On New Year's Day 2014

A few photos from around the neighborhood this first day of 2014… from Derek Berg…







… and from Bobby Williams in Tompkins Square Park…










… and via EVG reader Luke A on East 10th Street…

Report: Tellers snub would-be bank robber on the Bowery

According to the Daily Blotter in the Post today, a man tried to rob the Chase on the Bowery at East First Street… but walked out empty-handed after tellers ignored his threat.

To the report!

The man slipped a note penned on a Whole Foods receipt to a teller ... at 12:18 p.m. Monday.

The note read, “Give me all the money nobody getting hurt!” the sources said.

The robber then whispered in a West Indian accent, “Just read it,” according to the sources.

The teller ignored him and walked away.

Infuriated, the crook screamed at a second teller, “Give me the money!” the sources said.

That teller, too, walked away without giving the would-be robber anything.

What can we learn from this?

Somewhere on Avenue B, a New Year's Resolution has started

Avenue A, 8:12 a.m., Jan. 1

Avenue A regulars

Kim working the day shift at Ray's...

Photo by Bill Moss from November

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Anton's birds

Photo by Grant Shaffer

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Niagara and Joe Strummer

Photo by Fenton Lawless

In case you are making New Year's resolutions...

Here's one for you...

Katz's New Year's resolution: stay around for another 125 years. What's yours? #katzs125

— Katz's Delicatessen (@KatzsDeli) December 30, 2013

Last sunrise of 2013

Oh, not being nostalgic! Just two photos from this morning of the Con Ed Plant in action… from Tompkins Square Park… and St. Mark's Place…

Noted

As Bill from LaPlaza notes... If you're really serious about celebrating New Year's Eve, then sometimes it just makes sense to take off your bottom garments before noon in Tompkins Square Park...

Updated: A few bars where you can drink all night on New Year's Eve in the East Village

Several people have asked us if we knew what East Village bars had one of those special all-night permits to serve alcohol past the usual closing time... 142 establishments reportedly have these permits in Manhattan this New Year's Eve.

Unfortunately, the link to this list has been conveniently dead at the State Liquor Authority. Thanks to a reader for an updated link! Find the PDF of the bars here.

Among the East Village places that will be open all night ...

• Vazac's/7B, Avenue B and East Seventh Street

• The International, 120 1/2 First Avenue (given the bar's usual 8 a.m. opening time... it will be a good 44 hours here!)

• The Coal Yard, 102 First Avenue

• Double Down Saloon, 14 Avenue A

• Sutra, 16 First Avenue

• Lit Lounge, 93 Second Avenue

• Mercury Lounge, 217 E. Houston St.

• Nublu, 62 Avenue C

• Ducks Eatery, 351 E. 12th Street

• Royale, 157 Avenue C

• Esperanto, 145 Avenue C

• The Parkside Lounge, 317 E. Houston St.

• KGB Bar/Red Room, 85 E. Fourth St.

• Karma, 51 First Avenue

Any interested bar can apply for one of these licenses back in the fall. According to the SLA website:

"In deciding whether to issue the permit, the Authority will consider the timely filing of the application, licensee’s disciplinary history (including pending charges) and whether, given the nature of the event, the licensee has adequate facilities and security plans in place."

Ben Shaoul's proposed new Avenue A building will be 8 stories with a roof deck

The former 98-100 Avenue A, most recently East Village Farms, is a mere shell of its former self as developer Ben Shaoul continues plans to build a retail-residential space here between East Seventh Street and East Sixth Street.

And we have a few more specifics now about what's next here.

Permits filed with the DOB last Thursday show plans for a proposed building that is 37,042 square feet — 29,881 for residential and 7,161 for a ground-floor retail space ... good for 8 stories and 43 residential units, plus bicycle storage in the basement and an "outdoor tenant recreation space" on the roof. Ramy Issac is listed as the architect of record.

The rendering on the plywood shows a 7-story structure.




There's also a retail listing (PDF) for the space, which doesn't exactly account for what the new building will look like…



Previously on EV Grieve:
A little bit of Hollywood on Avenue A

East Village Farms is closing; renovations coming to 100 Avenue A

Inside the abandoned theater at East Village Farms on Avenue A

Reader reports: Village Farms closing Jan. 31; building will be demolished

Asbestos abatement continues at 98 Avenue A, Ben Shaoul's latest East Village trophy

The end is nearer for this block of East 14th Street

Prep work for the high-end housing afterlife continues for a good portion of East 14th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B … crews have been removing asbestos at former businesses such as the Blarney Cove...



… ahead of the demolition to make way for the new retail-residential complex that will call 500 E. 14th St. home… Until then… here's what's left...









To date, the developers haven't submitted any demolition permits or new building plans with the city.

And here's a look at a conceptual rendering from an RKF retail listing about 500 E. 14th St. ...



Previously on EV Grieve:
East 14th Street exodus continues

The disappearing storefronts of East 14th Street

[Updated with correction] 8-lot parcel of East 14th Street primed for new development

East 14th Street corridor now nearly business-free ahead of new development

Here is the future of East 14th Street and Avenue A: 7 stories of residential and retail

Tompkins Square Park silhouette now withs its own toucan

"Serendipity," the life-sized sculpture of Christopher Gamble's silhouette in Tompkins Square Park, now has its first lawn ornament — a toucan.

Someone seems to enjoy adding an item of clothing or jewelry to the silhouette … which is in honor of Gamble, who was homeless for nearly 28 years. Fanny Allié's creation will remain in the Park until April 25 … perhaps for the start of swimsuit season.



Photos by Bobby Williams

Previously on EV Grieve:
The street-smart style of Serendipity in Tompkins Square Park

Despite closure, Pulino's still lighting up the Bowery night sky; plus, auction Thursday!

Pulino's Bar and Pizzeria wrapped up its three-year run on the Bowery at East Houston after Sunday night. Keith McNally's pizzeria will become a French restaurant called Cherche Midi in the spring.

Last night, Big Red was still lighting up the early-evening commute...



Meanwhile, as Grub Street noted yesterday, McNally and Co. are auctioning off its leftover Pulino's parts on Thursday.

Here's some of what you will find at the auction…




We did not, however, spot this part of their former sidewalk cafe for sale… the Pulino's-sanctioned police barricade sidewalk cafe barriers!

Lone tiny tree marks beginning of MulchFest season

The annual MulchFest happens Jan. 11-12 in Tompkins Square Park.

And we have our first customer!

Belated holiday greetings from our favorite old Cadillac with a stuffed tiger inside on E. 2nd St.

Photos via EVG contributor Derek Berg

Previously on EV Grieve:
That Cadillac that we've long admired on East 2nd St. now has a stuffed tiger on the front seat

Today in posts about Duane Reade getting a new Duane Reade sign

Exciting times this afternoon over on Avenue B and East Second Street, EVG regular Salim reports ... the recently expanded Duane Reade is getting its new 2014-style wraparound signage ... replacing that 1999-style Duane Reade signage that was synonymous with long lines, indifferent customer service and lost prescriptions the smaller Duane Reade that had been there.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Reader report: Duane Reade expanding on Avenue B

The Duane Reade expansion is underway on Avenue B

Soft landing on East 9th Street?

Spotted this morning by EVG regular William Klayer... after careful analysis, we concluded that someone threw away the object; that it did not fall from the heavens or, say, the third floor.

Teary letters to landlord show that local children are devastated over closure of Silver Spurs

Silver Spurs closed earlier in the month on Broadway and Ninth Street; its contents already auctioned off.

Word was that the reliable 34-year-old diner lost its lease… with the landlord asking for a big rent hike.

The news apparently hasn't sat well with some local kids (or one kid) … whose sad letters now adorn the empty diner's front door…

Behold!



Here's part of one letter:

"Dear owner of building. You should be ashamed that you put the rent up! Silver Spurs was one of the most special places in the world. A lot of people had heart touching moments there. And no matter what you do we will will always remember the days we were there. So please reopen the restaurant."













Sad… but at least the children can still go to the Silver Spurs location on LaGuardia Place. Or maybe it's time to branch out to the Odessa.

Thanks to EVG friend Sue Palchak-Essenpreis for the tip.

CB3 requests that the incoming de Blasio administration return P.S. 64 to the community

There hasn't been much activity (aside from a pop-up art show) to note at the former PS 64 and CHARAS/El Bohio community center on East Ninth Street.

For a really long time, developer Gregg Singer has been trying to turn the property into a dorm. Per previous reports, both The Joffrey Ballet School and Cooper Union have signed on to house its students here.

Meanwhile, some news to catch up on … back on Dec. 17, Community Board 3 passed a resolution requesting that the incoming de Blasio administration return the building to the community. (This was first reported by Off the Grid, the blog of the Greenwich Village Society for Historical Preservation.)

The resolution reads, in part:

Whereas, in 2004, the owner filed plans to demolish the building to construct a 20-story dormitory, “University House,” though the owner had no accredited educational institution participation; and

Whereas, after a concerted community effort, the NYC Department of Buildings denied the demolition permit, based on Rule 51-01 that governs the Classification of Student Dormitories, requiring submission of a full lease by an accredited educational institution for a minimum of 10 years, and a restrictive declaration that the building would only be used as a dormitory; and

Whereas, in an unprecedented community campaign, in 2006, the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the Former P.S. 64 school building as a landmark, recognizing both its physical, cultural and historical distinction; and

Whereas, after the landmark designation, the owner removed the building’s cornices and dormers, as well as removed the architectural detail at the roof line, leaving the building open to the elements; and

Whereas, the owner has allowed the building to fall into extreme disrepair; and

Whereas, the DOB has issued over 42 violations since 2008, including the failure to maintain the premises; and

Whereas, the owner currently owes the City of New York approximately $30,000 in unpaid penalties for ECB violations; and

Whereas, in 2012, again the owner filed to convert the building to a dormitory; and

Whereas, the owner’s current application for dormitory use does not meet the NYC Department of Buildings’ criteria for a dormitory under Rule 51-01, as there is no lease for the entirety of the facility with one or more accredited educational institution for a minimum of 10 years, nor is there a restrictive declaration that the building will be used exclusively as a dormitory; and

Whereas, it has been 14 years since the auction sale and the owner has been unable to comply with the conditions of sale to develop a community facility; and

Whereas, since the sale and privatization of 605 East 9th Street, the community has faced displacement of vital community services, community organizations and community space; and

Whereas, the building has not been properly maintained by the current owner and has become a threat to public safety due to, among other things, a lack of proper snow and ice removal and a failure to consistently maintain construction scaffolding; so

Therefore, be it known that Community Board 3 requests that the new mayoral administration return the former P.S. 64 school building to the community by legally retrieving and then selling or giving it to a well-established not-for-profit organization(s) with a long history of serving the people of the Lower East Side/East Village including, but not limited to restoring the not-for-profit organization known as CHARAS / El Bohio to the building located at 605 East 9th Street.

Off the Grid also pointed out that there is now (as of the fall) an active website for Singer's dorm — University House, which will be ready for the 2015-16 school year. Meanwhile, the city disapproved the plan for the dorm conversion last April 1. (According to DOB documents, the cost of the project is $16 million.)

Perhaps 2014 will finally be the year that something happens with the circa-1906 building.

Read Karen Loew's post at Off the Grid here for reaction from local activists.



Previously on EV Grieve:
Rebranded P.S. 64 up for grabs: Please welcome University House at Tompkins Square Park to the neighborhood

Deed for 'community facility use only' at the former P.S. 64 now on the market

Efforts continue to fight the dorm planned for the former PS 64 on East 9th Street

Testimony Of Councilmember Rosie Mendez regarding the former PS 64

[Updated] At the 'Save Our Community Center MARCH AND RALLY'

Landmarks Preservation Commission asks to see modified plans for former PS 64

The Landmarks Preservation Commission approves application for modifications at PS 64