The East Village artists behind the Danceteria time capsule from 1984 that prompted a bomb scare in 2017

It's never good if they have to call the #NYPD when your time capsule is discovered. The capsule was deemed safe by ESU & the Bomb squad. pic.twitter.com/6cZxYRfahj

— NYPD Special Ops (@NYPDSpecialops) July 6, 2017

On Wednesday, an unexploded, World War 2-era bomb briefly shut down 21st Street between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue.

As you may have read, the suspicious-looking device turned out to be a bomb-shaped time capsule that belonged to the now-shuttered Danceteria.

In various published reports, John Argento, who owned the club until it closed in 1986, said that the capsule was an "empty practice bomb" that was buried in 1984 in an alley adjacent to the club ... to be unearthed again in 5,000 years. (Construction at the site ruined things for partygoers in 6984.)

Via The Beat, we learned that East Village-based artists James Romberger and Marguerite Van Cook were instrumental in creating and then burying the time capsule back in 1984 as part of a party to say hello to the year 6984.

As Van Cook wrote on Facebook:

We buried the time capsule which had one of Diana Ross’ fake eyelashes and Chi Chi Valenti g string among thousands of messages to the future. All the messages read ”fuck you” which seemed to be the only sentiment that people came up with. We had the ceremony in the adjacent alley to Danceteria ... I broke a bottle on the bomb casing! Wow!

[Image via the Beat]

And this may have a happy ending of sorts. Per CBS New York:

It isn’t exactly police protocol to give someone their old bomb shell back, but police say in a few days once it’s thoroughly searched, Argento can likely pick up whatever was inside.

The CBC has more on the story here.

Previously

Cholo Noir opens on 6th Street

[Via @CholoNoir]

Cholo Noir opened this week at 503 E. Sixth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

Here's their description via @CholoNoir: "Chicano cuisine & speakeasy... celebrating Chicano culture through art, drinks, and a fusion of Mexican street food and backyard southwest BBQ."

CB3 twice denied a liquor license for the proprietors last year ... among other reasons, there are 20-plus full on-premises liquor licenses within 500 feet of the address. CB3 members also didn't see much public benefit from the concept on a mostly residential block in a nightlife-saturated neighborhood.

Given the amount of work they already put into the space, the owners then went to the State Liquor Authority for a license, which was apparently granted given that they are advertising margaritas on the sidewalk chalkboard.

Here's more via a Cholo Noir update from February at DNAinfo:

[T]he owners remain positive the eatery will be a good presence in the neighborhood, claiming Cholo Noir will be centered around the food, with cocktails to complement the menu.

“Most people don’t go into a Mexican restaurant and say, ‘Let’s go get wasted,’ but people do go for good Mexican food and they like to have something to complement it,” said Paul Le Mos, who plans to run the restaurant alongside Lennard Camarillo, former operator of West Village eatery Florencia 13.

The proprietors don't want to bring another noisy bar to the neighborhood, he said, but want to serve the community with great food and culture.

You can find the menu and more info at the Cholo Noir website here.

No. 503 was previously home for five weeks to Long Bay, a Vietnamese restaurant, in 2015. Several years earlier the space housed Gladiators Gym.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Another no for Cholo Noir

Stop, in the name of... art

Seventh Street on the east side of Avenue A...

A renewed effort to restore and preserve the Yiddish Theatre Walk of Fame on 2nd Avenue

If you've walked on the southeast corner of Second Avenue and 10th Street outside the Chase branch, then you've likely noticed the five-pointed gold stars set into granite celebrating names such as Abraham Goldfaden, Bessie Thomashefsky and Michal Michalesko ...


[Top two photos from 2014 by Derek Berg]

In 1984, Abe Lebewohl, who owned the Second Avenue Deli in this corner location, installed this Yiddish Walk of Fame to commemorate when the area was a vibrant Yiddish theater community in the early 20th century.

In recent years, many of the stars in the double row have become worn down or broken and are mostly illegible. Higher rents forced Second Avenue Deli to vacate here in 2006. (Lebewohl was murdered in March 1996.) Since then, the building's landlord, Jonis Realty, who's responsible for maintaining the sidewalks, hasn't apparently done much to repair the stars (though at the same time they didn't have them removed).

There's now a fresh movement afoot to preserve and protect the Walk of Fame in an effort led by the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation and several other community groups. Yesterday, EVG regular Daniel noted that reps for Friends of the Abe Lebewohl Yiddish Walk of Fame were collecting signatures of support on this corner...





Here's more on the history of the Walk of Fame ... via the GVSHP...

The Second Avenue Deli closed its doors at this location in 2006. Luckily, the Walk of Fame remained despite the closure. But now this civic tribute is deteriorating. Friends of the Abe Lebewohl Yiddish Walk of Fame is working to promote the history and culture of Yiddish Theatre and the neighborhood inspired by the granite stars first embedded in the sidewalk of Second Avenue by restauranteur Abe Lebewohl. GVSHP is proud to be working with fellow stakeholders, with the support of the Lebewohl family, to secure the future of this important piece of our neighborhood history.

Here's what they have planned ...

Friends of the Abe Lebewohl Yiddish Theatre Walk of Fame seeks to preserve, educate, inspire and reinstall a recreation of the historic plaque tiles in the area of cultural relevance and with long term stewardship. We will work to gently remove the original plaque tiles.

Exhibit them as part of a permanent or traveling exhibition. Support programming that highlights the Yiddish Theatre and the neighborhood, and inspire the continuation of the rich artistic tradition. And we will commission a recreation of the original plaque tiles to be reinstalled somewhere relevant and nearby, with long term stewardship as our goal.

Learn more about the preservation efforts here.

A few dining details about Joe and Pat's, the Staten Island pizzeria opening on 1st Avenue

Work continues over at 168 First Avenue between 10th Street and 11th Street. (Given the scaffolding and construction netting, it appears that the entire building is getting a rehab.)

Joe and Pat's, the pizzeria and restaurant that debuted on Staten Island in 1960, is opening a location here, in the former longtime home of Lanza's.

The pizzeria's owners are on this month's CB3-SLA docket for a new liquor license for the space. The questionnaire on file ahead of that CB3-SLA meeting reveals a few more details about what diners can expect at the the East Village Joe and Pat's.

For starters, aside from pizza, Joe and Pat's will offer an "extensive menu" of Italian food. (Find their menu from the Victory Boulevard location here. Or check out their Instagram account here.)

The proposed hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday through Thursday; and until 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. The configuration shows seating for up to 43 diners, including use of the rear yard, where there are five tables. (It's not clear if this is an enclosed space. And the rear yard space won't be in use all hours.)

Earlier this year, New York magazine wrote that Joe & Pat’s offers the best of Staten Island pizza. "Its pies are the ultimate version of one of the borough’s dominant styles: thin-crust, vodka-sauced bar pie. Open since 1960, it doesn’t look like much, but the pizza is magnificent."

The July CB3-SLA committee meeting is July 17 at 6:30 p.m. at Ian Schrager's Public Hotel, 215 Chrystie St. just below Houston.

Films on the Green: 'La Cérémonie' Friday night in Tompkins Square Park

Films on the Green, a free French film festival in NYC parks, will screen the first of two films in Tompkins Square this Friday evening. (This year, for the 10th anniversary of the series, Films on the Green is featuring 10 guest curators, including Wes Anderson, Jim Jarmusch, Isabella Rossellini and Laurie Anderson.)

• Friday, July 7, 8:30 p.m.
"La Cérémonie"
By Claude Chabrol, 1995, starring Isabelle Huppert and Sandrine Bonnaire
Film selected by the creator of the series "Mad Men," Matthew Weiner



... and next week in Tompkins Square Park...

• Friday, July 14, 8:30 p.m.
"Port of Shadows (Quai des brumes)"
By Marcel Carné, 1938, starring Jean Gabin and Michèle Morgan
Film selected by Laurie Anderson

Find the full schedule here.

The new view of 10th Street from 11th Street

Just a quick look at where 112-120 E. 11th St. stood between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue... the five circa-1890 tenement buildings were demolished ...



Work on a 13-story hotel for Marriott’s Moxy brand will commence as soon as the city approves all the necessary permits. According to the DOB website, the plans for the 300-room hotel were last disapproved by the city on June 9.

The Lightstone Group paid Pan Am Equities $127 million for six-building portfolio — 112-120 E. 11th St. and 85 E. 10th St., which survived the hotel purge ... though residents in the back of the building will, unfortunately, have months-long views and sounds of the hotel construction ... then permanent views of the actual hotel.

Report: Steve Croman sued to stop his father from managing 3rd Avenue properties

Guy Jacobson, a minority owner with Steven Croman of 99-105 Third Ave. and 204 E. 13th St., is reportedly suing his embattled partner ... in an effort to stop Croman's father from taking over as manager of the properties, according to The Real Deal.

Jacobson filed a lawsuit in Manhattan State Supreme Court today "claiming his partner’s dubious practices harmed the company, and asked a judge to appoint a receiver to manage the business."

Per TRD: "Croman is the sole manager of the properties, according to the operating agreement, and should he cease being manager for any reason, his father, Edward, will take over as the manager."

Last month, Croman pleaded guilty to charges of grand larceny, tax fraud, and an additional fraud charge relating to false statements. As part of the deal, he will spend one year at Rikers. Croman will be sentenced on Sept. 19. (A civil case related to his tenant harassment tactics continues.)

A Croman spokesperson called the arguments "false" and said Jacobson had a history of filing frivolous lawsuits, TRD reported.

The businesses at these addresses include Linen Hall, the Penny Farthing and Bruno Pizza.

The former Church of the Nativity one step closer to hitting the sales market on 2nd Avenue

[EVG file photo]

On Friday, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York relegated 16 churches to profane use — the first step toward a property sale. On that list: the former Church of the Nativity at 44 Second Ave. between Second Street and Third Street.


[Image via @NativityNYC]

The church closed in July 2015 as part of a massive consolidation reportedly due to changing demographics and a shortage of priests available to say mass. The Church of the Nativity merged with Most Holy Redeemer Third Street between Avenue A and Avenue B.

Archdiocese officials allow 10 days for parishioners to appeal the decree of a closed church. (As one Nativity activist noted, the Archdiocese made the announcement on a Friday before a long holiday weekend, which cut into the time to prepare an appeal.)

The Friends of Nativity have proposed a Dorothy Day Shrine and retreat center with services for the homeless at 44 Second Ave. Read more about that proposal here. (The space in front of the now-closed church has been a spot for the homeless of late.)

There has been speculation that the block from the church to Second Street will eventually yield to a luxury retail-residential complex...


[EVG file photo]

Developer Douglas Steiner bought the Mary Help of Christians property, including the church, school and rectory, from the Archdiocese for $41 million in 2012 to create his Steiner East Village on Avenue A between 11th Street and 12th Street.

The first Nativity church, located at 48 Second Ave., was built in 1832. This building was demolished in 1970 after a fire. It was rebuilt by parishioners at 44 Second Ave.

Previously on EV Grieve:
As the Church of the Nativity closes for good tonight, take a look at the original structure

Parishioners fight to save the Church of the Nativity on 2nd Avenue

S'MAC is open in new home on 1st Avenue and 12th Street

[The former S'MAC space at 345 E. 12th St.]

As noted earlier last week, S'MAC (aka Sarita's Mac & Cheese) was moving from their 11-year-old home on 12th Street several storefronts away to the northwest corner at First Avenue...

That move is now complete. (Friday was the last day for S'MAC at 345 E. 12th St.)



Several readers noted that S'MAC was open for awhile in the new space on Monday...


[Photo by Lola Sáenz]

They are expected to be back open after the July Fourth holiday...



The corner space was previously East 12th Osteria, the Italian restaurant that left at the beginning of the year.

Remembering Louise Nevelson at the Nevelson House on 7th Street

[Photo by Bobby Williams from Sunday]

Rentals got underway back in May at the all-new 222 E. Seventh St. — now with two additional floors — between Avenue B and Avenue C.

The address (before the previous building was gutted and rebuilt) served as a home and studio for sculpturist Louise Nevelson in the 1970s.


[The former No. 222]

The building is named in her honor — the Nevelson House.

And there's now a plaque out front with more details about her time at No. 222...





The plaque reads in part...

During the 1970s her art studio was on the 4th floor of this building. ... She hosted many parties with guests like Andy Warhol and Ray Johnson here. Neith Nevelson, her granddaughter, is an artist ... Neith lived and painted on the 2nd floor.

The building has been renovated and remains as a place of inspiration for those who live within its walls.

Streeteasy shows the monthly rent for units ranging in price from $4,195 to $7,750.

Previously on EV Grieve:
New 7th Street rental named for artist Louise Nevelson; amenities include a backup generator

A look at the incoming Starbucks on St. Mark's and Avenue A, site of a rally on July 13

The plywood has been up for two-plus weeks now on the northwest corner of Avenue A and St. Mark's Place, where workers are carving out a Starbucks from the remains of Hop Devil Grill and Nino's.

The door was open the other day...



There looks to be a ways to go before you'll be able to buy coffee drinks or use the restrooms here.

Meanwhile, various community groups and local shop owners from the East Village Independent Merchants Association are planning a protest here on Thursday, July 13 from 5:30-6:30 p.m.


[Image via @evimanyc]

Per the invite...

Another Starbucks is planned for the huge storefront at 125 St Mark's Place at Ave A. We don't need more chains in the East Village! We need retail diversity and independently owned local businesses!

Join community groups and local shop owners from EVIMA and more to stand up for the unique character of the East Village. Support policies that can promote retail diversity, prevent chain stores and preserve small businesses!

Paloma Rocket looking to land in the East Village

[Photo Friday by @RatedRuwan]

Several EVG readers noted the recent arrival of for rent signs on the Paloma Rocket storefront, 7 Clinton St. just south of Houston on the Lower East Side.

The self-serve craft beer bar — there's a price-per-ounce-pour — opened in April 2016. Are they closing? Moving?

In an email, team Paloma Rocket (the owner is East Village resident Graham Winton) said that they are very close to signing a lease to move to a new location in the East Village.

"Our landlord is facilitating the process by offering us other locations and incentives to move. For us it will enable us to hopefully move to a larger location and expand our tap offerings to include spirits and mixed drinks as well as have space for birthdays, etc."

I mentioned that some people thought they might be closing.

"We have carefully run this business with an eye on longevity and we are now secure that both the concept and system are valid and strong and reliable, thus our comfort level in moving forward. It also helps that our original lease in retrospect is aiding in the process and we are guided by some very knowledgeable and experienced operators whose wisdom has been indispensable in navigating the horribly treacherous real-estate terrain ... greed hath no fury like an NYC landlord and being able to stay in business now more than ever is solely about rent. We have chosen not to be shortsighted and sell what is left of our soul ... by running a messy operation for short-term gain."

Meanwhile, Paloma Rocket remains open here on Clinton Street... here are their hours...

ICYMI, July 4 holiday edition

[Stress of getting to the BBQ on time when you have the grill]

In case you were away or not online much during this long holiday break... a look at some EVG posts from Friday night on...

Christo needs a larger bird bath (Tuesday)

Body found in the East River north of the Williamsburg Bridge (Tuesday)

Details on the "New York in the 70s" series starting this week at the Film Forum (Monday)

Reader report: Rooftop fire on 12th Street (Monday)

Cab strikes and kills 87-year-old man on Cooper Square (Monday)

There was a street fair (Sunday)

Why it would be a bad idea to take this discarded carpet on Second Avenue (Sunday)

Fake severed head discovered in Tompkins Square Park (Sunday)

Your July 1 rainbow action (Saturday)

"Sesame Street" filmed on Sixth Street, starring Oscar the Grouch and Big Bird (Saturday)

The Tompkins Square Park sinkhole remains in sinking form (Saturday)

The Victor Gallery closes on Third Street (Saturday)

Gigi wants to know where the Yasso S’mores frozen Greek yogurt bars are at Key (Friday)

... and yesterday, Derek Berg spotted this pretty rare 1965 Ford Cobra on Seventh Street at First Avenue ... which attracted some attention...