Thursday, June 16, 2022
City once again closes the area around the chess tables in Tompkins Square Park
Zine Fair returns to St. Mark's Place this Saturday
Last year's event was a wonderful celebration of independent publishers, zine makers, and East Village DIY culture and history. Join us as we come together once again for this new zine fair tradition on St. Mark's Place. Free and open to the public.
Like the 2021 edition (relive it here!), there will be corresponding events in several neighborhood community gardens...
Find more details here.Suki Japanese Kitchen expands in East Village relocation
Sales underway at the 'bespoke' La Botanica on 6th Street
The penthouse soaks in the East Village streetscape through its two-story-high, 23-foot-wide, black steel-framed glass wall that opens to a pair of Juliet balconies. The soaring, double-height living room overlooks the garden across the street. Looking south, this glorious vista includes the stepping roof gable and ivy-covered brick and terracotta facades of the Calvert Vaux-designed former school building across the street.
Wednesday, June 15, 2022
Noted
'Alien' nation: East Village duo the Acute release debut full-length record
Wash day for Temperance Fountain in Tompkins Square Park
Desert Rose Café has apparently closed on 9th Street
Coming soon: Ando Patisserie on 10th Street; Unique Omakase on 1st Avenue
Openings: Fries Factory on 14th Street
Tuesday, June 14, 2022
Tuesday's parting shot
Proposed plans now call for a 24-story residential building on 14th Street and Avenue C
The application seeks to modify the boundaries of the previously approved plans and zoning calculations by expanding the zoning lot to include 644 East 14th Street (Block 396, Lot 29). Through the zoning lot merger, the development rights from the existing LSRD comprised of Campos Plaza I and II, which are owned by a joint venture that includes NYCHA ... can be transferred to Block 396, Lot 29, a vacant property owned by Madison Realty Capital.
Concerns over new plans
Essex Card Shop getting closer to reopening on Avenue A
Monday, June 13, 2022
Remembering Jose Fernandez
I've been here for four months now. I am looking for a one-bedroom apartment for my wife and me. I'm retired now. I was a superintendent and building manager for buildings on the Lower East Side. When I was younger, I worked for the Board of Education on Eldridge Street and Forsyth. A friend of mine was sleeping here on Ninth Street, and he was leaving his tent, so I took it. I get a pension and Social Security. Being homeless is not easy, including with the police department. They are very rude. They want us out of here. My wife is Amalia Jordan; we're common law. She’s staying at Masaryk Towers.
During the vigil today, the NYPD and other city agencies returned to this sidewalk space and tossed the belongings of the individuals here.
Here's more from 1010 WINS, in a bad-look story for the city administration, "Cops sweep East Village homeless encampment during vigil for dead resident."
Mourners, including residents, neighbors, activists and a reverend from the church across the street, were outraged that police had chosen to carry out the sweep during the vigil.
And...
After police and sanitation workers had finished destroying the camp, the vigil continued as planned, though maybe tinged with more anger and bitterness than it otherwise would have been.
As 1010 WINS noted, "After getting robbed twice in city shelters, Hernandez decided he preferred to live on the streets — where he spent his final years as his health failed."
He lost all his clothes and stockpile of food during a sweep in March.
"The sanitation truck stands there, and they start throwing everything in the truck," he said. "I was living there… They throw all the stuff out, clothing. They were begging but they didn't care."
East Village Loves NYC issues a fundraising appeal to help continue feeding New Yorkers in need
"The support we've received from our community over the past day has been absolutely incredible. Hundreds of calls, texts, voicemails, to let us know that you refuse to see us go.
We don't want to go. We want to keep helping the city we love, while building lasting memories with you and our community. We want to continue spreading love and helping those who need it most."
You can find the GoFundMe link here.
Report: Office building for 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place moving forward after developer secures $70-million loan
As of 2019, REEC was shooting for top-dollar rents at the boutique office building, planning to ask for around $150 per square foot. It's not clear what the developer will be seeking when the project finally comes to fruition. The office market has been decimated in the wake of the pandemic. A recent analysis predicted that by 2029, the city's office stock will drop in value by 28 percent, or roughly $49 billion, due to lease revenue falling and remote work rising further.
Madison has owned the $48 million loan package backed by REEC's East Village property since 2019. The real-estate private equity firm acquired the debt from South Korean financial services firm Hana Financial group, which provided REEC $79.1 million of debt and sold the $48 million portion to Madison Realty Capital.
Madison filed a complaint with the state Supreme Court in Manhattan, alleging that REEC defaulted on the $48 million mortgage, which combines an acquisition loan and construction loans.
In any event, expect work to ramp up again after months of inactivity. Last October, workers removed the barriers around the work site... allowing pedestrians to use the sidewalks again — for the first time since the barricades arrived in June 2020.