NYC crime rate is going up, but not really

This is part of the front page of the Post today ... Uh-oh!

According to the exclusive:

Through July 17, incidents of the seven major felonies are down only slightly -- 0.4 percent -- over the same period last year, dipping from 54,447 to 54,254. The annual tally has dropped every year since 1993.

Oh, so the crime rate is actually down. But! The article insists that it could get worse. Meanwhile, as the paper points out, since 1993, reports of "serious crime" — murder, rape, robbery, felony, etc. — have dropped from 430,460 to 105,115.

We looked at the CompState figures from the 9th Precinct, which covers East Houston Street to East 14th Street from Broadway to the East River. According to these statistics, crime complaints are down 2.93 percent from 2010.... down 69.08 percent since 1993. Not that we're buying all these crime stats anyway ....

Previously on EV Grieve:
Today in 'the bad old days may be here again' articles

The "bad old days" are here again story of the day

Trend alert! The bad old days are here again!

Are the "bad old days" here again...again?

The "bad old days" are here again story of the day

Earlier today on East 12th Street

At Avenue C. Photos by Bobby Williams.

Earlier tonight on East 10th Street

Via EV Grieve reader Patrick....

At the 5th Annual New Village Music Festival

...in Tompkins Square Park...

Photos by Bobby Williams.

The best outdoor spot for free air conditioning in the East Village

It's right here on Sixth Street and Hall Place... there are several spots here outside the new Cooper Union building that provide a welcome blast of cool air... right where this fellow is lounging/passed out.

Despite heatwave, not many people buying ices today — artisanal or otherwise

A quick survey on Seventh Street... by Dave on 7th...

CB3 chair Dominic Pisciotta and his partner are tying the knot tomorrow at the start of the gay-marriage era

As you know, tomorrow is the first day that same-sex couples can be legally married in New York State. According to Bloomberg News, the city received 823 lottery entries from couples for 764 spots available for marriage at clerks’ offices tomorrow.

CB3 chair Dominic Pisciotta and his partner Andrew Berg will be among those tying the knot. The Daily Beast talks to the pair about how they feel on the eve of this historic day.

Pisciotta and Berg graced the cover of Newsweek back in July 2003... with a coverline that asked, "Is gay marriage next?"

For further reading:
The Times They Are A-Changing — Same-Sex Couples and the Village (Off the Grid)

Let's hope that she holds up

Con Ed plant a little bit ago ... Photo by Shawn Chittle.

Today in Tompkins Square Park: The 5th Annual New Village Music Festival

Workers were out early this morning setting out for the show, which starts at noon. Find more info about the Festival here.

Are vigilantes targeting the rats of Tompkins Square Park?

Yesterday, we wrote about The Villager's article about a group of parents who are upset about all the rats in the recently renovated, $1.5 million playground off Ninth Street and Avenue A.

Meanwhile, we've noticed a few gruesome rat crime scenes. Like this one this morning in the Park. Looks as if someone used a shovel...

Or this one ... from a photo by Steven Hirsch on 10th Street near Avenue A ... a gunshot wound to the head?

Previously on EV Grieve:
Parents group upset about number of rats in Tompkins Square Park (30 comments)

East and south

Views from the East Village...

Photos by Bobby Williams.

Singing man on fire pray for rain

Red Box from 1985. Let's hear it for the xylophone.

Workers gutting the former Superdive space

Dave on 7th notes that workers are gutting the retail space at 200 Avenue A (aka, the former Superdive) this afternoon. The pop-up art gallery left the space on July 10. After being rejected three times by the CB3/SLA committee, a group going by Hospitality LLC went to the State Liquor Authority on July 12 for a full liquor license. The group aspires to open a bar/restaurant/art gallery here. A decision on the license is expected in the next week. Or so.

Oh, and the DOB does have permits on file for this work.

Noted

The red-tailed hawk of Tompkins Square Park reacts to the news of Smurf Week

Thanks to EV Grieve reader WK for the Photoshopping.

Cleaning out the Mars Bar

[Thanks to @IrisBlasi for the photo]

A few tipsters have noted that workers are breaking down the interior of the Mars Bar this morning... packing up what's left of the content to take to who knows where...

The city is working hard to fine you for throwing away household trash

Yesterday morning, we spotted a city sanitation agent pulling up to the trash can on the corner of Avenue C and 11th Street. He put on a pair of latex gloves and carefully began to sift through its contents.

He paid particular attention to a bag (Lord & Taylor?) that someone had placed next to the can. He spent several minutes pulling out pieces of mail and inspecting them.

Eventually, he found some letters/bills with someone's name on them. He walked away with that mail.

Anyway, the city can and will fine you $100 for throwing trash from your apartment into city-owned trash cans on the street — like this one! Just ask the 83-year-old Upper East Side who was treated like crap for doing so. Plus, there is a warning right on the side of the can.

For $100, you could probably buy a top-of-the-line executive shredder.

Parents group upset about number of rats in Tompkins Square Park

Well, OK, if you've walked through the Park lately, there do seem to be a good number of rats (still!) running about.

The rats are particularly noticeable in the recently renovated, $1.5 million playground off Ninth Street and Avenue A, The Villager reports this week.

So a group of parents have banded together, calling themselves the Tompkins Square Park & Playgrounds Parents’ Association. "'The fact that, in less than 12 months, the playground has gone from being a crown jewel of the New York playground system to a state of such disrepair is depressing,' said [group founder Chad] Marlow, whose 2-year-old daughter plays in the playground daily."

A Parks Department spokesperson said the city is willing to listen to the association’s concerns, The Villager reported.

Read the whole article here. Also, Bob Arihood has some excellent night-time photos of the rats in the wild. This may be my favorite shot from 2009. I added a few more rat links to Neither More Nor Less. Like these.

[Photo of dead rat in Tompkins Square Park by Bobby Williams]

The cornerstone to 51 Astor Place won't be part of the demolition

So you know that workers will start the demolition process at 51 Astor Place soon enough...

Meanwhile, EV Grieve reader Mark noted this. Several weeks ago, he spotted workers futzing with the building's cornerstone...

...and, a few weeks later, he noticed that the workers had actually removed the cornerstone... and then bricked up the corner space where it had been...

So where is the cornerstone now? Perhaps in the Architectural Salvage Warehouse?

A good sign outside Sidewalk yesterday

EV Grieve correspondent Bobby Williams notes the progress at Sidewalk on Avenue A and Sixth Street ... signs of a reopening...

As we first reported two weeks ago, Sidewalk management is aiming to reopen by Aug. 5. The place closed on March 1 for renovations.

Previously.

41 Bond backup plan: How about this $15k a month apartment down the street?

So all but one of those expensive homes (from $5 million to $8 million for the penthouse) have sold out at 41 Bond, as Curbed noted last week.

Well, if you missed out, then consider this "rarely available home" at 49 Bond St., now on the market for $15,000 a month. According to the Prudential Douglas Elliman listing:

According to the Prudential Douglas Elliman listing:

**1800 SF 2 BED / 2 BATH PRE-WAR LOFT ON BOND STREET WITH TERRACE** Total Gut Renovations combined with Old World Charm makes this the needle in the haystack you've been waiting for! As you enter, you are welcomed by a WALL OF CASEMENT WINDOWS letting in PHENOMENAL NATURAL LIGHT with both North and South Exposures and views of Cobblestone Bond Street. ... As if all this is not enough, there is also there is also a 150 SF TERRACE off the Master Bedroom! Located on famous Bond Street where trendy meets urban exclusivity literally steps from Il Boco, Bowery Electric, and the B,D,F,M,4,6, Subways. RARELY AVAILABE HOME - MUST BE SEEN!

And are the B,D,F,M,4,6 lines trendy or exclusive?

Where are the signs for the Upright Citizens Brigade on Avenue A?

In response to our post Wednesday about an opening date for the Upright Citizens Brigade's new home on Avenue A ... a reader noted that all signs are off the space... Well, sure enough...we hadn't even noticed.

A UCB rep told us the other day that there isn't an opening date yet for the longtime-coming comedy club... Grub Street first broke the news in January 2009 ... the renovations on the space began in July 2009.

In Tompkins Square Park — Kirk, Spock and Gottfried

Even though the new "Star Trek" is playing tonight ... someone brought along the old guys...

...as well as Gilbert Gottfried, who for some reason introduced the film ...

... and made Gottfried-like faces.

Photos by Bobby Williams.

A few scenes from the heatwave

All photos by EV Grieve Heatwave Correspondent Bobby Williams...

Hawked again

EV Grieve correspondent Bobby Williams was hanging out in Tompkins Square Park this afternoon when guess who just plopped down next to him...

Yes, it's Tommy, the red-tailed hawk sponsored by "The Smurfs Movie," coming to you in 3D next Friday!*


* Just testing out some names and corporate partners...

City officials further shame NYC by declaring Smurf Week

Our friend Jen Doll over at Runnin' Scared has the details about Smurf Week. Which city officials announced yesterday. It's all a big marketing thingee leading up to the release next Friday of "The Smurfs Movie," the latest Dogme 95 film by Lars von Trier.

Anyway, is this a big deal? Those little fuckers have been running rampant here the last few months anyway...