137 Avenue C, hollow on the inside

The inside of 137 Avenue C just south of East Ninth Street is pretty much gone…



As previously reported, there's a building-wide gut renovation underway (obviously), which will see the addition of an extra floor all via architect Ramy Issac.

The renovations include shoring up the exterior wall … which resulted in the (temporary) destruction of the sliver of a garden to the south of No. 137...





As we understand it, the regulars who tend to the garden are unfazed by the construction. They were made aware of it and plan to restock the garden once the work is complete next door.

One last note. The ground-floor space was previously home to the Sunburnt Cow, which closed on April 27 after 11 years.

There is a potential new tenant for this storefront. An attorney for the applicant had filed paperwork with CB3 for the October SLA committee meeting, accidentally citing 137 Avenue A on the paperwork. (Result of the confusion is here.) The applicant subsequently withdrew for the October agenda.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Renovations in store for 137 Avenue C, home to the Sunburnt Cow

The Sunburnt Cow closes for good at the end of this month

Gutted Cow

[Photo yesterday by EVG reader jcroot]

The Sunburnt Cow closed for good on April 27 after 11 years at 137 Avenue C near East Ninth Street.

Work has started on a building-wide gut renovation, which will see the addition of an extra floor all via architect Ramy Issac.

EVG regular Dave on 7th got a look inside the former Sunburnt Cow yesterday, and didn't find much resembling a bar left...





Previously on EV Grieve:
Renovations in store for 137 Avenue C, home to the Sunburnt Cow

The Sunburnt Cow closes for good at the end of this month

The Marshal takes possession of The Sunburnt Cow after its closes for good

The Sunburnt Cow called it a day on April 27 after 11 years at 137 Avenue C.

Meanwhile, several EVG readers noted the arrival of a "marshal's legal possession" flyer on the former bar's front door later last week…



Meanwhile, there's still an active listing for the space at Misrahi Realty. (Asking rent: $5,400 a month.) However, the whole (now-empty) building is getting a gut rehab and an extra floor courtesy of architect Ramy Issac.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Renovations in store for 137 Avenue C, home to the Sunburnt Cow

The Sunburnt Cow closes for good at the end of this month

The Sunburnt Cow closes for good after this weekend

As previously noted, The Sunburnt Cow closes this weekend after 11 years at 137 Avenue C near East Ninth Street.

Owner Heathe St Clair recently posted this message to the Sunburnt Cow Facebook page:

It is very sad for me to say The Cow is closing!
It took 2 years and 5 attempts in different locations around NYC to open. The weekend after we did finally open was the blackout of 2003. We made the best of it with candles an outside BBQ, local musicians played and of course we had ice cold beer. Looking back we really couldn't have asked for a better introduction to the neighborhood.

The Cow has been a gigantic part of my life and a dream come true. She has taught me so may things, introduced me to more people than I can remember. She's been integral in so many coming together and finding love, some lasting, some fleeting but love none the less.

She played music that made you dance in a time the law said "NO" Somehow we got away with it when so many got caught. We brunched better than any and probably still do! I remember back then so many of my restaurant friends asking me how I thought I was going to make money from the "Endless Brunch". Now it seems every restaurant in NYC is offering bottomless brunch. I have to shout out Stingy Lulu's who I stole the idea from.

And there will be various DJs and what not this weekend…



The city approved a gut renovation and additional floor for the building here at No. 137 last month. (Good luck tossing another floor atop here. Several readers have noted that the building leans a bit… )

Previously on EV Grieve:
Renovations in store for 137 Avenue C, home to the Sunburnt Cow

The Sunburnt Cow closes for good at the end of this month

Renovations in store for 137 Avenue C, home to the Sunburnt Cow

Several things are going on over at 137 Avenue C… just south of East Ninth Street. The building was sold last February for $2.45 million to 137 Avenue C, LLC. (The address eventually leads to Corigin, a private holding company specializing in real estate and private equity investments.)

A plan to renovate the entire building is in process, dated Wednesday, with the Department of Buildings. Per the DOB's all-cap job description: "INTERIOR RENOVATION OF FIVE STORY MIXED USE BUILDING AMENDED CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY WILL BE OBTAINED."

The DOB lists Ramy Issac, no stranger to the East Village, as the architect of record. Issac specializes in penthouse additions here, legal or otherwise. To date, there isn't any sign of an extra floor for No. 137.

Meanwhile, the ground floor is home to the Sunburnt Cow, now just a weekend-only bar. Last Sunday, the Cow didn't open. According to the Cow's Facebook page: "Unfortunately we experienced a major water leak during the night and the FDNY have shut off all water to the building. We will not be open for brunch today."



The sign on the door says closed due to building maintenance. The bar, which remains for sale, is next scheduled to be open this evening.

This building has changed hands several times in recent years… last going for $1.48 million in 2004, per public records.

The Sunburnt Cow looks to be for sale

While looking for rental information on The Pudgie's-Nathan's-Arthur Treacher's space at the Misrahi Realty website... we spotted a listing for the Sunburnt Cow on Avenue C near East Ninth Street...



Listed price: $5,400.

Last month, the DOH temporarily closed the "Endless Brunch" hotspot after finding 56 violation points. Owner Heathe St. Clair "blamed the continuing recovery from Hurricane Sandy for his restaurant's dismal inspection report," according to an article by Serena Solomon in DNAinfo.

"The hurricane and now this — it is a disaster," said St. Clair, whose basement flooded during Sandy like many other businesses along this stretch of Avenue C.

The Moolife Group, owners of the Sunburnt Cow, closed Bondi Road last September after a six-year run on Rivington Street, as BoweryBoogie reported.

Last summer, the Moolife folks announced that the Sunburnt Cow would close to "undergo a physical transformation, but ... also shift focus to more gourmet oriented food and drink." However, that never happened.

The Sunburnt Cow is currently only open on Friday and Saturday nights and weekend brunch, according to their Facebook page.

Report: DOH temporarily closes the Sunburnt Cow on Avenue C

[File photo]

The DOH has temporarily closed drunk-brunch hotspot the Sunburnt Cow, reports Serena Soloman at DNAinfo this afternoon.

Inspectors found 56 violation points during a visit on Friday, including "the space not being considered 'vermin proof' and its toilet facility not being well maintained and having no toilet paper," per the DOH website.

Owner Heathe St. Clair blamed the ongoing Hurricane Sandy recovery for the failed inspection. The bar-restaurant on Avenue C was one of the many businesses along Avenue C to suffer from extensive Sandy-related flood damage last fall.

'Endless Brunch' will live on when the Sunburnt Cow reopens

On Thursday, we passed along the news release stating that The Sunburnt Cow on Avenue C will temporarily close and "not only undergo a physical transformation, but ... also shift focus to more gourmet oriented food and drink as opposed to its current deal-driven status."

Given the end of its "deal-driven status," we assumed that also meant the end of the drunken brunch deal, featuring "all you can drink" uh, drinks... and hordes of woo-wooers weekend afternoons...

Not so!

Per a Sunburnt Cow rep: "The Cow plans to continue the weekend 'Endless Brunch' when it reopens."

Our apologies to the temporarily crestfallen Endless Brunch crowd.

Per the Cow's Facebook page, they will remain open through August ... before the renovations begin.

[Updated] Sunburnt Cow closing for renovations; going gourmet, bye-bye drunken brunch

[File photo]

We just received a news release about "a restructuring of the Moo Life Group brand that will return the restaurant group to its original mission — to develop gourmet Australian concepts in the United States and abroad."

Basically Bondi Road has been sold and the Sunburnt Cow will undergo a major transformation.

Let's get right to it, per the release:

The sale of Bondi Road was precipitated by a dramatic increase in rent for the space located at 153 Rivington Street ... The Sunburnt Cow, the first restaurant concept developed by the Moo Life Group at 137 Avenue C (between 8th and 9th Streets) will not only undergo a physical transformation, but will also shift focus to more gourmet oriented food and drink as opposed to its current deal-driven status.

"We are very excited about these changes and what they mean to the future of the Moo Life Group," says founder and owner Heathe St. Clair. "I want to thank all of our loyal customers who have made Bondi Road and the Sunburnt Cow so successful throughout the years. It was not an easy decision, but although Bondi Road will be gone, we look forward to the reopening of the Sunburnt Cow and introducing a new approach to Australian dining in New York City."

No date set for the renovations ... or what will become of the Moo Mobile.

The Sunburnt Cow just reopened for seven-days-a-week service on June 1.

Updated July 6:

A Sunburnt Cow rep says that the "Endless Brunch" on weekends will continue in the new-look eatery.

[Updated] 6 months after drug bust, Sunburnt Cow reopening garden with a 'just say no' party

Last December, the NYPD closed Sunburnt Cow Avenue C due to "suspected illegal drug activity." Since then, the bar-restaurant-drunken-brunch destination has only been open on weekends and for special events ... So.

From the EV Grieve inbox...

Celebrate the opening of the outdoor garden at The Sunburnt Cow with a party that would make Nancy Reagan proud! Boldly declaring their stance on drugs, The Sunburnt Cow invites you to join them and “Just Say No” on Friday, June 1, 2012.

Dine under the stars in the breezy outdoor retreat just in time for summer.

JUST SAY NO AT THE SUNBURNT COW
FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

OUTDOOR GARDEN OPENED 7 DAYS A WEEK
4:00 PM – 2:00 AM

And we had asked the Sunburnt Cow folks for a comment about all this... Via a rep:

"The Moo Life Group does not support or condone drug use of any kind at its properties and this evenings 'Just Say No' event reinforces that fact through The Sunburnt Cow's usual irreverence and humor."

Previously on EV Grieve:
NYPD shuts down the Sunburnt Cow

Report: Midnight raid at the Sunburnt Cow

[Marcus Cohn]

This information is via Marcus Cohn's website. He wrote that on Saturday night around midnight, a group of 30 or so NYPD and other various officials paid a visit to the Sunburnt Cow on Avenue C near East Ninth Street. Per Marcus:

They were there for about 30 minutes and were examining everything from the menus, to the liquor license, to actual bottles of alcohol. They did not ask patrons to leave, yet most left on their own volition as their drinks ran empty. The bartenders were also made to pour out all the mixers.

The Sunburnt Cow hopes to reopen by New Year's Eve

Last Thursday, as we first reported, the NYPD closed the Sunburnt Cow on Avenue C for "Criminal sale and possession of controlled substances — marijuana." On Friday evening, we received a statement from the owners of The Sunburnt Cow on Avenue C:

The Sunburnt Cow will open this weekend and honor all reservations and specials as usual, including the Endless Brunch. After Sunday, December 18th, we will close and remain so until the police complete their investigation. We plan to reopen in time for our annual New Year’s celebration.

We are working with the authorities to bring about a swift and just resolution to this issue and want to reiterate that we had no prior knowledge of illegal drug activity on our premises. We do not and will not condone, endorse or tolerate such behavior at any of our establishments.

Yesterday, a rep for The Sunburnt Cow confirmed that the Australian-themed bar-restaurant would remain closed, with an eye on reopening before New Year's Eve.

Previously.

The Sunburnt Cow will be open this weekend

A statement form the Sunburnt Cow folks after Thursday night's drug bust....

The Sunburnt Cow will open this weekend and honor all reservations and specials as usual, including the Endless Brunch. After Sunday, December 18th, we will close and remain so until the police complete their investigation. We plan to reopen in time for our annual New Year’s celebration.

We are working with the authorities to bring about a swift and just resolution to this issue and want to reiterate that we had no prior knowledge of illegal drug activity on our premises. We do not and will not condone, endorse or tolerate such behavior at any of our establishments. During this temporary closure, we invite all of our loyal patrons to visit The Sunburnt Calf, Bondi Road and The Sunburnt Calf Brooklyn to experience the quality and service that has made The Sunburnt Cow a local favorite for the past 10 years.

Heathe St. Clair
Moo Life Group

Sunburnt Cow releases statement about last night's NYPD bust

Here's the statement sent to us by the Sunburnt Cow's rep:

On Thursday, December 15th, The Sunburnt Cow was closed due to suspected illegal drug activity taking place on the premises. This activity comes as a shock to the entire Moo Life Group family and is not something that we endorse, condone or had prior knowledge of. We are currently working with the New York City Police Department to ensure that justice is served so we can get back to serving the public very soon. The health and safety of our patrons is a priority to us and we will do everything we can in order to make sure that our establishments support that mission.

Heathe St. Clair
The Moo Life Group

Previously on EV Grieve:
NYPD shuts down the Sunburnt Cow

NYPD shuts down the Sunburnt Cow

A little earlier this evening, several readers noted that a strong force of NYPD detectives zoomed in on the Sunburnt Cow on Avenue C near Ninth Street...

Detectives at the scene weren't talking, though one did offer "they won't be open this weekend." According to a flyer attached to the front gate ... the NYPD closed the bar-restaurant for ...

"Criminal sale and possession of controlled substances  — marijuana."

We left a message for the Sunburnt Cow's rep.

Today in April Fools Day gags on Avenue C

Outside the Sunburnt Cow near Ninth Street...

Why you'll have a cow this Sunday afternoon on Avenue C

The Sunburnt Cow, a favorite weekend afternoon binge drinking spot of people I don't know, celebrates its seventh birthday on Sunday from 3 to 8 p.m. Free food and booze "for Friends of the Sunburnt Cow." Plus, there's the annual cow spit roast. Moo-ve it!


[Via The Sunburnt Cow website]


Speaking of the Sunburnt Cow....

Previously on EV Grieve:
Speaking of the Sunburnt Cow, have you seen my collection of Moo Mobile photos?

79th Street gets its taste of Avenue C's Sunburnt Cow

We know several people who continued to be annoyed by the fraternity-and-sorority hijinks in front of the Sunburnt Cow on Avenue C near Ninth Street... Maybe it's the drink-and-drown brunch weekends....



Anyway, this item in The Rundown caught our attention:

The sequel to Avenue C's The Sunburnt Cow brings the same Australians-in-exile party to the Upper West Side's post-college nightlife nexus. It's bigger, better, and has (somehow) precisely cloned its downtown clientele — this is not a place for the stroller patrol.

That fact is evident in the $18 all-you-can-drink brunch, which should create fun sidewalk traffic for moms on their way to Zabar's, as well as a series of noise complaints from their upstairs neighbors.

The menu's also a clone of the East Village institution, with Aussie-inspired cuisine — loaded up burgers, raw bar offerings, and the terrifying Pesto Shark (it's exactly what it sounds like).

It's a bar built for big blowouts. Go now and get your drink on, before the community board shuts them down.

Sunburnt Cow building was peddled on Bid in the City

I read about Bid in the City -- eBay for real estate, as it has been said -- back when it launched this spring. After seeing some commercials for it on TV (ESPN!) this past weekend, I thought I'd check out the site...



I looked to see what had been offered in these parts. And what went on the block in June? 137 Avenue C, which, among other things, is home to stand-in-line-for brunch hotspot the Sunburnt Cow.



Original Price:$3,200,000
Starting Bid:$1,450,000
Closing Bid:$1,605,000

I have no idea how any of Bid stuff works. But, at first glimpse, this seems like a pretty good deal. It's a four-story building with six apartments and the Cow, in which patrons are dared to drink as much as possible in two hours for $20.



According to the property taxes, the building is worth $2.6 million.

Speaking of the Sunburnt Cow, have you seen my collection of Moo Mobile photos?

Previously.