EV Grieve

Monday, May 3, 2021

Empty 1st Avenue lot enters the surveillance era

A few weeks ago, in a post with a "rats galore" headline," a reader pointed out that the long-empty lot at 89 First Ave. between Fifth Street and Sixth Street had become a dumping ground for discarded boxes and other unwieldy items.

Among the questions the reader had: suggestions or tips for getting the lot better secured from dumping and trespassing.

Last week, someone removed the mushy stacks of boxes, whacked some weeds and posted "private property" signs...

.... as well as a "you are being watched!!!!!" warning...

We'll see if this keeps the Utz-Chips-box-tossing scofflaws at bay.

To recap: There are development plans here ... in May 2020, another set of new building permits were filed with the city for the lot. According to the DOB, the proposed building is six floors with eight residential units and ground-floor retail. In total, the structure is 8,183 square feet. The project is still awaiting approval.

This is the second time in recent years that plans have been filed for a new building for the address. In 2017, the city never approved plans for a similar-sized structure — eight units, six floors.

As previously reported, Florence Toledano was the owner of this lot. In 2013, public records show that the deed for the property was transferred from the Florence Toledano Living Trust to 89 First Avenue LLC. The DOB permit lists Daniel Toledano as the manager of the property. (And people always ask: Any relation to former boy wonder tenant hassler, Raphael Toledano? Don't know. Going with No.)

Previously on EV Grieve:
• Will this long-empty lot on 1st Avenue yield affordable housing?

• Drilling and soil testing commence at the long-empty lot at 89 1st Ave.

• Workers remove the sculpture fence and prep lot at 89 1st Ave.

In run-up to reopening, Short Stories is renting its bar by the hour for private drinking sessions

Short Stories, the cafe/bar at 355 Bowery, is prepping to reopen here between Third Street and Fourth Street.

Starting today, when people can legally sit at a bar again, they're holding a "friends and family" preview.

And what does this entail?

We’re letting you buy the whole bar for just you (or you and a friend) one hour at a time. Four hundred plus days ago NYC ended bar service. No one has legally ordered a drink from a bartender in all that time. For $60 you get the whole place to yourself, plus two cocktails, to do just that. We’re running this each Monday until we reopen. This is for the most committed of drinkers.

And...

100% of the sales (plus whatever you nice people tip) will go to our wonderful bartending staff. They deserve it.

You can find the reservation info here... and it includes a bartender mode 1.) Flirt 2.) Rude 3.) Jovial 4.) Flair.

Short Stories first opened in February 2019.

During the winter-spring hiatus here, there was some speculation that Short Stories was not going to reopen... fueled by cryptic messages in the curbside dining structure...

... "WTF happened to Short Stories" ...

... and "Bowery Kills" ...

Unhappy returns: A one-week respite from a sidewalk bridge

From April 21-23, workers removed the sidewalk bridge from around the northwest corner of Ninth Street and Second Avenue ... after being in place for nearly three years for façade repairs.

Well, as you can see in the top photo, the sidewalk bridge returned to 145 Second Ave. late last week, as Steven noted.

We heard two reasons for this:

a) the bridge came down before inspections took place

b) the repair work wasn't done to spec

No idea how long it will remain up this time.

But it was nice to see the Whiskers Holistic Petcare storefront while we could for the week.

[Updated] The Original Nicky's Vietnamese Sandwiches has moved on Avenue A

Updated 5/7: Nicky's has moved across to 216 Avenue A. Unfortunately, there wasn't any notice of a move on the old storefront.

The Original Nicky's Vietnamese Sandwiches outpost on Avenue A at 13th Street is now out of business... as you can see, workers have cleared out the quick-serve restaurant...

This departure isn't a surprise, as a homemade for-rent sign popped up on the front window months ago.

Nicky's, related to the one that had been on Second Street several years earlier, opened on Avenue A in March 2019.

Sunday, May 2, 2021

Sunday's parting shot

Today on Second Avenue and St. Mark's Place... photo by Derek Berg...

May Day (and Night) in the East Village

There was a lot going on in the neighborhood yesterday, May 1.

EVG contributor Stacie Joy captured some of the goings-on... including (in no particular order) the LUNGS Spring Awakening, Beltane, a May Pole, outside Lucky on Avenue B, the opening day of Spring Into Pride at 3rd & B’Zaar, an anarchist council event in Tompkins Square Park, a flea market in the Park to raise money for the Audre Lorde Project, and, in the evening, the first Temptation INXS — 80s Dance Party Saturdays via DJ TM.8 in its new home at Drom.

Here then, photos from May 1...

Week in Grieview

Posts from this past week included (with a sunset photo from Tompkins Square Park)...

• A visit to [plant-baked] (Thursday)

• Art gallery in the works for this Avenue A space (Thursday)

• Addressing the problem corner of 14th Street and 1st Avenue (Saturday)

• Fallout from the HC matinees in Tompkins Square Park (Tuesday ... Wednesday)

• Lois will yield to Accidental Bar on Avenue C (Monday)

• The Gallery Watch Q&A: Superchief Gallery NFT (Friday)

• First sighting of Amelia and Christo's 2021 red-hawk offspring (Friday)

• 3rd & B’Zaar will 'Spring Into Pride' throughout May on 3rd Street (Friday)

• Brought to life: Electric Burrito signage arrives on St. Mark's Place (Monday)

• Openings: Etérea debuts on 5th Street (Thursday)

• The Cock plans a move to the former Fat Baby space on Rivington Street (Thursday)

• Full reveal at the 101 Condominium's 1st Avenue side (Monday)

• Glass acts: Zero Irving gets its rooftop Sky Lounge (Monday)

• El Carnaval coming soon to the former Fonda space on Avenue B (Wednesday)

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Follow EVG on Instagram or Twitter for more frequent updates and pics.

Behind the first book featuring the work of artist Steve Keene

Steve Keene, the prolific Greenpoint-based painter whose work on album covers for Pavement and the Silver Jews is likely well-known to indie-rock enthusiasts, is the subject of a new coffee-table book now in the Kickstarter phase.

East Village resident Daniel Efram, a longtime Keene collaborator, is producing the art book.

"In my nearly three decades of working on various projects with Steve Keene, my home and many of my favorite SK moments came at 1990s indie rock shows at Brownies or the Lakeside Lounge in the East Village," Efram said in an email.

Eric Ambel, the former owner of the Lakeside Lounge (RIP April 2012) on Avenue B, recalled how Keene helped give the bar-music venue its identity.

"I was in the process of opening ... with partner Jim Marshall (aka WFMU DJ The Hound). We had a name, the Lakeside Lounge, but we didn't have a concept for the decor," Ambel said. "I suggested we get Steve Keene to do a bunch of paintings for us that had a sort of 'lodge/lake vibe' to them. Steve was way into the idea, and after checking out the colors we had used in the bar, he created an amazing set of images for us. During our 16 years in business at the Lakeside, he would make three completely new sets of art for the bar."

According to Efram, "The Steve Keene Art Book: Live from Subliminal Projects LA, CA" is the first art book attempting to tell the story of Keene's career by showcasing the complete work from his 2016 show at Shepard Fairey's Subliminal Projects gallery.

You can find more info on the Kickstarter page.

Photo by Daniel Efram

Sunday's opening shot

Uptown view from Second Avenue and Third Street this morning...

Saturday, May 1, 2021

Saturday's parting shot

A moment from the LUNGS parade today on Avenue B in celebration of the neighborhood's community gardens... photo by Derek Berg...

Addressing the problem corner of 14th Street and 1st Avenue

The long-problematic corridor along 14th Street and First Avenue is getting some attention.

First, a reader report just from yesterday:

As you are also aware the intersection of 14th Street and First Avenue has long been plagued by homeless individuals, unsanitary conditions, drug use, alcohol use and, at times, violence. Over the past year these issues have moved over to directly in front of my building to where there is now an encampment.

Several residents from my building have been in contact with Carlina Rivera's office, 311 and the police (the 13th Precinct, as this is on the north side on 14th Street) but unfortunately the situation has not only NOT been resolved but has also exacerbated.

Residents and staff from my building who have attempted to address those camped out front have been threatened, so understandably people are hesitant to confront.

The encampment (pictured above, via a reader) is in front of the retail post office at 335 E. 14th St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

However, the calls and concerns from the residents have apparently been heard: Today (May 1), we're told that representatives from the 9th Precinct, several city agencies and City Councilmember Carlina Rivera's office will be on the southeast corner from 4-6 p.m. for a community outreach event.