Looking at two recent storefront reveals on 2nd Avenue

On the NE corner of Second Avenue and St. Mark's Place, Café Maud's signage is officially official as of yesterday. (We got a sneak preview last Wednesday.)

The self-described "neighborhood cafe & bar" replaces EV oldster Dallas BBQ, which closed in December 2022 due to a rent hike.

Opening date for Café Maud: SOON.

Meanwhile, on the NW corner of Second Avenue and Ninth Street, we have a full reveal after workers recently removed the plywood (and layers of wheatpaste ads)...

As previously mentioned, a fast-casual restaurant, Balkan StrEAT, was in the works for the space (the former Starbucks). However, the Balkan StrEAT on Sixth Avenue abruptly closed in October, putting this outpost in doubt.

The RUMOR now is a Greek restaurant will open here.

Thanks to Steven for the top photo.

Plywood down on 2nd Avenue

Top photo by Steven; 2nd pic by Gabriel Sommer 

Emergency responders were spotted this morning on the NW corner of Second Avenue at Ninth Street... where the plywood along the under-renovation storefront apparently fell over onto the sidewalk ... likely due to the wind and rain...

There weren't any reports of injuries.

As previously mentioned, a fast-casual restaurant, Balkan StrEAT, was in the works for the space (the former Starbucks). We're not sure what the status of this project is. The site has been dormant recently, and the Balkan StrEAT on Sixth Avenue closed in October.

Hello again: Sidewalk on the NW corner of 2nd Avenue and 9th Street returns to view

The longstanding sidewalk bridge is coming down today on the NW corner of Second Avenue and Ninth Street — aka 145 Second Ave. (thanks to Steven for the photos)...

... which has to make management at Whiskers at 235 E. Ninth St. happy...

The sidewalk bridge and scaffolding had been up since May 2018. 

Hopefully, this is for keeps now. Workers removed the sidewalk bridge in April 2021 ... only to return one week later. 

The corner space (Starbucks until April 2019) is being renovated for a fast-casual restaurant called Balkan Streat.

[Updated] 145 2nd Ave. returns to view

From the Department of Miracles, workers yesterday removed the remainder of the construction netting and scaffolding from the northwest corner of Second Avenue and Ninth Street (145 Second Ave.), as Steven reports  ...

The scaffolding has been here since May 31, 2018, as a local merchant noted on a pole of the sidewalk bridge...

We're told that the sidewalk bridge will remain in place for an unspecified period of time ... providing protection above the former Starbucks, which closed in April 2019, and the co-opted outdoor space that the 13th Step next door is putting to use...  

Updated 12 p.m.

THE SIDEWALK BRIDGE IS COMING DOWN...