APPALLED AT THE NUMBER OF BAD BARS INVADING OUR NEIGHBORHOOD?

Come share your concerns with the NY State Liquor Authority and elected officials

When: Thursday, February 4th, 6:30 PM

Where: PS 20, 166 Essex Street

What: Community forum to discuss the NY State Liquor Authority's work in the Lower East Side and East Village

Remember, when you choose locally over mega-chains, you:

-Create local jobs with fair living wages

-Choose creativity and personality over uniformity

-Keep more money in the community

-Provide economic activity and stability

-Sustain small business owners who strengthen the local economy

-Defend our neighborhood's identity

-Fight the lie that low prices at chain stores make up for the loss of local business ownership

Check out our Formula Retail Zoning video!

Join the East Village Community Coalition, in collaboration with New York Restoration Project and Sustainable NYC, for Park(ing) Day 2009! The annual event adds public parks to the streets of New York in an effort to open dialogue about the value of our public space and how we use it.

Sustainable Seeds Park is a passive recreation space located at E 11th Street and Avenue B. It is designed by the EVCC and boasts a garden theme where local school children may plant seeds in small planters and take them home to watch them grow! The park will extend the Children's Learning Garden. For more information, or to become involved, click here.  We hope to see you on the 18th!

PIGEON Michael Rosen presents Judy Rhodes with the Pigeon of the Year Award for her service to the community.

The Trudy Silver Group played to a packed house July 28, overlooking Tompkins Square Park and the Manhattan skyline. The cocktail party was hosted by the East Village Community Coalition in honor of long-time East Village champion Judy Rhodes. Judy is a jazz producer, photographer, benefactor and devotee extraordinaire, and resides in the Charlie Parker House at 151 Avenue B. For her lifelong achievements and service, Ms. Rhodes was awarded the highly-coveted Pigeon Award by Michael Rosen.

It may be a new year, it's never too late to celebrate two major advances at the end of 2008:

ZONING CHANGE, East Village / Lower East Side:

In a victory enabled by your support, the City Council unanimously approved a sweeping 111 block rezoning of the East Village and the Lower East Side at the end of November, bringing crucial changes to our neighborhood.  The height of buildings was substantially limited. Plus, the Community Facility bonus was eliminated; this means that residential and community facility buildings are now governed by the same bulk and height guidelines as all other buildings. For instance, the 27 story (and subsequent 19 story) "dormitory" once planned for the former El Bohio / CHARAS site (the old PS 64), would never be allowed, regardless of landmark designation.

For three years LESCAZ, a wide alliance of community groups of which the EVCC is a founding member, advocated for this zoning plan, fighting also for more affordable units and stronger anti-harassment provisions.  We congratulate David McWater, former Chair of Community Board 3, for his work advancing this plan to Margarita Lopez, our former City Councilmember, and Rosie Mendez, our current Councilmember, all of whom were crucial in the approval of the plan.