First Avenue and Ninth Street, 9:31 a.m., July 3

Dukovny Floors closes on First Avenue

[Photo by Blue Glass]

Both Blue Glass and Dave on 7th noted that Bernard Dukovny Floors on First Avenue just north of 11th Street has closed...

I went to Google Maps for a Street View... and the Google mobile caught Mr. Dukovny standing in front of his store...

I keep wondering what he was thinking about...

How a fruit vendor helped save a bike on First Avenue

Dave on 7th shared this anecdote from yesterday... the incident occurred on First Avenue just north of 14th Street... A DOT crew removed a street sign. A bicycle happened to be attached to the sign. The crew was ready to just leave the bike chained to itself on the sidewalk.

However! A fruit vendor down the block intervened and convinced the crew to reattach the bike to a lamp post near his cart.

Miracle (Grills): A Ricky's and not an eatery opening on First Avenue

As Jeremiah first noted yesterday, a Ricky's is opening at the long-dormant Miracle Garden space on First Avenue near Seventh Street...

... and the store will also fill the retail space at the newish apartment building at 92 Seventh St., the site of the Miracle Grill's former garden...

An interesting turn of events... the space had been on the market as a restaurant...





Given the adjacent Foodie Row of Seventh Street, Foodie Row Watchers figured this space was destined for something artisanal or drizzled or food trucked...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Former Miracle Grill garden not-so-suddenly looks like a condo

Former Miracle Grill space on the market

One restaurant, two buildings

Intervideo Electronics now closed on First Avenue

Store closing signs went up late last month at the computer repair shop-plasma TV installers-DVD rental place on First Avenue between Sixth Street and Seventh Street... Swung by to see if there were any further markdowns...

Unfortunately, I found that the owners had already closed the store ... nothing left inside...

...with just a few reminders of what was here ...

NYPD checkpoint on First Avenue

samo sends us word (and these photos) that the NYPD has a checkpoint this morning on First Avenue near First Street...

Seems as if they're focusing more on car and trucks than bikes. But you never know. Put on your bike bells.

Sa Aming Nayon now open in the former Wai? Cafe space

The Filipino restaurant here on First Avenue between 12th Street and 13th Street is now open. They're also serving breakfast daily from 9-11 a.m.

I don't know anything about Filipino food. So can someone tell me about their breakfast specials, such as Cornsilog — homemade corned beef, garlic fried rice and two eggs any style ($7.95). And if you've eaten here already, then please pass along a report.

Meanwhile, work continues on Avenue B where Wai? Cafe will move one of these days.

Previously.

Noted on the sale rack at Kim's

Kinda weird and cool computer repair shop-plasma TV installers-DVD rental place closing on First Avenue

I suppose this isn't shocker ... The store formally known as Intervideo Electronics is closing. And you can see how they've tried to keep up with the times on their sign...

...and they were always good for oddball DVDs that I never knew existed.

And, of course, whenever a little place like this shutters... you have to wonder/worry about what might arrive next ...

High-rise for 75 First Avenue back in play

Looks like Revival Week continues. (For example, there's the hotel on the Bowery and Orchard Street back in action on long-dormant sites.)

Meanwhile, there's activity again at the long-dormant site at 75 First Avenue next to the Rite Aid on East Fifth Street. Workers repaired and painted the plywood here...

There's also a new permit on file.

When we last looked in on this development, DOB permits noted that a 14-story, 30-unit condo/apartment building was in the works. Thomas O'Hara was listed as the architect. According to his site:

This cutting edge design with angled balconies and glass facade is designed to attract young cutting edge crowed of the east village.

Here's what it was intended to look like:



HOWEVER, O'Hara is no longer listed as the architect. According to permits, the site is still owned by Ozymandius Realty on West 14th Street. 75 First Avenue is listed under the company's current development projects, though there isn't further information about plans.

So this is one to keep an eye on. There will be a 14-story building of some kind here. And will this revive those Rite-Aid-is-closing rumors?

First Avenue, 8:58 p.m., May 20

Even Zarkana can't magically fix this stalled tourist bus

On First Avenue near Seventh Street... Where do you suppose the tourists wandered off to?

[Photo by Bobby Williams]

Breaking: First Avenue bike lane buffers getting buffed up — with trees!

Crews are out now on First Avenue...

... putting in a tree at ever bike lane buffer along First Avenue...

The finished product.

Thoughts?

Previously.

It's almost Easter, so stretch your bunny rabbits

At the 99-cent store on First Avenue near Fifth Street.

Today in fences being painted

EV Grieve contributor samo notes that members (and friends!) of the New York Junior League are painting the fence this morning at First Park...

Today in photos of a large crane on First Avenue

Courtesy of EV Grieve crane correspondent Bobby Williams.

The food courting of East Village delis continues

Roger's Garden on First Avenue between First Street and Second Street closed for renovations back in early January... (uncovering a Dash Snow tag on the rolldown gate in the process)



Here's what the space is looking like now...

It's the latest deli to go more upscale... with a new-look that can best be described as New Americana Food Court... similar to other newish eateries-delis in the neighborhood to open in recent months...

Related reading:
For Bodegas, An Uncertain Future (The Local East Village)

Exclusive: Inside a Drinking Water Sampling Station

The other day, EV Grieve reader Steven noticed that the Drinking Water Sampling Station on First Avenue between Second Street and Third Street...

...was open! For some reason, I've never seen inside of one... So now we know, despite the rumors — and swarms of bargoers! — they are not actually dispensing draft beer...

And this post at NYC.gov tells you what the stations are actually used for.

The East Village gets a taste of the Hamptons, sort of

Hamptons Market Place, with two locations on the West Side, is taking over the former Olympic Deli space on First Avenue at 13th Street ...

And the new owners have cleared out where the flowers were once sold on the 13th Street side...

...exposing part of the building's original features...