At the Sagamore Cafeteria, 'always filled with bums snoozing over a cold cup of coffee'

Recently spotted this on the Old New York page on Facebook...

Description:
"Cafeteria near Cooper Union on Bowery. 1942. Photo by Marjory Collins. Photo from the Library of Congress."

As people in the Facebook comments pointed out, this was the Sagamore Cafeteria, St. Mark's Place and Third Avenue. Jack Kerouac called it "the respectable bums' cafeteria."

In his memoir, the poet Ted Berrigan recalled:

"The Sagamore was a big place always filled with bums snoozing over a cold cup of coffee. When you entered the place, you went through a turnstile and took a ticket, whih had various monetary values printed along its edges. Then, as you went down the cafeteria line, each counter man punch your new total cost.

Nobody bothered anybody, so it was a good place to sit if you wanted to talk for hours, which we usually did. Good, that is, if you could ignore so much human misery around you."

And today, of course, it looks like this...

The Taking of Astor Place...

Ah, EVG reader J.J. sent along a clip from one of our favorite NYC movies — "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three" from 1974. (Anyone ever watch the 2009 remake? If not, then please don't.)

Anyway, the 90-second clip highlights a key scene that takes place on Lafayette Street up to Astor Place... As J.J. notes: "Luckily the Mud Truck wasn't there that day."

And we always liked the original movie poster...

Jupiter 21's mail campaign

A reader shared this Jupiter 21 marketing brochure that he randomly received in the mail yesterday... (did you receive one?)

It touts the amenities at the new luxury high rise on Second Avenue and East First Street, which, according to this brochure, is located in Noho...



Funny that this address wasn't considered Noho before this...

A new suitor for 269 E. Houston St.

There's a potential bar/restaurant in the works for 269 E. Houston St., the building at Suffolk with nine different for rent/sale signs.

This applicant is on the August CB3/SLA committee docket:

• Lower East Side NY Bistro Corp, 269 E Houston St (op)

Dunno anything about it just yet... though the word "bistro" makes it seem as if it will be a more upscale tenant than in past years.

As for recent history here... The Local 269 never reopened last fall after a flood apparently KO'd much of the live music venue's equipment. The space was previously home to Meow Mix and Vasmay Lounge. The Local opened in February 2009.

Applicants who were previously involved with the Apocalypse Lounge (2004-2007) on East Third Street apparently had designs on a new bar here. However, the applicants apparently never appeared before the CB3/SLA committee back in March, according to the CB3 meeting record.

We'll have more on the August CB3/SLA meeting later... the meeting is set for Aug. 19 at 6:30 pm.

EV Grieve Q-and-A recap

On this summer Friday, we're revisiting some of the Q-and-As that we've done with various filmmakers, artists, writers, bikes, etc., through the years. They are presented below in no particular order, except for the last one, which should be last.


[Lydia Lunch]

Lydia Lunch, underground legend, town crier

John Linnell, 1/2 of They Might Be Giants

John Hokmstrom, founding editor, Punk Magazine

Leonard Abrams, publisher of the East Village Eye


[Sylvain Sylvain, left, and David Johansen in 2006]

Sylvain Sylvain, New York Doll

Nick Zedd, filmmaker, artist, writer

Penny Pollak, fire-breathing East Village actress and writer


[John Holmstrom, left, and friends]

Anonymous, author of 'Diary of an Oxygen Thief'

Robert Sietsema, food writer

Fly, activist, squatter, artist

Michael Dominic, director of 'Sunshine Hotel'

Mickey Leigh, musician

Victoria Linchong, writer, actor, director

Curt Hoppe, artist

[Céline Danhier]

Marc H. Miller, founder of Ephemera Press, 98Bowery.com

Brian Rose, photographer

Jessie Auritt, filmmkaer

Andrew Kotliar, festival director for Kinofest NYC

Céline Danhier, director, "Blank City"

Unknown bike, iconic symbol of the 2010 Holiday Blizzard

East 14th Street corridor now nearly business-free ahead of new development

[Photo by Hawkeye Bulletin]

The storefronts continue to disappear on East 14th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B. Yesterday, Rainbow finally shut its doors. The junior retailer joins now-former block neighbors The Blarney Cove... Bargain Express ... Petland ... the ABC Animal Hospital ...

One business is actually staying on the block: the laundromat, which is moving east ...



... to the space Ray's East Side 99-cent store had before moving to the Copper Building.


[Photo by EVG reader Michael]

After the laundromat moves, just Rite Aid will remain between Avenue A and 520 East 14th St. (not part of the land grab).

A still-unspecified new development will eat up much of the block. As we first reported last December, eight parcels consisting of 222 Avenue A and 504 - 530 E. 14th St. (excluding No. 520) were leased for a 99-year period by the respective owner of East Village 14 LLC.

Turns out the identity of "East Village 14 LLC" was right under our noses this whole time.

Back in April, The Real Deal examined the late real-estate mogul Sol Goldman's $6 billion portfolio. As part of their reporting:

And in November, city property records show, Gary Barnett of Extell Development signed a 99-year lease worth $35.14 million to rent eight Goldman-owned properties across the street from Stuyvesant Town, including 516 East 14th Street, 530 East 14th Street and 222 Avenue A.

Extell has been busy with such high-profile luxury properties around the city like One57 ... an "ultra-luxe condo tower" at 217 West 57th Street ... and One Hudson Yards.

So. You can likely count on something really tall and luxurious here one day.

Previously on EV Grieve:
East 14th Street exodus continues

The disappearing storefronts of East 14th Street

[Updated with correction] 8-lot parcel of East 14th Street primed for new development

Bargain Express has closed on East 14th Street

Reader report: Odessa Cafe closes for good after Aug. 15

[File photo via Shawn Chittle]

Word is spreading among Odessa Cafe and Bar regulars that the space on Avenue A will close for good after Aug. 15.

The closure rumors started last summer after the building at No. 117 was sold to 9300 Realty (owned by Croman Realty).

Paperwork filed ahead of this month's CB3/SLA committee meeting showed that six principals are part of a team who is buying the business ... at least one of which is a "former owner and general manager" of Tribeca's Tiny's & the Bar Upstairs, according to public documents posted on the CB3 website.

And CB3 OK'd the applicant's license, with the stipulations:

• it will operate as a full-service American brasserie restaurant, with a kitchen open and serving
food during all hours of operation,
• its hours of operation will be 11:00 A.M. to 4:00 A.M. all days,
• it will play recorded music at less than entertainment level, and not have live music, DJs,
promoted events, scheduled performances or any event at which a cover fee will be charged,
• it will close any façade doors and windows at 10:00 P.M. every night,
• it will not commercially use any outdoor areas,
• it may have "happy hours" from 5:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M.,
• it will not host pub crawls or party buses

The closure of Odessa Cafe and Bar does not impact the newer Odessa next door at 119 Avenue A... though we hear this Odessa will have more of a bar environment now later in the evening hours.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Building that houses Odessa Cafe and Bar for sale on Avenue A

Is the end nearing for Odessa Cafe and Bar on Avenue A?

Former GM from Tribeca's Tiny's & the Bar Upstairs part of team to buy the Odessa Cafe

The Yippie Museum Cafe will reopen next Wednesday

[Photo from June 27 by Donna Rae]

The Harmony Kitchen, the food vendor at the Yippie Museum Cafe, closed at the end of June ... At the time, it was unclear what would happen with 9 Bleecker Street, the longtime headquarters of the counterculture group and home to the cafe just a few storefronts west of the Bowery.

On June 10, Colin Moynihan at The New York Times reported that Yippie leaders have been fighting an attempt by a lender to foreclose on their three-story home.

The space has been shut all this month, with a "closed for re-calculating" sign up...

However, there's an additional sign now... noting that they space will reopen next Wednesday for performances and events, though without any food or coffee...



The sign says Harmony "packed their bags and split. They left many unanswered questions and bills."

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Yippie Museum Cafe is in financial trouble

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