The Cock is back open on 2nd Avenue

The Cock, closed since the start of the pandemic in March 2020, returned to service on June 24 here at 93 Second Ave. between Fifth Street and Sixth Street.

For now, the two-level bar-club is open Thursday through Saturday from 6 p.m. to 4 a.m. For the holiday weekend, they will be open on July 4. Proof of vaccination is required to enter the establishment.

As we first reported, owner Allan Mannarelli, an East Village resident, was hoping to relocate the Cock ... and he appeared before CB3 this spring for a new liquor license at 112 Rivington St., the former Fat Baby space. However, CB3 denied the move. (BoweryBoogie has details on the licensing history.)

The Cock, once described as "the last filthy gay bar in New York," moved to No. 93 in late 2015 (you may recall the "Block the Cock" campaign) ... it first opened on Avenue A in 1998 before relocating to 25 Second Ave. several years later.

The Cock plans a move to the former Fat Baby space on Rivington Street

Updated 5/12: There is opposition to this application. BoweryBoogie has more here.

The Cock looks to be leaving its home at 93 Second Ave. between Fifth Street and Sixth Street for new digs on the Lower East Side.

Owner Allan Mannarelli, an East Village resident, will appear before CB3's SLA committee on May 12 for a new liquor license at 112 Rivington St., the former Fat Baby space.

"We are moving due to lease issues — particularly the price and length of term," Mannarelli said in an email. "We actually love our landlord at 93 Second Avenue, but our individual needs are dissimilar."

Mannarelli, whose former credits include neighborhood scourge Superdive, said that they "intend to create a new paradigm for proper behavior as it relates to our footprint in the community."

The Cock, once described as "the last filthy gay bar in New York," moved to No. 93 in late 2015 (you may recall the "Block the Cock" campaign) ... it first opened on Avenue A in 1998 before relocating to 25 Second Ave. several years later.

With a possible move, coupled with the official closure of The Pyramid, Mannarelli said that this "leaves us with what I consider to be a gaping hole" in East Village nightlife. 

Mannarelli has thoughts about a possible new tenant for No. 93, previously Lit Lounge. "It struck me that The Pyramid would be perfect for that space, and I would like to try to make that happen."

Pizza in the mix for former Cock space on 2nd Avenue

Looks as if there's a retail tenant for the new-look 29 Second Ave.

The work permit on the front window notes the renovations are for a "pizza shop."



Not sure just who is behind the incoming pizzeria, but likely someone with some dough. (Sorry.) The retail space has been asking $23,000-plus change.

The previous tenant here, The Cock, moved a few blocks to the north in December 2015.

Earlier this year, Highpoint Property Group purchased the building for $4.55 million from Jared Kushner's Westminster Management, according to public records.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Looking at the new-look 29 Second Ave.

Looking at the new-look 29 Second Ave.

[The old-look No. 29]

You may have noticed that 29 Second Ave. between First Street and Second Street has a new look... outside...



... and inside as well.

The three-bedroom residence above the (two-floor) retail space recently arrived on the market via CitiHabitat:

Welcome to 29 Second Avenue, a building recreated with newly renovated interiors. The residences at 29 Second Avenue boast all of the essentials of new construction: central air conditioning and heating, washer and dryer in the unit, custom kitchens with luxury appliances, white shaker cabinetry, quartz counter tops and backsplashes, and porcelain tile-clad bathrooms with custom vanities and glass-enclosed showers. The apartment features extra wide white oak plank floors throughout, solid core wood doors with chrome hardware, LED dimmable lighting with smart technology capabilities, USB electrical outlets, an HD video intercom, exposed brick and ample closet space.

The custom Chef’s Kitchen features a coordinated LG stainless steel appliance package, complete with dishwasher, built-in microwave with vented hood, and garbage disposal. The countertops and backsplash are Calacatta Quartz with a luxurious book matched waterfall enhancing the shaker style solid wood cabinetry with soft closing hardware. The vast living space is perfect for home entertaining with a custom built-in bar, complete with a wine chiller and an ice maker.

The apartment includes three full bathrooms with radiant heated flooring, imported Italian tile, linear shower drains, rain shower with additional hand shower on slide bar, full glass enclosures, quartz counter tops with fully wrapped waterfall over custom vanities, and recessed medicine cabinets.

The asking rent is now $11,995 after a $1,505 price reduction earlier this week.

Meanwhile, the retail space has been asking $23,000-plus change ... the previous tenant here, The Cock, moved a few blocks to the north in December 2015.

Earlier this year, Highpoint Property Group purchased the building for $4.55 million from Jared Kushner's Westminster Management, according to public records.

On the CB3-SLA docket this month: Applicants for the former Cock space on 2nd Avenue

There are a few items of interest to note on CB3's SLA committee docket this month.

Among them: There are applicants seeking a new liquor license for 29 Second Ave. between First Street and Second Street. This is the former home of The Cock until the crew moved to the Lit Lounge space back in December.

There are not a lot of details on the questionnaire (PDF!) on file at the CB3 website.

The document shows proposed hours for the unnamed establishment as 3 p.m. to 4 a.m. Monday-Friday, and noon to 4 a.m. on the weekend. Occupancy includes 18 tables that will seat 40 people... there's a menu that will feature specialty sandwiches.

While the applicants have not been licensed previously to sell liquor, the applicants have restaurant experience (Cafe Select in Soho, Toro in Chelsea, among them). One of the applicants is Maxx Starr, a co-owner of Fun City Tattoo, which opened at 94 St. Mark's Place back in 1989.

The October SLA committee meeting is Oct. 13 at 6:30 p.m. Location: The Thelma Burdick Community Room, 10 Stanton St. at the Bowery.

Rent the former Cock space on 2nd Avenue

[Image via RES]

The Cock moved north a few blocks on Second Avenue to the former Lit Lounge space back in December.

Now the Cock's former stomping ground at 29 Second Ave. between East First Street and East Second Street is for rent. (A for rent sign hasn't appeared on the empty storefront just yet.)

Here's the deal via RES Commercial:

This is an amazing opportunity to be just North of Houston Street in a location where the East Village meets the Lower East Side. Any tenant can easily capitalize on being en route to the only subway station in the neighborhood which is located at the Whole Foods anchored intersection of Houston & 2nd Avenue.

Coffee bar, quick serve café, retail or full service restaurant would all do well to operate in such a fantastic location. Potential to lease the 2nd floor along with the ground for a total of over 2,800 sf of space with double height frontage. Current tenant has a full liquor license in safe keeping and will cooperate on a transfer.

The rent is available upon request.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Confirmed: Lit Lounge is closing on 2nd Avenue

New, confusing signs up at the former Lit Lounge space

Reports: Prep school teacher arrested for having sex with 16-year-old girl in bathroom at Lit Lounge

[Updated] The Cock is heading to the former Lit Lounge space on Thursday

[Updated] The Cock is heading to the former Lit Lounge space on Thursday

After a battle with residents and Community Board 3, it looks as if The Cock is still packing up and moving several blocks up Second Avenue to the former Lit Lounge space.

As an EVG reader noted, the bar has taken to social media with the announcements... noting a Thursday opening date...

You should tell everyone you know that we're moving on Thursday to 93 2nd Avenue. #nyc #gay #eastvillagenyc #homo

A photo posted by The Cock Bar (@thecock.nyc) on Nov 30, 2015 at 6:57pm PST

In August, the CB3 SLA committee voted against owner Allan Mannarelli's application to move the Cock from its current Second Avenue home to the Lit space between East Fifth Street and East Sixth Street.

The application was heard again before CB3 last month. According to the minutes (PDF) of that meeting:

Community Board #3 denied its application [in August] for a new full on-premise liquor license, in part, because 1) there was substantial opposition from area residents, citing the already overwhelming conditions on this block of Second Avenue from the existing thirteen (13) full on-premise liquor licenses, which include crowds of people on both sides of the street so big that residents have to walk in the sidewalk, drunken people, noise from people, noise emanating from the open facades of businesses, trash and vomit on the street, 2) there were resident complaints of noise and crowds from people in front of the existing business located at 93 Second Avenue and the sometimes impassable conditions from patrons at night in front of this storefront, which is situated behind a bus kiosk, making the available sidewalk significantly narrower for pedestrians, 3) the principal made misrepresentations about its business to Community Board #3 when it applied for its full on-premise liquor license at 29 Second Avenue, for The Cock when it was located at 198 Avenue A, and for Superdive, located at 200 Avenue A, 4) there is a substantial difference in residential character between the block of Second Avenue where its business is presently located, which is comprised of mixed low and medium rise commercial and residential buildings on one side of the street and commercial lots and buildings on the opposite side of the street, and 93 Second Avenue, between East 5th Street and East 6th Street, which is densely populated with five (5) and six (6) story residential tenement buildings ...

And...

BE IT RESOLVED that Community Board #3 asks that the SLA not consider the alteration of the full on-premise liquor license, for 93 Art LLC, by majority principal Allan Manarelli for the premise located at 93 Second Avenue, between East 5th Street and East 6th Street, to wit decreasing its size by one (1) floor and reducing its certificate of occupancy to one hundred fifty-seven (157) people until this principle has appeared before Community Board #3 for the hearing of this application.

Keep in mind that the Community Board's decisions are only advisory. The State Liquor Authority has the final say in these matters.

Lit first closed at the end of July after 13 years. There was talk of a relocation to Brooklyn, but those plans never materialized.

In July, according to multiple published reports, police arrested a teacher and coach at Leman Manhattan Preparatory School for allegedly having sex with a 16-year-old girl inside the bathroom at Lit Lounge.

Updated 5:23 p.m.

An EVG reader passed along this photo of the Cock sign now up at the old Lit space...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Confirmed: Lit Lounge is closing on 2nd Avenue

New, confusing signs up at the former Lit Lounge space

Reports: Prep school teacher arrested for having sex with 16-year-old girl in bathroom at Lit Lounge

Lit Lounge is back for a return engagement in front of CB3's SLA committee

[EVG photo from September]

A familiar name is on CB3's SLA committee docket this month.

Lit Lounge actually appears twice on the agenda… for an alteration and corporate change…



According to the paperwork (PDF!) filed online ahead of the Nov. 16 meeting, Lit is reducing its size from two floors to one, cutting the occupancy of the bar at 93 Second Ave. between East Fifth Street and East Sixth Street to 157 in the process.

Meanwhile! As DNAinfo reported, as of Sept. 29, Cock owner Allan Mannarelli is now the majority owner/managing member of Lit. Hence the corporate change… (and if anyone can explain the 40 percent…)



In August, the SLA committee voted against Mannarelli's application to move the Cock from its current Second Avenue home several blocks north to the Lit space.

Per DNAinfo:

Mannarelli said the owners were considering a move to split the space and possibly add a new bar on the ground floor. “LIT [is] still alive,” he added, although plans to move Lit Lounge to Brooklyn were not completely off the table.

And so the maneuvering continues.

Lit first closed at the end of July after 13 years. There was talk of a relocation to Brooklyn, but those plans haven't been realized. Lit did briefly reopen on the weekend in late September.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Confirmed: Lit Lounge is closing on 2nd Avenue

New, confusing signs up at the former Lit Lounge space

Owners of the Cock head straight to State Liquor Authority for Lit Lounge space

In August, CB3's SLA committee voted against Allan Mannarelli's application to move the Cock from its current Second Avenue home several blocks north to the former Lit Lounge space.

Afterwards, according to a report by Lisha Arino at DNAinfo, Mannarelli said that he planned to appeal directly to the State Liquor Authority (SLA).

He has kept his word: The application will be heard this morning in front of the SLA (PDF here)...



Residents who were opposed to the move to 93 Second Ave. between East Fifth Street and East Sixth Street said that the block was already oversaturated with bars, with 61 licensed operators in the immediate vicinity, among other reasons.

Meanwhile, signs appeared on the Lit door later in August noting that the bar/club would reopen on Sept. 11 after a "deep clean vacation." It didn't open that weekend. However, Lit was up and running this past Friday and Saturday night…

lit opens back up tomorrow

Posted by Lit Lounge on Thursday, September 24, 2015

Lit first closed at the end of July after 13 years. There was talk of a relocation to Brooklyn, but those plans have yet to materialize.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Confirmed: Lit Lounge is closing on 2nd Avenue

New, confusing signs up at the former Lit Lounge space

New, confusing signs up at the former Lit Lounge space

[EVG file photo]

CB3's SLA committee last week reportedly voted against Allan Mannarelli's application to move the Cock from its current Second Avenue home several blocks north to the former Lit Lounge space.

According to a report by Lisha Arino at DNAinfo, Mannarelli planned to appeal directly to the State Liquor Authority.

Meanwhile, today, a tipster passes along photos of signs that appeared on the Lit space...



The sign mentions a reopening on Sept. 11... with the name of co-owner Erik Foss...



The message also appears on Lit's Facebook page...

After a much needed deep cleaning and even more crucial maintenance and repairs ...... LIT LOUNGE will re-open...

Posted by Lit Lounge on Sunday, August 23, 2015

There's also a notice (with today's Post as a time stamp)...



.... for next month's CB3/SLA committee meeting... It appears that the Cock will return to make its case again...



Perhaps this will be some kind of Lit-Cock mashup... we'll see...

Earlier this summer, the owners of Lit Lounge said that the 13-year-old music club was closing in the months ahead to relocate to Bushwick. Lit quietly closed in late July.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Confirmed: Lit Lounge is closing on 2nd Avenue

Report: CB3 denies the Cock's move up 2nd Avenue

[EVG file photo]

CB3's SLA committee last night voted against Allan Mannarelli's application to move the Cock from its current Second Avenue home several blocks north to the former Lit Lounge space.

However, according to a report by Lisha Arino at DNAinfo, Mannarelli plans to appeal directly to the State Liquor Authority.

Per DNAinfo:

“I have full intention of moving the bar there and we’ll try every avenue to do it,” he said after the meeting, adding that he was not surprised at the pushback from residents and the community board.

And…

Mannarelli said his intended move to Lit Lounge’s former digs was a strategic one. The space is larger, he said, and would allow the bar to host drag shows and gay karaoke. His current lease also has a demolition clause that allows the landlord to buy him out and give him eight months to vacate the space, he said.

Residents who were opposed to the move to the Lit space between East Fifth Street and East Sixth Street said that the block was already oversaturated with bars, with 61 licensed operators in the immediate vicinity, among other reasons.

BoweryBoogie has details on a few other applicants here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Confirmed: Lit Lounge is closing on 2nd Avenue

Residents seeking to block the Cock from moving into the former Lit Lounge space on 2nd Avenue

[EVG file photo]

As we noted last week, there is a new tenant seeking a liquor license for the former Lit Lounge space at at 93 Second Ave. between East Fifth Street and East Sixth Street.

Turns out the Cock is looking to move up Second Avenue from its current home between East First Street and East Second Street. They are on this month's CB3 SLA committee meeting docket.

Meanwhile, there's already opposition — via the the East Fifth Street Block Association — forming to block the Cock…



This will not be the first time that the Cock has faced unhappy residents. Last fall, the Cock was looking to move from Second Avenue to 25 Avenue B, home at the time of Idle Hands. The Cock reportedly decided to withdraw when it became clear that the SLA committee was going to issue a denial.

Lit Lounge quietly closed at the end of July after 13 years at 93 Second Ave.

The August CB3 SLA committee meeting is Monday at the CB3 office, 59 E. Fourth St. between Second Avenue and the Bowery.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Confirmed: Lit Lounge is closing on 2nd Avenue

Reports: Prep school teacher arrested for having sex with 16-year-old girl in bathroom at Lit Lounge

Reader report: The Cock won't be moving into Idle Hands

As previously noted, The Cock was looking to move from Second Avenue to 25 Avenue B, into the current home of Idle Hands.

This item went before CB3's SLA committee on Monday night.

Several EVG readers in attendance noted that Allan Mannarelli, an owner of The Cock, decided to withdraw the application when it became clear that the committee was going to issue a denial. Several residents apparently spoke out against the application, including members of the East 4th Street A/B Block Association.

We understand the fact that he was a managing member of the quaint former establishment called Superdive wasn't lost on residents.

Paperwork on file with CB3 (PDF!) showed that The Cock was planning on taking both floors of the Idle Hands space. No word on what might happen next to Idle Hands.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Lower Avenue B residents meeting tonight to discuss the Cock (25 comments)

Lower Avenue B residents meeting tonight to discuss the Cock

The Cock is looking to move from Second Avenue to 25 Avenue B, in the current home of Idle Hands. This is one of the items on Monday night's CB3/SLA committee meeting.

Ahead of that, residents are meeting with reps from The Cock tonight to discuss what's in store for Avenue B. The following flyers went up yesterday…



According to the Block Association, Allan Mannarelli, a managing member of the one and only Superdive, is an owner of The Cock. He is expected at tonight's meeting.

Some residents fear a return to the bonkerish partygoing along here last seen in 2004-2006... a stretch that Eater dubbed "Hellmouth" back in 2006.

Monday's committee meeting is at 6:30 p.m. in the Community Board 3 Office, 59 E. Fourth St. between Second Avenue and The Bowery.

October CB3/SLA highlights: The International and The Cock on the move

[EVG file photo of the International]

CB3 released the SLA licensing committee docket yesterday … there will be two meetings this month — Oct. 6 and Oct. 20. We'll look at the whole agenda (only 21 items in total) in another post.

For the time being, we'll note two bars on the move.

First there's The International, whose owner Molly Fitch is eyeing the vacant space next door that previously housed South Brooklyn Pizza Co. We first reported this last Thursday. You can find out what's in store for 122 First Ave. here. (This item will be heard on Oct. 20.)

Meanwhile, The Cock appears to be leaving its Second Avenue home for Avenue B … specifically 25 Avenue B, according to paperwork at CB3. (The item is set for Oct. 6.)



No. 25 near East Second Street is currently home to Idle Hands. No word on what might become of Idle Hands.

You may find the full agenda here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The International eyeing move next door to the former South Brooklyn Pizza space