Early 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!

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!

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.

SAVE THIS SHUL The August 14 rally at the Mezeritz Synagogue

On August 14, the East Village Community Coalition was the lead organizer of a press conference about the future of a historic synagogue at 415 East 6 Street:  The Adas Yisroel Anshe Mezeritz Synagogue.

For a variety of reasons, it looked as if the 1910 synagogue might be sold and demolished -- which would have been a great loss to the community from a cultural, historical, and architectural perspective.

FEELS LIKE HOME Locally owned stores on vibrant 9th Street (Photo: Michael Small)

The primary recommendation of the study, lead by Professors Vicki Weiner and Jonathan Martin, is for the East Village to seek designation as a "special district."  This would allow the area to enforce Formula Retail Zoning -- which is an imposing name for a system that sets some limits on the types of businesses in an area in order to preserve the local retail environment. The study, which was commissioned by the EVCC, is one of the most comprehensive investigations into Formula Retail Zoning in New York City's history.

In case there was any doubt about the deterioration of old P.S. 64 (fomerly CHARAS/El Bohio), this backside view shows just how bad things have gotten.  Pigeons fly in and out of every floor of the building all day long.  Windows are cracked and half-boarded up; rainstorms soak the interior.  Every day, the deterioriation increases.

FOR THE BIRDS See that open window? It's just one of many where pigeons enter 24 hours a day

Walk by P.S. 64, just east of Avenue B, between 9th and 10th Streets, and take a look at the current state of the building. Then, when you're back at your computer, write a few sentences about what you observed, your concerns for the state of this landmarked building, and your thoughts about preserving the building for community use.  Be sure to include your name and any affiliation with the community (such as, if you're a visitor, a neighbor, or a member of a community group). Then send those thoughts in an email to this address:  This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Your words will be added to a letter to Landmark Commission Chairman James Tierney. (Email addresses will be kept confidential.)  This could make a major difference, so please take action and write your email today.

Sending an email is a crucial way for you to help preserve the building.  But you can also post your comments on this site by clicking to the next page.