Wednesday, June 25, 2014

About Overthrow Boxing Club, the gym coming to the former home of the Yippies at 9 Bleecker St.


[No. 9 this past Saturday]

Here's more information about the three-level boxing gym opening at 9 Bleecker, the former home of the Yippies.

The gym will be called Overthrow Boxing Club, named for Overthrow, one of the countercultural newspapers that the Yippies published here.

In a video posted on June 15, Throwback partner Joey Goodwin, aka "the Soho Kid," a Golden Gloves contender and creative director at men's clothing label Unruly Heir, provides a quick overview of the space.

"We're going to turn this into a great spot, and a great business and make some good things happen," he says. "It's going to be boxing meets punk rock ... we're going to keep the history, keep the heritage, and go from there."

And now the video...



As the Times reported in June 2013, Steven L. Einig, a lawyer for Centech, which holds the building's mortgage, "stated that Yippie Holdings, which bought Number 9 along with a nonprofit called the National AIDS Brigade, had failed for more than five years to make payments on the $1.4 million mortgage."

For their part, a lawyer for Yippie Holdings, said that the group was "compelled into foreclosure with payments being rejected" by Centech as part of a scheme or plan to take over the building.

The Yippies had to vacate their home of 41 years this past Jan. 17 while litigation continued. The space here near the Bowery had been on the market for $22,500 in monthly rent.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Yippie Museum Cafe is in financial trouble

The Yippie Museum Cafe will reopen next Wednesday

A bad sign at the Yippie Museum

Last day for the Yippies at No. 9 — for now

Fights of a different kind coming to 9 Bleecker St., longtime home of the Yippies

Root and Bone opens Monday on East 3rd Street



There's an opening date now for Root & Bone, the Southern-themed restaurant from former "Top Chef" contestant Jeff McInnis and season 11 contestant Janine Booth at 200 E. Third St. at Avenue B.

The sidewalk chalkboard is announcing the opening date for Monday at 11:30 a.m. ...



The restaurant's website describes the place this way:

What we're all about:
Soul nurturing, conscientiously sourced, farm-fresh ingredients.

A craftsman's ethic coupled with artistic culinary thought.

A tribute to the timeless recipes and traditions of a rural America and the warm embrace of its hospitality.

This location was previously home to Mama's Food Shop, which closed in July 2012 after 15 years. Then Heart 'n Soul for a few moments.

Like Mama's, Root & Bone will offer takeaway.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Mama's Food Shop closes after 15 years; 'the community nature of the neighborhood has all but vanished'

Rumors: 'Top Chef' alum Jeff McInnis will help revamp former Mama's Food Shop space

Root & Bone announces itself on E. 3rd St.

The former JoeDough space is now for rent on 1st Avenue



The quick-serve JoeDough sandwich shop closed in February after two-plus years at 135 First Ave.

At the time, Fork in the Road reported that proprietors Joe and Jill Dobias were keeping the space between St. Mark's Place and East Ninth Street "to focus on catering under the moniker JoeDough Catering & Events."

Now, though, there is a new for rent sign up in the front window.

Here are the details via Halstead:

Ground Floor Retail: 300sf + 200sf basement
Sublease: 3 years + 5 year option
Rent: $4,900 per month
Description: Turn Key Takeout restaurant. Fully vented to roof
Key money: Upon request

Compare this to 149 First Ave. up the block ... where the former This Little Piggy Had Roast Beef space is asking $9,500 a month for 500 square feet on the ground floor (and another 500 square feet in the basement).

Continuum Cycles going for another spin on Avenue B


[EVG file photo from last November]

Continuum Cycles and Continuum Coffee closed on Avenue B near East 12th Street last November. At the time, Continuum owner Jeff Underwood said that he planned to regroup in the months ahead, with the expectation of reopening a shop somewhere in the neighborhood.

Looks as if he found his space.

In recent weeks, Underwood has been preparing to open his bike shop in the former Saloon 13 space at 212 Avenue B (the entrance is actually on East 13th Street).





Photos via EVG reader Gamelan

Please do not loiter in front of the former 7-Eleven on St. Mark's Place


[EVG file photo from March 2013]

When the 7-Eleven was still open on St. Mark's Place, it was an attractive spot for camping out.

Now that it is closed, the vacant storefront at the corner of Second Avenue remains an attractive spot for camping out.

Which might be why there are now some homemade "no loitering" signs taped along the empty property...





The space remains for rent.

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] Reader report: The 7-Eleven on St. Mark's Place has closed (48 comments)

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

[Updated] Gigi Li elected to 3rd term as Community Board 3 chair


[At tonight's CB3 meeting]

Gigi Li will serve as chair of Community Board 3 for a third term after defeating challenger Chad Marlow in a vote this evening.

CB3 members voted during the monthly meeting 31-15 in favor of Li, who has served two one-year terms as chair. Marlow is a current CB3 member.

In an unprecedented move, The Villager published an endorsement of Marlow last week, an unusual editorial decision given that only CB3 members vote for the chair.

According to the paper:

CB3 is clearly in disarray, and there is a growing sense of disconnect with the community that it is supposed to serve.

There is a strong sentiment for change, both within the community and on CB3.

Apparently CB3 members don't agree.

Updated 5:32 a.m.

BoweryBoogie attended the meeting and filed a report here.

Per BoweryBoogie on the outcome:

So, now it’s another year of potential botched decisions and hyperlocal scandals. And through it all, the community suffers.

Updated 11:10 a.m.

The Lo-Down has meeting coverage here, including remarks from Li and Marlow.

Said Li:

This past year has been really challenging for us and, moving forward, I am committed to structural and leadership changes that I believe are the core issues. Time and time again over the past few years I have seen how this board and this community are better, stronger and more resilient when we fight the fight together and not apart.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Villager calls for change atop Community Board 3 (31 comments)

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning Edition


[2nd Avenue today via Derek Berg]

The history of 101 Avenue A (Off the Grid)

No more Móle on Allen Street (BoweryBoogie)

Basque country: Sietsema reviews Donostia on Avenue B and Huertas on First Avenue (Eater)

NYPD looking for 4 teens who assaulted a man on Stanton Street (The Lo-Down)

Charles Mingus goes to Bellevue (Dangerous Minds)

Retail makeover headed Canal Street's way (The Real Deal)

Alan's Alley video closes July 7 in Chelsea (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

Excellent tar beach photo from 1983 (Ephemeral New York)

Italo-Crime film series of the 1960s and 1970s continues (Anthology Film Archives)

... and the neighborhood is down one pothole now ... as crews tend to one on East Sixth Street near Second Avenue today...


[Photo via EVG reader Vinny]

Meanwhile in Rome...



Because this is a popular topic around here...

While municipal bike-sharing has thrived from Paris to São Paulo, Rome’s Roma’n’bike has been hobbled by crooks, politics, and geography — the city sits on its famous seven hills — combined with residents’ reluctance to abandon cars and scooters. “Romans don’t like to show up anywhere sweaty from a bike ride,” says Federico Niglia, a history professor at Luiss University who owns a bike but rarely pedals. “You have theft, bureaucracy, political wrangling. The same problems that plague the country are dooming bike-sharing.” — Bloomberg BusinessWeek
(Read "Rome's Bike-Sharing Program Is a Bust" here)

Baby hawk down



Picking up from last night's post… the first of the young hawks living on an AC unit at the Christodora House on Avenue B and East Ninth Street took flight yesterday morning.

According to Goggla, who has been documenting the parents, Christo and Dora, and their three offspring, the hawk fledged at 10:49 a.m. He glided across East Ninth Street between Avenue B and Avenue C … and that's when he went missing.

A search commenced. Around 6 p.m., a group of residents, including Walt Fitzpatrick, Karen Martinez, Cliff Maloney, Father Pat Maloney, as well as bird watchers Dennis Edge and Francois Portmann, eventually found the fledgling … and someone called Rob Mastrianni, an urban park ranger (he recently rescued a fledgling in Washington Square Park), who arrived to lead the rescue efforts…







Ranger Rob deemed that the fledgling was uninjured … and placed him in a tree in Tompkins Square Park.





As Goggla noted, we hope that "the remaining two siblings watched and learned something today." Goggla has more about the rescue and a lot more photos here.


[Photo yesterday by EVG reader Bryan]

Photos by Bobby Williams

Celebrating the life of Hayne Suthon tonight


[Image via Facebook]

Hayne Suthon's friends and loved ones are gathering tonight to celebrate the life of the owner and operator of restaurant/drag club Lucky Cheng's.

Suthon died on June 9 after a battle with breast cancer. The New Orleans native would have turned 58 today.

The gathering, "Hayne's Birthday, Life Celebration & Finale BBQ EXTRAVAGANZA," starts at 6 in Metzler Park, on East First Street between First Avenue and Avenue A. Later, the group will migrate to Lucky Cheng's on West 52nd Street.

Visit the Facebook event page for more details.

Suthon opened the Roman-themed Cave Canem at 24 First Ave. in 1987. The space became Lucky Cheng's in 1993.

You can read more about her here in an obituary published in The New Orleans Advocate.

Adinah's Farm has closed on Avenue C


[Photo by EVG reader Brian]

Early last week the for rent signs appeared at Adinah's Farm on Avenue C and East Second Street.

It was a quick goodbye for the corner market: They closed for good Sunday night.

We haven't heard any official reason for the closure. Of course, a rent increase is always a likely suspect. (And as we understand it, Adinah's Farm was operated by the folks behind Gracefully On Avenue A.)

According to the listing, the asking rent is $17,500.

[Updated] People apparently really want to live in The Robyn



Back in late May, we received a news release announcing that Miron Properties was hired to lease The Robyn, the incoming 33-unit rental at 316 E. Third St. between Avenue C and Avenue D.

We received a follow-up announcement from Miron reps stating that they have rented 29 of the 33 apartments ... with move ins starting July 1, pending the city issuing the Temporary Certificate of Occupancy.

Not bad on all the rentals considering the building isn't even finished ... so these leases are being signed without people seeing the actual apartments.

Apartments at the Karl Fischer-designed building range in price from $2,100 for studios, $2,495 and up for one bedrooms and $3,375 and up for the duplex penthouses.

The elevator building features a roof deck, storage units, bike storage and a pet spa, among other amenities.

And what's up with that name, The Robyn?

Turns out that the building is named after the wife of Jona Rechnitz, founder and president of JSR Capital, the real-estate development and management company that bought the property several years ago.

Updated 6/25
The folks from Miron provided incorrect information about the name. It is just a generic name the developers came up with for the building.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Another parcel of East Village land ready for development

33-unit, Karl Fischer-designed building rising at former home of Community Board 3 member

Landmarks Preservation Commission rejects hearing for 316 E. Third St., paving way for 7-floor condo

Lovely townhouse with bucolic gardens on East Third Street ready for "creative expansion"

316 E. Third St. has been demolished

This Robyn laid some luxury apartments on East 3rd Street; pet spa included