Former Mary Help of Christians property getting the plywood treatment

Activity continues this week in and around the lot off Avenue A between East 11th Street and East 12th Street that was formerly home of Mary Help of Christians.



As these photos from EVG reader Greg Masters show, workers this morning are erecting a plywood fence around the site...





... where, in a few short years, there will be a mixed-use building with ground-floor retail and 82 market-rate condos via developer Douglas Steiner.

Previously on EV Grieve:
New residential complex at former Mary Help of Christians lot may include rooftop swimming pool

Meet your new neighbor on Avenue A

Permits filed to demolish Mary Help of Christians church, school and rectory

Preservationists call for archeological review of former cemetery at Mary Help of Christians site

The 'senseless shocking self-destruction' of Mary Help of Christians

Out and About in the East Village

In this weekly feature, East Village-based photographer James Maher provides us with a quick snapshot of someone who lives and/or works in the East Village.



By James Maher

Name: Jeremy X. Halpern
Occupation: Entertainer
Location: Key Food, Avenue A
Time: 2 p.m. on Monday, July 6

I’m from Boston but I’ve been here for over 30 years. I’m an artist and basically you only got a couple choices, LA or New York and LA was out of the question. So New York was the one. I went to NYU and I’ve been living around here since then. Never really moved out of the neighborhood.

I do performances. If you go weirdos.com, you’ll see the video performances that I do. I have a cable-access show for local New York. The artwork is very weird, very strange, totally uncommercial, but I’m also working on a TV show, which is very commercial. It will probably make lots of money. But that, I’m just producing that. All my personal work is completely out to lunch.

Right now I’m performing in Ziegfeld’s Midnight Frolic. Currently, I’m playing the owner of a French club in the 1920s. It’s like a precursor to the haunted mansion at Disney World. I’ve also done some theatre here at the Metropolitan [Playhouse].

I’m involved with the burlesque community around here. There’s still a big community. My girlfriend is Dirty Martini, who is one of the top burlesque performers in the world. Everything is still very much vibrant and it’s really a nice community. The theatre community is sort of like, ‘what’s my motivation,’ you know? Whereas the burlesque community is sort of like, ‘let’s go, let’s do it.’ There’s much more performance art and much more variety.

When I moved in it was the early 1980s, it was still much more like the warzone. My parents were terrified. They couldn’t believe it. Unlike most people, I’m not really that upset about the change. That’s New York and I wasn’t surprised by it. I enjoyed it very much back then. When my band performed in the bandshell in Tompkins Square Park ... all of the homeless people danced on the stage. That was really wonderful. But it’s also got its perks now. It’s nice to be able to have the park a little cleaner and have the neighborhood be shinier and full of restaurants and shops. So I’m okay with that.

In general, I find the neighborhood very addicting because it’s still full of creative energy. I love it and am totally addicted to it. You know, I went to Burning Man a few years ago, and that was great ... but it’s tough in the desert and I kept thinking all the creativity that I’m seeing in Burning Man, I see in the East Village, and I don’t have to live in the desert. The East Village is a great experience and continues to be. I mean, we just saw a poster for Penny Arcade when we walked in [to Key]. I know Penny. There’s still a community feeling there and there’s still a feeling of the history of what the East Village has meant ... I’m still thrilled about this place. It’s still very fun to walk out of my door and find myself there.

James Maher is a fine art and studio photographer based in the East Village. Find his website here.

A look inside the last East Village gas station

The Mobil station at Avenue C and East Houston closed last September. (Recent media reports said that the BP station on Second Avenue at East First Street was the last EV gas station. They shut down at the end of June 2014.)



As for the all-new 11 Avenue C… last we heard, Lloyd Goldman's BLDG Management had designs on a 10-story building with a retail component on the oddly shaped lot, according to the Commercial Observer.

Previous plans called for a 9-story building. Either way, nothing seems to be happening with that application, which the DOB rejected in April 2014 for incomplete drawings, per city records.



Meanwhile, back at the station… we never noticed this before… but someone punctured holes in the garage doors… offering a glimpse inside...





Also, as previously noted, the building adjacent to the station at 249 E. Second St., arrived on the market in the spring — air rights included — for $6.95 million.

Previously on EV Grieve:
You have a little longer to get gas on Avenue C

Plans filed for new 9-story building at site of Mobil station on East Houston and Avenue C

State seizes Mobil station on Avenue C and Houston for nonpayment of taxes

New residential building for former Mobil station lot will be 10 floors with 0 zero affordable units

Via Della Pace Pizza officially opens tonight on St. Mark's Place

Last Thursday night, Via Della Pace Pizza had a grand opening party at 130 St. Mark's Place near Avenue A … where the owners of Via Della Pace on East Seventh Street took over the Falanghina Pizza Bar space.

The pizzeria officially opens for business tonight at 5...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Via Della Pace opening a pizzeria on St. Mark's Place tonight

Watch 'Clueless' for free tonight on 9th and B

The outdoor summer film series continues tonight at Trinity Lower East Side Lutheran Parish on East Ninth Street at Avenue B.

For free out in the church garden tonight: "Clueless."

A Trinity rep tells us: "We basically throw a sheet up on the building and then kick back and watch a movie. People bring snacks, drinks (alcoholic drinks are fine. We're Lutheran, so we appreciate a good cocktail.). Just something fun to do."

The doors open 7:30. Film starts around 8 or whenever it is suitably dusk-y out. (If it rains, then Trinity moves the film inside.)

As for "Clueless" …



And upcoming at Trinity:

Aug. 12 — "Mrs. Doubtfire"

Sept. 9 — "West Side Story"

Oct. 21 - "Ghostbusters II"

[Updated: Cancelled] Films in Tompkins return tomorrow night with 'Dog Day Afternoon'

The free films return to the Park for the month of July … and according to the organizers, this year's lineup was hand selected by Matthew Broderick, Christie Brinkley, Billy Joel and James Franco.

The series starts tomorrow night with "Dog Day Afternoon."



You may arrive at 6 for the free film, which starts at sundown. The band City of the Sun will play a set before the movie.

You can head to the Films in Tompkins Facebook page for any updates. The Films in Tompkins sponsors are TD Bank, Boulton & Watt and Drexler's, the new bar opening this summer in the former Ella space at 9 Avenue A.

Updated 7-9

Threat of rain cancels tonight's screening ...

Blowing the doors off of the Horseshoe Bar in the name of television

Last night, part of Avenue B was blocked off so that crews for the Netflix-Marvel Comics series "AKA Jessica Jones" could film a scene at East Seventh Street… plans called for a simulated explosion at Vazac's/Horseshoe Bar.

EVG regular Peter Brownscombe stopped by for the scene… which happened at 10:42…









... and via Instagram...

They say the East Village is over but it looks like...

A video posted by @aronkelly on Jul 7, 2015 at 7:59pm PDT

Not exactly the Rosato brothers trying to strangle Frank Pentangelli…

Someone paid $37,995 for 1 of Dee Dee Ramone's precision bass guitars

Picking this up from Dangerous Minds:

The Fender ‘75 precision bass has been hanging out in a private collection since the 80’s, gifted to its owner by the Ramones themselves. The bass is said to still be in playable condition and even came in the original case (with a Ramones stencil on the back). Also included was a letter from Monte Melnick, the band’s former road manager, validating the instrument’s authenticity. Dee Dee played the Fender Precision for most of his too-short career and used them pretty much exclusively from 1974-1988, favoring the model with the black pickguard from 1975-1977.

Meanwhile, here's Dee Dee singing and playing the bass in 1985...

Reminder about that simulated explosion tonight on Avenue B

As previously noted, crews are filming scenes for "A.K.A Jessica Jones" — under the working title "Violet" — tonight on Avenue B… where there will be a simulated explosion some time between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. for the Marvel Netflix series…

And Dave on 7th points out that Vazac's/7B/Horseshoe Bar at East 7th Street looks to be the lucky recipient of the FX this evening …





Previously on EV Grieve:
Please never mind the explosion tomorrow night on Avenue B

Crush story: About the home winemaker in the East Village

For the past four years, East Village resident Matt Baldassano has been operating a winery that produces 10 different wines out of his 550-square-foot, ground-floor apartment.

Thrillist has his story today.

A third generation urban winemaker, he says the alcoholic grape juice is in his blood. And he’s also quick to point out that he has help: Matt started what’s today known as the Village Winery Club; it now has more than 100 members who pay dues (the cheapest membership goes for $200) to cover all of his operating expenses, labor, and even his rent, and in return they get to go to events during the wine-making process, plus access to bottles.

Club members also get to help crush the grapes used for the wines on his outdoor patio. And all this operates under the state's home wine-making laws, which limit the amount of wine one can make, and also prevent him from selling it by the bottle, per Thrillist.

The Times wrote about Baldassano back in October 2012.

Come along on a tour of the under-renovation 122 Community Center on 1st Avenue

The 122 Community Center on First Avenue at East Ninth Street is in the midst of an extensive, multi-year gut renovation.

Among other upgrades to the infrastructure, the former school will have new stairwells, an elevator and full ADA compliance. The renovation also opens the building by creating space for public use, including an outdoor courtyard, a large gallery and other shared spaces for meetings and community gatherings.

The city is paying for the upgrades — estimated at $35 million — as part of a code renovation to the circa-1894 building. The Department of Cultural Affairs owns the building at 150 First Ave. and leases it out to 122CC, the nonprofit organization managing the space. The AIDS Service Center NYC, Mabou Mines, Painting Space 122 and PS122 are the four organizations that comprise the space.

Last Tuesday, Community Center reps led a group of people, including several local media outlets, on a behind-the-scenes tour of the site. EVG contributor Stacie Joy was along for the preview and shared these photos of the work in progress.









































The building is slated for completion in the spring of 2016. Find more information about the renovations here.

Resurfacing underway at the new YouTube-backed basketball courts in Tompkins Square Park

After several weeks of inactivity, there's progress at the Tompkins Square Park basketball courts... EVG Facebook friend Erick Hartz shared these photos from yesterday, showing workers (in YouTube T-shirts) resurfacing the courts in the Park's northeast corner...



As previously reported, workers began tearing up the courts on May 29. The New York City Parks Department teamed up with YouTube for the renovations. (YouTube is funding the operation, estimated at $300,000.)


[Rendering via YouTube]

Parks officials originally said that work would be wrapped by the time that city schools let out for the summer on June 26. Workers estimate that the resurfacing would be complete by this evening.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Tompkins Square Park basketball courts closed for renovations; YouTube-backed hoops on the way

Summer's here: Grace's cold borscht has arrived at Polish G. I. Delicatessen

Thanks to Slum Goddess for passing along the sign at the Polish G. I. Delicatessen, where you can sign up for next week's batch of Grace's cold borscht.

The shop is at 109 First Ave. between East Sixth Street and East Seventh Street...

Empire Biscuit is hosting its first-ever comedy festival this August

Via the EVG inbox...

How long have you been waiting to read a press release combining the worlds of stand-up comedy AND biscuits? Because your wait is over. The inaugural Empire Biscuit Comedy Festival (EBCF) will be held in the Lower East Side biscuit restaurant Empire Biscuit (Gothamist’s Top 10 24-Hour Restaurants In NYC), 198 Avenue A between 12th and 13th, on Sunday, August 2 to Tuesday, August 4, 2015.

This year’s performers include Mike Lawrence, Nick Vatterott, Sasheer Zamata, Christian Finnegan, Hasan Minhaj and more. The 2015 festival will be held entirely at Empire Biscuit, which will host 9 shows with over 50 of New York City’s top comedians who have appeared on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, @midnight, CONAN, Comedy Central’s The Half Hour, Last Comic Standing, and more. In addition audience members will receive a free premium biscuit and a beverage with their ticket purchase — $14 online or $16 at the door. A festival pass is also available for $50, which includes admittance to all of the festival shows with a biscuit and beverage per night.

“The Empire Biscuit Comedy Festival is unique in that it features performances by stand-up comedians who normally perform in theaters and comedy clubs across the country, in an intimate 30-seat biscuit shop,” says festival co-producer Tovah Silbermann (Forever Dog Productions). “Also, hosting a festival in a biscuit shop is really funny.” EBCF is also co-produced by stand-up comedians Andrew Tavin (The Peoples Improv Theater) and Brandon Scott Wolf (freelance contributor to SNL's Weekend Update, DateBrandonScottWolf.com).

Go here for tickets and info.