14th Street gate all dolled up

Spotted on 14th Street between Avenue B and Avenue C...





These were remnants from a stoop sale yesterday.

And in case you were wondering, Art in Odd Places takes place this year along 14th Street from Avenue C to the Hudson River on Oct. 12-15.

Dean & Deluca vet bringing Fat Cat Kitchen to 14th Street

[Photo from the spring by KT]

Back in the spring, the Crystal Gallery Psychic Readings at 223 E. 14th St. met its destiny in the form of a city Marshal.

The space between Second Avenue and Third Avenue had been on the rental market.

Now comes word via the Commercial Observer of the new tenant. Björn Holm, a sous chef and the head of catering at Dean & Deluca’s store on Broadway and Prince, is opening a quick-serve restaurant called Fat Cat Kitchen.

Per the CO:

“Fat Cat Kitchen will offer the convenience of selling creative sandwiches, fresh salads, quiche, soups and home-style bakery items, plus a full coffee program in a warm, inviting shop with a knowledgeable, friendly staff and a frequently changing menu, offering consistency and variety that similar shops lack,” Swartz emailed.

Nail salons on 14th Street: 1 up, 1 down

The nail salon (not store) has opened at 248 E. 14th St. between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. Part of the awning remains up for the previous tenant, C & B Convenience Store (as well as the ad for Vita Coco Coconut Water).

Meanwhile! Closer to Third Avenue, Gigi Nail Spa has closed...



The space is for rent. The listing at Winick doesn't mention the asking rent.

About '14th Street Peopleway'

There's a movement afoot to restrict 14th Street between Irving Place and Sixth Avenue in both directions to buses, bikes and pedestrians during the upcoming L train service shutdown... and perhaps permanently.

Meanwhile, Transportation Alternatives has launched an initiative called "14th Street Peopleway: A New Way to Get Across Manhattan." There's a launch rally for this tomorrow evening at 6:30 in Union Square South. (Find more details here.)

Here's more from TA:

The upcoming shutdown of the L train will remove a vital link from the city’s transportation network. This will make it much more difficult for people who rely on transit to get across town in Manhattan as well as getting to and from Brooklyn. The hundreds of thousands of people that count on the L train will be forced to find other options.

While the repairs are unavoidable, there is much we can do to minimize the inconvenience for everyone. By dedicating 14th St to public transit, walking, and biking, we can maximize the usefulness of our limited street space and increase safety along this very busy corridor.

Here's a link to a petition to make 14th Street vehicle free.

Thanks to car-free dreamer Chris Castiglione for the info!

C & B Convenience Store has closed on 14th Street

The East 14th Street turnover continues... C & B Convenience Store at 248 E. 14th St. between Second Avenue and Third Avenue shut down last week...The Marshal came calling too...



After an apparent rent increase, Saving$ Paradise next door at No. 250 recently merged with IQ Decor a few storefronts to the west.

Taking bubble tea bets now.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Coming and going on East 14th Street

Will a car-free 14th Street make life more bearable during (and after) the L train renovations?

So someone has taken notice that the M14A isn't always very punctual ... which should likely only get worse, even with more buses, when the MTA shuts down the L train for repairs in 2019.

As you may recall, the MTA has pitched two scenarios for the work to repair the Sandy-damaged Canarsie tubes. The first plans sees service cut completely between Eighth Avenue and Bedford Avenue for 18 months. The other option is to close one tube at a time, with a three-year timeframe for the work

Meanwhile, in case you missed this: State Sen. Brad Hoylman has asked the MTA to explore the possibility of closing parts of 14th Street to vehicular traffic, with a dedicated bus and bike route to help ease the crosstown commute while the L is out, DNAinfo reported.

Hoylman is reportedly building on an idea floated earlier by the Regional Plan Association, a Manhattan-based think tank.

Per DNAinfo:

The report, released in April, suggested restricting 14th Street between Irving Place and Sixth Avenue in both directions to buses, bikes, and pedestrians. Trucks would have to make deliveries to 14th Street overnight, or use loading zones on nearby avenues that would take the place of parking spaces, according to the report.

The rest of traffic could travel east of Irving Place and west of Sixth Avenue, but only one-way towards each river, according to the report.

Hoylman has also suggested making this car ban permanent between Irving Place and Sixth Avenue — even after L service is restored in 2089.

Coming and going on East 14th Street

We noted yesterday that a Pink Bear Ice Cream shop is opening at 226 E. 14th St. between Second Avenue and Third Avenue... it's worth noting the recent turnover on this block... Pink Bear will be joined on the other side of the street by the new coffee shop Mr. Moustache, opening soon in the former Russian Souvenirs space.

As for closures... EVG regular KT noted the departure of Crystal Gallery Psychic Readings at No. 223...



...where the Marshal recently came calling...



As previously noted, Saving$ Paradise at No. 250 ... recently merged with IQ Decor a few storefronts to the west... (KT heard that the landlord at No. 250 is seeking a hefty rent increase...)





Other recent departures include Discount Cleaners at No. 230. They merged with another cleaners around the corner on Third Avenue.

Also, the former Dunkin' Donuts space at No. 218 is still available... DD moved a few storefronts away last August.

A block party to welcome 20 new trees on East 14th Street

There's a block party until 5 p.m. today on East 14th Street between Avenue B and Avenue C.

As a resident shares with us:

"It's to celebrate the arrival of 20 trees. This took about five years of petitioning the city … and is pioneering because the infrastructure on this block with the Con Edison steam pipes running along here made it tricky. Previously no trees were able to be planted here."

Rent a parlor floor on East 14th Street

There's a parlor floor for rent at 325 E. 14th St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue … directly above the Crocodile Lounge…

Cushman & Wakefield has the listing… all uses considered at the moment… the asking rent is $7,500…



And the listing has some of the loneliest still-life photos that we've seen for some time (or ever?)…

Holiday lights make you momentarily forget how horrible the intersection of 14th and 1st is

Hey, alright — the holiday lights are up now along East 14th Street west of First Avenue … getting into the spirit yet?

The 99-Cent Discount Center has officially closed

Workers were clearing out the storefront yesterday at 440 E. 14th St. … carting off the remnants in these bags…



As previously noted, the store owners lost their lease … joining former next-door neighbor Stuyvesant Stationery in that club here just west of Avenue A.

With the departure of the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office, there are now three, single-level storefronts sitting vacant … presumably to make way for some future development.

Previously on EV Grieve:
99-Cent Discount Center latest lost-lease casualty on East 14th Street

Thanks to the anon EVG reader for the photos

99-Cent Discount Center latest lost-lease casualty on East 14th Street

[Photo by EVG Facebook friend Cheryl Pyle]

The crowded shop here with a little bit of everything at 440 E. 14th St. just west of Avenue A is closing this week ... lost their lease.

The 99-Cent Discount Center joins former next-door neighbor Stuyvesant Stationery in the Lost Least Club. And, of course, the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office closed in February and reopened a retail space a block away.


[The former post office on Saturday]

So now three, single-level storefronts all in a row will be vacant ... prompting some discussion among EVG regulars again about the possibility of new development along here. Perhaps something like what's going in to the east on 14th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B.

Meanwhile, there's nothing on file with the DOB to suggest any new buildings for 438 or 440 E. 14th St.



Previously on EV Grieve:
First sign of more development on East 14th Street?


[EVG file photo from September 2013]

Dunkin' Donuts moving on East 14th Street

A tipster tells us that the Dunkin' Donuts at 520 E. 14th St. is on the move… heading east toward Avenue B a few storefronts away … to the former home of La Isla Restaurant, which closed in July 2012…



DOB permits for this address at No. 542 point to a renovations for a Dunkin' Donuts …



Meanwhile, what will become of the storefronts at No. 520? The building will be the last thing standing here … with bookend 7-floor retail-residential complexes on the way …



Gino DiGirolamo's Royal Tailor shop at No. 520 is closing on May 31. Gino is retiring after 50 years in business. A bit of a forced retirement given that the landlord was doubling his rent here.

In other Dunkin' Donuts news … as we reported on Friday, a DD is taking the former Norman's Sound & Vision storefront at 67 Cooper Square.

Demolition continues westward ho on East 14th Street

OK, so we've posted several photos already showing the demolition along East 14th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B. However, we hadn't been by ourselves for whatever reasons.

So here we are. Cool! Blogger portals in the plywood for easy photos!





According to the handy sign, the demolition ahead of the two, 7-floor retail-residential buildings will wrap up in August.



In two weeks, the workers have taken out the former ABC Animal Hospital and Petland. The former Bargain Express is next to fall …



… as the demolition heads west to Avenue A… sparing only 520 E. 14th St.



Previously on EV Grieve:
New 7-floor buildings for East 14th Street include 150 residential units

Sidewalk bridge arrives for start of demolition on East 14th Street; last chance for Blarney Cove sign

Workers began erecting the sidewalk shed along the doomed section of East 14th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B yesterday. Demolition of these one-level empty storefronts should commence soon enough.

As previously reported, eight parcels consisting of 222 Avenue A and 504 - 530 E. 14th St. (excluding No. 520) were leased for a retail-resident complex that might look like this ...


[500 E. 14th St.]

... and this...


[524 E. 14th St.]

Workers still need to finished putting up the sidewalk bridge to the east...



To date, we haven't spotted any plans on file with the city for the new buildings.

Meanwhile, it's really last call for that Blarney Cove sign...





[H/T @cgashcraft]

Previously on EV Grieve:
East 14th Street exodus continues

The disappearing storefronts of East 14th Street

[Updated with correction] 8-lot parcel of East 14th Street primed for new development

East 14th Street corridor now nearly business-free ahead of new development

Here is the future of East 14th Street and Avenue A: 7 stories of residential and retail

City OKs permits to demolish the empty storefronts along this section of East 14th Street

Here is the next new section of East 14th Street

East 14th Street, 8:06 a.m., Feb. 15

Pro Land reopens on East 14th Street

[Photo Monday by Bobby Williams]

The Pro Land sneaker shop on East 14th Street near Avenue A abruptly closed the other day. There was a notice of a sale, but no word of a renovation. The space looked gutted.

Given the rumors (just rumors) that the single-level structures from the post office to the southwest corner of Avenue A will be cleared out to make way for some Double D development, it seemed plausible that Pro Land was a goner.

Per an EVG commenter Monday:

The Pro Land sneaker shop at 14th and A is suddenly closed. Walked by this morning and the place was gutted, men in there working.

Between the billboard coming down on the SW corner of A/14th (exposing the greatly missed Chico 9/11 mural), Stuyvesant Stationery (a few doors down from Pro Land) closing last fall, and of course the closing of the Stuyvesant PO next month, I would't be surprised if everything from Ave A to the detestable A Building gets razed on that side of 14th.

For now, at least, this isn't the case. As these photos yesterday by Bobby Williams show, the space has been quickly renovated and restocked...




The store was to reopen last night.

Anyway, to recap, the beloved Peter Stuyvesant Post Office branch on East 14th Street is closing soon. (The USPS will lease the former Duane Reade on East 14th Street near First Avenue for retail services, such as stamp sales and P.O. boxes.)

The lease expires at the current location at the end of next month. The landlord reportedly told the USPS that they have other plans (residential?) for the building.

Last fall, the Stuyvesant Stationery shop next door to the post office lost its lease and closed.

Previously on EV Grieve:
First sign of more development on East 14th Street?

Report: Closure of the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office is pretty much a done deal

City OKs permits to demolish the empty storefronts along this section of East 14th Street

The city OK'd the permits yesterday for workers to demolish the empty storefronts along East 14th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B ahead of a new luxury retail-residential complex.

The storefronts that once housed Stuyvesant Grocery and Pete's-a-Place (before the fire on May 12, 2010) at Avenue A east to, and including, the former Animal Hospital at No. 532 will be demolished. The lone exception: 520 E. 14th St., the tenement building where the Dunkin' Donuts resides. Presumably new development will happen on either side of this building.

[Click image to enlarge]

Gary Barnett of Extell Development grabbed up eight parcels in a 99-year lease worth $35.14 million. And as noted in previous posts on the topic, the new development will look something like…


[RKF]

Time is running out to get that Blarney Cove sign.

Previously on EV Grieve:
East 14th Street exodus continues

The disappearing storefronts of East 14th Street

[Updated with correction] 8-lot parcel of East 14th Street primed for new development

East 14th Street corridor now nearly business-free ahead of new development

Here is the future of East 14th Street and Avenue A: 7 stories of residential and retail