Historic East Village Structure Needs Your Support!

Written by

59e2arWe need your support in asking the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) to designate the Russian Orthodox Cathedral, at 59-63 East 2nd Street, as a Landmark.  The LPC held a hearing in March for landmark designation but did not take a vote at the hearing.

The Cathedral was constructed in 1891, designed by the reknowned architect Josiah Cleveland Cady, who later designed the Metropolitan Opera House and the auditorium of the American Museum of Natural History.  The Cathedral fits as an historic whole with the already-landmarked Marble Cemetery across East 2nd Street.  Neighborhood support is necessary in encouraging Community Board 3 and the Landmarks Preservation Commission towards designating the Cathedral as a Landmark.  As a first step, PLEASE sign our online petition and please include your name and address in the comments section.

Pedal Power 2010: Kids’ Art Bike Parade

Written by

two kids parading rEarly rain showers could not keep the families, artists, and sun away at the third annual Kids’ Art Bike Parade in Tompkins Square Park on May 8th. Serving as a celebration of sustainable streets improvements in our neighborhood, the event was a huge success. Neighbors enjoyed bicycle decorating, DOT bicycle helmet fittings and giveaways, face painting, balloon animals, youth yoga, a Learn-to-Ride class from Bike New York, bicycle tune-ups from Recycle-a-Bicycle and Five Borough Bike Club, the Bike Parade, and an amazing price raffle!

Heelz On Wheelz energized the crowd with their Bike Safety Dance followed by Rude Mechanical Orchestra’s uplifting performance. Grand Marshal Rosie Mendez and Co-Marshals Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez and State Assemblymember Brian Kavanagh led the parade out of Tompkins Square and south along Avenue A.

Lower East Side kids showed the joy of riding bicycles and the need to support sustainable and active transportation in our neighborhood. EVCC applauds recent DOT and MTA improvements in the area and awaits further improvements, especially protected bus and bicycle lanes on 1st and 2nd Avenues this fall.

EVCC gave away over 35 bikes to kids from the neighborhood. Refreshments were donated by the 4th Street Food Co-op, GuS Soda, Ninth Street Espresso, Whole Earth Bakery, and Butter Lane. LES Girls Club volunteers spun their wheels making bicycle-powered smoothies. Two Boots Pizza, SkipHop, Sustainable NYC, Manhattan Portage, and LES Peoples’ Mutual Housing Association generously donated prizes for the free raffle. New York Cares provided 25 volunteers for the event and 10 volunteers painted Bike Parade banners. Their time, energy, and passion was critical in the success of the event. EVCC thanks all the volunteers, co-sponsors, and participants for making the Third Annual Kids’ Art Bike Parade a success!