[Updated] What is that atop the Jefferson?

We were walking east on East 13th Street Friday afternoon (oh, how was your weekend?) and we spotted this atop The Jefferson, the incoming condo ...



That.



What the hell is that?



Don't recall seeing that in the renderings.

Shared building amenities include a rooftop terrace with party facilities and a BBQ. Maybe it's a party facility? DJ Booth? Portal to the 18th century?

Guesses as to what this is... are welcome in the comments.

Updated 10:20

Curbed quickly cleared up the mystery, looking at some zoning diagrams and noting that this is an "allowable rooftop obstruction" for an elevator machine room. That's boring!

Previously on EV Grieve:
City approves new building for Mystery Lot

The last days of the Mystery Lot

Before it was the Mystery Lot

The Mystery Lot developers using famous dead comedians to sell condos at The Jefferson

Jefferson retail façade — revealed

Speaking of The Jefferson... workers removed the plywood and netting and stuff on the first of the two new retail spaces along East 14th Street...







There are two spaces available, as we've pointed out previously here.

Here's the official retail listing...

Branding Alder

An EV Grieve Alder Watcher Reader was curious why there wasn't s sign up at noted LES chef Wylie Dufresne's new restaurant on Second Avenue near East 10th Street.

Don't when this happened, but there is a sign of sorts, according to the Alder Watcher Reader...





Branded into the woodwork...



No word if this is available in peel-and-stick tattoos as well.

The Bowery just got a little more bland

Nearly two years ago, CB3's Transportation & Public Safety/Environment Committee OK'd an application for a new newsstand for the Bowery at East Second Street...

Anyway, the characterless little box arrived last week, as BoweryBoogie noted.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Newsstand in the works for the Bowery and Second Street

At today's 'No 7-Eleven' rally in the East Village

Today's "No 7-Eleven" community event started in Tompkins Square Park and moved over to Avenue A and East 11th Street where the shop will some day call home...

First, a few photos courtesy of Steven Hirsch...







-----

And via Bobby Williams...







You will likely find more of a recap soon via the newish No 7-Eleven blog right here.

Zoltar, among the hats

Zoltar late this afternoon, waiting for team Zoltar to repair his broken glass (and heart).

Photo by Bobby Williams.

Week in Grieview

[Avenue C this morning]

Deal off to bring Crif Dogs to the former Billy's Antiques space (Friday)

Your East Village bike share locations (Tuesday)

Cops arrest the Money Boyz (Friday)

Remembering Walter (Friday)

Don't pee on your building (Monday)

Here is the official CBGB Movie poster (Monday)

Amazing storm photos (Wednesday)

Katie Holmes films on Avenue A (Thursday)

Discussing the "ultra loud sex noises" on East 10th Street (Friday)

Yes to Golden Cadillac, no to The Asphalt Jungle (Tuesday)

Watch this guy go berserk inside Lebrini's Pizzeria (Thursday)

More about the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office closing/relocation (Monday)

It was pretty warm (Tuesday)

Piccola Positano closes on East 4th Street (Monday)

Father Pat lost his car during that East Ninth Street fire (Tuesday)

Papaya King sign arrives (Friday)

Woooooo! New bank branch! (Tuesday)

Early-morning motorcycle fire (Monday)

Live above Nevada Smiths in a luxurious penthouse with a small kitchen (Friday)

David Cross says the East Village on weekend nights is the 'worst fucking place in the world'

Our friend David Cross, former East Village resident, is in a new movie called "It's a Disaster" ... and he gets the "My New York" treatment in the Post today.

And he does not have fond memories of the neighborhood, at least on weekend nights... as he discusses his former apartment on Avenue A and East Third Street.

“Two things made me want to leave the East Village. It was awful, party-central loud and obnoxious. On Friday and Saturday nights, it’s the worst f - - king place in the world. It’s like the French Quarter. There’s broken glass and trash everywhere, puking, yelling and fighting. That combined with how many great little places were turning into Duane Reade and Subway sandwich and Chase banks. And 7-Eleven? That’s not why I moved to Manhattan.”

Cross now lives in Brooklyn.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Commenter comedy gold

The EV Evil Triumvirate (IHOP, 7-Eleven and Subway) sends David Cross packing to Brooklyn

[Image via Wikimedia Commons]

More details about yesterday afternoon's shooting on Avenue C and East Third Street

Many readers shared news of a large police presence yesterday afternoon around 2 on Avenue C and East Third Street. According to witnesses, a man was shot in the stomach "in a drug deal gone bad."

According to the Post today, a gunman shot a 52-year-old man before fleeing. The victim is at Bellevue. His injuries were not life-threatening, per the Post.

The shooting occurred near Lebrini's Pizzeria on the corner of East Third Street and Avenue C. Owner Bobby Lebrini passed along the photos here. He believed that there were two men who met the victim, who was standing in front of the cab in the photos. One man stood on the corner while the other two talked for about 1 minute. That's when the one man allegedly produced a gun and shot the victim in the stomach.

"It must have been a small caliber — like a .22 — because there were like 10 people in the pizzeria and no one heard it or reacted to it on [the video surveillance]," Lebrini said.

Both men, who were described as Hispanic, took off south toward Houston.

Meeting tonight to discuss the future of 173 E. Second St.

As noted several times, The Living Room is hoping to move its live-music venue from Ludlow Street to East Second Street... they withdrew from this month's CB3/SLA meeting, though ... Regardless, it's still a big topic of conversation for residents... and the focus of tonight's 2nd Street Block Association Meeting... According to the flyers posted on the block, The Living Room will likely be on the May CB3/SLA docket...



During a recent community meeting, some residents here said that they were "vehemently opposed to the possibility of The Living Room" on this block between Avenue A and Avenue B. (Read that post here.)

The space currently housing Klean & Kleaner, the laundromat at 173 E. Second St., remains on the market.

Another day of special deliveries for David Schwimmer

On Thursday, workers were making a big special delivery to David Schwimmer's new home on East Sixth Street... a big crane was dropping various accessories off for a rooftop garden...

And yesterday, EVG reader Eva points out that there were even more deliveries...







Previously on EV Grieve:
Is David Schwimmer the 'Friends' star who now owns the demolished 331 E. Sixth St. townhouse?

Outrage over total demolition of historic East Sixth Street townhouse

Here is David Schwimmer's East Village home

Here comes David Schwimmer's rooftop garden

Party girls pooped in Tompkins Square Park

Looks like we possibly found at least two of the occupants of that stretch pink limo... Jose Garcia spotted these two prima donnas crashed in Tompkins Square Park this morning...



Sadly, the nearby Magic Sippy Cup smelled of vodka...

Zoltar still sees a glassless future in the East Village

As we reported yesterday, a group of youths apparently and/or allegedly smashed Zoltar's glass outside Gem Spa on Second Avenue and St. Mark's Place. East Village Hawkeye heard that Zoltar would be repaired last night.

However. When we stopped by this morning to ask Zoltar who the Giants would take in the first round of the NFL draft (D.J. Fluker? Chance Warmack?), the machine was still out of commission. Someone did clean up the broken glass from inside his perch.

In the meantime, we do like the street-sign shadow on the back of Zoltar's box.

Stretch pink limos terrorize city

There were also multiple reports of stretch pink limos prowling the city's mean streets yesterday... like this one THE NOTORIOUS L.I.B.E.R.A.T.I.O.N. spotted on Broome Street...



... and this one other readers spotted closer to home... striking fear whenever it would come to a stop... Oh, who would come tumbling out from within?!





Ultimately, no word on the occupants.

Going clubbing on Avenue A

Andrew Adam Newman on Ave C spotted these last night near Key on Avenue A...



There were multiple reader reports of a huge golf-themed pub crawl through the neighborhood yesterday...though we do recall seeing Manny the Peddler selling some golf clubs lately as well...

Dangling rat

Today in Tompkins Square Park, via Bobby Williams...

[Updated] Large police presence now on Avenue C and East Third Street

[Via @thestarkonline]

There's currently a large NYPD presence (around 2:15 p.m.) on Avenue C and East Third Street. A lot of rumors involving a DOA. No other details or confirmations as of now. Will update later today when we receive more information.

Updated:

We've heard all sorts of stories... the last of which is that a man was shot in the stomach in a drug deal gone bad... he was expected to recover from his wounds, per a source...


[Via @HelenatRCSN]

Update: Zoltar will be repaired.... tonight!

Ace photographer East Village Hawkeye has more about the sickening vandalism of Zoltar outside Gem Spa. Via Facebook:

The owner told me that the glass would be fixed tonight. He may have security camera footage of the crime. Nobody working there gave me any description of the vandal(s).

In other developments, a good question via Twitter:

@dishwithdina @tomhanks @evgrieve But why didn't Zoltar see this coming!

— Andrew McMahan (@AndrewMcMahan) April 13, 2013

And Tom Hanks has been informed.

Speaking of Zoltar and "Big" (you know, the movie) Scouting New York had a post a few years ago about the Zoltar scene at the end of the movie... which took place at Rye Playland. Read that post here.

Last day for Bleecker Bob's; move on hold to the East Village?

Per the Bleecker Bob's Facebook page:

4/13/13 SADDEST DAY EVER at Bleecker Bob's

two words we'd NEVER thought we'd say.....
CLOSING DAY!!!

still negotiating with that spot in the east village. was hoping to have good news by today. maybe we'll post the name of the realtor for the building who seems to be holding things up for no reason, so everyone can spambard him with emails and comments. ugh, so frustrating!!

Give us the name!

Previously on EV Grieve:
[UPDATED] Let's help Bleecker Bob's find space in the East Village

Bleecker Bob's is for rent

Bleecker Bob's won't be moving to the East Village — or anywhere else, for that matter

Bleecker Bob's have a bid on space in the East Village

Street fair! Street fair! Street fair!

Woo! Sausage on a stick! Fried calamari! Heartburn! Recurring gastroenteritis! (Oh, kidding.)

But there is a street fair going on right now on Astor Place up to Broadway, per Bill the Libertarian Anarchist.

First one of the season!

Previously on EV Grieve:
Street fair! Street fair! Street fair!

Street fair! Street fair! Street fair!

Street fair! Street fair! Street fair!

Breaking! Breaking! Zoltar is broken! Broken!

Actually, Zoltar was vandalized! Word is that some "homeless kids" purposefully smashed the Zoltar glass with a skateboard yesterday and ran.





More. Much more! To come.

Updated 11:24 a.m.

As word of this crime spreads... friends and followers are sending their regards...

I informed Coney's Wonder Wheel Zoltar of the crime. He sends his condolences and wishes East Village Zoltar a speedy recovery @evgrieve

— Amusing the Zillion (@AmusingZillion) April 13, 2013

There are unconfirmed reports that Mayor Bloomberg will cut short his weekend trip to Bermuda to address the situation here.

Sunday afternoon in the Park with NO 7-Eleven

From the EV Grieve inbox...

We're going to chalk up the park at the Tompkins Square Park nonbandshell at 2 pm and then take our chalk and our Community Wheel of Fortune to the corner of Avenue A and 11th Street, the site of the threatened 7-Eleven, and chalk up the street and talk to the passers-by who don't yet know what's coming to their neighborhood. Join us for some good old anti-corporate-anti-suburbanization-and-anti-Pringle-ization-of-our-souls-and-our-streets fun!

Meanwhile, here's video journalism piece CUNY TV produced on the No 7-Eleven group... it starts at the 12:45 mark...

Man survives fall on F train tracks yesterday; called 'hobo' by Post

There were a lot of news accounts yesterday morning about an F train striking a man at the station at Houston and Second Avenue. The Post has more details.

The man, 26-year-old Alexander Flefleh, fell off the platform and miraculously survived. "He suffered head trauma, but broke no bones below his neck, said his mom, Aphrodite Flefleh of Astoria, Queens."

She also said that he lives in a homeless shelter and "suffers from seizures, as well as emotional and drug problems." The man, whose birthday was yesterday, may have had a seizure and fell.

And, as you can see from the headline, the Post described Alexander Flefleh as a "hobo."

So sad about us

The Damned with "I Just Can't Be Happy Today" from 1979.

headline h/t

Papaya King sign now — up

At 3 St. Mark's Place.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Breaking: Papaya King sign going up on St. Mark's Place — right now

Any info on the 'ultra loud sex noises' on East 10th Street last night?

A reader left the following comment:

Can anyone talk about the ultra loud sex noises on east 10th btw 1st/A last night? it was super strange. did anyone else hear/witness?

Well?

[Image via random clip art]

Report: a battering ram on East 5th Street; big drug bust at Campos Plaza

A reader passes along the following... the incident occurred 8:30 last night ...

I was walking home on 5th between A and B and there were lots of police trying to get into an apartment building using a battering ram and then rushing in and yelling "we have a warrant!" or something to that extent. It was like a movie scene honestly.

The reader said that it was an apartment building next door to the Ace Bar.

Meanwhile, there have been other reports of heavy law-enforcement activity in the area. The Associated Press reported this afternoon that 41 members of two drug trafficking rings have been indicted.

They include 33 members of the "Blocc Boyz" street gang, based in the Baruch Houses on the Lower East Side.

The gang members reportedly used car services to deliver cocaine to its customers across the city.

Also.

A separate indictment charges eight members of the "Money Boyz" street gang, based in the Campos Houses in the East Village. They're accused of trafficking cocaine, including crack.

You can read the press release from the District Attorney's office here.

And here's more from that press release:

Money Boyz

According to documents filed in court and statements made on the record in court, since approximately November 2011, members of the “Money Boyz” gang, based at or near Campos Plaza in the East Village, are charged with selling large quantities of cocaine to undercover police officers. Acting as its manager, CHRISTIAN/CHRISTOPHER SLATER, 23, is accused of overseeing the operation.