Reader mailbag: Should we receive a rent abatement for having sporadic heat and hot water?

From the EVG reader mailbag (which I had to pick up at the F.D.R. Station at East 54th Street and Third Avenue):

My roommate and I pay a small fortune for our East Village walk-up. Unfortunately, the boiler in our building breaks down with great frequency, leaving us with no heat or hot water for 24 hour periods of time, every two weeks. Our super is unavailable, and when I call my landlord he refuses to give us a rent abatement. Is there anything else we can do?

Anyone? (Preferred answers do not include "If you want heat and hot water, then move to...")

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We often get reader queries ... asking for help with, say, donating clothes or books ... or finding an East Village-based caterer... If you have a question for the masses, then try the EV Grieve email...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Reader mailbag: Places to eat that have that old East Village vibe (45 comments)

Reader mailbag: What do I do about my new neighbors who smoke pot all the time? (52 comments)

Reader mailbag: Where is a good place to get a cup of coffee in the East Village before 6 a.m.? (25 comments)

Reader mailbag: What has happened to the Cooper Station Post Office? (41 comments)

Reader mailbag: Can the landlord 'drill' the lock to gain access to my apartment for simple repairs? (15 comments)

Red-tailed hawks nest on the Christodora House

[Photo yesterday by Bobby Williams]

In the past 10 days or so, two adult red-tailed hawks in Tompkins Square Park have been busy… carrying some sticks and various nesting supplies up to a window on the East Ninth Street side of the Christodora House.

Goggla has followed the action starting on Feb. 15 … she documented more of the action here … and here … there hasn't been much activity … until yesterday. It's the first time that we've seen one of the hawks actually nesting. Or whatever it is that they do in a nest.

No word on the asking rent. But the views are quite nice.

And Goggla has a lot more hawk/nest photos here.

The 139th, or so, Chipotle to open near or around Union Square

Hey, what's this?

A Chipotle Mexican Grill is coming soon to 24 E. 12th St. just west of University Place. The space was last home to the Stand, a burger place that closed in May 2013, and at one time a Kinko's.

Our friend Alex at Flaming Pablum first noted this arrival on Monday night. As he wrote: "We need a Chipotle here like we need another bank branch."

According to the Chiptole website, there are seven other locations within a mile of here. (Twenty-nine within two miles.) A short few blocks from here there are locations at 19 St. Mark's Place, 117 E. 14th St., 55 E. Eighth Street, 510 Sixth Ave. … anyway, I'm rather indifferent toward Chipotle. Never tried their food.

But I have tried the food at Dorado, directly next door to the incoming Chiptole…

Zoltar awaits a service call; fortunes, wisdom on hold

Lousy news here outside Gem Spa…



Photos by Bobby Williams

They don't make TV commercials like they used to: Lou Reed stumps for 'Sally Can’t Dance'

Via Dangerous Minds comes this video ... a 30-second TV spot from 1974 for "Sally Can’t Dance," Lou Reed's fourth solo album.

Per Richard Metzger, who wrote the post:

Wait, what? A Lou Reed TV commercial from 1974? At the height of his speed-shooting, bleached-blonde black nail-polish bi/gay persona? That’s right, apparently someone thought it was a good idea to push the Rock-n-Roll Animal’s career over the airwaves before it peaked. It’s not like a stone cold FREAK such as Lou Reed was going to get on American television otherwise was it?

Oh yeah.



Head on over to Dangerous Minds for more on the album...

Pooh cleans up his act

East Fourth Street via Derek Berg.

And a much more family friendly photo than this shot from Sunday morning on East 14th Street near Avenue C...



Rejected headlines:
A clean Pooh for you

Previously on EV Grieve:
A brief history of humiliating Teddy bears in the East Village

The fucking TD Bank signage arrives at the former home of the Mars Bar

At long LAST the much-anticipated TD Bank signage has arrived at the former Mars Bar space… On Jan. 2, 2013, Steve Cuozzo reported at the Post that a 4,300-square-foot TD Bank branch was going to anchor the retail space at Jupiter 21, the new luxury apartment building that rose from the ashes of the Mars Bar and other businesses on Second Avenue and East First Street.

The TDs arrived yesterday afternoon, per EVG reader EJ ...



(BoweryBoogie noted this as well this morning.)

This likely won't do much for those Mars-Bar-is-returning rumors. Maybe next door? This was the rumored space for some kind of Mars Bar redux...



There's also retail space available on the East First Street side... or else someplace simply hasn't removed the sign yet...



And on the doors to the TD job site...



Previously on EV Grieve:
The former Mars Bar is becoming a fucking bank branch

So where's that fucking bank branch that's taking the former Mars Bar space?

Meanwhile on First Avenue this morning…

There is this.



Spotted at East Seventh Street by ‏@JoeMSegal

One shade of grey at the incoming Schnitz

Just taking a quick look at Schnitz, which will be opening soon on the corner of First Avenue and East 11th Street… This past Thursday, workers painted the exterior grey (and the Russo's mural that had been tagged beyond recognition…)



And the freshly painted wall was quickly tagged …



Meanwhile, Yoni Erlich, who co-founded Schnitz with his sister Donna and friend Allon Yosha, shared a rendering for the exterior painting of the storefront …



The menus, business cards and customer loyalty cards are ready…


[Via Twitter]

No specific date for an opening just yet. This marks the first restaurant for Schnitz, which serves old-fashioned schnitzel sandwiches with unconventional toppings at Smorgasburg in Williamsburg and Dumbo. Schnitz will serve sandwiches, soups and salads from its East Village location. (You can find their menu here.)

[Top two photos by @longoM]

Previously on EV Grieve:
Smorgasburg favorites Schnitz planning restaurant at former Something Sweet on First Avenue

Houses of the Holy: Checking out 'Physical Graffiti' 39 years later on St. Mark's Place

Led Zeppelin's double studio album "Physical Graffiti" was released 39 years ago — Feb. 24, 1975.



Off the Grid and Gothamist both had posts to commemorate the occasion ... and offer up some history.

And you probably know the connection to the album here. We'll let Off the Grid sum it up:

Led Zeppelin immortalized the twin tenements at 96 and 98 St. Mark’s Place between First Avenue and Avenue A on the Physical Graffiti album cover. The award-winning design featured the two buildings (with the fourth floors removed to make them fit the square shape of the album cover) with the windows cut out to reveal the letters of the album title printed on the inner sleeve, or, if the sleeve was reversed, a series of images of different characters seeming to occupy the building, including lead-singer Robert Plant in drag.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Fire scare on St. Mark's Place at iconic Physical Graffiti building

I'm not waiting on a lady...say, what the hell is Mick wearing anyway?

[Photos via Off the Grid]

That $40,000 townhouse rental that you been waiting for is now available on East 12th Street

A furnished four-floor townhouse is now available to rent over at 327 E. 12th St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

Here's part of the Streeteasy listing:

You won’t find a more magical place than East 12th Street, an exquisite five bedroom, three bathroom townhouse with a private terrace in the East Village. Spanning four floors, this home is full of delightful details, including the vintage wallpapers and multi-coloured doorknobs that are sprightly backdrops to your tastemaker host’s beautiful, eclectically chic décor.

The price to enjoy these multi-coloured doorknobs: $40,000 a month.

Oh, and there is a ping-pong table.

Like? Facebook has arrived in the neighborhood

Yesterday marked Facebook's first day at 770 Broadway at East 9th Street. According to TechCrunch:

Right now, Facebook has more than 100 engineers in the New York offices working on Pages, Location, Newsfeed, mobile, AI, and infrastructure, but 2014 represents a growth year in terms of NYC hires. More than 320 people work in FBNY overall. With more space in the office, and plans to hire more engineers, that number should rapidly grow throughout the next year.

Facebook reportedly signed a 10-year lease for 100,000 square feet at 770 Broadway, whose current tenants include AOL, Billboard, J Crew and the Huffington Post.

You can find a lot more photos of the (not-quite-done) Frank Gehry-designed office space over at Curbed.

Previously on EV Grieve:
East Village — the new Midtown?

Facebook is moving into the neighborhood; Midtown South expands its boundaries, apparently

This Thursday at MoRUS: 'ABC’s of Squatting In NYC'

Via the EVG inbox...

Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space to Host “ABC’s of Squatting In NYC”

Thursday, February 27, 7 PM at MoRUS

Beyond the ideologies associated with the urban lore of squatting are practical knowledge and hands-on skills necessary to reclaim abandoned, public space. Activists Frank Morales and Bill Timesup will lead a discussion about occupying neglected buildings and vacant lots to restore them to usefulness and vitality on Thursday, February 27 at 7 PM at the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space (MoRUS), 155 Avenue C between 9th and 10th Streets.

Morales, a Lower East Side native and political activist whose work with squatters dates back to the 1970s when he served as an Episcopal priest in the Bronx, and Bill Timesup, founder of the environmental action group Time’s Up!, co-founder of MoRUS, will share the vast resources gleaned from their combined experiences. The two-hour session will include a slide presentation and Q&A on tools, building systems and the nuts and bolts of squatting in New York City in 2014. Attendance open to the public and free-of-charge but a suggested donation of $5 is always appreciated and in return, will include a copy of Morales’ zine, “The ABC’s of Squatting.”

Find more MoRUS info here.

Stray voltage alert on Astor Place

EVG reader Chris F. notes the arrival last evening of Con Ed cones and their new warning signs on Astor Place and Eighth Street…







Per Chris:

"However, despite the cones and caution tape, I didn't see any pedestrians avoiding the area — least of all the crew unloading goods for the Starbucks in back of the newsstand. Their tractor trailer was parked right in the 'danger zone,' and no one nearby seemed to be concerned."



Previously on EV Grieve:
Con Ed unveils new signage to warn pedestrians and their pets of stray voltage

A special Lou Reed delivery

Spotted on East Eighth Street and Avenue B this afternoon… (a copy of) the large format Polaroid of the late musician taken in Montauk in 2002 by Julian Schnabel … from the book "Julian Schnabel: Polaroids."



Photos by Bobby Williams

One way for your apartment to smell a little bit like Katz's

Courtesy of the Chocolate Egg Cream Candle.

Per the Katz's website:

Transform any room into a delicious blast from the past. These delightful candles are sure to sweeten up your day.

It will cost you $25, though.

We'll echo The Forward here: "When’s the pastrami sandwich candle going to debut?"

Things that you find when the snow banks melt

Things like a catheter here on East Sixth Street between Avenue B and Avenue C... photo courtesy of EVG reader Uncle Pete.

Exclusive 3rd look at the all-new USPS retail outlet

Which opens today! But it wasn't open on our way to Day Job! Boo!

But! Workers took down the rest of the paper that was covering the doors... and we could see more of the interior... and it looks like there are service windows!



Right back here or there ... we saw at least three arrows service windows...



Please let us know if you go by today... Give us a report! on this most eagerly anticipated USPS retail outlet opening ever. (And how much longer will the Duane Reade sign remain up? That will be good for at least 10 more EVG posts!)

Previously on EV Grieve:
UPDATED: Did you hear the rumor about the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office branch closing?

Report: Closure of the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office is pretty much a done deal

Today in rants: the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office

Meanwhile, at everyone's favorite local post office branch...

Reader mailbag: What has happened to the Cooper Station Post Office?

The Peter Stuyvesant Post Office closes for good TODAY

A look at your new post office on East 14th Street

Exclusive 2nd look inside the all-new USPS retail outlet on East 14th Street

A few reactions to the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office branch closing

[Photo by Gian G. via Yelp]

Remembering the P.O. branch that closed for good this past weekend… which no one seemed to like…

@RecruitingGeek @evgrieve Good riddance! Was the worst #USPS #PostOffice in America. Maybe now my mail will actually be delivered.

— Zr. King (@zoctorking) February 21, 2014

"@evgrieve: Whoa, the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office on E. 14th St. closes for good TODAY http://t.co/7LZf3tYLku" amen. Worst post office ever

— John Gannon (@johnmgannon) February 21, 2014

“@evgrieve: Whoa, the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office on E. 14th St. closes for good TODAY" @ashleyanndarcy ! Because it is a hell hole!!!!!!!

— Very Leah M. Buffalo (@Leah_Buffalo) February 21, 2014

@evgrieve Worst. Post Office. Ever. Possibly in the world.

— CrossFit East River (@CFEastRiver) February 21, 2014

Take a last look…


[Just an hour to go! Photo by Adam H. via Yelp]

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Peter Stuyvesant Post Office closes for good TODAY

The Roost settles in on Avenue B

Vito DiTomaso opened the original Luca Lounge on Avenue B back in 1997. The venue closed sometime in the spring of 2012. (Luca Bar remains open on St. Mark's Place.)

Turns out that DiTomaso is making a return engagement to 222 Avenue B with The Roost, a coffee shop-bar hybrid that held a friends-family gathering on Saturday night.

Here's the description via The Roost Facebook page

The Roost is a hideout that pays homage to iconic spaces of the past where high and low can find common ground and drink, eat, laugh and carouse together.

They'll be serving coffee (Brooklyn Roasting Co.) … as well as beer… and we're not sure what else exactly at the moment.

The Roost Facebook page includes a few photos of the interior…





There's also a fireplace.