Tuesday, March 19, 2019

Renovations underway in the former Grassroots Tavern space on St. Mark's Place



After nearly 14 months of inactivity at 20 St. Mark's Place, workers are now on the scene here between Second Avenue and Third Avenue... a concrete crew has been spotted in recent days (all photos from yesterday via Steven...)





The interior doesn't look too different from when it was the Grassroots Tavern (KIDDING)...



A quickie recap on what's going on here: Approved permits are now on file for repair work in the lower retail space, the longtime home of the Grassroots Tavern until New Year's Eve 2017.

As we've been reporting, Bob Precious is planning on opening a bar in this semi-subterranean space with a working title of Subterranean. (Precious operates the mini chain of Irish-style pubs called the Ginger Man, including the one on 36th Street. CB3 OK'd his new liquor license in December 2017.)

Precious said last August that the former Grassroots space was in bad shape — including structural damage. The approvals for the renovations in the landmarked building had been slow going, for whatever reasons. (In November, Previous was hoping for a spring opening.)

20 St. Mark's Place, known as the Daniel LeRoy House, was built in 1832. It received landmark status in 1971, and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Since the Grassroots closed, people keep tagging the former bar's entrance.

Previously on EV Grieve:
New owner lined up for the Grassroots Tavern on St. Mark's Place

20 St. Mark's Place, home of the Grassroots Tavern, has been sold

Your chance to live in this historic home above the Grassroots Tavern on St. Mark's Place

Last call at the Grassroots Tavern

This is what's happening with the former Grassroots Tavern space on St. Mark's Place

The former Grassroots Tavern ready for a renovation

Citi Bike unveils new valet service on St Mark's Place and 1st Avenue; more to come


[Rando image via Citi Bike]

Starting today, Citi Bike is bringing some of its valet stations back into service ... in addition, Citi Bike is introducing several new valet stations in the neighborhood.

Background: Citi Bike offers valet service at high-volume stations during peak usage times. Each station is staffed by a Citi Bike rep ... to help reduce the frustration that riders face when arriving at a full docking station.

Here's the list of Citi Bike's new or returning valets in the area...

Today:
St Mark's Place at First Avenue (New)
Second Street at Avenue B (Returning)

Early April:
University Place at 14th Street (New)
Allen Street at Stanton (New)
First Avenue at 16th Street (Returning)

Early May:
Seventh Street at Avenue A (New)

And the valet service is ongoing on 10th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B.

More details are at this link.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Docking blues: Doing the 'checking-all-of-the-Citi Bike-stations dance'

Report: No plans to remove the Michael Jackson mural from the wall on 11th Street


[EVG photo from July]

In case you haen't seen it, HBO's two-part documentary, "Leaving Neverland," features two former child performers describing how Michael Jackson allegedly sexually abused them while they were children.

However, as Rolling Stone reported yesterday, despite the horrific allegations, "Michael Jackson’s posthumous career is showing few signs of major distress" since the documentary debuted two weeks ago.

Time Out reached out to Eduardo Kobra, the prolific Brazilian artist, to see if he might have any thoughts about removing the two Michaels mural that he created last July on 11th Street at First Avenue.

Here's Kobra's statement:

"I decided to keep the mural on, for a few reasons:

First, because the mural itself is not a simple tribute to MJ. My entire idea was to show the transformations he went through during his entire life: from black to white, kid to adult, from natural to unnatural. The whole project that I did in NYC last year was about peace, and in that mural in particular I was trying to describe that people sometimes have to go through so much to be able to reach their own peace of mind.. and even then, sometimes doesn’t matter what people do, they can never reach that peace.

In the second place, I believe MJ is part of American History, and also part of the world’s music history. You can catalog music Before and After MJ, so much was his influence. He still is the biggest pop star that has ever lived, and that we have ever seen, and I believe we are never going to see another pop star like him again.

Therefore, we can’t just erase him from history. These new allegations can be true or not. It is not up to me to judge if MJ is guilty or not — and now, since he is dead, he won’t be judged by justice anymore. So I really hope that mural can do it’s part and bring us to think about it all and how we, as persons and as a community, will deal with this new fact concerning MJ’s life.

Hopefully this discussion leads us all to the desire to be a better person everyday."

I haven't heard of any movements to have the mural removed... other than a few Facebook posts where people opined that it was time for this to go — especially given that it faces the Asher Levy School.

Monday, March 18, 2019

[Updated] 2 reports of fires today



• 219 Avenue B between 13th Street and 14th Street. A fire broke out in the rear of the storefront this afternoon here that houses Revision Lounge. (Thanks to EVG reader @MerMerJ for the photos!)



According to Patch, about 12 units and more than 60 firefighters responded to the scene, where they had it under control in 45 minutes. One firefighter reportedly suffered minor injuries. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Updated:


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• 340 E. 13th St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue. There were reports of a fire in an fifth-floor apartment here tonight on this block...




Not much information at the moment about the fire ... here are some reader photos...


[Peter M./East Village]


[Peter M./East Village]

Updated:

EVG reader Jen Pace shared this footage...


The 9th Precinct's monthly Community Council Meeting is tomorrow (Tuesday!) night


These are held the third Tuesday of the month over at the 9th Precinct on Fifth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

This is an opportunity for residents to address any concerns and ask 9th Precinct officials for their input on recent crime statistics.

Grant Shaffer's NY See



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

Y Cafe has closed on Avenue B



Y Cafe, the low-key, health-focused restaurant at 182 Avenue B between 11th Street and 12th Street, has closed.

Several EVG readers (H/T Etienne and Nobel Neolani!) reported that Y's last day was March 13. On Saturday, the for-rent sign arrived.

According to a reader, the lease was up on the small space, and the owners decided not to renew. (Whether this was due to a rent increase is not known at the moment.)

As EVG reader Etienne noted: "I really enjoyed their Thai-fusion food, friendliness and prices. It sort of saved me when Life Cafe closed."

Y Cafe opened here in April 2011... they were originally Wai? Cafe on First Avenue between 12th Street and 13th Street.

Team behind the Wayland and the Wild Son eye St. Mark's Place for 2 restaurants


[The former Mr. White on St. Mark's Place]

Robert Ceraso and Jason Mendenhall have plans to open two restaurants on St. Mark's Place.

This duo behind the Wayland (Avenue C), Good Night Sonny (First Avenue and St. Mark's Place), the Lost Lady (Avenue C) and the Wild Son (West Little 12th Street) are on tonight's CB3-SLA agenda for two spaces between Avenue A and First Avenue.

Ceraso provided a quick recap of what they have lined up...

123 St. Mark's Place, the former Mr. White

"We are planning an American grill with our partner Chad Shaner as the executive chef. Chad is an alum of Gotham Bar and Grill and Union Square Cafe and most recently with his own restaurant, Freeks Mill in Brooklyn," Ceraso said. "The grill will focus more on naturally raised meats and steaks."


[Photo by Steven]

The unnamed-for-now restaurant has proposed hours of 5 p.m. to 1 a.m., according to the questionnaire on file at the CB3 website. The space will accommodate 20 tables for up to 50 diners as well as an eight-seat bar.

Mr. White, the upscale, New Orleans-themed restaurant, closed in January after less than a year in business.

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[132 1st Ave.]

132 First Ave., former VBar, current Waiting on a Friend

On the southeast corner of First Avenue and St. Mark's Place, Ceraso is planning on a second location of his all-day restaurant, the Wild Son, which opened on the West Side near the High Line in June 2016.

Ceraso said the Wild Son "focuses on vegetable-driven small plates, salads, sandwiches and homemade pastas at night and breakfast/brunch foods all day seven days a week in the mornings and afternoons."

As such, the proposed hours are 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily, per the questionnaire on the CB3 website.

Here's a look at the evening menu...


[Click for more detail]

The owner of the building, who was born and raised on St. Mark's Place, "was adamant that she didn’t want a nightlife concept there, so the Wild Son was a perfect fit," he said. (In addition, a partner in this project is also the GM across the street at Good Night Sonny who lives on the block "and is always available to oversee the goings on.")

The Rolling Stones-themed Waiting on a Friend opened back in the fall, taking over the space from Colibri and VBar before that. The Vbar's original 10-year lease is expiring.

Back to Ceraso and his plans: "We think that the two concepts really balance each other out and we’re excited to be able to bring both to the block."

The CB3-SLA meeting is tonight at 6:30. The location: the Public Hotel, 17th Floor, Sophia Room, 215 Chrystie St. between Houston and Stanton.

On the CB3-SLA docket tonight: Jimmy's No. 43, Luthun, Outpost Brewhouse, Headless Widow


[The currently closed Jimmy's No. 43]

Here are a few of the applicants on CB3's SLA committee docket tonight for new liquor licenses (find the full agenda at this link) ...

• Paloma Rocket, 41 E. Seventh St.

We've mentioned this one before. Jimmy Carbone is collaborating with Graham Winton of Paloma Rocket for a new venture in the currently-closed Jimmy's No. 43 on Seventh Street.

As Carbone told us last year: "Operation-wise, it will pretty much be the same — the same Jimmy's vibe." The menu will feature Carbone's pizza.

Carbone is currently recovering from a series of spinal surgeries after discovery of a previously undiagnosed staph infection that spread to his spine. Read more about his recovery here.



• Luthun, 432 E. 13th St. between Avenue A and First Avenue

For more, let's head over to a preview that Jennifer Gould Keil had at the Post last month:

[C]hefs Nahid Ahmed and Arjuna Bull have joined forces to open their first restaurant, Luthun, this spring.

Named for Ahmed’s mother — the name means “something new and unexpected” in Bengali — the 800-square-foot restaurant will have 30 seats in the former Teshigotoya space ...

The global menu is influenced by the countries and top eateries where the chefs have worked — from Lespinasse and Café Gray to El Bulli, The French Laundry and The Fat Duck.

The plan is to offer two tasting menus, one of which would be vegetarian, both seasonally driven and well-priced along with a small and “world-focused” wine list, the chefs say.

You can find the questionnaire with more details at the CB3 website. Here.



• Outpost Brewhouse, 503 E. Sixth St.

The applicants for this space at 503 E. Sixth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B were on the January docket, but scratched.

The premise has changed a bit from what we saw in January. The proposal now calls for an all-day establishment called Outpost Brewhouse.

According to the questionnaire posted on the CB3 website, the proposed hours are Monday-Tuesday (3 p.m. to 4 a.m., Wednesday-Saturday (7 a.m. to 4 a.m.) and Sunday (8 a.m. to 2 a.m.)

There's a mission statement of sorts on the questionnaire that notes: "As longtime locals, the management and owners want to create a space for young families, longtime residents and neighbors to enjoy some elements the community has been lacking over the years. We aim to implement a brighter space to a dark street and to contradict all of the dark 'corner bars' on the street and neighborhood."

They go to describe Outpost Brewhouse as "a destination for young families and professionals that enjoy some of the refined points in life in coffee, food, beer and cocktails."

The applicants have operated a handful of bars, including the Trading Post on John Street in the Financial District and the Globe on 23rd Street. Closer to home, the applicants also own Solas, a mainstay on the SantaCon circuit, on Ninth Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

Cholo Noir, the Chicano-inspired bar-restaurant, was the last tenant here.


[EVG file photo]

• Headless Widow, 99 First Ave.

An applicant whose previous listed experience was as a bartender at Michael Jordan's The Steak House N.Y.C. is looking to open an establishment with a six-table sidewalk cafe called the Headless Widow. (Not sure of the origins for the name — an unpublished Washington Irving short story perhaps?)

The sample menu on file with the questionnaire shows a variety of pub-fare offerings — burgers, salads, sandwiches and main courses like the Headless Widow Fish and Chips. The proposed hours are 4 p.m. to 1 a.m., with a 2 a.m. close Thursday through Saturday.

The corner space on First Avenue at Sixth Street was previously Umm Burger for 13 months.

The CB3 committee meeting is tonight at 6:30. Location: the Public Hotel, 17th Floor, Sophia Room, 215 Chrystie St. between Houston and Stanton.

Auriga Cafe announces itself on Avenue A



It has almost been a year to the date when we first heard that a diner was coming to 198 Avenue A between 12th Street and 13th Street.

Back on Friday, the signage arrived for Auriga Cafe. The cafe comes courtesy of David Duran, who runs El Camion a storefront away on the corner at 12th Street.

Through the grapevine, we've heard that this has been slow going here for a variety of reasons, such as waiting for city permits and approvals as well as undoing the mess that the previous tenant, Empire Biscuit, left behind.

The storefront hasn't been in use since the Biscuiteers started peelin' potatoes in January 2016.

H/T to dwg, Christine C., Gojira and Lola Sáenz!

Now the Sidewalk looks closed



A quickie follow-up post from last week ... on Saturday, someone covered the windows with paper at the Sidewalk Bar and Restaurant on Avenue A at Sixth Street, which closed on Feb. 23...



Until Saturday, the place still looked open. The lights were on inside ... and there weren't any closed signs or farewell notes to patrons on the door or windows.... we spotted several people trying the front door then peering inside.

Anyway, the bar-restaurant-live-music venue has new owners, whose plans for the space haven't been made public yet.

Durden has not been open lately


[Photo last week by Steven]

Several EVG readers (H/T Laura!) have noted that Durden remained closed through the weekend ... and paper hangs in the windows of the "Fight Club"-inspired sports bar here on Second Avenue at 13th Street.

There's no word about any closure, temporary or permanent, on the bar's website or lightly used social media properties. (Yelp lists Durden as closed.)

A closure wouldn't be a surprise. Back in December, Curt Huegel, who runs a handful of bars-reaturants around the city, including Campagnola, Printers Alley, Galli and Bill's NYC, received the OK from CB3 for a new liquor license for the space. (The application stated that the new venture will serve "classic modern American" food.)

The paperwork at the CB3 website listed this as a "sale of assets."

Durden opened in October 2013 ... in space that previously housed the Nightingale Lounge.