Seeing Christo in a new light

Christo the red-tailed hawk looking light as a feather in Tompkins Square Park early this evening... He's just atop a lamp post and not radioactive...



Photos by Steven

Honoring actor Joseph Sirola at Theatre 80 on St. Mark's Place

Photos by Stacie Joy

Theatre 80 on St. Mark's Place paid tribute to actor Joseph Sirola yesterday with a ceremony that included clips from his hundreds of TV, film and stage credits.

As the New York Observer described him a few years back:

He’s been a Broadway song-and-dance man, soap-opera regular, business executive, drinking buddy to Richard Burton (a job in itself!), voiceover artist, TV sidekick, movie villain, Shakespearean actor, and a few other things.

More recently he became a Tony-winning producer for "A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder."

While he may not be a household name, people do recognize his voice thanks to shooting more than 10,000 TV commercials. (The Wall Street Journal once referred to him as "the king of voiceovers.")

Sirola, 88, a longtime Upper East Side resident, added his name and handprints to the celebrity “walk of fame” outside 80 St. Mark’s Place last night. His cement imprimatur will join others such as Gloria Swanson, Joan Crawford and Myrna Loy.








[Sirola with his partner Claire Gozzo]

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Here's a scene with Sirola (as Reno!) with Clint Eastwood in "Hang 'Em High" from 1968...

McSorley's turns 164

[Bill, who has been going to McSorley's since 1964]

McSorley's celebrated its 164th birthday yesterday over at its home (of 164 years!) at 15 E. Seventh St. near Cooper Square. EVG regular Dan Efram shared these photos.

Part of the festivities included, as always, the presence of the musket-toting McSorley's militia...









P.S.

Because someone always brings this up...Per New York magazine several years ago: "Though McSorley’s claims it opened its doors in 1854, NYC historian Richard McDermott used public records to prove it really opened in 1862."

Previously on EV Grieve:
Happy No. 162 McSorley's!

Week in Grieview

[Yesterday morning on 2nd Avenue]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

Report: high-end condo in the works for 2nd Avenue explosion site (Tuesday)

Pile driving resumes at the site of the East Village's last gas station, where a 10-floor building will rise (Monday)

Get well soon, Mikey (Wednesday)

NYPD looking for this suspect in armed robbery of boutique on 7th Street (Friday)

Here's more about Facebook's takeover of Kmart's 2nd floor at 770 Broadway (Wednesday)

More details on the all-new playground coming to P.S. 19 (Wednesday)

Former Trash & Vaudeville space on St. Mark's Place to become Wanyoo cyber café (Friday)

Bareburger is leaving 2nd Avenue; new outpost slated for Orchard Street (Friday)

Maria Hrynenko due back in court on March 23 (Thursday)

Tarallucci e Vino closed through March for renovations on 1st Avenue (Tuesday ...Thursday)

31-33 2nd Ave. is on the market — for $40 million (Thursday)

A gym for Stuy Town on 14th Street — aka '7,500 Square Feet of Awesome' (Monday)

197 E.. 3rd St. is for sale — again (Friday)

Mr. White debuts on St. Mark's Place (Monday)

Ai Weiwei installations come down (Monday ... Wednesday)

Neapolitan Express pulls into the opening lane on 2nd Avenue (Monday)

Newsstand proposed for Cooper Square (Monday)

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The Webster Hall marquee looks to be in danger of falling

[Photo by Michael Giacoppi]

The NYPD and FDNY are currently on the scene here on 11th Street between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue... as you can see in the photo, part of the Webster Hall marquee has pulled away from the landmarked building. The street is blocked off for now.

Will check back later here to see what has transpired. (The NYPD requested a DOB inspection at the site.)

Webster Hall closed last Aug. 10. Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment, along with AEG-backed The Bowery Presents, bought the building from the Ballinger family for $35 million in the spring.

The new owners will renovate the space. They filed the permits in December for the job, which includes interior demolition and structural work to help upgrade the facility and make it ADA compliant.

Updated

William Klayer shared this photo from around 10:30 a.m. ...



And some pics with the FDNY on the scene...





A little later, crews had temporarily propped up the right side of the marquee... the street remains blocked off...



An officer on the scene said that no one actually saw the marquee come undone... one passerby tried to blame the constant construction across the street at the incoming Moxy hotel...

Reminders: The 9th Precinct Community Council meeting is Tuesday night

This Tuesday February 20, is our monthly #Community Council meeting. It will begin at 7PM here @ the Precinct. We look forward to seeing you! #EastVillage #NYC pic.twitter.com/kZMBnBVMAY

— NYPD 9th Precinct (@NYPD9Pct) February 17, 2018

The 9th Precinct tweeted out a reminder about this month's Community Council meeting ... these take place on the third Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. So that would be this Tuesday, Feb. 20, per the tweet.

The meetings take place at the 9th Precinct, 321 E. Fifth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

This is an opportunity for residents to address any concerns and ask 9th Precinct officials for their input on recent crime statistics.

It's snowing a little

Photo from late this afternoon on First Avenue and Seventh Street by Derek Berg...

The National Weather Service is estimating between 4-7 inches of snow before daybreak. [Updated: So much for that accumulation.] When I was out a little earlier in the flurries some people seemed surprised by this turn of events, as if it was actually June instead of February.

And hold the bun...

Jax taking a look inside Ray's on Avenue A... thanks to Sharon for the photo earlier today...

Noted

An addition to the Starbucks sign on St. Mark's Place at Avenue A ... previously

Thoughts on the 'riveting retrospective' of Peter Hujar's work at the Morgan Library & Museum

Peter Hujar, the subject of a riveting retrospective @MorganLibrary, deserves to be better-known says @deborahsolo. Her review. https://t.co/nVcO4c1AOO

— WNYC 🎙 (@WNYC) February 16, 2018

An excerpt from Deborah Solomon's review at WNYC:

A photographer who specialized in tender black-and-white portraits of his friends along with the less likely subjects of cows and other farm animals, he was one of the essential chroniclers of the East Village scene in the ‘70s and early ‘80s. Many of his photographs pay undisguised homage to taut male bodies, reflecting a time of when Stonewall had brought a sense of freedom and AIDS had not yet descended. You can say that he made beautiful, optically pristine photographs about a scene on the verge of vanishing.

The Morgan Library & Museum is open:
Tuesday through Thursday: 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Friday: 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Peter Hujar retrospective at the Morgan Library & Museum, 225 Madison Ave. at 36th Street, is up through May 20. More details here.

Friday's parting shot

Photo from First Avenue and 12th Street today by Grant Shaffer...

'Alive' and kicking

The next record from Frankie Cosmos — New York native Greta Kline — is out on Sub Pop later next month. The video is for a track called "Being Alive."

The band is opening for Belle & Sebastian this June 8 at Forest Hills Stadium.

NYPD looking for this suspect in armed robbery of boutique on 7th Street

The NYPD is searching for a man they say robbed a boutique at gunpoint late Wednesday afternoon.

Here is info via Patch:

Police say the man entered the shop, located at 66 E. 7th St., at about 5:08 p.m. on Wednesday and began talking with an employee as if he was going to purchase something. The man then walked toward the store's counter, pulled out a gun and demanded money from the register, police said.

The man made off with $500 in cash and a cell phone, according to authorities.

The shop is Neon by Cheng between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

And via the NYPD...

The #NYPD is 👀 2 identify & locate this man #wanted for a commercial robbery. On Feb 14 inside a clothing boutique he displayed a handgun and demanded 💰. If you have any info we ask you 2 ☎️ #800577TIPS #EastVillage #NYC pic.twitter.com/7jKW5LXkXo

— NYPD 9th Precinct (@NYPD9Pct) February 16, 2018

Anyone with information that could help in the investigation is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). You may also submit tips online.

EV Grieve Etc.: Mapping East Village pizzerias; power-washing with Christo and Nora

[Photo today by Peter Brownscombe]

City Council members push Cuomo to declare a NYCHA state of emergency (Curbed)

Mapping all the East Village pizzerias (Best Pizza NYC)

The latest on 85 Bowery (The Lo-Down)

Lanaza's old murals look intact at the opening-soon Joe & Pat's on First Avenue (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York ... previously)

The 2018 Philip K. Dick Science Fiction Film Festival is Feb. 23-25 at the Village East on Second Avenue (Official site)

Christo and Nora make the best of the rain (Laura Goggin Photography)

Theater for the New City on First Avenue announces Charles Busch's new show (Official site)

A new Safe Haven shelter is opening on East 17th Street in April (Town & Village)

The plan to fill in the East River in 1916 (Ephemeral New York)

Last year's subway outage will cost Con Ed $202 million (Bloomberg)

Shake Shack expects to open between 32 and 35 new restaurants in the U.S. in 2018 (CNBC)

The play "Imperfect Love" has been extended by a week (now to Feb. 24) at the Connelly Theater on Fourth Street between Avenue A and Avenue B. The director, East Village resident Michael Di Jiacomo, described the work this way: "It's essentially the story of a little Italian theater troupe trying to survive circa 1898 — not unlike our situation." The play is presented by John Turturro, who did a film adaptation of the story in 1998. Find ticket info here.


[A scene from "Imperfect Love"]

And as recently noted, the Exclusive Smoke Shop and Deli on Avenue B between Third Street and Fourth Street became Vape and Smoke (which is not to be confused with Vape N Smoke on Second Avenue) ...



A tipster told us that they removed the sign because because passersby saw the bearded dude and thought this was a barber shop (for real) ... so now!

Former Trash & Vaudeville space on St. Mark's Place to become Wanyoo cyber café

Wanyoo, a Shanghai-based cyber cafe chain, has signed a lease for the two-level retail space at 4 St. Mark's Place.

The cafe, which has a location in Flushing, reportedly signed a 20-year lease for 2,600 square feet on the ground floor and 1,400 square feet in the basement of the under-renovation landmarked building between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.


[Via the Wanyoo website]

They optimistically hope to be open early this summer.

Until February 2016, 4 St. Mark's Place housed Trash & Vaudeville for 41 years. The store relocated to 96 E. Seventh St.

The Hamilton-Holly House (aka 4 St. Mark's Place), built in 1831, was once owned by Alexander Hamilton’s son. The building, which changed hands for $10 million in the spring of 2016 for $10 million, is currently undergoing a gut renovation and expansion.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Exclusive: After 40 years, punk rock mainstay Trash and Vaudeville is leaving St. Mark's Place


[Via]

4 St. Mark's Place is for sale

More residential units and a 5th-floor addition in the works for landmarked 4 St. Mark's Place

Bareburger is leaving 2nd Avenue; new outpost slated for Orchard Street

Bareburger is on this month's CB3-SLA docket for a new beer-wine license for 173 Orchard St. between East Houston and Stanton. (Their questionnaire is online here.)

While Bareburger, which sells a variety of organic and all-natural burgers, is expanding with multiple locations in NYC and overseas, the East Village site on Second Avenue at Fifth Street will be closing in the weeks ahead.

Matt Kouskalis, who owns and operates a handful of the city's Bareburger outposts, confirmed the East Village closure. He said escalating rents at the location were behind the reason for the move.

"So we are moving to a slightly smaller and cozier spot on the Lower East Side," he said via email. "We are sad to leave the East Village but our new location is only a few blocks away and our delivery area will remain the same!"

He said he hoped to be open in late April on Orchard Street.

Bareburger debuted on Second Avenue in January 2012. The previous tenant in the two-level space was neighborhood scourge Sin Sin.

Previously on EV Grieve:
'The neighborhood will not rest until you are gone and Sin Sin’s license is revoked'

NYPD hosting meeting between Sin Sin and neighbors tonight

East Village noise wars new battlefront: Sin Sin/Leopard Lounge

Why the president of the East Fifth Street Block Association carries a baseball bat

197 E.. 3rd St. is for sale — again

[Image via Massey & Knakal]

The building on Third Street between Avenue A and Avenue B is back on the market. It went up for sale in March 2016 with a $7.5 million price tag.

According to public records, an LLC with a Midtown address bought the property for $6.3 million in a sale recorded in August 2016.

Here's more on the latest via the Massey & Knakal listing:

197 East 3rd Street consists of an occupied retail unit on the ground floor along with the majority of basement and 16 apartments above. All of the residential units are rent stabilized due to enrollment in the J-51 Tax Abatement program; however, 8 apartments are renting at market with high legal rents that permit preferential rents at market. The buyer can add value in a variety of ways including roof deck installation, retail expansion and future upside in the remaining 8 unrenovated apartments (half the building).

The 8 apartments renting at market were just completely gut renovated with upgrades including brand new floors, lighting, exposed/pointed brick walls, new tile work throughout the bathrooms and kitchens and a complete set of Bosch appliances (washer/dryers, refrigerators, dishwashers, microwaves and gas ranges).

In addition to the 8 renovated apartments, the building underwent an extensive renovation which included lobby and common area renovations, a video intercom with Kerisys security key fob installation, façade upgrades, new electrical system throughout (800 amps with new conduit/cables and 80 amp electric panels in each residential unit), completely new lighting in the common areas and much more.

Due to all the work that was performed throughout the building, current ownership is in the process of applying for rent increases due to Major Capital Improvements which should go into effect mid-2018. These increases will result in approximately $10,000 in additional annual net income.

Asking price: $9.2 million.

The retail tenant is No Malice Palace, which eventually returned after the death of owner Phil Sherman. This past Christmas it temporarily served as Donner and Blitzen's Reindeer Lounge.

Thursday's parting shots

Christo in Tompkins Square Park late this afternoon... photo above by Steven... and below by Bobby Williams...

Bus drama on 9th Street

Earlier this evening, a USPS truck broke down on Ninth Street just west of Avenue A (top photo).

Meanwhile, a westbound M8 made the the turn onto Ninth Street... the bus driver determined that she couldn't make it through the space without hitting either the postal truck or the parked cars...



This was despite the fact that bystanders figured there was plenty of space to squeeze through... and so the bus sat there while the bus driver waited for someone from the MTA to show up to assist...



Some 45 minutes later, the MTA employee who arrived on the scene successfully navigated the tight space... and everyone was on their way again...



All the while, a resident who lives on the block directed traffic ... to keep vehicles from turning onto Ninth Street and getting stuck behind the bus.

Thanks to Steven for the photos and background!

31-33 2nd Ave. is on the market — for $40 million

A sales listing for 31-33 Second Ave. arrived on LoopNet earlier this month.

There's not much info about the property here between First Street and Second Street:

Fully occupied new construction mixed use building, consisting of 20 luxury residential units and 1 commercial unit, in prime East Village.

The prince tag is a whopping $40 million.

Developer Ben Shaoul bought this property for $5.6 million in 2011. At that time, it looked like this...



The generic-looking luxury rental that later emerged on the site with three extra floors was called the Luxe East.

In 2015, he sold it for $29 million to real-estate investor Sunny Yung, The Real Deal reported.

According to Streeteasy, the average rental in the elevator building with central air is $5,300.

The Unleashed by Petco in the retail space closed last month after two-plus years in business.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Ben Shaoul planning a 3-story addition at 31-33 Second Ave.

Bracing for 3 new floors at 31-33 Second Ave.

Checking in on the work in progress at 31-33 2nd Ave., where Ben Shaoul is adding 3 new floors

Ben Shaoul's bland new 2nd Avenue building is called The East Luxe

Maria Hrynenko due back in court on March 23

[The former 119-123 2nd Ave.]

On Tuesday, Nexus Building Development Group filed plans to build a high-end condo at 121 Second Ave., where one of three buildings were destroyed in the deadly gas explosion in March 2015.

Last June, Nexus paid $9.15 million for the empty lots at No. 119 and 121 between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place. Public records show that Maria Hrynenko's companies — MAH Realty and Kiev Realty — were the sellers.

In February 2016, Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance's office charged Hrynenko and four others with manslaughter and negligent homicide for their alleged role in the blast that killed two men and injured more than a dozen other people.

News of the proposed condo prompted questions about the pending trial against Hrynenko and the others.

According to court documents, Hrynenko will be back in court on March 23 — almost three years to the date since the explosion leveled 119-123 Second Ave.

Records show that Hrynenko and the other accused have appeared in New York County Criminal Court 12 times since February 2016... the outcome was the same "adjourned/bail continued" ...



As previously reported, Hrynenko and her companies have been hit with at least 28 civil lawsuits.

Meanwhile, last June, Hrynenko filed a lawsuit, claiming that her management company was "careless and reckless" in its work. In the spring of 2015, as investigators focused on her actions, a lawyer for Hrynenko said that Con Edison bore responsibility for not shutting off the gas during the visit to the property earlier that day.

Vance's office charged Maria and her son, Michael Jr., along with contractor Dilber Kukic and plumber Jerry Ioannidis with manslaughter in the second degree, criminally negligent homicide and assault in the second degree, among other charges. (The final defendant, licensed plumber Andrew Trombettas, was charged with offering a false instrument​,​ for allegedly lending his name and license number to paperwork.)

The five were accused of installing an illegal gas system, which they hid from inspectors, at No. 119 and 121. All five pleaded not guilty.

An obituary posted last August at the Pizzi Funeral Home website stated that Michael Jr. died on Aug. 25. He was 31. A cause of death was not disclosed for Hrynenko, who was also called Mischou.

Kukic, Ioannidis and Trombettas will appear in court on March 23 with Maria Hrynenko.



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Read the previous coverage here.

Gutting Tarallucci e Vino

Tarallucci e Vino on 10th Street at First Avenue is currently closed (as of Monday) for a renovation.

As the sign on the Italian cafe notes: "After 16 great years ... it's time to spruce things up a bit."

Based on this glance inside the space yesterday, it appears to be more than a sprucing up, which suggests a coat of paint and some new chairs ...



The owners expect to be back in service by the end of March.

Thanks to Lola Sāenz for the photo!

UPDATED: The cafe reopened on June 12.

The former TakeMeHome Rotisserie Chicken space on Avenue A will be...

On Tuesday, we noted that the former TakeMeHome Rotisserie Chicken space was under renovation at 151 Avenue A between Ninth Street and 10th Street.

A sign for the USPS arrived on the front door yesterday ... complete with a business name. And it has nothing to do with (presumably!) dessert or beer/vape or vape/beer ... it's Quick Repair and Electronics...


[Photo by Steven]

The storefront has been vacant since the quick-serve TakeMeHome venture closed in the summer of 2016.

Wednesday's parting shot

A heartfelt delivery on First Avenue and Seventh Street this Valentine's Day via Derek Berg...

Red & White

Previously by peter radley

Happy Valentine's Day from Rite Aid on 1st Avenue

If you're stuck on a last-minute Valentine's Day gift, the Rite Aid on First Avenue at Fifth Street has an outside-the-box suggestion — Tide pods.

Thanks to Marjorie Ingall for the photo!

Ai Weiwei installation ready to depart from 7th Street

An EVG reader shared these photos from earlier the morning on Seventh Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue... where workers were prepping to remove the Ai Weiwei installation from between the buildings here...



Here...



This was, as you know, part of a citywide project in collaboration with the Public Art Fund titled "Good Fences Make Good Neighbors."

The fences were officially on display from Oct. 12 through Feb. 11. Workers removed the installation on Cooper Union on Monday and Tuesday.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Ai Weiwei on 7th Street