Gemini Rosemont buys third parcel on 2nd Avenue for future development

As expected, Gemini Rosemont Development bought the former La Salle annex at 38 Second Ave. and Second Street.

The $14.5 million purchase of the four-story building — announced yesterday — is the third of three contiguous parcels between Second Street and Third Street acquired by the firm this year for future development. Gemini Rosemont closed on 42-44 Second Ave. and 46-48 Second Ave. (the former Church of the Nativity) in March for $40 million.

The total lot area of the assembled site is 14,075 square feet, according to city records. The combined development site can accommodate an as-of-right buildable area of 75,908 square feet and up to 101,210 square feet of residential area under the city's Inclusionary Housing Program.

Development plans have not been made public. Meanwhile, demolition permits have already been filed for the former Church of the Nativity and the adjacent building.



La Salle purchased the Annex property in 1966 to provide additional space for its large population of students during that era. Since 2010, the Annex served as the home of the Brothers' Community that was associated with the school and provided office space for some members of the school's administrative staff.

According to a press release on the sale, proceeds are earmarked for school's endowment.

A significant portion of the proceeds from the sale are earmarked for La Salle Academy’s endowment fund, boosting the school’s financial stability and its ability to meet the growing needs of the segment of its student population who require tuition assistance. La Salle Academy, which currently occupies the top three floors of St. George’s Ukrainian School on East Sixth Street off Second Avenue, will continue to operate at its present location.

Brother Thomas Casey current president of La Salle Academy, remarked enthusiastically, "This sale will benefit La Salle students far into the future."

La Salle Academy's former school building and Brothers' Residence on Second Street, which is currently leased by the Nord Anglia International School, are not included in the transaction.

The Church of the Nativity closed after a service on July 31, 2015, merging with Most Holy Redeemer on Third Street.

As previously reported, the Cooper Square Community Land Trust had explored buying the former Church of the Nativity to use as low-income housing.

As for the future of 38-48 Second Ave., the Gemini Rosemont website notes that they look to rent to "tenants in high growth and tech centric industries."

Flashback Friday: Take a virtual tour of the Brant Foundation's Basquiat exhibit from 2019

[Photo by James Maher]

In case you missed the Brant Foundations's Jean-Michel Basquiat exhibit last year... the currently-closed space on Sixth Street between Avenue A and First Avenue is now offering a 360 VR tour of the show as seen in the four-level space owned by Peter M. Brant.

The exhibit, open to the public for two-plus months, featured some 70 works collectively valued at $1 billion. You can start exploring at this link.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• A Basquiat-at-the-Brant Foundation reader

Your 99-cent pizza update on Avenue A

As a reminder (way back to March 11), a 99-cent pizza slice emporium is in the works for 131 Avenue A between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street.

The space is shaping up, as these photos via EVG 99-cent pizza slice emporium correspondent Steven show...



This must be a successful business model: This will be the third 99-cent pizza shop on Avenue A between Houston and Ninth Street, joining Alphabet 99-Cent Fresh Pizza and 99¢ Pizza. (There's also FDR 99¢ Slice Pizza just off of A on Second Street.)

Calling out a plant thief on 7th Street

Someone is understandably upset about the plant theft in this tree well on Seventh Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue... EVG reader Robert Miner shares photos of the messages left at the scene...

"Cutting out my plants. You are worse than rats. You are very sick person." (Above!)

And: "Cutting my plants. Breaking my grill. You're a sick person. You need to see a doctor."

Grant Shaffer's NY See

Here's the latest NY See panel, East Village-based illustrator Grant Shaffer's observational sketch diary of things that he sees and hears around the neighborhood and NYC.

Bali Kitchen closes on Aug. 1: 'COVID-19 was too much for us'

[Photo from November 2018 by Stacie Joy]

Bali Kitchen, one of the neighborhood's most unique and affordable small restaurants, will close after service on Aug. 1.

Owners David Prettyman and Jazz P. Souisay shared the news via email:

COVID-19 was too much for us and we have decided to close Bali Kitchen.

Sadly, Bali Kitchen will close its doors on Saturday, August 1. We would like to take this opportunity to thank our loyal customers for your support over the past three years. You still have three weeks to get one last serving of Beef Rendang, Nasi Goreng or Tofu Betutu. We hope you will come see us before we close. Terima kasih banyak!

The Indonesian restaurant on Fourth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue opened in September 2017.

On top of the COVID-19-related closure, Bali Kitchen suffered other setbacks. On the day they were set to reopen in May, someone tossed a brick through their front window. Someone also smashed into the space during the rash of break-ins on the night of May 31

They are open for takeout and delivery Tuesday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. You can order in advance via the BK website. You can also call them at (646) 678-4784.



Previously on EV Grieve:
• A visit to Bali Kitchen on 4th Street

The new-look 151 Avenue A

Workers removed the scaffolding and sidewalk bridge from outside 151 Avenue A last week, revealing a new look here between Ninth Street and 10th Street. Going with... hunter green?

The building was sold in the summer of 2018 for $9.5 million, per public records. The seller was linked to Ascot Properties NYC LLC while the buyer was listed as 151 Avenue A Member LLC with an address of their law firm.

Here's a look at the building from last fall as gut renovations were underway... it appeared that the residential portion of the building was vacant ...


[Fall 2019]

Last fall we watched workers carry in steel beams (photos by Steven!). According to the approved permits via the Department of Buildings, there was an "interior renovation of hallways and replacement of structural elements ... on floors 2 though roof. Replacement of stair bulkhead."







Throughout the renovation, the retail tenant, Quick Repair & Electronics, was able to remain open.

Checking in on Pause Cafe

Text and photos by Stacie Joy

Pause Cafe, located at 3 Clinton St. near the corner of Houston, recently reopened after being shuttered during the COVID-19-related PAUSE order.



Safety precautions are being observed, and new items have been added to the menu, such as a line of fresh-squeezed juices, in addition to house favorites like acai bowls, smoothies, house-made muffins and pastries as well as an extended line of coffee and tea drinks.

Owner Amine Sadki has created a tropical-inspired outdoor seating setup for his Moroccan-themed coffee shop. The curbside space is as comfortable as you can get on a city street with flowering plants, palms and umbrellas. Carpets, chairs and tables — and finally, people — round out the setting.







I ask Amine and the Pause team to pose for a group shot before I leave. Even with masks on you can see them smiling.



Pause Cafe is open during the week from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., with an 8 a.m. start on the weekend.

Report of a fire at 67 Avenue D

The FDNY responded to a fire this afternoon at 67 Avenue D, a six-floor building between Fifth Street and Sixth Street.

MAN ALL HANDS 67 AVE D, MULTIPLE DWELLING FIRE ON 2ND FLR,

— FDNYalerts (@FDNYAlerts) July 15, 2020

The fire was reported to have started on the second floor, which looks to have suffered extensive damage...



There's a nail salon and deli in the building's retail spaces.

The FDNY reported it under control in 45 minutes. Officials didn't offer an immediate cause, and witnesses said there weren't any injuries.

Shell shock! Lost turtles return to La Plaza Cultural

[Photo by Chris W. from June]

Back in May, Wilson and Gator, two of the resident turtles at La Plaza Cultural, went missing.

In a bit of welcome news (for once), the turtles have been found... new signage up notes that the two are awaiting reintroduction to the pond here on the southwest corner of Avenue C and Ninth Street...


[Photo via @decolorescommunityyard]

Moving forward, there will be a turtle barrier around the water in the community garden to allow for "safe basking."

No word on how far away Wilson and Gator got.

Retail space at 4 St. Mark's Place, onetime home of Trash & Vaudeville, is for rent again

[Photos by Steven]

The parlor level of the landmarked 4 St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue is now looking for a new tenant.

Chi Snack Shop, which arrived here along with the Imogene boutique back in the fall, is gone.



The asking rent is $140 per square foot, according to the retail listing.

Wanyoo, Asia’s largest gaming café chain, is in the lower level, having opened this past Dec. 31. This outpost, which reportedly signed a 20-year lease here, is temporary closed during the COVID-19 PAUSE.

Until February 2016, 4 St. Mark's Place housed Trash & Vaudeville for 41 years. The store relocated to 96 E. Seventh St. in 2016.

The Hamilton-Holly House (aka 4 St. Mark's Place), built in 1831, was once owned by Alexander Hamilton’s son. The building, which changed hands for $10 million in the spring of 2016 for $10 million, also underwent a gut renovation and expansion.

As previously reported, developer Real Estate Equities Corporation aims to transfer air rights from No. 4 to add square footage to their office building coming to the northeast corner of Third Avenue and St. Mark's Place.

Under terms of the air-rights transfer, 5 percent of the $4 million sale will go into a dedicated account for the landmark to maintain its upkeep. The City Planning Commission will cast their vote at a later date as part of the city’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• Exclusive: After 40 years, punk rock mainstay Trash and Vaudeville is leaving St. Mark's Place

• 4 St. Mark's Place is for sale

Mystery dig behind the St. Brigid School

Excavation work started this week behind the now-closed St. Brigid School on Seventh Street and Avenue B...



... and as seen from the Eighth Street side... well, as Dave on 7th points out ...



... there's a screen up to prevent any blog snooping...



The appearance of a mini excavator and dump truck isn't always newsworthy... however, in the case of this property, there has been speculation over what will become of the former elementary school, prime real estate with Tompkins Square Park views.

In February 2019, the Archdiocese of New York announced that St. Brigid School would cease operations at the end of the 2018-2019 academic year, a move that blindsided students, parents and faculty alike.

Founded in 1856, the Saint Brigid School was one of seven city Catholic schools marked for closure by the Archdiocese.

To date, the Archdiocese has not stated its plans for the space.

In recent years, the Archdiocese has seen sales of more than $80 million for two former East Village churches.

Developer Douglas Steiner bought the former Mary Help of Christians property on Avenue A at 12th Street in 2012 from the Archdiocese of New York for $41 million. During the summer of 2013, workers demolished the church, school and rectory to make way for Steiner East Village, the block-long condoplex.

Back in March, Gemini Rosemont, an L.A.-based real-estate investor, bought the former Church of the Nativity property on Second Avenue between Second Street and Third Street for $40 million.

INA NYC closes 13th Street outpost

The Union Square location of INA NYC has closed, a for-rent sign hangs in the front window here on 13th Street between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue.

The designer consignment store, dating to 1993, has several NYC locations. For now, just the outpost on Prince Street is open. INA expanded to 13th Street in 2014.

Thanks to EVG reader Doug for the photo!

Updating: Body of dismembered, decapitated man found inside residence on Houston and Suffolk

[Photos by Stacie Joy]

Story is updated at the bottom of this post. On July 17, police arrested the victims former personal assistant in the crime.

Media and police sources are reporting that the body of a decapitated, dismembered man in his 30s was found inside an apartment at 265 E. Houston St. on the corner of Suffolk.



Per the Post:

An electric saw was found near the body, which was described as a man in his 30s. The victim’s legs and arms were completely removed, and body parts were found in plastic bags found in the apartment, the sources said.

And from NBC 4...

Senior law enforcement officials tell me the body was discovered when a family member performed a welfare check on them. Firefighters from 28 Engine responded in and made the grisly discovery. The members looked shaken when they exited the building. https://t.co/PgJTlC3xAi

— 𝐌𝐲𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐍. 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 (@MylesMill) July 14, 2020

The 10-floor building, completed in 2017, features units ranging from $2.45 million to $2.55 million, per previous real-estate listings.



Updated 6:45 p.m.


[Leslie Feinberg]

EVG correspondent Stacie Joy spoke to Leslie Feinberg, who owns Subject bar across Suffolk Street. Feinberg says that she saw the following transpire at around 3:30 p.m.: "a young woman, maybe late teens or early 20s sitting in the lobby crying, talking to about five or six officers. She was in there for about 30 to 45 minutes before a team of 20-plus law enforcement officers arrived and loaded her into a vehicle and took off."

The woman was identified by police and media sources as the victim's sister, who went to check on her brother after not hearing from him.

A police sergeant at the scene told Stacie that the "preliminary investigation is ongoing, looking to review video cameras, and the crime scene is still being processed." He confirmed that "a male torso was found in the apartment unit with his head, arms and legs removed."







Updated 9:45 p.m.

Details from the account in the Times. The 33-year-old victim was also believed to be the owner of the condo unit.

As for the grisly crime scene:

When detectives began investigating, they found the man’s torso and an electric saw nearby, two of the officials said. The man’s head and limbs were later found in the apartment, a Police Department spokesman said.

There were several plastic bags nearby, and it appeared that some effort had been made to clean up the evidence of what had happened, one of the officials said.

The man, Fahim Saleh (see updates below), was last seen alive in video surveillance on Monday afternoon. And the police have it least one lead:

One of the law enforcement officials said a surveillance camera had captured video of the victim on the elevator with another person who was wearing a black suit and a black mask.

On the video, the elevator door opens and victim goes into the apartment, the official said. The masked person follows the victim, going in right behind him, and the two immediately start to struggle, the official said.

Updated 7/15

The Daily Mail reported that the victim was Fahim Saleh, a millionaire tech entrepreneur who moved into his the seventh-floor residence late last year.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Fahim Saleh (@fahims) on Apr 26, 2020 at 2:34pm PDT

Background on Saleh via the Mail:

His LinkedIn profile reveals the former website developer was the CEO of a motorbike hailing company in Lagos, Nigeria.

The firm, Gokada, recently faced severe setbacks after being banned earlier this year by the Nigerian government.

It was forced to lay off staff and pivot from being a ride-sharing service to a delivery courier.

The ban came at a difficult moment for Gokada which had just raised $5.3 million in funding from Rise Capital, a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm, in May 2019.

Media outlets have described the suspect as a professional killer. He was reportedly also carrying a suitcase on the elevator. Police believe that the victim's sister may have interrupted the dismembering of Saleh's body. "Detectives are also looking to see if the killer was able to escape through another exit," per the Mail.

Updated July 19

Police have arrested Saleh's personal assistant, who is expected to be charged in the murder.

According to the Times, the assistant is Tyrese Devon Haspil, 21.

Detectives believe that the motive for the killing stemmed from Mr. Saleh having discovered that the assistant had stolen tens of thousands of dollars from him, despite the fact that Mr. Saleh had not reported the man and had set up what amounted to a repayment plan for him to return the money, one of the officials said.

Book Club hosts East Village author Arthur Nersesian in conversation with Bob Odenkirk

Book Club on Third Street is virtually playing host to a conversation Thursday evening at 7 between East Village author Arthur Nersesian and actor Bob Odenkirk.

Nersesian's latest novel is "The Five Books of (Robert) Moses," a sprawling alternate history of NYC. (Read about it here.)

You can sign up for the talk at this link. And you can read our two-part interview with Nersesian from 2014 here.

Little Poland remains closed for now

With the news that Odessa is closing Sunday on Avenue A, several readers asked about the status of another local diner serving like-minded fare — Little Poland.

The diner, which opened in 1985 at 200 Second Ave. between 12th Street and 13th Street, has been dark since the COVID-19 PAUSE went into effect in March... the space remains temporarily closed for now...



But in a hopeful sign, there is a note on the door prompting potential customers to monitor their Instagram account for reopening updates...



It's also a hopeful sign that Little Poland actually has an Instagram account, launched last fall. Odessa never embraced social media.

Thanks to Steven for these photos taken yesterday!

Veeray Da Dhaba bringing the 'authentic roadside cuisine of Punjab' to 1st Avenue

A trio of NYC restaurateurs are joining forces to open Veeray Da Dhaba, which will serve "authentic roadside cuisine of Punjab" here at 222 First Ave. between 13th Street and 14th Street. (Thanks to William Klayer for the photos!)

A coming-soon sign in the front window offers an overview what to expect from Sonny Solomon, Hemant Mathur (a Michelin-starred chef) and Binder Saini (former executive chef of Kurry Qulture in Astoria).

"With a devotion to authentic and personalized Indian cuisine, Chef Hemant Mathur and Binder Saini revive the quintessential delicacies found in a Punjabi dhaba, and serve them hot and piping for all who hunger for a taste of India."

No. 222 has been several restaurants of late, including the awesomely named Hungry Wolf (which I swear was never actually open) and Golody Halal Buffet.

On 2nd thought, C&B finishes its curbside seating with the help of the DOT

Back on Friday, we noted that C&B Cafe on Seventh Street between Avenue A and Avenue B threw in the towel trying to build curbside seating.

As C&B shared on Instagram at the time:

Three different city/state officials came the last four days to give us different information about how we should practice the outdoor dining. Also we have four different emails from DOT about the guidelines suggesting different ways of building the spaces.

However, as EVG correspondent Stacie Joy reports, owner Ali Sahin (pictured above) was able to finish the seating area — with the help and encouragement of the Department of Transportation, the city agency overseeing the Open Restaurants program.

They unveiled the new space on Sunday ... which features planted lavender, rosemary, thyme, lemon balm, pepper plants, tomatoes, dill and other herbs and plants...



C&B is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.