78thand2nd

Quick Bits: Vasectomies, Burglaries and Spike Lee

- Uptick in vasectomies on UES: "On the Upper East Side of Manhattan, where the financial industry’s collapse has compressed many a household budget, Dr. Marc Goldstein says he has been performing more vasectomies than usual over the last five months." [NY Times]

- Apartments at Lex and 70th, and 81st and Second are hit by burglars. Items lost: a "treasure trove of jewelry," diamond earrings, a laptop and an iPod. [NY Post]

- Spike Lee is getting a six-figure check for letting Sarah Jessica Parker and Hugh Grant film their upcoming comedy, Did You Hear About the Morgans?, in his Upper East Side townhouse, formerly owned by artist Jasper Johns. [NY Mag]

 

UES CB Action This Week: Spotlight on 94th Street

Three community board 8 meetings will happen this week and it's mostly standard stuff: the always-stealth-about-the-agenda-landmarks committee is meeting on Tues and a street fair committee get together is set for Thurs. In between, on Wednesday, will be a land use and full board meeting - 94th Streeters, pay attention - and they will be reviewing a myriad of items regarding 94th Street demo, additions, renovations and more.  

Meeting details and the items to be reviewed at the land use/full board meeting after the click-thru.

Wicked Wolf Out, 2nd Ave Deli In

Back in January the owner of the Second Ave Deli said talks to move into the spot now occupied by restaurant Wicked Wolf, at First and 75th, were underway, and now it seems to be a done deal. Thanks to tipster Ken, who emailed that Wicked Wolf is definitely on the way out and the Second Ave Deli will be moving in (sorry Ken for not posting sooner!).  

There's a prior interview with the owner here, and more background here.

Gossip Girl Part 2?

Bravo is prepping a reality show tentatively titled "NYC Prep" focusing on six prep school students from the Upper East Side. The show will kick-off June 16. 

Frances Berwick, Bravo's executive vice president and general manager, said she hoped the series appeals to all ages: "No matter how old the characters are on screen, if they're relatable they'll attract an audience that spans several age groups," according to Smartbrief.com. 

The series has been filming at spots like Lilly Pulitzer.  

Sighting: UES Lingerie Jogger Guy

UES Lingerie Jogger Guy ('Elegant' Elliot Offen) was recently seen on Second Ave. in the 70s by the very alert Gia, who sent in the above pic.  If you haven't had the unique experience of an Offen UES sighting or encounter, view the below for taste of what you're missing. 

UES Links: St. Pattys Day Bar Suggestions, Guy Mugged At 77th Subway and More

· UES St. Patrick's Day bar suggestions [Murph Guide]
· Info on today's St. Patrick Day's parade [Gothamist]
· Thugs mug guy in 77th Street subway station [Post]
· A retired NYPD lieutenant is in hot water [Daily News]
· New Argentine steakhouse Libertador opens on 89th [Daily Candy]
· 175 vacant, on-the-avenue stores on UES [Our Town]
· 2nd Avenue Deli plans UES location [NY Mag]

Fire On 80th and First Ave

This just in via the inbox: There's apparently a fire in a building near the corner of 80th and First Ave.  NYPD has 80th blocked off at Second Ave.  

If anyone has any info, please hit the comments.

WTF: Man Stabs Woman To Death On UES

Police say a man with blood on his clothing confessed to fatally stabbing a woman he knew in her Upper East Side apartment building, Tuesday morning.

According to ABClocal:

"Police responded to a call of a disorderly person inside the lobby of a tony apartment building at 1025 Fifth Avenue sometime after 7 a.m.Tuesday morning.

When they got there, they found a disheveled, intoxicated man with blood on his clothing.

NYPD took the man to a nearby hospital and helped him get cleaned up and say while there, the ma suddenly confessed to police that he killed a woman.

Detectives responded to her apartment on East 104th Street, off Fifth Avenue, and found the woman, in her 30s, stabbed multiple times.

She was pronounced dead at the scene. Charges against the man are pending."

New Dev, Businesses Set For 79th and Third Ave.

Real estate guru and UES blogger Andrew Fine recently checked-in on the building project set for the southeast corner of 79th and Third Avenue.  Businesses have been closing in the five existing buildings since Dec. 2007, and now it looks like plans are moving forward with new development. According to Fine:

"Demolition has officially commenced starting today. Here is what I was able to ascertain about the site. It's zoned for residential with a height limit of 210 feet (21 stories). Cetra/Ruddy has been hired as architect for the site (good choice). And, according to a representative for Skyline Developers, the building will not be a glass curtain number- phew! However, in this climate that is all that is certain. No decision has been made as to whether the new building will be a rental, condo, or some sort of hybrid. The owner has been "going back and forth" on that one. The earliest construction would begin would be later in 2009."

This corner has also been under the fine watch of 78thand2nd commenter "ruta Fox," who pointed out a new cafe and bar yesterday:

"Corrado cafe is going in at 79th and Third. Northwest side of the street, Vitamin Shoppe 
has vacated."

"Also, new bar that looks good went in called Stanton. Corner of 79th and Second, southeast corner."
Posted by: ruta Fox | January 05, 2009 at 06:55 PM

Fire On 82nd and First Ave.

Tipster Suzanne writes in with news from 82nd and First: "Sometime this morning there was a huge fire on 82nd and 1st near CVS.  It burnt old Christmas trees, the sidewalk trees, two cars and a mattress.  I dont know how the doorman didnt notice it before it got out of hand, or maybe he did.  Either way, its NUTS!  I dont think anyone was injured."

Anyone have further info or pics?  Please hit the comments!  

Happy New Year: UES Thieves Busted

Angel Gonzalez, 27, and Jose Perez, 27, started off the new year by getting arrested,according to the NY Post.The two douches where spotted by an alert witness who saw them climbing a fire escape, just after burglarizing a few UES apartments.  

According to the Post:

"Two Upper East Side thieves were caught red-handed with $70,000 in jewelry and electronic equipment, cops said today.

Angel Gonzalez, 27, and Jose Perez, 27, were both decked out in matching black outfits - in broad daylight - as they climbed a fire escape at 162 E. 90th St. on Tuesday, authorities said.

Perez and Gonzalez were immediately spotted by a witness, who quickly called 911, cops said.
The two allegedly broke into a second-floor apartment.

Perez stuffed laptops and a DVD player inside a brown Gucci bag, sources said. He also allegedly swiped a flat-screen TV, rings and gold bracelets.

Cops surrounded the building and captured Perez in the first-floor vestibule. Gonzalez was grabbed on the roof."

UES Craigslinks: M4W, Volunteers Needed, Free Stuff and More

'Cute ones don't use Cragislist' [M4W]
Thanksgiving volunteers wanted [Volunteers]
Moving sale, everything must go [Furniture]
Free bag of women's clothing [Clothing]
Tangos and tapas [Activities]
Free sleeper sofa [Free]

Second Ave. Businesses Are Getting Freakin' Killed

Recently closed wine bar Bar Vespa

A spree of business closings on Second Ave., between 91st and 95th streets, has received a lot of attention over the past year - due mainly to the impact of the Second Ave. subway’s construction, which has spurred a ton of difficulties for the businesses closest to the mayhem. 

Getting far less attention - but maybe more alarming - is a recent string of businesses that shut down on an eight-block stretch between 77^th and 85^th streets on Second Ave., far removed (for now) from the subway's construction.

During the four-month period from June through September, a staggering 10 businesses have closed on this stretch (another shut down in May - so, 11 shuttered in a five-month period).

The businesses were a mix of chains and mom-and-pop stores; they were retailers, restaurants, wine bars and pizza spots.  Some were part of a city-wide chain shuttering (Burittoville) or a nation-wide chain trimming locations (Talbots Kids) - but still, 11 is a ton in that amount of time on such a short stretch.

Not surprising, the area’s business managers and owners I spoke with pointed to a perfect storm of a struggling economy, a drop in consumer confidence and rising business costs – especially increased rents - as main causes of the closings.

The full list of closings after the jump.

Mugger Attacks 'Dorothy' From Wizard Of Oz

Remember this whole thing over the summer, when UES residents were worried crime was on the upswing? Yeah, they were kind of right. There was this string of bank robberies. And now there's reports of some pretty brazen muggings - like this one caught on tape over Halloween weekend: The Post released a video on Wed. (Nov. 19) that shows a guy follow a woman, dressed as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, into a building, then attacking her. Police described the suspect as a black male in his 30s, about 5-foot-8 and with a thin build.

Report: TD Bank On 77th Robbed...For The 5th Time

Apparently the TD Bank branch (it was Commerce Bank up until about three weeks ago) on the corner of 77th and Second Ave. is having some security issues.  This is from the inbox last night:

"Was on my way to pick up coffee and saw investigators brushing for prints at the TD Bank, formerly known as Commerce Bank. A person standing near the scene said the robbery just happened after noontime and that this is the 5TH TIME that the same bank was robbed! The 5th TIME!"

Five times?  Is that true?