Former 9th Street garage demolished to make way for luxury residences

Photos by Steven 

After more than two months, workers have completed the demolition of the former Little Man Parking garage (aka LaSalle Parking) on Ninth Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

The DOB permits list a "partial demolition" of the existing 5-story structure. We don't see much left of anything.

Per previous reports, the new 6-floor building will include 31,231 square feet of residential space, including 18 units and likely condos. Amenities include a rear yard and parking for 10 vehicles. Colberg Architecture is the architect of record. The plywood rendering lists a completion date of Winter 2026. 

According to public records and the TradedNY account, Arcus Development, operating through Astor Nine LLC, is the new owner of the vacant property. 

The garage closed in April 2023 after the Department of Buildings issued a vacate order on the property following the deadly collapse at the Little Man garage on Ann Street in the Financial District.

Curbside comeback: Tree beds revived along this section of 2nd Avenue

Photos by Stacie Joy 

The rather barren stretch along the east side of Second Avenue between Third Street and First Street is looking a little better these days. (H/T csw!)

Last week, The Sidewalk Gardeners, who specialize in sidewalk tree bed revitalization, did just that along this corridor...

Here's more via an Instagram post about the project: 

Sponsored by a nearby condo resident, we are on a mission to rehabbing forgotten tree beds between 1st and 3rd St. Full of trash, waste and even a dead bird, if not properly cared for, many of these spaces can carry diseases and attract rodents and pests.

Previously on EV Grieve:

• On 2nd Avenue and 2nd Street, an empty lot and lots of questions about what's next

High hopes: Licensed dispensary planned for this 9th Street storefront

A licensed adult-use retail dispensary is in the works for 331 E. Ninth St., located between First Avenue and Second Avenue, in the former Pride Smokes space. 

Tonight, CB3's Cannabis Control Task Force will hear more about the business, which will operate under the name Bellanova, with proposed hours of 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. (1 a.m. on weekends). Find the Bellanova questionnaire here. 

There was also an item on an adult-use retail dispensary for 24 St. Mark's Place (below) between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. However, the application was withdrawn ahead of this meeting.

This storefront was previously the short-lived Nosh Up market. 

The Cannabis Control Task Force meets tonight at 6, Community Board 3 Office, 59 E. Fourth St. between Second Avenue and the Bowery. 

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• A primer on Community Board 3's role in the permit process for legal cannabis shops

Pedestrian ramp upgrades slated for 7th Street this week

Photo by Stacie Joy 

Crews are expected to begin upgrading pedestrian ramps along East Seventh Street this week, according to posted signage. 

Work is scheduled to take place over the next few days at the corners of Seventh Street and Avenues D, B, A, and First Avenue. Temporary parking restrictions will be in effect during the project; sidewalk access may also be limited. 

Per the DOT website: "New and upgraded pedestrian ramps include a red (or white in special districts) detectable warning surface to help guide people with visual disabilities." 

This interactive DOT map shows you the progress on corner ramps.

Signage alert: Ops on 2nd Avenue

The awning arrived Friday for Ops, the incoming pizzeria at 176 Second Ave. between 11th Street and 12th Street. (Thanks for the tip, William Klayer!) 

As we first reported last September, the ownership behind Bushwick's Ops (and sister pizzeria Leo in Williamsburg), is opening a Neopolitan-style joint here. 

Grub Street has more on Ops here, which in 2016 became a "destination for its sourdough, Neapolitan-ish pizza. The pies are wood-fried and ornamented with broccoli rabe and ricotta salata." 

The EV Ops is expected to open in the coming week. What to expect inside? Per Grub Street: 

The dining room is mostly recessed, with a street-level section up front that has a banquette for ten and overlooks the rest of the space. There are more deep-red banquettes down the ramp, a custom-made stainless-steel bar, and wineglasses printed with a cute drawing (by Tribouilloy) of mortadella. 

No. 176 previously housed Numero 28 Pizzeria Napoletana, which went dark in late 2023 after a 2009 debut.

Week in Grieview

Posts this past week included (with a photo by Stacie Joy of ATM hijinks on 2nd Avenue)... 

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 • East Village tenants call for nonprofit ownership amid years of housing instability (Monday, June 9)

• RIP Billy Jones (Tuesday, June 10) 

• About the East Village Music Festival, taking place on June 22 at La Plaza Cultural (Wednesday, June 11) 

• A belated farewell to a familiar fixture of St. Mark’s Place (Monday, June 9) 

 • Early voting is underway (Saturday, June 14) • A band to know: Um, Jennifer? (Friday, June 13) 

• Titi’s Empanadas opens today (Friday the 13th!) on 7th Street (Friday, June 13) 

• The Merchant's House Museum remains open during exterior restoration work (Tuesday, June 11)

• East Village artist reimagines where and how we see art, starting with exhibit at corner market (Friday, June 13) 

• 'Placeholders' highlights businesses located in HDFC storefronts (Thursday, June 12)

• Keys to the city: The Sing for Hope piano has arrived in Tompkins Square Park (Tuesday, June 10) 

• The 4th annual LUNGS Theater Festival takes place this weekend (Thursday, June 12) 

• Changes brewing at Associated on Avenue C and 8th Street (Thursday, June 12) 

• Sip + Co. closing on 9th Street (Wednesday, June 11) 

• What happened to the blue mail collection box outside the Tompkins Square Post Office? (Friday, June 13) 

• On the clock: Lower East Side Lidl Watch (Thursday, June 12)

• 'Daredevil' season 2 at Panna II (Saturday, June 14) 

• Duane Reade is not sleeping on this Rite Aid closing-soon situation (Wednesday, June 11) 

• Signage alert: Crêpes le Bon on Avenue A (Tuesday, June 11) 

• New chapter in healing: Spear PT to open in former dispensary space on 14th Street (Monday, June 9) 

• From around the blogosphere: The history of 106 Avenue C (Wednesday, June 11)

Art meets aisles at Village Gourmet Grocery

Photos by Stacie Joy 

On Friday night, local artist Maria De Victoria launched her series of gallery shows at unexpected spaces in the East Village, starting with the Village Gourmet Grocery on the SE corner of Second Avenue and Sixth Street.

The inaugural exhibit is "EN EL KIOSKO," a presentation of new paintings by Juan Jose Heredia (below with De Victoria).

On view through June 29, the work is displayed alongside the everyday corner market items sold at Village Gourmet Grocery.

Aside from gallery-goers, the usual Friday evening stopped by to pick up a few items. 

De Victoria shared more about her new vision for her Desnivel Gallery: 

I moved Desnivel from the basement of my home to the storefronts of the East Village — the neighborhood I’ve lived in for the past 15 years — to highlight the financial challenges of establishing and running an art space, and to make art more accessible to viewers who may not have the opportunity to engage with it otherwise. 

Desnivel aims to increase visibility and accessibility, allowing the artwork to be seen and experienced at various times of the day, in a way that is convenient for visitors and hopefully leaves a lasting impact.

The EVG newsletter returns for a 2nd week!

As we mentioned last week, a few EVG readers have inquired over the years about the availability of a subscription or newsletter to receive our stories directly in their inbox. 

We listened, and five-plus years later, we delivered.

For now, it's a weekly with all the links and headlines from the past week. (Basically, it's the same thing as the Week in Grieview feature, but emailed straight to you.) 

You can sign up for a free subscription here. 

Whether it's on the site or through a newsletter, thank you for reading EVG.

Saturday's parting shot

Photo by Stacie Joy 

Unable to attend today's No Kings day-of-action rally starting in Bryant Park, Lois Weaver and Peggy Shaw of Split Britches held their own on the Bowery and Fourth Street today.

Early voting is underway

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Early voting for the Primary Election starts today (June 14!) and continues until Sunday, June 22. Primary Election Day is on Tuesday, June 24. 

Click here to see your poll site locator and sample ballot. Find info on all the candidates here. 

Today (June 14!) is also the final day you can register to vote in person, online or by mail.

'Daredevil' season 2 at Panna II

Photos by Stacie Joy

Over the past two days, crews for a large production called "Out of the Kitchen 2" (as indicated by posted notices) have been filming in the neighborhood. That is code for the Disney+ series "Daredevil: Born Again" from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

Last evening, crews were filming inside Panna II on First Avenue at Sixth Street.

We'll likely see more filming for season 2 in the weeks ahead... in which Krysten Ritter reprises her role as Jessica Jones. (Flashback to the first "Daredevil" series filming at Sophie's...and when they blew off the front doors at Vazac's/Horseshoe Bar/7B.) 

The cast includes one-time EV resident Vincent D'Onofrio.

Friday's parting shot

Photo by Stacie Joy 

Village View today...and especially enamored by the three-headed skull clutching a pumpkin but also a gold cup on the front of the riding lawn mower...

A band to know: Um, Jennifer?

Photos by Stacie Joy

The playful punk-tinged local duo Um, Jennifer? — Fig on the left, Eli on the right — is on tomorrow's free Show Brain bill in Tompkins Square Park. 

We've had a chance to see Um, Jennifer? a few times, including a record-release show at Night Club 101 on Avenue A this past April 25 (with PMFD)... and we really like them.

Stereogum named them a Band to Watch this spring. Indeed.

Check out their brand new video for "Car Wash" here...

 

What happened to the blue mail collection box outside the Tompkins Square Post Office?

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

If you've noticed the blue USPS mailbox missing from outside the Tompkins Square Post Office on Third Street between Avenues B and C, you're not alone. 

According to postal employees, the box was removed last week "due to vandalism." 

"This is a rough neighborhood," one employee said, explaining that people kept gluing the box shut. There were also instances of "fraudulent mail removal events," they noted. 

As for whether the mailbox will return: "I don't know, but I don’t think so," the employee added.

East Village artist reimagines where and how we see art, starting with exhibit at corner market

Local artist Maria De Victoria is beginning a series of gallery shows at unexpected spaces in the East Village, starting with the Village Gourmet Grocery on the SE corner of Second Avenue and Sixth Street tonight from 6-8.

She shares more about the project here: 

I moved Desnivel from the basement of my home to the storefronts of the East Village — the neighborhood I’ve lived in for the past 15 years — to highlight the financial challenges of establishing and running an art space, and to make art more accessible to viewers who may not have the opportunity to engage with it otherwise. 

Desnivel aims to increase visibility and accessibility, allowing the artwork to be seen and experienced at various times of the day, in a way that is convenient for visitors and hopefully leaves a lasting impact. 

The inaugural exhibit is "EN EL KIOSKO," a presentation of new paintings by Juan Jose Heredia. It will be on display through June 29. Find more information here... and if you're on Instagram.

Titi’s Empanadas opens today (Friday the 13th!) on 7th Street

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

Titi's NYC Inspired Empanadas is expanding from Williamsburg to the East Village (first reported here), opening its new outpost today (yes, Friday the 13th) at 130 E. Seventh St., just west of Avenue A. 

"People asked me, are you really opening on Friday the 13th? Why? 'Hey, I gotta pay the rent,'" joked co-owner Jesus Villalobos (below right with co-owner Nate Ramm).

Villalobos and Ramm are bringing their popular lineup of Latin-inspired empanadas to the new outpost, which will be open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Friday and Saturday until 4 a.m. There was a friends-and-family test run last night...

The new shop will feature a rotating "empanada of the week" — a limited-run of 100 special-edition empanadas with creative fillings, such as fish-cheek crab curry and a fried eggplant, broccoli rabe, and beef combo.

"We want to be part of the community," said Ramm. Villalobos added that they aim to "pay homage and represent the Latino flavors that are the New York we grew up in."

A walk-up window will offer grab-and-go coffee and snacks. Beer and wine are coming soon. 

And while patacones fans may be out of luck for now — they're only available at sister restaurant Cachapas Y Mas. Villalobos and Ramm offered to have a patacones empanada as a special of the week if I showed up to help. (Will keep EVG readers apprised if that comes to fruition!)

About tomorrow's Show Brain-sponsored concert in Tompkins Square Park

The second Show Brain-sponsored concert of the season takes place tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon in Tompkins Square Park... featuring headliners Vial, an excellent indie punk trio from Minneapolis.

The lineup (times are tentative):

•  2-2:35 — Crush Fund 

• 2:50—3:25 — Um, Jennifer? 

• 3:40-4:15 — Desert Sharks 

• 4:30-5:05 — Shilpa Ray 

• 5:20-6:05 — Vial

This is a rain-or-shine event ...

The Sagittarius Moon

A dispatch from Felton Davis, the now-retired founder of the Second Avenue Star Watchers... 

Telescope gathering dust in the office, but the sidewalk astronomer still wakes up in the middle of the night to chase the waning moon across the sky.

The 4th annual LUNGS Theater Festival takes place this weekend

The fourth annual LUNGS (Loisaida United Neighborhood Gardens) Theater Festival is this weekend — weather permitting — at the 6th Street and Avenue B Garden. 

The free performances start at noon on both Saturday and Sunday. (Note: The program is the same each day.) For a detailed preview, visit the LUNGS website here. 

Joseph Papp began the outdoor theater tradition on the Lower East Side in 1956 when he introduced "Shakespeare in the Park" in the (now-demolished but being rebuilt) East River Park Amphitheater.

In 2022, LUNGS continued this part of his legacy with the free Summer Theater Festival.

Changes brewing at Associated on Avenue C and 8th Street

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

The Associated Supermarket at Avenue C and Eighth Street is undergoing a rebrand and refresh.

According to store employees, the neighborhood grocery is merging with Monza, a Brazilian brand. Renovations are underway, with plans to introduce a barista bar with pastries, a cheese station and a new sandwich bar.

Despite the changes, the store will remain part of the Associated marketplace and continue sourcing products from Associated suppliers, including Met Food and Compare.

The current staff has been retained and is now sporting Monza-branded shirts, aprons, and caps. Store employees say all the products locals rely on will still be available.

The owner reportedly operated several other Associated stores in the area (like 14th Street), but this is the last one remaining. 

H/T Dave on 7th!