Work finally under way on long-awaited Tompkins Square Park men's room documentary

OK, that's a joke. I think. Just a photo of some kind of film crew in the Park today... By Bobby Williams

Today on Avenue A

By Bobby Williams.

Gangster Squad Night at Theater 80 on St. Mark's Place tomorrow

Tomorrow night, The Museum of the American Gangster at 80 St. Mark's Place (aka Theater 80) is hosting a party for the launch of the new movie "Gangster Squad," starring Sean Penn, Ryan "Don't fight in Astor Place" Gosling, Nick Nolte and Josh Brolin.

Via Facebook...

Gangster Squad Night!

Tuesday January 8th, 2013

Doors open at 6pm
7 pm Screening of the 1931 Warner Bros Gangster flick THE PUBLIC ENEMY
8:30pm Join us at the William Barnacle Tavern for Gangster Squad prizes, screening passes and $2 off Absinthe!

No ticket or RSVP required! Screening and bar capacity is on a first come first served basis.

Gangster Squad in Theater's January 11

Noted

Via Grub Street, we learn about a self-professed "Starbucks-addict" who is going to visit every Starbucks in Manhattan in 2013. And blog about it here.

Per his blog's About section: "It is my theory that Starbucks can serve as a guide to the neighborhoods of Manhattan, with each store a reflection of its surroundings."

Ukrainian Christmas, and the St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church

EVG regular Mykola (Mick) Dementiuk reminded us that today is Ukrainian Christmas ... (and Orthodox Christmas Day).

[Via WallyG on Flickr]

And here's a little history of the St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church ... via the church's website...

The first record of a Ukrainian liturgy of the Byzantine tradition was celebrated in the church basement of St. Brigid located on Avenue B, on April 19, 1890 by Father Alexander Dzubaj. In 1892, the Greek Catholic congregation purchased St. Ilee in Brooklyn. Even in those days similar to today, land in New York City was very expensive and Ukrainian immigrants so poor, that it was not feasible for them to purchase a church or land in the city. Thus, it took Ukrainian Catholics another 13 years before they founded St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church in 1905.

Late in 1905, the Ukrainian community of Manhattan purchased the Colgate Chapel from a Baptist congregation on East 20th Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues. The chapel was converted into the Byzantine Ukrainian Catholic style and hence was born the first church of its kind on the island of Manhattan.

The new church was dedicated to Saint George and well maintained from its inception. In 1911, the need for a larger church was obvious and the congregation of St. George purchased a Methodist church on 7th Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues. The new location was immediately converted to the Greek Catholic style in order to serve a growing Ukrainian catholic community.

The current church building of St. George was built in 1978.

Here are two undated photos of the apartment building that stood on the southeast corner of East Seventh Street and Shevchenko Place before the current church was built... in the first shot, you can see the dome of the original St. George in the background ... (going east on Seventh Street...)

...this shot is from East Sixth Street looking north along Shevchenko Place to East Seventh Street ... you can see McSorley's straight ahead... the apartment building where the church is now is on the corner... and you can see a bit of the St. George Elementary School and St. George Academy in the near right corner...

[Via Facebook]

Claim: Second on Second closing this month on Second Avenue

Second on Second, the 10-year-old karaoke bar on Second Avenue, is closing at the end of the month, according to a tipster...

The tipster said that there was a rent hike, but it wasn't all that unreasonable. While business had been lagging a bit ... the tipster believes that there is still a market for karaoke...

No word on what might be next here. It's a cavernous space that will likely be highly desirable for some new venture...

So, after this month, the Cock will be the last bar left on the block here between East Second Street and East First Street. The Urge, the gay bar/club at 31-33 Second Ave., closed after New Year's Eve. They are expected to reopen this year at the long-vacant 14 Avenue B.

And you can expect some big changes soon enough a storefront away from Second on Second at 31-33 Second Ave. ...

As we reported on June 27, Ben Shaoul is planning on adding three floors to the existing building.

Lastly, Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken will eventually be taking over the corner space at East First Street. Oh, and there's always Mars Bar 2.0.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Ben Shaoul planning a 3-story addition at 31-33 Second Ave.

The former Whole Earth Bakery and Kitchen is now for rent on St. Mark's Place

The "for rent" sign went up here at 130 St. Mark's Place on Saturday. A full dumpster sits out front. The vegan bakery, which had been at this location since 1991 (34 years in business total), closed for good on Dec. 29.

Aside from rising rents, business had been down... and, of course, Sandy didn't help matters.

Owner Peter Silvestri held an auction at the store on Dec. 30...

[Courtesy of Bill the libertarian anarchist]

Meanwhile, The Villager reports this week that seven activists, organized by Fran Luck, traveled to Westchester County on Dec. 28 to hold a protest in front of Whole Earth landlord Ronald Friedman's office.

Per the article:

“We went up to Tarrytown because landlords who pull the strings on our community from afar, and without any consequence, should know that we will come to their communities to respond,” Luck said.

Whole Earth Bakery’s rent rose from $1,100 a month in 1991 to $5,300, an increase about three times faster than the rate of inflation.

205 Avenue A primed for 2 new floors

Back in August, we reported that a resident-free 205 Avenue A between East 12th Street and East 13th Street was getting a two-floor extension courtesy of developer Terrence Lowenberg and architect Ramy Issac.

Workers have been gut-renovating away these last few months... and now on the roof, the first sign of the new floors to come...

Meanwhile, here's an angle from the rear ... where it appears that workers gave been extending the back of the building as well...

[via EVG regular Greg Masters]

Max has apparently closed on Avenue B

As Eater first reported last Jan. 31, Max, the Avenue B stalwart, was expanding to Williamsburg some time in the near future... a few days later The Wall Street Journal reported that they would actually be closing the Avenue B location when the Brooklyn space was ready ... not sure what the status is with the expansion.

A reader noted the following yesterday...

@evgrieve Saw furniture being loaded into a truck this morning from Max on Ave B... any clue what's going on?

— James Feldman (@james_feldman) January 6, 2013

Another tipster reported that Max has, indeed, served its last meal here, as of New Year's Eve ... the place was closed last night...

Per the Journal last Feb. 3:

Luigi Iasilli, an owner, wrote in an email that he plans to close the East Village location as the neighborhood is getting "slow."

"I finally found what I believe I was looking for," he said of his Williamsburg site. "For me, [it is] going back to the roots, small space, $3,000 rent, a small yard, a mixed ethnic neighborhood with only a bodega across the street."

There are rumors that the east side of the Avenue here between Third Street and Fourth Street, the stretch of storefronts that included the LeSouk empire and Max, will receive a few extra floors during an upcoming renovation ...

[EVG file photo]

EV Grieve Eatery Etc.: Little Italy Pizza space for rent; Gruppo signs up on Avenue B

On Christmas Eve day, EVG regular Stephen Popkin spotted workers quickly cleaning out the short-lived Little Italy Pizza joint at 23 Third Ave. at St. Mark's Place. How quick was it? Noted one commenter:

I passed by just as the workers were hilariously loading trays of fresh pizza dough along with half used cans of tomato sauce and olives in the back of a white van while trying not to spill them all over the place. A guy carrying out a deli cheese slicer said they needed to leave in a hurry.

The space is now for rent... the listing isn't online just yet...

-----

Signage update on Gruppo, which is relocating to a new home down Avenue B... to 98 Avenue B between East Seventh Street and East Sixth Street ...

-----

And there's this...

@evgrieve@eastvillageny One of our regulars found our sidewalk sign, that was stolen during #SantaCon! Thanks. twitter.com/pangeanyc/stat…

— pangea (@pangeanyc) January 6, 2013

Drunken Santas apparently stole it that one awful day ... it randomly appeared Saturday night on East 11th Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue...

Here's your new Duane Reade signage on First Avenue; plus — will they keep the clock?

Oh! Back in May, a tipster told us that the Duane Reade on East 14th Street was moving into the former HSBC branch (the one that some residents tried to save) on First Avenue just north of 14th Street. Signage is now up. Think that clock that never has the right time will stay?

Anyway, a drug store is sorely needed here... as neighbors would have to walk directly next door to the CVS otherwise.

And the Duane Reade around the corner will eventually close ...

We Grievestrated the move on Oct. 2 ...

The soon-to-be-former Duane Reade space remains on the market (PDF) ... Seems like a perfect spot for a Walgreens!

EV Grieve Eatery Etc.: Pudgie's-Nathan's-Arthur Treacher's closes for renovations; new 4th Avenue bar opens

The Pudgie's-Nathan's-Arthur Treacher's action-packed combo opened on First Avenue in June... by the fall, the joint was for sale. At last look, the asking price was $189,000.

Meanwhile, several readers have noted that the space has been closed of late...

...and a sign on the door points to a "renovation."

Will the former former King Gyro continue to be a Pudgie's-Nathan's-Arthur Treacher's? Or will it become a new combo of fastish food?

-----

Back in October, that gigantic Fourth Avenue bar the Forum "closed for renovations." And now, the space is back open as The Royal...

...we don't know a thing about the new venture... kind of looks the same as Forum, at least from the outside. We were never inside.

-----

...And on Second Avenue, don't be alarmed if you see the gate down at the Stage...

... the EVG favorite is closed today for Ukrainian Christmas ...

Open hydrants on East 10th Street

The FDNY responded to a call a few minutes ago on East 10th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B... everything seems to be OK... firefighters came and went fairly quickly, per witnesses ... here's a photo from the scene via @af ...

Noted

Man in Tompkins Square Park yelling'kill me. Put me out of my misery.'

— evgrieve (@evgrieve) January 6, 2013

Week in Grieview

[Salon 13 on East 13th Street via Andrew Adam Newman on Ave C]

Remembering some friends and neighbors who died in 2012 (Monday)

4 East Fourth Street buildings hit the market for $32 million (Thursday)

East Side students returning soon to East 12th Street (Friday)

The year in East Village photos — 2012 (Tuesday)

The year in East Village photos — Bobby Williams edition (Tuesday)

Anti-7-Eleven street art on Avenue A (Monday)

Remembering Sunando Sen (Wednesday)

Former Mars Bar space becoming a fucking bank branch (Wednesday)

But will there be a Mars Bar 2.0? (Thursday)

East Village stories to watch in 2013 (Wednesday and Thursday)

Cracked buildings help shut down Avenue B construction site (Friday)

The top-5 viewed EV Grieve posts from 2012 (Monday)

So long to Bargain Express (Friday)

First sign of the Penistrator this winter (Sunday)

UPS Store replacing Atlas Barber School on Third Avenue

Jeremiah Moss first reported that the Atlas Barber School closed on Third Avenue at the end of May... As he noted, the landlord jacked up the rent to $11,000 a month — a little much for a barber shop charging $5 a haircut. (Read his post on the place and its history here.)

And there's now a new tenant for the space... a UPS Store...

Seems like the kind of business that will succeed with a brand-new office building going up a few hundred feet away... Also, a UPS Store closed on Second Avenue in April 2011 for financial reasons, per the sign on the door at the time.

Previously.

[Updated] Art or vandalism?

Near Avenue A this morning...

Updated 3:27

Vandalism. EVG reader Adam shared this photo of the owner cleaning off the van this afternoon...

Noted

Spotted on East Second Street between Avenue B and Avenue C...

Can't quite make out the chalk in this photo... reads "Clean this up."

Skywinter

Photo tonight by Bobby Williams.

[And sorry to ruin a nice photo with that corny headline]

Today outside 100 Avenue A

Previously. Photo by Bobby Williams.

[Updated] Madman Espresso now open on East 14th Street

On Monday, EVG reader Tony told us that an espresso bar is ready to open at 319 E. 14th St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue ... in space that previously housed a Verizon store.

Tony follows up, noting that Madman Espresso has opened...

Looks like a nice space. Please let us know if you try it.

Updated Jan. 6

Here's a photo of the cafe with its sign...

Noted

Spotted on Third Avenue...

Hey Upper West Side – Eat It!

More rats my ass...

Dining on rat this afternoon in Tompkins Square Park... photos by Bobby Williams...

Altered Images

Because we just don't play enough Canadian synth-pop around here... Images In Vogue with "In The House" circa 1986. Kudos to Robert Smith's hairdresser, who must have been doing a lot of freelance...

See a little of the 1970s-1980s East Village tonight on Turner Classic Movies

Thanks to EVG Facebook friend Steven for pointing out the late-night (early-morning) schedule at Turner Classic Movies...

The cable channel is showing two films from No Wave cinema pioneer Amos Poe... "The Foreigner" from 1978 at 2 a.m. and "Alphabet City" from 1984 at 3:45 a.m. ... both filmed in and around these parts.

Alex wrote about "The Foreigner" a few years back at Flaming Pablum.

Here's a scene featuring Debbie Harry...



Then there's a Hollywoodized "Alphabet City."

Here's the plot cut-and-pasted from Wikipedia:

The film takes place entirely in one evening, with the time being indicated chronologically on the clock in Johnny's Trans Am. Early in the evening Johnny meets with his friend Lippy, an eccentric cocaine dealer played by Michael Winslow. They discuss the planned burning of an apartment building, called for by the mob. As their discussion progresses, it becomes clear that it is Johnny who must carry out the burning of the building before the night is over, and moreover, his mother and sister live in the targeted building. This request from the Mob pushes Johnny to plan a split from the Mob, which proves difficult...

Hmm. Did I mention that lead Vincent Spano wears studded ankle bracelets?

I wrote this about it five years ago:

I wanted to like the movie more than I did. It's definitely worth watching for many reasons, such as seeing a hammy Jami Gertz play a high-priced teen hooker.

And here's the trailer ...



And you should also quickly realize if you are watching the correct movie called "The Foreigner."

East Side students to return to repaired East Village school in 2 weeks

[From November, via Bobby Williams]

As you'll recall, students and faculty had to evacuate East Side Community School and Girls Prep Charter on East 12th Street back in September when a maintenance worker found part of the eastern wall separating from the rest of the structure.

In the last few months, workers have busy rebuilding the damaged wall. One estimate via NY1 put the students back in the building in late February.

However, East Side Principal Mark Federman just tweeted the following...

January 18 is our last day at NT and PS 1.Back at East Side in 2 weeks #fb

— Mark Federman (@MarkEastSide) January 4, 2013

So this likely puts the return date at Jan. 21 for the students who have attending other area schools ... more details as they become available...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Schools making it work while repairs continue at 420 E. 12th St.

Rodent revelations: The Upper West Side has twice as many rats as we do

[Tompkins Square Park last fall, via Bobby Williams]

City stats released yesterday show that the Upper West Side (the 10024 and 10025 zip codes) have lodged more than 1,183 "rodent complaints" with 311 in the last two years, according to the Post.

As reported: "The UWS had nearly twice many reports as the Lower East Side and the East Village, which phoned-in 688 complaints in the same period."

Are we going to just sit here and take this from those wusses? Now get out there and leave even more half-eaten containers of food and slices of pizza on the sidewalks and in Tompkins Square Park!

On a serious note, Gothamist has a cool interactive map showing the number of complaints in the five boroughs by zip code. Find that here.