Rehabilitation of the former P.S. 64 could take 4 to 6 years, cost over $100 million

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

The rehabilitation of the former P.S. 64/Charas/El Bohio Community Center could take four to six years and cost over $100 million. 

Those were two of the big takeaways from a public informational session this past Friday, where local elected officials, community members and building reps connected to the new ownership of the former P.S. 64 came together to discuss the long-vacant property at 605 E. Ninth St. between Avenue B and Avenue C.

Quamid Francis of Q Impact Solutions led the presentation at the Lower Eastside Girls Club on Eighth Street and Avenue D. Speakers included representatives from Beyer Blinder Belle Architects and Denham Wolf Real Estate, speaking on behalf of the property's buyer. 

Here's a quick recap of how we got here these past 20-plus years: According to public records, 605 East 9th Community Holdings LLC bought the property from longtime owner Gregg Singer for $57,267,453 in a transaction filed on Jan. 9. 

The LLC reportedly (per The Real Deal) has ties to Aaron Sosnick, a billionaire hedge fund manager who lives next door in the Christodora House. Denham Wolf Real Estate Services stated that the LLC is "a philanthropic entity with the purpose of returning the property to community use." 

Through the years, Singer, who bought the building from the city during an auction in 1998 for $3.1 million, wanted to turn the one-time P.S. 64 into a dorm, though those plans never materialized, and the building has sat in disrepair. 

The 135,000-square-foot building is zoned for "community facility use." (Any conversion to residential housing would require a zoning variance.) The DOB's Stop Work Order, which dates to August 2015, and is still in effect. The DOB later lifted the Full Vacate Order (from February 2019) to allow inspections by city-licensed engineers.

As previously noted, some residents want to see the space used again as a community center, as it was during its time as Charas/El Bohio Community Center. Singer evicted the group on Dec. 27, 2001. 

The discussion on Friday started with a slideshow presentation and, later, a few questions from the audience.

Francis spoke about objectives, such as shaping the vision and working with elected officials and philanthropists to see what might be possible for and in the building, floor by floor. 

Some ideas that have already been floated:

• The basement space, which holds around 200 people, could be a podcast studio, a space to screen films, and an audio studio. 

• The first floor: A dynamic community space. Elements could include a kitchen, classrooms, and perhaps a catering station. Walls could hold art/exhibition space with a place to hold parties and events. Maybe it could also include a coffee shop. 

• The second floor could have a pottery studio, a bike repair shop and a STEM lab. There could also be a place for young men to fill the void after the Boys Club closed in 2022.

• Third floor: A community organization space, possibly a yoga studio. 

• Fourth floor: A space for visual artists and creators, a dance studio, and a space to store the neighborhood's history and archival materials. 

• Fifth floor: Music practice and acoustic space. 

• Courtyard: An open green space. Ideas included moving the Charlie Parker Festival to the courtyard. 

The architects discussed securing the building, the significant capital investments needed, and testing the façade (tapping the terra cotta, which has been taking place recently). They concluded: "The façade is in good shape — it's a robust building."

The reps from Denham Wolf talked about removing the dead pigeons from the interior and addressing the rodent problem. Other pressing tasks included getting Con Ed to restore power to the building and providing daily security on site. 

Denham Wolf reps also stated the building needs to be further stabilized inside and out in hopes that the Department of Buildings would lift the violations that have been in place for eight years.

After the 75-minute meeting, organizers directed attendees to the lobby and asked them to share their ideas on vision boards, which they could add using Post-It notes.

The presentation leaders said the next steps included establishing and sharing "regular project updates via a website." An urgent need: "Help with securing immediate planning funding to support emergency repairs and overall building development."

Many people told me they were notified privately about this meeting, that it hadn't been publicized. (An item about the meeting was mentioned in an e-newsletter from the Cooper Square Committee last week.) Hopefully, more residents will be notified before the next session, which has not yet been scheduled.

About 'Empty Beds,' a photo memorial that honors Ukrainian children abducted during the war

Photos by Steven 

Saturday saw the arrival on the NE corner of Second Avenue and Second Street of "Empty Beds," a 100-foot-long, 8-foot-tall memorial "to the over 19,546 children abducted by Russian forces" from Ukraine since the invasion in 2022.

Brooklyn-based photographer Phil Buehler recently returned from Ukraine, where he was capturing the war's impact on civilians. 

Here's more about the subject matter: 

These children were taken to Russia or Russian-occupied areas without consent, leaving their beds empty or destroyed by bombs. 

Buehler, though not Ukrainian, felt compelled to return and bring these stories to the U.S. through this powerful public artwork.

When the photographer is present, the exhibit includes discarded toys alongside the photographs... 

From a piece on the memorial via The New York Times:

"I think every parent can imagine there's some loved child there," Buehler said, referring to the bedroom photos. He hopes the mural, spanning an entire block, creates space for viewers to reflect on loss and waiting. 

"I wanted it out on the street, where anyone passing by could stop and engage with the work," he said.

The work will be on display through November. 

Last November, Buehler shared an exhibit on Second and Second titled "Irpin Ukraine: Please Don't Forget Us," a 60-foot-long photograph of the cemetery of civilian cars destroyed by Russian forces at the beginning of the war.

Overthrow is closing next week on Bleecker Street; the onetime countercounter HQ is for sale

After 10 years at 9 Bleecker St. just west of the Bowery, Overthrow announced that it was closing the doors to its boxing gym next week. 

Here's the message via Instagram: 

It is with heavy hearts that we announce Overthrow will be ceasing operations with our last day of business being Thursday, November 7th, 2024. This decision is heartbreaking for us. Unfortunately, we took on immense debt during and post-Covid, which kept the doors open, but we can no longer afford our current lease, and the building has been listed for sale by the owner, making staying open unsustainable.

We hope that Overthrow has given you something special, and made a lasting impact on the community that we’ve built together over the years. It’s been an honor to share this journey with all of you.

As for the three-level building, Corcoran has the listing: 

Discover a rare gem in the heart of NoHo, one of Manhattan's most exclusive neighborhoods. This historic 3-floor townhouse, featuring a usable lower level with sidewalk vault, offers a unique blend of rich history and limitless potential. Occupied by one commercial tenant since 2014, the property will be delivered vacant and is primed for transformation into a single-family residence, multi-family with retail, or retained as a prime commercial investment.

The asking price for this one-time home of the Yippies, named and created by Abbie Hoffman and Paul Krassner, is $6.6 million.

After a protracted legal battle, the Yippies had to vacate their home of 41 years on Jan. 17, 2014. It served as the Yippie Museum Café since 2007. (Read this archived story in the Times for all the legal wrangling and history.) 

Overthrow was named after one of the countercultural newspapers that the Yippies published here.

Tuesday's parting shot

Back to Seventh Street (between B and C) for Halloween... Only Murders in the Building.

Hello Mary headlines Bowery Ballroom

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

This past Thursday, local trio Hello Mary headlined the Bowery Ballroom for the first time in support of their recently released second full-length album, Emita Ox. 

We've enjoyed watching the band's evolution, from almost-shows in Tompkins Square Park to Nublu ... and Webster Hall and now Bowery Ballroom. Following openers Bleary Eyed and Starcleaner Reunion, the hour-long set spotlighted Hello Mary's take on '90s alt-rock, blending raw energy with emotional intensity.

We caught up with the band before the show backstage — (from left) drummer/vocalist Stella Wave, Guitarist/vocalist Helena Straight and bassist Mikaela Oppenheimer ...

Backstage is calm and relaxed, with an air of happiness and playfulness. The trio, energized by the presence of friends, family, and even a few parents in the audience, laugh and joke together. Before stepping on stage, they run through a warm-up song and vocal exercises, finishing with a lively dance to stretch, loosen up, and keep the mood light.

Hello Mary has been on a U.S. tour, their first time as a headliner.

Said Wave, "We've never headlined a full U.S. tour before, so it feels very exciting — especially to play in our hometown and headline a venue like Bowery Ballroom, where we've attended so many shows."

Keep tabs on the band via Instagram.

Kenny Scharf up next at the Brant Foundation

Art via The Brant Foundation

Kenny Scharf, a pioneer of the street art movement in the 1980s East Village, will be the subject of a major survey at the Brant Foundation next month. 

The Foundation announced details yesterday: 

Opening Nov. 13, the exhibition brings together over 70 paintings, sculptures, and objects created throughout the artist's expansive career, beginning with works from the late seventies. The survey is compiled from the Brant collections as well as major loans from institutions and private collections, including The Whitney Museum of American Art (New York) and The Broad (Los Angeles). 

Kenny Scharf is co-curated by Peter M. Brant & Tony Shafrazi in close collaboration with the artist. 

Tickets (here) for Nov. 13 – Dec. 22 are currently available, and the remaining tickets (Dec. 23 – Feb. 28) will be released in the upcoming weeks. The exhibition will be open Wednesday through Sunday. 

Tickets are $20, $15 for students, and $15 for East Village residents. Admission is 50% off every Wednesday from 2-6 p.m. 

The Brant Foundation's first show at 421 E. Sixth St. between Avenue A and First Avenue in the spring of 2019 featured work by Basquiat — some 70 works collectively valued at $1 billion. Other exhibits include a career-spanning Warhol collection in the spring of 2023.

Coming attractions: Upperz Cafe and Bar on 14th Street

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

A brother-sister team is opening a new cafe-bar concept at 319 E. 14th St., between First Avenue and Second Avenue, next month. 

Marilyn Velazquez and Ramon Velazquez (pictured above) are behind Upperz Cafe and Bar. With a CB6-approved liquor license, the establishment will feature breakfast and pastries in the morning with coffee drinks and "artisanal bar food," like pizza bites in the evening. They will also offer mocktails and organic energy drinks. Plans include hosting special events in the evening, such as a Dungeons & Dragons and movie night. 

How did they end up in this location, the former 787 Coffee, which closed in June 2023 after multiple break-ins and deteriorating quality-of-life issues along the corridor? It turns out their third business partner, Fern Gelin, plays soccer with the building's owner. 

"We'd like to offer healing for the community," said Ramon, who also does all the woodworking in the space.

If you're on Instagram, you can keep tabs on the opening here.

Coming attractions: BKLYN MACS on 9th Street

Photo by Stacie Joy 

BKLYN MACS, which will serve "macaron-inspired desserts and beverages (including Partners Coffee from Brooklyn), is expected to debut Friday at 438 E. Ninth St. between Avenue A and First Avenue. 

The business started as Phivi Box, a dessert company offering subscription boxes for macarons and other desserts. This is their first retail outpost. (They have a kitchen facility in Sunset Park.) 

In 2019, the husband-wife owners of the business quit their corporate jobs and launched Phivi Marketplace, an e-commerce events platform, before pivoting to desserts during the pandemic.

You can keep tabs on BKLYN MACS via Instagram or its website.

Signage alert: Hubani Restaurant on 1st Avenue

Top photo by Steven; 2nd pic by Choresh Wald 

In recent weeks, we've seen activity inside the storefront on the SE corner of First Avenue and 1th Street. It looks like a quick-serve food establishment, perhaps like Bereket on Houston and Orchard.

We have a better idea of the new tenant with the coming-soon signage that arrived late last week for Hubani Restaurant... which will serve Halal food...

This space was last home to an unlicensed weed shop (Recreational Plus Cannabis Dispensary). Before this, Eleven Consignment Boutique was here before closing amid a legal battle in November 2019.

Monday's parting shot

Photo by Stacie Joy 

A Halloween kitty sighting along Avenue C...

Where is the $1 million NYPD mobile command unit that Mayor Adams promised for the troubled 14th Street and 1st Avenue corridor?

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

During a press conference on Aug. 8 at the 14th Street Y, Mayor Adams announced that a $1 million state-of-the-art Mobile NYPD Command Center would be placed near the troubled corner of 14th Street and First Avenue. (The Times first reported that Adams allocated the money in early July.) 

According to the news release touting the command center on Aug. 8, the city noted it was part of a "fiscally responsible $112.4 billion Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Adopted Budget passed in June." 

Two and a half months later, no one seems to know about — or wants to comment on — the mobile command unit. When can residents expect to see it on 14th Street? Given his legal troubles, how much is the city's first indicted sitting mayor paying attention to neighborhood issues like this? (In addition, NYC's interim police commissioner is leaving after a few weeks on the job.)

This long-problematic stretch of 14th Street finally seemed to garner attention after, tragically, a triple stabbing among unhoused residents who were vending left one man dead on June 23. The corridor had been a problem for years. Mayor Adams gave it the proper amount of lip service during a press conference on Aug. 8: 

"When we came into office, we had a clear mission: protect public safety, rebuild our economy, and make our city more affordable and livable, and the '14th Street Community Improvement Coalition' precisely addresses these concerns — enhancing the quality of life and making the East Village safer. Our administration does not and will not tolerate an atmosphere where anything goes." 

In a piece from July titled "A Street Brawl, a Stabbing Spree and a New York Block No One Can Fix," The New York Times observed:

East 14th Street also embodies New York City's struggles with a web of interconnected ills that have defied attempts to rein them in and have flared since the pandemic in parts of Manhattan: homelessness and mental illness, addiction and rampant shoplifting and seesaw battles for control of public space.  

Since the stabbings on a Sunday afternoon in June, the NYPD has been a regular presence on the block, both on foot patrols and in patrol cars. The NYPD also installed three light towers between A and First on the south side of 14th Street. The city formed the multi-agency 14th Street Community Improvement Coalition to address the complicated convergence of public safety issues, including illegal vending, retail theft, and substance use and sales.

One matter that hasn't been resolved is the weekend flea market at Immaculate Conception on 14th Street at First Avenue, which some residents said contributes to the quality-of-life issues. The market is too big for the available space, and it attracted a patchwork of sellers with dubious and stolen merchandise setting up on the sidewalk along the block. The police have mostly kept them away from the corridor.

Residents have noted improvements along 14th Street, though familiar issues have been gradually resurfacing. Late last month, a 68-year-old woman was bashed in the head by a stranger on 14th Street and First Avenue.

Against this backdrop, where is the $1 million NYPD mobile command unit that "will serve as a central hub for law enforcement operations in the area"? Is it still on the way?

According to a source at the NYPD who was not authorized to speak on the record: "It's not something that was going to happen right away. No time frame or date was given [for its arrival]." 

The source continued: 

In my experience, the NYPD will just show up and arrive without proper communication with anyone involved. I don't know when the unit will arrive, but I don't think we will see it this year. Local elected officials may have more info than we will have. We are usually the last to know. 

This [mobile unit] will require manpower, and three officers will be assigned to it at all times. Where are the three officers coming from? Right now, two officers are assigned to the foot post at the location — one from the 9th Precinct and one from the 13th Precinct.

I asked the NYPD source if the underlying issues had been addressed and if the problems might have spread to other areas. 

Absolutely, the problem has been pushed to other areas. We have seen illegal vendors move into the confines of the 13th Precinct, and some vendors have moved to First Avenue and Houston Street ... We have received complaints regarding 12th Street and First Avenue, but I have only seen homeless people there, no vendors. Now they [the vendors] are scattered around. 

When we take the footpost away, they will all come back. We did this once before during the DeBlasio administration. We were there for a month or two, and as soon as they took the footpost away, [the vendors] all came back. We have questions, too. Is this going to be an overtime post? Where are these officers coming from? We made the press conference, we made these nice promises; when are we going to see this? These are good questions to ask local elected officials. When is it coming? You need to announce when it is going to happen. Give me a time frame.

In recent weeks, I have asked about the mobile unit. The NYPD said to ask local elected officials. Local elected officials said to ask the NYPD. 

"At this moment, the Council does not have an update to share on the timeline of the mobile command unit," said a spokesperson for Adrienne E. Adams, speaker of City Council. "I would implore you to reach out to NYPD if you haven't already to get answers to your questions." 

From the office of District 2 City Council Member Carlina Rivera: "NYPD press would have the most accurate timeline — we are working to get an update as well."

State Assemblymember Harvey Epstein was the most talkative on the topic. 

"There is regular police [presence] on 14th Street and coordinated efforts with both the 9th and 13th [Precincts] working together along with sanitation, DHS, etc.," he said. "My understanding is the command center exists now but [is] not visible to the public except what we see on 14th Street with police and equipment there." 

When I pressed for clarification, he said, "Let me ask." 

Epstein said he contacted the Mayor's office three times for an update and was told there was no update.

Leaders at Community Board 3 also did not answer. "I have nothing on record to say," said longtime District Manager Susan Stetzer. CB3 Chair Andrea Gordillo said, "I don't have anything official to follow up with, but as soon as I do, I'll let you know."

I also contacted the Mayor, the press office at City Hall, Sen. Brian Kavanagh, District 4 City Council Member Keith Powers, and the Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Public Information. However, none of them got back to me.

I waited to file this story to give people time to respond. They did not. 

Meanwhile, I would have contacted more people listed on the press release about the mobile unit, but they have either since been indicted or resigned.

Signage alert: Fattoush by Salma on 1st Avenue

Photos by Pinch 

Signage has arrived for Fattoush by Salma at 221 First Ave. between 13th Street and 14th Street. 

The restaurant, serving Mediterranean cuisine, is an offshoot of Salma at 351 E. 12th St., just west of First Avenue. There is no word on an opening date yet.

Salma, described as an "authentic Lebanese grill," debuted in the fall of 2021.

After a short stint, Dim Sum Go Go closed at 221 First Ave. in February.

The former Sushi Dojo space is for lease on 1st Avenue

The former Sushi Dojo space is now for lease at 110 First Ave. between Sixth Street and Seventh Street.

We don't know the exact timing of the recent closure. The Sushi Dojo website simply says, "We're Closed. Thank you for your support since 2013." Its Instagram account doesn't mention a closing.

The restaurant, from chef David Bouhadana, received acclaim during its early days here. However, in the fall of 2015, ownership let go of its chef for his reportedly "unprofessional" handling of DOH codes and conduct.

The fine-dining allure of Sushi Dojo changed over time, and recent Instagram posts show deals for "anti inflation omasake" — 10 pieces for $45.

According to the listing for the fully vented space, the rent is $15,000 monthly.  

2 recently opened restaurants close for renovations on 2nd Avenue

Sunday Dreamin is apparently taking a power nap.

The restaurant at 80 Second Ave. between Fourth Street and Fifth Street is closed for renovations.

Per an Instagram post: "We will be temporarily closed for the time being as we go through some changes here at #SundayDreamin. Give us a follow so you can stay up to date for when we reopen!"

Sunday Dreamin opened in May, and we mostly heard positive things about the food. 

Meanwhile, one block to the north, the Sunflower East Village has also announced a closure for a "restructure" (photo by Steven)...

This sister cafe to the one on Third Avenue in Gramercy Park (with the Instagram slogan "Let’s Brunch baby!") also opened in May. It's not known what a restructure entails, but there was a very long build-out ahead of the grand opening. 

Sunflower is owned and operated by the same folks as the previous tenant here, Eros, the Greek restaurant that quietly closed in August 2022. Eros took over for their diner concept, The Kitchen Sink, in September 2021. 

Unfortunately, in recent months, neither Sunday Dreamin nor the Sunflower seemed all that busy.

Week in Grieview

Posts this week included (with a fall photo from Sixth Street)... 

• Curtain falls on Connelly Theater: Archdiocese takes center stage in script scrutiny drama (Thursday) 

• Office building on the former site of B Bar & Grill will be home to Chobani House — 'a new model for urban development' (Friday) 

• Canines, crowds, cops and chaos: At the annual Tompkins Square Park Halloween Dog Parade (Monday) 

• Op-Ed: The back of our ballot in NYC (Thursday) 

• Openings: Gizmo on 14th Street (Tuesday) 

• RIP Gary Indiana (Thursday) 

• About Sofaclub, a licensed cannabis shop opening this fall on Avenue B (Wednesday) 

• A look at Walter Salas-Humara's 'Guardians and Realms' at 14BC Gallery (Wednesday) 

• And now, your Budget Mart signage on Avenue A (Thursday) 

• Openings: DupBopBro on Houston (Wednesday) 

• A moment in Tompkins Square Park with Robert Leslie (Tuesday) 

• Closings: A-Roll Bar and Grill on St. Mark's Place (Tuesday) 

• Houston Village Farm hasn't been open lately (Monday) 

• Talking baseball (Friday)

• About a new home for Baker Falls on the Lower East Side (Monday)  

... and there's a rally to save community gardens citywide at City Hall...

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Metro Area Gov Isle Coalition (@gi_coalition)

Another chance to catch 'Caught Stealing' filming around the East Village

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Crews for the Darren Aronofsky-helmed crime thriller "Caught Stealing" (aka "Chelsea Honeymoon") will return to the neighborhood this week. 

We've seen fliers covering a pretty wide swath, from Cooper Square to Avenue B, for the filming taking place on Tuesday. So expect to see more late 1990s set dressing ... one confirmed location is the Quick Coin laundromat on Avenue B between Third Street and Fourth Street.

The laundromat will be closed for set dressing during the day tomorrow (open again after 5 p.m.) ... closed Tuesday... reopening Wednesday after 4 p.m.

Several weeks ago, workers were seen dating the laundromat to fit the late 1990s. However, there must have been a change in the production schedule, as the filming didn't take place.

Everything with the yellow caution tape was for the shoot. 

Charlie Huston adapted the screenplay from his 2004 book "Caught Stealing." The story finds Hank Thompson (Austin Butler), a former baseball prodigy, now a binge-drinking bartender, being chased by a criminal element in the late-1990s East Village. 

The cast includes Zoë Kravitz, Regina King, Matt Smith, Liev Schreiber, Bad Bunny, Griffin Dunne, Vincent D’Onofrio and Action Bronson.

Previously.