EVG Etc.: Gay East Village couple say they were verbally and physically assaulted by Uber driver

Gay couple who live in the East Village say they were subject to hate-filled tirade by Uber driver; one passenger dragged along Fourth Street by car (NBC 4 ... New York Post ... Daily Mail)

Three top NYCHA executives lied about elevator inspections (Daily News)

Alleged shoplifter waves box cutter at Target employee on 14th and A (Town & Village)


[The Bowery Boys on Great Jones]

Spike Lee retrospective coming to the Metrograph on Ludlow (Gothamist)

A preview of Ravi DeRossi’s new vegan outpost on Seventh Street, Fire & Water (Grub Street)

Architects offer their opinions on the NYC of Amazon, "and it’s terrifying" (Fast Company)

Updated 9 p.m.

Robert Plotnik, the owner of Bleecker Bob’s, the Village record shop that was forced to close in 2013 after 46 tears in business, has died. He was 75.

The owner of Academy Records on 12th Street posted this remembrance...

View this post on Instagram

RIP to Bleecker Bob, a true legend on the NYC record store scene and probably the most singular character among that very idiosyncratic bunch. I first got to know Bob and his wise cracking sarcasm as a teenager in the late 70s as I soiled my fingers flipping through his grimy reused record sleeves. I also quickly learned that he loved an equal dose of sarcasm in return and our interactions were some of my first tastes of what it meant to be a real New Yorker. When I first opened my store in 2001 it was a real badge of honor when he came to check it out and told me it didn't suck too bad. Catch ya on the B side Postscript: Around 1990 I went into Bob's with copies of my band's demo tape. Bob: "Who's gonna buy this shit?" Me: (pointing to $1000 Stones record on the wall) "I dunno, who's gonna buy that shit?" Bob: Ok I'll take five

A post shared by Academy Records NYC (@academyrecords) on Nov 29, 2018 at 2:21pm PST

Previously on EV Grieve:
[UPDATED] Let's help Bleecker Bob's find space in the East Village

Bleecker Bob's is for rent

Bleecker Bob's won't be moving to the East Village — or anywhere else, for that matter

Bleecker Bob's have a bid on space in the East Village

After 12 years in Bushwick, Grace Exhibition Space relocates to Avenue C

Grace Exhibition Space, a gallery with a focus on performance art, is making its Avenue C debut tomorrow night... in a rather offbeat and nondescript location — sandwiched between a dry cleaners and the Avenue C pharmacy between 11th Street and 12th Street. (No. 182 to be exact.)

The nonprofit, founded in 2006, relocated here from Bushwick.



A 2011 feature on Grace in Brooklyn Rail noted that it is "the sole gallery in this city that shows specifically, in its most intentionally narrow definition, Performance Art."

Here's more about them via their website:

Grace Exhibition Space is devoted exclusively to Performance Art. We offer an opportunity to experience visceral and challenging works by the current generation of international performance artists whether emerging, mid career or established ... our events are presented on the floor, not on a stage, dissolving the boundary between artist and viewer. This is how performance art is meant to be experienced and our mission is the glorification of performance art.

Here's what's happening tomorrow night at 6:

PERFORMEANDO is the first transcontinental Performance Art platform focusing on featuring works of performance artists who identify themselves as Latin, Latina/o, Latinx or Hispanic living and working in the United States.

After its last presentation in Berlin, Germany, PERFORMEANDO, returns to New York City this Fall with the program "Somatopias" to be presented in Manhattan's Lower East side at Grace Exhibition Space (November 30) with public interventions — weather permitting — at the passage way 12th Street and Avenue C. "Somatopias" centers around notions of corporal adaptability, transformation, (dis)placement, and physical (re)location as explored, expressed and presented by selected artists.

Find more details here.

Moxy East Village reps to appear before CB3 in bid for liquor licenses for new 11th Street hotel

As previously noted, the incoming Moxy East Village will have four eating-drinking establishments — "for guests and locals" — here on 11th Street between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue.

Here's what's planned for the 13-story hotel in partnership with Marriott, according to a recent news release: a cellar-level restaurant and lounge, a lobby bar and lounge area, "an elevated twist on a traditional Grab & Go," and "an outdoor rooftop amenity."

Reps for the hotel are expected to appear before CB3's SLA committee on Monday evening to seek liquor licenses for these various concepts. (As of now, the questionnaire with more detailed information on the bars and restaurants has yet to be posted on the CB3 website. Update: The questionnaire is here. I haven't had time to go through it all just yet... The TAO Group, which operates about 500000 venues, including the Moxy Times Square, is the bar-restaurant vendor for the EV location as well.)

The Moxy is slated to open in late 2019. The Lightstone Group bought the five-building parcel of apartment buildings that stood here and had the properties demolished in the fall of 2016.

The committee meeting starts Monday at 6:30 p.m. Location: The Perseverance House Community Room, 535 E. Fifth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

Previously on EV Grieve:
At the rally outside 112-120 E. 11th St.

6-building complex on East 10th Street and East 11th Street sells for $127 million

Preservationists say city ignored pitch to designate part of 11th Street as a historic district

Permits filed to demolish 5 buildings on 11th Street to make way for new hotel (58 comments)

[Updated] The DOH temporarily closes the Málà Project; 'bursting pipe party in basement'

Updated 11/30
The restaurant is back open.

The Málà Project, the well-reviewed restaurant serving Chinese Dry Pot at 122 First Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place, is currently closed following a DOH inspection on Monday...



According to public records, the inspection turned up 91 violation points. (Per the DOH, a score of 28 or higher earns a restaurant-cafe a C score.) Among other critical violations, the inspector found "Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas."

A rather jaunty sign arrived above the DOH's Yellow Sticker offering the following explanation for the closure...



"We are having a bursting pipe party in the basement and will remain closed till further notice."

The Málà Project opened in December 2015 and recently added an outpost in Bryant Park.

You better watch out: Miracle on 12th Street pops up for the holidays

[Miracle on 12th Street]

For the fifth consecutive year, Miracle on Ninth Street — a Christmas inspired pop-up bar — opened inside Mace, the cocktail bar at 649 E. Ninth St. at Avenue C.

Mace owner Greg Boehm is behind the holiday pop ups, an empire that has grown to 80-plus worldwide.

And as 12th Street residents learned yesterday, there's also a Miracle on 12th Street that just popped up for business between Avenue A and Avenue B in the former Double Wide space...



Boehm also took over the lease from Double Wide, which closed back in March after seven years in business.

Apparently the address will serve as a pop up before the planned cocktail lounge opens. Unlike the Ninth Street location, the 12th Street bar will take reservations for five people or more during the holiday.

Said one local resident: "I feel duped as a neighbor. They sold this as an upscale cocktail bar that was going to be quiet as opposed to the loud shit show that we had to endure when it was Double Wide."

And if you need another holiday pop-up choice, Boehm's bar Boilermaker on First Avenue at First Street is now a tiki-themed Sippin' Santa (as it has been this time of year since 2015).

Wednesday's parting shot

Flashback to 2010 tonight on Avenue B near Fourth Street...

Saying goodbye to Dante and Diego as they leave 12th Street

Updated 12/2
The dogs were adopted together by a couple in Brooklyn!

Back on Saturday, we noted the sad news that Chile, a longtime resident of 12th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B, passed away. His two dogs, Diego and Dante, were left in care of a neighbor.

Yesterday, reps for Animal Haven, a nonprofit animal shelter, picked up the pair to find them a new home.

The folks at Animal Haven shared the above photo and this message on Instagram:

SENIOR LABS IN NEED: A few days ago, a beloved resident of the East Village passed away leaving two dogs without a home. 🙏🙏🙏🙏 Chile was one of those kind individuals who knew everyone on East 12th Street and, in turn, the neighborhood also cared for his beloved senior dogs, Dante and Diego. The threesome would sit together on a local bench welcoming neighbors home from a long workday. Together, they were unique characters that made the East Village welcoming and a true neighborhood. So it's no surprise that everyone came together soon after Chile's passing to make sure the dogs were safe and a call was made to Animal Haven for help.

When our community outreach team arrived yesterday to pick up the dogs, they were met by a handful of residents and friends of Chile. 💙💙💙 A group of eight friends walked the dogs to the transport car where photos were taken, hugs were given, and tears were shed.

Dante and Diego, who are now safe at Animal Haven, are sweet and soulful Labs who were clearly loved by Chile and everyone they met on East 12th Street. While they are no longer young dogs, both have a lot of love to give and a lot of life to live. Animal Haven can't wait to find them a home together. Please come to 200 Centre Street in NYC Tuesday-Sunday between 12 and 6pm to meet them.

Updated 12/5
Read an update here!

A Tompkins Square Park tree lighting reminder

The tree lighting — the 27th annual — is coming up on Sunday, Dec. 9 from 4 to 5 p.m. ... and here's the official flyer about the festivities...



Previously

Actual renovation work continues at the long-dormant 32 Avenue C

[EVG photo from March 2012]

As you may have noticed this fall (going back to September), there's actual renovation work going on over at 32 Avenue C, the three-level building on the southeast corner at Third Street... these next two photos are from the weekend...





The building has sat in disrepair, surrounded by a sidewalk bridge for the past six-plus years. A full-vacate order has been in place since August 2012. To paraphrase the DOB, the building is leaning/sagging.

At one point, there were plans for this corner... with the filing of permits with the city in July 2005 for a new 6-floor residential building here. The city disapproved the plans in May 2006, and nothing more happened with the project.

Some 32 Avenue C watchers (you just missed our Cyber Monday sale) felt as if the owner — listed as Fairfax Management — would let the property rot away to the point demolition was the only option.

However, the landlords filed a permit last fall with the DOB to "rebuild exterior walls; replace windows and sistering of floor joists to address" the various violations on file.

No word yet on what the plans are for the renovated retail-residential space.

Previously on EV Grieve:
There's activity at the long-dormant corner of Avenue C and East 3rd Street

Concern for 32 Avenue C


[Via Google in 2010]

Retail space for lease now at 131 1st Ave., which has a new owner

[Photo by Steven]

The for-lease signage arrived yesterday at 131 First Ave., the former Foot Gear Plus space at St. Mark's Place.

The property had been on the sales market since the 38-year-old shop closed last July. Here's how the Meridian Investment Sales team was pitching the prime lot:

Owned by the same family for 54 years, this single story building, located on the southwest corner of St. Marks Place and First Avenue, presents a distinct opportunity for an investor or end-user to establish a retail or food and beverage presence.

The property is currently constructed as a single story, 1,350 square foot building with a large usable basement. Investors have a unique value-add opportunity to either reposition the retail or monetize 4,150 square feet of air rights in the future.

According to a filing that hit public records last week, the property changed hands for $3.85 million. The buyer is an LLC that shares an address with HUBB NYC Properties LLC, a real-estate operating company.

So given the rental signage here (the listing isn't online yet), the new landlord is looking to reposition the retail as opposed to tearing down the structure for a new residential building — for now, at least.

Previously on EV Grieve:
After nearly 40 years, Foot Gear Plus is closing on 1st Avenue and St. Mark's Place

What's next for 131 1st Ave., the former Foot Gear Plus space?

In the West Village, Integral Yoga Natural Foods is closing after 45 years

[Image via Manhattan Sideways]

Heading outside the neighborhood for this report... several EVG readers shared that news that Integral Yoga Natural Foods, the one-of-a-kind market at 229 W. 13th St. between Seventh Avenue and Greenwich Avenue, is closing later next month after 45 years in business.

Here's part of the message:

The retail climate has changed and is filled with overwhelming competition and challenges. Small local stores keep losing ground to big corporate chains.

We should all be proud of the trailblazing, ground breaking and revolutionary role that the food store played in the launching of the natural foods movement. Now organic and plant-based natural foods are everywhere.

The space will be made available for rent.

The last day will be on or before Dec. 23.



However, the Integral Yoga Institute next door will continue on.

Tuesday's parting shot

The holiday lights are up (inside and out) at 7B/the Horseshoe Bar/Vazac's on the corner of Seventh and B...