Unattended ladders and new bedbugs at 132 E. Seventh St.

Construction continues at 132 E. Seventh St. at Avenue A... at the residential portion above Niagara... (work started back in April) ... DOB permits point to "facade repair" on the building.

A resident here shares a little about the ongoing construction this summer...

I got home from work [the other night] to find that the construction crew (who themselves have been notably professional and diligent) had left their ladder set up. Since the scaffolding went up, we have had two incidents of strangers scrambling their way up and wandering around on the scaffolding after dark and that was without a handy ladder.

And how have the renovations been going?

When they started construction, they (again with no warning) entered all of our apartments and started to cut holes in our ceiling. After we stacked and moved all of our belongings and furniture, they continued by putting anchor bolts and plates through our walls. Ostensibly this was to reinforce the existing structure; however, in conjunction with the "roof patio" they have built and the in-wall a/c units they are insisting on installing, it's our (the tenants) guess that they are looking to either flip these into more "luxury units" or more aggressively, try to add another floor on top.

Also, we got bedbugs after they cut the holes in the ceiling.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Straight to hell: Keeping a watchful eye on the Joe Strummer mural

'End of Days' are here for Max Fish

[You never know when a cliched photo of the Max Fish toilet will come in handy]

Max Fish closes for good on the Lower East Side on Aug. 1, according to Gallerist.

And the Ludlow Street fixture, which is moving to Williamsburg, signed off with their final exhibition — titled "End of Days," which Ava Rollins and Yolande Whitcomb curated. (The show, featuring work by Craig Wetherby, Ricky Powell and FAILE, is only up through tonight.)

X Games at ESPN paid tribute to the Max Fish on Monday... noting how the bar was big with the skate crowd through the years...

Max Fish will all be leaving a neighborhood that now resembles the chaos of New Orleans' Bourbon Street on the weekends more than the downtown cool with which it once was associated.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The art evolution of Ulli Rimkus and Max Fish

From Tin Pan Alley to Max Fish

[Updated] Max Fish is apparently moving to Brooklyn; eyeing August close date

Up ahead in the distance, Hotel Ludlow

On the topic of Max Fish... Here's their next-door neighbor, Hotel Ludlow. We haven't looked at it in awhile (November, anyway) ... And after nearly 5 years of various construction stops and starts, it's construction-netting free these days.

...and from the back...







In October 2011, Curbed reported that BD Hotels — the team involved with the Maritime, Chambers, Greenwich, Jane and Bowery hotels — bought the stalled site for $25 million... finally bring a vitally needed hotel to this area. (OK, OK.)

For more on the background here, you can check out BoweryBoogie and The Lo-Down.

Previously on EV Grieve:
People behind fabulous hotels opening another likely fabulous hotel on Ludlow Street

Actual work being done at the long-stalled Hotel Ludlow site

The Dude abides again tonight in Tompkins Square Park

"The Big Lebowski" is the free film tonight in Tompkins Square Park. (The 1998 comedy from the Coen Brothers also played last summer in the Park.)

As you probably know, the film stars Tara Reid, the leading lady of "Sharknado."



Also, "The Big Lebowski" includes Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Julianne Moore, John Turturro and Sam Elliott.

There's pre-movie music by Jake Pinto & the Yeahtones.

As always: all this is weather permitting... Check the Films in Tompkins Facebook page for updates on tonight's screening.

And upcoming...

Aug. 1 — Rocky Horror Picture Show
Aug. 8 — Chico + Rita
Aug. 15 — Romeo + Juliet
Aug. 22 — O Brother, Where Art Thou

Iris Cafe 'closed for remodeling' one month after opening on St. Mark's Place

On St. Mark's Place, the Iris Cafe opened in the former Rockit Scientist space (RIP) in the middle of last month ... However, in recent days, the Taiwanese-style bakery with a location in Flushing has been closed... a sign on the door notes that they are "closed for remodeling." A worker hauling out trash bags yesterday said that they would be expanding their menu and reopening.

These days, it's even more expensive to live in a cabin without a toilet and running water

In the last few days, an Airbnb listing for a cabin caravan on the Lower East Side has been making the rounds. (The listing is no longer live.) Curbed posted it Tuesday via ValleyWag.

The same ad offering the exact same amenities flew around the Internet in January 2012. (We posted it here.) One thing worth noting: In the new listing, the cabin is asking $1,367/month. In January 2012, the price was $900/month.

What do you think caused a $467 rent hike in 19 months? Demand?

Anyway. Here's part of that original post from January 2012...

-----

Small unusual cabin caravan in Manhattan's lower east side situated on a forested edge of a private lot with 24/7 security. Large windows and a skylight ensure an open and airy feel in the minimally furnished interior outfitted with a full sized bed, desk, lamp and kettle for making tea or coffee. Linens and blankets will be provided.

Appealing places, cheap and otherwise, within walking distance for dining and entertainment and several small parks within easy access to public transportation. A bicycle and a lock are included with the cabin if you prefer travel above ground.

The cabin has no running water or toilet, there is a toilet on the property steps away. Previous guests have used a convenient 24 hour gym to shower.

Single occupancy or couple preferred, perfect for someone quiet, clean, independent, no pets.

All the windows shut and lock and there are curtains so you are not exposed, there is a heater, the space is small and warms easily, there are plenty of extra blankets if necessary.

$900 for the entire month, can be prorated.

Here's what it allegedly looks like...

Evening tweet

Nicest night we've had in weeks. (Heat & humidity wise) pic.twitter.com/aIaypkPCKd

— evgrieve (@evgrieve) July 24, 2013

Another Katie Holmes moment

Filming for "Mania Days" continued today ... now at the 6BC Botanical Garden... where EVG reader Francis Ratna happened by... we're meeting her later for a few 24-oz Natty Light cans at Vazacs...

In case you have a few loose screws

Free bed frame! Yours for the taking on Elizabeth at East Houston... Clean? Maybe not now. Been here long enough to be tagged...

East Village resident wants 'female hipster' to moon him for 3 seconds

Courtesy of Gawker, we learned about the existence of this real or fake Craigslist ad...

Mooned by female hipster
I know, I know. Strangest fetish ever. But I can't successfully talk myself out of it, so I'm hoping to craigslist it into enactment.

What I'm hoping (but not exactly expecting) to find is an attractive-ish female who is either a hipster or who possesses the wardrobe and willingness to fake it, who will consent to moon me for a fee.

I am able to host this encounter at my place in the East Village or willing to travel virtually anywhere else you'd prefer. Chaperones are perfectly welcome. The entire transaction would consist of me handing you cash in advance followed by you mooning me for approximately three seconds. The entire encounter needn't last more than five minutes, awkward introductions included. No photography, no commercial aspect, no contact whatsoever.

How green is Rite Aid's valley?

Wow. The mural on the East Fifth Street side of Rite Aid is nearly complete. (Maybe just a few more details left?)

This is today's view via EVG Senior First Avenue Rite Aid Correspondent Goggla. The Royal Kingbee UW, a Bronx-born graffiti artist, has created this mural. Kingbee and Vase1, who specialize in urban and rural landscapes, will also be painting the exterior at the Avenue D Rite Aid...

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

Rite Aid's enchanted forest

Today in randomish Katie Holmes sightings on Avenue B

Crews for "Mania Days" are filming along Avenue B near East Fourth Street today... And EVG reader Vinny spotted co-star Katie Holmes, the former East Village resident, wearing longer-than-average denim shorts on the street ...

"Mania Days" is about a manic depressive rapper (Luke Kirby) who gets involved with a manic depressive poet (Holmes) in a passionate affair that results in a pregnancy. And likely manic depressiveness. (Spike Lee is a producer.)

The production shot scenes on Avenue A and in Tompkins Square Park back in April.

Previously on EV Grieve:
East Village reeling over breakup of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes

The Exterminator is Coming

A front hall from along East Second Street... from an apparently mice-infested building...

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: Elizabeth Cunningham
Occupation: Paramedic
Location: 1st Avenue between St. Mark's and 9th Street
Time: 6 pm on Sunday, July 21

I’ve lived in New York for about 15 years and I’ve been in the East Village for a little over 2 and a half years. The art, diversity, culture, music and food brought me to New York. I grew up as an Army brat so we moved around a lot. I lived in Europe a little bit when I was a kid but I spent most of my formative years in the south, in Augusta, Georgia, home of James Brown and The Masters. James Brown was the better part. It was a pretty closed-minded place and didn’t have any of the things that New York had to offer.

I’m a paramedic. I’ve been doing that for about 17 years now. I work for the City, for 911. I primarily cover the Upper West Side and Morningside Heights. I work 60 to 70 hours a week, full time at Lenox Hill Hospital and then on the weekends I usually work a couple of shifts at New York Presbyterian/Cornell and we cover Midtown — east and west.

I respond to 911 calls and I work in advanced life support. We do everything from cardiac arrest, to heart emergencies, to people who can’t breath. We get the more critical calls. We get a lot of crazy people too ... people barricaded, a lot of violent crimes, although it’s not as much as it used to be. That’s further uptown. The subway accidents are pretty common. They’re more common than people think — it’s not always publicized how many people get run over by trains.

And then at Presbyterian they have a special ops division — it’s a hazardous materials emergency response team. I’m the only woman on the team of 50. If there’s some sort of radiological disaster or if there’s something like September 11 or a dirty bomb or anything with hazardous materials, we’re prepared for that. If something like that happens again we can team up with the FDNY. The training is a lot of fun. It’s definitely a high-adrenaline, Type-A personality type of thing.

I came to the East Village because I just felt more comfortable down here. I lived in a rent-controlled sublet on the Upper East Side for years and I hated it — it was so dry and so bland. It was horrible.

But it was a thousands bucks a month for rent, so it was really hard to give up. I’d ride my bike down here and I hung out down primarily and every time I’d ride back uptown I could see the architecture and the demographic changing and I’d just feel my spirit sinking. I didn’t want to go back up there.

So I finally got kicked out of the sublet. They wanted to tear the building down and then I figured, this was it — now or never. The first time in my new apartment I felt like this weight was off my shoulders. I slept like a baby. You don’t have to leave this neighborhood. Even if you’re broke you can walk to the Park and get free music. It’s perfect. I love it.

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