The 9th Street Bock party is tomorrow (Saturday!)

For a good time head over to Ninth Street between Avenue A and First Avenue from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (After that, you're on your own.)

As usual, some of the businesses along the block will have tables set up outside... as well as some residents holding stoop sales.

And here is the live music lineup via the EVG inbox...

11.45 — Batucata (Brazillian drumming) with GingaPura
12.15 — The Last Band Ever
1 — BroadBand
1.45 — EV3
2.30 — Bluesco
3.15 — Ruckus Interuptus

Brought to you by the 9th Street A-1 Block Association

CB3 wants your input on 2018 budget priorities this coming Monday (Sept. 19!)

Budget time again...Via the EVG inbox..

CB 3 Public Hearing: FY 2018 Budget Priorities
Monday, Sept. 19 at 6:30 p.m., Community Board 3 Office, 59 E. Fourth St. (between Second Avenue and the Bowery)

What parks need reconstruction? What programs need funding? Help us assess the needs of our community.

Every year the Community Board submits a list of capital and expense budget priorities to city agencies. This hearing is your opportunity to have input into these district budget priorities. Tell us how money should be spent in Community Board 3.

Organizations, groups and individuals representing all segments of the community are encouraged to participate.

Sugar Sketch softly opens today on 2nd Street

Back in June we mentioned that Sugar Sketch, a bakery (cakery per the sign), is coming to 172 E. Second St. between Avenue A and Avenue B...

Their soft opening starts today... with 20 percent off items through Sunday...



Here's more about the proprietor from the Sugar Sketch website:

Martina Nardo has been a Pastry Chef and Cake Designer for the past six years in New York City. Born and raised in Rome, Italy, her passion for both food and art stems from her heritage. Her grandmother taught her to appreciate the simplicity of Italian cuisine, its flavors, and the cultural value associated with it. Her mother – a graphic designer and illustrator – has played a major influence encouraging her to apply creativity towards her cakes making them true works of art.

Upon receiving her BA in Psychology from the New School, she began her studies of the Culinary Arts at the Institute of Culinary Education and finished her studies with a degree in Cake Designs and Techniques at The French Culinary Institute in NYC. After working in several kitchen settings throughout Manhattan, Martina launched Sugar Sketch in 2013.

She has been making cakes, cupcakes and cookies by order... this will be the first retail space.

This post has nothing to do with the East Village, except for the part about 2 Boots Pizza

Workers recently removed the sign from a women's discount boutique on Nassau Street down in the Financial District ... revealing cool ghost neon signage for Loft's Candies...

Per Wikipedia, English immigrant William Loft opened a candy store on Canal Street in 1860... at one point they were the "largest maker and seller of candy in the world in the second decade of the 20th century." In 1941, Loft merged with PepsiCo. By 1990, the last Loft's retail store had closed.

I have no idea when this location ceased operations. The storefront had been home to a Lily's Boutique in recent years. According to the Commercial Observer, Two Boots Pizza will be opening its first Lower Manhattan location here ... complete with a pizzeria and bar/lounge.

Two Boots, which got its start on Avenue A (different location than its current home) in 1987, now has 17 locations in six states.

The loss of a majestic American elm on 3rd Street

EVG reader Bobby G. notes that this is what's left of the majestic American elm that stood on East Third Street between Avenue C and Avenue D... Per Bobby: "It was cut down today. Why? I do not know."

One EVG reader said that the tree had a bit of a lean, and that the city was worried that it might fall during a storm.

Regardless, as Bobby G. said, "it is a great loss to the block."

The Figueroa family clears the weeds from the site of the deadly 2nd Avenue explosion

[EVG photo from Sept. 10]

Today, Nixon Figueroa, whose son Nicholas died in the gas explosion at 119-123 Second Ave. in March 2015, visited the site and cleared out the weeds that had been growing. (Mr. Figueroa was assisted by one of his other sons.)


[Photo by Lola Sáenz]


[Photo by Steven]

The memorials for Nicholas and the second victim of the blast, Moises Ismael Locón Yac, had been obscured by the weeds in recent months.


[Photo by Lola Sáenz]

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updating] Explosion on 2nd Avenue and East 7th Street

RIP Nicholas Figueroa

A family continues to feel the loss on 2nd Avenue

Condos planned for 3rd Street development site at the Bowery

[3 E. 3rd St. in April 2015]

Back in April 2015 we first reported that 3 E. Third St. was on the market as a new development. Per the listing at the time: "This is a rare opportunity to acquire a boutique development site in one of the trendiest neighborhoods of Manhattan."

Now comes word that Brooklyn-based Barrett Design has filed plans (as of yesterday) for c-c-condos.

Per Real Estate Weekly:

Barrett will build a seven-story mixed-use building totaling approximately 18,000 gross square feet with a retail condo on the ground floor and five apartments above, consisting of four full-floor units and a duplex penthouse.

And here's the rendering via Barrett...



This luxury building will be the easterly neighbors to the 13-story, zinc-coated 347 Bowery ...


[Image via Selldorf Architects]

For the past 20-plus years, 3 E. Third St. has been home to 3 East 3rd Dorm — short-term rentals for students and interns. The developer filed for demolition permits on Aug. 29.

Streecha Ukrainian Kitchen is back, and now with extended hours

After its usual summer hiatus, Streecha Ukrainian Kitchen, 33 E. Seventh St. between Second Avenue and Cooper Square, has reopened (as of last weekend).

And the basement cafe, a fundraising arm of the St George Ukrainian Catholic Church just up East Seventh Street, has expanded its hours ... to include Wednesday and Thursday...





The offerings, including pierogies (or varenyky) remain as inexpensive as ever...



Previously on EV Grieve:
At the Streecha Ukrainian Kitchen

Here is the Tompkins Square Bagels signage on 2nd Avenue

The signage arrived yesterday here at 184 Second Ave. between 11th Street and 12th Street.

Owner Christopher Pugliese is aiming for a Sept. 26 opening.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Tompkins Square Bagels makes it official on 2nd Avenue

The new Tompkins Square Bagels will arrive before the 2nd Avenue subway

September opening expected for the 2nd Avenue location of Tompkins Square Bagels

Astor Alive! Festival schedule; plus Community Advisory about the return of the Alamo

Click on the link in the tweet below for the full schedule for this weekend's Astor Alive! Festival...

The full performance schedule for Astor Alive! is now available. Check it out here - https://t.co/dlQSlvSJlC pic.twitter.com/HMYYj2A9DU

— Astor Place NYC (@AstorPlaceNYC) September 14, 2016

The event includes the return of Jim Power's refurbished mosaic light poles to the area.

Meanwhile...

A Community Advisory went out on Tuesday noting that the Alamo/cube was returning to Astor Place yesterday.

By 10 a.m. yesterday, we heard that it wasn't going to happen... some logistical issues.

At 1:31 p.m., the Community Construction Liaison for the Reconstruction of Astor Place and Cooper Square sent out an email with an apology and the following Community Advisory...

"The procedure for its return will be rescheduled for a later date to occur when we are confident the process will happen as seamlessly as possible."



The Alamo has been gone now for safekeeping and refurbishing for 22 months. Hopefully it isn't lost.

Report: Web-browsing function shut off at LinkNYC kiosks

[Inappropriate web-content pic by Derek Berg]

LinkNYC announced a service update yesterday to their network.

Here's their statement... with the news arriving in the third paragraph:

Eight months ago, we launched a first-of-its-kind network to improve the quality of life in this great city where so many of us work and live. To date, we’ve seen lots of curiosity and excitement, and also some unexpected challenges that we need to address, as you’d expect with any project this bold.

With 400 Links installed in three boroughs, nearly 475,000 New Yorkers and visitors have signed up to use the fastest broadband publicly available in New York City and they have used it more than 21 million times. We’ve heard from New Yorkers who use the Links to save data on their mobile plans, call relatives across the the country, and get a much-needed quick charge.

We also know that some users have been monopolizing the Link tablets and using them inappropriately, preventing others from being able to use them while frustrating the residents and businesses around them. The kiosks were never intended for anyone’s extended, personal use and we want to ensure that Links are accessible and a welcome addition to New York City neighborhoods.

Starting today, we will be removing web browsing on all Link tablets while we work with the City and community to explore potential solutions, like time limits. Other tablet features — free phone calls, maps, device charging, and access to 311 and 911 — will continue to work as they did before, and nothing is changing about LinkNYC’s superfast Wi-Fi. As planned, we will continue to improve the Link experience and add new features for people to enjoy while they’re on the go.

The change came apparently after numerous reports of people watching porn at kiosks and, in some cases, masturbating, Gothamist noted.

It double rainbow-ed again

Just like last time... the view from 14th Street and First Avenue via John M. Blasco...



Updated 7:07 p.m.

Two more rainbow pics via Bobby Williams...

New building permits filed for 13-story Moxy Hotel on East 11th Street across from Webster Hall

112-120 E. 11th St. is wrapped and looking ready for demolition here between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue.

And today, the Lightstone group has filed new building permits for the Marriott International’s Moxy Hotels brand.

Details from the permit:
• The hotel is 13 floors (120 feet)
• The plans show a 78,361-square-foot property with 311 rooms.

Stonehill & Taylor Architects (hotel specialists) are the architects of record. No sign of a rendering just yet for this property.

The Moxy website shows that the 11th Street hotel is expected in late 2018.

Previously on EV Grieve:
At the rally outside 112-120 E. 11th St.

Protest reminder about 112-120 E. 11th St.; plus concerns over asbestos removal

6-building complex on East 10th Street and East 11th Street sells for $127 million

Report: 300-room hotel planned for East 11th Street

Preservationists say city ignored pitch to designate part of 11th Street as a historic district

Permits filed to demolish 5 buildings on 11th Street to make way for new hotel (58 comments)

[Updated] Cube return countdown at Astor Place

As we first noted yesterday, workers will be re-installing the Alamo on Astor Place at some point today... looks as if it's really happening this time...

Today is THE day...the day we unwrap. . . . #astorplace #nycprimeshot #alamocube #tonyrosenthal #thecube #eastvillage #newyork #livethelittlethings #nothingisordinary #visualsoflife #visualsgang #livecolorfully #acolorstory #thehappynow #darlingmovement #thatsdarling #vsco #makemoments #toldwithexposure #seekthesimplicity #flashesofdelight #vcsocam #welltravelled #openmyworld #calledtobecreative #minimalmood #pursuepretty #abmhappylife #abmlifeiscolorful

A photo posted by Astor Place NYC (@astorplacenyc) on Sep 14, 2016 at 4:31am PDT

Updated 10 a.m.
AARRGH...

Cube News - The Cube's anticipated return today, by @NYCDDC has been delayed due to logistical issues. Stay tuned for news about a new date.

— Astor Place NYC (@AstorPlaceNYC) September 14, 2016

Previously on EV Grieve:
There goes The Alamo