Friday, December 1, 2017

EVG Etc.: Tax breaks for small shops; rat genetics in NYC neighborhoods


[Photo Wednesday in Tompkins Square Park by Derek Berg]

Tax break could help small shops survive Manhattan’s rising rents (The New York Times) 2,000 businesses to escape commercial rent tax (The Real Deal)

An LA comedian is reportedly suing Doc Holliday’s on Avenue A claiming that an employee physically attacked him in December 2016 (B+B)

Some history of the soon-to-be-demolished 23 Third Ave. (Off the Grid... previously)

Vigil today at Rivington House will mark two years since nursing home closed (The Lo-Down)

The rats are different downtown (The Atlantic)

Writer-director Ken Shapiro, who got his start in the East Village in the 1960s, dies at age 76 (The Hollywood Report)

A visit to 8 Bit and Up on Third Street (Syfy Wire)

"The Cinema of Gender Transgression: Trans Film" series starts tonight (Anthology Film Archives)

The Call Your Mother Hot Dog Cart on Houston near Lafayette (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

Some music-themed midnight movies this month at the Sunshine, including "Stop Making Sense" and "This is Spinal Tap" (Official site, PDF)

An Iggy Pop documentary from 1987 (Flaming Pablum)

You're a vampire! I knew it!: "The Lost Boys" screening at the Metrograph (Official site)

Turning Rutherford Place into 1987 Russia



EVG regular Dan Efram shared this from Wednesday evening...

A crew of approximately 75 people worked on FX's television series "The Americans."

Filmed just north of the East Village outside of St. George's Episcopal Church on Rutherford Place at 16th Street, this wintery scene taking place in 1987 Russia included actor Lev Gorn passing a briefcase to an unidentifiable moving actor as they walked south. Two timely Russian automobiles were a big part of the red-hued eye candy.













Parishioners hope their prayers are answered with former Nativity space on 2nd Avenue


[EVG file photo]

This past summer, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York desacralized the former Church of the Nativity on Second Avenue between Second Street and Third Street ... clearing the way for a potential sale of the desirable property.

Tomorrow afternoon, Friends of Nativity Church and the Cooper Square Community Land Trust are holding a prayer service at the Most Holy Redeemer on Third Street between Avenue A and Avenue B... before walking over to the Second Avenue building.

According to the flyer, participants will pray "that the resources of Nativity & Most Holy Redeemer be used to serve the most needy among us and for the good of the world." (AKA, Please don't tear down the church and build luxury condos.)



The church closed in July 2015 as part of a massive consolidation reportedly due to changing demographics and a shortage of priests available to say mass. The Church of the Nativity merged with Most Holy Redeemer.

The Friends of Nativity had previously proposed a Dorothy Day Shrine and retreat center with services for the homeless at 44 Second Ave. (Read more about that proposal here.)

Archdiocese officials allow 10 days for parishioners to appeal the decree of a closed church. In this case, the Archdiocese made the announcement this summer on the Friday before the long July 4 holiday weekend.

Updated 10 a.m.

Just received the news release on the service...

Parishioners and friends of the former Church of the Nativity will gather for a prayer service on Dec. 2, led by Father Sean McGillicuddy at 1:30 PM at the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer followed by a Walk to Church of the Nativity and remarks and prayers in front of the church at 2:30 PM.

The former parishioners of the Church of the Nativity are advocating that the site be used to serve the most needy, hopefully by providing low income housing in a neighborhood that is rapidly gentrifying.

The parish was first established in 1842 and for time was a Jesuit mission parish. Dorothy Day, the co-founder of the Catholic Worker, who is being proposed for canonization, was a parishioner. Her Funeral Mass was held there in 1980.

In the spirit of Dorothy Day and Pope Francis, Joanne Kennedy, a parishioner of Nativity and Most Holy Redeemer and member of the Catholic Worker stated: "Other shuttered Catholic churches nearby have been sold to developers for luxury housing, including Mary Help of Christians. This cannot happen here, where Dorothy came to pray."

The Cooper Square Community Land Trust and Nativity/Most Holy Redeemer parishioners have requested a meeting with Cardinal Dolan to discuss a proposal to redevelop the site as low-income housing for families, seniors, disabled and the homeless, a community center (to replace homeless services lost when the Holy Name Center closed) as well as a small meditation room dedicated to Dorothy Day.

The Cooper Square Community Land Trust has been protecting and preserving affordable housing in the Lower East Side for over 20 years, and in collaboration with the Cooper Square MHA owns, manages and operates 21 buildings.

Previously on EV Grieve:
As the Church of the Nativity closes for good tonight, take a look at the original structure

Parishioners fight to save the Church of the Nativity on 2nd Avenue

'Shadowman,' the documentary on Richard Hambleton, debuts today at the Quad



As previously reported, Richard Hambleton, a street artist who came to prominence in the 1980s East Village alongside Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring, died in late October at age 65.

Hambleton, who most recently was living in an East Village studio, had enjoyed a revival this year. "Shadowman," Oren Jacoby's documentary about his life and work, debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival back in the spring.

And the film makes its theatrical debut today at the Quad Cinema over on 13th Street between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue.

"Shadowman" has been generating positive reviews. Here'a what the Times had to say:

This intense documentary shows a driven creator walking the walk, so to speak, in the most perverse fashion possible. The story is both repellent and strangely inspiring.

Jacoby will be doing a Q-and-A after the 7:30 screenings tonight and tomorrow. Head to the Quad website for showtimes.



Not fake news then: Pro-dorm rally organizer admits some participants were paid, report says

On Nov. 19, the Daily News reported that some of the 30 participants who showed up at a City Hall rally to support turning the former P.S 64 and CHARAS/El Bohio community center on Ninth Street into a dorm were paid extras.

The organizers strongly denied that the extras received money ($50) for their time.

Now, the lobbying group on property owner Gregg Singer's payroll admitted that the firm paid eight of the 30 participants.

This revelation came in a Thanksgiving Day email that lobbyist David Schwartz sent to The Villager.

Per the paper:

More bizarre still, Schwartz claimed he intentionally leaked the casting call for the rally to the Daily News in order to gin up media coverage of the event.

“We have been frustrated that we could not get any press for one of the biggest frauds in NYC,” Schwartz said. “A fraud that leaves a community with an empty building and it’s being perpetrated by our elected officials,” Schwartz explained, referencing Singer’s claim that now his decades-long effort to remake the former school building into a dorm has been unfairly obstructed by the Mayor’s Office, Councilmember Rosie Mendez and other local politicians, who would prefer to see the building restored as a community arts center similar to CHARAS — the nonprofit group that occupied the building when Singer bought it at auction in 1998.

In a follow-up piece at the News on Nov. 23, Singer also denied that any of the supporters were paid to attend the rally on Nov. 17. Singer also blamed those opposing his dorm project.

Per the News:

"You ever heard fake news? I think the people that are against us are twisting it — it's probably the other side that paid the money!"

The Villager noted that "Singer did not respond to requests to clarify whether he was on board with the plan to hire people to rally for his dorm."

122CC signage arrives at the refurbished 122 Community Center on 1st Avenue


[Photo by Steven]

Performance Space 122 will return to its newly renovated home on First Avenue and Ninth Street in January, as the Times recently reported.

Ahead of that, the new 122CC signage has arrived at the First Avenue entrance of the 122 Community Center. (Thanks to EVG reader Dennis for the tip!)

The building will also house the Alliance for Positive Change, Mabou Mines, Painting Space 122, and a fifth tenant to be announced.

As for PS 122, they will inaugurate the refurbished space with the 13th Coil Festival from Jan. 10 to Feb. 4.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Here's the sidewalk bridge-free corner of 9th Street and 1st Avenue — and the 122 Community Center

Come along on a tour of the under-renovation 122 Community Center on 1st Avenue

Thursday, November 30, 2017

Reader report: Man spotted exposing himself in Tompkins Square Park



Several readers shared information about a man who was seen exposing himself in Tompkins Square Park near the children's playground yesterday afternoon around 12:30.

According to a post on the Tompkins Square Park Dog Run Facebook page:

The man "began threatening some dog owners with a brick when they chased him away. He lost his pants and cellphone as he ran off which were given to the police — however it’s unclear whether the police will pursue as the dog owners stated the police told them they needed to come to the precinct to make a complaint.

The Facebook post has a NSFW video clip of the man fondling himself as well as a photo of him on First Avenue and 13th Street holding a brick and carrying his pants. He appears to be wearing lipstick.


[Image via Facebook]

One reader said the man is known in the Park and was spotted rubbing his genitals in front of two women last fall. (See this post.)

Brooklyn man accused of punching ex before leading cops on a chase through the East Village

A Brooklyn man was arrested last night after leading police on a 10-block chase through the East Village.

According to the Daily News, Brandon Morrison, 28, apparently got into an argument with his former girlfriend while driving her to the Best Buy on Union Square around 7 p.m.

An NYPD spokesperson said that Morrison then punched and choked the woman.

To the News:

She tried to escape at the corner of E. 12th St. and First Ave., and he floored it to Second Ave. as she hung out of his car, cops said.

The woman managed to escape and flag down a cab, but Morrison tried to pull her back into his vehicle and grabbed her bag, police said.

By then, witnesses were gathering, and two officers approached them. Morrison threw his former flame’s purse at one of the cops and sped away, authorities said.

Morrison was apprehended on Second Street and First Avenue.

A video a witness to the arrest took shows Morrison claiming that the woman used pepper spray on him.

He was charged with robbery, assault, criminal possession of stolen property, criminal obstruction of breathing, unlawful imprisonment and reckless driving.

Updated 12/1

The Daily News has a follow-up article, reporting that Morrison was held on $20,000 bail. He is also on probation for wire services fraud in Pennsylvania, per the DA's office.

Inside the mind of LinkNYC



Second Avenue and Fifth Street today via Derek Berg...

I Am a Rent-Stabilized Tenant

East Village resident Susan Schiffman has been photographing the apartments of rent-stabilized tenants living in the East Village for her Instagram account, I Am a Rent Stabilized Tenant. She will share some of the photos here for this ongoing EVG feature.



Photos and text by Susan Schiffman

Tenant: June, since 1979

June came to NYC from Chicago in 1964.

Why did you move to the East Village?

I had been married. We moved to a three-bedroom apartment on the Upper West Side from a rent-controlled brownstone also on the Upper West Side. I was unhappy in that apartment. When we got divorced I got the apartment. I hated that apartment. I did love that it had been all musicians and artists when I moved in. There were a lot of musicians because it was close to Julliard.

When the building and the neighborhood started changing the people who were moving in were not musicians or artists and they had day jobs. The landlord approached me and offered me a buyout. I got myself a lawyer. She got me not a huge amount of money but I was able to stay in the apartment for up to a year until I could find a new place. It covered my moving expenses, plus I got some cash.



How did you find your East Village apartment?

I had a boyfriend who was living on Seventh Street and I was working downtown. I had to be at my job at 11 a.m. Every day, from 9-10:30 a.m., I walked around the neighborhood and talked to people. I rang the doorbell at a storefront looking for the super. A woman answered. She was living there, but was not a super. She wrote for Al Goldstein’s Screw magazine. Her husband was a lighting designer. She had been in the neighborhood for years. She gave me a cup of tea and a joint. She told me if she heard of anything she would give me a call.

A week later she called me and said the girl on the top floor is moving. I went to look at the apartment. There were walls with interior windows. Because of the slope the rooms were all rhomboids, in other words you got dizzy just standing here because they were all so askew. The boyfriend of the woman living there must have gotten paid in supplies because there was sheetrock stacked up and boxes of supplies everywhere. But I looked at the height of the ceilings and the view. And I just knew this was it.

The landlord, Arthur Brown, owned most of the block. He was a wonderful guy. His deal for all of his tenants was if you supplied the labor and included the receipts for supplies for work done, you could take that amount off of your rent.

I still say to people who are looking for an apartment: Choose your neighborhood and then spend time there walking around and talking to people. You will find something.

What do you love about your apartment?

When I moved in I worked with a guy who lived in another building. We took all the plaster off of the walls. Something, actually, that I’m sorry I did. The brick dust is just endless. We took down the interior walls. I like the openness. We took all of the closets out, they were useless, terrible closets. We took down the walls in between the rooms. My other apartment had so many rooms and doors and walls so I wanted something open.

I love that this is open, I love the high ceilings, I love the 19th-century details like the tin ceilings. I used to have that old kind of toilet with the oak box. It had a little leak and I told the super. I thought he could just glue it. He ripped it out and put in a regular toilet. I was heartbroken.

More than anything else I love the view. Notice how the chair is turned. I’m retired. I spend a lot of time sitting at this window. I love the view but not just the view — I love the activity that goes on. I’m not just watching leaves fall.

















If you're interested in inviting Susan in to photograph your apartment for an upcoming post, then you may contact her via this email.

The 26th annual tree lighting in Tompkins Square Park is Dec. 10



Here's a save-the-date if you're interested: The tree lighting ceremonies in Tompkins Square Park are from 4-5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 10 ... we'll post more details on the programming when those details are available.

Afterwards, the East Village Independent Merchants Association is hosting a holiday celebration with specials at a handful of local businesses. More about this later as well.

Street co-naming set for Public Theater founder Joseph Papp and community activist Mary Spink

There are two street co-naming ceremonies to note...

Tomorrow morning at 8:30, the intersection of Lafayette and Astor Place will officially be co-named Joseph Papp Way, in honor of late Public Theater founder Joseph Papp ...


[Image via Playbill]

The ceremony takes place on the Astor Place plaza. Playbill has more on the story here.

---

Saturday at noon, the southeast corner of Avenue A and Second Street will be co-named in honor of community activist Mary Spink...



Spink, a local business owner and member of CB3, later served as executive director of Lower East Side People’s Mutual Housing Association. She died in January 2012 at age 64.

Turntable 5060 is now Tapanju Turntable, and it opens tomorrow


[Photo via @ArtisanMatters]

Last week we noted that Turntable 5060 was reopening on Dec. 1 after a months-long hiatus on Avenue B and Fourth Street.

Since then, a banner arrived announcing Tapanju with the Turntable logo. The restaurant's website simply offers: "Turntable 5060 in the East Village is now TAPANJU TURNTABLE." (And they are accepting reservations starting for tomorrow.) There isn't any mention of what the differences between Turntable 5060 and Tapanju Turntable might be.

Tapanju's hours will be:

Monday: 5-11 p.m.
Tuesday-Friday: 5-midnight
Saturday: 2-midnight
Sunday: 2-11 p.m.

The restaurant serving Korean-style fried chicken and craft beers opened in July 2015. They closed for renovations at the end of July.

Baar Baar opens tomorrow (Friday!) on 1st Street in Avalon Bowery Place



In recent months we've been watching the gut renovation of the former L'Apicio space at 13 E. First St. in the Avalon Bowery Place complex between Second Avenue and the Bowery.

As we've been reporting, noted chef Sujan Sarkar was bringing "upscale modern Indian cuisine" to the address.

The New York Times has a preview of the restaurant, called Baar Baar, which opens tomorrow.

At Baar Baar, which means “again and again,” [Sarkar] dabbles in sous-vide, foams, gels and such, but they do not dominate the menu. His small plates, assorted mixed thali platters and bigger plates provide a range of flavors, including traditional (like tandoori mushrooms, Kashmiri-style lamb ribs and butter chicken) and innovative, like potato and bone-marrow kulcha, asparagus pepper fry with cauliflower mousse, and oysters with guava, chile granita with lemon foam.

He makes liberal use of avocados and offers creative cocktails, some mixed with Indian spirits. “When it comes to contemporary Indian food, New York is years behind,” he said.



Sarkar is also the chef of Rooh, a similar-sounding restaurant that opened in San Francisco early this year.

L'Apicio closed in May after five years of serving high-end Italian.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Chef Sujan Sarkar bringing 'upscale modern Indian cuisine' to the Bowery

L'Apico ends its 5-year run tomorrow night

Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Volunteers on a mission to help reinvigorate Alphabet Scoop on 11th Street



In 2002, the Father’s Heart Ministries launched Alphabet Scoop adjacent to the church on 11th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B.

The seasonal ice cream shop hires and trains at-risk teens from the neighborhood ... and provides them with mentoring.

A group of volunteers are now working to give Alphabet Scoop "a boost that it needs." A crowdfunding campaign is underway, with a goal of raising $70,000 by the end of the year. (They've already reached the halfway point.)

The volunteers include an architect, a contractor, a financial analyst, a lawyer and project managers. They want to redesign and renovate the space and help with business operations and financial management.

Per their campaign info:

Alphabet Scoop has yet to be profitable and has relied on the financial support of the Father's Heart Ministries to keep the lights on.

The mission is incredible but there are three main problems:
• The business is undercapitalized and the store has not been properly maintained or renovated in over a decade.
• An undifferentiated brand limits awareness and the ability to reach a wider audience.
• The lack of systems has led to operational inefficiencies.

They are hoping for an April 2018 Alphabet Scoop relaunch.

You can find more about the campaign here.

Studio of the day

A studio has been on the market this past month on 14th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

Per the listing: "This unit features hardwood floors, a separate kitchen and room for a bed and small couch. Don't miss this opportunity to live just steps from Union Square for a below market price!"

That price is $1,895.

The listing promises a "separate kitchen."

More like "kitchen separated by the fridge."



On the positive side, it's a full-size fridge ... if you can get the door open all the way.

Pizza in the mix for former Cock space on 2nd Avenue




Looks as if there's a retail tenant for the new-look 29 Second Ave.

The work permit on the front window notes the renovations are for a "pizza shop."



Not sure just who is behind the incoming pizzeria, but likely someone with some dough. (Sorry.) The retail space has been asking $23,000-plus change.

The previous tenant here, The Cock, moved a few blocks to the north in December 2015.

Earlier this year, Highpoint Property Group purchased the building for $4.55 million from Jared Kushner's Westminster Management, according to public records.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Looking at the new-look 29 Second Ave.

NiceBrow bows on 9th Street



NiceBrow is now open at 436 E. Ninth St. between Avenue A and First Avenue, as these photos by EVG Eyebrow Correspondent Steven show.

The salon offers a variety of services, including the namesake NiceBrow — "a permanent makeup method" ... and they are offering some Grand Opening specials...



Here's more about them via the NiceBrow website:

NiceBrow's methods were originated around the 19th century in China. By 2010, these methods had rapidly became very popular in East Asia and Europe. As the techniques had matured over the years, it had undergone many enhancements and had deemed safe and sounded. We believed that this approach is going to transform the entire cosmetic industry, the same way that Amazon.com had transformed the retail industry.

The previous tenant here, Love Gang, the women's boutique, moved two storefronts to the west back in May.

Canal Pizza opening in the former Cup & Saucer Luncheonette space on the LES



Going down to the Lower East Side for a moment ... where the signage has arrived for the new tenant on the northwest corner of Canal and Eldridge — Canal Pizza.

BoweryBoogie first reported on this yesterday...



The corner space had been home since 1940 to the Cup & Saucer Luncheonette.

According to the Lo-Down, a steep rent increase to $15,000 a month was too much for the owners (for the past 30-plus years), John Vasilopoulos and Nick Castanos, to make work. The classic diner closed back in July. There was some talk that the owners would revive the diner elsewhere. No word on how that's going.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: Cup & Saucer Luncheonette closing next week on the LES


[EVG photo from 2011]

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

The best Daddy Burger deal on Avenue A?



EVG reader Melissa shared this photo... tucked among the Christmas/holiday trees outside Bueno East Mart on Avenue A and Third Street is a box of greenery labeled "Daddy Burger $10 each."

I'm not up on Christmas/holiday decorating lingo, so... turns out Daddy Burger is a pretty popular swag (aka suspended wreath or garland)... anyway, just passing this along in case you want some Daddy Burger for your front door. $10 seems like a fair price.