Tenants call out Madison Realty Capital: Stop warehousing rent-regulated apartments

More than 50 residents, community activists and local elected officials gathered on Tuesday afternoon in the rain outside 325 E. 12th St., a building owned by Madison Realty Capital (MRC) that serves as a de-facto office for MRC’s property management arm, Silverstone Properties.

The group, led by Tenants Taking Control (formerly known as the Toledano Tenants Coalition), called on MRC to sell their 15 buildings to a nonprofit preservation buyer.

They also wanted to bring attention to the practice of property owners letting rent-regulated apartments sit vacant in the aftermath of the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019.

According to the tenants, there are 136 vacant apartments across the 15-building portfolio, which has a total of 279 units. (MRC took control of the portfolio from disgraced landlord Raphael Toledano in the spring of 2017.)



"It is unconscionable to keep these apartments empty, when affordable housing is so rare," said TTC member Beth Carey.

"We have persevered for four long years — enduring an onslaught of insincere buyout badgering, construction as harassment, elevated lead dust, vermin infestations, and unfair lawsuits," said Sandra Mayer, a TTC tenant. "We have watched our friends and neighbors be picked off one by one until these once vibrant buildings stood dark and quiet. This community of working-class families and artists should not lose its spirit. It is our goal to bring back a solid base of rent-stabilized housing in the East Village."

Joining the tenants were several community groups and elected officials, including members of the INK Tenants Coalition, Cooper Square Committee, Lead Dust Free NYC coalition, St. Nicks Alliance, Good Old Lower East Side, United Neighborhood Organization (UNO), Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, Assemblymember Harvey Epstein, Assemblymember Deborah Glick, Sen. Brad Hoylman and City Councilmember Carlina Rivera.


[Sen. Hoylman]


[Assemblymember Glick]



Photos courtesy of the Cooper Square Committee.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• Health Department to inspect Raphael Toledano's East Village properties for toxic levels of lead dust

• Ongoing concerns about demolition work and elevated lead levels in Toledano-owned buildings

• Tenant activists praise lead reform, urge for more protections from city against predatory landlords

• Petition asks Madison Realty Capital to waive legal fees for evicted East Village family

• Report: Raphael Toledano files for Chapter 11; $145 million deal for EV portfolio is off the table

• Raphael Toledano tenants take to Midtown streets to speak out against their landlord and his lenders

• Santa delivers sacks of coal to Madison Realty Capital, Rafael Toledano's lenders

These were the top reads from East Village libraries in 2019

The New York Public Library has shared its top checkouts for 2019. These are the books that were checked out the most at our neighborhood branches:

• Tompkins Square, 331 E. 10th St.: "Circe" by Madeline Miller

• Ottendorfer, 135 Second Ave.: "Educated: A Memoir" by Tara Westover

• Hamilton Fish Park, 415 E. Houston St.: "Becoming" by Michelle Obama


"Becoming" and "Educated: A Memoir" were 1-2 systemwide for the NYPL. ("Circe" was No. 7 overall.)





Previously on EV Grieve:
Say hi to Sam, your new Ottendorfer librarian

A visit to the Tompkins Square Library branch on 10th Street

Thursday's parting shot

An EVG reader spotted this pre-Christmas discard on 10th Street near Avenue B... (an analysis on the scene confirmed that this tree was purchased this season, and not leftover from last year...)

Deal on wheels

Air BnB snowffiti spotted on Fourth Street between Avenue A and Avenue B... thanks to @ChrisReese1 for sharing the photo...

EVG Etc.: City pledges to end street homelessness; MTA board approves plan for more subway cops

[At the great Russo's on 11th Street]

• Remembering the cyclists who were killed on city streets this year, including Chaim Joseph of the East Village (Gothamist... previously on EVG)

• The city's pledge to end street homelessness (Curbed)

• The NYCHA is the city's worst landlord (ABC-7)

• MTA board approves hiring 500 additional cops (The Post)

• What to eat at the new Essex Market and the Market Line (Eater)

• More stats and praise for the 14th Street busway (Newsday)

• City Councilmember Carlina Rivera wants to see pols gives up their SUVs for bikes (Daily News)

• Local blogger spots the "In the Air Tonight" car in action (Gothamist)

• Catch a screening of "My Mars Bar Movie" by the late Jonas Mekas this Saturday night (Anthology Film Archives... previously on EVG)

• The "Holidays at Metrograph" series continues with screenings of "The Thin Man," "Carol" and "The Apartment," among others (Official site)

• Diversions: Slayer fans lose their shit outside of Studio 54 in 1985 (CVLT Nation)

... and following the snow squall yesterday... the arrival of an R2-D2 on this windshield — obviously a promo for "The Rise of Skywalker" ...



... thanks to EVG reader Melissa for this photo from 3rd and A...

Red Gate Bakery opens its gates today on 1st Street

[Image via @redgatebakery]

Red Gate Bakery debuts today at 68 E. First St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

The shop is run by Greg Rales (formerly of Flour Shop on Lafayette) and business partner Patricia Howard (formerly of The Beatrice Inn).

Rales previously worked in international development and co-production at AMC Networks... apparently his baked goods were a hit with co-workers, and he eventually decided to get into the bakery business.

The Times had a preview on what to expect:

Red accents enliven the white subway-tiled shop that has a kitchen on view through a window. The treats on offer include rich brown-butter blondies, banana bread swirled with chocolate and a caramelized white chocolate cake infused with stout. Oreo-style cookies with eggnog filling, a thin oatmeal cookie with a snowflake pattern, and peppermint hot chocolate are available for the holidays.

Red Gate is open Wednesday-Thursday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and until 8 p.m. Friday through Sunday. The bakery is closed Monday and Tuesday. (During the holiday, Red Gate Bakery will be closed Monday 12/23 - Thursday 12/26 and Monday 12/30 - Wednesday 1/1.)

Find the shop's website at this link.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Red Gate Bakery setting up shop at 68 E. 1st St.

Deck the halls with the Third Street Music School Settlement today

The Third Street Music School Settlement is hosting its annual Neighborhood Caroling this afternoon.

Per the school's website:

Please arrive between 3:45 p.m. and 4 p.m. at the Con Edison Building, 4 Irving Place (Irving Place and East 14th Street). The merrymaking will commence at 4 p.m. and make its way through Union Square and the East Village, ending at Third Street Music School. RSVPs (do that here) will receive our route map and timing so you can join in the fun along the way!

The caroling action takes place between 4-6 p.m. today (Dec. 19!).

Details on the 9th Precinct's last 2 Build the Block public meetings for 2019

The 9th Precinct is hosting the last two Build the Block Sector meetings for the year tonight and tomorrow night for East Village residents and business owners.

The Sector D meeting is tonight (Thursday) at 6 at the 14th Street Y, 344 E. 14th St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue. (Sector D encompasses the north side of Seventh Street to 14th Street, from the west side of First Avenue to Broadway...)



The Sector C meeting is tomorrow (Friday!) evening at 5:30 at Middle Collegiate Church, 50 E. Seventh St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue. (Sector C encompasses the south side of Seventh Street to East Houston, from the west side of First Avenue to Broadway...)



Use this link to find out what Sector you're in for sure, and what meeting you should attend. Find the sectors and the responsible officers here.

The Sector meetings are an opportunity for residents and business owners to voice grievances or concerns with issues in and around the neighborhood. This is part of the NYPD's initiative called the Neighborhood Coordination Officers (NCO) program. The 9th Precinct is split up into four sectors, with two officers assigned to each sector.

Santa fires up Christmas on 2nd Street

On Sunday, the firefighters assigned to Engine Company 28, Ladder 11 held their annual Christmas celebration at the firehouse on Second Street between Avenue B and Avenue C.

EVG contributor Stacie Joy was there for the festivities...

A few scenes from the snow squall

Late this afternoon, courtesy of Vinny & O... from Astor Place...





... to Tompkins Square Park...

Hit sandwich connoisseurs Foxface opening a new venture in the former Harry & Ida's space on Avenue A

Foxface, the tiny shop for adventurous sandwich seekers at 80 St. Mark's Place in Theatre 80, is opening a new venture on Avenue A near 12th Street.

East Village residents Ori Kushnir and Sivan Lahat made the announcement on Instagram this morning... offering details on what they have planned for the former Harry & Ida's Meat and Supply Co., where owners Julie and Will Horowitz closed on Nov. 25 after four-and-a-half years of business.

View this post on Instagram

Dear Friends, Sometimes things just fall into place. Ever since we opened Foxface we've been daydreaming of a space nearby where we could smoke, ferment, dry, cure and otherwise transform ingredients in ways that do not fit in our tiny kitchen. Our dream "nearby" was probably in industrial Brooklyn, but then, out of the blue, @willhorowitz stopped by for a sandwich and casually mentioned he and @shweetums might be looking to pass on their smokehouse a few blocks away... You can imagine that we were doing all sorts of happy dances inside while trying to keep our cool fox faces. 🦊 💃🕺... This felt like it won't just be great for us and our sandwiches (and @sivantokyo's sanity whenever @orikushnir comes up with yet another loopy idea), but also like it would be a way to keep the cultural asset that Will & Julie have given the neighborhood from being replaced, in all likelihood, by a bro bar. (not that we have anything against bro bars - we have everything against them) We ramble, but to TLDR: We're happy to announce that in spring 2020 (we hope), @Foxface_Provisions will be opening as a smokehouse, tasting room, and preservation commissary in the space that once housed @harryandidas on Avenue A. See you there soon, and at Foxface in the meantime!

A post shared by Foxface (@foxface_nyc) on Dec 18, 2019 at 8:23am PST

So look for Foxface Provisions — a smokehouse, tasting room and preservation commissary — later in the spring of 2020. They will keep the small current space at 80 St. Mark's Place just west of First Avenue, which they opened late last year. Pete Wells is among the fans of Foxface.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Longtime East Village residents open Foxface, now serving sandwiches at Theater 80

Acclaimed pastrami purveyors Harry & Ida's will close this month on Avenue A

-------

Updated the original post from today...


From time to time we'll take a look at some recently available retail space... such as 189 Avenue A between 11th Street and 12th Street.

The 950-square-foot (plus basement) storefront, which previously housed Harry & Ida's, has a monthly ask of $9,500, per the listing... which notes this is a "Heavily Trafficked East Village Location" with a "Close Proximity to Tompkins Square Park."

The Harry & Ida's Meat and Supply Co. closed on Nov. 25 after four-and-a-half years of business.

A holiday night to remember a loved one at Dress Shoppe II on 2nd Avenue

Last Wednesday evening, friends gathered at Dress Shoppe II during a holiday sale to support the nearly 20-year-old Indian boutique on Second Avenue between Fourth Street and Fifth Street.

The event was organized by Jenny Goldberg and Naza Crea, two Dress Shoppe II supporters...


[Goldberg and Crea]

EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by and spoke with owner Saroj Goyal and her son Prashant.

The event also marked the three-month anniversary of the death of the family patriarch — Purushottam Goyal. They miss him terribly. (The Goyals had been married for nearly 50 years.)


[Prashant Goyal with Saroj Goyal]

Saroj intends to keep the store up and running.

Here are a few scenes from Wednesday night...











There's also a book on the front counter for people to leave remembrances of Mr. Goyal (read more about his life here) ...



--

Dress Shoppe II is located at 83 Second Ave. Find them on Instagram here.

Fat Cat Kitchen closes on 14th Street

[EVG photo from September 2018]

Fat Cat Kitchen, a quick-serve cafe serving quality sandwiches, salads and baked goods at 223 E. 14th St., shut down yesterday after more than 2.5 years in business.

In an Instagram post, married chefs C.J. and Björn Holm put the blame on the landlord...

View this post on Instagram

Sad day. . . . #nyc #landlord #shittylandlord #horriblepeople #nyclandlord #slumlord #nycrestaurant #tiredoffighting #niceguysfinishlast #vanishingnewyork #momandpopshop #smallbusinesssaturday #smallbusiness

A post shared by Fat Cat Kitchen (@fatcatkitchen) on Dec 17, 2019 at 11:51am PST

In September 2018, the DOH shut down Fat Cat here between Second Avenue and Third Avenue following an inspection. The issue stemmed from a broken pipe in the basement that the owners said they didn't have access to...


[EVG photo from September 2018]

According to public records, 223 E. 14 ST. LLC is the landlord, having purchased the building in 2009. The LLC shares an address with the Metropolitan Property Group.

Earlier this year, Fat Cat ran afoul of the Department of Health again — this time for selling food with CBD, the legal compound derived from cannabis. During a routine visit on Feb. 1, a DOH official gathered up a reported $1,000 worth of CBD edibles, putting them in a zip-lock bag and marking them as "embargoed."

The DOH had a murky policy that their own personnel apparently couldn't even explain.

As Eater reported at the time:

DOH visited at least two other times in the recent past and did not mention the CBD products, even though Fat Cat Kitchen advertises the treats with a sign outside the restaurant...

“I mean, this is crazy,” [C.J.] Holm says, alleging that at least two city staffers did not know what CBD was when she called for more information. “They couldn’t even intelligently explain to me exactly what the problem was when I spoke to them on the phone.”

Fat Cat Kitchen opened in May 2017. It was a nice spot with a friendly staff and owners who liked being part of the neighborhood. It's the kind of place that we need more of around here...

The Pure Green space is for rent on 2nd Avenue

[Photo Friday by Steven]

Apparently, Pure Green's time is coming to an end at 152 Second Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street.

Landlord Icon Realty has hung a large for-rent sign — complete with arrow — above the storefront.

According to the Icon website, the space, which is available immediately, has an asking rent of $18,000 per month.

Pure Green, which sells cold-pressed juices, smoothies and açaí bowls, has had several roommates — Wattle Cafe, Greecologies, PlantMade and the I.V. Doc — since opening in March 2017.

The retail space is in the ground floor of the former Sigmund Schwartz Gramercy Park Chapel, which Icon Realty bought, adding three extra floors and opening as luxury rentals.