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The Paper of Record for Greenwich Village, East Village, Lower East Side, Soho, Union Square, Chinatown and Noho, Since 1933
June 5, 2014 • $1.00 Volume 84 • Number 1
E.V. eateries have boomed, along with incomes, study finds BY GERARD FLYNN
T
he East Village has seen a steady influx of chain stores and high-end restaurants over the last decade-plus, making it increasingly difficult for small business owners to compete. The newcomers’ clientele comes prowling for
upscale products and, notably, nightlife. While the East Village in the ’60s attracted artists seeking affordable housing, today it is luring a different kind of “creative type,” and tourists — driven less by a desire to be on the road than to enjoy RETAIL STUDY, continued on p. 4
BY ALBERT AMATEAU
K
aren Kristal, partner with her late husband Hilly Kristal in the renowned rock club CBGB in the East Village, died Tues., May 20, three weeks after being admitted to New York University Medical Center. She was 88. Although Hilly (short for
Hillel) was the public face of the club that opened in 1973 and closed because of a rent dispute with the landlord in October 2006, Karen Kristal was the legal owner, constant caretaker and stern protector of CBGB, whose logo she designed. At first, the club showKRISTAL, continued on p. 7
PHOTO BY MILO HESS
Karen Kristal, 88, stern partner in CBGB with her ex, Hilly
On Broadway, south of Canal St., a clothing store’s chrome mannequin fascinated a photographer with its reflections.
‘Living barrier’ will protect East Side from storm surges BY LINCOLN ANDERSON
I
n a united front, Mayor de Blasio was joined by Governor Cuomo, Senator Chuck Schumer and HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan at the Riis Houses on Monday to announce a massive allocation of federal funding to protect the East Village and Lower East Side from flooding in an age of dramatic climate change. The scene Monday was beautiful, as a dazzling, hot sun shone down, as
a crowd of Riis residents and press clustered near to hear the high-powered officials. It was a far cry from Oct. 29, 2012, when Superstorm Sandy slammed the city, swamping the East Side, with the waters rising waist-high on Avenue C. The city’s overall plan to protect vulnerable neighborhoods in all five boroughs has a $3.7 billion price tag. On Monday, the officials announced that $335 million has been allocated for the “Big U” plan, specifically to allow con-
struction of its Lower East Side and East Village sections, covering the stretch from Montgomery St. to E. 23rd St. From a design team led by Danish firm BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group), the project was the grand-prize winner in the federal government’s Rebuild by Design contest. Running parallel to East River Park, a “bridging berm” will be created on the F.D.R. Drive access road, which is currently used by PROTECTION, continued on p. 27
Letters to The Editor.........................................page 10 Rolling on the river (safely!)...........................page 14 Teen gets tough on texting...............................page 24 Chillin’| May with Bailey................page 25 14, 2014
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