EV Grieve

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Tree pleads: 'I am alive'

Urban Tree Etiquette Sign on East 11th Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue...

Not to mention Doritos.

Monday, July 22, 2013

See the forest for the Rite Aid

Quick update from EVG Senior First Avenue Rite Aid Correspondent Goggla ... who figures the RA outpost here at East Fifth Street is about another-day-of-painting away from completing its transformation from Big Box to Big Forest...

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] As the Rite Aid turns (colors)

Rite Aid's enchanted forest

Report: DA charges curb-crash driver with vehicular assault

[Photo via @JanSichermann]

Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance charged the driver who plowed into East Village Farm and Grocery on Second Avenue last month with vehicular assault, Streetsblog reported on Friday.

As previously reported, the NYPD charged Shaun Martin, 32, of Bayside, Queens, with DWI.

Per Streetsblog:

He was also charged with possession of PCP, according to online court records.

Court records show multiple charges were added on July 5: two counts of first degree vehicular assault, two counts of felony assault with serious injury, a felony count of operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs, felony driving while ability impaired, and felony DWAI by drugs and alcohol.

Possible sentences reportedly range from probation to 15 years in prison.

Just before 7 a.m. on June 19, Martin and a female passenger were reportedly speeding down Second Avenue when he lost control of his Nissan Altima ... jumping the curb around East Fourth Street and injuring four people, most critically 62-year-old Akkas Ali. He reportedly emerged from a coma 11 days after the crash.

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] Car smashes into East Village Farm & Grocery on Second Avenue; 6 reported injured

Crowdsourcing campaign for injured East Village Farm and Grocery worker raises nearly $19,000

Crowdsourcing campaign for injured East Village Farm and Grocery worker raises nearly $19,000

The crowdsourcing campaign ended this past weekend for the family of gravely injured East Village Farm and Grocery worker Akkas Ali (pictured above). At the end of the campaign, 290 people contributed $18,579 for Ali's rehabilitation.

Community Board 3 member Chad Marlow organized the campaign. As he said in June in announcing the campaign:

"I went through this same thing with my father when he was just 4 years younger than Mr. Ali, and one of Mr. Ali's sons is the same age as I was when my father was stuck and seriously and permanently injured by a speeding, intoxicated driver. So I know how much this kind of support would help him and his family."

We asked Marlow for his reaction to the campaign results yesterday:

"The success of this effort is a wonderful testament to our community ... 290 contributors stepped forward to help this poor family. We have collectively done a great good and, in doing so, have revealed the great goodness lies at the center of the East Village's soul. I am enormously proud and grateful to be part of this community."

Marlow reports that Ali has been transferred to the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in New Jersey.

"Mr. Ali has been opening his eyes and has been exhibiting responsive eye movements, but now that he is at Kessler, which is one of the best rehabilitation facilities in the world — Christopher Reeve also went there — the real work of getting better can begin."

Marlow's father was also a patient at Kessler following his accident.

Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance reportedly charged the driver, Shaun Martin of Queens, with vehicular assault.

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] Car smashes into East Village Farm & Grocery on Second Avenue; 6 reported injured (62 comments)

Campaign launched to raise money for gravely injured East Village Farm and Grocery worker

1st week of crowdsourcing campaign for injured East Village Farm and Grocery worker raises $11k

An assault at Theatre 80

[EVG file photo]

Lorcan Otway, who owns and operates Theatre 80 and William Barnacle Tavern on St. Mark's Place, shared the following with us... We first saw him post the details on Facebook.

Here is a slightly condensed version of the incident:

On Friday, just after 4 p.m., three young men attempted to extort $100 from the owner of the theatre, Lorcan Otway, to return a phone they had, which had been stolen from an employee. Mr Otway pocketed the phone and thanked them and said that we did not reward theft.

As the three advanced to take back the phone, Otway's wife, Eugenie Gilmore-Otway, a lawyer, snapped a photograph of the instigator of the event, "Mark." He then snatched her phone and the three ran for the door.

Lorcan pinned the three against the door, and as they pushed out onto the street, he wrestled away his wife's stolen phone. One of the three, coming up behind Otway, shoved him head first into the Citi Bike racks [across St. Mark's], causing him a head and knee injury."

Upon fleeing, the men allegedly hit Genie with their car. She sustained a broken ankle and four breaks to her shoulder as well as cuts to the face.

According to Otway, the police have the make and model of the car ... as well as the license plate number, a phone number for "Mark" ... "the staff and management of Theatre 80 hopes for a speedy arrest and settlement of this matter."

Witness a 7-story residential conversion on Avenue C

The 3,050-square-foot, two-story Kingdom Hall owned by the Jehovah's Witnesses at 67 Avenue C will soon yield a 7-story, 7-unit residential building, BuzzBuzzHome first reported on Friday.

Permits filed Wednesday at the DOB show plans for 1,843 square feet of commercial space and 7,451 square feet of residential space. As BuzzBuzz pointed out, the building just south of East Fifth Street will get five new levels, including "a penthouse vertical extension. The residences will be full-floor and half-floor, with a duplex penthouse on top." (As we understand it, the Jehovah's Witnesses will continue to use the adjacent space at 63 and 65 Avenue C.)

Developer Natan Vinbaytel is listed as the developer. (He's also currently putting up the new 6-floor building at 227 E. Seventh St.) The architect is Vikatos Architect PC.

We wrote about a potential sale back in August 2009 during a guest stint at Curbed. At the time the asking price was $2.2 million.

The space hit the market again in May 2012.

Previously on EV Grieve:
New world order for Avenue C?

Sarkozy-Olsen 'love nest' on the block

Last August, when reports surfaced that Olivier Sarkozy bought 123 E. 10th St., the Post described the historic 146-year-old home as a "love nest" he would share with girlfriend Mary-Kate Olsen.

Apparently there's a change in nesting, as the half-brother of the former French president has listed the single-family Anglo-Italianate townhouse for just less than $7 million. (The townhouse is one half of a 146-year-old set of homes. No. 125 is apparently not on the market.) Property records show that Sarkozy paid $6.25 million for the space.

Douglas Elliman has the listing. Here's a bit about the space:

Erected in 1854 by James Renwick, one of the most famous American Architects of his time, amongst Grace Church, St. Patricks Cathedral and other internationally acclaimed projects, 123 East 10th stands out as one of the most exquisite Row Houses built. This house remains to be as attractive and architecturally significant today as it was almost two centuries ago.

The home boasts at least five bedrooms and currently only four bathrooms but can easily accommodate more of each. An old world layout with a double parlor greets one with a lovely grand entrance and can accommodate multiple sitting rooms. A Garden Level which could be most appropriately used for a kitchen and casual dining area that leads out to a lovely garden with either an open plan for a casual entertaining room or a small room suitable for guest or staff.

No. 123 was on the market for nearly four years before Sarkozy bought it.

Standard East Village unveils 1st phase of reconfigured ground floor with garden lobby

[Bobby Williams]

Back in April 2012, The Standard East Village unveiled major plans to alter parts of its public space. Among other things, the Standarders were going to expand the lobby and take over part of garden space that lined East Fifth Street. If memory serves, then there will also be an outdoor cafe along the Cooper Square side.

Anyway, as the top photo shows, the new garden-lobby entrance is now in use ... and here's a view of the new garden wall along East Fifth Street ...

At first glance it appears to make better use of the space than the former Cooper Square Hotel ... who used the East Fifth Street side to house an array of dead shrubbery and nice cars...

[June 2009]

... and later a fence made out of Popsicles... and that damn Pimm's Cup sidewalk chalkboard sign....

Work continues on the new restaurant and sidewalk cafe at the Standard. Eventually it will all look something like this ...

[Click on image to enlarge]

Lucy's will return Aug. 12 or 13th

Or maybe Aug. 2 or 3. Hard to tell really. Anyway, time for the usual summer break here on Avenue A. No Smiley Face sign this time though. :(

The Wayside is now open on East 12th Street

A few readers told us that Wayside is now open at 139 E. 12th St. just west of Third Avenue...

The cafe took over for the long-closed D&M Convenience store.

We don't know too much about the Wayside (not to be confused with the Wayland). This was the info from the Wayside application filed ahead of the CB3/SLA committee meeting in August 2012:

The applicants, listed as Paul Typaldos and Andreas Typaldos, will run a small cafe that would be open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday-Wednesday, and 7 a.m.-2 a.m. Thursday-Saturday. They describe the food as "simple organic fare: sandwiches, paninis, salads."

And according to the application, Paul Typaldos is a majority member in Greensquare Tavern over on West 21st Street.

EV Grieve Eatery Etc.: Power problems KO Alder's Friday night; here's Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken

Last Thursday night, several people noted the arrival of the FDNY at Alder, chef Wylie Dufresne's newish restaurant on Second Avenue...

[Photo by @jabell86]

Not sure exactly what transpired other than that the power went out... and that diners finished their meals by candlelight... The power issue kept the restaurant out of order on Friday night too...

Alder was back in business on Saturday.

-----

On Saturday, we took a look inside the incoming Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken on Second Avenue and East First Street... we haven't heard of any opening date yet... but it looks close...

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Week in Grieview

[Bobby Williams]

Rally for Trayvon Martin (Sunday)

Cooper Union students end occupation of President's office after 65 days (Monday)

Q-and-A with Nick Zedd (Thursday)

It was pretty hot out (Monday)

Why S'MAC left First Park (Tuesday)

Klean & Kleaner remains a laundromat (Thursday)

205 Avenue A revealed (Tuesday)

St. John's coming to 51 Astor? (Wednesday)

L'asso EV closes (Monday)

No help likely to spare Mary Help of CHristians Catholic Church from demolition (Tuesday)

Box Kite Coffee to open on St. Mark's Place (Tuesday)

Out and About With Michael Duggan (Wednesday)

Alphabets has a new outpost on Avenue A (Monday)

Wafles & Dinges opens on Avenue B (Monday)

Richard Hell likes his apartment (Friday)

Workers remove giant elm in Tompkins Square Park (Saturday)

Swimming in the floating East River pool (Friday)

Rat battle (Monday)

A baby bird in a basket on East 13th Street

S. Wylie shares these photos ... as well as this story...

"Earlier this week an ingenious and noble New Yorker rescued this baby bird on East 13th Street..."

But yesterday, the baby flew the basket...

NYPD looking for help finding men accused of assault on First Avenue

[Click image to enlarge]

Twin brothers were attacked by a group of men early May 26 on First Avenue near East First Street. (BoweryBoogie first reported the incident here.)

Flyers are now up around the area in which the incident took place... As the flyers show, the victims are black. The men wanted for the attack are white, and the group numbered as many as 10. The NYPD assigned the incident to the Hate Crime Task Force.

Previously.

Moon set

Last night... photos by Bobby Williams

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Today's rain

Photo by Bobby Williams

Nino's is back open on Avenue A

[Bobby Williams]

Nino's — the real Nino's — is back open as of today on Avenue A and St. Mark's Place...Nino Camaj has reopened the pizzeria that he previously sold...

... the pizza was just as good as we remembered it... though the interior still needs to be warmed up a bit. Plenty of time for that.

No sign of a soda fountain machine just yet, though they do sell Italian ices...

Previously on EV Grieve:
New Nino's will be the old Nino's

Cadillac dreams

Earlier today on East Fourth Street and Avenue C... Goggla notes that it attracted a lot of admirers ... and it's for sale...

Above the Bowery

Photo from the Bowery by Bobby Williams earlier today...

[Updated] Noted

Why aren't there any city trash cans on 2nd Avenue this morning?
— evgrieve (@evgrieve) July 20, 2013

Tweeted this observation this morning... several people have also noticed. Anyone know why there aren't any trash cans along Second Avenue?

Updated Sunday morning

Still trash-can free on Second Avenue... and people seem to be just tossing their trash on the sidewalk...

'#EV3 Release Party' today for 'the most desirable walk-up in the East Village'

Big doings today over at the "East Village3" aka "The #EV3" ... aka the buildings at 50-58 E. Third St. where many longtime tenants lost their leases when new owners took over the building last year ...

Today, according to the ALL-CAP notice on Streeteasy:

!!!!!!!!!RED CARPET RELEASE PARTY!!!!!!!!!
WAIT NO LONGER, THE HOTTEST PENTHOUSE 2BR + ROOFDECK IN THE EV JUST HIT THE MARKET!!!

Here's the flyer for the event...

Food. Drink. Music. Red carpet? Let us know if you drop by to say in front of the cameras, the "most desirable walk-in the East Village."

Previously on EV Grieve:
Reader report: Three apartment buildings sold on East Third Street

Advocate for East Third Street buildings moving to Washington Heights

More about the lease renewals at 50, 54 and 58 E. Third St.

Tenants at 50, 54 and 58 E. Third St. banding to together in face of building sale

More drama at 50-58 E. Third St.; 'heavy construction' awaits tenants who stay

And now the renovations really begin at 50-58 E. Third St.

The 'East Village3' is ready for you; for that 'Industrial Chic feel'

Workers remove rest of giant elm in Tompkins Square Park

Workers started cutting down a giant elm in Tompkins Square Park on Thursday... and now the tree near the entrance on Avenue B at East Ninth Street is gone...

[Bobby Williams]

Workers had said part of the tree was hollowed out and in danger of falling... and to show this, a portion of a hollowed-out limb remains...

Adinah's Farm is back open

On Thursday, the NYPD has closed Adinah's Farm on Avenue C and East Second Street ... the sign on the corner deli's door noted "stolen property offenses."

Not sure what happened, but Steven Matthews passes along word (and photo) that the deli was reopen as of last night...

BBQ balance: Slippy splop warning on Second Avenue

Oh yeah. Waiting for the light on the northwest corner of Second Avenue and St. Mark's Place... a BBQ splop.

Then! Street cleaner! Jump back!

The street cleaner turned the splop into a nice smooth and very slippery line... within a few minutes, we witnessed three different people nearly slip. Not flip-flop friendly terrain here.

[Updated] 200 East Village ConEd customers without power

We've heard from a few readers around East Sixth Street and Avenue C who lost their power late last night.

According to the ConEd outage map, there's a "manhole problem":

The estimated power return is 11 a.m.

Updated 9:30 a.m.

East Sixth Street between Avenue B and C is currently closed... and there are at least 15-18 ConEd trucks on the scene...

Updated 11:34 a.m.

ConEd is now estimating that the power will be restored by 3 p.m.

Updated 2:30

We're told that ConEd has restored the power.

[Updated] Report: 18-year-old-man shot outside Jacob Riis Houses

An 18-year-old man suffered life-threatening wounds after being shot in the face last night at the Jacob Riis Houses on Avenue D, the Post reports.

The man was found in a courtyard at 118 Avenue D around 10:45 p.m. Police said they don't have a motive yet for the shooting.

Police also said that "unruly residents began throwing trash and other objects onto the crime scene below," which required them to call in back-up and emergency services.

Updated 2:27
The Daily News reports that the teen, Deontay Moore, has died.