Out and About in the East Village

In this ongoing feature, East Village-based photographer James Maher provides us with a quick snapshot of someone who lives and/or works in the East Village or Lower East Side.



By James Maher

Name: Siobhan Meow
Occupation: Anything I could get
Location: Avenue C and Second Street
Date: Friday, Oct 20

I’m from Brooklyn. Coming here was a matter of my becoming homeless. I was living in Avenue U in Brooklyn, and I used take the train into the city all the time.

I decided to live in the city, and when I got here I got an SRO, but I couldn’t afford the rent. I went through a period of unemployment, I ended up homeless, and I came down here in 1988 because I met some people at ABC No Rio. They let me sleep in the basement, and that’s how I met Geerta Franken because we were both modeling for drawing classes. We went to Seventh Street and met Michael Shanker, who is a wild pirate electrician who hooked us up, and I picked a building because it was around the corner from my best friend’s house.

We opened a squat called Umbrella House. It was an absolute ruin. There were holes in the roof, holes in the floors, all the way down to the first floor, except for the main hallway. The two storefronts were filled to within two feet of the ceiling with old appliances and rubble and stuff, and this is a 12-foot ceiling. We had to dig it out.

We called it Umbrella House because when it rained or snowed, and it was a six-story building, it would go all the way down to the first floor. It was not so dangerous, more like kind of fun. The three flights of stairs in the middle of the building were out so we had to use the fire escapes to go to the top floors.

And of course there was no heat. Winter we spent in a very small room in sleeping bags to stay warm until we hooked up a hot electrical wire that Con Ed didn’t turn off, and then we had minimal electric where we could run heat for free and also power tools. We actually went 17 years without heat, which fortunately for me I was into cat rescues, so I had cat heat. They kept me warm, and also a big Carharrt suit, which is like a sleeping bag you walk around in.

We had to put in our own sewer line. We weren’t legally allowed to do it even though we got a permit for it. We got the permit and we had a licensed plumber overseeing the job, but as soon as we started digging down into the sidewalk, somebody who didn’t like us called up the city and they shut it down.

Fortunately we had started this on a Friday and so we covered the hole with boards and made like we weren’t working on it, but we went into the basement and broke through the wall and literally tunneled under to the sewer main. We had to put boards up because every time a truck or bus went over it, it would cause rocks to fall. That was dangerous and we’re lucky no one got killed, because we did it 24 hours straight for like four days with a chain of people with buckets. Once we got that it was easy to hook up the water

In the first year they tried to evict us and the whole block was closed off with cops. We had a three-day siege, where we stood in the windows to prevent them from knocking our building down. The guy who was working the wrecking ball, he saw us in the window and he got out of the wrecker. He didn’t want to be responsible.

But the more we got things legal, the harder it became for them to evict us. We did most of the repair work by scrounging and pilfering construction sites because there was a lot of construction going on at the time. This was mostly for cement, old joists, and steel beams that they would throw out. And over a period of 20 years we brought it up to where it’s now a legal low-income co-op that we own shares in.

Find Part 2 with Siobhan Meow next week...

James Maher is a fine art and studio photographer based in the East Village. Find his website here.

SLA says East Village resident's drunk brunch suit doesn't belong in court

Last month, East Village resident Robert Halpern sued the State Liquor Authority (SLA) over a loophole in the 1999 law that allows bottomless brunches (drunk brunch, drunch, etc).

As the Post reports, the SLA has responded to the the Manhattan Supreme Court suit. They don't think much of it, and asked the court to dismiss.

“Halpern’s motivation behind alleging these complaints is his self-interest against increased noise and crowds in his community,” the SLA says in court papers.

“Halpern substitutes his own personal judgement for that of the Authority. … Halpern’s remedy, simply put, cannot be found within the walls of this Courthouse.”

Here's how The Real Deal first reported on the lawsuit last month:

“There are too may people running around drinking all the time,” Halpern told The Real Deal. “It’s become more and more of a drinking culture here.”

Halpern’s argument is that bottomless brunches are prohibited by a provision against selling unlimited alcohol for a set time and a set price. The Liquor Authority’s legal counsel has previously taken the position that “brunch specials” are considered special events and exempted from the provision. The suit makes the case that weekly bottomless brunches should not be exempt.

I asked Halpern, a lawyer and longtime resident of the East Village, what the next steps are with the suit.

"Next step in this case is for me to reply to motion to dismiss, and the papers get submitted on Dec. 6," he said in an email. "A motion to dismiss is a commonplace tactic. I don't think there's much merit to the motion, especially considering I am not asking for money, but for a ruling that the Liquor Authority is wrong.

"A judge could rule that the bottomless brunches are illegal under the statute, and the Authority could still decide not to to anything about them, though they are obligated to investigate complaints," Halpern said.

A look at some of the Night Mayor candidates

Nightlife is part of the soul of our city. The Office of Nightlife will make sure it stays that way for generations of New Yorkers to come. pic.twitter.com/hUNIZOVBJv

— Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) September 20, 2017

As you may recall from September, Mayor de Blasio announced the formation of the city's Office of Nightlife, where a soon-to-be-appointed Night Mayor will reign.

A quickie recap via DNAnfo:

The new appointee will field complaints and mediate disputes between nightlife establishments and city and state agencies, as well as residents with complaints and concerns.

The administration is in the process of interviewing candidates for the job, which is expected to be filled by the end of the year.

Brooklyn City Councilmember Rafael Espinal sponsored the legislation.

The Observer has more on the search in an article posted yesterday:

Espinal said hundreds of people have applied for the job, including from community boards, the artist community, industry folks and business owners as well as artists who are flame throwers, dancers and musicians. He said he would prefer someone from outside city agencies and the administration.

He noted that the city has seen a 20 percent decrease in the number of music venues over the last 15 years and that that stems from city enforcement and displacement because of real estate.

The Observer looks at a few of the Night Mayor candidates who have emerged.

Candidates include Bronx native Gerard McNamee, the former director of operations for East Village nightclub and concert venue Webster Hall before it was sold to Brooklyn Sports Entertainment in April; Brooklyn resident Brendan Sullivan, a DJ, producer and author; and Matthew Demar, who rapped in the 1990s under the moniker “Kid Panic” and a supporter of President Trump.

Sullivan, 35, who grew up in Connecticut, said his experience includes serving as bartender and head bartender at The Modern at the Museum of Modern Art and deejaying at the Beauty Bar in the East Village for five years. He also worked at Pianos NYC and deejayed at St. Jerome’s, where he met Lady GaGa and eventually became her DJ, touring with her and starring in her first music video.

Sullivan reportedly has already had several interviews with the city.

And...

Demar, 49, who grew up in Westchester, Manhattan and Long Island, has been in the nightclub and restaurant business for more than 30 years. He worked for his first nightclub, the Roxy — which was later renamed 1018 — at the age of 13 hosting high school teen nights, managed his first nightclub at 17 and brought one of the first foam machines to the city from Mexico. He ran clubs such as Coco’s and Mirage Glow.

In the 1990s, he toured the country with Boyz II Men, Big Daddy Kane and MC Lyte. He also developed a nightclub in Utica and owned the Hollyrock nightclubs in Herkimer, Utica and Sylvan Beach.

“I’m the only person — unless I’m wrong — but I think I’m really one of the only people that has entertainment, that has nightclub and hotel experience,” he said.

Demar said that he has not heard from the city. McNamee did not respond to a request for comment from the Observer.

And lastly...

The mayor’s office said many people have applied for the position but that neither the names of candidates nor the number of applicants are public information yet and that the salary likely will be $130,000. Eligibility requirements include at least five years of experience working closely with the nightlife or music industry, with city government regulations governing the nighttime economy or health and public safety and understanding city politics and government structure.

Previously on EV Grieve:
ICYMI — Mayor forms Office of Nightlife (38 comments)

Punjabi Grocery & Deli going green

[EVG file photo]

Punjabi Grocery & Deli, 114 E. First St. between Avenue A and First Avenue, is changing the way they serve you their delicious and inexpensive vegetarian food.

The team at the 24-year-old mainstay took to Instagram yesterday to announce they are doing away with the Styrofoam...

it's about to get even more lit #punjabideli #doingourpart

A post shared by Punjabi Deli NYC (@punjabidelinyc) on Oct 24, 2017 at 7:03am PDT

More lit!

Project Renewal celebrating 50 years with Fall Festival, park dedication

Info via the EVG inbox...

This afternoon at 3, a handful of local elected officials will join Project Renewal at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new community garden outside the organization's Third Street Men's Shelter.

The ribbon-cutting will kick off Project Renewal's Halloween-themed block party on Third Street between Second Avenue and the Bowery for community residents, with costumes, a pumpkin patch, food, games and more.

Going forward, the garden will be a venue for horticultural therapy and other programming for clients of the Third Street Men’s Shelter which, in 1991, became the first homeless shelter contracted by the New York City Department of Homeless Services. Today, the shelter offers a wide range of health, recovery, and job training services to homeless men with substance use disorder histories.

Project Renewal started as the city’s first medical detox clinic on the Bowery in 1967, and has since expanded to serve over 16,000 men, women and children annually.

Tuesday's part shot

The view downtown late this afternoon via Bobby Williams...

It's really windy out

Some casualties include a partial awning down at La Contrada on Second Avenue at Fourth Street ... and sidewalk-cafe blockade toppled over at Yuca Bar on Avenue A and Seventh Street...



The wind advisory is effect until midnight... no word on any tree damage in Tompkins Square Park or elsewhere in the neighborhood.

Photos by Derek Berg

9th Precinct looking for information on the recent Avenue C shooting

[Photo by Bobby Williams]

Detectives from the 9th Precinct continue to investigate the late-night shooting on Avenue C at 11th Street. The $2,500 reward posters arrived yesterday.

There is very little information about the shooting in circulation. According to previous reports, a 29-year-old man was shot multiple times as he was riding a bike along Avenue C. He took himself to Bellevue Hospital, where he was initially in serious but stable condition. He was reportedly cooperating with the police. The only description of the shooter: He was wearing a black hoodie and black ski mask. It was not clear if the cyclist was the intended victim.

Anyone with information that could help in the investigation is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). You may also submit tips online.

Bar Verde conversion underway on 2nd Avenue

Work has started on Bar Verde at 65 Second Ave. between Fourth Street and Third Street. As you can see, the Bar Verde awning and sidewalk-cafe barriers are in place.

The vegan Mexican restaurant is via raw food chef Matthew Kenney, who also runs 00 + Co., the vegan pizza shop next door that opened in February 2016.



Here's more via Eater about Bar Verde:

Inspired by Kenney’s travels around Mexico, Bar Verde recasts nachos, tamales and tacos for vegans, swapping queso with butternut squash queso, and crema with cashew crema. Other dishes will include wild mushroom-stuffed tamales and tacos filled with farro chorizo or avocado tempura.

The all-day restaurant, which has 56 indoor seats and 24 on an outdoor patio, features a bar that will showcase agave spirits, as well as sustainable beer and wine.

Bar Verde's arrival also marks the end of La Cerverceria, the Peruvian restaurant and wine bar. Its owners, Raymond Azzi and Kyle Saliba, are also partners with Kenney in this project and 00 + Co.

Bar Verde is expected to open on Nov. 2.

Meanwhile, you can look at their Instagram-able food on Instagram...

BAR VERDE | COMING SOON TO NYC 🌱 . #barverdenyc #matthewkenneycuisine #plantbasedmexican

A post shared by BAR VERDE (@barverdenyc) on Sep 26, 2017 at 4:34pm PDT

Additions to the RIP Memorial on Avenue A

[Photo from Oct. 6]

As noted in this post last Wednesday, someone created a memorial on the empty storefront at Fifth Street and Avenue A. (The illustration in the middle has been there since early September.)

This past weekend, more photos were added to the wall (and new ones went up over the photos that were defaced) ...



The additions include Abbie Hoffman and Al Lewis, the actor (Grandpa Munster) and Green Party candidate for governor of New York in 1998... and if anyone can help ID the people in the other four new photos...



H/T Chris Flash

Previously on EV Grieve:
An RIP memorial on Avenue A and 5th Street

These are the 13 East Village restaurants on the 2018 Michelin Bib Gourmand list

[Hunan Bistro on 3rd Avenue]

Michelin yesterday released the list of Bib Gourmand restaurants in New York City.

These are restaurants where "it is possible to enjoy two courses and a glass of wine or dessert for $40 or less (tax and gratuity not included)."

Here's more from the news release: "A Bib Gourmand designation, reserved for a select number of restaurants rated by Michelin’s team of anonymous food inspectors, denotes establishments where diners can enjoy a great meal for a good value."

Thirteen East Village restaurants made the list of 120 overall for NYC:

• Bar Primi, 325 Bowery at Second Street

• ChouChou (new to list), 215 E. Fourth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B

• Donostia, 155 Avenue B between Ninth Street and 10th Street

• 00 + Co., 65 Second Ave. between Third Street and Fourth Street

• Hunan Bistro, 96 Third Ave. between 12th Street and 13th Street

• Luzzo's (new to list), 213 First Ave. near 13th Street

• MáLà Project, 122 First Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place

• Momofuku Noodle Bar, 171 First Ave. between 10th Street and 11th Street

• Momofuku Ssäm Bar, 207 Second Ave. att 13th Street

• Prune, 54 E. First At. between First Avenue and Second Avenue

• Soba-Ya, 229 E. Ninth St. between Second Avenue and Third Avenue

• Somtum Der, 85 Avenue A between Fifth Street and Sixth Street

• Supper, 156 E. Second St. between Avenue A and Avenue B

The 2018 Michelin-starred restaurants for New York City will be released on Monday.

A bike rack bike theft?

EVG reader Cheyenne shared these photos from Avenue B and Ninth Street, where thieves apparently didn't bother with trying to clip a lock ... and cut the bike rack instead...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Man removes alternate side parking sign to steal bike on East 13th Street

Noted

[Random Citi Bike photo on St. Mark's Place]

Men's Health editor-in-chief Matt Bean used a handheld germ counter to swab a number of surfaces in New York City.

Per his research:

The device ranks how germy the surface of an item is, depending on the bacteria and biological material it finds. The lower the rating, the fewer germs it has. If something gets a rating of 50, it shouldn’t touch your food.

The title for the grossest public object in New York City goes to Citi Bikes. Turns out, the handlebars on these communal bikes are less hygienic than the hold bars on subway trains — 45 times germier to be exact.

Here are the results for the other objects Bean tested:

1. Citi Bike handlebar - 1,512

2. Starbucks door handle - 1,090

3. LinkNYC kiosk - 807

4. Taxi handle - 424

5. Grand Central door knob - 45

Meanwhile, Recode has a piece today titled "A bike-sharing war is coming to the U.S. as investors pour money into new entrants."

May not happen here just yet, though. Motivate, the company behind Citi Bike, has an exclusive contract with NYC through 2029.

H/T Gothamist!

Free photos on the street

[Photo outside Grand Central Terminal]

I've posted some photos by Roy Lee in the past. Like here.

Starting today, Lee, a former East Village resident, is leaving his photos around a few locations in the city free for the taking.

Here's the background:

I've made prints of some of my NYC street photos from the past few years, and I plan to share them by hanging these prints in the exact spot where i took them. (or as close as i can get.) These prints can be yours by going there and taking it. The prints are 12x18...

Lee will be leaving a handful of photos around the East Village, such as these locations...





Anyway, in case you see a photo sealed in plastic hanging around.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Found photos in the East Village from the early 1990s

More details on Ben Shaoul's condo conversion Liberty Toye, where you can buy with bitcoins

A sidewalk bridge arrived back on Thursday to surround the soon-to-be-former Bloom 62 on Avenue B and Fifth Street.

Ben Shaoul, president of Magnum Real Estate Group, is in the process of redeveloping the rental property into a condoplex called Liberty Toye. (Read my post on this here.)

There's nothing on file with the DOB yet to shed any light on what work is going to take place here. (There is a permit for the sidewalk bridge.)

Shaoul recently announced that he will accept Bitcoin for Liberty Toye, where units will run between $700,000 and $1.5 million.

Per CNBC:

"Initially, we expect to see a small number of sales in bitcoins. But over the next five or 10 years, I could see up to 25 percent of payments happening in bitcoin or a like digital currency.

"It's going to be the future," he continued, "and a lot of developers will start to adapt and offer the same option."

Shaoul was also featured in this Global Mansion article on cryptocurrency in the global real-estate market.

"Our buyer has evolved, they've moved from mom and pops to young people who want to pay with various forms of payment. Cryptocurrency is something that has been asked of us — 'Can you take cryptocurrency? Can we pay that way?' — and of course when somebody wants to pay you with a different form of payment, you're going to try to work with them and give them what they want, especially in a very busy real estate market."

Shaoul ... admits that there is currently a lot of inventory in the market, and therefore having an edge over his competitors is especially key. Bitcoin, he hopes, will be that edge.

"I think the demographic of the crypto user is a younger millennial, but, that being said, you have a lot of people come over from other countries, who are buyers from different places, who like to trade in different types of currency. Not everyone wants to trade in dollars or yen or euros," Shaoul said.

And he claims there is already a lot of interest in Liberty Toye, though not necessarily from current renters or NYC residents.

Since he announced that he’ll accept bitcoin for purchases in his East Village project a few days ago, Mr. Shaoul said he’s received dozens of emails and calls expressing interest from overseas buyers in China and other Asian countries.

The Liberty Toye office will be at 44 Avenue B between Third Street and Fourth Street in a former laundromat owned by Steve Croman.



Before becoming a place for wealthy overseas buyers, the building at Fifth Street was home to Cabrini, which closed for good on June 30, 2012. The 240-bed center — sponsored by the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus — provided health care for low-income elderly residents in the East Village. Cabrini opened in 1993 and served 240 patients and employed nearly 300 people. Shaoul reportedly paid $25 million for the property and closed down Cabrini.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Claim: Ben Shaoul is the new owner of Cabrini nursing home, will convert to condos

Report: Local politicians reach out to Ben Shaoul as re-sale of the Cabrini Nursing Center seems likely

More details on Cabrini's closing announcement

A look at the 'Hip young crowd planting roots at Bloom 62'

1st signs of Ben Shaoul's Bloom 62 going condo on Avenue B?

Le Sia signage arrives on 7th Street

Signage is up for Le Sia, the new restaurant opening at 11 E. Seventh St. near Cooper Square.

The restaurant will serve Chinese barbecue and various seafood, per the signage.

They were OK'd for a beer-wine license this past summer. (Their CB3 application is here.)

The store was home to Surma Books & Music for 98 years until June 2016. Third-generation owner Markian Surmach cited a decline in business and the expense of property tax and other charges related to owning the building. Public records show that the Surmach family sold the property to Icon Realty for $5.75 million.

Eastside Market now looks permanently closed

In August, the New York Health Choice (aka Eastside Market) went dark on Avenue C at 11th Street. However, the signage remained up, and there was some talk that the store would eventually reopen.

But this past week, workers removed all the store signage... and the storefront is no longer on the rental market.

The market opened in December 2012. They closed for renovations starting in December 2015 ... returning to business in May 2016. It was operated by the owners of Yankee Deli across 11th Street.

Lowering Joey Ramone Place

[Photo from August]

For some reason this past week, the Joey Ramone Place street blade was lowered about 10 feet here on the Bowery and Second Street, where this block of Second Street is co-named for the frontman of the Ramones.



Perhaps it came down to make room for the Williamsburg (Sonny Rollins some day?) Bridge sign. The higher placement happened several years ago after the sign was previously stolen a half-dozen times. So workers raised the sign to 20 feet. Standard street signs are between 12 and 14 feet off the ground, per the Post.





The sign first went up in November 2003.

Ciao for Now hosting cult classic 'Carnival of Souls'

This is happening at Ciao for Now on 12th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B on Wednesday night at 7...

Ciao for Now is hosting a special Halloween screening of "Carnival of Souls" (1962). The film follows a young woman (Candace Hilligoss) who is drawn to a mysterious abandoned carnival after a traumatic accident. Entry is $5 and all ticket proceeds will benefit the Apple Village Arts after-school program. Entry also includes a mystery raffle ticket! Spine-chilling refreshments will be available for purchase. Seating is limited so RSVP at 212-677-2616 to reserve your seat.

Week in Grieview

[Spiderman is a father? Tompkins Square Park pic by Derek Berg]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

Report of a shooting on 11th and C (Monday)

Rent-regulated tenants facing hellish conditions at 192-194 1st Ave. (Thursday)

The HiFi Bar, home of NYC's best jukebox, is closing at the end of the month (Thursday)

Unique 4th Street church on the market for development (Monday)

Out and About with Jay Yang, owner of The China Star on First Avenue (Wednesday)

Cafe Orlin signs off (Monday)

A look at the former P.S. 64 (Tuesday)

Mayor vows to crack down on e-bikes (Friday, 39 comments)

Broadway buildings draw support for landmark designation (Friday)

Tea Dealers opening soon on Avenue B (Monday)

Corner space at 118 1st Ave. for rent (Monday)

Hotel Tortuga, under new management, will reopen soon still as Hotel Tortuga (Tuesday)

Rumor: Former Polish G. I. Delicatessen to become an outpost of Shawarma House (Thursday)

Chong Qing Xiao Mian coming to 2nd Avenue (Wednesday)

Harry and Ida's Meat & Supply Co. freed from Steiner East Village sidewalk shed after 19 months (Thursday)

... and the rest of Steiner East Village is now sidewalk-bridge free here on Avenue A between 11th Street and 12th Street (h/t Vinny & O)...



Repainting the 2nd Avenue bike lane (Tuesday)

Report: Crime spree features suspects being friendly with their drunken victims (Thursday)

Efforts continue to rename the Williamsburg Bridge after jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins (Wednesday)

Pouring one out for the former Pourhouse! (Monday)

... and La Sirena Mexican Folk Art celebrated its 18th anniversary yesterday on Third Street between Second Avenue and the Bowery (read the EVG interview with owner Dina Leor here)...


[Photo by Lola Sáenz]

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