Tompkins Square Park will be a little less shady

Earlier today, the Community Board 3 office passed along some information from the Parks Department, who recently completed an assessment of trees in city parks throughout Manhattan.

Crews have identified some trees that are dead, decaying or structurally unsound, and need to be removed for public safety. Unfortunately, according to the Parks Department, six of those trees reside in Tompkins Square Park.

EVG correspondent Steven was in the Park this afternoon, and spotted a crew in charge of removing three trees on the East 10th Street side of the Park... one of which was pushing into a light pole...





CB3 District Manager Susan Stetzer said that complaints regarding unsafe trees have increased recently ... and that the Community Board is relaying those concerns in a timely manner to the Parks Department.

Stetzer also said that all six trees that the city removes will be replaced with new trees.

Noted

[Photo from June by Derek Berg]

More people are stealing Citi Bikes, according to the Post today.

The number of Citi Bikes stolen from docking stations and off the street has skyrocketed this year compared with 2014, with a 100 percent jump in Manhattan.

So far this year, 476 Citi Bikes have been stolen throughout the city, compared with 300 in 2014, an increase of nearly 60 percent.

There are also more bikes in circulation… anyway, according to Post:

Many riders fail to dock their bikes properly or leave them sitting on the street while they run an errand. And that’s when thieves most often strike.

“Some dope with a Citi Bike leaves it unattended while going into a store or something, and a perp comes up and steals it,” a police source said.

So, as a reminder, don't leave the bikes unattended. Or put them on a fence.

City removes Sandy-damaged willow from 9th Street Community Garden Park

An EVG reader let us know that a city crew is taking down a willow tree in the 9th Street Community Garden Park … Sandy's floodwaters killed the tree here on the northeast corner of Avenue C and Ninth …



As we understand it, the remaining willows at La Plaza Cultural across the way on the southwest corner of Ninth and C survived due to an underground stream beneath it that provides fresh water (and also makes development in that part of the neighborhood difficult). While those willows lost some branches, they remain healthy.

And EVG reader stickmanpk shared these photos…

NYPD busts the 2nd Ave. Convenience Store

Last Wednesday, the NYPD shut down the 2nd Ave. Convenience Store between East Fourth Street and East Fifth Street.

Several readers told us about it, though we didn't know the extent of the allegations.

The notice on the gate points out the following activity on the premises: Sale and possession of synthetic marijuana/Stolen property offenses…



The other day, an EVG reader came across about 50 pages of court papers (since removed) that were lying on the sidewalk out front... the reader skimmed about five of the pages, noting a sting operation involving stolen goods.

We went online to find the case.

[Click to go big]

The court documents outline the violations, which include that the store was the site of five undercover "sales" of alleged stolen property since March 25. In each case, "the sale occurred after the confidential informant informed the individual that the aforementioned property was stolen."

The items included four packs of Duracell batteries, three packs of Gillette Fusion razor blades and two packs of Red Bull.

According to the settlement, the store had to agree to a whole bunch of legalese and pay a $6,000 penalty ... but it appears the owners will be able to reopen this week.

Because bagels

In a fall (!!!!) preview over at New York magazine, Robin Raisfeld and Rob Patronite have a piece titled "This Will Be the Year of the Bagel."

The article includes a few more details about Black Seed's soon-to-open First Avenue location ... including menu items other than bagels...

The third (and largest) branch of this growing concern has annexed the East Village’s historic De Robertis bakery, preserving that relic’s original penny-tile floor and tin ceiling while augmenting its own repertoire with more salads, more hot bagel sandwiches, and more pastries, from rugalach to rainbow cookies, in honor of its predecessor.

The magazine lists "September" as the opening date.

DeRobertis closed here on First Avenue between East 10th Street and East 11th Street last December after 110 years in business.

Meskel Ethiopian Restaurant has not been open lately

Several readers have noted that the unassuming little restaurant at 199 E. Third St. just west of Avenue B hasn't been open the past week-plus.

Calls to the restaurant turn up a temporarily disconnected number.

Perhaps they are on a summer hiatus or closed for renovations. {Updated: Check the comments — several commenters say they will reopen after renovations.)

1st Avenue McDonald's replaces $1 menu signage; new emphasis placed on the Big Mac, large fries

[Image via Google]

Longtime McDonald's signage watchers were treated yesterday to something new… as workers replaced the familiar (and colorful and at least 7-year-old) "Dollar Menu" on the marquee here on First Avenue near East Sixth Street…


[Photo by Vinny and O]

[Photo by EVG reader Rainer]

… to an admittedly more staid look featuring a pretty big Big Mac and more fries than can actually fit into the fry box…



McDonald's is reportedly moving away from its Dollar Menu, and emphasizing new, mid-priced items.

Please leave your comments on McDonald's new approach in the comments. (Sample discussion starters: Why is the box of fries upside down?)

Report: Arthouse cinema, bookshop planned for Ludlow Street

[Metrograph rendering]

In case you missed this in the Times yesterday... Alexander Olch, who owns a high-end boutique on Orchard Street, announced his plans to open the Metrograph on Ludlow at Canal early next year.

The ambitious-sounding complex includes a two-screen theater that will feature independent and international movies as well as repertory films, plus a restaurant, café and lounge, and cinema-dedicated bookshop. (Curious how CB3 will view this liquor-license application. They wouldn't approve a full liquor license for the Sunshine Cinema in 2012.)

Anyway, here's more from the Times:

Michael Lieberman, a spokesman for the project, said the design was aimed at creating an inviting space, with a balcony in the larger theater, which will have 175 seats — the second one will have 50 — and chairs fashioned out of wood salvaged from the old Domino Sugar Factory.

Metrograph will reportedly install both digital film projectors and 35mm film.

The film programers will be Jacob Perlin and Aliza Ma. Perlin is currently programmer-at-large at the Film Society of Lincoln Center ... while Ma is a veteran of several high-profile film festivals as well as the Museum of the Moving Image.

Per Indiewire:

"Growing up in Manhattan, I fell in love with movies in theaters which are now sadly gone, like The Beekman and The Plaza," says Metrograph founder and New York-based director Alexander Olch. "To bring glamour, excitement, and prestige back to the exhibition experience has been my longstanding goal."

Visit the Metrograph website to sign up for their newsletter for updates.

Today in cow tipping posts

Last evening, very special EVG correspondent Christine Champagne noticed that the decorative fiberglass cow that resides on East 12th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue was tipped over.

For starters, the cow doesn't look like it could just fall over on its own. Did someone purposely tip it over? And who tips over cows? (Actually, DON'T answer that.)

And given that the cow is in a protected area, it would appear that this could have been an inside job.



While we speculate, we can report that someone has righted the cow today...



This cow was part of the CowParade around the city back in 2000.

St. Mark's Place down a tree

Also today, workers removed a tree on St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Man… right by The Sock Man…



Apparently it was a sickly tree … and hollowed out about 4-5 feet…



Word along here was that rats (a den? herd? pack? flock?) were living inside the deadish tree.

And how Google Street View remembers the tree…



Thanks to EVG correspondent Steven for the photos and investigative reporting...

New, confusing signs up at the former Lit Lounge space

[EVG file photo]

CB3's SLA committee last week reportedly voted against Allan Mannarelli's application to move the Cock from its current Second Avenue home several blocks north to the former Lit Lounge space.

According to a report by Lisha Arino at DNAinfo, Mannarelli planned to appeal directly to the State Liquor Authority.

Meanwhile, today, a tipster passes along photos of signs that appeared on the Lit space...



The sign mentions a reopening on Sept. 11... with the name of co-owner Erik Foss...



The message also appears on Lit's Facebook page...

After a much needed deep cleaning and even more crucial maintenance and repairs ...... LIT LOUNGE will re-open...

Posted by Lit Lounge on Sunday, August 23, 2015

There's also a notice (with today's Post as a time stamp)...



.... for next month's CB3/SLA committee meeting... It appears that the Cock will return to make its case again...



Perhaps this will be some kind of Lit-Cock mashup... we'll see...

Earlier this summer, the owners of Lit Lounge said that the 13-year-old music club was closing in the months ahead to relocate to Bushwick. Lit quietly closed in late July.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Confirmed: Lit Lounge is closing on 2nd Avenue

Report: State investigating East Village landlord Raphael Toledano

[Photo from May by Stacie Joy]

The Daily News has the story about Raphael Toledano's Goldmark Property Management:

State officials have launched an investigation into an East Village landlord accused of strong-arming tenants into giving up their rent-regulated apartments, the Daily News has learned.

The state’s tenant protection unit served subpoenas on companies controlled by landlord Raphael Toledano as part of a probe into claims of abusive behavior by his agents, including threats of eviction and the shutting off of gas and other essential services, officials said.

In May, rent-regulated tenants at 444 E. 13th St. filed a lawsuit against Goldmark for "deplorable conditions" as well as for ongoing threats and harassment. A staff attorney at the Urban Justice Center, who is representing the East 13th Street tenants, told reporters that "there are tape recorded conversations where the landlord is threatening to drop dynamite on the building and then let everyone 'figure it out themselves.'"

According to The Real Deal, Toledano bought the building for $6.1 million in January.

Jeffrey Goldman, an attorney for Toledano, denied the harassment claims.

"I have not seen him engage in any behavior or conduct that would give rise to an investigation let alone a finding of harassment,” Goldman told the Daily News.

Toledano's name surfaced earlier this month as the new owner of a 17-building parcel, most of which are in the East Village.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Claim: Landlord of 444 E. 13th St. threatened 'to drop dynamite on the building'