Report: Opening date for Avenue A 7-Eleven pushed back to November

[7-Eleven plywood pic by Michael Sean Edwards]

The incoming 7-Eleven on the corner of Avenue A and East 11th Street looks like it will be, uh, incoming for an additional six months. The No 7-Eleven blog pointed out that the opening date has been pushed back from June to November, according to the company's franchise website.



Per the No 7-Eleven blog:

Ben Shaoul recently sold the building to Jared Kushner which may have something to do with the delay ... In the past few weeks workers have removed the flimsy plywood roof and replaced the dangerous wooden gangplank that surrounds the catastrophe corner.

If the November deadline holds, then construction will have gone on (and off) for 14 months. Wonder what the franchise record is ...


[A recent look behind the plywood by EVG reader OlympiasEpiriot]

Meanwhile, there is a also a new "No 7-Eleven" Petition. Find that here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] More from the anti-7-Eleven front on Avenue A and East 11th Street

Avenue A's anti-7-Eleven campaign now includes arsenal of 20,000 stickers

'No 7-Eleven' movement goes global with BBC report

7-Eleven alert: Are 2 chain stores replacing Bar on A and Angels & Kings?

First sign of the incoming 7-Eleven on Avenue A

Trash & Vaudeville & Jimmy Webb

EVG contributor James Maher took this shot of longtime Trash & Vaudeville manager/buyer Jimmy Webb on Wednesday afternoon on St. Mark's Place ... which reminds me that I never linked to the article on T&V from the Times last week titled "The Shop That Punk Built."

An excerpt!

As the eras shifted, the store never lost its punk base but also incorporated the fans of whatever strain of rock was of the moment, surviving as the block was remade.

“We are true mom-and-pop, the bodega of rock ’n’ roll clothing,” Mr. Webb said. “It’s here because of truth and spirit, just like Iggy Pop giving it his best every night and going all the way until everything in your body is broken except your soul and rock ’n’ roll. We can move it to Mars and still live.”

B&H Dairy, the appetizing store and Famous Dave Schornstein

[Undated photo of the B&H via Tablet on Facebook]

Tablet had a post the other day on the B&H Dairy on Second Avenue ... Eve Jochnowitz, "a lifelong Greenwich Village resident, Yiddish scholar and Jewish culinary ethnographer," visited B&H to talk about the history of dairy restaurants and their forgotten cousin the "appetizing store." You can find that piece here.

Meanwhile, EVG Facebook friend Jackie Friedrich shared this piece she wrote for the July 2, 1979 issue of New York magazine ... it looks at B&H reopening after closing for bankruptcy in September 1978... click on the image to read about the return of counterman Famous Dave Schornstein and others...



Jeremiah has a lovely history of the diner with archival photos from 2011 here.

The 13th annual Joey Ramone Birthday Bash is Sunday at the Bowery Electric

Find tickets here.

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Previously on EV Grieve:
Mickey Leigh on his brother Joey Ramone's 'New York City' video

Looking for Joey Ramone Place

Maiden Lane now open full time on 10th and B

[Photo from April 28 by Shawn Chittle]

The folks at Maiden Lane passed along word that they received their liquor license yesterday... and are now open seven days a week — noon to midnight. (They were open for coffee and tea and stuff during the days going back to late April.) You can find their food and drink menu here.

The cafe took over part of the space on Avenue B and East 10th Street that previously housed Life Cafe.

And tonight...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Maiden Lane hopes to open by the end of the week for lunch service

Maiden Lane coming to East 10th Street and Avenue B

Here's what's coming to the former Life Cafe space

After 30 years, Life Cafe closes — 'until further notice' — in the East Village

Zoltar still sees a ball-less future

[Photo by EVG reader John S.]

Remember when Zoltar had a ball outside Gem Spa? (A crystal ball.) Ever since that unfortunate skateboard smash job last month, he has been without a ball. (Goggla was first to note this!)





How are we expected to trust his vision of the future without a crystal ball? Yesterday, he gave me a fortune that read "ignore the previous fortune."

Tonight in random fireworks display

Woo! It's May 16! Anyway, that explosiony noise you heard tonight was not related to Con Ed. Rather! Fireworks!

Thursday, May 16, 8:30 PM: Pier 36 East River
Sponsor: XA Experimental Agency

[Photo by @Kellybrennan1]

Putting the docking stations to good use ahead of Citi Bikes

EVG reader Orchid spotted this tonight on East Fourth Street near Second Avenue... looks like the docking stations work! Oh, and let me know when 45 minutes is up!

Tompkins Square Park this afternoon

Photos by Bobby Williams.

Snoopy came home

Spotted on East 12th Street by Andrew Adam Newman on Ave C.

[Headline h/t]

Cement and 'peaceful support' today at the Children's Magical Garden

[Nicole Turcotte]

A reader sent us the following email this morning about the Children's Magical Garden, the scene of a showdown yesterday between a developer and residents:

"The developer's workers showed up with a truck full of cement and began cementing the fence in place despite promises yesterday that they would not do so."

The Lo-Down has a photo and more about this here.

Meanwhile, this afternoon from 2-4, residents will be gathering for "peaceful support" and banner making at the longtime garden on Stanton and Norfolk.

This story is receiving a lot of media attention. Aside from the outlets that we linked to yesterday, find more articles at:

Runnin' Scared

The New York Times

The Villager

DNAinfo

WNBC 4

NY1

The end is here for 9th St. Bakery

As you may know, 9th St. Bakery has been on a month-to-month lease, with hopes of lasting through the summer in the face of a big rent hike.

Unfortunately, Oleg, who has owned the bakery with his wife Tetyana since the 1990s, told EVG contributor Derek Berg yesterday that the landlord has ended the lease. The bakery must be out by early June.

A bakery has stood here the past 87 years.

And what will be taking the bakery's space? Some kind of smoothie/juice shop.

Perhaps Oleg will, in fact, start that delivery service.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Reader report: 9th St. Bakery is closing after 87 years (59 comments)

[Photo by Derek Berg]

Plywood removal means full reveal at 51 Astor Place

Workers removed the remaining plywood around 51 Astor Place, and the front entrance and public plaza are now in full view...



And was there always a pay phone here? (And is this thing going to remain? Seems so unfabulous for the address.)



And I don't know why I took this shot.

EV Grieve Eatery Etc.: Saints Tavern is purple; Organic Avenue is open

Haven't done one of these in eons. Behind!

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On St. Mark's Place, the newish Saints Tavern got a very purple makeover on Tuesday... (it used to be red)...


[Bobby Williams]

Of course, there is some precedent on the block for purple...



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After a long period of inactivity, workers have recently started renovating the former Spa Belles location on Second Avenue near East Seventh Street... prepping it to be a fucking Twister self-serve frozen yogurt shop ...



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Work continues at 115 Avenue C near East Eighth Street, where Apartment 13 will soon call home ... it's the new restaurant from Paul Seres, the former president of the New York Nightlife Association and a partner in The DL on Delancey and Ludlow... read more about it here. Meanwhile, workers finally removed the iconic sign from the last tenant — The Porch.



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In case you missed this one earlier... Fu Sushi closed on Avenue B between East 11th Street and East 12th Street last August. The Post reported back in January that a new Ethiopian restaurant is opening in its place ... called Haile Ethiopian Bistro, and owned by Menasie Haile and Gemada Hiwot. The signs have been up now for what, six weeks? Anyway...


[Dave on 7th]

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And the new outpost of Organic Avenue opened last Friday on Third Avenue and East Ninth Street... in the space of the former travel agency...



According to their website:

[T]he leading provider of organic cold pressed juices, raw food cleansing programs, snacks, superfoods, truly natural beauty products, healthy lifestyle education and community building events. The company helps people learn how to transition and maintain a healthy lifestyle that is pleasurable and sustainable, while also friendly to people, animals and the environment.

If you don't want to buy 238 E. 4th St., then you can at least rent it — for $27,500 a month

The luxury home at 238 E. Fourth St. (just west of Avenue B) has been on and off the market the past year or so ... the 6,500 square-foot condo with paparazzi shield private garage, south-facing garden, "Open Eat-In Boffi Stainless Steel Chef's Kitchen with a Wolf Stove" etc. Allegedly Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz looked at it. The four-floor home remains on the market for a now-reduced price of $6.995 million.

But now, starting on July 1, you may rent the first four floors... for $27,500...



You can read the listing to see what you get on those four floors.

Also, this unit is not the penthouse that those Novogratz people with 38 kids designed. That apparently has been sold, per Streeteasy.

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

Dance Parade 2013 — and DanceFest — is Saturday

[Shawn Chittle]

The parade ends up in Tompkins Square Park for DanceFest ... where it "comes alive with choreographed performances, workshops and social dance–all free to the public. For 2013, there will be 4 stages: A Performance Stage, Family Friendly Stage and Teaching Stage. DJ Louie Vega will headline the Groove Area on stage with a live band."



This year, I'm dressing as either Mick Jagger or David Bowie from the "Dancing in the Street" video for the Fest ... Tough call!



Meanwhile! Flashback to last year... via Bobby Williams...

Find more info on 2013's event here.

Reminders: The 37th annual Ukrainian Festival is this weekend

One of our favorite neighborhood events...

The schedule:
Friday, May 17 · 4pm-11pm
Saturday, May 18 · 11am-11pm
Sunday, May 19 · 1pm-5pm

Our previous coverage is here.

[Updated] At the 'Save Our Community Center MARCH AND RALLY'

‏[Photo by @tenementcity]

We'll have more photos on the "Save Our Community Center MARCH AND RALLY" later this evening ... the rally started around 6 at Cooper Union...


[Photo by @tenementcity]

Updated 8:30

Here are a few more photos from the starting point of the march on East Ninth Street our the former PS 64... which included members of Rude Mechanical Orchestra, Tiny Band and others.


[Bobby Williams]


[BW]


[Dave on 7th]


[Do7]

... all under the watchful eye of the NYPD...


[BW]


[BW]

...later at Cooper Union...


[BW]

Updated

Serena Solomon filed a story on the march and rally at DNAinfo. Read that here.

From the article:

March organizer Susan Howard said the eviction, followed by years of watching the building deteriorate, has been a “devastating blow."

"I don't think the owner knows how much damage he has done and how deep the hurt is," said Howard, who is also part of the group Save Our Community Center CHARAS-64 (SOCCC-64).

"It was a cross-pollination of so many people — activists and artists," Howard said of when the building operated as a community center. "You had [singing practice] in the plaza. You had AA meetings in the gallery, computer classes, English classes."

The Villager also has an article today on the march/rally. Find that here.

Per that article:

"There is no room, and no desire, and no way we will live with a dorm in our backyard," declared Councilmember Rosie Mendez, shouting to the crowd from a bullhorn. "Cooper Union needs to rescind whatever deal I believe it doesn't have so Singer can give us back our building," Mendez added.

Assemblymember Brian Kavanagh was equally strident.

"As a community, we have to at some point draw the line and say this is a battle we are not going to lose, and this is a fight we're not going to quit," Kavanagh said.

Cooper Union students mark 1-week anniversary of occupation of president's office

As of 11am EST, the Presidents office of the Cooper Union has been occupied for 1 week.

— Free Cooper Union (@FreeCooperUnion) May 15, 2013

On Monday night, Cooper Union President Jamshed Bharucha went up to the seventh floor to speak with the students who are protesting the school's decision to end its 111-year practice of providing a full-tuition scholarship.

Runnin' Scared has details on the meeting between the two sides here. Here's more background from Business Insider.

Previously.

Updated: Children’s Magical Garden under siege on the Lower East Side

The Children’s Magical Garden on Stanton and Norfolk is the scene of high drama this morning... workers are there to erect a fence ahead of developer Serge Hoyda's plan to build on a portion of the property... a handful of community activists are on the scene ... as well as city officials, the NYPD, workers and reporters...



We're sorting it all out now...

Read more about the background here at BoweryBoogie ... and The Lo-Down.

Updated 11:25

Police have cordoned off the area for the workers to put up the fence... there have been several confrontations between community members and a rep for the developer...







Community members and the developer's attorney...



... and a budding community activist...



Updated 12:30

According people on the scene, workers there to erect the fence are removing plants, etc. ...


[Nicole Turcotte]


[NT]


[NT]

Updated 1:03

Workers have finished erecting the fence around the portion of the land that Hoyda owns...


[NT]

The Lo-Down just filed a report from the scene that provides a lot more of the background information on this long-standing battle for the garden.

Updated 4:30

Gothamist has a story here. They note that Councilwoman Margaret Chin's office has called for the removal of the fence. Her statement:

The Children's Magical Garden is a community treasure, and we want to keep it in the neighborhood. We understand that the developer has a permit to build the fence; however, such sudden action is not the best solution and nor the act of a good neighbor, especially since there have been active, ongoing conversations to come to an equitable agreement. We asked the developer not to put up this fence, and now we ask them to take it down.

The garden has been here since 1982.

Updated 5:16

The Daily News checks in with a piece on today's development.

“We had no idea this was coming,” said Kate Temple-West, president of the Children’s Magical Garden board.

[First video on post via Nicole Turcotte, volunteer from MoRUS. Photos and video via MoRUS]