Officials acknowledge an NYPD dispatcher pushed a wrong button, sending emergency crews to Avenue C in Brooklyn rather than Manhattan. A 6-year old boy, experiencing cardiac arrest, died (NY Post).
Urging Shelly to kill the Aqueduct deal (NY Post).
Sen. Charles Schumer is willing to support the campaign to federalize a handful of city and state run public housing developments – but there’s a catch (Real Estate Rama).
Reconsidering John Zorn’s Masada, in the aftermath of two sold out shows at the Abrons Arts Center (NYT).
Tonight at University Settlement: A House of Dreams – inspired by turn-of-the-century circus, early silent film, and the impact of pop culture on the lives of immigrant boys from New York’s Lower East Side circa 1909 (Downtown Art).
Longtime LES resident Michele Campo of the Bowery Alliance of Neighbors sent along these pictures of the demolition of 185 Bowery, which finally got underway this past week. The Real Deal reported two years ago that the global real estate firm Brack Capital bought the townhouse for $8 million. They also own three adjacent lots (187, 189 and 191 Bowery. All together, the company sunk about $30 million into the investment.
The Performance Project at University Settlement has just announced it’s spring season. The series looks to be packed full of music, dance, film/video, theater, and performance art – along with free salons on Monday nights. Visit their website here for a full listing of events. $15 adults. $10 students. $5 for all youth 18 and under.
The Times has new details about Painkiller, the tiki bar that will replace the East Side Company Bar on Essex Street sometime “between the Ides of March and April Fool’s Day.” Co-owner Rochard Boccato says he hopes “to kick off a new era in tiki culture with the bar.” He told the Times, “We want to foster the inception of a New York tiki culture. We’re not taking you off the island of Manhattan onto the island of Oahu. We’re staying right here.” Sure there will be the requisite “thatch and some bamboo… but you should also expect some graffiti and some subway tiles and things that are more reminiscent of the Bowery circa 1978. We’re trying to do an amalgamation of that.” Drinks will be priced $15-$20 (not so painless).
Ben Leventhal sits down for a chat with Nate Appleman, who will be running the show at Pulino’s on the Bowery.
If you’re in the mood for some good old-fashioned blood and guts, you catch Cannibal Holucaust, this weekend’s midnight movie at the Sunshine Cinema. The Sunshine writes,
“Long before Blair Witch was a twinkle in a young filmmaker’s eye, Cannibal Holocaust shocked the world with its grisly “found footage” gimmick, resulting in a movie that was banned almost everywhere. Now this legendary gore-fest can be seen in the U.S., completely uncut and uncensored! No One Under 18 Admitted.”
Sponsored by The Village Voice & WNYU’s The New Afternoon Show, Weekend Midnight movies are only $9.99.
Time Out New York describes the collaboration between free jazz pioneers Burton Greene and Perry Robinson as “spare klezmer-based improvisation: sometimes playful, sometimes achingly somber… just the right kind of mellow.” The two musicians, old friends, will be performing at the Museum at Eldridge Street Sunday afternoon at 3. See the details on the Museum’s web site. Here’s a look at Greene and Robinson from a gig last year at The Local 269:
The Fire Department is investigating why emergency crews rushing to help a 6-year old boy who had gone into cardiac arrest went to the wrong location. Instead of going to 277 Avenue C in Manhattan, they were dispatched to that same address in Brooklyn. The boy did not survive (NY Post).
An early morning fire destroyed a building on Greene Street (WABC).
In her State of the City address, Council Speaker Christine Quinn got behind a proposal to turn the old Fulton Fish Market into a regional food market rivaling Seattle’s Pike’s Place (NY Post).
This week, a CB3 panel began to telegraph the road ahead in the elusive quest for the redevelopment of the Seward Park Urban Renewal Area. The land use, zoning and housing committee has been meeting for many months, in search of a consensus plan for the development site — a flashpoint for neighborhood tensions since 1967.
Starting today, with a kick-off by an artist talk from Catherine Howe at Lesley Heller Workspace (54 Orchard), more shows will continue to open through the weekend on the Lower East Side. Howe’s show, “Prosperina”, has been up at the workspace and will be closing on February 28th. There was also an article written about Howe in Art in America in January of 2008, which hopefully foreshadows an interesting talk tonight from 6:30-8PM.
From Eldridge Optician.
“Eldridge Optician” opens tonight at Horton Gallery (237 Eldridge), formerly known as Sunday L.E.S, from 6-8PM. This fascinating show has an especially long story attached to it that is full of romance, multigenerational lineage, and themes of sexual identity. Essentially, the show will be a “reopening” of the Eldridge Optician, which had been in the same location since 1870. Orlando Marina Young, the woman reestablishing the “store,” is also blood-related to the historical site. Sunglass/spectacles of Oscar Magnusan will be on view.
The Seward Park branch is now closing on Sundays, due to the New York Public Library’s service cuts (School Library Journal).
The battle over Girls Prep’s expansion plan “represents (just) one skirmish in a (charter school) fight that has raged across the city” (Gotham Gazette).
In defense of Compstat, the NYPD’s “crime analysis system” that, according to two researchers, leads some precincts to cook the books (City Limits).
Michael Tumminia, president of the Seward Park Co-op, says 43 years is long enough to wait for redevelopment of the Seward Park Urban Renewal Area (SPURA). In a recent interview with The Lo-Down, he acknowledged, “the Grand Street co-ops have been perceived as one of the key forces preventing development.” But Tumminia, head of Grand Street’s largest residential complex added, the Seward Park Co-op “doesn’t want to be one of the forces stopping development. We want to help get something done.”
A large number of the artists in printmaker Josh MacPhee’s book, Paper Politics will be convening on Bluestockings Bookstore tonight, at 7:00pm, for a conversation on politics, printmaking and posters. The artists’ cooperative, Just Seeds, urges people to ” join us and hear about what local political printmakers are doing…and what they think their work is accomplishing.” More about MacPhee’s traveling art show, which inspired the book, can be found here. $5 suggested.
Feeling like people need to hear some of your rhymes? Head to the Nuyorican Poets Cafe and sign up to participate in their open slam tonight. The first 20 poets to sign up will slam & the winner is eligible to perform in their famous Friday Night Poetry Slam. Get there early & sign the book. Hosted by Jive Poetic. 9:00pm. $7.
From the Eater Wire: Katz’s is looking for “superfans” aching to be part of a Travel Channel food show – and you can now have brunch at Mama’s Food Shop.
Peter Meehan of the Times mentions Cheeky’s Sandwiches, “down in the depths of the Lower East Side” in his guide to New Orleans-inspired food. Located at 35 Orchard Street, Cheeky’s just opened.
We just heard from the gang at New York Social Sports Club that they’ve opened registration for their spring kickball leagues on the Lower East Side. You can choose to play Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday nights. The season lasts 7 weeks, and every game is followed by post-game parties at a local bar. The club is not about hard-core competition – the league is geared towards anyone who wants to unwind, have fun and make some new friends. You can either organize a whole team yourself, sign up with a friend or two and be placed on a team together, or just register as an individual, and you’ll be placed on a team! No kids – 21+ only. To sign up or get more information, check out their web site.
