Report: Uber driver collides with 3 parked cars on Avenue D

Just after 10 this morning, an Uber driver reportedly sideswiped several parked cars on Avenue D near Fifth Street before flipping his vehicle.

EVG reader Sylvia G. shared these photos...



According to the Daily News, after hitting two unoccupied parked cars, the driver rear-ended a vehicle that was double-parked with someone inside. The Uber driver's black Toyota sedan overturned from the force of the impact, trapping him inside.

EMTs took the Uber driver and the victim in the double-parked vehicle to Mount Sinai Beth Israel for neck and back injuries, per the News. No word on what caused the collision. No charges have been filed yet against the Uber driver.

Week in Grieview

[Photo on 7th Street yesterday by Derek Berg]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

A (familiar) new owner for the 11th Street Bar (Monday)

7-story residential building pending at the former Lucky Cheng's space (Friday)

When Caitlin met Cáit (Thursday)

Bird watch: A nesting American robin on 3rd Street and Avenue B (Tuesday)

Inkstop Tattoo closing later this summer after 21 years on Avenue A and 13th Street (Wednesday)

Mast Books launches sale ahead of short move on Avenue A (Tuesday)

Mikey Likes It returns after short closure for repairs (Monday)

Introducing Grant Shaffer's NY See (Thursday)

On the sales market: 428 E. 13th St. (plus air rights) (Thursday)

Afandi Grill bringing food from Central Asia to 1st Avenue (Thursday)

The buzz at La Plaza Cultural (Wednesday)

Former Lovecraft space for rent on Avenue B (Tuesday)

Dian Kitchen now serving rice noodles on 9th Street (Monday)

Icon Realty shaves $4 million off of its 9th Street townhouse ask (Tuesday)

24 St. Mark's Place sells for $12.9 million (Tuesday)

Suffolk Arms signage stripped away; Suffolk Arms V2 on the way? (Monday)

Beer and wine notice for Fire & Water on 7th Street (Monday)

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Noted

A Fleet Week participant last night on Second Avenue at 10th Street ...



James and Karla Murray, who shared these photos, noted the vehicle-craft had Montana plates.

The Undead headlines tomorrow's free show in Tompkins Square Park

Tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon in Tompkins Square Park... via the EVG inbox...

Celebrate the commemoration of the May 27, 1991 Tompkins Square police riot, with political activist speakers, info tables and intense bands, including:

• The Undead
• Coach N' Commando
• Nihilistics
• SPIKE Polite and Sewage NYC
• Universal Truth Machine
• Karnage

Reversal of 'Fortune'

Protomartyr's new EP, Consolation, comes out on June 15 via Domino USA.

The above video is for "Wheel of Fortune," one of two songs on that EP featuring Kelley Deal of the Breeders.

A blue jay harasses Christo atop St. Brigid's

Multiple sources said that Christo the red-tailed hawk was taking a break from the egg-watching duties in the nest in Tompkins Square Park... when a pesky blue jay moved in for an unprovoked dive bomb atop St. Brigid's on Avenue B at Eighth Street... EVG correspondent Steven captured the attack...

EV Grieve Etc.: NYC's disappearing affordable housing; more on the MoMa-MoMaCha lawsuit

[Photo in Tompkins Square Park by Derek Berg]

ICYMI — An investigation into how the city's affordable housing stock is being wiped out by tenant harassment and displacement (The New York Times)

Steve Croman tenants on Ridge Street have a message for their landlord (The Lo-Down)

The health department issues warnings about cocaine laced with fentanyl that is circulating in the city (NY1)

Disability advocates rally for subway accessibility at the Third Avenue L stop (Town & Village)

Vegan Live NYC happens tomorrow at the Sixth Street Community Center (Facebook)

The latest on the MoMa-MoMaCha lawsuit (Artsy ... previously)

What to order at Zen Yai Pho Shop on Sixth Street (Eater ... previously)

Extensive film series highlights 1968 and the political and social events that took place throughout the world (Film Anthology Archives ... Metrograph)

Starting today, you can shoot arrows and throw axes at Gotham Archery on Allen Street (Metro)

A look at the former Julian’s pool hall on 14th Street (Ephemeral New York)

John and Yoko late night on WNET (Dangerous Minds)

Revisiting Canal Street (Flaming Pablum)

... and art by Cate McNider adorns the walls at Sister Jane on 13th Street through July 11...

A special premiere at Theater for the New City

[Image via Facebook]

On Sunday afternoon at 2, Theater for the New City is unveiling a state-of-the-art, wheelchair-accessible elevator as part of the Lower East Side Festival of the Arts.

Via the EVG inbox:

The elevator will serve TNC’s fourth theater on the lower level as well as its costumes, props and mask collection, additional audience bathrooms and much used rehearsal room. It will also offer access to the theater’s archives...

TNC is billing this as a grand opening complete with ribbon cutting and champagne as the theater names the elevator The Gerald Rupp, after its largest individual donor, who will be present and take the first ride.

“The elevator will support disabled individuals and the frail elderly, as part of Theater for the New City’s push for complete diversity in audience, as well as, the stage,” Crystal Field, executive artistic director, said.

The first 50 attendees will be able to follow suit and everyone attending will get a chance to test out the elevator’s internal telephone.

Kitty Lunn, dancer, choreographer, director of Infinity Dance company for abled and disabled dancers will host the event. The Infinity Dance Company and Yip Harburg Foundation’s Rainbow troupe will perform.

Theater for the New City is at 155 First Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street. You can find the rundown for the 23rd annual Lower East Side Festival of the Arts here. The programming starts tonight at 6.

7-story residential building pending at the former Lucky Cheng's space

[Photo of 24 1st Ave. from April]

Developer Sergey Rybak filed plans with the city yesterday for a 7-floor, 22-unit residential building at 99-101 E. Second St., part of the L-shaped assemblage that once housed Lucky Cheng's. In total, the building will encompass 19,000 square feet, as The Real Deal first reported.


[Photo of 99-101 2nd St. from April]

As we first reported in March, Rybak, of the South Brooklyn-based Rybak Development, was the winning bidder during an auction in February. According to EPIC Commercial Realty, who represented the buyer and the seller, the winning bid was $12.25 million.

So far, there aren't any demolition permits on file.



Hayne Suthon, who owned and and operated Lucky Cheng's, the cross-dressing cabaret, also lived on the upper floors at 24 First Ave. She died of cancer at age 57 in June 2014.

No. 99-101 Second St. housed a variety of short-lived restaurants in recent years, including Bento Burger ... Marfa... and Waikiki Wally's.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Onetime home of Lucky Cheng's and adjacent property on the development market for $26 million

Building that housed Lucky Cheng's on 1st Avenue now on the auction block

Onetime home of Lucky Cheng's and adjacent property sell for $12 million

The 31st annual Loisaida Festival is Sunday

This year's Loisaida Festival takes place from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday (rain or no rain) in its usual place — along Avenue C from Sixth Street to 12th Street.

Here's more about this year's edition, via the EVG inbox...

This year’s Loisaida Festival aims to connect local community-based and led efforts in Loisaida’s recovery and resurgence post-Sandy, to the many grassroots and emergent leader efforts that have taken hold in Puerto Rico that have brought hope to communities and empowered local residents to unite and act on their own behalf. “Bridging Resurgence: From Sandy to Maria,” the 2018 Loisaida Festival theme, is also an urgent reminder of the continuing struggle of those still recovering from Hurricane Maria’s devastation of the Island. The Loisaida Center remains committed to the Island’s recovery as an affirmation of our neighborhood’s Puerto Rican heritage.

And here are some links to what you can expect to find ... on the main stage, hosted by Flaco Navaja and Jeannie Sol... at the Loisaida Festival Community Parade, which starts Sunday at 11 a.m. ... and read more about the Festival poster that Gustavo Castrodad created here.

Also on Sunday, four VIVA Loisaida Award honorees will be recognized. The recipients are Damaris Reyes, executive director of GOLES; Aixa Torres, president of the Alfred E. Smith Houses Tenant Association; the Rivera-Fargas family, whose mother, Adela Fargas, owner of Casa Adela, died in January; and Dr. Manuel Moran, founder and artistic director of the Society of Educational Arts (and founder of Teatro Sea at the Clemente).

A post shared by The Loisaida Festival (@loisaidafest) on May 21, 2018 at 12:05pm PDT

Trinity Lower East Side Lutheran Parish celebrating 175 years this weekend

On Sunday, Trinity Lower East Side Lutheran Parish is celebrating its 175th year in the neighborhood.

Via the EVG inbox...

On Sunday, May 27, we will gather with our congregation, elected officials, and community leaders for worship with Bishop Don McCoid of the Metropolitan New York Synod presiding and former Pastor and founder of Trinity's Services And Food for the Homeless, Pr. Bob Wollenburg preaching.

Broadway musicians and the TLES choir will provide special music. After worship, we will meet for a toast, presentations by community leaders, a catered reception, and live music in our garden on the corner of 9th Street and Avenue B.

Find more info here.

Meanwhile, church reps recently unearthed this short documentary from 1992 that was created as a fundraising appeal for the building that the church currently resides in on Ninth and B...

Grant Shaffer's NY See

[Click on image for more detail]

East Village-based illustrator Grant Shaffer recently introduced a new comic series, NY See. It's an observational sketch diary of things that he sees and hears around NYC — mostly in the East Village.

Starting today, we'll share the panels here in an ongoing feature.

When Caitlin met Cáit

Caitlin, a U.K. native who recently completed her Ph.D. in molecular biology, works part-time at Confectionery, the sweet shop on Ninth Street near Avenue A.

EVG correspondent Steven was recently talking with Caitlin at Confectionery. She mentioned that her parents named her after Caitlín "Cáit" O'Riordan, who played bass for The Pogues, the Celtic punk band.

It just so happens that O'Riordan, a singer-songwiter (and bassist), lives in the East Village these days. Steven met her several months ago, and approached her about saying hello to Caitlin. She agreed.

And so the other day, Cáit went to the shop to see Caitlin, who was was surprised and extremely happy about meeting her namesake.

Caitlin later reported:

My goodness! My mum's beyond excited — she's telling EVERYONE she knows!

I think she wishes she could've been here to meet her. She's so happy though!

Afandi Grill bringing food from Central Asia to 1st Avenue

Coming soon signage is up now at 149 First Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street for Afandi Grill, which will offer cuisine from Central Asia ...



The website advertised on the poster isn't live just yet... so not sure of their menu, presumably featuring cuisine from Central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.

This is a pretty small space, so it may primarily serve as a to-go operation. The storefront has been vacant since This Little Piggy Had Roast Beef closed in March 2014. A psychic adviser has been set up outside of late.

Thanks to Steven for the photos!

Previously on EV Grieve:
So you want to rent the former This Little Piggy Had Roast Beef space

Landlord tells residents of 149 First Ave. that they need to vacate ahead of demolition

On the sales market: 428 E. 13th St. (plus air rights)

Over on 13th Street, No. 428, a 4-story walkup between Avenue A and First Avenue, arrived on the sales market this week.

The listing at Streeteasy ominously notes: "Will be delivered vacant. Single-family conversion."

Broker Marcus & Millichap has more details, such as there are "2,800 remaining developable square feet."

The building, under the same ownership since 1973, currently features three apartments, one commercial space, one art studio and an unrenovated rear building. The art studio apparently connects the front and rear buildings.

No. 428 is near several new high-end developments, including the Thirteen East + West condoplexes a few doors away and Benenson Capital's 432-438 East 14th St. at the site of the former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office.

And the asking price: $9.75 million.

Wednesday's parting shot

Post-cow cleaning outside Paul's Da Burger Joint today on Second Avenue at St. Mark's... photo by Derek Berg

Straight story on this section of the 10th Street bike lane

stay in your lane 🚴‍♂️🌖🌓🌔🐍

A post shared by Peter Sutherland (@petersutherland) on May 14, 2018 at 4:09pm PDT

EVG regular Daniel reports that the formerly wonky 10th Street bike lane between First Avenue and Avenue A is a straight line again...



... and with the minivan conveniently blocking the bike lane...



And for future reference ... as Daniel noted... you can make a 311 request to take care of street-line/bike-lane issues with the city here.

A discussion next week on 'the State of the LES'

Next Wednesday night, Downtown Art and FABnyc are hosting a community gathering titled "the State of the LES."

According to the invite, this discussion, part of Lower East Side History Month, is a chance for residents to:

Hear the big picture from people who know it! Come connect with local leaders — hear and converse on the leading issues currently impacting the Lower East Side.

Topics will include affordable housing, resiliency, preservation, zoning and small business, immigrant services, transportation, and arts and culture. (There isn't any mention yet about who will be leading these conversations.)

The event is next Wednesday, May 30, at Downtown Art, 70 E. Fourth St. between Second Avenue and the Bowery.

The doors open at 6:15 p.m., and "the State of the LES" gets underway at 6:30 p.m.

It's free to attend, though you do need to RSVP here.

Inkstop Tattoo closing later this summer after 21 years on Avenue A and 13th Street

Eric Rignall, the owner of Inkstop Tattoo on Avenue A at 13th Street, recently announced via Instagram that the shop was closing by Aug. 1 after 21 years in business on this corner.

However, he will continue working by appointment only from a new space in Queens.

I asked Rignall more about the situation. I wondered if the six new luxury residential buildings that have either opened or are in the process of welcoming tenants within a two-block radius, including Steiner East Village and Extell's EVGB, played a role in the move.

For starters, he said that the Ink Stop landlord has 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."


[Photo of Rignall from January by James Maher]

Rignall lives in Queens, and working closer to home "with a much lower overhead is the right choice for me to make."

Meanwhile, the corner space is now on the market. The listing notes that it's a "perfect space for office or retail. No cooking. Microwave is allowed."

Read our interview with Ringall from January 2017 here.

The buzz at La Plaza Cultural

The other day we received news from La Plaza Cultural, the community garden on the southwest corner of Ninth Street and Avenue C.

The garden now has bees, which arrived last Wednesday. (The hives were put in on May 12.)

Here's more from the La Plaza newsletter...

Nestled under a tree, in the Southwest corner of La Plaza, you will find a newly established hive of honeybees.

The colony starts small and will grow taller with more numerous honeybees as the year progresses. Hard-working honeybees are inside building comb and raising babies; outside they are foraging for nectar, pollen and water. Honeybees are gentle, industrious creatures that create beauty in our world and pollinate our food supply.

At La Plaza, Marga Snyder and Grai Rice are the beekeepers establishing this colony for the joy and education of all. Many years ago, there had been two colonies on the roof of the toolshed, long before it became legal again to tend hives in the city limits, and it is a complete delight to bring the bees back.

You can sit quietly and watch them, and listen to the gentle hum of the hive. What you need to know is that they are not aggressive, however they are scared by fast motion and vibration. Grai Rice from HoneybeeLives.org will be doing a couple of hive introductions to garden members, once the colony is more established and honeybees are accustomed to their new urban environment.

Photos courtesy of La Plaza...