Showing posts with label starting rumors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label starting rumors. Show all posts

Monday, April 20, 2015

Rumor: Tompkins Square Bagels possibly opening a 2nd East Village location on 2nd Avenue


[EVG photo from January]

Open Pantry, the 45-year-old coffee shop/grocery at 184 Second Ave., closed for good at the end of January. The proprietors, who also own the building here between East 11th Street and East 12th Street, have had the storefront on the rental market these past few months.

Now comes word, via the rumor mill, that Tompkins Square Bagels is looking to open a second East Village shop at this location.

We'll update when/if we hear back from TSB owner Christopher Pugliese.

Tompkins Square Bagels opened on Avenue A near East 10th Street in December 2011.

Previously on EV Grieve:
After 40-plus years, Open Pantry looks to be closing on 2nd Avenue

Thursday, April 4, 2013

UPDATED: Did you hear the rumor about the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office branch closing?



So have you heard the rumors that the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office on East 14th Street near Avenue A will close this fall? We have. Again, it's just a rumor.

After all, in July 2011, when USPS officials released a list of thousands of post offices being studied for possible closure to save money, this one wasn't on the list. Maybe all this is just wishful thinking by the patrons who have expressed their exasperation-disgust, etc. at this branch. (See comments in the links below.)

Or maybe a developer is starting this rumor. Why, what a prime chunk of East Village real estate! Think of the condos we could have instead of some dumb mail!



Or maybe it's just an unhappy postal worker, like the letter carrier who has been telling residents on his or her route that this branch is closing in September, and most likely absorbed into the PO branch on East 23rd Street between Third Avenue and Lexington.

Updated 8:56 a.m.:

OK! Well, apparently this is more than a rumor... more like a done deal.

There's a Town Hall scheduled on the matter between Community Board 3 and Community Board 6 on April 22. Location: — Campos Plaza Community Center (gym) at 611 East 13th Street (btwn Aves B & C)



Updated noon:

And this was in a recent issue of Town & Village (story now online)...




Previously on EV Grieve:
Today in rants: the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office

Meanwhile, at everyone's favorite local post office branch...

Has anyone taken advantage of this 'great news' at the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office?

Monday, August 6, 2012

Updated: Incoming Starbucks on First Avenue will have another window; walk up window perhaps?

[March 30]

Looking at the incoming Starbucks here on First Avenue at 13th Street ... workers are, uh, working on putting in a window, probably... (or maybe the double-brick look is in...)



Or. Perhaps it will be a walk-up window like at the McDonald's around the bend on East 14th Street...?


Updated 8-7

Oh, never mind...


Previously on EV Grieve:
Today in rumors of another Starbucks opening in the East Village

Starbucks confirmed for 219 First Ave., former home to Allen Ginsberg's favorite Chinese restaurant

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

238 E. Fourth St. off the market; will Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz be our new neighbors?


Back in April, the newish luxury home at 238 E. Fourth St. (just west of Avenue B) hit the market ... $8.5 million for the 6,500 square-foot condo with paparazzi shield private garage, south-facing garden, "whimsical powder rooms," "a glass and steel Juliet balcony overlooking charming, and historic 4th Street," etc.

Anyway, as of around 1 today, the listing was no longer available on Streeteasy...


And the listing is no longer on the Town Real Estate site ... So, did the owner change her mind and pull the home from the market? Or did someone buy it...? (Though you'd think it would be listed in contract then...)

Maybe someone with a lot of money who looked at the house before came in and bought it ... and it's all being done really quietly and stuff... maybe people like Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz, who the Post noted checked out the space in April ... Per the listing:

This residence is over 6,000 square feet and built to fulfill every need for both exquisite, over-the-top entertaining and to the same degree for total discretion and privacy, whichever is preferred at any given time.



Previously on EV Grieve:
Is this home fit for James Bond?

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

RUMOR: Which 'Friends' cast member demolished the historic East Sixth Street townhouse?


Yesterday, we had the sad news about the total demolition of the circa-1852 townhouse at 331 E. Sixth St.

Per a commenter:

Rumor has it that this building was bought by a former "Friends" cast member, not sure which one. Funny how that show portayed outrageously unrealistic NYC apartment living. The reality is so much more outrageous!

Hmm, well, we have no idea about this one. Well, it could be true, though it likely isn't.

Still, let's blame LeBlanc.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

End of the world avoided — for now


Some good news via Patrick Hedlund at DNAinfo... let's pick up the action starting in the third-to-the-last paragraph:

"I hope this is a false rumor," wrote commenter Stedman on local blog EV Grieve. "We don't need another Starbucks in the neighborhood."

Another commenter on the site, Glamma, simply stated: "GASP. NO. OH. MY. GOD...."

But a company spokesperson was quick to dismiss the scuttlebutt, saying that Starbucks has no planned store openings on either First Avenue or Avenue A.


Previously on EV Grieve:
Today's sign of the apocalypse: a Starbucks on Avenue A?

Monday, October 18, 2010

RUMORS: Five Guys looking at Avenue A

171 Avenue A has been vacant for several years now... The space almost became home to a fishmonger and a bagel shop this year...



Anyway, the place seems to have been spruced up a little of late...



And one persistent rumor: This space may become home to a Five Guys Burgers, the Virginia-based chain with a handful of locations in Manhattan.



Never had one myself, but people I know love these guys....

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Starting rumors: Last days of Rite Aid on First Avenue?

So have you been in the Rite Aid on First Avenue at Fifth Street lately? I haven't, because a trip inside just doesn't ruin your day, it ruins your entire month, at times. Maybe it's the lone cashier talking on her cell phone while trying to check out the 37 people waiting in line, some of whom always seem to be jawing at each other for some unknown transgressions. (Like cutting in line! Oh, those residents with the carts! Watch out!)

Anyway, I just bravely entered the place. And it's so picked over! The shelves are pretty empty! No restocking after stockpiling for Earl?







Anyway, to the PURE speculation: So I'm curious if this store is closing. Rite Aid reported a $208.4 million loss for the fiscal quarter that ended on Feb. 27 — the 11th straight losing quarter. According to published reports, the chain is shuttering 80 stores this year. As you may recall, Rite Aid closed on Seventh Avenue south of 14th Street last year.

Given this valuable chunk of real estate for a one-level building.... Perhaps the plans for the fancy condo will be revived without the bothersome drug store next door....



Previously on EV Grieve:
Sagging plywood offers glimpse of stalled 14-story condo on First Avenue

Shocker: A Rite Aid is closing

Monday, February 15, 2010

Bowery and First Street likely not ready to blow up

I bravely walked again on First Street near the Bowery... where all those fire trucks were the other day. It looks as if ConEd is on it.



The problem should be fixed by the fall. Of 2011.

Friday, February 12, 2010

Is the Bowery and First Street next to blow?

I'm not one for cheap scare tactics. But. STAY AWAY FROM THIS BLOCK! RUN! RUN!

Anyway, I didn't think much of this at the time. While walking on First Street toward the Bowery in the flurries howling blizzard that nearly crippled the Eastern Seaboard Wednesday afternoon, I saw six fire trucks roar up to just across the street from the Bowery Avalon Condo Building Thing.




No one looked particularly alarmed. The firefighters stood around a little bit. There was talk of a live wire and the salt on the street causing some sort of problem or something. The firefighters then cordoned off these two vehicles, that were apparently on top of some hot spot under the street. Then they left. Someone standing there watching was like, "That's it?" Someone else said, "That's all they can do for now until ConEd arrives."




Given the recent fires/explosions on Greenwich Avenue and Sixth Avenue, I haven't been back this way.

My counsel: When you go to the Mars Bar later, please approach via Second Avenue. I'll be this guy by the door.



And can I pee in this thing?


[Fire retardant suit via]

Monday, December 14, 2009

Starting rumors: Is "Mad Men" actor John Slattery opening a restaurant on Third Avenue?

This vacant restaurant on Third Avenue near 10th Street is up for a liquor license tonight at the CB3/SLA extravaganza...



...and one John Slattery's name is on the notice.



Could it be "Mad Men"'s Roger Sterling? The actor/community activist known as John Slattery?



Or maybe the John Slattery at CBS 2...

Or not. Anyway, a better bet is the John Slattery who co-owns Slattery's Midtown Pub on 36th Street. Which means NYU Avenue is getting an Irish-style pub?

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Continuing to speculate about what 10-room, $15-million home is for sale on East Third Street

Yesterday, we started speculating about what 10-bedroom house on East Third Street might be for sale for nearly $16 million. Mostly because we're curious about what nearly $16 million gets you these days in the neighborhood. Plus, well, there's more to it than that. According to the frustratingly detail-free listing, the deal includes the adjoining building.



Many of us immediately thought of the Economakis dream mansion at 47 E. Third St. The square footage is nearly identical, for one thing. And there has long been speculation that, after successfully evicting the building's tenants, the owners would flip the property immediately to make big money. The Economakis family, for their part, have insisted they'll live there — maybe forever, as they told Scoopy.

Anyway, EV Grieve reader Marjorie pointed out that "the Trulia listing says it's in zip code 10009. That means this mystery place is east of first avenue; the Economakis place is between 1st and 2nd aves — zip code 10003."

However, Chris Flash at The Shadow has been closely following the story. He wrote, "We've been keeping tabs on the real estate marketeers on the LES for decades now (they still send us their 'set-up sheets') and know from experience that they often get little details like zip codes and other info wrong." He states, "We're pretty sure that the Ardor listing is for the Economakis mansion at 47 East Third that they successfully vacated as of August 31."

Meanwhile, EV Grieve reader WB figured these fine homes just east of Third Street were likely candidates...



Good guess, but the listing is with Ardor, and the apartments here are exclusively with CitiHabitats.

Which reminds me I had these photos from the summer...



I liked the sign: "Too many upgrades to mention."



In an e-mail, an EV Grieve reader said that he/she took another look at the Ardor listing, and noticed that you could "map" the address. So they did.



As the readers says, if the map is to be believed, the property lies between Avenue C and Avenue D on the north side of the street...which led them to this possibility...



And the building on the left only has one buzzer, according to the reader, who knows this for some reason...

[Ominously] To be continued....

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

In front of Lucy's: A sight that gave me the yikes



Given the possible state of our local dive bars today, you have to wonder about great places in high-rent districts such as Lucy's on Avenue A.

So when I saw the dumpster there in front of Lucy's yesterday afternoon...I couldn't help but think the worst. And I'm not alone in this thinking...and she has floated retirement rumors in the past.

Not to worry, though! I took a stroll by the place after its usual 6 p.m. opening time yesterday...Lucy's is still alive and well, the neon bar signs out front as inviting as ever...

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Looking at the corner of Avenue A and Sixth Street


I'm not sure what's going on here at this prime slab of East Village real estate at 95 Avenue A at Sixth Street. There was no one around to ask. Venetian food joint Via Delle Zoccolette (which means "song of the pretty girl" -- yeah, I didn't know either) is either going through an extensive remodeling job or it's out of business. Even their canopy is gone.


Thursday, June 26, 2008

Conspiracies: Where are all the fliers?


Last night, I saw several fliers around the neighborhood for the July 11 protest at 47 E. 3rd St. When I went by where the fliers had been (dramatic pause), they were gone! It's possible, of course, that the fliers were removed by local shopkeepers or people interested in going or neatniks. Or! Someone is purposefully taking them down so that no one knows about the protest...

Which you can read more about in Patrick Hedlund's Mixed Use column in this week's The Villager.