The Bowery Mission is in urgent need of food donations

From The Bowery Mission Facebook page...

URGENT NEED — This photo was taken [yesterday]. Our pantry shelves are almost completely empty! We are in great need of canned goods, sauces, pasta, rice, beans, grains, and condiments. Please consider donating to help ensure we are able to continue to feed homeless and hungry New Yorkers. Food donations can be dropped off 24/7 at 227 Bowery (at Prince St.). Thank you for for your support!

Find more information about making donation at the Bowery Mission website

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: Arthur Rivers
Occupation: Retired, Hair Stylist
Location: 2nd Street between Avenue A and B
Time: 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 10

I was born in Harlem, back in the day, in 1938. I’m 77. I was raised in the South Bronx. Being brought up in the Bronx, it was a lot of fun. It was all Irish and Italian in the neighborhood we moved to. I come from an interracial marriage, so it was hard there for awhile because my mother looked white, basically was. But it was good. We had neighbors who were good.

As a kid, I knew there was more to it than living in the Bronx, so I started venturing downtown, checking out different neighborhoods. I would just walk around and see what was going on. Back in 1965 or ’66, I moved to St. Mark's Place and stayed there for a couple years. I was living there with this woman. I had a lot of artists friends. That was when the artists were moving from the West Village to the East Village, and the apartments were cheap here compared to the West Village. I lived there for two years and then I went uptown and lived on the Upper West Side.

When I was about 19 I worked in this kosher butcher shop in the Bronx ... and one guy there, his name was Steve Sportz. He looked like Robert Redford to be honest. He took me up to his friend’s salon on 84th Street and Grand Concourse and when I walked in — bright lights, music and women. All I really saw were some women. I said, ‘This is what I want to do when I grew up.’

So I went to school and I did a lot of traveling. I became a successful hair stylist. I did a lot of entertainers’ hair, magazine work, commercials and stuff. Then I got tired of it, to be honest because there were too many things going on. There were a lot of drugs in the salon and this and that and a lot of my friends died from the virus. The next thing I knew a lot of them were just gone.

I was tired of living uptown so I got out of that and I moved down here. This is where I’ve lived for the last 27 or 28 years. The neighborhood down here has changed immensely. As a kid I lived in Harlem too. My mother was able to buy a brownstone in the Bronx, but the reason why Harlem changed, and a lot of people don’t take this into consideration. It wasn’t just the heroin that came in there. It was the supers. Back in the day the buildings had coal burners, so you had to have a super on the property. Once the oil burners came, you didn’t need the supers anymore.

So that’s how the neighborhood changed. The buildings went down and then crack and heroin and everything else came. Think about what happens when you don’t have a super. When I was a kid they kicked you off the stoop; you weren’t allowed to hang out on the stoop and stuff. Then once they left, the buildings went down. That sort of happened around here, but not as much.

When I first moved here, when you went into the building your doormen were drug dealers and they took care of the building. They took care of the people in the building. This area here, Avenue A all the way over to Avenue D, was drug infested. You didn’t come out.

Now I notice, Thursday through Sunday, you can’t walk on Avenue A – the traffic, millions of people. At one time you were in the house by 9. You didn’t come out again unless you knew some people out here. And you know, I miss that. It might sound crazy. I don’t miss the drugs and stuff but I miss the people who were around here. It really was a neighborhood and everybody knew everybody. If somebody got in trouble you were there for them. It was just a lot of different things that were happening. There was always something nice happening. You knew your neighbor; you hung out with your neighbor. You had your little block parties and stuff.

I’m a New Yorker. I’m an original. There are not that many of us around who are still here. I don’t mind people moving into the neighborhood but just have respect for the people who are here. It’s a community.

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

Why Taylor Swift fans treated the staff like shit at Ballaro on 2nd Avenue

On Monday, EVG contributor Derek Berg noted the arrival of a chalk message on the sidewalk outside Ballaro on Second Avenue between East Fourth Street and East Fifth Street.

The message was pointed, yet strangely polite: "We do not play Taylor Swift here you cunts. Grazie."

At the time of our post, we didn't know what this was all about.

But commenters filled in the blanks:

I was actually there [Sunday] night and a big group of drunk people were abusing the bartenders and yelling at them to play Taylor swift.. They actually did play 2 Taylor songs to try and please them. Then they started booing because she didn't play the right one.

And now, Ballaro checks in:

Dear Neighbors,

As one of the owners of Ballaro, I wanted to shed some light on the events that took place at my establishment this last Sunday night. In my eyes, it was extremely ridiculous. It’s easy to talk shit and to make snap judgements without ever knowing what truly took place, which is why I wanted to write this letter.


To start, I do not know who wrote that sentence on the floor outside of our place, but it was not me or anyone who works at Ballaro. That’s not who I am - I grew up in a family that taught me how to respect people the same... their skin color, race, religion, sexual orientation and age is never taken into consideration when I’m serving customers. I treat everyone with the upmost respect. 


I know that I was offended, degraded and treated like shit by a group of 15 drunk people without any valid reason. They were screaming “BOO, YOU SUCK!” at me and my wait staff because Taylor Swift wasn’t playing on our sound system. I then played two Taylor Swift songs for them to placate them and they were dancing and singing all together so I assumed I had made my customers happy.

However, after the two songs ended and the playlist moved on to other artists, they started complaining even more and it escalated. They started screaming that the songs I played weren’t the right one and I was told that, “this place is shit, the music and the people here suck.” I was then told to, “go back to your country with that fucking immigrant face.”
 


This was the point that I lost control and I finally broke under the consistent barrage of snarky comments to myself and my staff. We had done nothing but serve them and try to make their time as enjoyable as possible and we were all being treated poorly. I yelled at them to leave and asked them all to go. 


One of the women in the group took out her phone and said that she was going to make a viral video so no one would come to Ballaro anymore. Now this, more than anything, upsets me because Ballaro is a gathering place for neighbors, friends, lovers and strangers alike. We have a community that gathers in Ballaro and we all love and support each other and welcome anyone in our restaurant and bar. To possibly lose all that because of someone’s tainted point of view on social media, would be the worst thing.


My mission is to make everyone who enters through the front door feel like they are at home, because sometimes New York hardens even the best of us and we forget the true values in life: community and peace. 


I’m a dreamer, and as a dreamer I would love to change the world, starting even in the smallest ways. So please, let’s make LOVE VIRAL and not hate! If anyone is bothered at the way I run my wine bar, I’d love to have a calm conversation with them face-to-face. If you truly dislike Ballaro, than luckily there are a million other places in New York that you can go to. I can’t allow groups of belligerent drunk people to insult my bar, myself or my staff. This place is my heart and soul, and I need to protect that.


I’ve learned that everybody deserves a second chance and I have learned the importance of always responding in love, no matter what insults or hurt is thrown at me.


East Village, I hope you will be safe and sound, Taylor Swift or no Taylor Swift.
 

Sincerely,
 

BALLARO


PS - You know where to find me if you feel the need to come apologize and pay your $500 check, as you left without paying.


Photos by Derek Berg

Here's the Bowlmor Lanes-eating 23-story condo coming to University Place

[EVG photo from July 2014]

Nearly a year has passed since we heard anything about the plans for the former Bowlmor Lanes (and other now-closed businesses at 110 University Place).

Reps for landlord Billy Macklowe filed plans for a 23-story condo last September.

Now, 6sqft got the first look at some preliminary renderings at the building that will dwarf its neighbors between East 12th Street and East 13th Street…


[Click on image to go BIG]

Here's more from 6sqft:

The 280-foot height depicted in submitted DOB drawings is now in line with many of its nearby neighbors, including One Fifth Avenue and The Brevoort East. There have been efforts to landmark or rezone the stretch of University Place to prevent developers from assembling large parcels to erect out of context towers. More worrying, however, will be the low-slung glass base and its future tenants, which may be out of character with the vibrant street.

In total, the new condoplex will house 56 (originally there were 52) units at more than 2,000 square feet each.

Meanwhile, as previously previously reported, a 6-story condo will rise from the space right next door that long housed University Place Gourmet and Bennie Louie Chinese Laundry.

Bowlmor Lanes closed in July 2014 after 76 years in business.

H/T Curbed!

Previously on EV Grieve:
Building that houses Bowlmor Lanes will convert to condos, like everywhere else around here

76-year-old Bowlmor Lanes closes for good today

Bowlmor says goodbye

Bowlmor Lanes replacement: 23-floor residential building

Tenant advocacy group names Icon Realty and Steven Croman among NYC's worst landlords

[Photo from June by Derek Berg]

Some familiar names to East Village residents have reportedly made the inaugural list of bad landlords by Stabilizing NYC, a coalition of City-funded tenant advocates and neighborhood organizations.

Politico New York has the story and background:

As the de Blasio administration engaged in a push to reform rent regulations in June, a coalition of tenant advocates and neighborhood organizations seeking to protect renters from landlord harassment received a $1.25 million boost in City Council funding for the upcoming fiscal year.

Stabilizing NYC, which formed last year with seed money from Councilman Dan Garodnick, has since created its own version of the typical "bad landlords" watch list, including seven companies that own or run a combined 509 buildings throughout the city.

Icon Realty and Steve Croman were among the seven landlords named. According to Politico New York, the reps for the two landlords either did not respond to messages or declined to comment about making the list.

Croman remains under investigation by state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman for allegedly using illegal tactics to force rent-stabilized tenants out of their units.

At the Icon Realty-owned 128 Second Ave., tenants in March filed a HP Action for Repairs and Services, citing inconsistent heat, lack of fire alarms, a broken fire escape, front door, and stairs, and other dangerous living conditions. Residents have also alleged "harassment from the landlord in order to push out rent-regulated tenants." In June, the tenants filed a contempt of court motion against Icon for the ongoing building issues.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: Steve Croman facing another lawsuit from East 8th Street residents

Report: East 8th Street residents sue landlord Steve Croman, allege intimidation, harassment

Watch a lot of people speak out against Steve Croman and 9300 Realty

Report: State Attorney General launches Steve Croman investigation

Tenants at 128 2nd Ave. file suit against Icon Realty in housing court

The Wall Street Journal on the ongoing issues at Icon Realty's 128 2nd Ave.

East Village tenants demand end to months without heat, gas at 128 2nd Ave.

Tonight's sunset spectacular

[Photo by James and Karla Murray]

We should have torrential downpours in the morning more often!

Right? Hello?


[Photo by Mike Brown via Twitter]

Noted

Spotted on the Joe Strummer mural outside Niagara on East Seventh Street and Avenue A…



Photos by John Penley

Previously

EV Grieve Etc.: The past and present of LES community gardens; the Block Drugs T-shirt

[Tango in Tompkins Square Park Sunday via Grant Shaffer]

A history of LES community gardens, with a perennial concern about the future (The Guardian)

Get your Block Drugs T-shirt (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

Checking out the tortas at Miscalanea on East Fourth Street (Gothamist)

New restaurant in the works for former Wash House space on East First Street (BoweryBoogie)

High marks for Oiji on First Avenue (Eater)

Donors say they were misled by a Jewish calendar mailed annually to thousands of homes (The Forward)

... and EVG reader Greg Masters notes that the excavation is getting serious at the former Mary Help of Christians property, where a retail-residental building with frontage on Avenue A, East 11th Street and East 12th Street, is in the works...



... and remembering Robin Williams, who died one year ago today...

K E E P S M I L I N G ☺️ honoring the great #RobinWilliams today 1951-2014 with our infamous hand-painted tribute mural outside B Cup. #neverforget #bcupcafe #art #mural #streetart

A photo posted by B Cup Cafe East Village (@bcupcafe) on Aug 11, 2015 at 9:51am PDT

Why The Robyn is a deal

As we first pointed out last Friday, the Robyn, the newish-still 33-unit luxury rental at 316-318 E. Third St., is for sale.

However, the listing for the building between Avenue C and Avenue D didn't have a price listed.

According to Crain's, the asking price is $26.3 million. And this is being billed as a deal, at least according to the broker, Cushman & Wakefield's James Nelson.

Mr. Nelson noted that the building, even though it is newly constructed, will likely sell at a discount, per square foot, compared with a recently sold prewar walk-up in the neighborhood at 117-119 E. Seventh St. That building sold for about $1,300 per square foot in June. Mr. Nelson is expecting to fetch less than that amount for 316-318 E. Third St.— about $1,100 per square foot.

Why? Because in the older buildings, new landlords are converting the one-bedroom places into two-bedroom units; two-bedroom units into three ... well, you get the idea.

"Living rooms are a fast-disappearing amenity in apartments in the East Village and other neighborhoods where young renters like to go," Mr. Nelson said. "Living rooms don't create revenue, but bedrooms do. That's why my building is unexpectedly cheaper. It has living rooms."

Barnyard Cheese will reopen later this week

[Photo by Will Steacy via nycgo]

Last Tuesday we noted that Barnyard Cheese Shop at 149 Avenue C was closed until further notice.

A note on the door here between East Ninth Street and East 10th Street explained that that they were going "to make much needed improvements in order to be able to continue to bring you the quality food, service, and comfort that you deserve and that we strive to bring you every day."

We asked owner Beatriz Arremony for an update.

"We are actually installing a better AC system because our old one was not doing the job," she said. "It just got too hot for anything to operate, including our crew, and we needed board approval so I made the decision to shut it down and use the time to do deep cleaning, repainting and replacing a few pieces of equipment. We'll be back before the weekend."

A.K. Shoe Repair needs a new home

[Photo by Allen Semanco]

We're hearing that a rent hike will make it impossible for A.K. Shoe Repair to continue in business much longer at 350 E. Ninth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

EVG reader Allen Semanco spoke with Albert, who took over the longtime business from his retired father.

Per Allen:

In order to afford the higher rent, he would have to increase his business, but rent plus fixed expenses plus supplies would be $7,000-$8,000 per month. Dividing that by 24 working days per month just does not compute. Albert tells me his best hope is to find a business with a lot of space that wants to sub-rent some of it for him and his equipment.

Hopefully Albert can find ideal space around here or in another neighborhood. If A.K. Shoe Repair does end up closing, then this is the second East Village shoe-repair shop to shut down in recent weeks. Alex Shoe Repair closed at the end of July at 57 Second Ave. after Icon Realty reportedly upped the monthly rent from $4,000 to $14,000.

At some point we'll do a post on the remaining shoe-repair shops in the neighborhood... what's left of them.

Former Mercadito Cantina space remains on the market, and now with a new broker

Mercadito Cantina closed at the end of January 2011 at 172 Avenue B ... and the space between East 10th Street and East 11th Street has remained empty.

The proprietors of Ditch Plains had hoped to open a lounge called The Asphalt Jungle here ... However, in April 2013, the CB3/SLA committee voted to deny the Asphalt Jungle application during a rather ugly meeting. (Read about that here.) ... and the owners reportedly decided to scrap their plans.

Anyway, we recently noticed the arrival of a new for rent sign from a different broker.

Per the listing, the asking rent on the 1,000-square-foot space is $7,800... that's down from $10,000 a month from a listing in October 2013.

Meanwhile, across the street, the flagship Mercadito space remains on the market...



The popular taco spot closed back in March. We never heard an official reason for the closure, though one EVG reader said they were facing a triple-rent increase.

Previously on EV Grieve:
About Mercadito Cantina closing:'Open letter to EV Grieve and CB3' (58 comments)

Noted

Spotted by Derek Berg this morning outside Ballarò on Second Avenue between East Fourth Street and East Fifth Street... the sidewalk chalk sign reads "We do not play Taylor Swift here you cunts. Grazie."

Not sure who left the message... the cafe or some patrons upset by the lack of Tay Tay on the sound system. (Updated: Read the comments for more on what happened here.)

Sustainable NYC has closed

As many of you likely noticed, Sustainable NYC has closed on Avenue A near East Ninth Street.

The eco-minded general store and café was closed for several days starting Aug. 1 … a sign pointed to an inventory.



And the store was open for awhile then this past Wednesday and Thursday. By Friday evening, though, workers were clearing out the space. There were some free shelves and tables for the taking.



On Sunday, the thank you note arrived on the door from the founder.


[Photo by Bayou]

We reached out to Valeria Patterson, an employee of the store for seven years who took over ownership in 2013. She said that she had been making monthly payments to the prior owner, but fell behind when business trailed off this year.

"I would love to keep going but we didn't have an agreement with the former owner," she said via email. "I wanted to run the store for many years more."

The store opened in March 2008.

With this closing, there are now four vacant storefronts between 139 Avenue A and 147 Avenue A. (The other storefronts being Cafe Pick Me Up's two spaces and La Lucha.) … not to mention the several small shops on Ninth Street just west of Avenue A that Icon forced out with rent hikes.

331 E. Houston St. now with a teaser site and name — Jones LES

As we've been reporting, there's a 13-floor residential building with 78 units going up at East Houston and Ridge Street.

There's rental information (from Douglas Elliman) now available online here via "VIP registration." There isn't any pricing listed. Leasing starts this summer, per the site.



And the banner on the west-facing top of the building reveals the name here — Jones LES (or jones l.e.s.).

We have no idea who or what Jones (jones) is. Perhaps it will play a role in the marketing: "You will be jonesing to live on East Houston and Ridge!"



The building includes 16 affordable apartments.

The parcel here sat empty for years, the property of reclusive real-estate baron William Gottlieb.


[July 2013]

Previously on EV Grieve:
An L-Shaped footprint ready to make its impression on East Houston Street

An abandoned car in an empty lot that will soon yield a 13-floor residential building

On East Houston, work begins on a new 13-floor residential building

What 331 E. Houston St. will look like one day

A look at 331 E. Houston St., with a rooftop deck for outdoor showers and 'Live Free or Die Hard'

16 affordable apartments now available at the incoming 331 E. Houston St.

Full reveal at 331 E. Houston St.

Corner of East Houston and Orchard now an empty lot

Just two more former storefronts — those of Lobster Joint and Tim Horton's — remain standing along East Houston between Orchard and Ludlow so that Ben Shaoul's 10-story retail-residential complex with an Equinox gym can rise.



However, as the Commercial Observer reported last week, there is a slight hitch here: The board of the six-story condo at 179 Ludlow Street (see the arrows below!) hasn't responded to Shaoul's request for "non-invasive pre-construction survey" at the building.

Shaoul has reportedly asked the Supreme Court of the State of New York to grant his reps a limited license to access the Ludlow Street condos.



Finally, as you know, Katz's, who sold their air rights, will remain in its longtime home.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Making way for Ben Shaoul's new retail-residential complex on East Houston

Katz's is now the last business on East Houston between Ludlow and Orchard

5-week old restaurant space now on the market

After just five weeks in business, Long Bay, the reasonably priced Vietnamese restaurant, shut its doors at 503 E. Sixth St. just east of Avenue A.

We heard that there was some disagreement among the owners ... that it was possible the place would reopen.

Apparently that isn't happening now that the "for sale" signs arrived in the front windows last Friday ... Not clear if the business is for sale or the space is for rent — or both!

Construction watch: 64 E. First St.

A quick check in over at 64 E. First St., where six stories of condos (good for six units!) are in the works between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

A milestone to note in the construction: The first steel beams rising from behind the plywood…



Right THERE…



Before you know it, this will be here…


[Official rendering]

See our previous post here for more details on this project.

The space previously housed the club La Vie, whose neighbors celebrated its closure.

Previously on EV Grieve:
La Vie has closed; neighbors rejoice

Former La Vie space on East First Street will be demolished

Getting rid of the rats at the former LaVie ahead of a new 6-floor residential building

Here lies the remains of La Vie

Here's a look at the new condos coming to East 1st Street

This is what the new condo building at 64 E. 1st St. will really look like

Week in Grieview

[Photo on Avenue A by Derek Berg]

Work starts on new home of the East Village Cheese Shop (Tuesday)

Two Caffe Bene locations coming to the East Village (Monday)

Rent hike allegedly dooms East Sixth Street mainstay Gandhi (Monday) .. and there are takers for the space (Wednesday)

Reader report: Large portfolio of East Village buildings ready to change hands (Tuesday)

A smaller Galleria J. Antonio reopens on Avenue A (Monday)

Dallas BBQ is back in BBQ action (Friday)

Out and About with Norman (Wednesday)

Bodhi Tree closes on Third Avenue (Monday)

Wylie Dufresne is closing Alder on Second Avenue (Tuesday)

St. Mark's Bookshop seeking buyers with an ownership interest (Wednesday)

Lit Lounge has closed (Thursday)

Bikes, By George! — now as a sidewalk shop (Thursday)

Development drama continues at the former P.S. 64, where the city approved dorm-conversion permits (Monday) and is it for sale? (Thursday)

Barnyard Cheese "closed until further notice" on Avenue C (Tuesday)

The Robyn on East Third Street is for sale (Friday)

Historic carriage house on East 13th Street hits the market for $18 million (Wednesday)

First condo units at 189 Avenue C are now for sale (Friday)

51 Astor Place/the IBM Watson Building/Death Star receives $370 million loan (Thursday)

New Clinton Street Baking Company emerges from behind the plywood (Friday)

Taking to the sidewalk for boiler help (Wednesday)

… and the ping-pong tourney action continues in Tompkins Square Park on Friday nights…


[Photo by Carl Bentsen]

At the Tompkins Square Riot Anniversary concert, Day 2

Today was Day 2 of the the 27th Tompkins Square Park Riot Reunion ... featuring bands such as Iconicide, the Deceivers and Nihilistics as well as speaker like Aron "the Pieman" Kay... the following photos are by John Penley via Facebook...





















Previously on EV Grieve:
At the Tompkins Square Riot Anniversary concert, Day 1

EV Grieve Etc. Instagram edition

From our friends at Academy Records on East 12th Street between First Avenue and Avenue A...

In case you missed it the first time - Our 12th st store will be closed this week 8/10-8/16 for sprucing up. We'll be cleaning, painting, organizing and digging hidden gems from long-buried collections out of the back room. When we reopen our bins and display walls will be teeming with fresh meat!

A photo posted by Academy Records NYC (@academyrecords) on Aug 9, 2015 at 3:01pm PDT

-------

And tomorrow evening at the new East Village Vintage Collective, 545 E. 12th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B ...

Always nice when @flatbushbrown visits the store. Check out the chalkboard sign for our next event. Tomorrow, we're screening Valley Girl at 7:30pm. BYOB. If you have a low seated chair, you can bring that too, otherwise we'll provide blankets. See you there, it'll be totally radical. #movienight #manicmonday #evevents

A photo posted by EV Vintage Collective (@evvintagecollective) on Aug 9, 2015 at 12:26pm PDT

On the rebound: Tompkins Square Park basketball courts are back

The hoops and nets arrived this weekend… and now the Tompkins Square Park basketball courts are back in play…


[Random pic from yesterday morning]

The courts had been out of commission since May 29, with an original reopen date at the end of June. As previously cut-and-pasted, the New York City Parks Department teamed up with YouTube for the renovations. The logo in the middle of the courts is of the Parks Department. A few EVG commenters wondered if a YouTube logo might make its way on the court somewhere… well, not so far.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Tompkins Square Park basketball courts closed for renovations; YouTube-backed hoops on the way

WE HAVE BACKBOARDS NOW IN TOMPKINS SQUARE PARK