Tenants and businesses are now without gas at 199 E. 3rd St.

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

On Thursday, Con Ed inspected 199 E. Third St., the building on the NW corner at Avenue B.

The posted notice states that workers found multiple leaks and shut off the gas to the entire building. 

Unfortunately, as we've seen, these situations take a while to resolve. So, for now, residential tenants of this Steve Croman-owned building will need to use hot plates to cook and get used to cold showers.

Meanwhile, Asian Taste on the corner will be closed for the foreseeable future...

Sadly, this also means that Luigi Iasilli will experience a delay in launching his new project, Potenza Centrale, in the same building.

Previously on EV Grieve:

• The owner of Max restaurant is returning to Avenue B with a new pizzeria 

When the lights flickered last night

We heard from about three dozen residents (mostly via Instagram messages) about flickering lights last night around 8:50, which prompted concerns of a brownout/blackout.

Some of the residents also reported hearing a pop, or as the Citizen app described it, an explosion...

Several readers reported that a manhole cover had been blown off from the sidewalk on the NW corner of Avenue A and Sixth Street. The FDNY promptly responded, and there weren't any reports of injuries. 

The lights also flickered for a second, and cable boxes rebooted. 

Most of the people we heard from live in proximity to Avenue A... with the furthest report coming from 14th Street between Avenue B and Avenue C. 

This morning, a Con Ed crew was working in a manhole on the east side of Avenue A at Sixth Street... just outside the ConEd substation. 

We reached out to Con Ed for more about what happened last night... likely related to the summer heat and excess power usage.

Collapsed portion of sidewalk whole again on 7th Street

After nearly two months, Con Ed workers finally repaired a collapsed portion of the sidewalk outside 84 E. Seventh St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue. 

The work took two days and forced the closure of the businesses here — Studio Duarte, a jewelry brand, and AuH20 Thriftique, a vintage shop — on the summery spring days of last Wednesday and Thursday. (Photo below by Steven)... 

Despite a hole in the sidewalk and numerous Con Ed barricades, the folks at AuH20 Thriftique made the best of it these past two months with their business hours and strategically placed rack of clothes... (abandoned couch not part of set up)...

Fingers crossed there isn't another setback to return the block to the ConEd/DEP Hell Summer of 2021.

That sinking feeling again on 7th Street

Several EVG readers pointed out a collapsed portion of the sidewalk outside 84 E. Seventh St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue... happened sometime last night...

... apparently a flashback gift from the ConEd/DEP Hell Summer of 2021 Work on the block. 

Anyway, we understand that the building's landlord will block off this section of the sidewalk until city repairs can be made. 

The business here, AuH20 Thriftique, an excellent vintage shop, will be open per usual from noon to 7 p.m. 

H/T Cara!

This afternoon in photos of full rotation excavators (TB153fr edition)

Photo by Stacie Joy 

Transformer-replacement work continues at the ConEd substation along Avenue A, Fifth Street, and Sixth Street... it's quite a production, as anyone who has stood outside Sophie's (or lives in the immediate area) can attest...

Saturday's parting shots

Photos by Stacie Joy 

The social event of the season is underway on Avenue A at the ConEd substation... where workers are putting in a new transformer here between Fifth Street and Sixth Street ...

...the Avenue is closed between Fourth and Seventh, in case you wondered why B and C were so congested... Anyway! Work continues tomorrow

ConEd sources say the new transformer will arrive on March 5.

Meanwhile, officials are warning against fake photos of the new transformers here... as seen below...

Saturday's opening shots

Big rig city today on Avenue A between Fifth Street and Sixth Street ... as an assortment of cranes and things are employed at the ConEd substation here... where workers have been replacing a transformer in recent weeks...

So this had nothing to do with bus stop construction 😬 ... and Avenue A is closed to through traffic (both lanes) from Fourth Street to Seventh Street through tomorrow night, per signage.

Dan & John's returns on Dec. 1

After a three-plus-month closure for gas issues, Dan & John's will reopen on Dec. 1, per the door signage (thanks to Steven for the photos) ...

As previously noted, we were told that there was a gas-line issue with the building at 83 St. Mark's Place/135 First Ave. The gas issue impacts the building's residents as well, sources said.

The subsequent repairs kept the wing shop closed since the second week of August. Stromboli next door was also shuttered during this time, though the pizzeria was able to reopen on Oct. 21.

Stromboli and Dan & John's remain closed

One month ago today, we posted about the temporary closures at neighboring businesses Stromboli and Dan & John's on First Avenue at St. Mark's Place. (Both quick-serve spots were closed a week before our post.)

In the past month, a lot of people have asked about or pointed out these closures. We don't have any updates, unfortunately. 

As previously noted, we were told that there's a gas-line issue with the building at 83 St. Mark's Place/135 First Ave. The gas issue impacts the building's residents as well, sources said.

Dan & John's left a hopeful message for its patrons... stating that this location "will be back open soon."

With the recent start of the college football and NFL seasons, it's High Wing Season. The Dan & John's outpost in Murray Hill is open...

Photos yesterday by Steven

Gas problem in building has temporarily closed Stromboli and Dan & John's

Stromboli Pizza and Dan & John's Wings have been forced to temporarily close for the past week... signs on the two quick-serve businesses note emergency repairs...

We're told that there's a gas-line issue with the building at 83 St. Mark's Place/135 First Ave. The retail tenants are waiting for an update from the landlord. We're told that the gas issue impacts the building's residents as well.

Meanwhile, one neighbor took the opportunity to leave a note on Stromboli's front door reading: "Stay closed. You're [sic] neighbors sleep better without you."

Neighbors have complained about the raucous early-morning scene at the longtime pizzeria.

Thanks to Steven for the photos and reporting.

Con Ed work temporarily shutters Cafe Himalaya and Prim Thai

Running a restaurant during the pandemic is obviously challenging enough... Cafe Himalaya has had its share of challenges in recent months, including having someone break into the 18-year-old Tibetan/Nepalese restaurant on First Street here between Avenue A and First Avenue and steal the cash drawer.

On Tuesday, owner Karma Dolma discovered that Con Ed will be doing emergency work on the building — forcing Cafe Himalaya and neighbor Prim Thai to close in the interim. 

Con Ed said that they will need at least a week, which in Con Ed time, means a lot longer. Probably. (And yes — this sucks for the residents too.)

We'll update when the two places will be able to reopen.

Previously on EV Grieve:

• Checking in on Cafe Himalaya

Another crazy stormy, then another double rainbow

[Photo by Caoimhe Ní Chonchúir]

For the second consecutive day... we were treated to an intense early evening storm (today complete with hail) ... and then a double rainbow somewhere over the photogenic ConEd Power Plant on 14th and C...


[Photo by Jeanne Krier]

And a few other views... via the BagelGuy...



... and Danny...

This part of Avenue B is closed at the moment for ConEd work

EVG regular Salim notes that ConEd crews are out this morning on Avenue B at Sixth Street ... at the site of an apparent lightning strike yesterday morning... for now Avenue B is closed to traffic between Sixth Street and Seventh Street. Sunny & Annie's and the other merchants along here are open.

Noted

ConEd is beginning work on gas upgrades on Seventh Street between Avenue A and Avenue B... as this photo via EVG reader Paul W. shows, someone added commentary in the section under What to Expect...



"Occassional [sic] explosions."

A smoking manhole on 7th Street

[Photo by Derek Berg]

There was a report of a car that appeared to be smoking yesterday on Seventh Street between Avenue A and First Avenue. Someone called it in... turns out it was the manhole the car was parked over that was causing the disturbance in the force concern...


[DB]

The FDNY blocked off the street around 4 p.m. while ConEd came to check it out.

Apparently there's nothing imminently serious here... as of this morning, just some ConEd cones and FDNY fire line tape remain...



... the car has been moved/shoved back... and the manhole continues to smoke/gurgle... salt is likely the culprit on the wiring, per unnamed observers...



Also, unrelated, someone broke the window at Todd Hase, the high-end home furnishings shop that just opened here at No. 111 back on Monday night...

[Updated] Jared Kushner apparently didn't pay the ConEd bill on 9th Street

ConEd has placed turn-off notices on the front doors at 329-335 E. Ninth St., the buildings operated by the Jared Kushner-owned Kushner Companies here between First Avenue and Second Avenue.


[Click image for larger view]

At No. 329, the notice states that "because KUSHNER VILLAGE 329 has not paid past due bills for $700.47 and a $525 security deposit... we will have to turn off service unless we receive payment by January 4, 2017."

As previously noted, only Steve Croman owns more residential buildings in the East Village than Jared Kushner does. Kushner, 35, who is married to President-elect Donald Trump’s elder daughter, Ivanka, reportedly may have some kind of role in the new administration.

Photos by Steven

Updated 12-13

DNAinfo has more on the story here ... including:

A representative of Westminster Management said the company was in the midst of transitioning the management of utility payments to a different company, likely causing a delay in payments, and added that the bill had been paid on Monday.

Report of a gas leak on 9th Street and Avenue A

ConEd and officers from the 9th Precinct were on the scene early this morning (7:30) on Avenue A and Ninth Street ... where there had been a report of a (noticeable) gas leak at 145 Avenue A... at the time, no one involved appeared terribly concerned ... Ninth Street was blocked off at A to vehicles, but pedestrians were allowed to pass on the sidewalk ...and the Neighborhood Barbers were open for business as usual...

ConEd safety alert at the shuttered Organic Avenue on 3rd Avenue

An EVG reader notes the arrival of a ConEd notice — marked "safety alert" — on the former Organic Avenue storefront on Third Avenue at East Ninth Street... the flyer notes that the gas service is still active here, "but we do not have an account holder on file."

The flyer lists some numbers to call for the storeowner to set up an account. The entire OA chainlet shut down for good after business on Oct. 15.

The new lights on the Con Ed substation

Several residents who live on East Fifth Street between Avenue A and Avenue B have told us about a group of people — anywhere from three to 12 at times – who have been sleeping on the sidewalk along the Con Ed substation this summer… according to residents, they pack up and leave early in the mornings.

One resident said that they have worn out their welcome, though declining to go into details on what this meant exactly. (The reader did say the EMTs have had to pay several visits in the morning.)

So perhaps this is why workers earlier this week installed new lighting on the substation (new lights actually went in all around the structure on A and East Sixth Street)…





There are three new lights in total (only two in the reader-submitted photo below) on the East Fifth Street side …



However, as of Thursday night, only one of the three lights seemed to work on East Fifth Street …



If the lights were put up to deter anyone from sleeping here, then they didn't work. Several people still spent the night under the new light in the middle the past few evenings.

Transformers: Age of extinction, though not yet on Avenue A

[Photo via @Salim]

As we noted earlier in the week, there's some transformer replacement work going on in the weeks ahead (again) at the ConEd substation on Avenue A between East Fifth Street and East Sixth Street…

Anyway, we just wanted to note today's pretty big crane action… Yes!

And thanks to EVG regular Creature for this six-seconds of crane porn…