Final orbit for the 2nd Avenue Star Watchers

A dispatch from Felton Davis of the Second Avenue Star Watchers... 

There will be a late-night eclipse of the Full Moon on Thursday evening, March 13, starting around midnight and becoming total from 2:30 to 3:30 Friday morning, just above the celestial equator in the constellation Leo. 

This also marks the end of Felton's role as the unofficial official leader of the Second Avenue Star Watchers.

He explained in an email. 

Unfortunately, over the course of 12 years of wrestling with my bulky telescope, I have developed a chronic stiff neck and cannot continue to be the sidewalk astronomer of Second Avenue. 

I have no regrets about this project and the enthusiasm that people brought to it, including the eclipse of the Sun last April, but the repetitive motion of turning my head and reaching over to twist the adjustment knobs took a gradually increasing toll.

If another person wants to continue this project, I would advise them to: a) get a smaller and more manageable telescope b) always work with another person c) dress warmly in cold weather d) try to become aware of potential stress. 

Profound thanks to all who came and shared the challenge and the joy! 

Thank you, Felton, for being on the NE corner of Second Avenue and Third Street during key celestial events.

... and giving everyone a chance to capture the cosmos — and level up their Instagram feeds with stunning celestial shots...

And a few Star Watchers photo sets from:

• 2024

• The August 2017 total solar eclipse

• 2022

Construction watch: 183 Avenue B

Here's a look at the in-progress, all-new 183 Avenue B between 11th Street and 12th Street.

As we've noted, this 8-floor, 12-unit residential building is going as the Village Garden Condominium.

The Village Garden website states that "all units are flooded by natural light. Lower floors provide views of the beautiful historic buildings of the Lower East Side; upper floors afford sweeping views of the neighborhood and Tompkins Square Park ... The two full-floor penthouse units include two terraces, perfect for inviting friends or a romantic evening. The delight of your private outdoor space can be appreciated during the morning sunrise or in the evening with a glass of wine." 

Amenities include a fitness room and the opportunity to buy one of six individual garden spaces in the back of the building. Pricing has not been announced. 

Here's the plywood rendering...

In January 2017, Corcoran listed the property at an asking price of $4.75 million. According to public records, the building—with intact air rights—sold for that exact amount in April 2017. The DOB permit lists Richard Pino as the owner via Tompkins 183 LLC. 

The existing four-story building was later demolished on this lot in early 2020. 

A December 2024 completion date remains on the plywood rendering.

These bars and restaurants are temporarily closed, and at least one is permanently shuttered

In recent weeks and months, we've received several reader queries about a handful of bars and restaurants that have not been open during advertised business hours. 

Among them: 

• Taverna East Village 

Taverna East Village has been closed since at least early December at 228 First Ave. between 13th Street and 14th Street. 

According to a patron in December, the Greek restaurant was closed without any notice to the public until a sign later arrived noting the closure due to a "required Con Edison" inspection. The rolldown gates have been down lately. 

The restaurant's website still notes: "We are currently closed due to a Kitchen Renovation project. We are working very hard to reopen as soon as possible." 

The outpost of Astoria's favorite Taverna Kyclades opened in the fall of 2013. However, ownership changed hands, and the name change to Taverna East Village was made public last June.

• The Cabin 

The bar-restaurant remains closed at 205 E. Fourth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B. 

An Instagram post from Dec. 26 states the bar-restaurant is temporarily closed due to "building maintenance." 

Yelp states that the Cabin will reopen on March 31.

• Grillify-NYC 

The bar and grill specializing in burgers has been closed in recent weeks at 540 E. Fifth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B. 

A Feb. 26 Instagram post states, "Sorry we are temporarily closed." 

Estefanie and Luis Cuahutle, a brother-and-sister team, took over ownership of the former Le Burger space last summer. People seem to like this low-key spot, so hopefully, they will return.

• Down & Out NYC 

The bar at 503 E. Sixth St., between Avenue A and Avenue B, has been dark for months, and we have been waiting for an official notice about its closure. (Google lists the business as permanently closed, but we have not received a reply to our messages about its status.) 

The top photo, from Jan. 12, showed legal documents affixed to the front door. 

The cocktail and oyster bar opened in late 2022. 

The address was previously Cholo Noir, the Chicano-inspired bar-restaurant that closed in August 2018 after 13 months. No. 503 was also home for five weeks to Long Bay, a Vietnamese restaurant that closed in the spring of 2015. 

Several years earlier, the space housed Gladiators Gym.

Zine takes a fresh look at Keith Haring's public school murals on the Lower East Side

East Village native Rainer Turim is releasing the second edition of his zine on Keith Haring's Public School 97 murals from 1985 to 1988. 

The new edition is hand-numbered and limited to 100 copies. Turim said it features never-before-seen photographs, video stills, and glossed-over news articles from the first edition that give context and meaning to the murals Haring painted in this elementary school courtyard, which now belongs to Bard High School Early College Manhattan, 525 E. Houston St.

The zine opening will be tomorrow (Thursday!) from 6 to 9 p.m. at Village Works, 12 St. Mark's Place, between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. Copies will also be available at Printed Matter. 

Otto's Wednesday open mic: music and community in the tiki bar’s back room

Article and performance photos by Addie Selch 

On a cold Wednesday night in February, I hustle down the blistering expanse of East 14th Street and into Otto's Shrunken Head. The outdoor display under the bright neon lettering is stuffed with tiki mugs and thrift-store memorabilia.

The lights are bright inside, and two booths are filled up with men and their guitars tapping away on laptops, settling in for a long night at the bottom of the open mic list. The weekly open mic is already underway at the back of the bar, past a photobooth with the bottom half of a repairman sticking out. 

I tentatively push through the closed doors, nearly bumping into the mid-performance keyboard player. When he finishes, I step into the surprisingly full room. The walls are cobalt blue, studded with yellow stencil-painted Hawaiian flowers. Wooden idols leer from their niches. The elevated stage is backed by bamboo panelling and sparkly gold cutout stars. Tall, quilted, red leather booths line the two farthest walls with small tables set just in front and three more rows of chairs facing the stage. Almost all of the seats are full. I count 35 people, in addition to Dave, the enthusiastic host dressed in a rainbow trout iridescent blazer. 

Otto's Wednesday Open Mic was started in July 2021 by Ira Zadikow. Before COVID-19, he ran a jam at the old Nublu Classic on Avenue C. In the summer of 2021, he started shopping around for a place to host a new jam and open mic, considering locations like Parkside Lounge and Theatre 80, before speaking with the owners of Otto's (Nell Mellon, Steve Pang, and Patricia Lou) and coming to an arrangement that would offer Wednesday nights for the open mic once the venue fully reopened. 

Ira recalls that the jam and open mic started as a pretty quiet affair. But after two years, the increasing popularity of the open mic forced him to drop the jam and reduce the number of songs per performer from three to two. Even so, some nights, the mics can run as late as 12:30 a.m.

Dave, who recently took over as host in mid-December, says that he knew the open mic was special the first time he attended three years ago, following a six-year hiatus from music. A performer made a mistake, and he prepared to give an encouraging cheer, but for the first time in his open mic experience, someone else beat him to it. "Everybody here is very supportive," he says.

J Band, a three-piece band with two guitars and a harmonica, gets on stage to play Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues." An East Village open mic regular walks around banging his tambourine as they perform. As the tambourine drifts off, Dave, in his hosting duties, gets the crowd clapping. 

The next performer forgot her guitar strap, and in a room full of musicians, no one can seem to find one for her to borrow. She sits on stage with her pink electric guitar, and the harmonica player from the previous band accompanies her with a recorder. 

"Pink frosting 'til you're puking," she sings. The room claps. 

The performances continue. Carlos plays two jazz standards on his cello. Michelle debuts a song she wrote only the previous week. Jonathan promotes his charity show at the end of the month. Liam plays a "lyrical collage" on the keyboard, which samples a few words of at least 30 songs strung together. One woman raps over her own beats. She dances around the stage to a few enthusiastic whoops from the crowd. 

Megan, a regular at the open mic, personifies a doll in her original song, "A Doll in a Sale, Window Jail." Later in the night, another performer introduces his song by saying he's excited to share it with Meg. Unfortunately, she has already left.

Most performances feature original music, with a fair smattering of covers. The crowd ranges from 21 to 75 years old, and as the night goes on, the host pauses to read out the next five names from the sign-up clipboard, reminding everyone that there are a lot of people present and to keep things moving along. Whisperings among the crowd indicate a general awareness that this particular Wednesday is more packed than usual. Perhaps, like myself, many others are here for the first time. 

By 9 p.m., the crowd has barely dwindled. Some people have left, but more have come, likely signing up earlier in the evening and returning closer to their performance time. A lot of people seem to know each other and wave across the dark room or make their way over to say hello. One man goes around the room, introducing himself to a few people very loudly and eagerly. 

Next to me, a regular at the open mic lights up as David swaggers onto the stage. David's eyes are concealed by cheap red-framed sunglasses, and he's wearing a tight navy turtleneck and pants. 

"I came for you, David!" the man next to me yells, and the room suddenly quiets. "Woah," David responds nonchalantly, and several people, including the host, burst out laughing. 

David performs two originals, and his music is unnerving. The whistling, combined with the effect of the electric guitar pedal he uses with his acoustic guitar, makes my skin prickle.

At this point, I've been at Otto's for nearly three hours. I find myself watching the shimmering water reflection projection on the back wall and counting the red objects in the room. Drum kit, quilted booths, exit sign, sunglasses. I am likely one of the only attendees who is not performing or accompanying a performer, and I can understand why. Open mics can be long, unpolished, and lack continuity by nature, as they have many short sets. Even as a performer, a primary part of the open mic experience is waiting around. 

However, open mics are also important for musicians of many levels. They are a starting point for new musicians, a place to workshop and present music without all the restrictions and accountability that come with venues or clubs, and a scene to jump back into, as Dave did. 

Both Dave and Ira, in their willingness to pause what they're doing and talk with me about the open mic, shouting out their favorite regulars along the way, personify the openness and kindness that they speak of feeling here. As we chat, a young woman greets Dave with a hug and Ira with a warm wave. Open mics, as Ira put it, are a home base. It's clear that many people have comfortably found that at Otto's on Wednesday nights. 

Otto's Shrunken Head is at 538 E. 14th St. just west of Avenue B. Otto's Wednesday Open Mic starts at 6 p.m. (It begins at 8 p.m. on the first Wednesday of every month.)

Work commences at the long-vacant 11 Avenue A, due for a residential conversion and 3 new floors

We spotted workers yesterday pumping concrete into the basement of 11 Avenue A between Houston and Second Street. 

This is the first worker we can recall here in nearly a decade. 

For years, residential conversion plans have been pending here. Public records now show new permits (as of late February) to convert this existing three-story commercial structure into a six-story residential building with retail space on the first floor.

The permits show five dwelling units for the 5,000-plus square feet of residential space. 

Some history: Ben Ari Arts, which had been at this location since 1960 (it opened on Allen Street in 1945), closed at the end of 2013. It was said to be the last Judaica shop on the Lower East Side.

Ben Ari Arts owner Yakov Melmed, who started helping his father sell menorahs, ceremonial wine cups, and prayer shawls at the store in 1973, decided to leave the neighborhood. According to public records, he sold the building for $3.4 million. 

Ariel Soudry of Better Living Properties is listed as No. 11's owner. 

Tuesday's parting shot

Photo by Derek Berg 

As seen on Seventh Street, a springtime procession of several NYU students throwing flower seed "bombs" into places with bare dirt.

At LaMama, 'Above Ground' brings aging, improv and the art of being seen to the stage

"Above Ground — Not Exactly a Comedy" starts a two-week run at LaMama Experimental Theatre Club on Thursday. 

"This theater project has been a labor of love, and we can't wait to share it with you," said one of the cast members, longtime East Village resident Christine Koenig (pictured). "Performers tell stories about the experience of getting older, remembering how it was to be young. Music, movement and improvisation are woven into the piece." 

The play is part of the You're Never Too Old To Play group at Westbeth, with actors ranging from 74 to 98 in age.

Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, and a 3 p.m. matinee on Sundays from March 13-23 at La Mama's The Club, 74 E. Fourth St. between Second Avenue and the Bowery. 

The first 10 tickets sold for each performance are $10. You can get tickets here.

Fundraiser underway for patron killed at Tom & Jerry's on March 1

Tom & Jerry's has launched a crowdfunding campaign to support the family of Anton "Munch" Albert, a patron fatally shot in the early hours of March 1 at the longtime Elizabeth Street bar.

Here's more via the GoFundMe account: 

On the morning of March 1st, our friend Anton "Munch" Albert was killed in a shocking and callous act of violence. Contrary to some media reports, he was not an employee of ours, but he was a very much admired and loved member of our community. His gentle and warm nature made him many friends in Tom & Jerry's, and he will be greatly missed by our team and those who, like Munch did, call T&J's a home from home. 

He leaves behind a loving family, including his 9-year-old daughter, who will need all the support they can get during this untimely period of grief. The proceeds from this fundraiser will directly go to Munch's family to cover the costs of his funeral and to support his daughter. 

You can find the campaign at this link. 

Albert reportedly lived on Staten Island. He was 39.

Little information has been made public about the shooting, including a description or photo of the alleged shooter who, according to multiple published reports, fired several times into the bar, striking Albert. 

According to the Post: "Witnesses told cops there was no interaction between the two men before the shooting, but police were unsure if the victim was targeted, cops said."

Beverly Hills 10003: An outpost of the Best Damn Breakfast Burrito is coming to 12th Street

A business with the Instagram slogan "We Make The Best Damn Breakfast Burrito..." is opening on 12th Street. (Thanks to EVG reader Taylor for the photo and tip.) 

The Best Damn Breakfast Burrito, an off-shoot of Otro Día Tacos on South Santa Monica Blvd. in Beverly Hills and via delivery in Brooklyn, are taking over the former Sauce space at 345 E. 12th St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue. 

The quick-serve spot offers a range of burritos, including breakfast options, tater tots and smoothies.

Find the menu here. And the backstory here. (The owner is also behind Spooning and Roni's in Beverly Hills.)

Closings: Tallgrass Burger on 1st Avenue

A for-rent sign hangs on the storefront of 214 First Ave., the now-former home of Tallgrass Burger between 12th Street and 13th Street. 

There's no mention of a closure via Google or Yelp, though the Tallgrass website is now offline.

Tallgrass opened in 2010 (bring back Elvie's Turo-Turo!), and as The Infatuation noted, it "was one of the first burger spots in New York to use organic halal meat."

Signage alert: El Camino on 1st Avenue

Photo by Steven

We had our first sign of signage for the new tenant at 135 First Ave. between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street. 

El Camino is the Spanish tapas bar coming to the space via Will Wyatt and Edie Ugot from Electric Burrito around the corner on St. Mark's Place.

According to its Instagram account, El Camino is "a little bar coming soon to the East Village." Representatives for El Camino appeared before Community Board 3 last August. The questionnaire includes a sample menu. 

The two are also involved in HighLife, the burger joint that opened right next door on Feb. 26. 

El Camino and HighLife are in the space that previously housed Dan & John's Wings.

Monday's parting shot

Early evening view from Tompkins Square Park...

Revisiting the art of the Avenue A Trader Joe's

Yesterday, the Times published an article about Julie Averbach, who has written an unauthorized book celebrating the displays, murals and installations at Trader Joe's stores nationwide.

Averbach is a Trader Joe's fan with an art historian’s eye. She became so fascinated by what she saw in Trader Joe's locations that she wrote the book, "The Art of Trader Joe's: Discovering the Hidden Art Gems of America's Favorite Grocery Store," after devoting her thesis at Yale to Trader Joe's as a contemporary cabinet of curiosities. 

This is a good time to revisit a January 2020 post about the new East Village Trader Joe's, which opened at 436 E. 14th St., near Avenue A. 

If you've been to the new East Village Trader Joe's ... then you've likely noticed the nearly 200 drawings that adorn the store's interior ... 

East Village-based illustrator Peter Arkle created the drawings, which are an appreciation of street scenes and architectural details that he has spotted throughout the neighborhood... from more celebrated sites such as the Cube on Astor Place to the lesser-known features like the water fountain/wash bowl with the bronze figures (circa 1890s) outside the Immaculate Conception Church on 14th Street. 

Revisit the piece with Stacie Joy's Q&A here.

9th Street condo project turns former parking garage into construction zone

Top photo from Thursday by William Klayer 

Work picked up last week at the former Little Man Parking garage (aka LaSalle Parking) on Ninth Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

There are partial demolition permits on file with the city. Part of the existing structure will be used (for residential parting!) in the conversion and vertical enlargement of five to six floors for residential use. 

A tipster on the block told us this: 

Workers arrived this past week and began loading materials onto the roof to build scaffolding. By Friday afternoon, the scaffolding had grown to occupy the sidewalk, bike lane, and part of the street.

Back to the tipster: 

Friday evening was chaotic for a while when an MTA bus could not pass the barricades placed on the street to protect the scaffolding. This caused a roadblock, and the cars behind it honked their horns for about 15 minutes. Eventually, the cars and bus all backed out onto Second Avenue, and traffic flowed across Ninth Street again.

The power is off in the building and as of now there are no exterior lights on the sidewalk so a significant portion of the block is pitch black. Traffic can't see the construction site or narrowing of the street until they are right up on it. 

It's not immediately clear what caused the mini traffic jam on Friday. It's possible someone double-parked and left their vehicle unattended. There should be enough room for buses and box trucks to navigate the construction zone.

Meanwhile, expect more scaffolding this week as workers wrap up the structure's remains.

As for background, the new 74-foot-tall building will include 31,231 square feet of residential space, including 18 units and likely condos, as NYY previously pointed out. Per public notices, Colberg Architecture is the architect of record.

According to public records and the TradedNY account, Arcus Development, operating through Astor Nine LLC, is the new owner of the vacant property. 

The garage has been closed since late April 2023 after the Department of Buildings issued a vacate order on the property following the deadly collapse at the Little Man garage on Ann Street in the Financial District. 

Per the DOB vacate order: "The occupied parking structure with concrete framing observed to be in a state of disrepair at several locations in cellar level... crushed column base observed at several locations in cellar level ... vertical cracks observed inside elevator shaft and on masonry walls."

The address was offered as a "redevelopment project" in August 2023. 

Thanks to Steven for sharing photos of the site.

CB3 to hear more about plans for the new restaurant coming to the New Museum

The New Museum — with its 60,000 square-foot expansion — reopens this fall on the Bowery. Among the new amenities is an all-day café and restaurant. 

Community Board 3's SLA committee will hear more about the plans tonight. 

Per the questionnaire on the CB3 website: 

The New Museum Restaurant — an extension of the New Museum's renewed visitor experience — will function as an all-day café and restaurant. The cuisine will focus on seasonal and sustainable ingredients. 

Art and artmaking have always flourished through in-person collaboration and connection, especially when convening over food and beverage. Our restaurant will be a space where artists, museumgoers, and community members converge, as part of the many new experiences offered by the OMA-designed expansion of the New Museum. 

Built with conversation and intimacy at its center, our restaurant will be an active contributor to the New Museum’s community and a celebration of the surrounding neighborhood’s rich artistic history.

It's not immediately clear if they settled on The New Museum Restaurant as the name. The CB3 questionnaire also states that the trade name is TBD, and press materials sent to local news outlets last week didn't mention a name. 

Anyway, the New Museum announced its partnership with the Oberon Group (Rucola, June, Rhodora Wine Bar, and Anaïs) on the project this past week. Julia Sherman, chef, artist, and author of "Salad for President: A Cookbook Inspired by Artists," will oversee the kitchen. 

Here's more via the EVG inbox...

Incorporating sustainable materials and practices in both its menu and design, the 100-seat space will be a zero-waste, all-day cafe and restaurant spotlighting vegetables and local seafood, drawing inspiration from local purveyors and growers and focusing on ingredients from the Hudson Valley. 

Dish presentation by Chef Julia Sherman will be artful and visually striking, and diners can expect bright colors and playful eating. The cocktail program will be designed by Arley Marks, featuring classic martinis, spritzes, and botanical non-alcoholic selections. The wine list will feature natural selections of back vintages, predominantly from regenerative wine growers. 

OMA's design for the space draws inspiration from downtown New York neighborhood restaurants and the community gardens of the Lower East Side, creating a warm and intimate gathering space for artists, museum visitors, and patrons from around the world. 

Tonight's meeting is at 6:30. The Zoom link is here. This is a hybrid meeting, and limited seating is available for the public — the first 15 people who show up at the Community Board 3 Office, 59 E. Fourth St., between Second Avenue and the Bowery.

A quick look at the March CB3 SLA agenda

Photo of 215 E. 4th St. by Stacie Joy 

Here's a look at a few of the East Village addresses on tonight's CB3 SLA committee meeting agenda: 

New Liquor License Applications 

• 20 Blocks (Empty Lunchbox LLC), 215 E 4th St (wb) 

A sandwich shop called 20 Blocks is planned for the former home of ZAKAYA NYC between Avenue A and Avenue B. 

The online questionnaire for the beer-wine license describes the place as "a sandwich shop serving up original classics: the food & drink you know and love, but with a twist. The best sandwiches by a mile." (Traveling 20 blocks north-south in downtown Manhattan is roughly 20 blocks.) 

The sample menu includes various sandwiches with eggs, fried fish, lamb shoulder, and broccoli rabe, as well as sides such as long beans, sweet potato chips, and potato salad. 

The proprietors, Willy Corman and Jack August, previously held pop-ups in community gardens "with a new chef and a new menu" every week. According to the application materials, proceeds went to the garden. 

Proposed hours: Sunday to Wednesday from 9 a.m. to midnight with a 2 a.m. close on other nights. 

• Wilka's NYC LLC, 241 Bowery (op) 

Wilka's Sports Bar, 241 Bowery between Stanton and Rivington, will be dedicated to broadcasting women's sports. We wrote about it here. Find the Wilka's CB3 questionnaire here. 

• Baja and Humans LLC, 195 Ave A (aka 441 E 12th St) (wb) 

This is for the new owner of the dog cafe Boris & Horton. We wrote about the new owner here. The CB3 questionnaire is available at this link. 

Items not heard at Committee 

• Metrograph LLC, 7 Ludlow St (op/method of operation: change to allow patrons to take alcohol into movie screening area)

Metrograph moviegoers will now be permitted to take an alcoholic drink into the theater's two auditoriums... a standard practice now at most theaters with a liquor license. (RIP Sunshine.)

The theater, between Hester and Canal on the Lower East Side, has a lobby bar-cafe and the commissary on the second floor. 

Dining Out NYC — Not heard at Committee 

Under the city's new Dining Out NYC program, enclosed, year-round roadway dining structures are no longer permitted. The revised regulations stipulate that roadway cafes must now be open-air, easily portable, and simple to assemble and dismantle. 

Additionally, these establishments are restricted to operating only from April through November. Sidewalk cafes are permitted year-round. (ICYMI: C&B Cafe on Seventh Street participated in a pop-up event on Friday afternoon to help advocate for year-round outdoor dining.)

Restaurants had to apply for the license with the DOT, which apparently required a local community board sign-off. 

These establishments within the confines of Community Board 3 are on the March agenda... 

• Gnoccheria by Luzzo's (Italian Essenza Corp), 234 E 4th St (Roadway Cafe) 

• Victoria! (Moneygoround Inc), 235 Eldridge St (Roadway Cafe) 

• Phebe's (East Pub Inc), 359 Bowery (Roadway Cafe) 

• Dream Baby (162-4 Ave B Bar, Inc) 162 Ave B (Roadway Cafe) 

• Non LA (NonLA LLC), 128 E 4th St (Roadway Cafe) 

• 7th Street Burger (TPK Holdings LLC), 91 E 7th St (Roadway Cafe) 

• Westville (Westville Restaurant, Inc), 173 Ave A (Roadway Cafe) 

• Westville (Westville Restaurant, Inc), 173 Ave A (Sidewalk Cafe) 

Tonight's meeting is at 6:30. The Zoom link is here. This is a hybrid meeting, and limited seating is available for the public — the first 15 people who show up at the Community Board 3 Office, 59 E. Fourth St., between Second Avenue and the Bowery.

Full reveal at 340 Bowery, the new home of micro hotel Now Now NoHo

Workers removed the plywood from outside the under-renovation 340 Bowery between Bond and Great Jones this past week. 

And it looks the same on the outside anyway...

As previously reported, this is the new home of Now Now NoHo, a micro-boutique hotel for solo travelers. According to the Now Now website, the tiny rooms "combine the nostalgia of European train cars with the ingenuity of Japanese capsule hotels." Rooms will be available starting on April 1. 

The blade signage also went up on Thursday... if you can read that...

No. 340 was The Whitehouse, a single-room hotel/flophouse for decades. Our last post has more about the new hotel and some history of the address. 

A cafe concept is expected in the retail space. We are confirming a few details about that. 

Thanks to the EVG readers who shared photos this past week.

Partial window signage reveal for the new home of Soda Club on Avenue A

Interior renovations continue at 95 Avenue A at Sixth Street. Window signage is now up for the next tenant, Soda Club, which is relocating here from 155 Avenue B near 10th Street. 

As we reported on Jan. 30, the Michelin Bib Gourmand-awarded vegan wine and pasta bar is taking over the space that Amor y Amargo occupied until it relocated to its original home next door early this year.

"It's a super busy restaurant," Overthrow Hospitality's Ravi DeRossi previously said of Soda Club, "and we're turning away a lot of people in the small space that we currently have on Avenue B." 

There is no word yet on an exact opening date for Soda Club. 

Overthrow is keeping the lease at 155 Avenue B for a new concept.

Sunday's parting shots

Photos by Derek Berg 

Who's a good robot dog? Tompkins Square Park today...