The annual meeting of shareholders will take place on June 6 at 7PM at the Seafarers and International House at 123 East 15th St., second floor.

From the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation:

NYU recently revealed its draft Environmental Assessment Statement and draft Scoping Document for its massive proposed zoning changes and taking of public land to allow its planned twenty-year expansion in Greenwich Village. These documents provide greater detail about what NYU is planning, what the potential impacts are of their proposed changes, and how NYU will be required to analyze those impacts for the public review process of their application.

Community Board #2 will be holding a public hearing on the documents and the response to them on Thursday, May 5 (time and location TBD). Following the Community Board hearing, the City Planning Commission will hold a hearing before the documents are finalized and the review and analysis takes place. This process is expected to take several months. After that, the public hearing, review, and approval process for the actual proposed zoning changes and transfers of public land may take place.

The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation reports:

At a meeting for affected property owners last night, the Landmarks Preservation Commission unveiled two small study areas for potential proposed historic districts in the East Village — one on Tompkins Square North and one centered along Second Avenue between Houston St. and St. Marks. This is a preliminary step in their consideration of these districts; the next step will be a public presentation and hearing before Community Board #3’s Landmarks Subcommittee on Thursday, May 12 at 6 pm at BRC, 30 Delancey Street, btw. Chrystie and Forsyth Streets.

For the next two weeks, through May 6, the New School reports that construction will be basically “more of the same.” In other words, they’re still digging the hole.

Join The New School’s Fabio Parasecoli for New York City’s first college pop-up class will at Union Square’s Greenmarket on Wednesday, April 20 at 11 a.m.

A world-travelled food and culture expert, Fabio leads The New School’s Food Studies program, which examines the cultural, political, and economic significance of how and why we eat.

With the Greenmarket as his classroom, Professor Parasecoli will conduct a unique cultural, historical, and environmental lesson in food – with the farmers as participating experts – as collective thoughts turn to spring produce, Easter dinners and Passover recipes.

At the end of the pop-up class, he’ll offer up a Greenmarket recipe and answer questions. The class starts by the statue of Gandhi at the south-west corner of Union Square–look for The New School signs!

Here’s what they’re currently saying:

“With demolition and abatement complete, Tishman Construction and the Durst Organization have moved on to the next major phases of the construction process: clearing and laying the foundation. Future deadlines include the following.”

Present to August 2011: Excavation foundation

September 2011 to May 2012: Superstructure erection

May 2012 to October 2012: Façade and building enclosure

As reported by Eater.com
Corkbuzz was up first, Laura Maniec, formerly the beverage director at BR Guest and one of 18 female Master Sommeliers, seeks to open Corkbuzz at 13 East 13th Street and obviously needs a full liquor license for this restaurant… or is it obvious? Corkbuzz would primarily be a restaurant but would also seek to celebrate, explore and enjoy wine. The community was very mixed on this one. Although there was tons of support for the wine-centric restaurant coming to the neighborhood, some wondered why they were seeking a full license and not just wine and beer. The community members did not want another full license on this block, especially since this location had not been licensed before. One board member actually had the audacity to grill her on her experience, even though she clearly mentioned that she had been involved in nearly 10 restaurant openings and was made partner at BR Guest after a relatively brief time there. In the end, they voted to deny the application unless certain stipulations were met (including closing at 1AM on Thursday-Saturday, not using outside promoters), because they thought the applicant was unique and special.

2) The man behind Caliente Cab Company is looking to pick up the old Buona Sera space at 94 University Place. They were hoping for a full liquor license for their restaurant, which would be a sort of Mexican and Asian-fusion. There would be a limited food counter and a limited bar and they’re working with a chef at Nobu on the menu development. They actually came having already reduced their hours, but they still received somewhat mixed reviews from the community. They were approved with a deny unless they agreed to certain stipulations. Oh, and don’t expect a happy hour here…they think it isn’t pro-community and attracts the college crowds.

THIS LINK leads to the official new construction newsletter.

You’ve surely noticed the water main repairs happening along 13th St. This will lead to water shutoffs at 830AM for up to five hours on Tuesday the 12th and Thursday the 14th, and perhaps other times.

Some fun history about 65 5th Ave.

“The New School has been a presence at 65 Fifth Avenue, the site of the University Center, since 1967, when the university converted a Lane’s department store building for student use. But long before the address became associated with educational innovation, it was renown for innovation of another kind. In 1881, inventor Thomas Edison installed at the address (which was then occupied by a handsome brownstone) a permanent exhibition of his electrical discoveries. The biography Edison: His Life and Inventions reports that “the house was thrown open to the public until late at night, never closing before ten o’clock, so as to give everybody who wished an opportunity to see that great novelty of the time—the incandescent light—whose fame had meanwhile been spreading all over the globe.” It is a fitting legacy for the University Center, which upon opening in Fall 2013 will itself serve as a living teaching tool, with exposed energy and water management systems to provide working demonstrations of sustainable design.”