Saturday, July 20, 2024
Saturday's opening shot
Friday, July 19, 2024
Put into 'Practice'
The L.A.-based trio Julie sees the release of its debut record, My Anti-Aircraft Friend, on Sept. 13.
Ahead of that, the band released this single-video for "Clairbourne Practice" that showcases its take on experimental dream pop.
Julie plays Webster Hall on Oct. 22... unfortunately, this is not one of the shows with locals Hello Mary on the bill.
Police: Turf war over drug trade cause of last week's deadly shooting in Tompkins Square Park
Photo (from July 12) by Stacie Joy
Reporting by Stacie Joy
Updated 7/27: Police reportedly arrested two men in connection with the shooting. We are verifying the information with the NYPD.
The NYPD provided an update on last Friday's fatal double shooting in Tompkins Square Park.
According to the police and media accounts, the victim, 74-year-old Fermin Frito, was selling drugs at the chess tables inside the 7th and A entrance when a suspect shot him and another man, 44-year-old Edwin Rivera, just before 10 a.m.
"This is a targeted attack against a perceived drug rival," an NYPD source told us. The source went on to say that this is what happens if you engage in drug activity ... if you are buying or dealing and emphasized that the rest of the Park is safe, including the playgrounds.
NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told reporters that Rivera was allegedly a "steerer" who directed potential clients to Frito. Kenny also said that two crews are fighting over the drug trade in Tompkins, as the Daily News noted.
ABC 7 reported that Frito, who has 13 prior arrests, was stabbed in East Flatbush last month. Police are looking into any possible connection to the TSP shooting.
Our NYPD source said that the fact the police haven't released information about the alleged shooter means they have a pretty good idea who the suspect is and are trying to apprehend him without interference.
The chess tables will be closed behind barricades, as they've been after previous bouts of violence. Our source said this is a short-term solution, and between this and 14th Street, the NYPD will need other city agencies to assist.
10th Street tree freed from death by concrete
On July 6, we noted that a tree outside 85 E. 10th St. between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue was entombed in concrete.
EVG reader Ron, who shared the initial tip and the photo above, saw workers remove the concrete from the tree well on Wednesday. One of the workers said the building had received a fine.
As a reminder... from the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation website... in the tree pit section:
A city tree must battle many urban hazards daily — from air pollution and bicycles to dogs and people. In addition to above-ground threats, tree roots also must contend with tough below-ground conditions. A tree pit or lawn strip provides limited space for these forest giants, and this soil is a tree's only source of nutrients. Because of this, it is essential to create as nurturing a tree pit as possible.
Previously on EV Grieve:
Thursday, July 18, 2024
Thursday's parting shot
Large branch down in Tompkins Square Park
Goggla, who shared these photos, reports this SW corner of the Park is roped off.
There's no word of any injuries.
The chess tables have been barricaded off and under NYPD watch since the deadly double shooting here last Friday.
14th Street residents looking for solutions for the congregating e-bike delivery workers
According to residents on the south side of 14th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue, for several months, there has been a steady increase in e-bike delivery workers congregating as they wait to fulfill deliveries. (Residents acknowledged that this situation isn't unique to this EV block or even neighborhood.)
According to one resident who lives in a building here, "they are brazenly driving on the sidewalks, littering and congesting the walkways for residents, and blocking entrances to local businesses."
The resident went on to say that "the problem has gotten substantially worse." Despite filing complaints with 311 and calling the 9th Precinct and District 2 City Councilmember Carlina Rivera's office, "we haven't had much success."
The resident shared this video clip...
The residents say they're not trying to demonize the delivery workers who rely on their e-bikes to make a living, instead to find a solution for the burgeoning population of the city's deliveristas.
One solution hasn't garnered the necessary support. Local community boards (downtown and on the Upper West Side) have previously nixed plans from the Adams administration to open a rest and recharging facility for app-based delivery workers in former newsstands, as Streetsblog reported in March.
Meanwhile, GrubHub and JOCO, a company that makes rentable e-bikes, teamed up last summer to open "a rest stop" to help improve working conditions for delivery workers. The spaces offer safe places to recharge batteries and access restrooms.
There are now two — a small outpost on West 51st Street that can accommodate 15 people and one on 12th Street just west of Avenue A with a 75-person capacity.
Knitting Factory at Baker Falls temporarily closed for more soundproofing
Reporting by Stacie Joy
Yesterday, Knitting Factory Entertainment announced that Baker Falls was temporarily closed for additional soundproofing, effective immediately.
The bar at Baker Falls will remain open, though without live events in the weeks ahead.
East Village resident Nick Bodor, who has owned and operated several local businesses in the past 25-plus years, including the Library and alt.coffee, is behind Baker Falls, once home to the iconic The Pyramid Club.
"We are so sorry and want to apologize to our artists and their fans as we had to make the very difficult decision to cancel our live performances so we can address some sound-proofing issues and keep doing good work at 101 Avenue A," Bodor told us about the space between Sixth Street and Seventh Street.
Baker Falls had its soft opening just about a year ago.
We've enjoyed seeing live music at the two-level venue, which has a coffee-cafe service during the day and a main-floor bar and the feverdream lounge on the lower level in the evenings.
"We hope we can make it up to all the amazing performers who lost their shows — with very little notice, and we wish we could have done it another way," Bodor said. "But the light at the end of the tunnel is we hope to get them back on stage with a great room sound at the legendary [space] after the summer."
You can follow the KF Instagram for updates. You can also sign up for the Baker Falls newsletter at its website. We'll be continuing to monitor the situation here as well.
Previously on EV Grieve:
• Generation next: Baker Falls will bring together a cafe, bar and the Knitting Factory at the former Pyramid Club on Avenue A (Nov. 28, 2022)
Wednesday, July 17, 2024
Wednesday's parting shot
Previously on EV Grieve:
Noted
Previously on EV Grieve:
Groundbreaking ceremony held for new ABC No Rio building on Rivington Street
Yesterday, several city and local elected officials, along with a handful of activists and other members of the collectively run arts organization, broke ground on the lot.
The City is putting $21 million toward the project via the Department of Cultural Affairs.
Said Cultural Affairs Commissioner Laurie Cumbo: "ABC No Rio embodies the DIY creative energy and legacy of the Lower East Side like few other places."
The environmentally friendly new structure, designed by architect Paul Castrucci, will include a computer lab, print shop, dark room and a zine library, among other amenities. (Find more details here.)
You can read more about the groundbreaking and ABC No Rio history (founded in 1980) at The New York Times... The City ... and Hellgate (email registration required).Broke ground today on @abcnorio’s new arts facility designed by local architect Paul Castrucci. This will be one of the most energy efficient buildings ever built by the city! I have been involved in the fight to make this day possible for the past 30 years. pic.twitter.com/5GAENIwRbO
— Harvey Epstein (@HarveyforNY) July 16, 2024
Per officials, construction is set to start in three weeks... with a 2026 completion date.
We hadn't heard much about the project since the summer of 2020, when DOB signage arrived on the plywood, showing an anticipated completion date of spring 2022 (see below photo from August 2020).
ABC No Rio first unveiled plans for a new home in March 2008.
Its four-story building, said to be in disrepair, was demolished starting in March 2017 ... putting ABC No Rio's programming into "exile" at other arts organizations around the city.
Director Steve Englander shared a Facebook post in December 2019 addressing the latest setback at the site: "After excavating additional test pits to confirm existing conditions at one of the adjacent properties, we determined a redesign of our foundation and support of excavation plans was required." (Demolition of the Streit's Matzo Factory next door and the subsequent construction of the new condoplex on the site complicated ABC No Rio's plans.)
He also stated at the time: "We know that progress with the new building has seemed slow, but please be assured, we are moving forward. It's been tough, and we're glad that you’ve had our back."
Previously on EV Grieve:
• At ABC No Rio's last HardCore/Punk Matinee on Rivington Street (for now)
Director Steve Englander shared a Facebook post in December 2019 addressing the latest setback at the site: "After excavating additional test pits to confirm existing conditions at one of the adjacent properties, we determined a redesign of our foundation and support of excavation plans was required." (Demolition of the Streit's Matzo Factory next door and the subsequent construction of the new condoplex on the site complicated ABC No Rio's plans.)
He also stated at the time: "We know that progress with the new building has seemed slow, but please be assured, we are moving forward. It's been tough, and we're glad that you’ve had our back."
• At ABC No Rio's last HardCore/Punk Matinee on Rivington Street (for now)
Top two photos via @CommishCumbo on X ... last photo, from 1980, by Anton van Dalen
Tuesday, July 16, 2024
EVG Etc.: Those Link5G towers don't actually have 5G; the Swayze days of summer are here
• The Brooklyn builder linked to the Mayor Adams FBI probe is under scrutiny over the new development at 280 E. Houston St., seen above on the right (Gothamist... previously on EVG)
• City records show that just 23 restaurants have hearings scheduled so far for the new outdoor dining program, with just three weeks left to sign up (Streetsblog)
• The man preserving NYC's old signs and marquees, like the old Essex Card Shop signage (The New Yorker)
• Baruch Bathhouse to remain empty as developer moves on from ice rink plan for the Lower East Side (The City)
• Only two of the nearly 200 Link5G towers installed since 2022 have been fitted with 5G equipment (Gothamist ... Curbed ... previously on EVG)
• The three juvenile red-tailed hawks are having a fun summer in Tompkins Square Park (Laura Goggin Photography)
• More details about the two new EV spots from the Unapologetic Foods team (Eater... previously on EVG)
• The Lower East Side's last Jewish pickle maker (The Jewish Chronicle)
• Gov. Hochul signs a package of moped and e-bike safety bills into law (Streetsblog)
• A look back at the work of "actor, agitator, musician, and writer" Zoë Lund, who wrote the screenplay for "The Bad Lieutenant" (Anthology Film Archives)
• The Lazy, Hazy Swayze Days of Summer at Metrograph (Official site)
... and memories...
Super important discovery in @SInow research (for a super niche audience). This ad is from Swimsuit issue 1997 and … isn’t that the matriarch of 2000s Lower East Side dive bar Lucy’s? @kicklikeagirl1 @evgrieve. 99% sure that’s Ludwika “Lucy” Mickevicius pic.twitter.com/Y4F8HI9DqX
— Adam Duerson (@adamduerson) July 15, 2024
Did you hear the one about the Upright Citizens Brigade NYC being in preview mode?
The UCB NY website lists nightly shows inside the two-level space, a former gym, through August.
No word on an official opening date.
Meanwhile, comedy classes are happening, too.
As previously noted, this marks a dual homecoming — first announced last summer — for the comedy brand.
UCB's East Village outpost, UCBeast, wrapped up its eight-plus-year run on Avenue A and Third Street in February 2019. At the time, UCB officials blamed the "extreme costs" of operating in the space for its closing. UCB then presented three nights of programming at SubCulture, a 130-seat venue on Bleecker Street.
Eventually, the whole empire — where Kate McKinnon, Donald Glover, Aubrey Plaza, and Broad City's Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson, among many others — got their start, shut down. Amid ongoing financial difficulties made worse by the beginning of the pandemic, UCB closed all its remaining NYC locations in April 2020... and then in Los Angeles in December 2020.
A comeback was underway starting in March 2022 when longtime talent manager Jimmy Miller and former CEO/Owner of The Onion Mike McAvoy reportedly bought the brand.
Grillify-NYC opens in the former Le Burger space on 5th Street
Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy
New operators have taken over the former Le Burger space at 540 E. Fifth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.
The brother-and-sister team of Estefanie and Luis Cuahutle (above) are running Grillify-NYC.
While a variety of burgers remain a mainstay on the menu, they have expanded the offerings to include tacos, quesadillas, and wings.
Look for various pop-ups and nightly specials along the way.
Hours: 11 a.m. to midnight, Monday through Saturday. You can follow them on Instagram here.
Le Burger opened here in the fall of 2022.
Monday, July 15, 2024
Today in sidewalk sarcasm
Photo by Stacie Joy
As seen on Avenue B between Second Street and Third Street... where not everyone appreciates @7soulsdeep's soulful-ish sidewalk messages such as, "New York isn't the same without you."
Here, someone responded: "Well, thank you. I just robbed 5 people and was sorta feeling bad about it till now."
A blood drive at the 9th Precinct tomorrow (Tuesday)
Save a life, make a difference! The 9th Pct will be holding a Blood Drive Tuesday July 16, from 12:00PM to 6:00PM #donatehttps://t.co/f6pKN2DkWK pic.twitter.com/oWthf2oSQf
— NYPD 9th Precinct (@NYPD9Pct) July 12, 2024
The 9th Precinct is at 321 E. Fifth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue. (Watch where you park!)
Report: East Village building owner plans demolition amid ongoing controversy and litigation
As Crain's New York first reported, Jeremy Lebewohl, owner of the Second Avenue Deli, filed the paperwork with the Department of Buildings (DOB) last Wednesday.
On Nov. 28, as we first reported, 642's residents — many of them in rent-stabilized units — were abruptly vacated after ongoing excavation on a Madison Reality Capital-owned 24-story development next door on the SW corner of Avenue C destabilized building.
Previously on EV Grieve: From the Department of Buildings at the time: "Structural stability of building compromised due to construction operations taking place at 644 E. 14th Street. Heavy cracks in the exterior and interior in addition to separation noted at door frames and floor from wall..."
Lebewohl's attorney, Adam Leitman Bailey, told Crain's that "multiple engineers have now said the building is dangerous and needs to be torn down entirely."
According to a spokesperson, the DOB is reviewing the application but has not issued an emergency demolition order for the property, per Crain's.
With the help of Mobilization for Justice and Take Root Justice, several tenants filed an HP Action against Lebewohl and had their first court appearance on Feb. 9. They allege that Lebewohl, who has owned No. 642 since 1984, was aware of the building's structural issues but never took any action to make repairs.
Paul Messick, an attorney for the tenants, told Crain's that the ongoing litigation should prevent the demolition from taking place. Lebewohl's attorney disputed this claim, saying that the structure was damaged beyond repair.
Meanwhile, next door at the construction site, the work that was temporarily halted in late November and limited to shoring up 642's foundation has been picking up pace in recent months. The first sight of concrete reinforcing bars is (barely) visible above the plywood.
Madison Square Realty is the third owner of the long-empty lot (since 2009) in the past eight years. Madison Realty Capital paid Opal Holdings $31.3 million for the property in May 2020. Opal Holdings bought the parcel in June 2016 from Brooklyn's Rabsky Group for $23 million.
Plans for the latest development were first unveiled in June 2022.
The 24-story, 234-foot-tall building will be known as 14+C and include 197 residential units. There is no word on how many "affordable" units will be included in 14+C, one of the stipulations for being allowed to build a larger (by nine floors) building. (The Rendering below is via Fischer + Makooi Architects.)
There were already approved plans for a 15-floor mixed-use building, though no affordable units were attached to that version. As revealed in the spring of 2021, several developers spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to lobby the city for NYCHA air rights to make this a larger structure with more housing. 
The Ninth Ward plotting its return to 180 2nd Avenue after 8 years
At the time, the owners of the New Orleans-themed bar, Nic Ratner and Robert Morgan, expected to return to the retail space — hopefully in late 2018 — after a gut renovation of the building between 11th Street and 12th Street.
Fast-forward eight-plus years and the Ninth Ward is reapplying for a liquor license for the address. Reps will appear before CB3's SLA committee tonight.
According to their questionnaire on the CB3 website:
The scheduled renovations were planned to take 18 months, but almost immediately ran into complications. Unfortunately, due to the landlord's inexperience, construction delays, and the COVID-19 pandemic, the project has now dragged on for nearly a decade.
The liquor license for Ninth Ward, in safe keeping with the SLA, was renewed on two occasions during the construction. In the third attempt to renew the license, it was cancelled as simply too much time had passed with the business being closed.
Ratner and Morgan opened a Ninth Ward in London in 2017.
As for the building at No. 180, workers finally removed the scaffolding, plywood, and sidewalk obstructions in February.
And after all that, the building is on the sales market for $12.5 million.
The Chicago-based Polish National Alliance was the previous owner of No. 180. The building housed the Józef Pilsudski Institute of America, the largest Polish-American research institution specializing in the recent history of Poland and Central Eastern Europe. (They found a new home in Greenpoint.) According to public records, an LLC bought the building for $6.75 million in June 2014. City Realty listed the new owner as Robert Stern.
Tonight's CB3-SLA meeting starts at 6:30. Find the Zoom link here. This is a hybrid meeting, and there is limited seating available for the public — the first 15 people who show up at the Community Board 3 Office, 59 E. Fourth St. between Second Avenue and the Bowery.
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