After the fire: Double Down, Kelly's and Discovery Wines closed; grocery open

Things seem oddly normal tonight on Avenue A below Second Street...a few hours back, of course, some 180 firefighters were on the scene battling the blaze at 240 Houston and Avenue A...

On the east side of A between Second Street and Houston...the storefronts that were directly impacted by the fire... the Double Down looks open, but the sign on the door says otherwise... [Updated: Double Down was already closed for renovations before the fire.]



Kelly's and Discovery Wines are shuttered...



And, the one place that I thought would be closed, was open... Houston Deli & Grocery on the corner... According to the manager, "We were very lucky," he said. "But I don't know for how long. At any minute, water could come through the ceiling."




Meanwhile, at the entrance to 240 Houston, fire and Red Cross officials were on hand to help any displaced residents...



Previously on EV Grieve:
More on the fire at 240 Houston

More on the fire at 240 Houston

I noticed that scaffolding recently went up here at the site of the fire, 240 Houston ... And Gothamist points to a complaint here via the DOB dated June 22:

SCAFFOLDING IS BEING INSTALLED ON THE SIDEWALK, THEY HAVE INSTALLED FOUR OF THE SUPPORTS ON THE PROPERTY OF 244 E HOUSTON WITHOUTPERMISSION AND THERE ARE NO PERMITS/PLANS POSTED FOR THE CONSTCTN

After the fire

Check out Jeremiah's photos (like this one) of the firefighters after batting the blaze at 240 Houston.

Previously on EV Grieve:
More on the fire at 240 Houston

BoweryBoogie is also on the scene. He overheard a firefighter say the whole roof is gone at 240.

The Lo-Down is there too. They're reporting all the residents were safely evacuated.

The $500 shot

Josh Spear took the first photo from yesterday's fire that showed the extent of the fire at 240 Houston ...

(Via Twitpic.)



The Post published his photo today...



Per Josh's Twitter feed, he negotiated a $500 fee for use of the photo from the Post ... and he is promptly donating the money to the FDNY Foundation.

Previously on EV Grieve:
More on the fire at 240 Houston

All coverage here.

Report: Eight firefighters injured this evening at 240 Houston

According to the Times:

Nearly 140 firefighters were sent to battle the blaze, which caused no deaths or major injuries but spread anxiety throughout the neighborhood. Eight firefighters had minor injuries, including burns and smoke inhalation.

Previously on EV Grieve:
More on the fire at 240 Houston

Assessing the fire damage this morning at 240 Houston

Thanks to EV Grieve reader Chris for this photo from a little earlier this morning ...



Meanwhile, BoweryBoogie has a roundup of media sources on the fire ... The Lo-Down has some nice shots too from yesterday.

Previously on EV Grieve:
More on the fire at 240 Houston

All coverage here.

Late summer opening date now for Union Market

We continue to watch the northeast corner of Avenue A and East Houston... where workers have been renovating/rehabbing the space for a new Union Market. Various construction issues have delayed the opening, once set for last fall.

Here's the latest, via an email sent to residents of 240 E. Houston:

The contractors for Union Market have nearly completed their foundation work and are moving quickly forward to build out their interior space. The store's exterior work is scheduled to commence in the next week and the UM owners will be installing new brick, full-height glass panels, and a clean, continuous signature awning that should give our Building a much improved look!

In addition, unlike the previous Commercial tenants, the UM contractors will be weatherproofing all seams, to minimize the street-level erosion that occurred in the past. This Board is partnering with UM to make certain the 240 east Houston entrance to our residences is clearly delineated.

The current goal is for a Grand Opening in late August or early September.

We understand the East Village storefront will look similar to the Seventh Avenue location in Park Slope...

[Via the Union Market website]

Previously on EV Grieve:
About Union Market coming to Avenue A and Houston

Mid-summer now at the earliest for Union Market on Avenue A and Houston

Union Market makes their East Village move official with an Official News Release!

Thanks to a blogging friend for the following release...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Union Market to Open First Manhattan Location at 240 East Houston Street

BROOKLYN, Feb 10th, 2011 –-Brooklyn’s Union Market is set to open a new store location at 240 East Houston Street at Avenue A, bringing their experience-centered brand of grocery stores to it’s new Manhattan customers. The location is at the intersection of the East Village, and the Lower East Side.

Opening next fall, the store will bring Union Market’s unique approach and first-rate selection of goods to the borough of Manhattan for the first time since the store was founded in 2004. With its personal, convenient, and locally focused shopping experience, Union Market at Houston Street will offer all the high quality service and products that Manhattanites expect, with the personal touch of a neighborhood grocery store.

The new store at Houston Street will build upon sustainable business practices established at the LEED registered Court Street store. Union Market stocks organic, local and all-natural products, and will continue the stores’ established reputation as a customer first grocery store that offers superior goods at competitive prices.

Previously on EV Grieve:
About Union Market coming to Avenue A and Houston

When there was a bank building in the middle of East Houston at Avenue A

EVG reader Steph Romeo was watching "The Naked City" from 1948 when she spotted this...



...and a view from East Houston near Norfolk looking west to Essex and Avenue A... a thin building in what is now the middle of East Houston...



On the left, you can spot the Provident Loan Society Building, which is still there today (not for long, though) on the southwest corner of Houston and Essex...



Steph look further, and found this image from the comprehensive digital collections at the NYPL... here's a shot of the building's front entrance circa 1929 ... showing the Community State Bank (not another bank branch!) and a dental office in the address that is listed as 2-4 Avenue A aka 240 1/2 E. Houston. ...


[Via NYPL]

I didn't have a chance to do any further research to find out when the building was razed ... it's also a good reminder to rewatch "The Naked City" and the subsequent TV series inspired by the film, which has many Lower East Side locations. I've haven't watched any of that in more than 10 years.

Blockbusters: Union Market coming to 240 East Houston; Discovery Wines looking for new home

240 E. Houston has been on the block now for several months... and there's a taker. EV Grieve reader RyanAvenueA notes that signs just went up here for the Brooklyn-based Union Market.

Meanwhile, Discovery Wines will not be renewing their lease. Their last day is May 31 in this space at 10 Avenue A. Tim at Discovery Wines recently told me this:

"We're not going anywhere — we're staying in this neighborhood for the long haul. And while we have no concrete plans to move into a new space, we are aware of the options in the immediate area. Discovery Wines is a thriving retail shop with an established loyal customer base in the best neighborhood in NYC —" you can count on us to continue to serve our customers on lower Avenue A for many years to come."

Meanwhile, work continues on the upper levels of 240 E. Houston, which caught fire last July.

Here's more of the November CB3/SLA docket

[Root & Bone on East Third Street]

Yesterday we looked at three of the applicants on the November CB3/SLA agenda. (Find that post here.)

And please note that the CB3/SLA meetings are now double the fun, double the drama! The meetings are now spread out over two nights.
So here's a look at some more of the above East Houston (mostly!) applicants... starting with Monday!

Monday, Nov. 18 at 6:30 pm — Community Board 3 Office, 59 East 4th Street (btwn 2nd Ave & Bowery)

Applications within Saturated Areas

• Brownstone Lounge & Grill, 240 E 4th St (op) (aka 50 Ave B)

That was quick. In the face of neighbor opposition and skepticism from Board members about a rather half-baked business plan, the applicants looking to take over the former Affaire space decided to withdraw their application during the October CB3/SLA meeting. Guess they have it all figured out after a month.

Alterations
• Rockwood Music Hall (Ken Rock Enterprises LLC), 192 Allen St (op/acoustic music in basement)

• Nublu (Tatu LLC), 151 Ave C (op/expand to upstairs)

New Liquor License Applications

• To be Determined, 8 Extra Pl (op)

Most likely the new location for Momofuku Ko.

• DY Schnitz LLC, 177 1st Ave (wb)

The mystery applicants taking over the former Something Sweet bakery.

• Root & Bone (Root & Bone LLC), 200 E 3rd St (op)

As previously reported, "Top Chef" alum Jeff McInnis and current "Top Chef" contestant Janine Boothwas are joining forces to open a restaurant called Root & Bone at the former Mama's Food Shop and Heart N' Soul on East Third Street and Avenue B.

• 9 East First Street LLC, 9 E 1st St (op)

The former Veselka Bowery space. Eater and Grub Street reported that restaurateur John McDonald signed a lease for a steakhouse/oyster place here.

• To be Determined, 269 E Houston St (op)

About the 500th time an unknown applicant has signed up to take over the former Local 269 venue on East Houston at Suffolk. The applicants always seem to withdraw before the meetings.

• Gaia Lounge (Sams 1 Lounge Inc), 103 E 2nd St (wb)

The former Animal Crackers pet shop near First Avenue.

• Moonstruck (88 2nd Ave Food Corp), 88 2nd Ave (op)

---

b=beer only | wb=wine & beer only | op=liquor, wine, & beer | alt=alterations

---

Tuesday, Nov. 19 at 6:30 pm — Community Board 3 Office, 59 East 4th Street (btwn 2nd Ave & Bowery)

Applications within Saturated Areas

• Cantina LES (Black Fish LLC), 8-10 Ave B (op)

The former M&M Variety Hardware between Houston and East Second Street looks to become a bar/restaurant serving Mexican fare... the applicants had previously looked at 1 Ludlow St.

New Liquor License Applications

• To be Determined, 134 1st Ave (op)

This is the address of Simone at St. Mark's Place... anyone know what's happening here?

• Ginger (Gold River Restaurant Corp), 109 1st Ave (upgrade/op)

• Ethos Meze (167 AA Rest Corp), 167 Ave A (op) (saturated area)

As we first reported on Oct. 3, the Diablo Royale Este space will become a Greek place from restauranteur John Kapetanos, who operates Ethos Gallery, Ethos Meze and the Moonstruck Diners, among others.

Corporate Change (not heard at committee)

• Paprika (Inter Pepe Inc), 110 St Marks Pl (wb)

• Croissanteria (Croissanteria Inc), 68 Ave A (wb)

---

b=beer only | wb=wine & beer only | op=liquor, wine, & beer | alt=alterations

Last day for Houston Deli & Grocery

As I first reported last month, Brooklyn's Union Market will open a fancy new shop on Avenue A and Houston that will include a beef-aging facility and personal shopping services...

Meanwhile, the current tenant at 240 E. Houston St., Houston Deli & Grocery, closes today...

I stopped by during the weekend. I asked about the closing date. The owner, shaking his head and fighting back tears, said several times, "They wouldn't offer us a lease..."

Not much left...

Union Market signage up; Oct. 22 opening date set

The Union Market Watch continues on Avenue A and East Houston... The sign arrived on Friday...

A tipster now hears that the opening date is Oct. 22.

Previously on EV Grieve:
About Union Market coming to Avenue A and Houston

Mid-summer now at the earliest for Union Market on Avenue A and Houston

Blockbusters: Union Market coming to 240 East Houston; Discovery Wines looking for new home

A quick update on the 240 E. Houston fire

Just a quick update on the fire from last Thursday at 240 E. Houston... As I mentioned, Discovery Wines reopened last Friday... Kelly's is also open, though the Double Down next door is still "closed for renovations" (it was closed even before the fire...)...and the nail salon around the corner on Houston remains closed...

As for Discovery, here are a few shots from the fire's aftermath...



[Top two photos courtesy of Bill Farrington]



The Discovery folks are babysitting the fish for some displaced neighbors from the fifth floor...

240 Houston fire update

This morning on Houston and Avenue A... workers had boarded up the windows on the top floors...




Patrick Hedlund at DNAinfo has an update on the fire here...it's still under investigation...and tenants were allowed back in briefly yesterday to retrieve valuables, including pets. Two cats were found safe in a second-floor apartment.

Previous coverage here.

More shots from after the fire

Many thanks to EV Grieve reader Krikor for sharing these photos... (Via Flickr)








Previously on EV Grieve:
More on the fire at 240 Houston

Discovery Wines back open

The four-alarm fire at 240 Houston on Thursday evening shuttered several businesses... One of them, Discovery Wines, reopened last night. EV Grieve reader BaHa said that there is a lot of ceiling damage, so the overhead lights are out. They are getting by with clip-on lights. However, the refrigeration is working...

Tim from Discovery Wines left this comment for us:

We feel so very lucky to have only water damage and smoke odor.

We must have dumped over 300 gallons of water between last night and this afternoon -- I've never been so happy about a leaking ceiling in all my life!

We've still got a lot of electrical work to straighten out, but we reopened at 5:30 tonight (Friday).

Best of luck to our displaced friends and neighbors and a big thank you to the firefighters who saved lives last night.

All fire coverage here.

FDNY on the scene at 20 Avenue A

RyanAvenueA notes that firefighters were on the scene this morning at 20 Avenue A at Second Street. Residents said that they smelled smoke. One firefighter on the scene said that everything was OK, though he didn't provide any further details.

A major roof fire broke out next door at 240 Houston back in July 2010.

Rooftop view of the 240 Houston fire

These spectacular shots via Josh at Twitpic.

Walking toward the fire

I was walking south on First Avenue and 10th Street when I heard the helicopters... and then I saw the smoke coming from what turned out to be 240 Houston. Walking there, a few people walked out of storefronts... "Where's the fire? Where's the fire?" No one could tell, just yet...