On the CB3-SLA docket tonight: applicants for the former Sidewalk and Rue-B spaces

Here's a look at two of the items on tonight's CB3-SLA committee meeting... (we wrote about Bar Veloce's application for a new spot on the Bowery here). 

• Offside (OT AT LLC), 94 Ave A (op) 

An applicant is looking to open Offside, a bar-restaurant serving "American comfort food" in the former Sidewalk (and August Laura) space on the NE corner of Avenue A and Sixth Street.

According to the questionnaire on the CB3 website, Offside has proposed hours of 4 p.m. to 4 a.m. on weekdays, with an 11 a.m. start on weekends. The applicants also plan on having sidewalk and streetside seating. 

The applicant previously ran the Offside at 137 W. 14th St. The tavern, which opened in 2017, closed during the pandemic in 2020. Offside was known as a gathering spot for fans watching Islanders games. 

August Laura closed last December after a fall 2019 debut. Sidewalk, the restaurant, bar and live music venue (home of the Antifolk Festival), shuttered in February 2019 after 34 years.

• Next Best LLC, 188 Ave B (op) 

Hi-Note is a proposed coffee shop-karaoke bar combo for 188 Avenue B between 11th Street and 12th Street in space that was previously the jazz club Rue-B. 

According to the CB3 questionnaire, daily coffee service will take place between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. ...  with the bar component open from 4 p.m. to 4 a.m. During the day, Hi-Note plans to serve cafe fare, including pastries, salads and sandwiches. 

Hi-Note's management team previously ran Baby Grand, the now-closed karaoke bar on Lafayette. 

Rue-B shut down last fall after 23 years in business. 

Tonight's virtual meeting starts at 6:30. You can find the Zoom link here.

 Thank you to Jake Bowling for the photo at 188 Avenue B.

Former August Laura space is on the rental market; building on the auction block

For lease signs arrived yesterday on the retail space on the NE corner of Avenue A and Sixth Street...

As noted last week, the bar-restaurant August Laura closed here last week.

The retail listing, which doesn't mention many particulars, such as asking rent, is right here. 

Meanwhile, a separate listing here states the recently renovated building is on the auction block starting on Jan. 31. The minimum bid for 94-96 Avenue, with nine residential units and the retail space, is $4.8 million.
 

August Laura opened here in October 2019. They seemed to have more irregular hours over the last few months, rarely open at the advertised 4 p.m. hour. Their ample outdoor space, including sidewalk seating and streetside dining structures on Avenue A and Sixth Street, sat unused on pleasant summer and fall afternoons and early evenings. 

August Laura took over the space from EV institution Sidewalk, the restaurant bar and live music venue (home of the Antifolk Festival) that closed in February 2019 after 34 years.

Pini Milstein, who retired, was the principal owner of the building and the operator of the Sidewalk. According to public records, Penn South Capital paid $9.6 million for the property in March 2019. The building's new owners added a one-floor extension here in 2020.

August Laura has apparently closed on Avenue A and 6th Street

Multiple EVG readers reported that workers were clearing out August Laura on Monday evening and all day yesterday here on the NE corner of Avenue A and Sixth Street... some items were said to be bagged and tossed on the curb while others were loaded into trucks...

Several workers told readers that August Laura has closed for good. There isn't any mention of a closure on the bar-restaurant's website or Instagram account, though Google lists them as permanently closed.

The space was mostly cleared out last night...

August Laura opened here in October 2019. They seemed to have more irregular hours over the last few months, rarely open at the advertised 4 p.m. hour. Their ample outdoor space, including sidewalk seating and streetside dining structures on Avenue A and Sixth Street, sat unused on pleasant summer and fall afternoons and early evenings. 

August Laura took over the space from what some people considered an East Village institution — Sidewalk, the restaurant bar and live music venue (home of the Antifolk Festival) that closed in February 2019 after 34 years.

Pini Milstein, who retired, was the principal owner of the building and the operator of the Sidewalk. According to public records, Penn South Capital paid $9.6 million for the property in March 2019. The building's new owners added a one-floor extension here in 2020.

94-96 Avenue A wrapped ahead of 1-floor extension

[Photo from Friday]

Workers spent parts of this past Thursday, Friday and Saturday erecting a sidewalk bridge and scaffolding around the building on the northeast corner of Avenue A and Sixth Street.

As we reported last May, the newish owner of 94-96 Avenue A filed plans with the city for a one-floor extension at the building that previously housed Sidewalk Bar and Restaurant.

According to the approved work permit, there'll be an interior renovation of the fourth-floor apartments, and an addition of a fifth floor. The three buildings in this assemblage/zoning lot — 94 Avenue A, 96 Avenue A and 501 E. Sixth St. — will be combined into one, per the permit.

The building's current square footage will increase from 8,304 to 10,151. Despite the expansion, the taller No. 94-96 will have 10 residential units instead of the current 11. The filing also shows that there are plans for a roof deck.

This corner was home for 32-plus years to the Sidewalk, which closed in February 2019.

Penn South Capital paid $9.6 million for the property in March 2019, per public records. Pini Milstein, who retired, was the principal owner of the building as well as the operator of the Sidewalk.

A bar-restaurant called August Laura opened in the building's retail space last October.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• 1-floor expansion planned for Avenue A building that housed the Sidewalk

• The building housing the former Sidewalk sells on Avenue A

• New owners set to take over the 33-year-old Sidewalk Bar & Restaurant on Avenue A

August Laura is opening in the former Sidewalk space on Avenue A and 6th Street

The new owners of the restaurant space at 94 Avenue A — the former Sidewalk — are close to opening here at Sixth Street.

As previously reported, hospitality vets Laura Saniuk-Heinig and Alyssa Sartor are behind the new venture, which we learned will be a revival of sorts for August Laura, an Italian cafe-cocktail bar that opened in Carroll Gardens in the spring of 2016.

Sartor and Frankie Rodriguez, a former Death & Co. general manager, were partners in that now-closed venture. (It was reportedly named after Sartor’s grandfather, who was raised in Carroll Gardens.)

As for what to expect here starting next week (Oct. 9 is the projected opening date), Saniuk-Heinig said August Laura "will have 'East Village Vibes' as opposed to the Italian-inspired Carroll Gardens location." She promised to share more information soon, including whether they will continue on with an open-mic night, a long-standing feature at Sidewalk. (The EV August Laura is listed in part as a "live music venue" on Facebook.)

She did confirm that the two motorcycle murals on the Sixth Street side, created nearly 25 years ago by the artist WK, will remain up. There's also a new mural in progress further east on the building via @EarlyRiser.

The Sidewalk closed back in February after 32-plus years in business. Pini Milstein, who retired, was the former principal owner of the building as well as the operator of the Sidewalk. The building sold for $9.6 million in March.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The building housing the former Sidewalk sells on Avenue A

New owners set to take over the 33-year-old Sidewalk Bar & Restaurant on Avenue A

1-floor expansion planned for Avenue A building that housed the Sidewalk

Sunday outside the former Sidewalk

Here's a look today at part of the former Sidewalk space on Avenue A at Sixth Street.

Interior work continues for a new bar-restaurant, as we've been reporting.

The Sidewalk, with a long-standing open-mic night, closed in February after 32-plus years in business. The owner was ready to retire and move on.

A live music element was expected to continue when the next place opens, but most details haven't been made public. Laura Saniuk-Heinig, one of the restaurant space's new co-owners, did not respond to our previous email seeking more information about the new venture.

Meanwhile, as the top photo shows, the corner space continues to attract a variety of tags and wheatpaste art ... including one of Sally Long Dog...

View this post on Instagram

A new Sally and Harry mural by @earlyrisernyc is up! Check it out, just don’t pee on it! #myblock #calledit #peerightsreserved Location: 6th Street and Avenue A

A post shared by Sally Long Dog 🐾 (@sallylongdog) on Aug 25, 2019 at 2:01pm PDT

Updated 9/2

Some company for Sally Long Dog (via @earlyrisernyc) ...



Previously on EV Grieve:
The building housing the former Sidewalk sells on Avenue A

New owners set to take over the 33-year-old Sidewalk Bar & Restaurant on Avenue A

1-floor expansion planned for Avenue A building that housed the Sidewalk

A food delivery for the former/future Sidewalk Cafe

Work has progressed enough at the former Sidewalk Bar and Restaurant on Avenue A and Sixth Street that the new establishment is ready to accept food deliveries... this was spotted on Friday ...



Still no word what the new owners have in store for the space — other than a bar-restaurant. The new owners previously said that they might keep the Sidewalk name.

The Sidewalk closed in February after 32-plus years in business.

Whiteout at the former Sidewalk

A lot of people wrote in over the weekend to note that workers painted the exterior of the former Sidewalk Bar and Restaurant on Avenue A and Sixth Street.

And photos to show that fresh coat of white paint...





As we've been reporting, a new bar-restaurant is in the works for the ground floor. The Sidewalk, with a long-standing open-mic night, closed in February after 32-plus years in business.

Laura Saniuk-Heinig, one of the restaurant space's new co-owners, did not respond to an email from Friday seeking more information about the new venture.

Previously on EV Grieve:
1-floor expansion planned for Avenue A building that housed the Sidewalk

1-floor expansion planned for Avenue A building that housed the Sidewalk

The new owner of 96-98 Avenue A has filed plans with the city for a one-floor extension at the building that previously housed Sidewalk Bar and Restaurant.

Plans were filed with the Department of Buildings (H/T to the tipster!) back on Friday for the expansion, which will see the building at Sixth Street go from four to five floors.

Despite the expansion, the taller No. 96-98 would have 10 residential units instead of the current 11. The filing also shows that there are plans for a roof deck.

As we've been reporting, a new bar-restaurant is in the works for the ground floor. (Details are scarce.) The Sidewalk, with a long-standing open-mic night, closed in February after 32-plus years in business.

Workers have gutted the former Sidewalk. Here's a look inside the space the other day...


[Reader-submitted photo]

Penn South Capital closed the deal for 96-98 Avenue A for $9.6 million back in March. The listing for the property had stated that the floor area ratio allowed for one more floor to be added to the building.

Pini Milstein was the principal owner of the building as well as the operator of the Sidewalk. Parag Sawhney, founder of Penn South, told Patch in early April that Milstein decided to retire.

As for the new landlord's plans for the building (aside from the extra floor): "We have a new restaurant tenant that will keep the open mic tradition alive. We love the East Village and believe in preserving what make its so special."

Thursday's parting shot

A scene from Sixth Street at Avenue A today via @Phandy_13 ... showing the Sidewalk Closed sign outside the now-closed Sidewalk Bar and Restaurant.

A look inside the former Sidewalk

Gut renovations continue inside 94-94 Avenue A, previously home to the Sidewalk Bar and Restaurant for nearly 34 years.

As you can see, workers have stripped down the interior of the former restaurant space on the Sixth Street side ...


[Photo by Steven]

As noted in previous posts, the new owners of the bar-restaurant space are hospitality veterans Laura Saniuk-Heinig and Alyssa Sartor. (Saniuk-Heinig was the general manager at the Bar Room on East 60th Street; Sartor co-owned August Laura in Carroll Gardens.)

A live music element is expected to continue when the new place opens, but most details haven't been made public.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The building housing the former Sidewalk sells on Avenue A

New owners set to take over the 33-year-old Sidewalk Bar & Restaurant on Avenue A

[Updated] The building housing the former Sidewalk sells on Avenue A

[EVG file photo]

We've heard rumors in the past week that 94-96 Avenue A, the building that housed the Sidewalk Bar & Restaurant for nearly 34 years, had a new owner. (The asking price had been $11.9 million.)

On Monday, the paperwork (dated March 14) for the sale was filed in public records. The documents show that the sale price was $9.6 million. The (so far) mystery buyer is listed as PSC Avenue A LLC. The address on the paperwork corresponds to a law firm (Robinson Brog Leinwand Greene Genovese & Gluck) in Midtown.

Not sure what might be next for the building — or its current tenants. According to the listing, the floor area ratio (FAR) allows for one more floor to be added to the building. And per the listing: "The legendary location has seen many walks of life and now it can be yours. The building is a goldmine in the waiting."

As you likely know, new owners have taken over the former Sidewalk, which closed after service on Feb. 23. So far not many details about what's to come here have been made public. There have been rumors that the new establishment will retain the Sidewalk name... and at least one of the open-mic nights.

Don't look for the new place to be open anything soon. Just last week the city issued a permit for renovation work in the bar-restaurant space.

Updated 4/4

Penn South Capital is the owner, Patch reports. Parag Sawhney, founder of Penn South, had this to say:

"We have a new restaurant tenant that will keep the open mic tradition alive," he said by email. "We love the East Village and believe in preserving what make its so special. We had a very peaceful transition from the previous landlord who also owned and managed Sidewalk. That owner has now retired from business and had no interest in staying on as our tenant."

Previously on EV Grieve:
New owners set to take over the 33-year-old Sidewalk Bar & Restaurant on Avenue A

Work permits issued for the former (and future?) Sidewalk space on Avenue A

The city issued a work permit last week for 94 Avenue A, the former (and future?) Sidewalk Bar and Restaurant at Sixth Street.

Nothing too exciting per the permit: "INTERIOR REMOVAL AND RENOVATION WORK AT THE 1ST FLOOR AND CELLAR."



The work is estimated at $50,000, per the DOB paperwork.

The permit arrives amid rumors that the building had been sold. There's nothing in public records about a recorded sale. (The asking price had been $11.9 million.)

As previously reported, new owners have taken over the former Sidewalk, which closed after service on Feb. 23. So far not many details about what's to come here have been made public. There have been rumors that the new establishment will retain the Sidewalk name... and at least one of the open-mic nights.

Now the Sidewalk looks closed

A quickie follow-up post from last week ... on Saturday, someone covered the windows with paper at the Sidewalk Bar and Restaurant on Avenue A at Sixth Street, which closed on Feb. 23...



Until Saturday, the place still looked open. The lights were on inside ... and there weren't any closed signs or farewell notes to patrons on the door or windows.... we spotted several people trying the front door then peering inside.

Anyway, the bar-restaurant-live-music venue has new owners, whose plans for the space haven't been made public yet.

The building housing the now-closed Sidewalk remains for sale on Avenue A

The Sidewalk Bar and Restaurant closed after service on Feb. 23.

As previously reported, hospitality vets Laura Saniuk-Heinig and Alyssa Sartor are taking over the restaurant space. Work on that has yet to begin here on Avenue A and Sixth Street.

The Sidewalk still looks open — from a distance anyway. The lights are on inside, and I've seen several people try the front door then peer inside. (The gate is down on the bar side.) The sidewalk cafe tables and chairs are stacked on Sixth Street, seemingly ready for warmer weather...


[Photo from Monday]

In an email last night, Saniuk-Heinig said they're still ironing out details for the Sidewalk space.

Meanwhile, the building at 96-98 Avenue A remains on the sales market, per a tipster. The listing at Loopnet was first created in November 2017, and last updated on Monday.

Misrahi Realty has the exclusive listing. The current asking price is $11.9 million.

According to the listing, the floor area ratio (FAR) allows for one more floor to be added to the building. And per the listing: "The legendary location has seen many walks of life and now it can be yours. The building is a goldmine in the waiting."

Last call at Sidewalk and St. Mark's Comics, now closed after a combined 70 years in business

[Photo early Sunday by Day Clancy]

The Sidewalk closed after service on Saturday night... ending 34 years on Avenue A and Sixth Street. New owners are taking over the restaurant and live-music venue.

And there were many thank yous and goodbyes on social media from musicians who have played here through the years... just one example ...

View this post on Instagram

Thank you SideWalk for the memories! It has been a journey - And an absolutely incredible one at that. The only place in my book that welcomed me as a musician. Love you all, misfits, creatives, and Antifolks. 🖤❤️ #longlive @sidewalknyc #rocknroll #stairwaytoheaven #highwaytohell #Antifolk

A post shared by Natalie Asport (@natalieasportmusic) on Feb 23, 2019 at 7:24pm PST

Meanwhile, on St. Mark's Place, St. Mark's Comics closed its doors after 36 years in business last evening. Owner Mitch Cutler cited a variety of factors behind the closure. "I have been working 90 hours a week for 36 years, and I no longer have the wherewithal to fight them — all of these various reasons," he told me last month. The storefront at 11 St. Mark's Place is currently for rent.

amNY stopped by yesterday for a final report. You can read that piece here.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by amNewYork (@amnewyork) on Feb 24, 2019 at 12:30pm PST

The final days of Sidewalk

[Photo from Feb. 12]

Sidewalk Bar and Restaurant is winding down its 34 years on Avenue A and Sixth Street this week.

Staff is telling patrons that the last day of service is Feb. 23.

As I first reported on Dec. 10, hospitality vets Laura Saniuk-Heinig and Alyssa Sartor are taking over the space. (Saniuk-Heinig is the general manager at the Bar Room on East 60th Street; Sartor co-owned August Laura in Carroll Gardens.)

Many current Sidewalk fans are curious if the new owners will continue on with the nightly live music program, including the country's longest-running open-mic night.

In December, Saniuk-Heinig told me in an email that "we are looking forward to keeping the music aspect of the room still alive. Exactly what kinds of shows, we do not know yet." She also didn't know what the name will be moving forward.

In an email from early February, she said "Still working on the name and music aspect."

Meanwhile, as for the current Sidewalk, you can find the remaining (packed) music schedule here.. Saturday marks the final Sidewalk open mic. (Updated 2/20: Nick McManus captured some scenes from the final winter Antifolk Fest here.)

Sidewalk opened in the corner spot in 1985 ... eventually expanding to the space next door when Sophie's relocated to its current home on Fifth Street.

Previously on EV Grieve:
New owners set to take over the 33-year-old Sidewalk Bar & Restaurant on Avenue A

The unknown future of the Sidewalk

As I first reported on Dec. 10, the 33-year-old Sidewalk Bar & Restaurant on Avenue A and Sixth Street has new ownership

The new owners will be hospitality vets Laura Saniuk-Heinig and Alyssa Sartor. (Saniuk-Heinig is the general manager at the Bar Room on East 60th Street; Sartor co-owned August Laura in Carroll Gardens.)

There are a lot of unknowns about what's next. In an email exchange earlier this month, Saniuk-Heinig told me that they will keep the Sidewalk's longstanding live-music tradition alive, though she was not sure yet what type of music they'll feature. She also said that no decision had been made yet on the name of the establishment (perhaps Sidewalk will continue).

In a piece posted last night at The Daily Beast, Anthony Haden-Guest writes that it was "a shock but no surprise to learn" about the change in owners.

So why no surprise? Because in our Wealth Gap period, gentrification has become a seemingly unstoppable force.

Saniuk-Heinig told the Daily Beast that they'd know more details on what's to come next month.

The DB article also looks at the history of the venue's open-mic nights — the most active one in NYC.

Andrew Kirell, a Daily Beast senior editor and accomplished musician, has played there. “What makes Sidewalk so charming is that it has the feel of the type of DIY venue that Manhattan now sorely lacks,” he said. “There’s a sense of community in just being there, because it feels like a haven for underdogs, rabble-rousers, and anyone who just wants to express themselves.”

Previously on EV Grieve:
New owners set to take over the 33-year-old Sidewalk Bar & Restaurant on Avenue A