Astor Piano

EVG reader Daniel Root shares these photos from Astor Place... where one of the 50 Sing of Hope pianos is in place through June 21...

Franck de las Mercedes designed the piano's art.

His statement:

This piano is a celebration of the people and the arts of New York City. Growing up here, I was exposed to the visual clash of graffiti, decaying walls, torn-up ads, and the effect that time and the elements had on surfaces. Bright colors are an essential element in the piano in order to depict the diversity and fast pace of the city. I incorporated collage work using my photographs sketches, journal pages and scribbles on pieces of scrap paper. The piano also includes a "piano chords" chart to invite non-musicians to play also. Hoping this interactive and participatory experience with the work can perhaps become gateway into music, the arts and learning an instrument.

As we understand, this song is the most popular here outside the IBM Watson Building/51 Astor Place.

Santa continues to make the rounds in Tompkins Square Park

Last Thursday!



Today!


[Photo by Derek Berg]

Where will he end up next?

Action in the pits and new renderings along East 14th Street

[Drill team at 524 E. 14th St.]

There is lots of drilling and digging going on at the dual construction sites of 524 E. 14th St. and 500 E. 14th St., where the incoming residential-retail developments will feature 150 apartments and more than 56,000-square-feet of retail between Avenue A and Avenue B.


[Inside No. 524]


[A view of No. 500]


[View of No. 500 via an EVG reader]

There are also new renderings up on the plywood now… showing No. 524 …





… and No. 500 …





The renderings are pretty close to the images that have been associated with Extell's development since October 2013 …


[Rendering of 500 E. 14th St. via RKF]


[Rendering of 524 E. 14th St. via RKF]

According to signage at the scene, Janauary 2017 is the anticipated completion date.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The disappearing storefronts of East 14th Street

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

New 7-floor buildings for East 14th Street include 150 residential units

1st activity at 500 E. 14th St. since the demolition phase, and when the standing water froze

Former Mary Help of Christians lot now ready for 82 market-rate condos

500 and 524 E. 14th St. look to have some construction company soon enough.

Over at the former Mary Help of Christians property, the lot is waiting for a new retail-residental building with frontage on Avenue A, East 11th Street and East 12th Street.

As we first reported, the permits that developer Douglas Steiner's reps filed with the city in October 2013 called for a 7-story, 158-unit 164,720-square-foot structure. The U-shaped building would offer rentals (and a rooftop swimming pool).

However, Steiner's reps told Community Board 3 in February that the residential complex, which would feature 22 affordable units designated as Inclusionary Housing, will now go as market-rate condos. (Several community leaders confirmed that the residences will hit the market as condos.)

The city approved (or at least partially approved) most of the required permits for the project last month. The square footage is now 107,000 for the residential portion, 8,376 for the retail and 961 for the community facility, per city documents. The 6-floor building will house 82 dwelling units and a pool on a lower level.

Meanwhile, last week, local residents spotted Steiner and a group of people walking the site…


[Photo by Meri Micara]

Previously on EV Grieve:
New residential complex at former Mary Help of Christians lot may include rooftop swimming pool

Meet your new neighbor on Avenue A

Permits filed to demolish Mary Help of Christians church, school and rectory

Preservationists call for archeological review of former cemetery at Mary Help of Christians site

The 'senseless shocking self-destruction' of Mary Help of Christians

Residences rising from the former Mary Help of Christians lot will now be market-rate condos

Excel Art and Framing Store relocating nearby on 3rd Avenue

Back in January, we heard that the 21-year-old Excel Art and Framing Store had lost its lease at 38 Third Ave. between East Ninth Street and East 10th Street.

According to various tipsters, the Duane Reade on the corner of 10th Street (above) is planning on expanding into the adjacent storefronts, taking up the space the belongs to Excel and East Village Cheese in the process.

Yesterday we reported that East Village Cheese made the relocation announcement to East Seventh Street official. Now fans of Excel will be pleased to know that the frame shop has a new home … a short distance away on Third Avenue between East 11th Street and East 12th Street…





The new storefront should be open in mid-July, per the sign. Visit their website for updates.

The previous tenant here in the storefronts of NYU's Third North dorm was Everything Bagels, which closed at the beginning of the year.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Rumors: Duane Reade expansion will take over adjacent storefronts, including East Village Cheese (74 comments)

East Village Cheese makes move to 7th Street official

Former Luca Bar space for rent on St. Mark's Place

The for rent sign has arrived at 119 St. Mark's Place, former home of the Luca Bar here between Avenue A and First Avenue.



The listing via Jonis Realty doesn't appear to be online just yet.

The landlord took possession of the space back in late April. Regardless, Luca Bar always seemed able to bounce back from tax/landlord-related issues, such as in November 2013 and June 2011.

Luca Bar isn't the only available space on this side of the block. The former homes of the Belgian Room, Hop Devil Grill and Ton-Up Cafe are all currently business-free.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Marshal seizes Luca Bar (again) on St. Mark's Place

Tink's has closed on East 7th Street

On Saturday, an EVG reader told us that Tink's had abruptly closed on East Seventh Street between Avenue A and First Avenue.

A sign outside the cafe noted: "No more. It's been real."



We don't know what the reason was for the closure. There isn't any mention of the closing on the cafe's social media properties. The family-run business opened at 102 E. Seventh St. in October 2012.

Temporary art and future condos on East 13th Street

On Thursday night, developers for the directionally named Thirteen East + West at 436 and 442 E. 13th St. between Avenue A and First Avenue unveiled the luxury condos with a street-art competition featuring ArtBattles, a nonprofit dedicated to "creating live art events and competitions to expose emerging artists to the public."


[No. 436 mural by El Niño de Las Pinturas]


[No. 442 mural by "King of New York" Cernesto ]

According to New York Business Journal, the two artists in the competition — "King of New York" Cernesto and El Niño de Las Pinturas — incorporated a "'transient theme' into their works, reflecting how their murals will only be temporary before demolished and made into luxury towers."


[Image via Instagram]

Broker Ryan Serhant, one of the real-estate agents featured on Bravo's "Million Dollar Listing New York," told New York Business Journal:

"We really wanted to highlight what the East Village is all about, which is stories and characters and art — and street art specifically. These two projects specifically are being done with the blood sweat and tears of the East Village, one thousand percent."

According to Serhant, each building has 6 floor-through homes, all with private outdoor space. The penthouses have their own private garages and roof decks. Pricing will start at $2.3 million; $3.4 million for the penthouses.

Meanwhile, back to the New York Business Journal:

David Amirian, principle of The Amirian Group, said the towers will fit into the neighborhood nicely.

"We think this will be a great addition to the neighborhood, you know we aren't building a 20-story glass structure where its going to be infill. We hope its going to be a very big part of the neighborhood in the future," Amirian said.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Tracking the coming changes to East 13th Street between Avenue A and 1st Avenue

Claim: Landlord of 444 E. 13th St. threatened 'to drop dynamite on the building'

A look at the new luxury condos coming soon to East 13th Street

The V-Spot opens an empanada outpost on St. Mark's Place ahead of planned vegan restaurant

The family-run Park Slope vegan restaurant The V-Spot has plans to open an outpost at 16 St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

Until that happens, The V-Spotters started selling empanadas to-go from the storefront this past Friday…


[Images via Facebook]

As for a full-blown vegan restaurant on St. Mark's Place, the family has turned to Kickstarter to help get the business here started. If interested, then you can read about the campaign here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Organic omnivore, vegetarian or vegan restaurant wanted at 12 St. Mark's Place

The V-Spot coming soon to St. Mark's Place

Week in Grieview

[7th and A the other day via Derek Berg]

East Village Radio is officially back (Thursday)

Rumors: Red Square has been sold (Monday)

A look at the new luxury condos coming soon to East 13th Street (Wednesday)

With space too expensive in the East Village, Pommes Frites will reopen on MacDougal Street (Wednesday)

Brewer and Mendez celebrate Mayor's signature of new tenant notification law (Friday)

Workers remove damaged linden tree from Tompkins Square Park (Wednesday)

Mixologoist Albert Trummer looking to bring a cocktail bar to Avenue C (Tuesday)

Urban Etiquette Cat Sign! (Thursday, 27 comments)

Your new Cooper Square dorm (Friday)

Taxi Relief Stand arrives on Avenue A (Thursday)

A new beginning for Diane McLean and her 3 children (Wednesday)

Presenting the Shops on East Fifth Street (Tuesday)

VolaVida Gallery opens on East Fourth Street (Thursday)

Out and About in the East Village 2015 recap (Wednesday)

Bar Akuda is now The Grayson after 2 weeks (Friday)

On Sixth Street, Hudson East fetches $60 million (Wednesday)

Avenue A storefront shuffle (Monday)

The disappearing penthouse of 515 E. Fifth St. (Friday)

New Steve Croman warning flyer makes the scene (Monday)

Moishe's has a new (temporary-looking) sign (Thursday)

The discarded Bill Murray throw pillow (Monday)

Commercial space available for rent at 117 Second Ave. (Thursday)

The B Bar's Urban Etiquette Sign about their neighbor's trash (Monday)

… and Tarzan Mike (aka He-Man) feeds a squirrel in Tompkins Square Park…


[Photo yesterday via Steven]

Report: Dog walker traded Sugar for PCP

PLS RT: Sugar last seen on 2.23 at 9am at 210 East 26th St. She may be wearing a navy sweater. #FindSugarNYC pic.twitter.com/1nm3kxIgvw

— FindSugarNYC (@FindSugarNYC) February 25, 2015

East Village resident Morgan Bogle has filed a new lawsuit claiming that her dog walker traded Sugar, her Amstaff/pit bull mix, in exchange for drugs, the Post reports today.

Here's what she alleges against dog walker Tommy Doerr in court papers, as reported by the Post:

Doerr, 46, was “detained by the police who had allegedly searched him and found him in possession of a controlled substance, believed to be PCP,” Bogle claims in court papers.

She “has also been told . . . that [Doerr] ‘traded’ Sugar to some drug dealers in return for PCP or sold Sugar in order to obtain money to buy drugs,” court papers state. “Morgan believes that her best friend and beloved pet was sold by Doerr to be used in connection with dog-fighting or traded for controlled substances.”

Doerr's lawyer responded:

“I can tell you there was a drug intake [at the hospital] and it was completely negative, which proves that any allegation that he was on any kind of drugs is completely false,” attorney Mel Ginsburg told The Post.

“There’s a lot of completely false allegations being made about this case,” Ginsburg said. “Nobody’s going to fake going into the hospital. There’s no intent here.”

Also:

The dog walker has countersued Bogle, accusing her of defamation because of the “false” drug allegations. Doerr also claims a pet detective hired by Bogle treated him “in a most abusive and intimidating manner” and told Doerr he should kill himself, according to court papers.

The 4-year-old Sugar went missing on Feb. 23 under mysterious circumstances.

Doerr, who had been with Sugar for three years, previously said that he didn't remember what happened to the dog.

Previously on EV Grieve:
More about Sugar, the missing pit bull mix with a $5k reward (78 comments)

Reward for Sugar is now $10,000, thanks to NBA all-star David Lee (45 comments)

An East Village Sugar sighting (53 comments)

East Village Cheese makes move to 7th Street official

As we reported on May 27, East Village Cheese was going to relocate this summer to East Seventh Street.

There's now a sign up at the shop at 40 Third Ave. between East Ninth Street and East 10th Street with a few more details on the relocation…



Their current lease expires at the end of July. In January, we heard that the Duane Reade on Third Avenue at East 10th Street was going to expand into adjacent storefronts on that block, forcing out several businesses, including East Village Cheese and Excel Custom Framing. (Excel has found a new home on Third Avenue, which we will write about in a separate post.)

The Cheese shop owners had considered a move to Avenue A and East 13th Street, though that plan never materialized.

The new East Village Cheese will be at 80 East Seventh St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue, which was the former home of Warwick and Framus Custom Shop.

H/T East Village Eats

Previously on EV Grieve:
Rumors: Duane Reade expansion will take over adjacent storefronts, including East Village Cheese (74 comments)

[Updated] Confirmed: East Village Cheese will be moving to Avenue A later this year

The downtown skyline this morning

Photo by Bobby Williams

Puke Island Part 5 is this afternoon in Tompkins Square Park

Bands today will include:

2 p.m. — Universal Truth Machine
2:45 — The Graveyard School
3:30 — Skitzopolis
4:15 — Get Ignorant
5 — Lucifer Jones

Find more details here.

Manhattanhenge this

@evgrieve St.Mark's pic.twitter.com/B0mnAKLye9

— Christian Burns (@Knickerbock4Lif) June 7, 2015

Bringing home the bacon

Spotted outside Porchetta this morning on East Seventh Street … via EVG correspondent Steven…

'The Oracle of the Past, Present and Future' now on display in Tompkins Square Park

Artist Jorge Luis Rodriguez installed his new sculpture yesterday in Tompkins Square Park …



Here's more about it via Facebook:

"The Oracle of the Past, Present and Future" (2015) consists of geometric interlocking parts of steel, wood and glass elements that stands about 12 feet high with a magnificent steel dome and designed for Tompkins Square Park …"

The sculpture is to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Growth, his large-scale, permanent work at the East Harlem Art Park at East 120th Street and Sylvan Place.

EVG correspondent Steven took these photos of Rodriguez, who teaches at at the School of Visual Arts, Manhattan Community College, and Kingsborough Community College.



The installation will officially be dedicated today at noon … you and the night heron have until May 2016 to enjoy this in the Park.

Some earlier reports did contain a little misinformation…

@evgrieve did you see the shrine the rats built? pic.twitter.com/3WKv662lD3

— EdenBrower (@edenbrower) June 5, 2015

Zoltar, now with the personal branding back in place

[September 2012]

Zoltar graced us with his presence outside Gem Spa starting on Sept. 23, 2012 (as seen in the above photo).

And Zoltar hadn't really looked the same since his glass was bashed by a skateboard in April 2013 here on Second Avenue at St. Mark's Place… the replacement glass didn't carry the ZOLTAR name…



Now, though! Yesterday, the ZOLTAR SPEAKS lettering returned!



See?!



Though given how vocal Zoltar can be, is the SPEAKS part necessary?

The beautiful south

The debut record by Atlanta-based Algiers came out on Tuesday… Here's a quickie band bio via label Matador:

A trio of émigrés of the American Deep South, now split between New York and London, Algiers synthesizes its eclectic influences, from Nina Simone and PJ Harvey to Suicide and Public Enemy, into frightening new forms.

The video here is for "Black Eunuch."

Afternoon break

Outside St. Stanislaus on East Seventh Street today via Derek Berg…