Sunday, March 31, 2019

6 posts from March


[1st Avenue looking south toward 13th Street]

A mini month in review...

A visit to Peter Jarema Funeral Home on 7th Street (March 22)

The mystery of Moishe's (March 21)

New York Attorney General intervenes to stop eviction of tenants in Raphael Toledano-owned building on 13th Street (March 14)

Photos: "Best Wishes" from Harley Flanagan at the Pyramid Club (March 13)

A Repeat Performance, until July 31 (March 13)

I Am a Rent-Controlled Tenant (March 7)

Week in Grieview


[Free things on 9th Street the other day via Steven]

Posts on EVG this past week included...

Remembering Nicholas and Moises: the Figueroa family marks the 4-year anniversary of the 2nd Avenue gas explosion (Tuesday)

A visit to Lui’s Thai Food on 4th Street (Friday)

Report: Man dies from stab wounds at 9th Street shelter (Tuesday)

Your chance to discuss proposed changes coming to the M14A and M14D bus lines (Friday)

What's in your empty storefront? Capital One is closing both of its East Village branches (Tuesday)

You can vote on what neighborhood projects receive funds from Councilmember Rivera's office (Friday)

Report: Arrest made in hit-and-run death of East Village cyclist (Tuesday)

Screening of this Bowery film classic benefits the Bowery Alliance of Neighbors (Wednesday)

Neighborhood bar Local 138 moving from Ludlow to Orchard this spring (Friday)

The first sign of Japanese ramen shop Sanpoutei arrives at former Kabin space on 2nd Avenue (Thursday)

After bankruptcy auction, 113 E. 2nd St. returns to market for $1.1 million more (Monday)

Plans for an East Village outpost of the Wild Son moving forward; steakhouse no go for St. Mark's Place (Wednesday)

This week's NY See (Monday)

What might have been at 51 Astor Place in the early 1960s — and beyond (Wednesday)

Japanese cafe pops up on 4th Street (Monday)

Remembering the victims of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire 108 years later (Sunday)

Timna announces April 14 closing date on St. Mark's Place (Monday)

The Asian Taste awning has arrived on 3rd and B; China Wok redux? (Monday)

There's not much left of the former St. Denis Hotel on Broadway (Monday)

97 2nd Ave. is for sale — again (Thursday)

At the start of the 3 Blind Mice alley cat for Aurilla Lawrence (Sunday)

'Heeere's Kubrick' returns to the City Cinemas Village East (Monday)

At long last, activity at 75 1st Ave. (Thursday)

As the sushi rolls on 1st Avenue (Wednesday)

Incoming: Me ❤️ Cue on St. Mark's Place; Empire Smoke Shop on 1st Avenue (Tuesday)

... and gut renovations continue inside the storefront on the southeast corner of Second Avenue and Fifth Street (the former Mary Ann's and, for a sec, 100% Healthy Blend)... still waiting for the official word of the new tenant... photos here this past week by Derek Berg...





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Celebrating Hattie


[Image via Howl! Happening]

Friends of Hattie Hathaway, aka Brian Butterick, are gathering in Tompkins Square Park tomorrow evening for the start of "a giant sendoff." The downtown nightlife legend died on Jan. 30 from lung cancer at age 62.

Here are more details via the Howl! Happening website:

This public memorial of the beloved gay cultural icon will begin with a parade and continue to La MaMa’s Ellen Stewart Theater, 66 E. Fourth St., 2nd floor. Free and Open to All.

Drag March: Those wishing to join the parade and processional please dress for a “Second Line, or Drag March.” To find us gather in the middle of Tompkins Square Park ... Parade leaves at 6:30 p.m. Bring small walking instruments, i.e. wild womyn drums, tambourines; or pictures of Hattie.

Memorial: La MaMa.

Howl! Happening and Jackie Factory welcome everyone to this night of memories, performance, dancing, and celebration. Johnny Dynell will spin the Hattie-centric soundtrack along with remembrances, video, performances and other tributes. Video curator is Aldo Hernández.

'FEAST: A Performance Series' returns to a revamped Under St. Marks Theater



The latest production from FEAST: A Performance Series — a monthly showcase of new work from playwrights, musicians, comics, poets, choreographers, etc. — is tomorrow (Monday!) night at the Under St. Marks Theater.

Via the EVG inbox...

FEAST3: April is Monday, April 1 at 7 p.m. (and is NOT an April Fool's Day joke!!!)

This month we're featuring brand new performances from:
• The all-female sketch comedy team Thank You For Your Cervix
• Devising director Benjamin-Ernest Abraham
• Musician Matthew O'Koren

Folks can use the discount code TSAEF online for $10 tickets, or buy them at the door for $15.

This show also marks good news about the Under St. Marks Theater, 94 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue.

In February, the theater had to close for emergency repair work after a broken pipe caused water damage in the space.

We're told the venue reopened for rehearsals this space week... the repair work included other enhancements, such as the addition of a second restroom.

Under St. Marks, currently run by the Horse Trade Theater Group, has operated here as an experimental theater since the 1970s.

Noted



The Hells Angels get the tabloid treatment today over at the Post... giving the bikers the wood about their move away from Third Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

To the article:

“We’re being harassed by the yuppies down here [who are] sitting on our bikes and pissing on the sidewalk,” griped one burly biker outside the infamous motorcycle gang’s clubhouse at 77 E. Third St., which has been sold and mostly cleaned out.

“When the neighborhood was s–t, nobody minded us because we kept the place clean,” the biker, Tony, continued. “It comes a point where it’s useless to be down here because of the harassment. [We want to] go somewhere we can live comfortably.”

Tony, who once lived in the HQ and is now homeless, turned up at the all-but-abandoned bunker last week for a meeting with the building’s buyer, Nathan Blatter of Whitestone Realty.

Blatter told the tabloid that a deal hasn't been finalized yet.

And where will the members go? Per the Post: "The gang hopes to relocate to a neighborhood where they won’t be bothered by Starbucks traffic, pushy tourists and nosy cops."

The Hells Angels have had a presence on Third Street since 1969. They eventually bought the six-floor building, which includes their clubhouse and member residences, from Birdie Ruderman in the Bronx for $1,900, according to public records.

Previously (and exclusively) on EV Grieve:
After 50 years on the block, the Hells Angels appear to be selling their 3rd Street clubhouse

Saturday, March 30, 2019

Spring break in Tompkins Square Park



Spring scenes today via Goggla...

Early afternoon sky break



Today from Seventh Street between Avenue A and First Avenue...

Street fair! Street fair! Street fair!



The VERY FIRST street fair of 2019 — aka the Astor Place Festival — is underway now on Astor Place between Lafayette and Broadway... all your favorites are here, from mozzarella sticks to Bob Marley "One Love" silk posters ...



Thanks to Vinny & O for the photos!

See the Stiv Bators documentary tonight at Theater 80



Sorry to say that I was unaware of this screening until now (thanks to the commenter for mentioning it). So we missed the first night. But there are still tickets available for tonight.

Here's more about "Stiv, No Compromise No Regrets" and tonight ...

The New York premiere of a film by Danny Garcia. A Q&A with the director will follow the screening. Music by Frank Secich and friends will close the evening.

Stiv Bators was a punk pioneer, canonized by his exploits in life and untimely death. Now his story is being told by in "Stiv, No Compromise No Regrets," a long-awaited doc, that is both poignant and exhilarating.

The film covers Stiv’s formative years in Youngstown, Ohio, before the Dead Boys and his time with projects such as The Stiv Bators Disconnected Band, The Wanderers, Whores of Babylon feat. Johnny Thunders & Dee Dee Ramone, then onto The Lords of The New Church, through his last days in Paris.

Complete with never released 8MM footage from private collections, a killer soundtrack, and accounts from the people who were with Stiv through various phases and projects of his life and career.



Seating is at 9:30 p.m. and the show starts at 10. You can buy tickets here. Theater 80 is at 80 St. Mark's Place between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

Friday, March 29, 2019

These 'Eyes'



Here's a new video from Thick, a Brooklyn-based trio ... the track is for "Green Eyes" off the band's new EP.

Report of a fire at 505 E. 13th St.



An EVG reader shares the above photo... the FDNY is responding to a report of a fire at 505 E. 13th St. at Avenue A...



One witness says "smoke is pouring out of the top floor apartment on the back right side of the building." The retail space on this corner is currently vacant (the former Percy's Tavern).


[Photo by Christine Champagne]

The @fdnyalerts account reports that the fire was under control in less than 30 minutes...



No word on cause or extent of the damage just yet.

H/T dwg

You can vote on what neighborhood projects receive funds from Councilmember Rivera's office


[Click on image to go big]

Local City Councilmember Carlina Rivera is kicking off Council District 2’s first-ever round of Participatory Budgeting (PB) voting, which begins tomorrow (Saturday!) and continues through April 7.

Here's more via the EVG inbox...

To celebrate the start of Vote Week, Rivera is hosting a PB Vote Week Kick Off tomorrow (Saturday!) at the LES Girls Club (402 E. Eighth St. at Avenue D) from noon to 3:30 p.m. Individuals interested in attending the celebration can RSVP online by going to this link or calling her office at (212) 677-1077.

At the event, residents will get the opportunity to learn about all the Participatory Budgeting projects on the ballot and vote for their favorite projects. PB allows for residents to decide how to spend capital funds, allocated by the Council Member, for community improvements. This year, out of the 135 ideas submitted, 11 projects were placed on the final PB ballot. (Up to $1 million of projects will be funded based on the votes of residents.)

The final list of projects on the ballot:

· Fence installation at El Jardín del Paraiso Garden, 710 E. Fifth St.
Replacing old fence with a new iron fence.
Estimated cost: $225,000

· Water system construction at 6BC Botanical Garden, 630 E. Sixth St.
Designating a water source, includes new tap, piping, hydrant, and RPZ to support the 6BC Garden.
Estimated cost: $300,000

· An accessible lift at PS 40, 320 E. 20th St.
Install a lift to help disabled seniors and children entering the building.
Estimated cost: $350,000

· Gym renovations at PS 188, 442 E. Houston St.
This would include replacing walls, seating, padding around the walls, gym equipment and installing storage space.
Estimated cost: $150,000

· Science mobile carts for PS 34, 730 E. 12th St.
Two science mobile carts for students to do laboratory work.
Estimated cost: $140,000

· Countdown clocks along the M9, M14A, and M14D routes
Countdown clocks for routes along the M9, M14A and M14D in District 2.
Estimated cost: $200,000

· Street resurfacing district-wide
Many of the roads are in bad condition, and constituents are seeking road resurfacing throughout the district.
Estimated cost: $250,000 per lane mile

· Garbage compactor upgrades at Straus Houses, 243 E. 27th St.
Upgrades to two interior compactors and compactor room.
Estimated cost: $100,000

· Playground renovations at Lillian Wald Houses, Avenue D between Fourth and Fifth Streets
Upgrade to play equipment, new set of monkey bars and new slide
Estimated cost: $500,000

· Playground renovations at Jacob Riis Houses, 178 Avenue D
Renovations would include new monkey bars, a new slide and a new sprinkler system.
Estimated cost: $500,000

· Basketball court renovations at Jacob Riis Houses, 178 Avenue D
Basketball court will be re-painted, install new basketball hoops and overall upgrade to court.
Estimated cost: $500,000

Residents who live in District 2 and are older than 11 years of age can vote for up to five of the 11 ideas on the ballot.

Rivera's office will have specific sites set up throughout District 2 where residents will be able to vote (the image at top of this post has the locations). Residents can also vote online at pbnyc.org/vote (note – the link will go live at 12:01 a.m. tomorrow).