[Updated] Fire on East 11th Street

Major fire on E 11th b/w 3rd & 2nd. Smoke pouring out the back of this building--faces ours. @evgrieve #EastVillage pic.twitter.com/M9iDWu8bbD
— Sean M. Kennedy (@slicksean) December 17, 2013

We've heard reports in the last 20 minutes of a fire on East 11th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue... one reader said that the FDNY told neighbors that the blaze was contained, but they needed to be prepared to leave just in case...

We'll post updates when they become available...

Updated 10:12

The official FDNY Twitter account puts the fire at 227 E. 11th St.

MAN ALL HANDS 227 E11 ST, MULTIPLE DWELLING FIRE ON 4TH FLR, UNDER CONTROL
— FDNY (@FDNY) December 17, 2013

Updated 10:19

Seems like E 11th fire now under control. Another shot from front. Bldg on right was on fire. #EastVillage @evgrieve pic.twitter.com/gz5ivmCQyI

— Sean M. Kennedy (@slicksean) December 17, 2013

Updated 10:30

@joshbhaskell looks like things are under control. @fdny doing a great job #fire #eastvillage pic.twitter.com/33QCJF3s9W

— Matt Angrist (@mangrist) December 17, 2013

Updated 10:36


[Photo by VH McKenzie]

No word yet on a cause... or of any injuries…

Here are two more photos from the scene by EVG reader mdmn...





Updated 12/17
The apartment belong to musician Dev Hynes.

The forecast is for some snow tomorrow, which can only mean 1 thing: Photo opps!

While that snow claim may be true… I really just wanted to post this photo from Saturday night by EVG reader iampbc3

SantaCon 2013 postmortem

[Saturday afternoon, of course, via EVG reader AS]

We'd like to forget all about SantaCon 2013. (Oh, but God, we can't — we see red Santa suits and hear Wooooooooo! every time we blink!)

However, there are several recappy type articles that, uh, recap what went on... like this one from The Wall Street Journal that provides some arrest numbers from the weekend.

Amazingly enough, per the article:

[T]he New York Police Department made no arrests, issued eight summonses for open alcohol containers and two summonses for disorderly conduct related to the event. Last year, police made one disorderly-conduct arrest, issued 73 open-container summonses and issued one other summons for public urination.

[Third Avenue and East 16th Street]

How about the subways and buses and stuff?

Metropolitan Transportation Authority police issued five summonses for disobeying the alcohol ban and three for disorderly conduct this weekend, an agency spokesman said.

So you see, it really was nothing. You SantaCon haters must just not like to have fun!

[Ducking and running from computer]

Oh, and as for the charitable portion of the event... because SantaCon stands for charity!

SantaCon participants donate money to charity, but organizers said they won't know how much they raised until later this week.

Also, as an act of kind public service, we'd like help reunite this potentially scorching SantaCon couple...

Spontaneity at SantaCon - w4m (East Village)

I was the girl with the three foot long santa hat who yelled "Hey, you wanna make out?" and you were Eric and said, "Me? Sure!"

Thanks for going along with it! It might ruin the perfect moment of spontaneity but I wouldn't hate getting to know you better because you were sweet and very cute.

If you remember this, I don't know, reply with my name or with what my friends were eating or something to prove you're the guy. Merry Santa Con!!

So, as SantaCon proves, "Hey, you wanna make out?" is a viable pickup line. Try it at your office holiday party. Or, better, standing in line at the post office! Anywhere!

BONUS QUESTION FOR COMMENTS:
Guess what her friends were eating! A chair from the Village Pourhouse? The soul of the East Village? So many choices!

UPDATED:
Here's the alleged tug-of-love video in the Duane Reade entrance on Third Avenue and East 14th Street that people are referring to in the comments.

The Odessa Cafe and Bar will not reopen

In mid-November, we started hearing rumors — from three different sources — that the Odessa Cafe and Bar was coming back to life on Avenue A.

However, the Odessa folks have confirmed that the deal fell through, and the Cafe and Bar will not reopen. This past week, the "thanks for your support" sign returned to the empty restaurant's front window. (There's an addition to the sign — the "and bar" part.)

Meanwhile, though, Leo, a favorite bartender-waiter from the Cafe and Bar days, is still at the newish bar in the back of the Odessa Restaurant Wednesday to Sunday evenings starting at 8.



Previously on EV Grieve:
Building that houses Odessa Cafe and Bar for sale on Avenue A

Is the end nearing for Odessa Cafe and Bar on Avenue A?

Former GM from Tribeca's Tiny's & the Bar Upstairs part of team to buy the Odessa Cafe

Reader report: Odessa Cafe closes for good after Aug. 15

Reader report: Odessa Cafe and Bar will remain open through Sept. 6

Claim: The Odessa Cafe and Bar reopens later this week

Another look at the new dorm for Cooper Square

[Photo by Robert Miner]

As we reported on Friday, a rendering went up for the new dorm coming to Cooper Square and East Sixth Street… We stopped by during the weekend for another glance … as you can see, work has started on the corner space…



As Curbed reported, Marymount Manhattan College will be leasing the space.

Here's a closer look at the rendering… particularly the always entertaining scalies ("the proud inhabitants of the architectural rendering world") ...





And Nanny McPhee makes an appearance...



Workers also painted over the plywood… getting rid of all the ads that we were so enjoying...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Something 28,998 square feet or so coming to Cooper Square (and goodbye Cooper 35 Asian Pub?)

Here's what's coming to 35 Cooper Square: 9-story dormitory

Proposed dorm for former 35 Cooper Square looks to be 4 floors taller

City OKs 13-floor dorm for Cooper Square

Updated: Here's what the newest East Village dorm will look like

Lena Dunham and the cast of 'Girls' get the mural treatment on East 12th Street

There's a mural in progress on East 12th Street and Avenue A... outside Table 12... promoting the third season of "Girls" on HBO...



Larger than life, for the time being...



And this is what the artists were working from...

From FroYo to piercings on St. Mark's Place

[High FroYo Season]

Over on St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue, the Yogurt Station covered up their windows with trash bags for months at a time … giving us the impression that they had closed for business. But they always came back for the FroYo Season.

We thought the same thing when they closed earlier in the fall. Then the sign came down… and we waited and waited to see what would take the Station's place...



… the sign for the new business arrived last Friday. (Or maybe Thursday.)

The Dunkin’ Donuts/Baskin Robbins combo is back, better than ever, or exactly the same

After a fews weeks of renovations, the Dunkin’ Donuts/Baskin Robbins in the Shoppes at Red Square on East Houston between Avenue A and Avenue B is back in action...

Saturday!



Sunday!

Parting thoughts from the weekend...

East 11th Street yesterday… photo by Goggla…

Hawk fight, then dinner

[Photo by Bobby Williams]

Tompkins Square Park today…


[Photo by Goggla]

Week in Grieview

A walk through the East Village in June 1986 (Friday)

City shutters Jerry's Newsstand on Astor Place (Monday … Monday… Thursday)

Il Bagatto has closed (Monday)

Happy first anniversary MoRUS! (Thursday)

Break a tree, steal a bike (Monday)

Out and About with Santo Mollica (Wednesday)

Let's go "Online Mating" with HiLa tHe KiLLa (Wednesday)

The former 7-Eleven is for rent on St. Mark's Place (Friday)

Hells Angels fighting for clubhouse rights (Wednesday)

THE NEW PHONE BOOKS HAVE ARRIVED!!! (Wednesday)

How rats get fat (Tuesday)

Johnny Thunders estate battle (Monday)

Aerial views of the 100 Avenue A takedown (Thursday)

Tompkins Square tree lighting (Sunday)

Vandalizing 51 Astor Place (Tuesday)

Track your neighborhood crime (Wednesday)

Someone broke the window at McDonald's on First Avenue (Friday)

New home for East Village Shoe Repair? (Monday)

The Pub Crawl Santa Suit (Wednesday)

SantaCon 2013 Fight Night

Some Santa-brawling action on Third Avenue and East 16th Street.

Here's another angle via Gothamist…

A break in the Santa action yesterday, starring a Yeti

East 10th Street and First Avenue… photo via EVG reader Marina.

It was a dark and snowy night...

The excellent photos by Grant Shaffer

East Village residents share their positive experiences with SantaCon 2013

Heh. Ok. This ol' gag. Like, you know, there weren't any positive experiences...

But if you do have something positive to say about SantaCon 2013, then please do so in the comments. (And "it wasn't that bad" and "it could have been worse" don't count...)

The quiet beauty of today — without the assholes

Photos by Bobby Williams

Noted

Go home Santa, you're drunk. #santacon #aftermath #nyc #eastvillage #thumbsup #snow pic.twitter.com/rZsVfdaA5v

— Erik Valind (@ErikVPhoto) December 15, 2013

Earlier today on St. Mark's Place

"I walked two feet out of my apt on St. Marks and already a guy with a group of Santa pals says what cute tails to the dogs then looks at me and says "I gotta get a tail by the end of the night." Then without any response from me he says "huh huh. She knows what I'm talking about" ... One guy yells out "not very good Santa costumes" to my dogs. Already!" — Chloe Sweeney McGlade via Facebook

Noted

Oh no, the drunk Santas have bikes now. I love you Citibike but what have you done... pic.twitter.com/r2stbv4DTG”

— Charles Thorp (@charlesthorp) December 14, 2013

Squashing those rumors that the 13th Step isn't participating in SantaCon

Unless they are in line early for Alder?



Photos via EVG reader Steven Sonnenblick