DOT marks completion of Avenue B redesign

Photos by Stacie Joy 

The Department of Transportation announced Tuesday that it has completed its redesign of Avenue B, including changes to traffic patterns, expanded pedestrian space and new cycling connections. 

The project covers Avenue B from Fourth Street to 14th Street, with the most noticeable changes along the three blocks between Seventh and 10th Streets next to Tompkins Square Park.

As EVG reported in August, the work was part of the city's plan to create a bike boulevard along the existing Avenue B Open Street. The redesign includes converting vehicle traffic to one-way northbound between Seventh and 10th streets while allowing cyclists to travel in both directions. 

The DOT also redesigned intersections along the corridor, adding pedestrian curb extensions protected by planters, bike corrals, granite blocks and other barriers. 

The changes are intended to shorten pedestrian crossings and improve visibility. New planters also line the Tompkins Square Park side of Avenue B...

Don't get too attached to the current greenery, though. According to Parks employees, the plants and flowers can't withstand the colder weather and will be removed in a few weeks. In their place: mini-Christmas trees. 

The city has also added new loading zones at the beginning and end of each block to accommodate deliveries and reduce truck traffic. 

According to DOT officials, the revised traffic patterns are intended to discourage through traffic while maintaining access for local vehicles, deliveries and emergency services. The Avenue B Open Street hours remain unchanged, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. 

DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn joined local officials and community representatives on Tuesday at Avenue B and Eighth Street to mark the project's completion. 

The redesign builds on the Avenue B Open Street, which began during the pandemic and has since become a regular feature along the eastern edge of Tompkins Square Park.

Previously on EV Grieve:

• Work is underway on Avenue B's permanent Open Street redesign

From bands to books, an East Village resident starts a new chapter

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

When Cresta Kruger moved to the East Village in 1996, it was to start a band. 

Thirty years later, after playing electric flute and singing in several rock bands, raising two daughters in the neighborhood, working as a photographer and spending a decade in a local memoir-writing group, Kruger is starting something else: her own book publicity company. 

Kruger recently launched Cresta Kruger Communications, a boutique publicity operation that she hopes will focus on authors writing about women's issues, art and music — with some East Village writers in the mix, too. 

It's a new direction, though one that connects several strands of Kruger's life in the neighborhood.

After arriving here in the 1990s, she played in several bands, including the all-women group Kisser, and later hosted music programs on MTV2 and The Music Choice Channel. 

While raising daughters Ayla and Kali with her partner, cinematographer Christian Huguenot, Kruger volunteered at their schools and performed for eight years in the District 1 Battle of the Family Bands at the Bowery Ballroom. She also worked weekends as a maternity and portrait photographer. 

For more than a decade, Kruger has been part of the Howling Women, the memoir-writing circle the late Beat writer and longtime East Village resident Hettie Jones formed at the Lower East Side Girls Club in 2014. The group has continued meeting and writing since Jones died in 2024. 

Now that her daughters are older — and her days no longer revolve quite so much around getting them to school, sports and art classes — Kruger said she has the time to concentrate on her own career. Her first publicity client brings the story back to music. 

 

Mary Lucia, the longtime Minneapolis rock DJ and sister of Replacements frontman Paul Westerberg, published the memoir "What Doesn't Kill Me Makes Me Weirder and Harder to Relate To," a 2026 Minnesota Book Award finalist. 

The book recounts Lucia's life in music and a much darker period: a three-year ordeal involving a stalker who initially connected with her as a radio listener. Lucia also has her own ties to the neighborhood, having lived in New York during parts of the 1990s. 

Kruger marked the launch of her new company by organizing a series of East Village readings and signings for Lucia, including at The Library and Rabbit Bar & Books.

For Kruger, the events brought together two constants in her life here: music and writing. She also sees an appetite for the kind of in-person cultural gatherings that were once much more commonplace around the neighborhood.

"People are craving IRL opportunities to connect with one another, get inspired by artists and thinkers, and have a cup of something yummy," she said. 

And Kruger has a fitting analogy for what she's betting on next: "In this digital age, books are the new vinyl."

Kotobuki is back to full-service dining in the East Village

After three years as a takeout-only restaurant, Kotobuki East Village has returned to full-service dining at its new home at 8 Stuyvesant St. at Ninth Street. 

The Japanese restaurant, which previously operated at 56 Third Ave. between 10th and 11th Streets, closed that location in 2024 after developers purchased (and demolished) the properties along the block for a new residential development. 

Rather than leave the neighborhood entirely, Kotobuki continued offering takeout/delivery while searching for a new home. 

As previously reported, the restaurant took over the former Sharaku space, which had been vacant since the early days of the pandemic. 

The new location is larger than the original and includes a full bar — a first for Kotobuki East Village. 

In an email, the owners said returning to full-service dining means they can once again offer the hospitality that was missing during the takeout-only years. 

"It feels great to be back to a full-service format, as it means we are once again able to provide the hospitality that we have always been known for," they said. 

The owners said longtime customers have been returning since the new location opened about two weeks ago. 

"We are hoping that our old customers return for the same reasons that kept them loyal to us over the years, but also hope to draw in a new crowd of people," they said. 

Kotobuki has been part of the East Village dining scene for more than a decade. Its owners also operate three Long Island locations.

The restaurant is open Monday through Thursday from noon-2:30 p.m. and 5:30-10 p.m.; Friday from noon-2:30 p.m. and 5:30-11 p.m.; Saturday from 5-11 p.m.; and Sunday from 5-9:30 p.m.

Closings: Bake Culture on St. Mark's Place

Bake Culture recently closed its outpost at 22 St. Mark’s Place between Second and Third Avenues. 

The Taiwan-based bakery chain opened here in May 2022, offering a mix of Asian and European pastries, including cakes, tarts and sweet and savory buns. 

As previously reported, Bake Culture took over the former Kimomi Pet storefront, which had been vacant since the pandemic. 

The brand continues to operate two other NYC locations, including one at 48 Bowery.

The PEACE house loses a tree

EVG reader Tom shared these photos this evening from outside 166 Avenue A... where the lovely Callery pear tree has fallen over after the recent deluge of rain here between 10th Street and 11th Street...

Longtime East Village-based artist Anton van Dalen lived at 166 Avenue A — the PEACE house — since 1971. He passed away in June 2024 at age 86.

A Sunday afternoon at Sushi-Con

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Sushi-Con brought a large crowd to Pier 36 on the Lower East Side this past Sunday (Oct. 11). 

True World Foods and Noble Fresh Cart hosted the event, which featured seafood tastings, sushi vendors, and restaurant partners.

The main attraction was a live bluefin tuna-cutting demonstration, with chefs breaking down an entire fish before the crowd...

And there was quite a crowd. 

By 11:45 a.m., just 45 minutes after the event opened, the space was already packed, with long lines forming for food samples.

Here are a few photos from the rainy afternoon...

Parks to present 3 options for Tompkins Square recreation area

Photos from this summer by Stacie Joy 

The Parks Department will present three options for the reconstruction of the Tompkins Square Park mini-pool, basketball courts and fitness area at a Community Board 3 committee meeting tom orrow evening (Oct. 15). 

The presentation marks the next step in a project that has prompted concerns among some park users, particularly those who want the existing fitness equipment preserved. 

As previously reported, a petition asking the Parks Department to remove the fitness area from the reconstruction plans had collected more than 2,600 signatures. 

Supporters say the outdoor workout area, near 10th Street and Avenue B, serves a diverse community of regulars who use the equipment year-round. Several told EVG's Stacie Joy this past summer that they worry replacement equipment won't meet their needs.

The larger reconstruction project calls for replacing the existing above-ground mini-pool with a new in-ground pool that would double its capacity, along with improvements to the basketball courts and fitness area.

Thursday's presentation should offer a clearer picture of what Parks has in mind for the three spaces. The options have not been made public yet.

The Parks, Recreation, Waterfront & Resiliency Committee meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at the BRC Senior Services Center, 30 Delancey St. between Chrystie and Forsyth streets. The meeting is open to the public, with a Zoom option. 

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• Petition to preserve Tompkins Square Park fitness area tops 2,000 signatures 

• Plans unveiled for reconstruction project at the Tompkins Square Park mini-pool, basketball courts and fitness area

FYI: Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade returns Saturday

Photo by Stacie Joy

The 36th annual Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade takes place this Saturday (Oct. 17), with costumed dogs and their humans making their way along Avenue B. 

The parade starts at 11 a.m. at 13th Street and heads south on Avenue B to Seventh Street. Organizers recommend spectators arrive between 10 and 10:30 a.m. 

The accompanying festival area on Sixth Street between Avenues B and C will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with photo opportunities, giveaways and activities highlighting rescue dogs and adoption. 

The nonprofit New York Dog Parade, founded by Fern Watt, is organizing this year's parade, with support from Kismet, the pet food company started by Chrissy Teigen and John Legend. 

The event also includes an annual costume competition, limited to selected registered marchers. Marching registration is full, but spectators are welcome, and no registration is required to watch the parade or visit the festival area. 

For more information, including the route and spectator details, visit the organizers' FAQ page.

Tuesday's parting shot

Photo by Derek Berg 

What can Citi Bike carry for you?

Noted

Photo by Stacie Joy 

An ad for Wet Ones seen near the Dead End of 13th Street and Avenue B...

Development team for 324 E. 5th St. affordable housing project to appear before CB3

Photos by Stacie Joy

The team behind the proposed affordable housing development at 324 E. Fifth St. will introduce itself at Community Board 3's Land Use, Zoning, Public & Private Housing Committee meeting tomorrow evening (Oct. 14). 

The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at Middle Collegiate Church, 50 E. Seventh St. between First and Second Avenues. The hybrid meeting will also be accessible via Zoom. (Link here.)

As previously reported, the city-owned site between First and Second Avenues is currently used as an NYPD parking lot. The Cooper Square Committee has been working with the Department of Housing Preservation and Development on a proposal dubbed Aurea, which calls for affordable housing on the property. The project was officially introduced on July 13. (A rendering of the project as seen in July.)

The original proposal envisioned a development devoted entirely to affordable housing for seniors. However, Cooper Square Committee Executive Director Steve Herrick told EVG in August that the final mix may look different because of the availability of operating subsidies.

"While we proposed 100% senior housing, there currently aren't enough operating subsidies to guarantee 100% seniors given how low their incomes are, which are typically less than 30% of AMI," Herrick said. 

Herrick said the building would still be primarily for seniors, potentially around 70%, with some low-income family housing included. He stressed that the details remain unsettled and that 100% senior housing remains the goal if sufficient subsidies become available.

In a statement to EVG's Stacie Joy, HPD Deputy Press Secretary Kim Moscaritolo said the project "will serve low- and very low-income New Yorkers, including seniors."

She added that plans include community space for seniors that may also serve the broader community.

The final height of The Aurea has not yet been determined and will depend, in part, on a future rezoning of the site. If approved, construction is expected to take about two years.

Meanwhile, some nearby residents who support affordable housing at the site continue to raise concerns about the proposed development's size and design and the amount of public open space.

The 5th Street Park Coalition has pushed back against a proposed rezoning of the property from R8B to R7X, which would allow a denser, taller development. 

"We remain strongly supportive of affordable housing on the site but feel the scale and design — if left without any pushback — will masticate this tiny EV street," Coalition co-founder John White told EVG. 

White said the group wants the project to include "open public community green space" and a mix of community uses. The coalition has been discussing its concerns with HPD, CB3, City Council member Harvey Epstein's office and Village Preservation, he said. 

Below: 5SPC visualization based on an HPD rendering

Ahead of tomorrow's meeting, flyers have appeared on the block urging residents to "say no to the plan." It's unclear who is behind them — or whether the objection is to affordable housing on the site or to the proposed size of the development.

Wednesday's committee appearance is listed as an "Introduction to Development team for 324 E. 5th St. affordable housing," so this isn't yet a presentation of a finalized project.

It should, however, offer the public its first look at where the plans stand since the proposal surfaced this summer.

Meeting details:

The Land Use, Zoning, Public & Private Housing Committee meeting is tomorrow (Oct. 14) at 6:30 p.m. on the third floor of Middle Collegiate Church, 50 E. Seventh St. between First and Second Avenues. The meeting is open to the public and will also be accessible via Zoom. Link here.

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• The Aurea: Affordable housing planned for longtime NYPD parking lot on 5th Street 

9-story hotel proposed for Allen Street

A proposal for a new nine-story hotel on Allen Street will go before Community Board 3's Land Use, Zoning, Public & Private Housing Committee tomorrow evening (Oct. 14). 

The project at 23-27 Allen St. between Canal and Hester streets calls for a roughly 40-room hotel with ground-floor retail. The building would stand about 120 feet tall and span nearly 40,000 square feet. 

As Crain's reported in September 2025, Harlem-based developer Artifact is behind the proposal, which requires a special permit from the city. New hotels have required special permits in New York City since 2021. 

If approved, the development would join a crowded hospitality landscape in the neighborhood. Across the wider Lower East Side and the immediate Allen Street corridor, the broader picture includes roughly 12 to 14 notable hotels—from luxury and boutique destinations like Nine Orchard, SIXTY LES, The Allen Hotel, and Moxy NYC Lower East Side to budget options like the Canal Loft Hotel. 

The three properties on Allen Street are currently occupied by two-story commercial buildings, which would be demolished to make way for the hotel. 

Tomorrow's committee meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at Middle Collegiate Church, 50 E. Seventh St. between First and Second Avenues, with a Zoom option.

Openings: Table Mercato on 10th Street

Table Mercato, a Boston sandwich shop known for its oversized chicken cutlet sandwiches and long lines, has opened its first location outside Massachusetts at 214 E. 10th St. 

The small, counter-service shop between First and Second Avenues specializes in chicken cutlet sandwiches, including a spicy vodka chicken parm and versions served on focaccia with prosciutto, mozzarella, arugula and other toppings. Sandwiches run into the mid-to-upper $20 range. 

Owner Jen Royle opened the original Table Mercato in Boston's North End in 2020, where the shop has developed a following for its generously portioned sandwiches. 

The East Village outpost debuted on Sept. 26.

The early reviews have been enthusiastic. In an Oct. 7 write-up, The Infatuation called Table Mercato "Boston's best export to New York since Babe Ruth."

Reviewer Will Hartman praised the juicy chicken cutlets, spicy vodka sauce and rosemary-flecked focaccia. He acknowledged the steep prices but noted that the sandwiches are large enough to make two meals out of one. 

One thing to keep in mind: There's no seating, so you'll have to take your sandwich elsewhere. 

Table Mercato opens at 11 a.m. Tuesday through Sunday, with closing times varying by day.

Monday's parting shot

Photo by Stacie Joy 

A Halloween scene at the First Houses on Third Street, between Avenue A and First Avenue...

At the East Village Meat Market for Pierogi Day

Photos by Stacie Joy 

We stopped by the East Village Meat Market on Saturday for its annual Pierogi Day. 

The longtime Ukrainian market at 139 Second Ave., between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street, offered five varieties of pierogi for $1 each as part of its annual thank-you to customers. 

The shop has been a neighborhood fixture at this address since 1972. 

Here are the owners, Olha and Andrew Ilnicki...

... and their son Roman...