Updated: On Avenue A, let the milling begin (again)

Two-plus weeks after milling Avenue A between Houston and Fourth Street, crews returned tonight. to pick up the work up to 10th Street. Updated: Workers tonight milled more of the roadway between Fourth and Houston before repaving this section. 

The DOT website said work was to happen last night (it didn't) and tonight... so it's TBA on the next six-block section between Fourth Street and 10th Street that is scheduled for milling-paving.

Updated

EVG reader Joe shares these photos... from between Third Street and Fourth Street...

The surface-of-the-moon-like surface on A was prompting cyclists, scooters, etc., to ride on the sidewalk. Which we heard about!

Thanks to the reader for the top pics!

Checking in on the former mucky tree well on Avenue A

Photos by Stacie Joy

Last Tuesday, we reported on longtime East Village resident Siobhan Meow taking care of the formerly mucky-smelly tree well on Avenue A just south of Sixth Street (now known as the Noel Reed Memorial Tree Pit).

We spotted Siobhan at work yesterday, putting in some early ground cover for the soil ...

We're looking forward to seeing this formerly soggy, bread-ridden plot come to life this spring.

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• This spring, new life for the mucky tree well that smells like dead things on Avenue A

Milling about Avenue A

Updated 3/23: With the rain, the milling got pushed to Tuesday evening, per the DOT website.

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Avenue A is on the clock for late-night milling, the removal of the top layer of a street's asphalt surface.

Work began last night between Houston/First Street and Fourth Street, and per the Department of Transportation schedule, it is expected to continue this March Madness Friday night (we have Longwood upsetting Houston) up to 10th Street.

Thankfully, the work was all done very quietly, and no one heard a thing.

This spring, new life for the mucky tree well that smells like dead things on Avenue A

Prologue 

Text and photos by EVG

Since last summer, the tree well on Avenue A just south of Sixth Street has been a mucky cesspool of stagnant water, soggy bread, and other snacks for pigeons adjacent to the block-long Con Edison substation. 

On warm days, when the winds are just right, you can smell the fragrant pit nearly a block away — an aroma that smells like decaying rodents, sewer water, and stale bread.

Despite the muck, life found a way last summer ... 

On Dec. 31, we noticed something remarkable: someone had tilled the plot, turning the earth and providing hope. And after the most recent MulchFest in Tompkins Square Park in January, someone even put down a fresh bed of chips. 

We've never seen anyone drop off the pigeon smorgasbord, but we haven't spotted the person (or people?) tending to the plot either. 

Until last week. 

Hope Springs Eternal

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Last week, you may have noticed that someone had been giving the mucky tree well some TLC. I spotted East Village artist Siobhan Meow working here with a shovel and asked her about the project. 

"I decided to adopt a tree well!" she said. 

She has named it the Noel Reed Memorial Tree Pit after her friend Noel Reed, aka Leon Deer, aka Mr. Twilight, "who died much too young." He was a dancer with the Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black and worked for Con Edison as a welder. 

"I noticed last summer that this amazing cornstalk is growing here. Just the one cornstalk. And then when it was gone, it smelled so bad here in the summer," she said. "All the pigeons…there was so much pigeon guano, which is really good for plants."

Carrying a shovel from her garden, she said, "I turned it over, added some compost from my rooftop garden, some soil from an abandoned outdoor restaurant shack planter, and then a layer of Christmas tree shavings, mulch from the park." 

What does she see for the tree pit? "Shrubs only. Nothing over 12 feet tall. I'd love to see a pussy willow in there. But don't feel too precious about what you put in it. It needs earthworms, too. Nightcrawlers. The best worms."

She's putting out an open call for plants, hoping someone will donate roses or shrubbery. "I don't want to be too controlling," she said

She plans to maintain the pit to be more "civically conscious and to get some exercise."

Epilogue

Saturday's opening shot

An early morning sky view from Avenue A and Ninth Street...

Sunday's opening shot

A quiet Sunday morning (so far)... a view from Avenue A and Third Street.

This Avenue A bus stop will be closed for construction this weekend

Updated: Oh! This work is about replacing the transformer at the ConEd substation here. Oh! The 14A SBS stop on the east side of Avenue A between Fifth Street and Sixth Street will be "closed for construction" from, presumably, 12:01 a.m. Saturday to 11:59 p.m. on Sunday. 

The abbreviations-heavy sign explains what bus-goers can do for service during this time. "Please use: 1st Ave. for W.B. service & Ave. C for E.B. PAT at RHE Temp. Locations." (Updated: I didn't even notice the 2003 the first time! 🙄)

And during this time, Avenue A will be closed to through traffic between Fourth Street and Seventh Street...

The updated Avenue A bus stop will include new amenities, including a wine cellar and a cigar humidor, pickleball court, a Tai Chi deck, and a spa with outdoor bath gardens, steam showers and treatment rooms.

Tuesday's parting shot

City crews tonight are painting the new southbound M14 bus lane on Avenue A... starting at Fifth Street and going down to Houston. 

Read more about this here.

Prepping Avenue A for a new dedicated bus lane

Photos by Stacie Joy 

The DOT has started putting down the markings for the new dedicated southbound bus lane for the M14A on Avenue A below Fifth Street... 

As previously noted, parking is no longer allowed between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. seven days a week in select corridors on Avenue A and Avenue D. (The bus lanes have already been marked on D.) 

This is one of the transit improvements the city announced as part of the "Better Buses Restart" campaign in May 2021. Per then-Mayor de Blasio's announcement during "Streets Week!" at the time:

Both new and improved bus lanes will serve bus riders citywide, with changes including new red paint and markings, signals improvements, pedestrian safety and clearer signage. 

The city identified the M14A and M14D as a "bus priority" in 2019... when the 14th Street Busway went into effect between Third Avenue and Ninth Avenue. (According to the city, the Busway improved bus travel times by 36%, among other improvements.)

Still, according to the city, speeds on the 14A and 14D are consistently slow throughout the day and early evening. (DOT presentation from June 2021 here.)

There's also a budding sinkhole on Avenue A at Second Street that could swallow a bus that Keanu and Sandra couldn't even save...

Parking removed on sections of Avenues A and D; curbside bus lanes set for M14 service

Earlier this month, the city removed the parking signs and Muni Meters from along the west side of Avenue A (between Sixth Street to Houston) and sections of Avenue D.

In their place: No Standing signs. Parking is no longer allowed between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. seven days a week in these select corridors ... 

This is one of the transit improvements the city announced as part of the "Better Buses Restart" campaign in May 2021. Per then-Mayor de Blasio's announcement during "Streets Week!" at the time:

Both new and improved bus lanes will serve bus riders citywide, with changes including new red paint and markings, signals improvements, pedestrian safety and clearer signage. 

The city identified the M14A and M14D as a "bus priority" in 2019... when the 14th Street Busway went into effect between Third Avenue and Ninth Avenue. (According to the city, the Busway improved bus travel times by 36%, among other improvements.)

Still, according to the city, speeds on the 14A and 14D are consistently slow throughout the day and early evening. (DOT presentation from June 2021 here.)

Moving forward, the southbound side of Avenue A (from Fifth to Houston) will receive a curbside bus lane; ditto for Avenue D between Second and Seventh going south... and from Houston to Ninth on the north. 

There will also be enhancements for the bus lines below Houston, including new left-turn bays.

No word on when the DOT will mark these bus lanes. (They were originally slated for last summer/fall.)

The "Better Buses Restart" campaign drew praise from transit advocates last year.

"Prioritizing bus riders on the street is a must for New York City's recovery," Ben Fried, comms director for the TransitCenter, said in a statement. "DOT's slate of bus projects will be especially helpful to essential workers and Black and brown New Yorkers, who make most of the bus trips in the city. As traffic returns to city streets, it's extremely important to complete these projects, carve out space for transit to bypass congestion, and ensure millions of New Yorkers can rely on the bus."

Fox 5 last week found an annoyed LES resident who received a $115 ticket on his vehicle after the parking change went into effect along Avenue D. The resident disputed the claim that the DOT left flyers about the changes for residents. 

Thanks to Steven for the photos.

Sunday's parting shot

A head-on collison this evening reported around 6:15 on Avenue A between 10th Street and 11th Street... no reports of injuries... and no idea how this happened... thanks to the longtime reader for the photo...

[Updated OMG] An Avenue A product available on Avenue A: an investigation

The other day, EVG reader Nancy shared a photo of Avenue A napkins, which she said she purchased at Key Food on Avenue A.

This email caused some confusion in the EVG Newsroom. As far as we knew, Avenue A products — some 370 strong (for real) — were sold exclusively at Associated.

We thought Nancy was confused... perhaps she was at Associated on Avenue C and Eighth Street. (We make this mistake all the time and only realize it when we don't hear any Mike + the Mechanics or Glass Tiger playing via the store sound system.) 

So we headed over to Key to see for ourselves. 

We don't recall ever seeing Avenue A products here. (Then again, we never realized that Key sold firewood, which was upfront by the birdseed and those big tins of Keebler Export Sodas that no one has bought since 1994.) 

Sure enough, one pack of Avenue A napkins was left this morning ...

... seemingly a popular pick at $2.99...

So we don't know why (at the moment) an Avenue A product reserved for Associated, Met, Pioneer and Compare Foods brands ended up here. 

Meanwhile, the firewood is nearby now...

Updated 7:33 p.m. 

Thankfully, EVG Senior Key Food Correspondent Stacie Joy is on the case now... 

An explanation: According to the store, the issue is that this brand has just become available at the distribution warehouse. So the warehouse is where KeyFood/ManDell shops, and you can select/order anything listed as available at the warehouse. This brand is now listed as "available," so Key bought it and stocked it. 

There are three products from this line now at Key: the napkins, paper towels and, oddly, crackers.

[Updated] Jackhammers in tow, city workers investigate the Mystery Puddle of Avenue A

Uh-oh! There just might be something to that Mystery Puddle in the southbound lane of Avenue A at Sixth Street. 

Goggla reports that jackhammer-toting city crews are currently on the scene digging a hole under the East Spillage. (H/T Ade!) 

Hopefully, whatever the workers find won't lead to months of excavation and metal street plates like we've seen on Seventh Street and First Avenue. 

For now, though (brace), we may have seen the last of the Sixth Street Seaport. (H/T Molly!)

Updated 6 p.m. 

Work appears to be done for the day...

Should only have about another 4-5 months of work left here!

The mystery puddle in the middle of Avenue A

Sooo a few EVG readers have been asking about the mysterious puddle in a groove of the southbound lane of Avenue A at Sixth Street... 

The water level never seems to lower... and there isn't any sign of a leak. A thorough investigation of this body of water reveals that it is generally shallow enough to walk through and too small to traverse with a boat or raft. 

Oh, and the puddle pre-dates the heavy rains that the remnants of Henri and Ida dumped on the area.

Mystery aside, this puddle needs a name (Instagram and OnlyFans accounts can follow).

So long to the Essex Card Shop signage on Avenue A; Pac Lab on 1st Street

Back on Thursday, a reader shared the above photo... showing workers removing the old Essex Card Shop signage from its former storefront on Avenue A between Second Street and Third Street. 

And here's how the storefront at the city-owned No. 39 looks now...

Essex Card Shop moved one block to the north to 47 Avenue A between Third Street and Fourth Street last June. A shop regular says that the owners were keeping the sign, but it wasn't going to fit above the new location. 

In other old signage news... the old Pac Lab signage was removed last week from 37 E. First St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue...

Per the Anthology Film Archives: "Pac Lab was a true NYC staple, as well as the last local resource we had for same-day processing of Super-8mm and 16mm film. Over the years Pac Lab proved itself to be a company that possessed as much character and quirkiness as its clients." 

Pac Lab closed at some point in 2014 or 2015.

An early morning view along Avenue A

A view along Avenue A between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street this morning... after yesterday's reported high of 60, temperatures dropped to the 20s overnight with wind chills in the teens... causing the Avenue A reflective pool to freeze over ...

North side L-train entrance opens at Avenue A on Monday

The L train's new Avenue A north entrance — for Eighth Avenue-bound commuters — will debut on Monday (Feb. 10). The Brooklyn-bound side arrived this past Nov. 4.



MTA officials note that the entrance is opening with "temporary finishes" ...



With this debut, the MTA will close the north-side entrance on First Avenue on Feb. 17 for renovations.

Here's the full schedule of what to expect from The L Project e-newsletter:

• Starting on Friday night (around 10), Feb. 15, you'll use the Avenue A north entrance to access trains in both directions on weekends and weeknights.

• On Monday, Feb. 17, the First Avenue north entrance will close for reconstruction. Like the other side, this will take about three months, so we're estimating a May 2020 completion. While this work is happening, both entrances to the First Avenue Station will be located at Avenue A.

• Once we complete the First Avenue entrances, the ones at Avenue A will close again for a bit so we can do the final finishes.

When all the construction is wrapped up, the revamped 14th Street First Avenue station will have four entrances — including the two on either side of 14th Street at Avenue A as well as two new platform-to-street ADA elevators that will be ready for use this summer. (Find more details on this MTA advisory.)

Avenue A storefront watch

Obscura Antiques and Oddities has officially closed, and a for rent sign now hangs in the storefront at 207 Avenue A between 12th Street and 13th Street.

A variety of factors led to the closure. "Our lease is up at the end of February and we are a bit burned out," co-owner Mike Zohn told us back in November. "The business has changed as has the neighborhood, plus the expense and overhead are high."

The asking rent for the space is $4,995 — all uses considered, per the listing.

And on Avenue A at Ninth Street... a for rent notice is up at the recently shuttered Arepa Factory. The listing hasn't made it online just yet.



Meanwhile, the corner space — the former Gelarto — has been leased. The brokers didn't disclose who the new tenant is, however.

These spaces, overseen by two difference landlords — Icon on the corner and Steve Croman next door — were home to Cafe Pick Me Up until May 2015...



One last nearby storefront to note... Three Seat Espresso is now officially closed (as of Jan. 19) at 137 Avenue A between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street...



No word on what might be coming to this space.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• A visit to Obscura Antiques and Oddities, closing soon on Avenue A

• After 20-plus years in the East Village, Obscura Antiques and Oddities is closing

• Arepa Factory closes up on Avenue A

• Three Seat Espresso will close by the end of 2019 on Avenue A; founder blames Starbucks