Melvin FelixGood morning, East Village.
As you can see above, the construction team at 74-84 Third Avenue has fenced off the sidewalk on the corner of 12th Street and Third Avenue and construction on the nine-story apartment building designed by Karl Fischer is set to begin. Update | 11:25 a.m. We’ve updated our photo: a digger was on the scene this morning. Looks like construction has commenced.
A sign on the window of The Bean’s forthcoming location at 147 First Avenue and East Ninth Street indicates that it opens Thursday, and you can score a free coffee by downloading the Level Up app.
The Daily News endorses Nydia Velazquez for reelection, since “she has represented her district,” which includes part of the East Village, “as a reliable Democratic foot soldier while rising through the ranks in seniority — the most important attribute she now offers the city.”
The Daily Mail reports that singer Chris Brown showed up to promote a new line of collectibles at Toy Tokyo on Second Avenue yesterday sporting a gold grill, among other things: “The Fame singer looked bedraggled, sporting a five o’clock shadow and heavy eyelids as he showed up to the event at Toy Tokyo.” Neighborhoodr got a shot of the line wrapped around the block.
Chris Brown isn’t the only r&b heavy to hang in the East Village recently. According to Hip Hop Galaxy, Big Boi from Outkast recently announced his new album’s release date at East Village Radio.
Crain’s reports that a 4,200-square-foot single-family townhouse at 123 East 10th Street has sold for $6.25 million. The five-story building, which had been marketed along with its neighbor for $12.5 million, boasts eight fireplaces and a terraced rear garden.
Off the Grid is delighted to note that Village addresses like 326 and 328 East Fourth Street are featured in PropertyShark’s new timeline of New York City building styles.
East Village Arts takes a moment to reflect on WOW Cafe Theatre, “a women’s theater collective in NYC’s East Village, which promotes the empowerment of women through the performing arts.” The group’s latest show, “Abundance: A celebration of Resistance and Love,” runs June 14 to 16.
WNYC’s Soundcheck notes that East Village jazz guitarist and composer Chris Parrello is playing Pete’s Candy Store in Williamsburg every Wednesday night in June. He “cites Steve Reich, Jimmy Page, Kurt Cobain and George Benson among the influences for his band, Things I Wonder, and its fluid meditations through jazz, rock and blues on the group’s 2010 self-titled debut and new EP, Concrete Cradle.”
Grub Street notes that The Beagle has switched its menu to a small-plates format, adding bites like “cold pizza” to the menu.
Finally, Sound of the City sits down with Ilhan Ersahin to talk about the reopening of Nublu. “People feel the block itself is much safer since we’ve been open,” he says. “It’s no longer dark, we have doormen until closing time and there’s now a 24-hour deli on the corner.”
