Reader report: TenEleven closing at the end of June

[EVG file photo]

There have been rumors that TenEleven on Avenue C between 10th Street and 11th Street will be closing some time this month. (See this tweet by East Village Eats.)

Via Matt LES_Miserable ... According to sources familiar with the bar's status, the place is "switching over" on June 30. Word is a management group that "runs some other bars" is doing some kind of lease buy-out. Apparently it is likely to become a "very different" place.

Last summer, the bar had to temporarily close while waiting for its liquor license renewal... The CB3/SLA committee refused to renewal the bar's license due to some complaints... the SLA eventually renewed TenEleven's license.

In any event, this is all too bad. As we've written, TenEleven is the kind of bar that we need more of around here ... featuring the works of local photographers and artists ... and hosting the occasional musician as well as group events... It's a solid neighborhood bar that seemingly doesn't appeal to the woo-woo pack that arrives every weekend.

[Updated] Blood outside Fine Fare

A reader notes that last night around 9:15, seven police officers, both uniformed and in plain clothes, chased down, handcuffed and searched a man in a baseball cap, T-shirt and shorts on the east end of the Fine Fare storage cages on East Fourth Street at Avenue C.

The NYPD cordoned off the area, placed the man on a stretcher and into an ambulance. An officer on the scene told the reader that the man had been chased from elsewhere and caught at that location. The reader also noticed that the man in custody was bleeding while standing against Fine Fare.

This morning, the reader saw that the man's dried blood was on the sidewalk ... along with a glove and gauze ...

The reader said that neighbors had talked to the Fine Fare manager about the blood. The manager allegedly said it wasn't his problem. Later this morning, two officers arrived on the scene, picked up the glove and gauze, and then went inside Fine Fare.

As of 11:30 this morning, the blood is still there.

Any other readers have further information about what happened here? Please send them our way via the EV Grieve email

Updated 1:16:
Gothamist has more on the incident here. According to their tipster:

"I talked to the manager who said he wasn't going to do anything about it and threw me out of the store ... I called 911 and 2 officers came, picked up those gloves and gauze you see from the street and threw them in the corner garbage can, and nothing else."

Witness to a new development: Avenue C's Kingdom Hall back on the market

The 3,050-square-foot, two-story Kingdom Hall owned by the Jehovah's Witnesses is on the market, Crain's reported yesterday. The site at 67 Avenue C near Fifth Street is zoned for a residential property of up to 10,000 square feet. Crain's notes that there is no asking price on the space.

Robert Knakal, chairman of Massey Knakal Realty Services, who's marketing the property, said: "I am sure this property will be highly sought after by smaller residential developers."

Perhaps. But the current space is 3,050 square feet. And it's zoned for up to 10,000 square feet. You can do the math.

[Via Curbed August 2009]

There isn't the first name this property has been listed. I wrote about a potential sale back in August 2009 during a guest stint at Curbed.

Per that post:

For sale signs went up [last] week at the Lower Manhattan Congregation Jehovah's Witness at 67 Avenue C near East 5th Street. According to the Massey Knakal listing for the property, the space "is ideal for a user, investor or developer and will be delivered vacant." Indeed; asking $2.2 million.

Previously on EV Grieve:
New world order for Avenue C?

When discarded footie pajamas channel Keith Haring

From this afternoon at Ninth Street and Avenue C... the photo and headline come courtesy Andrew Adam Newman on Avenue C.

Reader report: Fire on Avenue C yesterday

We heard reports of a fire yesterday afternoon on Avenue C... a reader passed along these photos with some details...

Just before 4 p.m. yesterday, the FDNY responded to a report of a fire at 56 Avenue C near East Fourth Street ...Per the reader: "Smoke was pouring onto Avenue C for over an hour and a big crowd gathered. I feel badly for any building residents or neighbors who will return home wondering why their homes are water logged and/or smelling of smoke."

We haven't heard the official cause of the fire. A new cafe called Bikinis is slated to open in one of the retail spaces at 56 Avenue C, which is the former Nublu Records office.

Do you have any further information on what happened here? Let us know via the EV Grieve email

25th anniversary of the Loisaida Festival is today

Starts at noon on Avenue C, between 12th Street and Sixth Street... The Festival website is here.


Find some previous EVG coverage of the Festival here.

Alphabet City Beer Co. opens tomorrow

[Photo last week by EVG reader Nathan Archambault]

Last week, we pointed out the signage at the coming-soon Alphabet City Beer Co. on Avenue C near East Sixth Street... and the owners passed along more information, which we'll post part of here...

Alphabet City Beer Co. will open its doors on Thursday, 17th to serve the East Village, just two doors down from the current Alphabet City Wine Co. on Avenue C. The store will sell upwards of 350 bottled beers, a dozen draft lines for growlers, and provisions to go as well as have small fare, tasting flights, and pints to eat and drink in a tasting bar and seating area at the rear of the store, which will accommodate approximately 25 people.

Alphabet City Beer Co. (or ABC Beer Co. for short) will carry over 350 domestic craft beers, handcrafted imported beers, and craft cheeses with a sharp focus on good value, customer service and education. Customers will be provided with magazines, newspapers, comfortable chairs, and free WiFi.

The store will be owned and operated by David Hitchner, a co-owner of Alphabet City Wine Co. and In Vino Wine Bar at 215 E 4th St, and local resident Zachary Mack.

[Via Facebook]

Alphabet City Beer Co. sign up now on Avenue C

[Photo by EVG reader Nathan Archambault]

The sign is up now for the incoming Alphabet City Beer Co. on Avenue C near East Sixth Street... it's the beer-themed retail outlet (and small bar with tastings and food like cheese, meat and pickles) from David Hitchner of Alphabet City Wine Co. a few storefronts to the south. (He also owns In Vino on East Fourth Street.)

We haven't heard about an opening date just yet... the last word on their Facebook page dated late April: "Getting close."

More details to follow.

[Via Facebook]

Noted

Avenue C and East Sixth Street today via EV Grieve reader Steven...

2 types of sidewalk seating on Avenue C

Near East 10th Street this afternoon.

Photo by Bobby Williams.

[Updated] City fixes Avenue C Sinkhole, Jr

On Friday, we pointed out the longtime sinkhole getting sinkier along Avenue C... on the east side of the sidewalk between Sixth Street and Fifth Street ... it's the neglected sinkhole on the block, the one that wasn't named to Page Six the Magazine's "Sinkholes to Watch" list for 2012 or once rumored to play Katniss Everdeen in "The Hunger Games."

But!

EV Grieve reader Steven noted that a crew arrived this week to start work on the long-sinking sinkhole... Tuesday...

And yesterday...

Per a reader: "I just wanted to share with you the *very* exciting news that after years and years, the sidewalk pothole on Ave. C between 5th and 6th street has finally been filled..."

Updated: Via Steven, how's the former sinkhole is looking this morning...

Meanwhile! Up at 13th Street... the city/ConEd have finished repairs on the star sinkhole... Filled!

Previously.

Avenue C's other sinkhole

The sinkhole on Avenue C at 13th Street has been getting its share of attention, including a segment on NY1's For You feature ... ConEd has been on it of late.

But! A reader reminds us of another longtime sinkhole getting sinkier along Avenue C... on the east side of the sidewalk between Sixth Street and Fifth Street ...

Where's the love?

The rest of Duke's is in the dumpster on Avenue C

Duke's, the low-key neighborhood bar near East Eighth Street, closed at the beginning of the year... Workers have been gutting the space this week...

We've heard rumors of another bar taking over the space... Anyone know more about the future of the space?

Avenue C sinkhole update

Here at 13th Street yesterday afternoon... not so sinky looking any longer... ConEd has been working on it the last few days...

Photo by Bobby Williams.

About Bikinis (sandwiches!) slated for Avenue C

In looking over the March CB3/SLA docket, one item jumped out at us: Something called Bikinis slated for 56 Avenue C. What the bartenders will be wearing on duty?

Heh. Nope! CB3 has now posted more information about the applicants. We reached out to Petrit Pula, one of the principals for the new establishment.

He provided some background.

"Bikinis is not the attire of choice — not at all," he said via email. "Bikinis is a style of sandwich from coastal Spain. It's similar to a grilled cheese sandwich, but we are expanding that concept. We will be creating a Barcelona-style eatery with a vintage American diner feel. It will serve Bikinis (sandwiches), soups, salads, coffee, fresh juices and a few dishes."

Pula has been involved with Nublu Records the past six years, most recently as president/A&R. The space for Bikinis at 56 Avenue C is the former Nublu Records office. He is on the recording side, and not with the Nublu music club.

"I saw an online petition against our request for beer and wine license, and that petition has connected us to Nublu," he said. "This automatically makes people think loud music, late night, etc. We are not doing any of that. We are a restaurant with a full menu, background music and regular restaurant hours."

According to the application (PDF) on file with CB3, the hours are 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursdays; to 2 a.m. Fridays and Saturday.

He is opening Bikinis with his fiancé, Karina Correa, who is the main principal in the restaurant.

Said Pula, "Once the neighbors find out what it actually is, I think they will be at ease."

[Pula and Correa have launched an online petition for signatures in support of their restaurant. You can access that here.]

Edi & the Wolf team aims to open bar-lounge on Avenue C

Also on this month's CB/SLA docket:

• 116 Avenue C Restaurant LLC, 116 Ave C (op)

According to the application (PDF) posted on the CB3 website, Edi & the Wolfe partners Eduard Frauneder and Wolfgang Ban are aiming to take over the former Lava Gina space here between Seventh Street and Eighth Street. (Edi & the Wolf is the well-regarded Austrian restaurant/wine tavern that opened in late 2010 at 102 Avenue C.)

Not a lot of information on the application. The unnamed space is being called a "bar/lounge" with proposed hours of 6 p.m. to 4 a.m. The proposal calls for eight tables and a bar that seats 15 people. They will also serve food, though there aren't any details about that just yet.

The CB3/SLA meeting is Monday, March 19 at 6:30 p.m. — JASA/Green Residence, 200 E. Fifth St. at Bowery.

ConEd fixing Avenue C sinkhole

Dave on 7th passes along these photos showing ConEd workers repairing/filling in/whatever the sinkhole that has been growing on Avenue C at 13th Street...

Today at the Avenue C sinkhole

After growing for about the past year, ConEd is getting on it here at 13th Street.

Photo by Bobby Williams.

Previously.

NY1 features Avenue C sinkhole

Posted this photo by Bobby Williams from Avenue C at 13th Street early last week... and tonight, the sinkhole made its New York TV News Debut... over at NY1, who reported on its NY1 For You feature:

Pedestrians who routinely walk along Avenue C at 13th Street know to avoid a huge crack in the sidewalk which they say is slowly caving in. But with a school around the corner the cavernous hole is a danger to those who aren't aware of it.

"It's extremely dangerous," said one concerned parent.

"If you don't know that the hole is there it's dangerous for people with children," said another.

Pedestrians say the deep hole has been this way for a while and they've seen no attempt by the city to repair it.

NY Healthy Choice opening on Avenue C

Signs have appeared at the under-renovation storefront on the southwest corner of Avenue C at 11th Street...

... a deli called NY Healthy Choice...

[Bobby Williams]

The last tenant, the Monk Thrift Shop, closed in December 2010. At the time, neighbors heard that a bank branch would open here.