O'Flaherty's opening an art gallery at the former UCBeast space on Avenue A

After nearly four years of sitting empty, 44 Avenue A has a new tenant: O'Flaherty's.

Artist-curator Jamian Juliano-Villani (pictured below in July) announced on Instagram yesterday that she was moving her gallery into this space between Third Street and Fourth Street.

Per the post:

We are THRILLED to announce that as of today, O’Flaherty's officially has a NEW HOME!!!!! Opening this February, we welcome you to our new location at 44 Avenue A (formerly the UCB theater). More details on our first opening soon.

O'Flaherty's had a year-long run at 55 Avenue C at Fourth Street (we covered the opening here), culminating with a barn burner of a show late this past summer. 

We're looking forward to hearing more about Juliano-Villani's plan for this venue.

And for some background... citing financial difficulties, Upright Citizens Brigade Theater closed UCBeast in February 2019. The comedy venue opened in September 2011, and UCB took over part of the expanded Two Boots empire — the video store on Avenue A and the Pioneer Theater around the corner on Third Street.

The Pioneer Theater, which screened indie, underground and cult fare, closed on Nov. 7, 2008, after an eight-year run. As owner Phil Hartman said at the time: "[I]t was always a labor of love and never commercially viable."

In the spring of 2021, Marcello Assante was looking to open Cinema Paradiso here... a cafe, restaurant, and center for cinephiles to enjoy foreign and independent features. However, Community Board 3 would not approve a full liquor license for all hours of the space, which Assante argued was necessary to help the venture be profitable.  

Top photo from August by EVG/photo of Jamian Juliano-Villani from July by Stacie Joy

A new broker for 44 Avenue A

New broker signage went up late last week outside 44 Avenue A at Third Street. The long-empty (three-plus-years) storefront adjacent to Two Boots was previously the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater's East Village outpost, UCBeast.

It's a large space — 3,300 square feet over two floors, including a 99-seat theater ... with entrances on Avenue A and Third Street.

No word on the asking rent via the new listing. (Theater image about via Tri State Commercial Realty.)

Citing financial difficulties, Upright Citizens Brigade Theater closed UCBeast in February 2019. The comedy venue first opened in September 2011. UCB took over part of the expanded Two Boots empire — the video store on Avenue A and the Pioneer Theater around the corner on Third Street.

The Pioneer Theater, which screened indie, underground and cult fare, closed on Nov. 7, 2008, after an eight-year run. As owner Phil Hartman said at the time: "[I]t was always a labor of love and never commercially viable."

As noted before, we've talked with several residents who'd love to see the space used for some type of cinematic venture similar to the Metrograph, the boutique two-screen theater — which also features a restaurant, a bookstore and a lounge — down on Ludlow Street.

In the spring of 2021, Marcello Assante was looking to open Cinema Paradiso here... a cafe, restaurant, and center for cinephiles to enjoy foreign and independent features. However, Community Board 3 would not approve a full liquor license for all hours of the space, which Assante argued was necessary to help the venture be profitable.  

Cinema Paradiso trying again with CB3 for Avenue A theater-cafe concept

Last month, we told you that Marcello Assante has plans to open a cafe-cinema at 44 Avenue A, the former home of the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater's East Village outpost, UCBeast, as well as the Pioneer Theater.

The space on Avenue A, equipped with a movie screen, stage and theater seats for 100 people, seems suited to Assante's vision of creating a "big cinema culture" — a center for cinephiles to enjoy foreign and independent features.

Aside from new indie and foreign releases, Cinema Paradiso would also include a cafe for people to have a pre-or post-film meal and drink. He aspires to have the food and beverage service open during non-movie times too. (Assante, a Naples native, has owned and operated a handful of restaurants through the years, including Bella Ciao, Capri Ristorante and Marcellino in Little Italy as well as Local 92 on Second Avenue.)

He appeared before CB3's SLA committee on May 10 for a new liquor license for the venue at Third Street. Things did not go in his favor, as the four committee members and District Manager Susan Stetzer pushed back on the application, asking for more specifics about his plans. (Assante had said he wasn't sure if he'd serve drinks during the screenings, for example.)

In addition, the last tenant, UCBeast, only sold beer and wine, and the address was never fully licensed. They were also apparently a bad neighbor — at least the bar portion of the business. Stetzer, who resides nearby, said that the bar had a "horrible impact" on tenants living across the street. "The history of it was horrendous," she said during the virtual meeting. "I had constant complaints."

Given that, Stetzer, speaking as a resident and not the district manager, collected six signatures in opposition to Assante's application. (She said she only started gathering them the evening before the May 10 meeting.)

In the end, the CB3 committee wasn't opposed to the theater portion of the business. The space never being fully licensed, the UCBeast bar's poor reputation and the unanswered questions on the business plan moved the members to draft stipulations stating they'd approve a full liquor license for drinks before and during a movie or event. Alcohol sales would not be allowed during other times — thus nixing a bar-cafe service when a film isn't playing. (You can watch the meeting on YouTube. This application starts at the 20-minute mark.)

For his part, Assante didn't agree to the stipulations, opting instead to return before the group next Wednesday evening. (Zoom info is here.)

Ahead of that meeting, he wanted to share a letter with residents and the Community Board (it has been lightly edited for length and clarity):

My name is Marcello Assante. I am the applicant for Cinema Paradiso, attempting to obtain a full liquor license for our proposed location at 44 Avenue A.

First off, please allow me to apologize for a misunderstanding with our presentation at the May 14 Community Board 3 meeting. It was not my intention to argue with the Board members about the misconceptions in their dialogue. Unfortunately, I am not the most practiced at presenting to community boards, and I hoped to clear up the questions.

... we are a restaurant, café and bar that displays, creates, fosters discussion about and celebrates arts — not just a theater. Tragically, a theater cannot survive or thrive in this age of short attention spans and competing media.

I am 65 years old, and I spent the last 30 years working my way up, from busboy to owner and operator of restaurants in New York City. These are small, family businesses, which I would not have had the ability to carry without the love and support of my wonderful wife, who is my partner. 

For the last 20 years, I have been involved in cinema, which is my passion... For the last 10 years, I have been working from creation to execution of Italian and French film productions and as a partner to a film festival in Italy.

In the recent past, I have been involved in a cinema production with my friend and colleague Karl Bardoush, who is a professor of the arts at New York University, as well as with another friend, film director Abel Ferrara, who is known for "Bad Lieutenant," "King of New York" and many more.  

These, among other friends and colleagues of mine, directly lead to our conception and expectation to operate profitably, a European arts venue for fans of cinema, theater and jazz, in the face of so many theaters, who have had to close their doors. 

The Cinema Paradiso experience will bring together people socially around the film, theater and music arts, with food and wine, along with merchandise and cocktails. This is a unique concept ... and we are taking a risk.  

It is our hope that we will establish a base of serious fans of the arts for formal and informal presentations of these arts, along with lectures, discussions and community social meetings/debates about everything from the material presented to technical aspects of the making of these arts.  

There will be various formats for events, which we will find out about the financial viability of each as we go, and we hope to foster a sense that if you are not here, you might miss something a once-in-a-lifetime happening. At times, there will be special cuisine, which may be showcased with one of our other chefs or a guest chef. The main menu will be the cuisine of a lighter fare with an international but Mediterranean focus...

Obviously, this neighborhood has culture and establishments on the agenda of many different locals and visitors. Still, we are not a place for the majority who come to this area looking to hit the bars. This is a restaurant and cultural establishment…we are not a comedy or rock club, we are not just a restaurant, and we are certainly not just a bar. 

Another example, so the board better understands the broad spectrum and breadth of our focus, is that one of our first planned programs will be a theater piece [that] involves one of the hottest up-and-coming writer-directors, Dustin Wills, doing a modern take on the Ancient Greek tragedy "Prometeo Incatenato" aka "Prometheus Bound." His recent endeavors include "Frontieres Sans Frontieres." 

To make Cinema Paradiso commercially viable, we need to have a full liquor license, until 1 a.m., as we requested, with no limitation of serving during events only, because this is a restaurant and café with a bar, serving brunch, lunch and dinner, that is creating and showing art pieces, and expecting to generate a loyal following of those in the film, theater and music art communities.

To further prove that we are not a bar, we will be cutting down the bar from 20 feet to 10 feet to increase the number of tables.

We look forward to your favorable response. 

Cinema Paradiso looks to bring foreign and independent films to Avenue A

Updated 5/11: The CB3-SLA committee voted against this applicant's plans as presented, instead offering stipulations that Marcello Assante can only serve food-dinner during the films — not before or after, thus doing away with any necessary revenue to keep this operation viable. He plans to return to CB3 next month. We'll have more about this in another post. 

Plans are in the works for a cafe-cinema at 44 Avenue A, the former home of the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater's East Village outpost, UCBeast, as well as the Pioneer Theater.

Marcello Assante is on tonight's CB3-SLA agenda for a liquor license for Cinema Paradiso, a cafe-theater concept for the space here at Third Street adjacent to Two Boots. (Questionnaire here.)

Assante, a Naples native, has owned and operated a handful of restaurants through the years, including Bella Ciao, Capri Ristorante and Marcellino in Little Italy as well as Local 92 on Second Avenue. Assante has also been involved with the film industry in Italy, having worked with director Abel Ferrara. 

The space on Avenue A, which is already equipped with a movie screen, stage and theater seats for 119 people, seems perfectly suited to Assante's vision of creating a "big cinema culture" — a cultural center for cinephiles to enjoy foreign and independent features.

"My big love is cinema," he said in a recent phone call. 

Aside from new indie and foreign releases, he's also exploring hosting film festivals, premieres and live events, such as director Q&As, similar perhaps to, say, the Metrograph on Ludlow Street.

Cinema Paradiso will also include a cafe for people to have a pre- or post-film meal and drink. At the moment, he's not sure if he'll offer in-theater table service, such as at Alamo Drafthouse and the Nitehawk Cinema in Brooklyn or the iPic Theaters at the South Street Seaport. The cafe portion could be a standalone restaurant such as the Commissary at the Metrograph. 

"We need a liquor license to help support the rent, which is very high," Assante said. Would he move forward if the Community Board nixes the license? (UCBeast, the previous tenant, did serve alcohol.)

"I don't know. We are trying now and we will take it from there," he said. "We are here for cinema and culture."

The business name, Cinema Paradiso, comes from the 1988 Italian drama that won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

"I'm Italian... 'Cinema Paradisio' is like my story," Assante said. "It's very personal. I was 8 years old and watching movies."

Citing financial woes, the Upright Citizens Brigade closed this theater in February 2019 after eight-plus years. UCB had taken over part of the expanded Two Boots empire — the video store on Avenue A and the Pioneer Theater with an entrance around the corner on Third Street.

The single-screen Pioneer Theater, which featured indie, underground and cult fare, closed on Nov. 7, 2008, after eight years. As owner Phil Hartman said at the time: "[I]t was always a labor of love and never commercially viable." 

[Image from 2002 via Cinema Treasures]

Tonight's virtual CB3-SLA committee meeting starts at 6:30. Find the Zoom link here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• UCB East has closed; what's next for their space on Avenue A and 3rd Street?

Former UCBeast space for rent on Avenue A

We've been waiting for the for-rent signs to arrive outside the former Upright Citizens Brigade Theater's East Village outpost, UCBeast, on Avenue A at Third Street... adjacent to Two Boots.

Well, there aren't any signs, but the space — officially 44 Avenue A — is on the rental market.

Per the Kassin Sabbagh Realty marketing materials...





It's a large space, with entrances on Avenue A and Third Street ... featuring a bar, ADA compliant bathrooms and, most important, a 99-seat theater space.



The rent is available upon request.

The comedy venue on Avenue A and Third Street opened in September 2011. UCB took over part of the expanded Two Boots empire — the video store on Avenue A and the Pioneer Theater around the corner on Third Street...


[Image from 2002 via Cinema Treasures]

The Pioneer Theater, which screened indie, underground and cult fare, closed on Nov. 7, 2008, after an eight-year run. As owner Phil Hartman said at the time: "[I]t was always a labor of love and never commercially viable."

We've talked with several residents of fantasyland who'd love to see the space used for some type of cinematic venture similar to the Metrograph, the boutique two-screen theater — which also features a restaurant, a bookstore and a lounge — down on Ludlow Street.

Citing financial difficulties, Upright Citizens Brigade Theater closed UCBeast on Feb. 9. UCB now presents three nights of programing at SubCulture, a 130-seat venue on Bleecker Street. You can find the schedule for UCB at SubCulture via this link.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Former Two Boots Video store "in contract" — largest available retail space on Avenue A

[Updated] Your 'Hot Chicks Room' sign update

[Updated] Resident starting a petition to have the 'Hot Chicks Room' sign removed at the Upright Citizens Brigade

Breaking: UCB will remove the 'Hot Chicks Room' sign!

'Hot Chicks Room' sign will now bring ruin to compost

Report: Upright Citizens Brigade closing East Village outpost next month

UCB East has closed; what's next for their space on Avenue A and 3rd Street?

The Upright Citizens Brigade Theater's East Village outpost, UCBeast, wrapped up its eight-plus year run on Saturday night.

UCB officials blamed the "extreme costs" of operating in the space as a factor in its closing, as Vulture first reported on Jan. 9.

Starting Friday, UCB will present three nights of programing at SubCulture, a 130-seat venue on Bleecker Street. (You can find the schedule for UCB at SubCulture via this link.)



Here's a statement that UCB released after the news broke:

"Due to the long-term cost of rent, property taxes, and other expenses associated with operating a second venue in NYC, UCB has created this new experience at SubCulture to reduce the financial impact. This move allows us to continue to offer a second venue to our performers and audience. We are forever grateful to the incredible staff, performers and countless dedicated UCB-ers who have committed so much time and effort into making it possible for us to perform and view alternative comedy in NYC."

Now comes the speculation over what might take the large space here. UCB eventually took over part of the expanded Two Boots empire — the video store on Avenue A and the Pioneer Theater around the corner on Third Street...


[Image from 2002 via Cinema Treasures]


[EVG photo from spring 2009]

The Pioneer Theater, which screened indie, underground and cult fare, closed on Nov. 7, 2008. As owner Phil Hartman said at the time: "[I]t was always a labor of love and never commercially viable." The 99-seat theater opened in 2000. (Maybe Charles Cohen will buy this space for a theater too.)

Work started on the UCB space in 2009 (this post has the cargo-shorts comments goldmine — "Go back to campus, you new jack cornballs").

No sign of a retail listing for the former UCB spaces just yet.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Former Two Boots Video store "in contract" — largest available retail space on Avenue A

[Updated] Your 'Hot Chicks Room' sign update

[Updated] Resident starting a petition to have the 'Hot Chicks Room' sign removed at the Upright Citizens Brigade

Breaking: UCB will remove the 'Hot Chicks Room' sign!

'Hot Chicks Room' sign will now bring ruin to compost

Report: Upright Citizens Brigade closing East Village outpost next month

Upright Citizens Brigade making progress on East Village outpost

Grub Street first reported that the Upright Citizens Brigade would be opening an East Village outpost back in January 2009. Plans called for the troupe to open at the former Pioneer Theater, which closed two years ago on Avenue A and Third Street. Work started on the space in July 2009.... a time which brought us an epic comment thread about cargo shorts.

Anyway, it seems as if work has picked up again here of late...



Alex Sidtis, managing director of the UCB’s current location in Chelsea, told me in an e-mail that "we are making progress on the space, it will be open in 2011." Stayed tuned for more details.... By the way, CB3 did approve a liquor license for this space in January 2009.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Work on Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre begins at former Two Boots space

Getting a better look at the Two Boots renovation

On Friday, I got a better look at the renovation of the former Two Boots/Pioneer Theater space...




Previously on EV Grieve:
Work on Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre begins at former Two Boots space (And maybe we can get another comments thread going on cargo shorts...)

Work on Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre begins at former Two Boots space

The "for rent" signs -- seen below earlier this spring -- have come down at the former Two Boots space on Avenue A...(Two Boots Pizza and the video nook combined into the storefront on Avenue A and Third Street.)



There are now work permits in the window. ("To create new performance theater...")





And, peeking inside, you can see the space is being cleared out.



Previously:
Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre to Open East Village Location (Grub Street)

Previously on EV Grieve:
Former Two Boots Video store "in contract" -- largest available retail space on Avenue A

Former Two Boots Video store "in contract" -- largest available retail space on Avenue A

Last September, Two Boots Video consolidated their remaining stock and moved it into a corner of the Two Boots Pizzeria on Avenue A and Third Street.

Meanwhile, it was reported in January that the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre was taking over the former Two Boots Pioneer Theater space at 155 E. Third St. that closed in November. (The CB3 approved their liquor license in January.) According to the Tower Brokerage site, the old Pioneer is in contract...

As is the former space for Two Boots Video on Avenue A...





Details on the site:

44 Avenue A - Retail Space (Corner East 3rd Street)
Over 20 ft. frontage on Avenue A. High ceilings, floor to ceiling glass, H.V.A.C.
Approx. 2,335 sq. ft. -$75 per sq. ft.!!
In Contract!! -- $14,600/mo

42 Avenue A - Built Out Store (East Village)
Great Built Out Store with Selling Basement
Approx. 550 sq. ft.
In Contract!!
$7,000/mo.

The two properties are listed separately and as one unit on the Tower Brokerage site:

Prime Avenue A - Largest Retail Available On The Avenue!!
Approx. 2970 sq. ft. Can be divided!
In Contract!!
$19,500mo

So is one tenant taking the entire space? Or are the Uptight Citizens Brigaders taking over this space and the Pioneer Theater?

On Feb. 20, Jeremiah reported that a "'giant restaurant'" is moving in to the former video space and Pioneer Theater and the basement. We heard Upright Citizens Brigade was taking over the Pioneer, and they've applied for a beer and wine license. Could they also be a ginormous L-shaped restaurant that will run from Avenue A to Third St?'"

"When the cultural embodiment of the East Village can’t work up a single quote about his neighborhood, it’s in a lot of trouble"

Check out East Village native Matt Harvey's article in NYPress this week titled "The East Village Isn't What It Used To Be... And It Never Was."

Too much in the article to try to excerpt here. I'll do one. Harvey contacts Richard Hell, who apparently doesn't get out and about much while working on his book:

I email Hell to tell him that he keeps coming up in my conversations around the dusky old town. What’s the deal man, are you up in your rent-controlled apartment with just your memories and Rimbaud? Have you withdrawn from the street and all humanlike zones? He politely replies that he doesn’t want to be bothered. It reads, in part: “Sorry to be a disappointment, I can’t work up much fresh to say on the subject.” When the cultural embodiment of the East Village can’t work up a single quote about his neighborhood, it’s in a lot of trouble.

Matt also talks with Jeremiah Moss, on the phone from his bunker.

Movie party tonight

Many thanks to Flavorwire for asking me to write a post on the demise of the Pioneer Theater. The post is here.

Meanwhile, the Pioneer folks are throwing a farewell party tonight at 6 with popcorn, free movies and, we hope, some good schlock.

Pioneer Theater to have last hurrah on Friday

As you may know, the Pioneer Theater on Third Street and Avenue A is officially closed. Here's the message on their Web site:

Dear Pioneer Friends, Filmmakers, & Film Lovers,
Ten years ago, when we began construction on The Pioneer, we were told we were crazy -- that no single screen, indie-oriented, 99 seat theater, east of Avenue A, could possible survive. But for nine years, we did -- showcasing the best of truly independent cinema, presenting restored classics (from The Last Picture Show to Ace in the Hole), curating special programs (from Luis Guzman Night to the 42nd Street Smut Show), hosting guest filmmakers (from Robert Altman and Robert Downey to Steve Buscemi and Richard Kelly) and partnering with local film organizations including the IFP, Filmmaker’s Co-op, Cinema Tropical, Fangoria, Women in Film and Television, Cinewomen, Third I, Slamdance, Docfest, and many more...

We’ve been blessed that The Earth Mother, Mel Cooley, The Dude, and the other Two Boots pizzas have been able to support our labor of love all these years, but now, with our lease ending and a rent hike looming, it’s no longer economically feasible to keep the theater going. Friday, October 31st at midnight, will be our last regular screening, appropriately: Night of the Living Dead.
We want to thank our amazing staff, past and present, and we want to thank you, our loyal audience, for your patronage over the years. Please, PLEASE, keep supporting independent films and independent theaters.

Finally, on Friday, November 7th, we’ll be having a goodbye party starting at 6pm - free movies, popcorn, and reminiscences. Please come by!

Here are a few Pioneer obits from around blogosphere:

Scars of Youth

The Reeler (via Jeremiah)

Week of Wonders

Bad Lit

A Pioneer no more?

Ugh. This one hurts. New York magazine has the story:

Another East Village institution is shuttering: Two Boots Pioneer Theater, which specializes in indie, underground, and cult fare, will most likely close at the end of the month. “I’m still hoping for a reprieve,” says Two Boots owner Phil Hartman, who’s seeking a partner or new owner. “But it was always a labor of love and never commercially viable.” Hartman and his wife founded the cozy 99-seat cinema in 2000, but the venue seemed older: It attempted to resurrect the lost atmosphere of old, offbeat downtown movie houses. Now it’ll share their fate, done in by a looming rent increase and tough times in the exhibition business.