NEWS

The Day | More Support for 35 Cooper

35 Cooper SQ.: The scrim of DeathTim Milk

Good morning, East Village.

After being slated for almost certain demolition, 35 Cooper Square may live to see another day. Our friends at Bowery Boogie bring us news that neighborhood preservationists received support last night from Community Board 3, which voted to send a resolution to site developers outlining the community’s desire to save the historic building.

Get your brackets ready—March Madness is officially underway. Whether you’re a die hard fan or casual follower of the NCAA, it’s hard not to get swept up in the thrill of good competition. New York MetroMix suggests heading over to Professor Thoms or the Village Pourhouse to catch a game or two. We want to know—where will you be watching?

From slam dunks to slam downs, the Nuyorican Poets Cafe is housing a showdown of a different sort this weekend as aspiring young writers and lyricists go head to head to compete in Urban Word’s NYC Teen Poetry Slam. Come see the action yourself on Saturday.

EVGrieve reports a smash up between a taxi and a pickup truck yesterday on Second Avenue, and DNAInfo tells us not to expect any food vendors to come to Cooper Square Park anytime soon.

Expect this morning’s rain to give way to sunny skies later this weekend. Today’s temperature should climb up to 55 degrees.


The Day | Measuring the Local Mood

EV st mark's church2Gloria Chung

Good morning, East Village.

Feeling down lately? You’re not the only one. From noxious dirt to demolitions to downpours it seems like a lot of people are in low spirits today.

A new poll shows 41 percent of New Yorkers believe quality of life has gone down in the past 10 years. Of those polled, 35 percent expect it to get worse.

East Village Community school is seeking relocation after potentially toxic oil was discovered in the soil underneath the school’s auditorium, DNAinfo reports. Citing a possible “environmental and structural crisis,” the principal is asking that the school be moved to an available space on East 12th Street — the same spot being eyed by the Girls Prep Charter School as it looks to expand.

Neighborhood activists intent on saving 35 Cooper Square from demolition will once again push their case before Community Board 3’s landmark and preservation committee at a meeting tonight. Work on the landmark building resumed last week after a stop work order was issued in February was lifted.

One mood booster that’s sure to work? Pinball. Ace Bar on East Fifth Street is conveniently hosting a tournament this weekend for casual players and pros alike. Come test your skill and maybe win a little cash along the way.

Don’t look to the weather today to cheer you up. While temperatures are expected to hover around 50 degrees, forecasters are predicting a 100 percent chance of rain.


The Local’s Summer Interns

The Local is proud to announce the members of the 2011 New York Times/NYU Hyperlocal Digital Reporting Internship class. The interns were chosen after a national competition and have been selected to participate in The Local’s paid, 10-week summer internship program.

“These are among the most talented and promising student-journalists in the country,” said Richard G. Jones, editor of The Local. “They have demonstrated a commitment to digital storytelling and hyperlocal news. We very much look forward to working with them this summer.”

The members of the intern class are:

Khristopher BrooksKhristopher J. Brooks.

Khristopher J. Brooks is a student in the Literary Reportage master’s degree concentration at the NYU Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. Mr. Brooks, who came to NYU after working as a reporter at the Bristol Herald Courier and the Omaha World-Herald, is a graduate of Central Michigan University. He has held internships at the Associated Press bureau in Louisville, Ky. and the Lansing State Journal. He has also filed on-air reports for WJHL-TV in Johnson City, Tenn.


Josh DavisJoshua Davis.

Joshua Davis is the Roy H. Park master’s fellow in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A veteran videographer and editor, Mr. Davis began his coursework at UNC after holding a range of production positions at the Travel Channel, PBS Frontline and Rollingstone.com. A graduate of the University of Maryland, Mr. Davis has taught digital video editing at Rutgers, NYU and UNC. He is also an Apple certified instructor for Final Cut Pro.


Ian DuncanIan Duncan.

Ian Duncan is a student in the master’s degree program in Journalism and International Relations in Global and Joint Program Studies at NYU Journalism. An international student from England, Mr. Duncan is a graduate of St. Anne’s College at Oxford University, where he served as editor-in-chief of Cherwell, a weekly student newspaper. Mr. Duncan, who has also studied at Fukuoka University of Economics in Japan, was a Rupert Murdoch Scholar during an internship at The Times of London and he has also held an internship at The Birmingham Post. Mr. Duncan’s work has appeared on The Local.


Meghan KeneallyMeghan Keneally.

Meghan Keneally is a student in the master’s degree program at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. Ms. Keneally has held internships at The New York Observer, The Washington Post and The Sunday Times of London. A graduate of Georgetown University, she has studied at the University of Marc Bloch in Strasbourg, France and is also the creator of a restaurant review blog.


Laura E LeeLaura E. Lee.

Laura E. Lee is a student in the master’s degree program at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland College Park. Ms. Lee went to Maryland after earning a law degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and working as an attorney and consultant. Ms. Lee, who also earned her undergraduate degree at UNC, currently works as a political reporter for the Capital News Service in Washington, D.C. She also reports for Patch.com, The Washington Blade and the Prince George’s Sentinel and has held an internship with National Public Radio. Ms. Lee is a member of the bar in North Carolina and the District of Columbia.


Chelsia MarciusChelsia Rose Marcius.

Chelsia Rose Marcius is a student in the Reporting the Nation master’s degree concentration at NYU Journalism. She has held reporting internships at the Chicago Sun-Times and Fox Chicago News and is the editor of Pavement Pieces, an online publication featuring work by Reporting New York and Reporting the Nation students. A graduate of Loyola University-Chicago, Ms. Marcius holds bachelor’s degrees in both journalism and international studies and minored in Italian. Ms. Marcius, who has also studied at The John Felice Rome Center in Italy, is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Her work has appeared on The Local.


The Day | Trials and Bars

swankyMichelle Rick

Good morning, East Village.

We begin with some hard news today.

A court case against two police officers charged with raping an East Village woman last year has been delayed another two weeks after prosecutors failed to present a key piece of evidence before a grand jury yesterday, the New York Post reported yesterday. The trial is reset for March 21.

A new music venue for experimental performers is coming to Avenue A, an address that was home to Aces and Eights, a bar that closed last year after replacing the performance venue Mo Pitkins. DNAInfo offers more details on the avant-garde concert space.

In other nightlife news, Grub Street reports that popular cocktail lounge Death & Co on East Sixth Street has officially reopened for business after a brief skirmish with the State Liquor Authority about the renewal of its liquor license caused a temporary shut down.

Tonight, the Department of Transportation will meet to discuss new zoning laws that reconfigure where outdoor sidewalk cafes are allowed in the city. We’re interested to see just what this will mean with for the East Village’s restaurant scene.

Yesterday’s sunshine takes a bit of a break today as the forecast calls for clouds and a high of 44 degrees.

And finally, happy belated Mardis Gras! How did you celebrate last night in the East Village? Tell us! We want to know.


The Day | Milestones for Two Churches

Phillip Kalantzis Cope

Good morning, East Village.

EV Grieve reports that renovations continue on St. Brigid’s Church on East Eighth Street and Avenue B after workers put new scaffolding up last week. Repairs to the landmark church began in 2009 after a mysterious donor saved the historic church from demolition. Read more about it here, here and here.

While one church gets a facelift, another one celebrates its 165th anniversary on Broadway.

Meanwhile, Grieve also points us to residents at 97 East Seventh Street, who are hoping for a miracle of their own after having gone 17 days without gas for cooking, though word is that management will have the problem fixed by today.

In other news, a man who punched a woman and nearly killed her over an East Village parking spot apologized yesterday after being charged with second-degree assault, DNAInfo reports.  Read more about what sparked the feud here.

Yesterday marked the beginning of National Procrastination Week. It’s only fitting that you start celebrating today. Or tomorrow, for that matter.

And it’s another beautiful day in the East Village, with sunny skies and temperatures expected to reach a high of 46 degrees.


Your Voices | A Principal’s Dismissal

A Place of LearningDayna Clark

Last week, we shared the story of how parents at Girls Prep Middle School are upset at the abrupt dismissal of the school’s principal, Kimberly Morcate.

The post struck a chord with many readers.

Cary Abrams questioned the school’s poor performance on recent standardized tests, commenting:

“The fact that a school is able to drop from the 82nd to the 13th percentile in a year is highly circumspect, more indicative of the unreliability of the evaluation process than other factors.”

Vilma wondered about the reasons behind Ms. Morcate’s dismissal; the board of directors declined to comment on the basis of their decision:

“I believe the Board that decided to fire Ms. Morcate did the wrong thing and they KNOW it and as much as they want to ADMIT it and bring her back, they will do no such thing. I just hope the girls do well on their tests this year and if they don’t then it will be FURTHER PROOF of the firing of Ms. Morcate with no reason at all.”

Maria A. noted how much affection students at the school felt for Ms. Morcate:

“Ms. Morcate is an incomparable, and irreplacable principal and it’s a shame that we lost a person who has a heart filled with love for all our girls. (Ms. Morcate, we love you and you don’t know how much Katie misses you. She prays and she cries for you. We wish you good luck and a lot of hugs, Thanks for your dedication and for sharing your knowledge with all of us.)”



Join the conversation: Should the board have been more transparent about the reasons behind Ms. Morcate’s dismissal?


The Day | A Literary Mystery Continues

Adidas building, NYMichelle Rick

Good morning, East Village.

Last week, we reported on a mysterious writer who was posting mystery pages of a manuscript on lampposts and mailboxes all over the East Village. Since then, it seems more undercover authors have chosen to take the self-publishing routes. EVGrieve spotted pictures of new pages that have popped up throughout the neighborhood, including a piece of fiction titled “The Two Little Canker Sores.” Have you seen any more?

What goes better with cupcakes than, say, burritos? EVGrieve reports that Cowgirl Cupcakes, a completely vegan restaurant that specializes in both, opened its doors on East 10th Street between First Avenue and Avenue A.

And if you’re still hungry after all that, Nearsay.com offers up suggestions on where to grab a quick bite in the East Village for under $10.

The Times reports that the building housing A Gathering of Tribes, an art gallery and salon on East Third Street between Avenues C and D, is up for sale at a listing price of $2.9 million.

In other news, the Department of Education will hold a final public hearing tonight to get feedback on plans to expand the Girls Prep Charter School to a new location.

Sick of rain? Today’s weather offers us some relief from yesterday’s showers. Expect sunny skies and a high of 45.


The Day | A Fire in NoLIta

202 Mott Street Fire, Thursday 3 MarchAdrian Fussell
202 Mott Street Fire, Thursday 3 March

Good morning, East Village.

We begin with a report from a bit south of our neighborhood.  A fire broke out Thursday night at 202 Mott Street on the fourth floor of an apartment building. Bowery Boogie was on the scene, and noted that ash and debris were falling from the building.  NYU Journalism’s Adrian Fussell, was there as well, and photographed the scene. DNAinfo reported that a 75-year-old woman was taken to New York Downtown Hospital with first degree burns to her head. Two firefighters also sustained unspecified injuries.

In other news, EV Grieve reports that Phil Hartman is returning to 34 Avenue A after Mr. Hartman and his brother Jesse closed Mo Pitkin’s House of Satisfaction in 2007.  EV Grieve notes that Mr. Hartman’s name is listed as the contact on the recently posted Community Board 3 flyer outside 34 Avenue A. The flyer states that Mr. Hartman plans to open up a restaurant, bar and performance space venue, similar to Mo Pitkin’s.

EV Grieve was also given a tip this morning that “30 Rock” is filming scenes inside Lucky Cheng’s on First Avenue today.  If any one happens to pass by today, send us your photos or tweet them to @nytlev.

As for the weather, it’s going to be partly cloudy out today with a high of 42 degrees.


The Day | Open for Business

Dumb Cartoon Show!Michelle Rick

Good morning, East Village.

It’s Christmas in March! At least for the cast and crew of DirectTV’s “Damages,” who were filming at Moonstruck Diner on East Fifth Street and Second Avenue yesterday. Thanks to Jason Samuels of NYU Journalism for sending us this photo via Twitter earlier in the day. EV Grieve also has some nice photos of the set, but no sign of “Damages” star, Glenn Close.

Wholesome Foods, a gourmet deli, on Avenue C is now open for business, after the Mini-Market, or “Cobra” Market as locals called it, closed in January. Meanwhile, Death & Co., a bar on East Sixth Street, was temporarily closed last night due to a delay with its liquor license renewal, EV Grieve reports.  Death & Co. will be back open tonight. We reported yesterday how some bar owners are unhappy with the liquor license reform in the East Village.

As for the weather, it’s a little colder today than yesterday, with a high of 35 degrees, so don’t be deceived by the sunny skies on your way out.


A View of the Fire

Fire 03/02Crystal Bell

Scenes from the fire at the East 14th Street Con Edison plant this afternoon were captured on video by local resident Chris Meckley, 30, who was in his apartment on East 10th Street between Avenues C and D.

Mr. Meckley told the Local, “I saw a bunch of smoke, so I looked outside and heard a loud explosion, like a big boom. It was really loud. I wasn’t really scared, and thought it might be cool to record it. Why not?”

The Con Edison fire from Chris Meckley on Vimeo.


No Injuries at Con Edison Fire

ConEd plant fireIan Duncan

A fire at the Con Edison plant on East 14th Street, which started at approximately 2:19 this afternoon when a tranformer caught fire outside the building, resulted in an “all hands” FDNY call. Heavy smoke conditions were reported to be affecting the FDR Drive. The fire was declared under control at 3:52.

According to Chief John Sarrocco, “There was an explosion in a transformer outside of the Con Ed building. The transformer has been de-energized and we put some foam on the transformer. No one was hurt.”

There were a total of 27 units, approximately 125 firefighters on scene, the authorities said.


Fire at Con Ed Plant

Update | 3:54 p.m. Firefighters are working to put out a blaze at the Con Ed plant at 14th Street near Avenue D. Fire officials said that the blaze began at 2:19 and that it has gone to two alarms with an “all hands” call for more firefighters. Reporters from The Local are on the scene and we will bring you a fuller post when more information becomes available.—Crystal Bell


Stop Work Order Lifted At 35 Cooper

The Local has confirmed this afternoon that a Stop Work Order is no longer in place at 35 Cooper Square, where preservationists have been fighting to keep the federal-style building from being demolished. “It has been lifted,” Jane Crotty, a spokeswoman for the property developer, said referring to the order. Asked when work will resume at the site, Ms. Crotty said, “As soon as they can, hopefully tomorrow or the next day.”—Suzanne Rozdeba


The Day | The Cow Comes Home

Blueberry SunriseC. Ceres Merry

Good Morning, East Village.

Bessie’s back at the Sunburnt Cow on Avenue C, DNAinfo reports.  After being stolen from the East Ninth Street bar in October, the owner has finally replaced its neon mascot, and to celebrate, he’s inviting patrons to help “brand” Bessie by writing their names on her.

Brooklyn’s eco-friendly Union Market is coming to Manhattan, and it has found a 6,000-square-foot space at 240 East Houston Street, on Avenue A, to call home. Racked NY reports that this will be Union Market’s largest endeavor, and similar to the Brooklyn outpost, it will offer a beef aging facility and personal shopping services. Union Market is also know for offering neighborhood-themed coffee blends, so what do you think the East Village blend packaging will look like?

In other news, EV Grieve has noticed that Junk, a thrift store on St. Marks, has closed its doors for good after opening them this past September.   This isn’t the first vintage store to close on St. Marks in recent months.  As we reported, Physical Graffiti, a vintage clothing store,   between First Avenue and Avenue A, closed its doors after 16 years because of the bad economy.

As for today’s weather, it’s a little chilly this morning, expect some clouds and a high of 57 degrees today.


A Familiar Face Returns

Kim Davis PortraitKim Davis.

We at The Local are happy to announce the return of a face that is familiar to many of our community contributors: Kim Davis, the site’s founding community editor, will today begin a six-month rotation as associate editor of The Local. In that role, he will use his deft editing touch to oversee the day-to-day coordination of The Local’s roster of community contributors.


The Day | Follow The Mystery

Liberty SneezeTom Schreier

Good morning, East Village.

First we begin with a bit of mystery.  There’s a story unfolding in the East Village, and the anonymous author behind the tale is leaving bits and pieces of a manuscript scattered here and there, The Post reports.   You can find these pages posted onto telephone poles throughout the neighborhood, with each page telling you where to find the next.  The Post found one on Seventh Street and First Avenue, and The Local’s very own Kathryn Kattalia found one on East Eighth Street the other day.  So we here at The Local want to know, have you found any of these pages on your walk to work today?

In other news, DNAInfo reports that the NYPD patrolman accused of raping an intoxicated East Village woman back in December 2008, admitted to using a condom that night, according to a taped conversation, between officer Kenneth Moreno and the woman, that played in court yesterday.  Justice Gregory Carro of State Supreme Court in Manhattan ruled yesterday that the secretly recorded conversation could be played for the jury during the trial, which is scheduled to start next week.

Late last night, EV Grieve posted that sudden illness caused an accident on St. Mark’s Place and Avenue A. According to EV Grieve, the driver suffered a seizure while making a u-turn and hit the wall of the Sushi Lounge as well as the pay phone on St. Mark’s Place.  Early this morning there was another crash on East Houston Street, DNAInfo reports.  According to the report, the incident involved only one car and no one was injured in the accident. The driver fled the scene.

As for the weather? No need for your umbrella today.  Look for sunny skies with a high of 45 degrees.


Final Tenants Reflect on 35 Cooper

35 Cooper SQ.: The scrim of DeathTim Milk As the historic site at 35 Cooper Square faces the prospect of demolition, the building’s last tenants – Hisae Vilca, and her granddaughter, Rachel Lindenberg (below), who operated the 35 Asian Pub – recalled their memories of working and living in the oldest building on Cooper Square.
35 Cooper Square Last TenantsSuzanne Rozdeba

As preservationists make last-ditch efforts to keep 35 Cooper Square standing, its last tenants, Hisae Vilca, and her granddaughter, Rachel Lindenberg, retraced their own history in the little house and the pub Ms. Vilca ran on the ground floor for the past five years while she lived upstairs.

“I love everything old, including me. I love antiques, and I loved that building,” said Ms. Vilca, 77, who came to New York from her native Japan five decades ago and who customers fondly called “Grandma.” She opened the bar, a neighborhood favorite, in 2006. “I had a very sentimental attachment to the house. Some of the other people were just tenants. But for me, it was a different kind of attachment,” she said.

The federal-style house, built around 1825, is under threat of demolition after the developer Arun Bhatia began construction there on Feb. 4. A Stop Work Order has been in place since Feb. 14 because of a broken fence at the back of the site, and inspectors found two violations, for failing to publicly display a work permit and failing to properly protect the public and nearby property.

Closing day on Jan. 29 brought customers and staff to tears, Ms. Vilca said. “They were all crying. I had customers, young and old, who would come every day, rain or shine. The last day, everybody’s crying and getting drunk,” she said, “I had to go upstairs.”
Read more…


Your Voices | Liquor Licenses

wine is hereMichelle Rick

Last week, we asked for your opinions on the recent decision by Community Board 3 to change the rules governing the transfers of liquor licenses when local businesses are bought and sold.

David on 14th Street described how, as a parent of two children, he was particularly sensitive to the raucous atmosphere surrounding local bars. He wrote:

“I know I’m not living in Iowa — nor do I want to — but walking home with them at 9pm on a Friday or Saturday is akin to showing them an R-rated movie.
Additionally, living on 14th street, the amount of drunken noise, swearing, and fighting that comes through the window on those nights is appalling.
Anything that makes it harder to open a bar in the East Village is fine by me. There are way, way too many as it is already.”

Kim Davis, the founding community editor of The Local, wondered about the potential negative effects of a possible exodus of bars:

“Indeed, there are altogether too many dark storefronts east of First Avenue as it is. It’s optimistic to suppose that landlords will slash prices in the short-term to the extent required to attract Mom-n-Pop type low profit businesses.
In the meantime, dark storefronts and empty streets – as Jane Jacobs knew – are magnets for crime.”

Dina questioned Mr. Davis’ perspective, noting that the East Village has relatively low crime rates despite its vacant storefronts:

“Some nightlife businesses are desired. But imbalance leaves streets gated and empty during the day.”


Join the conversation: What’s your take on the community board’s decision?


The Day | A Few Comings and Goings

Everyones A WinnerRachel Citron

Good morning, East Village.

We begin the week with a look at some local restaurant comings and goings. Orologio said goodbye to the neighborhood yesterday with a farewell Sunday brunch and with a little thank you to it’s loyal patrons. EV Grieve reported the restaurant’s listing on the market back in December, and since then, Eater NY has chimed in with a note that The Beagle, a restaurant with a controversial menu, will take its place on 162 Avenue A.

Grieve also notes that 14-16 Avenue B at East Second Street is still up for grabs on the market after plans to open up a 3,000-square-foot Italian restaurant, catering company and lounge were nixed by Community Board 3.  Now the space has a brand new listing and it looks like the landlord may be hoping for a new nail salon to hit the block.

In other neighborhood news, DNAinfo reports that Lower East Side and East Village schools look to be among the hardest hit by possible layoffs of city teachers – roughly 10 percent of the teachers in the neighborhood could be affected.

As for today’s weather? Keep an umbrella handy because The Weather Channel predicts light rain throughout the day and potentially some thunder. But at least there are a few sunny, but cold, days coming our way for the rest of the week.


The Day | More on Grace and 35 Cooper

Phillip Kalantzis Cope

Good morning, East Village.

There’s more news on Grace Farrell, the homeless woman who died last weekend near St. Brigid’s Church. Yesterday, The Daily News tracked down Ms. Farrell’s 12-year-old son, Oliver, and Al Muniz, her former fiancé. Upon learning of his mother’s death, Oliver vowed to stay clear of the drugs and alcohol that he and Mr. Muniz said doomed Ms. Farrell. Oliver also spoke of his dream to become a detective when he grows up and recalled seeing his mother last on Feb. 11. Ms. Farrell likely died Saturday night, the same night her son was baptized at East Village’s Holy Redeemer Church.

Eater NY reports that today marks the opening of a new restaurant at The Cooper Square Hotel, named The Trilby. The Trilby is the hotel’s third restaurant since opening in spring 2009.

For many East Village residents, the new restaurant’s opening may only exacerbate existing pain and nostalgia. EV Grieve reports that yesterday, the Department of Buildings issued a permit to the developers of 35 Cooper Square, which will allow them to complete a city-mandated fence repair. Once that work is completed, the developers are expected to continue moving to demolish the historic site, which was most recently used as an Asian Pub.

And according to The Weather Channel, high winds and rain should spoil today’s predicted high of 53. Expect a sunnier, colder Saturday, as highs will only reach about 40.