Retail spaces still available at the IBM Watson building

Last June, we noted that three retail spaces were available at 51 Astor Place… Meanwhile, earlier this year, several readers noted that the listings ("flagship opportunity!") for the spaces were no longer active on the RKF site … leading some folks (like us!) to figure a retail announcement was imminent.

Apparently not! An EVG reader pointed out that new "retail space available" signs went up the other day at the IBM Watson building (aka, 51 Astor Place, the Death Star).



So while the building may be filling up with tenants, there aren't any takers yet for the retail portion… now being repped by SRS …



Here's part of their marketing materials…



Hey, they left off the Grassroots!

And to end … we'll recap a previous post…

EVG readers shared their thoughts last June on what kind of businesses they thought would lease these retail spaces. Popular answers included bank branch, bank and bank branch.

Previously on EV Grieve:
3 retail spaces available at 51 Astor Place (22 comments)

Zoltar continues to see graffiti in everyone's future

The tag appeared this past weekend… To date, Zoltar hasn't seemed to mind.

Photo today by Bobby Williams

First sign that Max Fish is returning to the Lower East Side

There have been rumors that Max Fish owner Ulli Rimkus wants to reopen a bar on the Lower East Side.

Heard from a few sources Max Fish is looking to reopen in the Gallery Bar space.
— New York Nightlife (@NYNightlife) March 26, 2014

Here's some proof of that via the just-released April CB3/SLA licensing committee agenda:

• Ulli Bar Corp, 120 Orchard St.

The address is home to The Gallery Bar, which BoweryBoogie reports "owes the landlord of 120 Orchard Street close to a quarter-of-a-million dollars" ... and the owners are apparently looking to sell.

After 24 years, Max Fish closed last July 29 at 178 Ludlow St.

Not sure what the status is of the Max Fish outpost in Williamsburg.

[Updated] Report: Woman struck and killed by SUV this morning on 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

An SUV struck and killed a woman this morning at 6:30 on Third Avenue near St. Mark's Place, according to published reports.

The Post named the victim as 47-year-old Lisa Julian, who was attempting to cross the Avenue from west to east.

The driver of the Ford Explorer works for a courier delivering newspapers and remained on the scene. He has not been charged in the accident collision.

Updated 3 p.m.

The Post has more details about Julian, describing her as a "punk rocker." The driver of the SUV also reportedly told police that she was walking against the light and that she didn't seem to be "paying attention."

Updated 4:45 p.m.

DNAinfo says that Julian lived on East Seventh Street and Avenue D.

Julian, who friends called Spike, was known around the neighborhood as "easy-going" with a punk rock flare.

"She used to wear spiky things and punk-rock stuff, spikes in her nose, spikes in her boots, spikes in her hair," her neighbor David Sosa said. "I would go to Tompkins Square Park and would see her around the music. She would roll on the floor and jump up and down."

Updated 7:01 p.m.

Here is a picture of Lisa/Spike with Biker Bill from Jan. 1, 2008, via Bob Arihood's Neither More Nor Less…

Looks like 347 Bowery will be home to a 13-floor mixed-use residential development

[EVG file photo]

Back in January, we heard that Salvation Army's former East Village Residence here at East Third Street would yield to a 13-story, 30,000 square-foot mixed-use residential development.

According to preliminary paperwork filed with the city yesterday, the building will, in fact, be 13 floors. There isn't much other info at the moment, so we'll have to wait to see about those same-floor parking spaces.

Here's a sketch of the proposed building for 347 Bowery that we spotted at the owner Urban Muse's website...



To recap what some news here to date.

The Lo-Down reported last July that Urban Muse, a privately held firm that "acquires, develops, repositions, operates and brands" commercial and residential real estate, bought the space in a $19 million deal.

Workers are currently handling the asbestos abatement right now ahead of a demolition.

The Salvation Army's East Village Residence closed in August 2008. (Find some history of the space here.)

Previously on EV Grieve:
Whatever happened to that really ugly hotel planned for the Bowery?

Permits filed to demolish former Salvation Army residence on the Bowery

The Salvation Army's former East Village Residence will be demolished on the Bowery

City's 'first all-natural halal meat store' (soft) opens tomorrow in the East Village

[Photo via EVG reader MP]

Honest Chops, billed as "the first all-natural halal meat store in Manhattan," has its soft opening tomorrow at 319 E. Ninth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

There will be a larger launch later… and eventually the shop will begin delivery service around NYC and parts of New Jersey. But for now on Friday, the store will be open for you to check out… and sample some of their seasoned meats.

Store hours:
Friday: 2PM - 8PM
Mon to Thurs: 10AM - 8PM
Sat & Sun: 10AM - 8PM

Previously on EV Grieve:
Honest Chops opening on East 9th St., 'first all-natural halal meat store in Manhattan'

St. Mark's Bookshop confirmed (most likely) for East Third Street

[EVG file photo]

Back in November, Publishers Weekly reported that St. Mark's Bookshop had found a new retail space "in the East Village in a space near Avenue A and Third Street." The article didn't mention where, exactly, the rent-challenged new store will be.

We did a little guess-detective work and figured the space was likely 136 E. Third St., where Landmark Bicycles was housed before moving to the northwest corner of East Third and Avenue A.

Anyway, meant to mention this sooner! Jeremiah Moss got the scoop last week: St. Mark's Bookshop co-owner Terry McCoy confirmed that this was the space.

Per McCoy to Jeremiah:

We've been sent a proposed lease, and we have a lawyer who has gone through it and sent comments to the landlord, who is the city, or NYCHA. There's a long way to go to signing a lease, though."

Meanwhile, the store continues with its Indiegogo campaign to help raise funds for the move. You can find more details here if this is of interest.

Report: Alex Stupak's new restuarant on St. Mark's Place will have its own tortilleria

As you know, Alex Stupak, who operates Empellón Cocina and Empellón Taqueria, is opening a restaurant at 132 St. Mark's Place at Avenue A, where the Sushi Lounge closed at the end of October.

Stupak told Eater yesterday that the place will house more than just another Mexican restaurant. The space will also be home to a tortilleria, which will supply this restaurant and his two others with tortillas.

Per Eater:

We are building a bar and restaurant around a small facility dedicated to the process ... Our new place will go from kernel of corn, to nixtamal, to masa, to tortilla at 132 St. Marks ...

The still-unnamed restaurant looks to open in September.

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] Chef Alex Stupak vying for former Sushi Lounge space on Avenue A and St. Mark's Place

As the for rent signs turn on Avenue A

Here are a few scant details about chef Alex Stupak's new venture on St. Mark's Place

And that concludes 'Dirty Old New York'

In the past two years, Jonathan Hertzberg has mashed-up movie clips from the 1960s-1980s for a series titled "Dirty Old New York, aka Fun City."

He just released No. 5, the last installment of his series. You can watch it right here. (FYI — there are a few boob shots, just maybe a little NSFW.)

Check out Jonathan's blog for the complete list of all the movies he featured in this video.

Jeremiah talked with Hertzberg last August. You can read that here.

You can find the "Dirty Old New York" parts 1-4 right here.

Today's hawk

Dive-bombing Samuel S. Cox in Tompkins Square Park?

Photo by @ChrisRJAnderson

Out and About in the East Village

In this weekly feature, East Village-based photographer James Maher provides us with a quick snapshot of someone who lives and/or works in the East Village.



By James Maher

Name: Pamela Joy
Occupation: Integrative Astrologer
Location: 10th Street and 3rd Avenue.
Time: 2:30 on Thursday, March 20

I’m one of the few New York natives. I was born and raised in Canarsie, Brooklyn. I went to the Professional Performing Arts School so my time in Brooklyn kind of ended when I went there on West 46th Street, in the original building. Manhattan is where the action is and Canarsie was far away.

I went there for acting but I’m really an actress-singer-dancer. I’m one of those people who came from a very complex background, where there was a lot of torment. It was tough being both an actress and a sensitive one, so I ended up in the world of psychotherapy. I don’t know if I would have been happy in the business of show. Not enough substance for me, perhaps.

What’s happening right now is that I’m in a transition. The artist and therapist within me who I have become are better able to serve and be served as an astrologer. I help people. I am grateful that my quest has taken me through two wonderful alternative programs where I received my training.

I live on East 10th Street, diagonally across from the Russian & Turkish Baths. I moved down here around 35 years ago with my boyfriend, who was living on East 6th Street. When that relationship ended, and this is the strangest thing, I lucked out and ended up getting my apartment right across from what used to be a jazz club called Princess Pamela, where the café is now. So it was meant to be and I’ve been there ever since. I’ve lived there for over 30 years.

It was very different in the beginning. First of all, I never walked down 10th between 1st and 2nd. People would actually have bullets go into their living rooms. It was like the Colombian Cartel. And then it got cleaned up and now you can see it’s an amazing street. I love walking up and down that street. Loisaida really changed; the Lower East Side has really changed; my block has really changed. It’s interesting how all these little relics have moved around but change is part of life.

It was a good place to be while I was trying to nurture my inner spirit. It was a good place to be while I was trying to blossom into adulthood. In fact, today I was thinking that my home, my unconscious choice of home, was like a reclamation. It feels like the first home I’ve ever really lived in. I feel like what’s been ebbing out of that is that I’ve been helping a lot of people. So I’m very happy about that.

James Maher is a fine art and studio photographer based in the East Village. Find his website here.

All you need is your imagination now for this new-to-market rental!

This listing for 182 E. Seventh St. (in the same building as Vazac's/7B) appeared on Streeteasy Monday:

*Rare Opportunity* - Apartment is mid GUT RENOVATIONS

New floors. New Kitchen. New bath. New apartment. BE THE FIRST TO LIVE IN THIS SPECTACULAR LOCATION - Tompkin Square Park paradise.

Massive space being turned into an UNDER MARKET 3BR for sure.

One flight walk up!

Should be available by 4/15

And the price for a space that looks like this right now: $3,995.

A few questions. Anyone happen to know what was in this space before the gut renovation? The ad states that it is a new apartment.

Are apartments in such demand that a photo like the above is good enough to sell the place?

Will the toilet remain where it is?

Will probably have more questions, but that's all for now.