Is ABC No Rio About to (Temporarily) Move Out?

ABC No Rio still has matinees booked through December, but it looks like one of the Lower East Side's long-running DIY spaces is getting very close to a momentary end. The venue's endless struggle with the city ended in June, when the two-man team of Manhattan borough president Scott Stringer and City Councilman Alan J. Gerson finally bailed the space out, offering up $1.65 million dollars towards a new building and a continuation of the space's wonderful non-profit work. Now they seem on the verge of commencing work on the sustainably-designed new space: plans are posted on ABC's website, and the above video shows what appear to be the opening stages of a wake for the building, which they'll have to move out of and level before starting over. [Update: Not so! ABC tells us they have another year or so in their current space. The wake was part of another project, "not a signal that the building will be taken down for the new site."] To quote YouTube user lisanne718:

"ABC No Rio held a wake for the building last week. This early 20th century buillding has been the Lower East Side home of no profit arts organization ABC NO RIo since 1980. It will be knocked down soon and a new ABC NO RIO will be built at the same site.

In this video a cast canvas shroud of the exterior is taken down and thrown into a waiting casket. The wake ensued in the gallery space after a procession around the neighborhood."

We called ABC to see if they had a definite move-out date, and will update when/if they return our call. Those who've never been should go before this incarnation is gone--it's not lovely, but it served its purpose well. [h/t Found in Brooklyn]