just have to put up with it.”

As the Daily News first reported in February, the NYCHA expects to generate $31 million to $46 million in annual lease payments, "all of which will go toward fixing up deteriorating buildings. The agency currently has a backlog of 420,000 repair orders and faces a $60 million budget gap annually."

[Updated] Developing: Fire reported atop 151 Avenue A

There are reader reports of a small fire at 151 Avenue A between East Ninth Street and East 10 Street... thanks to @thebsap for the photo and initial report... we understand that the FDNY quickly extinguished the flames from a top-floor apartment ...more details as they become available...

Manhattan *75-0449* 151 Avenue A off E.10th St. Fire top floor of a 5 story non-fireproof multiple dwelling.

— NYC Fire Wire (@NYCFireWire) March 20, 2013

[BagelGuy]

...and from EVG reader mdmn...

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning Edition

[Bobby Williams]

Martin Scorsese supports Bowery Preservation plans (BoweryBoogie)

Senator takes interest in NYU's finances (Runnin' Scared)

Legs McNeil on Richard Hell's new book (The Daily Beast)

Fancy makeover for Essex Street parking garage (Curbed)

Op-Ed: Soho House won't add much to the LES (The Lo-Down)

The Tompkins Square Park hawk went a little nutty (The Gog Log)

The new fake Italian Food Center in Little Italy (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

Rebooting "Escape From New York" (The AV Club)

... and a good show for a good cause tonight...

Out and About in the East Village

In this weekly feature, East Village-based photographer James Maher provides us with a quick snapshot of someone who lives and/or works in the East Village.



By James Maher

Name: Katie Kenney
Occupation: Student, Employee at Zaragoza
Location: Zaragoza, Avenue A and 13th Street
Time: 5 on Monday, March 19

I’ve lived in the neighborhood for four years and on 7th and D for three years. I’m from Rhode Island and I came here to go to the New School. I’m studying anthropology and I graduate in May. I’m actually writing my thesis about the ethnography of Zaragoza. It’s about family business. I had a regular in here recently asking me what I was going to do after I graduate and he’s like, ‘You’re probably going to be here full time after that.’ I mean, probably. The job prospects aren’t great. I’m probably just prepping myself for a lifelong career in food service.

Zaragoza is owned by the Martinez family. It’s the mom, Maria, the dad, Pompeo, and their son Reuben. Maria does all of the cooking at the restaurant and Pompeo is always here. They make all of the food at the family restaurant in Coney Island and bring it in every day. They’re the hardest working people that I’ve ever met in my life. We stay open late on the weekends and Reuben will tell his parents to go home and relax, and they’re like, “No, what are we going to do at home? Let’s just hang out here, it’s way better.” They stay all night.

I’ve been working here for three years. It’s going to be officially three years on March 25 and I will never let them forget it. The first year anniversary of working here I made them buy me a cake at Veniero’s. They wrote “Employee of the year” on it.

I eat here always. It gets very crowded at night. Even if it’s a very slow night at 2 am we’ll always get the drunk rush, no matter what. We used to get way busier because we had a liquor license but it expired and now there’s all this bureaucratic stuff to try and get it back. It’s taken forever. At one point we had to get everyone to sign a petition to give to the Community Board and there was a lot of community support. It’s just taken way too long. How busy we are also depends on the time of the year or the time of the month. When people just pay rent no one goes out to eat.

I started working here because I really needed a job. I used to come in here a lot and I was working at an American Apparel. That was the worst thing ever, so I had to quit that job immediately. I thought it would be great if I could just work here and then they hired me because they were planning to go to Mexico and they needed some extra help. Then it just stuck.

The thing that’s great about this place is that, since it’s a family business, they really appreciate their customers and they feel loyal to them. In this neighborhood there are a lot of small businesses, but you don’t get that everywhere. This place is very special. If I have the sniffles or a cold they give me medicine and say, “Katie do this and this.”

Also, they think rubbing alcohol is definitely going to fix any ailment that I may have. It’s rubbing alcohol and all of their cold medicines that I have no idea what they are. They take care of me. They’re like my parents here. They’re like, “Yeah we’ll adopt you.” We’ve went to soccer games and we go out to eat and all sorts of family stuff.

I always get the same questions. New people who just come in ... “Oh, how long have you worked here? Do you speak Spanish? How did you get this job? And do you live in this neighborhood?” Those are the four questions. As soon as someone new tries to talk to me, I’m like, “I know exactly what you’re going to say and I might as well just give you the answers right now.”

There are some people who seem to have some animosity toward me, like oh god she’s gentrifying this bodega. Maybe that’s true and they weren’t looking to hire some random white girl. I just kind of forced them too. And now that I’ve been here for so long, if anything, I’ve adapted to them. It’s very strange and random that I work here. For example, I’ll do deliveries and people get very uncomfortable. The last thing they expect is a little girl to show up. I show up and they’re fumbling to give me more money and I’m like you don’t have to tip me any more. I haven’t seen anyone open the door without pants yet though.

We get good reviews on Yelp. I read the Yelp reviews because I’m interested to know what people think about us and the last review that I read that mentioned me was like, “Yeah, there’s some weird white girl with a nose ring. I wonder what her deal is?”

James Maher is a fine art and studio photographer based in the East Village. Find his website here.

East Village apartment with 3-level zen garden now asking $10,000 monthly

When we last checked in on 532 E. Fifth St. in the fall, the newish eco-friendly apartment building between Avenue A and Avenue B, we were admiring the $13,000 apartment that came with its own THREE LEVEL PRIVATE PLANTED ZEN GARDEN (in the all-cap style of the listing).

As nice as all this sounded, the accompanying images were seemingly (and hilariously!) taken with the camera on the fisheye setting (Walleye Vision!)

Flashback!

Whooooaaaaa... careful, don't fall onto the grill...

Now TOWN is the broker, and the apartments have just been relisted... and they are (slightly) reduced. Here are the two prime rentals via TOWN:

• Penthouse #5R, renting for $9,900/month, is a 3 bed, 3 bath and features a private terrace, as well as a private roof deck. The space includes a large living room, gourmet chef's kitchen with a breakfast bar and in-unit washer/dryer, with access to a private terrace. The upper level offers a second living room and access to a private roof deck. Reclaimed oak wood flooring throughout, with American slate floors in the kitchen and bathrooms.

• Garden #1R, on the market for $10,000/month, has 3 beds and 1.5 baths and features a private, three-level, 860-square-foot Zen garden, an open chef’s kitchen and dining room with southern exposures overlooking the garden. The garden-level apartment features a flex living room with stone floors, an in-unit washer and dryer and access to the garden.

And the accompanying photos (these are the garden apartment) are no longer wonky.





...and the penthouse...





No word if you can hear the patrons of the Ace Bar from up here.

[Photos via TOWN]

Previously on EV Grieve:
Beaming up on Fifth Street

Demolition on East Fifth Street

On the way: A five-story apartment building for Fifth Street

532 E. Fifth St. ready for renting

Why yes — you can rent an apartment on East Fifth Street between A and B for $13,500 a month now

Update on the new community center and supportive housing on East 9th Street

The vendor registration for the 2013 Loisaida Festival (date: May 26) includes a mention of the group's "new Community Center" coming to Avenue C and East Ninth Street.

That would be at 710 E. Ninth St., just east of Avenue C, where workers are converting the former Henry Street Settlement Day Care #3 into a community facility space on the ground floor... with the upper levels serving as housing for homeless young adults and young adults no longer in the foster-care system.

Here's more information from the Loisaida Inc. website:

710 East 9th Street Building Development Project

With the support of the Manhttan Community Board #3 and the community, we were granted an equity position and standing in our original home, 710 East 9th Street. The result is a joint venture with Loisaida, Phipps Houses and University Settlement, a three-way partnership. Phipps Houses as the lead has supported and guided Loisaida thru the various stages of the development project.

The existing city-owned 4-story building on 9th Street was the 30-year home of Loisaida. It is being converted to a supportive housing facility and community center. The project will include 51 units of supportive housing with related program space located on floors two thru five.

Homeless young adults, young adults aging out of foster care and young single adults will occupy the residential units with children

Loisaida will occupy and operate a 10,000 sq. foot - new community center on cellar and first floor. This project is being developed though the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development HPD.

Our new community center will be a multi-generational and multifunctional facility offering services at no cost to local low-income residents of LES. We have incorporated a commercial kitchen, media center and performance space.

Occupancy is projected for 2013.

H/T MoRUS

Previously on EV Grieve:
Community center and supportive housing coming to East Ninth Street

Checking in on the community center-supportive housing project on East Ninth Street

Noted

Spotted outside 100 Avenue A yesterday by Bobby Williams.

A call to permanently drain Lake Astor Place

You've likely noticed the draining issues on Astor Place after any rain or snowfall ... specifically on the sidewalk adjacent to Jerry's Newsstand and the entrance to the downtown 6 ...



The lake (pond?) has made it to SeeClickFix, the website where residents can report problems in their communities using an app and connect with neighbors and local governments to get them fixed. (I never heard of SeeClickFix until a reader prompted me to it the other day.)

In any event, per the person who posted the complaint on Saturday:

"That area has high foot traffic and is difficult to navigate around the flood without dangerously stepping into the road."

Turned out to be a nice afternoon to be in Tompkins Square Park (unless you were this rat)

Cleared up nicely this afternoon... in time to bring people into the Park... to watch a hawk maul a rat...



Photos by Bobby Williams

More signs of spring in the East Village

East Fourth Street and Avenue B this afternoon... via the EVG Twitter account...

Springter has arrived in Tompkins Square Park

Confused!

Photo today via Andrew Adam Newman on Ave C.

Comet spotting with East Village resident Felton Davis

You can often find East Village resident Felton Davis stargazing on Second Avenue and East Third Street. However, he had to travel down to Battery Park last Wednesday to see the comet C/2011 L4 PANSTARRS.

He shared some photos and his story with us.

"It was a cold night, with a strong wind coming down over the Hudson, that made long-exposure photos very difficult. Comet Panstarrs 2011 last appeared about 100 million years ago, during the age of the dinosaurs. As it came around the sun last week, it was visible first in Buenos Aires and New Zealand, but took its time arriving in the northern hemisphere."



"As an amateur photographer, I have to confess that I was not able to get everything into one good photo. I could take a picture of the sunset with the Statue of Liberty on the left, and the crescent moon in the center. I could take a pretty good close-up of the moon. And of course every time the seagulls swooped over, I thought they must have sighted it. After all, birds live in the sky, and so must know whenever something unusual is about to appear!"

The comet is stil not visible here...





The comet is above the clouds... (That is Felton using the arrow!)



And at last.

"The comet finally appeared below the moon, with a tail extending up and slightly to the left. Only timed exposures of at least three seconds revealed the tail. It will rise higher in the days to come, but also grow fainter as it recedes from us on its long journey to the edge of the solar system."

The Post features Jennifer Esposito's East Village bakery today

The Post today has a feature on actress Jennifer Esposito's new "roll" (haha, Post) ... her gluten-free, dairy-free, refined-sugar-free, soy-free, peanut-free, allergy-friendly, organic bakery that opened on East 10th Street on March 2.

The piece touches on her 14-hour work days at Jennifer's Way Bakery and her battle with celiac disease... which led her to open the bakery...

And it's serious business here... to the article!

Rick Byrd, 56, a friend of the actress, who was recently manning the cash register, tells of how Esposito’s boyfriend, model Louis Dowler, recently came in with a sandwich from another shop and was made to leave, lest his lunch contaminate the space.

“We don’t even allow gluten on the premise,” says Byrd, who is severely gluten-intolerant himself. “It’s a safe zone.”

Previously on EV Grieve:
Actress Jennifer Esposito's Jennifer's Way Bakery opening soon on East 10th Street