A letter to Peter M. Brant about the jackhammering

[Photo on Aug. 11 by Daniel Root]

Construction continues at 421 E. Sixth St. between Avenue A and First Avenue, where Peter M. Brant is having Walter De Maria's former home-studio converted into a gallery space for his personal art collection.

There's construction on two fronts: From the rear of the building on Seventh Street (top photo) and Sixth Street...


[Photo from Aug. 4 by Meredith Rendall]

Given the scope of the work, there isn't any shortage of construction-related noise... which explains this suggested letter-writing campaign... as seen in this flyer on First Avenue and Sixth Street...


[Photo by Samir Randeria]

The letter to residents begins:

If you have been disturbed by the jackhammering that we have been subjected to all summer — you can contact the owner of the property at the following email address...

Then the flyer leaver posted the email that he/she sent:

Hello Mr. Brant,

It is exciting to think there will be a museum on our block. We hope that the community will have access to the museum on a regular basis in recognition of your knowledge that you are part of a community. It has been a very difficult summer, waking up each weekday morning to the sound of jackhammering. I'm sure this is not what you would enjoy. In the past, any notices that might have concerned residents where [sic] so small and inconsequential that it was not possible for anyone to be aware of them. I hope in the future you will make sure that there is real spirit of inclusion.

Thank you.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Confirmed: Peter M. Brant buys Walter De Maria's amazing East 6th Street home and studio

1st permits filed for renovation of Walter De Maria's former home-studio on East 6th Street

Here's what Peter Brant wants to do with his new exhibition space on East 6th Street

When the world's top collectors of Dom Pérignon rosé came to the East Village for dinner

Reader report: 421 E. 6th St. will house Peter M. Brant's personal art collection

Peter Brant's East 6th Street Outreach Tour 2015 continues

Peter Brant meets the neighbors

More rolled ice cream for St. Mark's Place

Renovations continue at a new retail space at 42 1/2 St. Mark's Place just east of Second Avenue... and the signage is up now for the new tenant — the buzzy 10Below Ice Cream ...



The quickly expanding 10Below Ice Cream has locations in Chinatown, the LES (Allen Street as of last month) and Flushing. They are branching out to Los Angeles too.

Here's more from the 10Below website:

10Below Ice Cream is New York’s first establishment serving Thai-inspired ice cream rolls. This concept was created on the streets of Thailand, serving fresh, made-to-order ice cream. Inspired by this ice cream art and by the way bartenders artfully craft cocktails made to order, 10Below blends the two approaches to create an experience for ice cream aficionados with an eclectic palette. We roll each individual ice cream order with the freshest ingredients right in front of your eyes, meaning no preservatives or stabilizers are added. It’s ice cream in its rawest form — fresh off the plate.

Here's a not-annoying-at-all feature on 10Below from the Post last August:

Ever since it opened in July, tucked between Chinese restaurants and spas at 10 Mott St., foodies from far and wide have been waiting up to three hours to get a taste of 10Below, which serves an American twist on Thai ice cream rolls.

Unlike placing a Cronut in a box, the trendy dessert takes about four minutes to create. But that’s part of the show: The ice cream makers call you over to their cold plate before they begin so you can get a front-row view — and an ideal spot to snag a pic with a smartphone.

Another rolled ice cream shop, Lab -321, opened at 27 St. Mark's Place in June.

Another healthy choice at the Death Star: Orangetheory Fitness coming soon

Signage went up Friday for Orangetheory Fitness, opening soon at 51 Astor Place/the IBM Watson Building/Death Star.

There's a [temporary] sales office at 61 Fourth Ave., if you're interested in membership info.

Here's more about Orangetheory, which has locations nationwide... including three in Brooklyn and one in Chelsea:

Orangetheory Fitness uses the science of Heart-Rate Based Treadmill Interval Training, the efficiency of Indoor Rowing for increased power and the proven concept of Weight Training Blocks to create the fitness level and body you have always desired. Workout and Weight Loss plateaus are a thing of the past…really!

Orangetheory is located next door to Flywheel Sports, the cycling studio.

Sweetgreen opens today on Astor Place

[Photo from yesterday]

As we first noted back on June 30, a sweetgreen is coming to Astor Place... and today is the opening day, per a sweetgreen rep.

Here's more about the quick-serve restaurant that offers various custom salads and grain bowls, etc., from their website:

Founded in 2007, sweetgreen is a destination for delicious food that’’s both healthy for you and aligned with your values. We source local and organic ingredients from farmers we know and partners we trust, supporting our communities and creating meaningful relationships with those around us. We exist to create experiences where passion and purpose come together.

This marks the brand’s 11th location in the city, per the sweetgreen rep.

Sahara Citi has apparently closed on 13th Street

Brown paper on the windows and a disconnected phone number greet potential Sahara Citi patrons on East 13th Street between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue.

A look inside reveals that workers have cleaned out the hookah/hummus restaurant, which opened in the spring of 2012.

Perhaps they are just renovating the space before the start of the school year, as it is conveniently located next to NYU's Palladium Hall.

Week in Grieview

[Yesterday morning in Tompkins Square Park]

Village Style Vintage Shop moving away from the neighborhood (Monday)

Report: Police take action against heroin users in Tompkins Square Park (Wednesday)

RIP Ernest Russell (Sunday)

Feltman’s of Coney Island bringing its hot dogs to the William Barnacle Tavern on St. Mark's Place (Tuesday)

Permits filed to demolish Mount Sinai's 13th Street residential building (Friday)

Package theft from an East 11th Street lobby (Thursday)

Out and About with John Von Hartz (Wednesday)

Former Moonstruck Eatery for rent on Avenue A (Monday)

Activity at the long-vacant corner of 14th Street and Avenue C (Thursday)

Workers clear the weeds from 123 2nd Ave., which is currently off the market (Friday)

Happy 40th anniversary Fineline Tattoo (Friday)

Report: Incoming condos for 13th Street and University Place will start at $6 million (Wednesday)

Plywood arrives for 131 Avenue A; new Cajun restaurant on the way? (Thursday)

Chi Snack Shop opening in the former Mamoun's space on St. Mark's Place (Thursday)

91 E. Seventh St. is for sale (Wednesday)

Not so sweet plumbing issue KOs Sugar Cafe on East Houston (Tuesday)

DumplingGuo is now open on Second Avenue (Monday)

Former Teavana still waiting to be converted into a Starbucks on Broadway (Tuesday)

FULL full reveals at 100 Avenue A and 26 Avenue B (Monday)

Out East quietly announces itself on Sixth Street (Tuesday)

...and happy birthday Joe Strummer... he would have been 64 today...


[Photo outside Niagara on 7th and A from December]

Cooper Square now with new crosswalks

Another sign of progress in the ongoing Astor Place/Cooper Square Reconstruction project... workers have painted the crosswalks on the newly paved surrounding streets...



Not sure what's next on the to-do list... the weekly construction bulletin is still dated from Aug. 12.

Thanks to Vinny & O for these photos!

How was your Margarita March?

The 2016 NYC Margarita March is this weekend... and today is Day 2. There are eight bars participating today, and five of them are in the East Village: Mama's Bar, Avenida Cantina, Finnerty's, Juke Bar and Double Wide.

One 12th Street resident described the Margarita March scene ("it's like SantaCon but with margaritas") outside Doublewide yesterday.

This afternoon has been pretty hellish. There were lots of people outside talking and yelling and drinking. They were coming out of the bar with clear plastic cups and drinking on the sidewalk and being totally obnoxious ... I heard the chant "chug, chug, chug" coming from Doublewide Bar. No kidding!

The resident did file a complaint with 311.

Doublewide isn't the only bar taking part in this mayhem. I don't get why they do this if they aren't going to control their patrons.

The Houston/Bowery Mural Wall coming to Life

Work continues at the Houston/Bowery Mural Wall, where Logan Hicks and crew continue on the stenciled painting titled "Story of My Life" ...







Work started up here again on Wednesday after the first attempt in late July was aborted due to stormy weather and extreme heat.


[Photo of Hicks yesterday by Marjorie Ingall]

Meanwhile, the wall continues to provide a fine backdrop for wedding photos...(here and here)

A photo posted by Logan Hicks (@loganhicksny) on Aug 21, 2016 at 6:04am PDT

Updated 8:30 p.m.

Here's a look at the final product at the end of today...

A photo posted by TheDustyRebel (@dustyrebel) on Aug 21, 2016 at 2:44pm PDT

Tonight and tomorrow at the MoRUS Film Fest

Via the EVG inbox...

Saturday, August 20
Dias Y Flores Community Garden East 13th St. between Ave. A and B
Inhabit and Unbroken Ground
This double-feature focuses on new ways to think about our relationship with the land and the oceans.
Inhabit — Exploring the tools for and promise of meeting human needs while also caring for and regenerating ecosystem health, this 2015 documentary elevates the idea of conscience inhabitance through permaculture.
Runtime: 1 hour, 32 minutes

Unbroken Ground — In this 2016 short film, surfer/director Chris Malloy highlights some of the great chasms in modern food production while offering a potential solution: in this case following the credo of Patagonia Provisions, the sustainable food line and offshoot of the outdoor apparel company, to cause no unnecessary harm to the environment in the harvesting and preparation of food and inspire solutions to the environmental crisis.
Runtime: 26 minutes

Sunday, August 21
Hemp Night — Bringing it Home
La Plaza Community Garden Corner of 9th St. and Ave. C
An evening devoted to the past, present and future of hemp, a panel of speakers will precede a screening of Bringing it Home, a 2013 documentary that follows a father’s search to find the healthiest building materials leading to the completion of the nation’s first hemp house. Hemp with lime is a non-toxic, energy efficient, mildew, fire and pest resistant building material. The drawback — although research is legal in some states, hemp remains off-limits to almost all U.S. farmers.

There's a suggested donation of $7. You can find more details on tickets and the films here. The Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space (MoRUS) is located at 155 Avenue C between Ninth Street and 10th Street.

Reminders: Last Saturday (today!) for Summer Streets

You have until 1 p.m. to take advantage of vehicle-free corridors in the city... the above photo of Fourth Avenue near 11th Street is from 8 a.m.

There are several Summer Streets-related activities along the way. At Astor Place, there is something that may possibly be sponsored by Citi...



Among the activities, you can race against Allyson Felix (sort of)...



In addition, you can test your robbery-fabrication skills with those of Ryan Lochte ... then, in the next booth, issue an apology.

Rio Games

In honor of the current Rio Games... here's Echo & the Bunnymen from 1987 with "The Game," filmed in Rio for some reason... the band plays at Webster Hall on Sept. 12, though that show is sold out.

Rally to protest East 11th Street demolition on Monday

As we first reported on Aug. 8, the Lighthouse Group filed permits with the city to demolish five buildings — 112 to 120 E. 11th St. — that will yield to a 300-room hotel for Marriott's Moxy brand.

On Monday, the Greenwich Village Society For Historic Preservation is hosting a rally/protest in front of the buildings between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue.

Here are details via the EVG inbox...

Are you as angry as we are that the City is allowing five "landmark-eligible" 19th century buildings at 112-120 East 11th Street, which formerly contained long-term tenants and affordable housing, to be demolished to make way for a 300-room hotel geared towards globe-trotting millennials?

Are you as appalled as we are at the hypocrisy of the administration for refusing to save these buildings, which are being developed by a donor to and political appointee of the Mayor?

Are you disgusted by what this will mean for this block and this neighborhood?

Then join us on Monday, August 22 at 12:30 in front of 112-120 East 11th Street (3rd/4th Avenues) to protest the development and the City’s negligence and hypocrisy...

The Lightstone Group paid Pan Am Equities $127 million for the portfolio.

In July 2015, Mayor de Blasio appointed Lightstone Chairman and CEO David Lichtenstein to the New York City Economic Development Corporation’s Board of Directors. According to the Post, when de Blasio was public advocate, "he supported Lightstone's controversial plan for a massive, 700-apartment complex along the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn."

Previously on EV Grieve:
6-building complex on East 10th Street and East 11th Street sells for $127 million

Report: 300-room hotel planned for East 11th Street

Preservationists say city ignored pitch to designate part of 11th Street as a historic district

Permits filed to demolish 5 buildings on 11th Street to make way for new hotel (58 comments)

Noted

Ideas for your dorm room via Kmart on Astor Place.

No idea what product is in the tube...and if that is supposed to be part of the display...



And in case you were wondering, NYU's Fall Welcome Week begins on Aug. 28.

Photo by Edmund John Dunn

EV Grieve Etc.: Remembering Patrick J. Eves; previewing the Taste of East Village Fest

[A look downtown this morning via Bobby Williams]

RIP Patrick J. Eves, 41 (The Villager)

15 years to life for teen who murdered 16-year-old Raphael Ward on the Lower East Side in 2013 (The Lo-Down)

Details on next month's Taste of East Village Fest (DNAinfo)

To pair with your FringeFest: Check out the schedule for Fringe Cafe on Fourth Street (The Lo-Down)

Some great films, including Francis Ford Coppola's "The Conversation," showing this weekend as part of the Voyeurism, Surveillance, and Identity in the Cinema series (Anthology Film Archives)

An appreciation of Punk Magazine covers drawn by founding editor (and East Village resident) John Holmstrom (Dangerous Minds ... previously)

East Village-based devil-themed ska band Mephiskapheles have a new video... and they're playing the 5th annual Devil’s Night Danse at Brooklyn Bowl on Oct. 30 (Brooklyn Vegan)


[Baby hawk action via Grant Shaffer]

Hawks in the heatwave (Laura Goggin Photography)

Four classics with Cary Grant by Alfred Hitchcock through Monday (Metrograph)

Is the new Astor Place an example of "Zombie Urbanism?" (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

When a robber baron was shot dead at this Broadway hotel in 1872 (Ephemeral New York)

... and a video showing the brief life yesterday of the Donald Trump statue on Union Square...

Super short about "The Emperor Has No Balls"— one of five life-size statues of Donald Trump created by anarchist art collective @indeclineofficial. For hours, people gathered around the statue to laugh and pose for photos, while the NYC Parks Department figured out how to remove the art. One parks worker said it had to be removed because it was inappropriate. Eventually, the figure was smashed and taken away Other statues have been installed in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Cleveland and Seattle #streetart #Indecline #dumptrump #nevertrump #nycstreetart #artederua #NYC #arturbain #arteurbano #streetartnyc #donaldtrump #unionsquare #unionsquarepark #imwithher #TheEmperorHasNoBalls

A video posted by TheDustyRebel (@dustyrebel) on Aug 18, 2016 at 4:37pm PDT

Permits filed to demolish Mount Sinai's 13th Street residential building

In announcing plans to shutter the Mount Sinai Beth Israel campus on First Avenue and 16th Street in the coming years, officials said this past spring that they'd open a smaller, 70-bed facility on 14th Street and Second Avenue. (Mount Sinai plans to sell the 16th Street property, which is valued at about $600 million.)

Per a news release issued in May:

Central to the downtown transformation is the new, smaller Mount Sinai Downtown Beth Israel Hospital, which will include approximately 70 beds and a brand new state-of-the-art Emergency Department (ED), located at 14th Street near Second Avenue — just two blocks south of the current Beth Israel campus. This ED will accept ambulances and will be able to handle all emergencies, such as heart attack, and stroke, on site. It will also include a pediatric ED. Patients with the most complex conditions will be stabilized and transported to other hospitals in the Mount Sinai Health System.

Officials have yet to divulge the full plans as to where all this will be housed. Here's one clue: On Monday, the DOB ok'd demolition permits for 321 E. 13th St., a 14-floor building (top photo) between Second Avenue and First Avenue that houses training physicians and staff of the nearby New York Eye and Ear Infirmary.

DNAinfo, who first reported on the demolition yesterday, has the story of one of the building's residents, Billy Ortiz, a disabled former hospital employee who requires frequent dialysis treatments. Ortiz and several other residents, including some longtime nurses, say they are struggling to meet the deadline to vacate No. 321.

A hospital rep declined to specify what will be taking the place of the East 13th Street residence, DNAinfo noted.

It's also unclear how other buildings in the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai complex, such as 218 Second Ave. (below), might be impacted by the new facility.



Previously

Workers clear the weeds from 123 2nd Ave., which is currently off the market

[Photo from Wednesday]

The weeds have been growing in the empty lot where the three buildings — No. 119, 121 and 123 — were destroyed in the deadly gas explosion of March 26, 2015.

On Wednesday, workers arrived at the former 123 Second Ave., as these photos by EVG correspondent Steven show ...





... and cleared the lot...



In early March, George Pasternak, the landlord of 123 Second Ave., put his vacant plot of land up for sale, asking $9.7 million. According to the listing at the Compass brokerage firm, No. 123 is currently off the market...



However, the adjacent properties, 119 and 121 Second Ave., owned by Maria Hrynenko, who faces various charges, including involuntary manslaughter, remain untouched.



Workers also removed the small plaque that marked the former site of Pommes Frites...



Updated 9:30 a.m.

The Pommes Frites flyers are back...


[Photo by Steven]

Previously on EV Grieve:
Updated: 2nd Ave. explosion — landlord, 3 others charged with 2nd degree manslaughter; showed 'a blatant and callous disregard for human life'

Former residents talk about landlord Maria Hrynenko: 'it was clear she wanted to get rid of anyone with a rent-regulated apartment'

Report: 123 2nd Ave. is for sale

Selling 123 Second Ave.

Tompkins Square no longer a park according to Google Maps

EVG reader Mike W. noticed this ... Tompkins Square Park doesn't exist on Google Maps for whatever reasons. (A quick check shows that Washington Square Park is still on the Map...)

Anyway, maybe the mayor's office sold the land to a developer and didn't tell anyone...

Happy 40th anniversary Fineline Tattoo

A photo posted by Fineline Tattoo (@finelinetattoonyc) on Aug 12, 2016 at 9:16am PDT

The shop at 19 First Ave. between First Street and Second Street celebrates 40 years today (details here). It is the oldest tattoo shop in Manhattan.

In February 2013, we interviewed Fineline owner and founder Mike Bakaty.

I had tattoos from when I was a kid and when I was in the Navy, so I looked around the city and there was nothing here. Tattooing was banned in the city from 1962 to 1997, when we moved into this shop. At the time, the nearest place was up in Yonkers called Big Joe’s. I spent two years going up there, hanging out, watching and gleaning information. I was in the process of getting my old work covered up and I’d be asking questions and everybody would shut up. They didn’t give up the information. And the more they shut up, the more interested I became. Fortunately, there was a guy visiting up there that became a key figure in modern tattooing, named Zeke Owen, who was the first to give me any real information. And by 1976 I started tattooing.

Mike passed away in January 2014. Mike's son Mehai Bakaty had worked with his father for many years ... and is now running Fineline. You can read an interview with Mehai this week at BoweryBoogie and DNAinfo.

Package theft from an East 11th Street lobby

An EVG reader shared this:

My building on East 11th Street between Avenue A and B had some packages stolen yesterday. After reviewing the security footage we saw the guy in the purple shirt hanging out on the sidewalk pretending to be on the phone and then he followed the USPS guy in after he was buzzed in.

He then proceeded to fill his large bag with the packages that were just delivered and left.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Watch this man help himself to packages from an East 7th Street lobby

Another report of stolen packages from an East Village lobby

Watch this guy take all the packages from an East 3rd Street building lobby