[Updated] New owner lined up for the Grassroots Tavern on St. Mark's Place

An applicant is expected to appear before the CB3-SLA committee this month for a new liquor license for the Grassroots Tavern at 20 St. Mark's Place.

According to the questionnaire (PDF here) posted for the public on the CB3 website, the applicant is Richard Precious. The paperwork describes this as "a sale of assets."

Precious started a mini chain of bars called the Ginger Man in Texas in 1985 (named after the J.P. Donleavy novel). He opened a Ginger Man on East 36th Street near Fifth Avenue in 1996. (He sold the Texas bars in 2000. There are also Ginger Man bars in Greenwich and Norwalk, Conn.)

The questionnaire does not specify if the basement-level Grassroots space would be renamed or renovated. There's a mention of food ("casual restaurant fare"). The proposed hours remain roughly the same (4 p.m. to 4 a.m. Monday through Friday instead of the current 3 p.m. to 4 a.m.), but with an earlier start on Saturday and Sunday (1 p.m.). The live jazz performances on Sunday evening will continue, per the questionnaire. (And it looks as if the lone TV will remain.)


[EVG file photo]

No word yet when — or if — the change in ownership will occur and what type of modifications may occur at the Grassroots, which opened here between Second Avenue and Third Avenue in 1975.

As for what might be in store, here's an overview of the NYC Ginger Man via New York magazine:

As much a pub as a Mercedes SUV is a jeep, the Ginger Man feels like Euro Disney's vision of the classic Irish watering hole. Nothing is done in half measures, whether it's the mind-boggling selection of beers and single malts or the JFK, Jr.-look-alike bartenders. And while the clientele is all business during the day, this vision of J. Press heaven loosens its tie and kicks off its heels at night. On a recent visit, suit-and-tie singles, post-MSG sports fans and an impromptu wrap party for an off-Broadway play co-existed peacefully, with more than enough wandering room and cozy corners for all.

A change in the GR status quo isn't a big surprise. In January 2016, Klosed Properties bought the landmarked 20 St. Mark's Place from Jim Stratton, who is also the majority owner of the Grassroots. At that time, a source with some background of the deal said that the bar had a lease for the next five years, with an option after that for renewal.

However, there have been unsubstantiated-to-date rumors in circulation that the current incarnation of the Grassroots would close before the end of its current lease.

Meanwhile, several applicants had been looking at opening a bar-restaurant in the upstairs space that previously housed Sounds. However, those plans never materialized.

The December CB3-SLA committee meeting is Dec. 11 at 6:30 p.m. at the Perseverance House Community Room, 535 E. Fifth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

Updated 12/7

The bar's Facebook page announced tonight that the Grassroots will close after service on New Year's Eve. More to come...

Previously on EV Grieve:
20 St. Mark's Place, home of the Grassroots Tavern, has been sold

Your chance to live in this historic home above the Grassroots Tavern on St. Mark's Place

Pourt has closed on Cooper Square

Pourt, the cafe-work space combo at 35 Cooper Square, shut down after service on Friday.

There's a message on the bottom of the Pourt website noting that they "are unfortunately no longer operating. Thank you to all of our customers."



It seemed like a good idea on paper: a mixture of coffeehouse and workspace. People could rent a desk with speedy fiber optics by the hour ($7) and order bottomless coffee ($2.99). There was also access to printers, phone chargers, Skype facilities, etc., as well as a larger conference room for small groups.

The New York Business Journal wrote about the space back in March:

Pourt is striving to create a new hybrid, a mixture of coffeehouse and workspace, emphasizing short-term stays. Whether there are enough freelancers and small businesses that can pay those fees is yet to be determined.

It‘s located on Cooper Square, strategically situated near Cooper Union, NYU, Manhattan Marymount College dorms and the Standard Hotel in the bustling East Village. The combined space measures 2,000 square feet.

Founders Matt Tervooren, 28, and 27-year-old Mike Kruszewski, lived in the East Village (Tervooren recently moved to Williamsburg) and met as economics majors at the University of Michigan. When they freelanced, they were “consistently frustrated by the lack of good Wifi, lack of available seating, or having the barista frowning at you if you don’t order more food,” Tervooren noted.

Pourt, he said, “combines the two concepts, a coffee shop with a comfortable work space.” And what differentiates Pourt from other co-working spaces such as WeWork and Regus is customers “don’t have to make long-term commitments. If you’re looking for a permanent office, we’re not right,” he admitted.

So what happened? One local who frequented the space offered this analysis:

Their rent was very high and they had a lot of square footage. They took so much space because they originally thought they could have space in the back where people would pay to work during the day. Their rent required that the work space generate substantial revenue. But nobody wanted to pay $10+/hour to work in the back when there are so many other options nearby. So they tried a bunch of other business models over the past year, trying to figure out how to generate enough revenue to pay crazy East Village rents on a large space that a coffee shop model alone couldn’t support. They were nice guys and worked hard ... it’s a shame.

Pourt opened back in January in the base of the Marymount Manhattan College dormitory here at Sixth Street.

The owners were unsuccessful in their bid for a full liquor license in July.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Pourt softly opens on Cooper Square

Pourt signage arrives at Cooper Square dorm retail space

Looking at Mani in Pasta on 14th Street

Mani in Pasta looks ready to start serving at 245 E. 14th St. between Second Avenue and Third Avenue ... (EVG regular Pinch saw some customers inside in what was likely a friends-family test run...)



This is the second location for the Italian restaurant. (The other spot is on 37th Street between Fifth and Madison.) Here's more about what they serve via Facebook:

The best Roman Style Pizza "Pizza al Taglio" but also Southern Italian Appetizers, Handmade Panini, Signature Pastas, Salads, Coffees, Pastries and Gelato...

[Image via Facebook]

You can find their menu and hours here.

Meanwhile, the letter spacing between the P and the A in PASTA has been corrected...


[Photo from September]

In recent years, the address was home to Mimi's Hummus, Wicked Wolf BBQ and Joey Pepperoni's.

Garden expression

[Photo by Steven]

There's a message — Garden Here — on the eastern wall facing the empty lots where 119-123 Second Ave. used to stand at Seventh Street.

Likely wishful thinking. Late this past spring, Shaky Cohen's Nexus Building Development Group paid $9.15 million for 119 and 121 Second Ave. at Seventh Street. To date, there haven't been any new building permits filed with the city.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Exclusive: 2nd Avenue explosion sites have a new owner

Dedicating Moises Locón Way and Nicholas Figueroa Way on 2nd Avenue at 7th Street

You can now press your face against the windows of the incoming Target store on 14th and A

If you should want to. The sidewalk bridge, barriers, fencing, etc., have recently been removed here on 14th Street at Avenue A at Extell's new retail-residential development ...



The retail, of course, is the small-format Target store with an expected July 2018 opening date.



Previously

Donner and Blitzen's Reindeer Lounge opens for the month in the former No Malice Palace space

The former No Malice Palace space on Third Street between Avenue A and Avenue B is now home to a pop-up holiday bar called Donner and Blitzen's Reindeer Lounge. They opened on Friday, and will close on Jan. 1

Via the bar's website:

We've decked the halls with pop-up magic and stuffed your stockings with craft cocktails and mulled wine. Fire places, grandma's quilts and xmas decorations galore... a visit to this heard's house party will make your Insta-Story lit.... we're not kidding, there are a ton of lights. Don't forget to grab a photo-op in front of the custom "Reindeer Playing Poker" mural in the back yard! Whether you have a last minute holiday party to plan or just need to get your yule-tide on, Donner and Blitzen's Reindeer Lounge is your home away from holiday ho-ho-ho... you get it.

The cocktails ($13) include Zuzu's Petals, Elf Nog and (seriously) Nog-Gonna Make to Work Tomorrow.

A feature on the bar in Metro notes, "The decor inside the East Village bar looks as if all the twinkle lights wrapped around the trees and houses in suburbia had been brought inside instead; let’s call it Enthusiastic Dad."

This is the second pop-up holiday bar to open in the East Village this season. Mace, the cocktail bar on Ninth Street near Avenue C, goes by Miracle on Ninth Street during this time of year. (Same bar, just with Christmas decorations.)

No Malice Palace never reopened after the death of its owner, Phil Sherman, in November 2016.

Meanwhile, 222,135 miles away

Early-morning supermoon photos by Bobby Williams...



December's supermoon is reportedly the first of three back-to-back supermoon full moons to come in the next two months, per NASA.

Week in Grieview

[7th and A the other morning]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

Fire under sidewalk bridge on 13th Street temporarily brings an end to homeless encampment (Tuesday)

Watch a bike theft in progress on 3rd Street (Monday)

Preliminary work underway at city-owned empty lot on 3rd Street (Tuesday)

Volunteers on a mission to help reinvigorate Alphabet Scoop on 11th Street (Wednesday)

Reader report: Man spotted exposing himself in Tompkins Square Park (Thursday)

7 years later, a Ben & Jerry's is returning to the East Village (Tuesday)

The latest installment of I Am a Rent-Stabilized Tenant (Thursday)

Parishioners hope their prayers are answered with former Nativity space on 2nd Avenue (Friday)

Not fake news then: Pro-dorm rally organizer admits some participants were paid, report says (Friday)

The 26th annual tree lighting in Tompkins Square Park is Dec. 10 (Thursday)

Agozar! closes on the Bowery (Monday)

Brooklyn man accused of punching ex before leading cops on a chase through the East Village (Thursday)

Kona Coffee and Company now open on 2nd Avenue (Monday)

Mr. Throwback has a new home on 9th Street (Friday)

Baar Baar opens on 1st Street in Avalon Bowery Place (Thursday)

"Shadowman," the documentary on Richard Hambleton, debuts at the Quad (Friday)

122CC signage arrives at the refurbished 122 Community Center on 1st Avenue (Friday)

"Kitchen separated by the fridge" (Wednesday)

80 E. 10th St. tops out (Monday)

Turntable 5060 is now Tapanju Turntable, and it opened Friday (Thursday)

Gino Sorbillo opens his pizzeria on the Bowery (Monday)

Turning Rutherford Place into 1987 Russia (Friday)

Pizza in the mix for former Cock space on 2nd Avenue (Wednesday)

NiceBrow bows on 9th Street (Wednesday)

Canal Pizza opening in the former Cup & Saucer Luncheonette space on the LES (Wednesday)

... and here's Andre Trenier's December mural at Mikey Likes It at 199 Avenue A near East 12th Street...



---

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9th Street lights

Ninth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue is usually one of the more festive blocks during the holiday season... on Friday, workers started putting up the lights...



... and by last evening...





Thanks to Steven for the photos...

Previously

Joseph Papp Way

[Image via @AstorPlaceNYC]

On Friday morning, the intersection of Lafayette and Astor Place was officially co-named Joseph Papp Way, in honor of late Public Theater founder Joseph Papp

Here's more via the Village Alliance:

The co-naming honors the late founder of the Public Theater, which is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its landmark home on Lafayette Street. The sign was unveiled ... by Gail Papp, wife of the late Joe Papp, with remarks from The Public Theater Artistic Director Oskar Eustis, Commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs Tom Finkelpearl and District 2 City Councilwoman Rosie Mendez.

Our dear friends and neighbor, The Public Theater was founded in 1954, then known as the New York Shakespeare Festival. It opened the doors to its permanent home on Lafayette Street in October 1967 with the new musical Hair. Papp, was an East Village local and active member of the community.

Meanwhile, yesterday, officials unveiled Mary Spink Way on Avenue A and Second Street in honor of the late community activist.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Street co-naming set for Public Theater founder Joseph Papp and community activist Mary Spink

Mary Spink Way

[Reader-submitted photo]

Local elected officials, including City Councilmember Rosie Mendez, City Comptroller Scott Stringer and Senator-elect Brian Kavanagh, were on hand this afternoon for the Mary Spink street co-naming ceremony on the southeast corner of Avenue A and Second Street.

Spink, a longtime resident of this block, was an advocate for affordable housing. She died in January 2012 at age 65. During her years on the Lower East Side, she owned several businesses and served as a member of Community Board 3 and as a board member of the LES Peoples Federal Credit Union, among many others. She was also executive director of Lower East Side People’s Mutual Housing Association.

You can read more about Spink in this obituary published in The Villager.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Street co-naming set for Public Theater founder Joseph Papp and community activist Mary Spink

A look at Che Cafe

EVG contributor Derek Berg notes the arrival today of new signage at Che Cafe at 86 E. Seventh St. just west of First Avenue.

People I've talked to really seem to like the empanada pouches and tacos here, Derek included. And it looks as if they're adding soup into the rotation. (Find the menu here.)



Mark Merker, who started Harry's and Benny's Burritos in 1987, is the owner. The small, quick-serve Cafe opened back in April.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Che Cafe bringing empanada pockets to 7th Street

Take part in the 129th candlelight service at St. George's Church on Stuyvesant Square

Now that Rutherford Place has been cleared of the Russians... this is happening tomorrow...via the EVG inbox...

You’re invited to join the Parish of Calvary-St. George’s, one of New York’s longest continuously operating episcopal parishes, for its annual Candlelight Lessons and Carols service on Sunday, Dec. 3 at 4 p.m, with a prelude at 3:40.

The parish’s tradition of congregational carol singing began in the 19th century when The Reverend Dr. William S. Rainsford established a Christmas festival for the neighborhood. Though the Candlelight service has taken different forms in the many decades since, it remains a special offering to the community, convening thousands of people to joyfully sing a celebration of Christmas!

Last year’s attendance was the highest ever at 901 people, but we anticipate many more friends of the neighborhood will come along this December for the anticipated and momentous unveiling of the newly renovated clock towers at Stuyvesant Square, with Clarion Chimes incorporated into the service!

Located at 7 Rutherford Place on Stuyvesant Park, east of Third Avenue between 16th and 17th Streets
Admission is free.

Friday's parting shot

Second Avenue this evening via Derek Berg...

Liquid moon

Goggla shared this photo from Tompkins Square Park... as the moon rose tonight, heat waves from a chimney made it look like it was made of liquid.

There is video too...

Swing into 'Reaction'

The Brooklyn-based Surfbort released a video this week for their new 7-inch single, "Back to Reaction."

Mr. Throwback's 9th Street crossover

[Photo by Steven]

Mr. Throwback (aka Michael Spitz) opened today in his new storefront on the north side of Ninth Street between Avenue A and First Avenue ... almost directly across the street from the store's original location (No. 428).

The shop has a deep selection of 1990s-era sports apparel, retro sneakers, video games and toys. He opened on the block in November 2012.

You can check out the online store here.

Previously

EVG Etc.: Tax breaks for small shops; rat genetics in NYC neighborhoods

[Photo Wednesday in Tompkins Square Park by Derek Berg]

Tax break could help small shops survive Manhattan’s rising rents (The New York Times) 2,000 businesses to escape commercial rent tax (The Real Deal)

An LA comedian is reportedly suing Doc Holliday’s on Avenue A claiming that an employee physically attacked him in December 2016 (B+B)

Some history of the soon-to-be-demolished 23 Third Ave. (Off the Grid... previously)

Vigil today at Rivington House will mark two years since nursing home closed (The Lo-Down)

The rats are different downtown (The Atlantic)

Writer-director Ken Shapiro, who got his start in the East Village in the 1960s, dies at age 76 (The Hollywood Report)

A visit to 8 Bit and Up on Third Street (Syfy Wire)

"The Cinema of Gender Transgression: Trans Film" series starts tonight (Anthology Film Archives)

The Call Your Mother Hot Dog Cart on Houston near Lafayette (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

Some music-themed midnight movies this month at the Sunshine, including "Stop Making Sense" and "This is Spinal Tap" (Official site, PDF)

An Iggy Pop documentary from 1987 (Flaming Pablum)

You're a vampire! I knew it!: "The Lost Boys" screening at the Metrograph (Official site)

Turning Rutherford Place into 1987 Russia

EVG regular Dan Efram shared this from Wednesday evening...

A crew of approximately 75 people worked on FX's television series "The Americans."

Filmed just north of the East Village outside of St. George's Episcopal Church on Rutherford Place at 16th Street, this wintery scene taking place in 1987 Russia included actor Lev Gorn passing a briefcase to an unidentifiable moving actor as they walked south. Two timely Russian automobiles were a big part of the red-hued eye candy.

Parishioners hope their prayers are answered with former Nativity space on 2nd Avenue

[EVG file photo]

This past summer, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York desacralized the former Church of the Nativity on Second Avenue between Second Street and Third Street ... clearing the way for a potential sale of the desirable property.

Tomorrow afternoon, Friends of Nativity Church and the Cooper Square Community Land Trust are holding a prayer service at the Most Holy Redeemer on Third Street between Avenue A and Avenue B... before walking over to the Second Avenue building.

According to the flyer, participants will pray "that the resources of Nativity & Most Holy Redeemer be used to serve the most needy among us and for the good of the world." (AKA, Please don't tear down the church and build luxury condos.)



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.

The Friends of Nativity had previously proposed a Dorothy Day Shrine and retreat center with services for the homeless at 44 Second Ave. (Read more about that proposal here.)

Archdiocese officials allow 10 days for parishioners to appeal the decree of a closed church. In this case, the Archdiocese made the announcement this summer on the Friday before the long July 4 holiday weekend.

Updated 10 a.m.

Just received the news release on the service...

Parishioners and friends of the former Church of the Nativity will gather for a prayer service on Dec. 2, led by Father Sean McGillicuddy at 1:30 PM at the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer followed by a Walk to Church of the Nativity and remarks and prayers in front of the church at 2:30 PM.

The former parishioners of the Church of the Nativity are advocating that the site be used to serve the most needy, hopefully by providing low income housing in a neighborhood that is rapidly gentrifying.

The parish was first established in 1842 and for time was a Jesuit mission parish. Dorothy Day, the co-founder of the Catholic Worker, who is being proposed for canonization, was a parishioner. Her Funeral Mass was held there in 1980.

In the spirit of Dorothy Day and Pope Francis, Joanne Kennedy, a parishioner of Nativity and Most Holy Redeemer and member of the Catholic Worker stated: "Other shuttered Catholic churches nearby have been sold to developers for luxury housing, including Mary Help of Christians. This cannot happen here, where Dorothy came to pray."

The Cooper Square Community Land Trust and Nativity/Most Holy Redeemer parishioners have requested a meeting with Cardinal Dolan to discuss a proposal to redevelop the site as low-income housing for families, seniors, disabled and the homeless, a community center (to replace homeless services lost when the Holy Name Center closed) as well as a small meditation room dedicated to Dorothy Day.

The Cooper Square Community Land Trust has been protecting and preserving affordable housing in the Lower East Side for over 20 years, and in collaboration with the Cooper Square MHA owns, manages and operates 21 buildings.

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

'Shadowman,' the documentary on Richard Hambleton, debuts today at the Quad

As previously reported, Richard Hambleton, a street artist who came to prominence in the 1980s East Village alongside Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring, died in late October at age 65.

Hambleton, who most recently was living in an East Village studio, had enjoyed a revival this year. "Shadowman," Oren Jacoby's documentary about his life and work, debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival back in the spring.

And the film makes its theatrical debut today at the Quad Cinema over on 13th Street between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue.

"Shadowman" has been generating positive reviews. Here'a what the Times had to say:

This intense documentary shows a driven creator walking the walk, so to speak, in the most perverse fashion possible. The story is both repellent and strangely inspiring.

Jacoby will be doing a Q-and-A after the 7:30 screenings tonight and tomorrow. Head to the Quad website for showtimes.

Not fake news then: Pro-dorm rally organizer admits some participants were paid, report says

On Nov. 19, the Daily News reported that some of the 30 participants who showed up at a City Hall rally to support turning the former P.S 64 and CHARAS/El Bohio community center on Ninth Street into a dorm were paid extras.

The organizers strongly denied that the extras received money ($50) for their time.

Now, the lobbying group on property owner Gregg Singer's payroll admitted that the firm paid eight of the 30 participants.

This revelation came in a Thanksgiving Day email that lobbyist David Schwartz sent to The Villager.

Per the paper:

More bizarre still, Schwartz claimed he intentionally leaked the casting call for the rally to the Daily News in order to gin up media coverage of the event.

“We have been frustrated that we could not get any press for one of the biggest frauds in NYC,” Schwartz said. “A fraud that leaves a community with an empty building and it’s being perpetrated by our elected officials,” Schwartz explained, referencing Singer’s claim that now his decades-long effort to remake the former school building into a dorm has been unfairly obstructed by the Mayor’s Office, Councilmember Rosie Mendez and other local politicians, who would prefer to see the building restored as a community arts center similar to CHARAS — the nonprofit group that occupied the building when Singer bought it at auction in 1998.

In a follow-up piece at the News on Nov. 23, Singer also denied that any of the supporters were paid to attend the rally on Nov. 17. Singer also blamed those opposing his dorm project.

Per the News:

"You ever heard fake news? I think the people that are against us are twisting it — it's probably the other side that paid the money!"

The Villager noted that "Singer did not respond to requests to clarify whether he was on board with the plan to hire people to rally for his dorm."

122CC signage arrives at the refurbished 122 Community Center on 1st Avenue

[Photo by Steven]

Performance Space 122 will return to its newly renovated home on First Avenue and Ninth Street in January, as the Times recently reported.

Ahead of that, the new 122CC signage has arrived at the First Avenue entrance of the 122 Community Center. (Thanks to EVG reader Dennis for the tip!)

The building will also house the Alliance for Positive Change, Mabou Mines, Painting Space 122, and a fifth tenant to be announced.

As for PS 122, they will inaugurate the refurbished space with the 13th Coil Festival from Jan. 10 to Feb. 4.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Here's the sidewalk bridge-free corner of 9th Street and 1st Avenue — and the 122 Community Center

Come along on a tour of the under-renovation 122 Community Center on 1st Avenue

Reader report: Man spotted exposing himself in Tompkins Square Park

Several readers shared information about a man who was seen exposing himself in Tompkins Square Park near the children's playground yesterday afternoon around 12:30.

According to a post on the Tompkins Square Park Dog Run Facebook page:

The man "began threatening some dog owners with a brick when they chased him away. He lost his pants and cellphone as he ran off which were given to the police — however it’s unclear whether the police will pursue as the dog owners stated the police told them they needed to come to the precinct to make a complaint.

The Facebook post has a NSFW video clip of the man fondling himself as well as a photo of him on First Avenue and 13th Street holding a brick and carrying his pants. He appears to be wearing lipstick.


[Image via Facebook]

One reader said the man is known in the Park and was spotted rubbing his genitals in front of two women last fall. (See this post.)

Brooklyn man accused of punching ex before leading cops on a chase through the East Village

A Brooklyn man was arrested last night after leading police on a 10-block chase through the East Village.

According to the Daily News, Brandon Morrison, 28, apparently got into an argument with his former girlfriend while driving her to the Best Buy on Union Square around 7 p.m.

An NYPD spokesperson said that Morrison then punched and choked the woman.

To the News:

She tried to escape at the corner of E. 12th St. and First Ave., and he floored it to Second Ave. as she hung out of his car, cops said.

The woman managed to escape and flag down a cab, but Morrison tried to pull her back into his vehicle and grabbed her bag, police said.

By then, witnesses were gathering, and two officers approached them. Morrison threw his former flame’s purse at one of the cops and sped away, authorities said.

Morrison was apprehended on Second Street and First Avenue.

A video a witness to the arrest took shows Morrison claiming that the woman used pepper spray on him.

He was charged with robbery, assault, criminal possession of stolen property, criminal obstruction of breathing, unlawful imprisonment and reckless driving.

Updated 12/1

The Daily News has a follow-up article, reporting that Morrison was held on $20,000 bail. He is also on probation for wire services fraud in Pennsylvania, per the DA's office.

Inside the mind of LinkNYC

Second Avenue and Fifth Street today via Derek Berg...

I Am a Rent-Stabilized Tenant

East Village resident Susan Schiffman has been photographing the apartments of rent-stabilized tenants living in the East Village for her Instagram account, I Am a Rent Stabilized Tenant. She will share some of the photos here for this ongoing EVG feature.



Photos and text by Susan Schiffman

Tenant: June, since 1979

June came to NYC from Chicago in 1964.

Why did you move to the East Village?

I had been married. We moved to a three-bedroom apartment on the Upper West Side from a rent-controlled brownstone also on the Upper West Side. I was unhappy in that apartment. When we got divorced I got the apartment. I hated that apartment. I did love that it had been all musicians and artists when I moved in. There were a lot of musicians because it was close to Julliard.

When the building and the neighborhood started changing the people who were moving in were not musicians or artists and they had day jobs. The landlord approached me and offered me a buyout. I got myself a lawyer. She got me not a huge amount of money but I was able to stay in the apartment for up to a year until I could find a new place. It covered my moving expenses, plus I got some cash.



How did you find your East Village apartment?

I had a boyfriend who was living on Seventh Street and I was working downtown. I had to be at my job at 11 a.m. Every day, from 9-10:30 a.m., I walked around the neighborhood and talked to people. I rang the doorbell at a storefront looking for the super. A woman answered. She was living there, but was not a super. She wrote for Al Goldstein’s Screw magazine. Her husband was a lighting designer. She had been in the neighborhood for years. She gave me a cup of tea and a joint. She told me if she heard of anything she would give me a call.

A week later she called me and said the girl on the top floor is moving. I went to look at the apartment. There were walls with interior windows. Because of the slope the rooms were all rhomboids, in other words you got dizzy just standing here because they were all so askew. The boyfriend of the woman living there must have gotten paid in supplies because there was sheetrock stacked up and boxes of supplies everywhere. But I looked at the height of the ceilings and the view. And I just knew this was it.

The landlord, Arthur Brown, owned most of the block. He was a wonderful guy. His deal for all of his tenants was if you supplied the labor and included the receipts for supplies for work done, you could take that amount off of your rent.

I still say to people who are looking for an apartment: Choose your neighborhood and then spend time there walking around and talking to people. You will find something.

What do you love about your apartment?

When I moved in I worked with a guy who lived in another building. We took all the plaster off of the walls. Something, actually, that I’m sorry I did. The brick dust is just endless. We took down the interior walls. I like the openness. We took all of the closets out, they were useless, terrible closets. We took down the walls in between the rooms. My other apartment had so many rooms and doors and walls so I wanted something open.

I love that this is open, I love the high ceilings, I love the 19th-century details like the tin ceilings. I used to have that old kind of toilet with the oak box. It had a little leak and I told the super. I thought he could just glue it. He ripped it out and put in a regular toilet. I was heartbroken.

More than anything else I love the view. Notice how the chair is turned. I’m retired. I spend a lot of time sitting at this window. I love the view but not just the view — I love the activity that goes on. I’m not just watching leaves fall.

















If you're interested in inviting Susan in to photograph your apartment for an upcoming post, then you may contact her via this email.