When we almost lost St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery to a fire

[Photo via]

On July 27, 1978, a fire nearly destroyed the St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery, long a focal point of the community. At the time of the blaze, workers were nearly done with a $500,000 restoration of the historic church on Second Avenue and East 10th Street.

According to an account by Tom Sotor in the East Side Express:

The fire began when a workman's welding instrument ignited a section of the timber cornice, and from there the blaze spread rapidly. "Smoke was pouring out of the hell tower when we arrived," recalls one of the first firefighters on the scene. "I said to myself, 'This ceiling's going to go.' And sure as hell, there was a partial collapse." The rear section of the 50-foot high peaked roof collapsed a half-hour after the fire began.

The 75 firefighters involved with the three-alarm blaze Were faced with many other problems as well. A six-foot iron fence that surrounded the church and a graveyard on one side prevented the companies from utilizing anything but portable equipment. Consequently, a tower ladder had to be employed to spray the front and rear, while the sides of the church remained practically unassailable.

There was also danger of the 150-foot steeple collapsing. "We kept an eye on the steeple'supports," explains John J. Moffatt, the commander in charge of the fire. "If it fell, we would have had a lot of injuries."

There weren't any reported injuries... though the fire caused major damage to the church, including the loss of the roof and nine of the 23 stained-glass windows.

[Via East Side Express]

The Citizens to Save St Mark's was founded to raise funds for its reconstruction ... supervised by architect Harold Edelman. The restoration was completed in 1986, with new stained-glass windows designed by Edelman, who personally supervised the entire project, according to his obit in the Times from 1999.

And a little snippet of the history via the Church website:

The St. Mark’s Church and its yards are just a few reminders of the once vast “bouwerie,” or Dutch plantation, which Peter Stuyvesant, governor of New Amsterdam purchased in 1651 from the Dutch West India Company. When Stuyvesant died in 1672, his body was interred in a vault under the family chapel he’d had built in 1660. In 1793, Stuyvesant’s great-grandson, Petrus Stuyvesant, donated the chapel property to the Episcopal Church with the stipulation that a new chapel be erected and on April 25, 1795, the cornerstone of St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery was laid.

Bike rentals at Busy Bee

[Bobby Williams]

We've been writing about the upcoming Smurf Bike Citi Bikes share ... we meant to note that Busy Bee on East Sixth between First Avenue and Avenue A offers one of the above bikes — $30 for 24 hours...

60 hours of Conrad Schnitzler on East First Street this weekend

[Via AVA]

Via a post at Gallerist, we learn the following: Audio Visual Arts on East First Street (just east of Second Avenue) is presenting a nonstop marathon of the audio work of the late German artist and musician Conrad Schnitzler outside its storefront. Per AVA — Nothing will be repeated.

The Schnitzler starts at 6 tonight and runs through to 6 a.m. on Monday.

Some Schnitzler background via AVA:

Conrad Schnitzler (1937 – 2011) is legendary in the German electronic and avant-garde music scene as a founding member of Tangerine Dream and of Kluster, but his intermedia work from the 60s, 70s and 80s is far less known. On the anniversary of his passing, New Yorkers will have a rare opportunity to see and hear many of his seminal multi-channel concerts and film/video works, most of which have never been screened or performed in the US until now.

First of the Tompkins Square Park Riot Reunion shows this Sunday

From the EV Grieve inbox...

THE TOMPKINS SQUARE REBELLION IS ON!!

24th ANNUAL TSP RIOT REUNION!! Commemorate the anniversary of the mini police riot of July 30, 1988, followed a week later by the infamous 6 hour riot inside and outside of Tompkins Square Park on August 6, 1988, in which hundreds of "New York's Finest" from all over the city descended on our neighborhood, indiscriminately clubbing anyone in their sights in furtherance of a non-existent midnight park curfew.

Where: Tompkins Square Park: When: July 29 + August 4 + 5, 2012

These shows celebrate the vitality of the counter cultural scene that has survived on the Lower East Side, despite the rampant gentrification, soaring rents and lost venues that have contributed to the cultural genocide sweeping New York City.

Sunday, July 29:
Blest Mess
Dust Angel
Gas NYC
Nihilistics
Rejuvenate
Iconicide

We'll post the lineups for the shows on Aug. 4 and 5 later next week...

A Mystery Lot slice of life

From last evening... via EVG reader Katja... featuring an NY1 crew... an NYPD cruiser ... and more ...

Posts featuring stuffed animals that we never got around to posting

Derrrrecho!

[Bobby Williams]

[Bobby Williams]

[EVG reader Katja]

Meanwhile, right before the end of the world...

AKA more photos of the derecho (a derecho?) ... Hey, more incoming storm photos ... these shots via EVG reader Tony Devers...

In case you already haven't done so, RUN! HIDE!

Oh, just cashing in on the bad weather hysteria... Still, be careful out there...

[Via @edwardzick]

[Via EVG reader Chris M]

Reader report: Potential geyser on East 12th Street?

A reader notes that people have called 311 to report water bubbling up through a crack on East 12th Street.

"They said to call 911 if it gets worse. People are stopping to check it out. Maybe I should charge admission to this natural wonder."

More demolition shots from 193 Avenue B

Earlier today, we noted that workers were now demolishing the old theater on 185-193 Avenue B... EVG reader Rik Rocket shared some photos from the start of work yesterday....

Demolition finally starting at formerly historic counterculture theater

After a few false starts, demolition is under way at the long-empty 185-193 Avenue B at East 12th Street. EVG reader Ron Z sent along these shots from today....

There are plans waiting approval at the DOB for a mixed-use seven-story building with 44 units. (You can read a short history of what's happening with the space here.)

The address was a movie theater for many years, first the Bijou in 1926, then the Charles. (The theater closed in 1975, and a church took over the space.) A fire broke out in the building in October 2006.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Revival planned for church and theater on Avenue B

Inside the Charles

Former landmark countercultural theater now for rent on Avenue B

7-story building in the works to replace former countercultural theater/church on Avenue B

More drama at 50-58 E. Third St.; 'heavy construction' awaits tenants who stay

Here's more on the saga of 50-58 E. Third St. As Curbed noted, the new owners are GRJ, a fund co-founded and co-managed by brothers Graham and Gregory Jones. (Pictured.) They closed the 78-unit, three-building package for $23.5 million.

Someone slipped this following note under the door of the building's remaining tenants...

Good afternoon,

I wanted to send you an email to introduce myself as I will likely see you around the building in the coming weeks. I work with GRJ who is the new owner of 50-58 East 3rd Street. As you may have heard, GRJ has extensive plans to renovate 50, 54, and 58 East 3rd Street and I am personally speaking with all tenants about relocation opportunities and buyouts.

Many units on your floor and the floors above you and below you are already vacant or will be vacant in the next few weeks. Heavy construction will begin in all of the units and hallways in 30 days and many tenants have accepted our offer as most people aren't interested in living in a building that is under construction and they would much rather move during the summer months.

Are you available to speak this week? Please give me a call at the number below. Thank you in advance and I look forward to speaking with you.

Meanwhile, we also hear that tenants who live in basement apartments were given notice that they had 10 days to vacate their homes ... given that that space was zoned with the city as storage/commercial space ... and their apartments were now deemed "illegal dwellings."

However, according to the tenants, the previous landlord renovated the spaces into habitable apartments. Some tenants still have time left on their leases for these units...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Reader report: Three apartment buildings sold on East Third Street

Advocate for East Third Street buildings moving to Washington Heights

More about the lease renewals at 50, 54 and 58 E. Third St.

Tenants at 50, 54 and 58 E. Third St. banding to together in face of building sale

Tenants turn detectives to out short-term rentals and illegal hotel guests

This past weekend, The New York Times published a piece about residents of Stuy Town listing their apartments as hotel rooms on the website AirBnB.com.

(For most residential buildings, a 2010 law prohibits rentals of fewer than 30 days. Although those who microsublet for fewer than 30 consecutive days and remain present in the unit along with their guests — and those who don't accept money from renters while away on vacation — are exempt, according to city officials, as the Post recently pointed out.)

Short-term rentals of this nature have been a problem for the housing complex for about two years and residents are concerned about things like bed bug infestations – which are on the rise — and security risks. Unhappy with CWCaptial and Rose Associates' response to the ongoing problem, residents have taken their frustration to the Tenants Association's Facebook page, posting links and the names and addresses of the hosts. From the article:

John Marsh, vice president of the tenants’ association, blamed the complexes’ leasing agent, Rose Associates, for not policing the “explosion of short-term rentals.” The tenants, in partnership with Brookfield Asset Management, are trying to buy the properties.

“It’s odd that people who are not private investigators can take these people’s information and find them on the Internet,” Mr. Marsh said. “Given that capability, you would imagine that someone like Adam Rose, who is quite resourceful, can do the same,” he added, referring to the co-president of Rose Associates.

In response, Joe DePlasco, a spokesman for Rose Associates and CW Capital, which took control of the two complexes in 2010 after Tishman Speyer defaulted on the property, says they have sent sent cease-and-desist letters to 50 tenants since the middle of last year.

In related short-term hotel news, two apartments at 31 St. Marks Place appear to have surfaced on another short-term rental website, manhattanbnb.com. A tipster believes the apartment listed as “#15 St. Marks Place” is really an apartment at located at 31 St. Marks Place.

Says the tipster:

"I’m curious about the development of two of the apartments in the building being used as hotel rooms aimed at tourists.

I stumbled upon this website www.manhattanbnb.com with the cringe-worthy motto “Live Like We Live!” which lists one of the apartments in 31 Saint Marks Place as “#15 St Marks Place”

I don’t understand how one couple with the cutesy name, John n’ Lucy, have all these apartments in the neighborhood to let out to tourists. John n’ Lucy certainly have never lived in my building.

Now that the media outlets such as the Times are on the story, more and more residents are feeling empowered to do something about the short-term rentals in their buildings. We'll be posting more of these moving forward...

Previously on EV Grieve:
The house rules of a short-term rental on St. Mark's Place

Thanks for the Plywood Blogging Portals!

We've been meaning to do this since the plywood fence went up last month around the incoming apartment complex at 74-84 Third Avenue...

Thank you for including Plywood Blogging Portals... these handy portals will make our job so much easier to snoop around and take photos of the construction minutiae... we're getting up in our blogging years, so this will save us from climbing, jumping or rappelling...

Still, not much to see back there just yet.

[Last week, probably]

And some day...

Noted

A reader sends us the following... "It seems that the bar crawl/scavenger hunt trend continues, this time with an 'Olympic' theme on Sunday, July 29th."

"You sprint to catch the subway in the morning, jump hurdles at the office, and not-so-gracefully dive into bed at the close of the day — sounds like you're primed for the Olympic Scavenger Hunt, which starts in the East Village. With today's deal, pay $30 (regularly $60) to partake in this boozy, fun-filled event on July 29. Arrive decked out in costume (for extra points) at SideBAR or the Village Pourhouse downtown at noon to register, pick the country you want your team to represent, and have a libation. Then, begin your journey through Little Italy, Chinatown, Little India, and more, where you'll find hidden clues, solve riddles in foreign languages, and earn points. Best yet, you'll enjoy discounted, internationally themed drinks along the way at neighborhood bars, and conclude your excursion with an after-party at a secret location — just don't treat a tabletop as a podium."

Per the reader: "Hopefully the East Village/Little India portion of the day will be over early. Wishful thinking."


[Image via]

[Updated] Nicoletta has expanded its delivery zone!

[via ‏@robbyohara]

A few weeks ago, as we learned via Eater, fancy Wisconsinish pizzeria Nicoletta announced that they were starting delivery service in the East Village:

And the delivery zone was: First Avenue to Third Avenue, and Ninth Street to 11th Street.

Now, as the above sign shows, they've expanded the zone to include East 12th Street and Eighth Street...

Soon, they may make it all the way down to Avenue A...

Updated: A few readers mentioned that the sign (photo above) is outdated ... or hasn't been updated ... According to the Nicoletta website, the delivery zone is: 6th to 12th streets from 4th Avenue to Avenue B.

[CANCELED] Free tonight in Tompkins Square Park: 007, Pussy Galore and Goldfinger

The Films in Tompkins series continues tonight with "Goldfinger," with pre-movie music by The Luddites. This is the third in the James Bond series, starring Sean Connery as 007 and Honor Blackman as Pussy Galore.

Here's what Bosley Crowther had to say about the film in The New York Times in 1964:

[I]n this most gaudy of his outings—the most elaborate and fantastic to date—he manages to bestow his male attentions on only a couple of passing supplicants. One is a pliant little number who expires early, sealed in a skin of gold paint, and the other is a brawny pilot who remarkably resembles Gorgeous George. Neither is up to the standard of femininity usually maintained for Mr. Bond.

Why this neglect of his love life is difficult to imagine—except that Mr. Bond's off-handed conquests were always open to a certain amount of doubt, a certain amount of skepticism as to how much of a Lothario he actually is. Indeed, they have often intimated a bland contempt for, or, at least, a slippery spoof of the whole notion of masculine prowess. One might question whether Bond really likes girls.

Oh, Bosley!

And now, some friends channel Shirley Bassey...



And as we'll cut-n-paste all summer long:

Free. Gates Open at 6 p.m. Music Starts ½ Hour before the Start of the Film (sundown)

Aug. 2 — Donnie Darko, Music by The Rad Trads
A Two Boots 25th Anniversary Event with Free Pizza!

Aug. 9 — The Big Lebowski, Music by Main Squeeze Orchestra
A Two Boots 25th Anniversary Event with Free Pizza!

Aug. 16 — Poltergeist, Music by Timbila

Dates subject to Rain Delays.

Films In Tompkins is sponsored by Ella, The Blind Barber, Two Boots, Grolsch, GalleryBar, Tower Brokerage and NYC& Company.

CANCELED due to the weather... no makeup date yet...

Report: St. Mark's Bookshop crowdsourcing funds to relocate

Per Crain's, we learn that there's a Lucky Ant campaign under way to raise $23,000 to help the St. Mark's Bookshop move to a new, smaller location... Per the campaign:

In order to survive these difficult times, St. Marks is repositioning itself in the marketplace and implementing a new strategy for the future. These changes, such as moving to a more affordable location and developing a more sophisticated online presence, are a direct response to the changing business environment and will help the bookstore to once again become financially viable. Major changes are not cheap however, and St. Marks needs capital to finance these improvements. Through community investments, St. Marks hopes to raise the capital needed to once again make itself a viable business.

Learn more on this here. This comes on the heels of the successful Cash Mob that Jeremiah Moss organized last Saturday.

Plus, it's difficult to compete with cornhole on the new Bowery

[Photo by Jeremiah Moss]

From The Wall Street Journal today:

When the Bowery Poetry Club closed its doors last week, it sent a familiar ripple of dismay through the rapidly gentrifying East Village.

Check out the rest of Lana Bortolot's article here, which includes comments from Jeremiah Moss...

"Whether it's a bar or a cafe or bookstore, [the East Village] was a place where people could meet, talk to each other and share ideas. Not only have we lost those people, but those who remain don't have a place to crash into each other and create that kind of friction."

Looking at the East Village Brownstone

So 13 months have passed since we checked in on this under-renovation brownstone at 224 E. 12th St. between Second Avenue and Third Avenue...

Last year!

Now!

The building is called The Brownstone.

Per the organization's website:

The Brownstone uses New York City as an experiential classroom to promote personal, communal and social responsibilities for young Jewish participants to develop a code of ethics for living with integrity and purpose as contributing and leading members of society.We collaborate and build partnerships with a wide range of organizations to further Jewish education and identity and to strengthen young Jews’ commitment to Israel.

Our mission is to strengthen Jewish identity and peoplehood, foster community development, and cultivate the next generation of leaders.

The building will include a rooftop terrace, sleeping quarters, library, and classroom and workshop space. No word on a completion date.

Here's a rendering...

Previously on EV Grieve:
12th Street brownstone becoming mini university for Jewish education