Arabella 101, the new rental building that began leasing apartments last August, is almost filled to capacity on Avenue D, where luxury apartments and new businesses are quickly and dramatically changing the landscape.
Today The Local got a tour of the 78-unit building, located at 101 Avenue D between 7th and 8th Streets, where only three apartments are still up for grabs. Green, and seeking LEED certification, Arabella 101 offers studios for $2,400-$2,995 a month, and one-bedroom apartments for $2,800-$3,400 a month (although half the units are at an “affordable” rate).
The apartments, which feature bamboo flooring and stainless-steel Whirlpool appliances, are located above The Lower East Side Girls Club. Sean Sorise, the property manager for the building, being developed by The Dermot Company, said they plan on co-hosting events with The Lower East Side Girls Club, and building a “strong partnership” together. Read more…
Suzanne Rozdeba Avenue A this morning.
Suzanne Rozdeba We know how to deal with hazards in the East Village. And then, someone got creative with it.
What next? Tinsel, and a fairy on top?
When Ellen Grossman met Jay-Z on the subway, the media paid attention. The Local visited the East Village artist to take a closer look at her art.
Suzanne RozdebaEast Seventh StreetGood morning, East Village.
It looks like the changes to the south side of East 14th Street between Avenues A and B could be more extensive than the loss of Petland and Bargain Express. Details began to emerge yesterday of the sale of eight lots at the end of November. Could this be the end of Blarney Cove?
Suzanne Rozdeba Our neighbors south of Houston, in the 10002 zip code, will be getting more post-Sandy assistance from the federal government in the form of D-SNAP benefits: that means replacement benefits for food stamp recipients who lost food in the disaster.
Feeling the chill? The Ukrainian Sports Club on Second Avenue has free coats and will be handing them out Sunday lunchtime.
And in gleeful anticipation of the John Sexton no-confidence vote, Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York blog offers a compendium of anti-N.Y.U. expansion quotes from the book “While We Were Sleeping.”
Workers were spotted carrying scaffolding into Mary Help of Christians Church last Friday, prompting concern among some neighbors as to whether there were any developments about the church’s future.
Suzanne RozdebaAround 3 p.m. late last week, “There was a huge Penske moving van and several workers in front of the church. The church doors were open,” an eyewitness told The Local. “I was concerned because we don’t know what’s going to happen with the church.” The church property was purchased by developer Douglas Steiner, who’s bringing a residential development to the lot between East 11th and 12th Streets.
“I saw the workers bringing in scaffolding into the church, and I thought, ‘Uh oh,’” said the eyewitness. “I asked one of the guys to please be careful with the remaining relics. I thought they were moving the rest of the stuff out. But he said, ‘We’re not taking anything out. We’re just putting up scaffolding in the church. It’s in rough shape. We’re putting up support for the church. It’s an old building.’” It was unclear whether there was work being done to the church’s interior, or whether it had anything to do with work being done at P.S. 60 next door.
Last month, The Local reported that preservationists would like to meet with Mr. Steiner to discuss the church’s future, and the possibility of preserving the church. Several neighborhood preservation groups, along with a neighbor and a former parishioner, have asked the Landmarks Preservation Commission to consider protecting the church. A source close to the project had said it was too early to know what the developer’s plans are for the site.
Ray Sumser, a Californian artist who recently moved to the East Village, has been working on a series of cartoon projects. His goal: to portray the “most recognizable characters” from popular cartoons. He’s been bringing his art to public spaces like Union Square too.
N.Y.U. president John Sexton responded in writing yesterday to last week’s decision by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences to hold a vote of no-confidence in his leadership. Faculty members are said to be unhappy with the university’s plans to expand in Greenwich Village in the face of local opposition, and aspects of its international outreach.
Michelle RickIn a memorandum addressed to the faculty and distributed by email, Dr Sexton acknowledged that he takes the “vote, and the need to address constructively the concerns of faculty, very seriously.” Dr Sexton continued: “I have had no ambition or mission other than advancing NYU’s well-being, sustaining the trajectory established by my predecessors, and leaving a better university for my successors. Yet, it has become clear that my efforts have not been experienced in this way by some members of the FAS faculty.” He concludes by wishing faculty members and their families a happy holiday.
The vote is scheduled to take place in March, 2013.
Susan Keyloun Victoria Roberts at Strand Books“Have you ever dreamed of owning a unique, hand-drawn picture by a New Yorker cartoonist?” read the invite to the special event held last night at Strand Bookstore. The answer was yes, as swarms of fans lined up to watch Victoria Roberts, a popular cartoonist for The New Yorker since 1988, draw personalized cartoons just for them. At one point, people had to be turned away as the line snaked around the perimeter of Strand’s legendary Rare Book Room.
Susan Keyloun Drawn for the author by Victoria Roberts. Ms. Roberts, who was born in New York and grew up in Mexico and Australia, effortlessly engaged each fan in conversation while she drew, gleaning tidbits about their lives to incorporate into each cartoon. She also signed copies of her illustrated novel, “After the Fall”.
“The Strand has been a fixture in New York for over 80 years and we hope to expand to do more events like this one,” said Lizzy Selzer who coordinated this event and helps maintain Strand’s calendar. “We’re thrilled that it was a huge success and we will be hosting more like it.” For a complete list, check out Strand’s Facebook event calendar.
Scott LynchGood morning, East Village.
As David Schwimmer’s East Sixth Street mansion nears completion, residents displaced by Hurricane Sandy are getting a little more help this week. Listings geared to their needs are being posted in a special section at the no-fee rental site Urban Edge. Reports say landlords will strive to be flexible about length of lease and security deposits.
A less depressing way to get your life turned upside down will become available if plans for a flying trapeze center at Hamilton Fish Park come to fruition.
On the party side of the street, get your vintage frock out for a batch of 1950s cocktails and Christmas cartoons like “Suzy Snowflake” at the Merchant House Museum — and be sharp about it. Last Friday’s shindig sold out.
If you’re looking for sustenance, Mighty Quinn’s, which recently shed its plywood in the old Vandaag space, is strongly rumored to be unveiling its slow-smoked brisket today. But if you’re just looking to stay home and browse through pretty neighborhood pictures, consider Bowery Boogie’s selection of the year in Instagram.
Last Saturday, the event known as “Unsilent Night” took place in the East Village for its 20th year. This winter time annual event has garnered participation from cities around the world, including San Francisco, Chicago and Melbourne. But it all started in New York.
The Local embedded with creator, Phil Kline, in the days before his New York and Philadelphia Unsilent Night events, in order to get an inside look at how he prepares. The parade of devices playing Kline’s music started out at Washington Square Park. Participants carried boom boxes, iPhones or other portable audio equipment, cranking up the music in unison. The composition was timed by Kline to finish just as everyone arrived at Thompkins Square Park.
If you couldn’t make it on Saturday, enjoy this glimpse of the night, and just how Kline made it happen
Suzanne RozdebaHetal 111 First Convenience Store on First Avenue was being cleared out by workers today, and a new business is already planned in its place.
“I’m opening a convenience store at 111 First Avenue. That’s my lucky number,” laughed Zahid, the new owner, who declined to give The Local his last name. The number is also the address of the store.
Zahid owns another convenience store in a “quiet” area of Kew Gardens, Queens, but said he likes the vibrancy of the East Village. “There’s life over there. You can see that. I lived in Karachi in Pakistan, and back then, it was thickly populated. It was busy 24 hours. That’s in my system,” he said.
“My target is to open hopefully the first week of next month,” he said. He will sell items including magazines, newspapers, health and beauty aids, candy, beer, and soda. He plans on staying open from 6 a.m. until midnight, and later on weekends.
The store will be called 111 Convenience Store. Sometimes, at least, the more things change, the more they stay the same.
Suzanne RozdebaThe latest addition to the Indian restaurants of Curry Row is Malai Marke, opening at 318 East Sixth Street later this month.
Yesterday, The Local spotted workers putting the finishing touches on the restaurant’s interior, where decorative, copper bowls imported from Northern India lined a cozy, exposed brick wall. The restaurant is steps away from Zen 6, a ramen spot that opened at the end of November.
“We’re planning to open on the 27th of this month. We will be serving kabab, Vindaloo, a lot of dishes from Goa, and also original dishes from Northern India,” owner Shiva Natarajan told The Local. The restaurant’s website promises the place will offer “the ultimate dollop of ethereal joy!”
Mr. Natarajan credits his culinary inspiration to his family and upbringing. “Some of my family lives in Goa, and I was born and raised in Calcutta,” he said. Mr. Natarajan already owns a number of restaurants in the city, including Singapura, Chote Nawab, and Dhaba, all in Curry Hill. Read more…
Hannah ThonetmuMs is one of the poets scheduled to perform at Joe’s Pub, Thursday evening. Hurricane Sandy wrecked the HVAC system at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, leaving the storied performance space without heat.
In an email to The Local, executive director Daniel Gallant said that while “relatively warm weather and the use of small space heaters have allowed us to continue running our programs for the past few weeks, it will be difficult for us to remain open as the weather gets colder unless our heating system is replaced.” There are also concerns about burst pipes when the freezing weather finally arrives.
The cost of replacing the system is estimated at $27,500. The Cafe, like other local businesses, also suffered loss of revenue due to the post-hurricane power outage and canceled events. This Thursday’s fund raiser at Joe’s Pub is just part of the recovery effort. Donations are also being taken at the website.
East Yoga Center, the vinyasa and pilates studio, has been looking for a permanent home since fire tore through its Avenue B premises last month.
East Yoga Center Some good news came in the form of an email to supporters yesterday. The studio has raised $6500 in partnership with Lucky Ant, the crowdfunding site. Now comes the search for a permanent home. Meantime, the studio’s schedule reflects the availability of temporary locations.
Gloria ChungGood morning, East Village.
In yet another reminder that the clean-up work after Sandy continues, the East Village is set to regain its R train connection with Brooklyn before the holidays. Spare a thought too for the Nuyorican Poets Cafe. After long struggles to renovate the fabric of its old building, its heating system was taken out by the hurricane. It plans to hold a fund raiser at Joe’s Pub on Thursday evening.
The SantaCon backlash just gets worse. Meanwhile, EV Grieve continues to compile a list of impending business closures, including the distinctive (and large) Bargain Express on the south side of East 14th Street, and Whole Earth Bakery on St Mark’s Place.
Finally, to prompt a holiday mood, here’s the Village Voice’s veteran food critic Robert Sietsema on the history of that strange, sweet, sticky stuff, eggnog.
Anthony Pappalardo Hello Kitty book launch at Openhouse Gallery.While Art Basel has officially reached it’s saturation point with corporate sponsored parties eclipsing the actual art fair, I was able to pick up on three major art trends during my week there. There were an abundance of sculptures featuring shiny spheres at the fair–and also decorating many hotel lobbies — rap lyrics recreated on canvases are trending, but the biggest buzz was the emergence of memes and animated gifs as art.
When I spotted Blake Boston–the person who accidentally became the popular meme Scumbag Steve–smoking a cigarette playing the door man at the Hole gallery his latest track, my trend spotting suspecions were confirmed. Scumbag Steve was accompanied by his friend Christopher Torres, the creator of the 2012 Meme of the Year, Nyan Cat. Nyan Cat began as an animated gif based on Torres’ own cat, and eventually spawned a YouTube video that’s garnered over almost 90 million views.
Last Thursday night, New York Art Department launched four days of programming, headquartered at The Hole gallery, based on Torres’ gif titled #NYANCATCITY. #NYANCATCITY wasn’t just a celebration of Torres’ creation. The events ranged from panel discussions on cats and the internet, a zine fair, and actual kitten adoptions. The opening party featured a Nyan Cat pop-up shop as well as an interactive station featuring the latest Nyan Cat game, Space Party. Projected onto a white gallery wall, attendees were encouraged to play the game–an app available through iTunes and Google Play–by steering the character with Sphero, a glowing ball. As people sipped vodka and navigated Nyan Cat through space, another cat themed event was opening on Broome street.
Suzanne Rozdeba Sucklord at Hello Kitty book launch, Openhouse Gallery. Several artists and designers including Betsey Johnson and Paul Frank teamed up with the Openhouse Gallery for the “Hello Kitty, Hello Art!” book launch. Compiled by Roger Gastman, the book features reinterpretations of the iconic Sanrio characters, with contributions by RISK, POSE, Adam Wallacavage, Paul Frank, and several other popular artists. Read more…
Suzanne Rozdeba Chung Pai, owner of Landmark Bicycles.Landmark Bicycles, which opened in the East Village almost five years ago on East Third Street, has expanded to a space around the corner on Avenue A.
“We’re selling new bicycles and accessories in the new space, and will eventually move the store on Third Street downstairs, where we’ll continue to sell vintage bicycles and parts, and do repairs,” Chung Pai, 44, who owns the shops, told The Local this morning. The new store, where Mr. Pai pays $6,500 a month in rent, opened last Wednesday and was formerly occupied by Organic Modernism.
He’s selling brand-name bikes including Jamis, Diamond, Biria and Viva, Chrome messenger bags and cycling shoes, and helmets, bike chains, locks, gloves, and lights. The new store is having a sale until New Year’s Day, with everything 10 percent off. Select messenger bags, used bikes and other items are 15 to 50 percent off.
Mr. Pai came up with the idea of expansion when he learned over the summer that a space had opened up around the corner from his shop. With the bigger space, which also has a basement, he could move into selling new items, as well as continue his vintage-focused business. “My main customers on Third Street are locals, but in the new space, I’ll probably get more people who are just walking around the neighborhood because it’s on the avenue.” Read more…
