A cat vs. dog showdown on Avenue B

From EV Grieve contributor Bobby Williams.

Coyote Ugly still not open — and here's why

We were told that Coyote Ugly would reopen on Friday after taking care of their DOH-related issues.

However, look at the DOH website ... it appears the DOH didn't give the OK for the bar to reopen...

Meanwhile, Coyote Ugly founder Liliana Lovell addressed the situation Friday on the CU website:

The real story:
Tuesday we were given a spot health inspection. That is very normal in NY. Normally when you have violations, you are given a 10 day to 14 day window to resolve any issues. We received several violations but were immediately closed for the violation of a ”leaking urinal”. CLOSED. In all my years working in NYC I have only heard of immediate closings from the gross videos you see on TV. Juliana, the most organized person I know, immediately called a licensed plumber and we also notified any other experts for other violations. (A fruit fly by the soda systems and supposed mouse droppings all in the basement).

As law requires, all establishments are required to be in contract with an extermination company for monthly service. We have been in contract for 18 years never missing a month of service. Another violation was that there was not supposed to be any space where the wall contacts the floor. So we called in a specialist to spray foam in the areas that the inspector indicated. OK, so in a one day’s time frame we were able to address every violation. I personally went to the health department where I gave the case worker every certificate we have held for 18 years as well as photographic evidence to all the repairs that were made. The case worker then sent me to another building to await a letter that then gives the first case worker the authority to send another inspector to reinspect our establishment. That was a nightmare day ending in no letter.

This morning Jacqui, Juliana and I waited at 8 am to find my original case worker. I was then able to get another case worker to issue the letter that authorizes a reinspection. A few hours later a new inspector arrived. She spent 3 hours at the bar. Her final words were ”if this was a regular inspection you would of passed easily but because its a “reopen inspection” I can’t pass you. The reason behind this was that the basement floor is sand that has the potential for problems. So now the NY bar is closed the whole weekend and of course Monday is a holiday. So back to the drawing board next week. There are so many issues here. I know the landlord will not help with the costs and to put in a new floor for the basement is going to cost a fortune.

Anyone can go on the NYC health Department website and find out scores of any bars and restaurants. Last night Jacqui, Juliana, and I went on the website and put in about 50 various bars and restaurants that we know and were shocked by the gross difference in our scoring versus theirs. (the higher the score the worse thecase) Our score was a 90. 90! I looked at at least 20 bars in our neighborhood some of them citing the exact same violations as ours but not one of those bars were issued points higher then 20. We started typing in restaurants that we knew had issues of gross negligence and again their scores were lower then ours. I am trying to do the right thing. I am trying to keep my head up but that voice inside of me is screaming ” unfair”. We don’t even serve food. I have been getting texts all day about this person or that person sabotaging us. But I don’t want to believe that either. Its so negative and I would never do that to another bar.

So this is just another roadblock in life. We will keep getting reinspected and then we will open back up to the party of the century! Since the bar is closed this weekend the whole staff is pitching in to repaint the walls. the bar was stained the other day. I am trying to locate some of the wallpaper that the Milwaukee bar has to do a small area. I need to turn this into a positive and know that next week this will be better.

Week in Grieview

All sorts of drama involving 35 Cooper Square (Tuesday)

Coyote Ugly closed and reopened (Friday)

The Bean closed and reopened (Thursday)

A parking lot on Seventh Street will be developed (Wednesday)

Gemma opened its sidewalk cafe (Friday)

Fire causes minor damage to St. Mark's Comics (Thursday)

News Channel 7 watched crews fill potholes on East Second Street (Wednesday)

And it was Valentine's Day.... awwww.....

The Bowery at Great Jones.

Reader: Police on the scene on Avenue B where someone 'found a body'

Earlier this morning, police were on the scene on Avenue B and Seventh Street. According to a reader, the police have taped off an area on Avenue B between St. Brigid's church and school where homeless people often seek shelter during the night...

According to the reader, police would only say that someone had "found a body." So, aside from this comment, we don't have any official confirmation at this time ... or whether this is officially being treated as a crime scene.

Candlelight vigil set for Tuesday evening: Save 35 Cooper Square!

From David Mulkins, Chair, Bowery Alliance of Neighbors...

Candlelight Vigil: Save 35 Cooper Square!

Tuesday from 5:30 to 6:30 pm

35 Cooper Square

LETTERS to Landmarks Preservation Commission urging designation of 35 Cooper Square (oldest building
on Cooper Square) as a NYC landmark:

Hon. Robert Tierney, Chair

NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission

One Centre Street , 9th floor

New York , NY 10007

e-mail: comments@lpc.nyc.gov

fax: (212)669-7960 or (212)669-7955

Find a sample letter at the Bowery Alliance of Neighbors website.

Sign PETITION to Landmark 35 Cooper Square here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Something 28,998 square feet or so coming to Cooper Square (and goodbye Cooper 35 Asian Pub?)

Doom and doomer: More of Cooper Square primed for development

Cooper 35 Asian Pub part of development deal on Cooper Square

[Image via BAN]

Wind knocks out Stuyvesant Grocery plywood on 14th Street and Avenue A

Thanks to EV Grieve reader Tom for these shots yesterday along 14th Street at Avenue A... where the high winds wiped out the plywood outside the fire-damaged buildings along this commercial stretch...

..later in the evening workers put up barriers ...

9:56 p.m., East Fourth Street, Feb. 19

Donohue's Steak House back in business with an A

EV Grieve favorite Donohue's Steak House on Lexington near 64th Street is back open after a bout with the DOH. Jon Hammer sent along the good news. And a phone call to the restaurant confirms it. (Hat tip — Jeremiah...)

Previously on EV Grieve:
The timeless appeal of Donohue's Steak House

Upright Citizens Brigade unveils its 'Hot Chicks Room' on Avenue A

RyanAvenueA passes along this photo of the new Upright Citizens Brigade home on Avenue A and Third Street ... their signage is up now... and you can see there will be a "Hot Chicks Room" (heh), no doubt pandering to the cargo shorts set. (Find the awesome cargo shorts comment thread here.) We'll have more on this next week.

Previously.

A McSorley's post featuring Minnie and the Mayor

In anticipation of McSorley's Day on Thursday, we reached out to Minnie McSorley for a pawment. Unfortunately, we didn't hear back before our deadline. Not that we actually have a deadline.

But, we thought Minnie had publicisted up and wasn't available to the media any longer. Not the case! We did hear back yesterday... We had also asked about the discrepancies in the bar's actual birthday: 1854 or 1862 as one historian claims.

E.V., with all the festivities, I just saw this now. Let's do a recap, perhaps? I have much to say on the "historians." If you think I'm meowing out of my mind over this lady who sued me, it's nothing compared to the way that guy Richard Whatsis pets my fur the wrong way with his 1862 crusade.

There was a rocking party last night, which of course is 80% for ME and 20% for McSorley's. I'm encouraging people who'd like to "give me" something to shoot friends over to my Fan page. The size of my Facebook personal page is getting just too big to manage when you type with two paws. Thank you so much for your well-wishes ...

Speaking of feeding, I think I just heard Pepe open a can in the kitchen. Gotta run!

And here's a piece on McSorley's and Bloomy's tasteless St. Patrick's Day joke from the Daily News yesterday...

Don't put away the 4-wheel drives just yet

East Third Street near First Avenue this morning.

Plus, it's sort of snowing out as of 12:30 or so.

And now, another amazing Mars Bar moment

The new mural went up yesterday afternoon/evening... Bob Arihood has a great shot of it from last night here.

After a fire

Previously.

Second Avenue, 9:59 a.m., Feb. 19

This morning on the Second Avenue bike lane

Despite the wind this morning, don't think that was cause for this... just more shenanigans from the weekend bar crowd... And people were ready to pick these up while I was walking by...

Mary Help of Christians flea market back in action

Been off here this winter on Avenue A at 11th Street...

... not all the vendors have returned just yet, though...

Previously.

Parting tags at 35 Cooper Square

Recent arrivals at the doomed 35 Cooper Square...

Gemma right now on the Bowery

One Fine day

The Easybeats from 1966.

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning Edition

CB3's baffling liquor-license approvals policy (Blah Blog Blah)

How the East Village is getting "Lucky" (BoweryBoogie)

The mid-70s photography of Francisco Hidalgo (Flaming Pablum)

RIP La Nueva Rampa on 14th Street (Jeremiah's Vanishing NY)

The Bowery Hotel hosts an Interpol after-hours party (City Room via Nonetheless)

East Village designer creating an Oscar-night dress (Daily News)

IFC Center to screen No Wave doc "Blank City" (Stupefaction)

Pacino's 70s starts at the Film Forum (Film Forum)

A trip to Brennan and Carr in Sheepshead Bay (Eater)

And via Fresh Paint NYC — a tour of new TATS Cru walls, including on Second Street at Avenue A.

Seems like old times

EMTs on Crusty Row. Skinhead butting his head against the door at Lucy's. Bob Arihood has the photos at Nadie Se Conoce.

At the San Isidoro y San Leandro Western Orthodox Catholic Church of the Hispanic Mozarabic Rite

Last Thursday night, a small fire broke out on the third floor of the San Isidoro y San Leandro Church at 345 E. Fourth St. near Avenue D, as DNAinfo reported.

I'm not sure about the extent of the damage. I hope that it's minimal. This is one of those hidden treasures in the neighborhood... I've been meaning to do a little photo essay of the church...

According to the always invaluable New York City Songlines, San Isidoro y San Leandro Western Orthodox Catholic Church of the Hispanic Mozarabic Rite is "named for brothers who were successive bishops in Seville, circa 600 AD. Originally a Russian Orthodox Church, built circa 1895."

And here are some shots from last summer... when the church held a rummage sale...






I bought a few records for like 10 cents each. But you should really take a look inside some time if you have the chance.

Oh, and this isn't the part where I tell you that the church has been sold to developers... Just appreciating it while it's still here... Here's a video tour.

A letter to Robert B. Tierney, Chair, Landmarks Preservation Commission.

Mr. Tierney:

Since you are its chairman, I am writing to you to express my utter disgust at the refusal of the Landmarks "Preservation" Committee to step in and save 35 Cooper Square, a 186 year old gem of a historic survivor on the East Village's Bowery. To refresh your memory, I can do no better than excerpt an elegiac post from the blog EV Grieve, lamenting its imminent destruction:

Historians believe 35 Cooper Square was born in 1825. The oldest building on Cooper Square, and one of the oldest buildings of the original Bowery, this charming Federal style building with the traditional gambrel roof, twin-pedimented dormers, and large end chimneys also boasts historical and cultural associations ranging from a direct descendant of Peter Stuyvesant (it was owned in the early 1800s by Nicholas William Stuyvesant, Peter's great-grandson) to Diane DiPrima, the most influential woman of the Beat Generation.

35 Cooper Square stood for 40 U.S. Presidents, from James Madison to Barack Obama, as well as the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Afghanistan and Iraq.

"Under the stipulations of the Landmarks Law, it qualifies on architectural, historical and cultural criteria for designation as a NYC individual landmark," said David Mulkins, chair/co-founder of the Bowery Alliance of Neighbors

"The building itself is a rare specimen that has remained standing since the transition of the Bowery from a residential area to one that was home to a variety of commercial venues in the early 19th century," added New York Assemblymember Deborah Glick. "While there have been some changes made to the façade of 35 Cooper Square, the building still retains its original twin peaked dormers, chimney, and gambrel roof, and is unmistakably representative of a bygone era in New York City history."

Despite the astonishing history, rarity and historical relevance of thie small treasure, you "preservationists" declined to take action. And why? Because for some reason the stucco coating applied to the building's facade some time in its almost two centuries of existence was enough to negate every reason that might have been put forth to save it.

Mr. Tierney, unlike you, I do not claim to be an expert in architecture. But even I know that a stucco coating is not permanent and can be removed with a hammer and prybar, so for the LPC to make this coating of a mud-like substance and its underlying mesh the sole reason to condemn 35 Cooper Square to death is the most pathetic, jaw-dropping and specious reason I could imagine.

But were it not torn down, of course, then the destroyer of this gem (who definitely doesn't live in the vicinity of the Bowery) would not be able to line his pockets at the expense of our already-ravaged neighborhood, where a seemingly endless flood of large, out of scale and horrifically ugly buildings are being thrown up willy-nilly all over the Bowery and Lower East Side, with irretrievable history being permanently lost in the process. And all the while you and your committee stand idly by and watch, like sleazy voyeurs.

I know there is no way this lovely piece of New York's past will be saved, so won't bother asking you to reconsider the ill-thought-out decision condemning it. So allow me to close by saying that I consider you a disgrace, a total sell-out to corporate real estate interests, who has no real desire to preserve history if there's money to be made by outside interests. And as to those lickspittle, cringing toadys who make up the rest of the "Preservation Committee" (it is to laugh), not one of whom had the spine to stand up and protest, they are just as despicable as you. Had you weasels been around in 1962, you would probably have applauded the destruction of the original Penn Station.

For shame - upon all of you. Your unwillingness to take a stand in this, and in so many other cases, has condemned New York to become a megalopolis bristling with ugliness, rather than a place in which history stands a chance of surviving.

Lisa Ramaci

[Photo taken yesterday by Bobby Williams]

Rats, mice and filth flies — oh my!: Looking at the Coyote Ugly DOH violations

When we first mentioned the other night that the DOH had shut down Coyote Ugly, the most recent report on file mentioned 40 points worth of violations... But that one was old! The DOH has filed the latest inspection ...

Still waiting to hear back from someone at Coyote Ugly.

Previously.

Joy to the world, this Presidents' Day Weekend!

The lights on the holiday tree at Tompkins Square Park are still lighting up the East Village, um, sky ...

They were extinguished last year on Feb. 7, but the lights weren't actually removed. Remember when they were turned on for St Patty's Day?

They were turned off in 2009 on Feb. 7 as well.

Anyway, I've softened my stance on this important topic in the past two years. Leave 'em on year round then! But! I worry about the children. (One reader mentioned that his 2-year-old still thinks Santa is on the way...) And I worry about Slum Goddess, who may possibly leave a comment on this topic here.

And earlier this month...

East Village Radio launching new website today

From the EV Grieve inbox...

In an effort to better present original music, talk, and special programming, East Village Radio will launch a newly designed website on Friday February 18, 2011.

East Village Radio, an innovator and leader in Internet radio, will unveil the redesign of its new website on Friday February, 18, 2011 to promote and provide a streamlined user experience. The website incorporates a sleeker design architecture that optimizes the overall site visit, showcases new programming features and institutes a new media player for both the live stream and on-demand archives.

When the new site launches, users will be required to visit http://www.eastvillageradio.com in order to listen to the live stream. The new media player is accessible via the EVR homepage, as well as all subsequent and secondary pages within the site.

This is the tattoo that Vanessa Hudgens got at East Side Ink on Wednesday

[Twitpic]

The former Disney star was reportedly at East Side Ink on Avenue B next to Manitoba's where she was continuing to distance herself from "High School Musical" and its sequels. You can read more about it at E! Online if you'd like.

Comic relief

Previously.

St. Mark's Comics will reopen tonight

Well, this is good news after the fire earlier this afternoon, as we first reported ... Runnin' Scared noted that "firefighters had to knock through the wall of St. Marks Comics to reach the fire's source." There weren't any injuries, DNAinfo reported.