RIP Joey McGibbon

We heard the sad news this past weekend that longtime East Village resident Joey McGibbon has passed away. He was 54.

While we didn't know him personally, he is someone we saw often in the neighborhood. And we featured him last Aug. 29 in Out and About in the East Village.

I moved down here by accident. I was in love with this girl and we were in the throws of breaking up. I grew up in Queens. I had no intentions of moving down here, especially back then when this neighborhood was the way it was. But she moved here and I followed her. I thought maybe we’d get back together but it never happened and I ended up staying.

Here's an obituary, which notes:

His gentle spirit and kind way will be missed dearly.

[Thanks to Bill the Libertarian Anarchist for letting us know about Joey]

Amanda Bynes enshrined in the East Village

Over on East Ninth and Stuyvesant, a shrine of sorts arrived in honor of Amanda Bynes, the actress who has apparently been acting in a bizarre fashion of late. (Enough so to make ABC News the other day.)

As for this shrine, EVG reader Rachel Borg notes that the tribute-maker even Photoshopped Bynes' face on the Mary candles.

I can't stop taking photos of 51 Astor Place

I know. I know! There is some sort of life force within the new building that compels me to take out a camera every time I walk by... (And I've tried taking different routes...)

Oh, and the front entrance and public plaza are shaping up...







Now I want to go inside. (Via 51AP's official renderings)

'Stop with the graffiti on this building!'

EVG reader John spotted this Urban Etiquette Sign over at 134 E. 13th St., home of the Classic Stage Company and Everyman Espresso...

On Avenue B, Sigmund Pretzel Shop is closing to reopen as a restaurant

The folks at Sigmund Pretzel Shop on Avenue B just south of East Third Street let us know that, starting today, they will be closed until June 12 or so... Here is their official message via Facebook:

A lot of you know that we've been planning to graduate from a favorite neighborhood snack and sandwich place to favorite neighborhood restaurant for some time now.

And the time has come — we are briefly closing to do some magic in our East Village spot.

CLOSED BETWEEN MAY 6 - JUNE 12

ORDERS? YES!
You can call us at 646.410.0333 Mon-Fri 10 am - 4 pm and order pretzels, dips or book a catering gig. All deliveries will come to you directly from our bakery in Greenpoint, BK and our lovely Alicia will be on the phone to take care of all of you.

Coming soon to Second Avenue: Block's Vision Care

Been meaning to note this... you may have noticed the sign up next door to Block Drugs ... at the former home of Jack's Luxury Oyster Bar at 101 Second Ave. near East Sixth Street ...



The folks at Block are opening Block's Vision Care...

Extra Place now home to a Little Free Library

Spotted three people installing this in Extra Place on Saturday morning... and the final product...



...with an explanation about Little Free Library ...



Per The New York Times:

Holding no more than about 20 books for old and young, the 10 new Little Free Libraries — miniature lending libraries where anyone can take or leave a book under the honor system — will pop up all over downtown Manhattan on Saturday afternoon, and will stand until Sept. 1.

And!

Jakab Orsos, the director of the PEN World Voices Festival, which features events and workshops with international authors this week, said he heard about the Little Free Library concept last year and almost immediately decided to bring some to New York.

“It’s such a rich, such a romantic idea,” he said on Thursday, waxing lyrical about the pleasures of literature. “It really restores my faith, this connectedness — how people are actually harboring the beauty of reading and the book and the importance of the book.”

Concern for Elmo on Avenue C

And why not? Spotted by EVG reader Laura Ave B ... between East Seventh Street and East Eighth Street today... When awakened, Elmo said, "Elmo is not drunk."

So I meet you at the cemetery gates

The New York City Marble Cemetery on East Second Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue is open until 5 today... Chango Blanco, who took the above photo, took a walk around the grounds. Find more of his photos from today at Flickr.

[Headline h/t]

Week in Grieview

[Roman in Union Square yesterday. Photo by Bobby Williams]

May Day march arrests (Wednesday)

Veselka Bowery has closed (Monday)

Efforts continue to fight the dorm planned at the former PS 64 (Thursday)

Terry: "I know what it’s like to suffer and that’s why I like to rescue things." (Wednesday)

New York Sports Club for Avenue A (Monday)

St. George's Ukrainian Catholic Schools are closing (Friday)

The future of Avenue A (Thursday)

Residents return to where Mars Bar once stood (Wednesday)

More about the the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office's future (Tuesday)

Motor City will be open to the end of June (Tuesday)

Max Fish making it official in Williamsburg (Thursday)

Another building on East 14th Street is for sale (Monday)

The return of Red Mango (Thursday)

Eastside Bakery has closed (Wednesday)

Iconic Hand Rolls has closed (Tuesday)

Cafe, tapas bar in the works for 155 Avenue B (Wednesday)

... and One World Trade Center is now the largest building in the Western Hemisphere... a view of the spire from the East Village this morning via Bobby Williams...

Citi Bikes docking stations Week in Grieview

[St. Mark's Place]

The Citi Bikes docking stations arrived in the neighborhood this past week, as you probably noticed... We did.

Our 12 posts on the topic fielded 277 comments, covering everything from the Fall of Rome, Nazi Germany, 9/11 and the Mayan Apocalypse.

These two had the most comments:

Reader mailbag: Have you read the Citi Bikes Rental Agreement? (49 comments)

And!

Here's another docking station for St. Mark's Place (49 comments)

Any thoughts on why this is such a divisive topic?

Today in street art II

Oh, here's another set of Polaroids in the "Love is an oasis of horror" collection... William Klayer spotted these...











Anyone know more about these?

Updated:

Ah, thanks to a commenter sharing a link to BelleDuPolaroid.

Previously.

Mary Help of Christians: 'This is heartbreaking'

[Bobby Williams]

The Post has a piece today on several NYC churches that are facing possible demolition... including Mary Help of Christians Catholic Church on East 12th Street, which developer Douglas Steiner is razing to build a residential-retail complex ... the story doesn't offer any new information... but people are remaining hopeful.

“This is heartbreaking,” said Andrew Berman, executive director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation. “We hope [Steiner] can see the light and realize it’s advantageous to use something that’s special rather than demolishing it for something that’s a dime a dozen.”

Meanwhile, the Post employed three reporters to investigate local bars that aren't selling full pints of beer.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Permits filed to demolish Mary Help of Christians church, school and rectory

Today in street art

Spotted on the plywood outside 51 Astor Place...





Others in this series had been ripped off the plywood.

'Spring Open Day' today at the New York City Marble Cemetery

From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. On East Second Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue. Afterwards, stop by here for a swim.

Go here for more information and history about the cemetery.

Deals of the day

Today in Tompkins Square Park

Photo by Bobby Williams

Noted

Spotted on the Bowery.

Man extradited to New York in connection with April 13 shooting on East 3rd Street

[April 13]

Back in the early afternoon hours on April 13, a man was shot in the stomach on East Third Street and Avenue C. One witness described the incident as "a drug deal gone bad."

The Post today reports of an arrest in the shooting.

According to the report, NYPD detectives, working with police in New Bedford, Mass., arrested 44-year-old José Cintron there ... he was extradited to New York this past week. Police reportedly found 120 grams of heroin on Cintron.

"He was charged there with drug possession and being a fugitive from justice, and in New York with attempted murder, assault and criminal possession of a weapon."

The victim of the gunshot underwent surgery on his small intestine at Bellevue Hospital, according to the Post.

Art on East Fifth Street

[Photo via @nranra]

If you are walking on East Fifth Street right now between Second Avenue and Cooper Square ... you might find Paul Kostabi there selling some art...