This year's Summer Streets celebration includes rocks and bubbles on Astor Place

This year's Summer Streets is coming up the first three Saturdays of August (the 4th, 11th and 18th).

As in previous years, the car-free, Street-Festival-Free zone includes Lafayette, Astor Place and Fourth Avenue.

The city yesterday announced the activities taking place along the route. Here's some of what you'll find on Astor Place, via the Summer Streets website:

BF Bouldering Wall & Obstacle Course, Astor Place between Broadway and Lafayette Street
Join the Brooklyn Boulders Foundation to test your skills on an eight foot tall bouldering wall. Leave the ropes and harnesses behind and scale this wall with ease. The Bouldering Wall and Obstacle Course by the Brooklyn Boulders Foundation was co-designed by West coast-based Vertical Solutions featuring wood paneling, and a pull-up bar feature. The obstacle course includes accessible features for all abilities to be able to complete the course. Challenge yourself and get through quickly for a prize or race against a friend. Even if this is your first time, don’t worry, there will be plenty of safety mats to catch your fall.

And!

Gazillion Bubble Show’s Bubble Garden, 4th Avenue between 8th Street and 9th Street
GAZILLION BUBBLE SHOW is Unlike Anything You Have Ever Seen Before! The most incredibubble show in the world! Bubble lovers of all ages are delighted with an unbubblievable experience, awashed with a bubble tide, and perhaps even find themselves inside a bubble. Mind-blowing bubble magic, spectacular laser lighting effects and momentary soapy masterpieces will make you smile, laugh, and feel like a kid again. You have to experience it to bubblieve it! Experience the Gazillion Bubble show's exclusive interactive Bubble Garden. Join the fun by making bubbles of all sizes and learning new bubble tricks that will amaze and dazzle you!

Another limb down in Tompkins Square Park

A large branch fell (presumably last night) from an American Elm onto the handballs courts near the entrance at Ninth Street and Avenue B... Goggla shared these photos ...



A limb fell yesterday afternoon near the entrance on Seventh Street and Avenue B. Thankfully no one was injured

At the rally outside the former P.S. 64 Friday evening

[Photo by Peter Brownscombe]

On Friday evening, several local elected officials, community activists and residents gathered outside the former P.S. 64 (aka CHARAS/El Bohio) on Ninth Street to rally for the return of the building to the community.

The date marked the 20th anniversary of the city auction where developer Gregg Singer became the owner of the property between Avenue B and Avenue C.

Attendees at the rally called on Mayor de Blasio to take the next steps to return the building for public use. The building became a community center after the school left in 1977. The group was evicted when Singer took over as the landlord.

Speakers included Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, Assembly member Harvey Epstein, City Council member Carlina Rivera as well as her predecessor, Rosie Mendez ...

20 years ago an injustice was done when Mayor Giuliani sent the CHARAS/El Bohio community center to auction. We’re pushing to get it back in the LES/East Village community’s hands. I urge the mayor: step on the gas in reacquiring the space — it can’t be a back-burner project. pic.twitter.com/7QfcWje937

— Gale A. Brewer (@galeabrewer) July 21, 2018

@NYCMayor Give us our community center back #CHARAS today marks 20th anniversary of the action of CHARAS/El Bohío community and cultural center with @galeabrewer @RosieMendez @CarlinaRivera and community leaders pic.twitter.com/EtnCVshBqx

— Harvey Epstein (@HarveyforNY) July 20, 2018

Today our neighbors came together to rally for CHARAS/PS64 on the 20th Anniversary of its auction. We have fought for a long time to reclaim community spaces & we are reminding our @NYCMayor of his commitment to the Lower East Side to get this building back. pic.twitter.com/H0iUNPXFSn

— Carlina Rivera 利華娜 (@CarlinaRivera) July 21, 2018

During a town hall forum at P.S. 188 last October, de Blasio said that the Giuliani administration should not have cautioned off the property, and that he would work to "right the wrongs of the past," as DNAifno reported.

"For the administration to put that building into private hands failed miserably, and we’ve seen the negative affect that that has had on the community. So I'm announcing tonight the city's interest in re-acquiring that building," de Blasio said, eliciting cheers from the audience.

The mayor has not publicly discussed this interest any further.

Meanwhile, Singer says that he has no intention of selling the building, which he bought for $3.15 million. He wants to turn the landmarked property into a dorm called University Square, which continues in a holding pattern while the DOB maintains a Stop Work Order on the building.

Singer discussed his plans and aired his frustrations with the city, claiming officials have obstructed his legal right to develop the property, in this wide-ranging interview from June 3 with The New York Times.

Here are more photos from the rally via EVG contributor Peter Brownscombe ...

Great Jones Cafe remains closed

[Photo from Saturday]

Jim Moffett, the longtime owner of the Great Jones Cafe on Great Jones Street, died on July 10. (A cause of death was not disclosed. A friend said that Moffett was 59.)

And the restaurant near the Bowery has remained closed since Moffett's passing. To date, there hasn't been any announcement about when, or if, the downtown fixture (since 1983) will reopen. The Cafe's phone has been disconnected ... and there haven't been any messages for patrons on either the Cafe's website or social media platforms. Several generic, pre-sceheduled posts arrived on Facebook, but were eventually removed...



Moffett became owner of the Great Jones Cafe in 1989.

Inkstop Tattoo has left Avenue A

Back in May, Eric Rignall, the owner of Inkstop Tattoo on Avenue A at 13th Street, announced that his shop would close by Aug. 1 after 21 years in business on this corner.

He recently moved out ... and now the corner space is vacant with a for-rent sign...



The asking rent is $7,000 per month, according to the listing, which notes that it's a "perfect space for office or retail. No cooking. Microwave is allowed."

In May, Rignall told me that the Ink Stop landlord had been fair with him "but market value for rent in the neighborhood is a bit too high in general to stay on top of things," he said. "Also, it is true that the new changes to the neighborhood in the last few years have dramatically reduced business in the area. A lot of people have moved out and there is not as much foot traffic as there was."

He will be working out of Long Island City now. You can find his contact info here.

Trailer-outdoor gallery moving ahead of 1st Street road work

Workers will be moving the trailer that has sat on First Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue these past seven years ...



The trailer will depart this week for water-main work on this block. It's not known just how long it will be gone.

Since January 2012, the trailer has served as an outdoor gallery via the Centre-fuge Public Art Project.

Centre-fuge was up to Cycle 23. (The art has not changed here since last August.)

The Department of Transportation uses the trailer as an office for the long-delayed East Houston Reconstruction project that will — let's face it — never be finished, at least at the intersection of Houston and the Bowery.

It's never too early to think about Halloween this July

The former Ricky's space on Third Avenue between 13th Street and 14th Street will serve as a pop-up Spirit Halloween store. As you can see, the signage is up!

And the place is already fully stocked. Here's an early look at the costumes ... Pennywise!



... and Jeff the Killer and the Grim Reaper to help sooth your jangled nerves...

The Moxy East Village tops out on 11th Street

Workers have reached the top at the 13-story Moxy East Village ... raising the American flag on the western side of the incoming hotel here on 11th Street between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue...





Work has progressed at a pretty good clip here... workers were still deep in the foundation phase at the end of 2017.

The 285-key hotel for Marriott's Moxy brand has a late 2019 opening date.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A few more details about the incoming Moxy East Village on 11th Street

Sunday's parting shot

Derek Berg took this photo of one of the red-tail fledglings in Tompkins Square Park today...

Limb down in Tompkins Square Park

EVG reader the Philosophical Zombie shared these photos from Tompkins Square Park... where a limb broke off near the entrance on Seventh Street and Avenue B this afternoon...



Luckily no one was injured...

Meanwhile on Avenue C...

@RatedRuwan spotted a cyclist in a Trump mask on Avenue C at Eighth Street...c

Week in Grieview

[Tompkins Square Park the other morning]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

A trip to the recently expanded Lancelotti Housewares on Avenue A (Wednesday)

RIP Jim Moffett, owner of the Great Jones Cafe (Tuesday)

The city appoints 14 members to its first Nightlife Advisory Board (Monday)

East Village Thai will be staying in the family (Friday)

Downtown film classics return with 'The Spaghetti Chronicles at Pangea' (Sunday)

ICYMI: Ray in the Sunday Times (Tuesday)

9th Precinct welcomes new CO with long NYPD pedigree (Thursday)

Asbestos abatement notices arrive on the northwest corner of St. Mark's Place & 3rd Avenue (Monday)

Last call for Dorian Gray Tap & Grill on 4th Street (Sunday)

Hawklet watch on 8th Street (Sunday)

Thai Direct setting up shop on Avenue A (Tuesday)

The Molecule Project closing next month on 10th Street (Thursday)

At the Nuyorican Poets Café block party (Saturday)

This week's NY See (Thursday)

Report: Neglected puppies found in 13th Street apartment are finding new homes (Saturday)

A mosaic for McSorley's (Monday)

Healthy Green Gourmet now open on 3rd Avenue (Saturday)

Signage for VVNs Teas arrives on 1st Avenue (Tuesday)

GNC closes location in NYU's Third Avenue North retail space (Monday)

Target debuts on 14th Street (Wednesday)

Zen Yai Pho Shop leaving 6th Street for larger space; new concept TK (Monday)

City removing the Trump-related 'Business As Usual' sculpture from 10th and B (Friday) City sets record for filling pothole; removes Donald Trump mosaic on 2nd Street (Friday)

'A Fresh New Look' coming to the 14th Street McDonald's (Monday)

Report: A new owner for the retail condo space at 13 1st Ave. (Friday)

Signage arrives for The Dumpling Shop on 2nd Avenue (Wednesday)

93 1st Ave. celebrates 24th year of waiting for minor alteration (Thursday)

... and a reader shares this Urban Etiquette Note from a building on Avenue B...



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At the Nuyorican Poets Café block party

The Nuyorican Poets Café held its sixth annual block party this afternoon on Third Street between Avenue B and Avenue C... featuring poetry and music ... food and dancing ... face-painting and sumo wrestling, among other activities... EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by and shared these photos...

Healthy Green Gourmet now open on 3rd Avenue

The deli opened this past week on the northwest corner of Third Avenue and 10th Street... one reader said it was like a much smaller version of Westside Market one-plus block to the north or the same version of Heavenly Market and Deli on the northeast corner of Third Avenue and 11th Street.

This storefront was previously the Red & White Spa, which closed at the end of 2017.

Report: Neglected puppies found in 13th Street apartment are finding new homes

[Image via ASPCA]

Earlier this month, 33 malnourished Shih Tzu-Terrier mixed puppies were reportedly found in a resident's Campos Plaza apartment on 13th Street.

The Post reports today that at least half of the puppies have been adopted, and the rest are in good care.

“ASPCA Animal Hospital and Adoption Center staff have worked diligently over the last two weeks to provide each dog with the medical attention and socialization they needed,” said Howard Lawrence, vice president of ASPCA’s Human Law Enforcement, in a statement to The Post. “We’re pleased that nearly half of the dogs have already been placed in loving homes.”

The resident, named as 57-year-old Ivan Paredes, was charged with torturing, injuring and/or not feeding an animal and neglect of an impounded animal, according to the Post.

Tenants have claimed that NYCHA officials ignored their complaints about the mistreated puppies for months.

Noted

Workers are setting up for a sidewalk extravaganza outside the just-opened Target store on 14th Street and Avenue A... which includes a replica CBGB storefront — called TRGT...





A few readers have already chimed in about this via email (one with a subject line LOL) ... early, unscientific consensus is that this storefront homage is wholly unnecessary.

Updated noon:

Pinch shared this photo of the sidewalk event — complete with wrapping reminiscent of tenement buildings — on 14th Street here at EVGB — the "East Village's Greatest Building" ...



Updated 2:30 p.m.

Brooklyn Vegan paid a visit to the faux storefronts ... erected just for today as part of the Target's official grand opening.

Most notably, this includes an homage to CBGB, with “TRGT” in the old Bowery punk venue’s classic font (with “BANDS” in smaller font right below it), and display windows sporting TRGT t-shirts, “rock on” foam hands, and poster that said “The Resistance.” You couldn’t actually buy that stuff from the stand but, wink wink, they did have “bands” in the form of free boxes Band-Aids and exercise bands with the Target logo on them. Right next to the TRGT was a little stage with a “Battle of the Bands” banner and an oversized novelty Target bass guitar for selfie-ing. I did not enquire about the bathrooms.

Updated 8 p.m.

EVG reder Lola Sáenz shared these photos from the afternoon grand-opening event...





Updated 9 p.m.

Jeremiah Moss has a post on this at Vanishing New York... describing it as "the most deplorable commodification of local neighborhood culture I’ve ever witnessed."

Updated 7/25:

Target issues an apology.

Previously on EV Grieve:
New 7-floor buildings for East 14th Street include 150 residential units

Target offers details about its flexible-format store opening summer 2018 on 14th and A

The disappearing storefronts of East 14th Street