Aug. 23, 2009: Remembering Eric 'Taz' Pagan

Today marks the two-year anniversary of the murder of Eric "Taz" Pagan outside Forbidden City on Avenue A. He was 42. (You can read our coverage here.)



Police eventually arrested 29-year-old ex-con Louis Rodriguez, who reportedly ditched the gun in the East River after the shooting. As Michael Wilson at the Times reported on July 26, Justice Richard D. Carruthers of State Supreme Court in Manhattan sentenced Rodriguez to 80 years in prison.

Pagan's sister recalled the moment that she had to tell her mother about the shooting. "And she just broke down. She said, 'Who could have done this to my son?' She became very angry. Why did this happen to her son? She started questioning her faith."

From Pagan's memorial outside Forbidden City. (Forbidden City is now called Fat Buddha.)

Demolishing 'one of the finest East Village houses available'

331 E. Sixth St. was sold for $3.9 million in April 2010, according to StreetEasy.

Here's the listing:

Endless possibilities for this Oasis in the East Village!This south facing, 4 story, plus English Garden floor, mixed use townhouse will be delivered vacant. Situated on a lovely tree lined block location between Second and First Avenues, this home with its magical Tuscan inspired garden proves to be one of the finest East Village houses available. Move right into the owner’s duplex and have a beautiful home with the added benefit of income producing live/work English Garden floor and two large floor thru residential units OR transform it into the single family home of your dreams. So many opportunities for living! All things are possible, spread the word!

Lovely, huh? In fact, the Post featured this in its "Dream Homes" section on June 7, 2007.

As Off the Grid reported last month, the new owners are demolishing the house that dates to 1852. Floor by floor. (The owner is listed as 331 East 6th Street Townhouse LLC C/O Cooley Godward Kronish LLP.)

The demolition permit at the DOB shows that "side masonry walls to remain."

I took this photo last week...

...and Goggla passed this shot along from yesterday. She notes that it looks as if three floors have been shaved off now.

Renderings haven't emerged just yet for the address. But, as Off the Grid noted: "Whatever it is, it will no doubt contribute significantly less to the history and character of the block and neighborhood than its 150 year old predecessor."

When did Ryan Gosling break up that fight on Astor Place?

So you probably saw the video yesterday of Ryan Gosling (or a lookalike!) break up that fight (or whatever you want to call it) on Astor Place ...

Most news outlets said that the skirmish occurred this past weekend... (The video was uploaded on Saturday.)

Several EV Grieve readers pointed out the following: The fight couldn't have happened this past weekend. Where are the Flaming Cactus on the light poles?

Ah, true!

Here's a photo that EV Grieve reader Stephen Popkin sent us yesterday... the light pole in question is the background... Look, zip ties!

Same corner, but a different angle on Aug. 10 ...

Again to a clip from the skirmish...

Workers put up the zip ties on July 30.

The description by Queen of Pinups on YouTube doesn't mention when the fight happened. Anyway, we're not trying to dispel Mr. Gosling's Dreamy McHunkster image here... just curious when this peacemaking occurred. Of course, there are some people who doubt that this is even Gosling... but that can be fodder for another post...

Latest line of defense for keeping Tompkins Square Park clean — adorable artwork by kids

Photos by EV Grieve TSP Ratstravaganza correspondent Bobby Williams.

A glimpse of the incoming 5 Napkin Burger on 14th Street and Third Avenue

Yesterday, workers removed part of the plywood on the Third Avenue side of the incoming 5 Napkin Burger here at 14th Street...

Not much to see, to be honest. The interior still looks pretty raw. Plywood is remains up on the 14th Street.

In October, Patrick Hedlund at DNAinfo reported that a 5 Napkin Burger was opening on the southwest corner of 14th Street and Third Avenue — previously home to Robin Raj.

Double Crown now closed on Bleecker and the Bowery

In case you were wondering what's going on at Double Crown, that big place on the corner of Bleecker and the Bowery. As Diner's Journal reported, the owners decided to close the joint after three years, and reopen it in the fall as something called Saxon & Parole.

Anyway, Double Crown closed after dinner Saturday night's dinner... and they left a note.

Their adjoining bar remains open next door on Bleecker.

Meanwhile, according to LoopNet, the retail space here remains on the market. Per the listing:

The retail condominiums total 6,600 sf, are fully leased to Double Crown Restaurant/Madam Geneva Bar & Lounge and sit at the base of a residential loft building in the heart of the Bowery. The market has experienced a revitalization in recent years and presents a vibrant mix of new residential, retail, hotel, cultural, dining and nightlife offerings. Property Features: 6,600 sf on two levels: 3,400 sf on the Ground Floor and 3,200 sf in the Lower Level. 129 feet of wraparound frontage. Two existing liquor licenses in place. Fully built kitchen. This is a rare opportunity to purchase an income-producing retail condominium on the Bowery with an existing liquor license in-place.

Agata Olek'a yarn cart continues East Village World Tour

Last Thursday, a yarn-covered grocery cart — an Agata Olek original – appeared at Seventh Street and Avenue A ... Someone then promptly filled it with trash ...

Then it was gone.

But. Bobby Williams and his friend Pete tracked it down yesterday at its new home on Second Avenue at Fourth Street...

Previously.

And now, Ryan Gosling helping break up a fight on Astor Place

Well, the last time we saw Ryan Gosling around here, he was helping move furniture on Seventh Street... And now, in this video making the rounds this afternoon (thanks to RyanAvenueA for sending us the link from Jezebel), watch the Oscar nominee break up some sort of skirmish on Astor Place during the weekend... he appears at about the 30-second mark...



Suppose they were fighting about the new Astor Place design?

Why a man urinated in Pulino's sink

In its "Neighborhood News" section this week, New York magazine makes note of the following...

Meanwhile, I've worked "urinated" and "poop" into headlines today. Banner day.

Follow EV Grieve on Twitter

... and receive timely on-the-go news analysis... Such as!

Go right here.

Report: Upright Citizens Brigade booking shows next month at East Village location

An EV Grieve reader sent along a link to a recent post on the Comic's Comic that provides some details on the Upright Citizens Brigade's East Village outpost on Avenue A. Sure has been quiet here of late. Workers even removed all the signs.

But! As Sean L. McCarthy reported:

UCB people told The Comic's Comic ... that they're "getting ready to open" UCB East, and I've already received word from some shows booking gigs there in September. The aim of UCB East is to provide a home for more stand-up and variety shows, thereby allowing the main UCB New York City theater in Chelsea to open up more primetime hours for improv and sketch.

So there's still time for residents to get outraged by something connected to this location.

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] Your 'Hot Chicks Room' sign update

[Updated] Resident starting a petition to have the 'Hot Chicks Room' sign removed at the Upright Citizens Brigade

Breaking: UCB will remove the 'Hot Chicks Room' sign!

Let's make this Cornell Edwards Way

Cornell Edwards, who opened The Flower Stall at 143 E. 13th St. in 1967 and ran it for 43 years at this location, passed away last spring. His partner Bill is leading an effort to have East 13th Street between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue designated as Cornell Edwards Way.

You can sign the petition by stopping by the Flower Stall or Stock next door...

Previously.

More rat baiting stations arrive in Tompkins Square Park

Yesterday, we noted the arrival of a rat-baiitng station in Tompkins Square Park ... right near the playground at Avenue A and Ninth Street... newly appointed EV Grieve TSP Ratstravaganza correspondent Bobby Williams noticed six later in the day...

Meanwhile, no word yet if Ramy Issac will design additional floors for the rat-baiting stations.

BMW Guggenheim Lab removes poop just like everyone else

[Photo by Steve Carter]

Well, with all that think tanking going on here, we figured they'd have come up with a novel urbanistic, sustainable solution for waste removal by now. But, to be fair, they still have until Oct. 16 ...

New East Village IHOP will employ more than 200 people

On Saturday, we pointed out the newly unveiled exterior of the East Village IHOP on East 14th Street between Third Avenue and Second Avenue ... Meanwhile, Jennifer London, who operates Xoom across the street, met the new manager, who said that IHOP was hiring more than 200 people to start. Quite an operation...

And EV Grieve reader Tom wonders is this exterior will be similar to the Harlem IHOP location...

Previously.

Veselka Bowery now has ... stationery!

Tomorrow, we compare the toilet paper to the Veselka mothership. Plus, OK — they likely had the stationery for awhile now... just not on display in the front window.

The Cardinal opens today on East Fourth Street

We've been keeping an eye on The Cardinal, the incoming Southern-style restaurant on East Fourth Street near Avenue B. According to UrbanDaddy (via Grub Street), the place opens today.

As Daniel Maurer at the Local first reported, former Bubby's chef Curtis Brown is behind the bi-level space; that American Apparel CEO Dov Charney is a backer.

And, via UrbanDaddy, here's a look at the menu ...

We're very confident the BBQ will look better than this.

[Repost] BareBurger coming to former Sin Sin space on Second Avenue

We first posted his Friday around 5 ... so in case you missed it...

Another outpost of the organic hamburglar BareBurger is opening on Second Avenue at the site of the former Sin Sin space. This after the bakery-cafe-bar concept died.

Check out their menu here (PDF)

New: On Friday evening, EV Grieve reader Stephen Popkin happened by the BareBurger location in Murray Hill ... and sent along these photos ...

Report: fake real estate agent soaks 2 people for security deposits

From the NYPD Daily Blotter in the Post today:

An East Village real-estate agent turned out to be one big phony, authorities said. Renato Bardini, 48, showed an apartment seeker a place on East Third Street near First Avenue last month, authorities said.

The victim wanted to move in and gave Bardini a $500 security deposit and a $75 “application fee.”
The faux agent also showed the apartment to another victim, who gave him more than $3,000 for rent, deposits and fees.

It’s not clear how the fraudster accessed the apartment. Bardini was charged with third-degree grand larceny, scheming to defraud and petit larceny.

Today in Lamborghinis on Great Jones Street and the Bowery

Before the rain... Not the EV Lambo, though ... Photo by Bobby Williams...

P.S.
In case you never saw this. Phew! Good for you!

At the Red Bull Manny Mania 2011

At the Red Bull Manny Mania 2011 in Coleman Park under the Manhattan Bridge.

Photos by John Marshall Mantel.

Week in Grieview: Hard rain, dead trees — and truck nuts

[Watch out Flaming Cactus!]

Workers chopped down trees at 51 Astor Place (Monday)

It rained and stormed and stuff (Friday)

We wondered about the future of Nevada Smith's (Friday)

Bowery Beef leaving the Bowery Poetry Club? (Thursday)

A model and snow on Great Jones (Tuesday)

Spotting truck nuts (Tuesday)

A suspicious fire at the Flea Market Cafe (Tuesday)

A 33-unit apartment building to rise at the former home of a Community Board 3 member (Monday)

Open Mic Night returned to the Sidewalk (Monday)

Your "Lower Manhattan Theme Song 2011" (WOO!) (Wednesday)

And now, 5 random photos from this weekend

Noting some defensive rat tactics in Tompkins Square Park

A few items to note about the defensive tactics vs. the Tompkins Square Park rat population...

For starters, Park workers yesterday removed the decorative trash can wraps that prompted critter-friendly pile ups...

Before!

Now!

We also noticed the presence of a lone baiting station adjacent to the playground on Avenue A at Ninth Street...

There may be others, but we didn't spot them...

We previously noted the arrival of "feed a pigeon, breed a rat" signs ... Will any of this help head off another Media Ratstravaganza?

In a way, it seems as if they never left

Chase branch on the Bowery near First Street.