Week in Grieview

Posts this past week included (with a photo on St. Mark's Place by Derek Berg) ...

• Southern section of East River Park to mostly close on Nov. 21 as resiliency work begins (Monday) 

• A ghost bike for Borkot Ullah on Avenue B (Wednesday) 

• A campaign to co-name St. Mark's Place and 2nd Avenue 'Club 57 Way' (Wednesday) 

• At the 31st Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade (Tuesday) 

• Could drink and draws be the new neighborhood draw? (Thursday) 

• The latest future development clue from along 250 E. Houston St. (Monday)

• Gallery Watch: 'The Marble Mouth Oracle' at Below Grand (Wednesday)

• Caravan of Dreams turns 30 (Thursday) 

• A look at the menu for the incoming Sweet Village Marketplace, opening soon on 1st Avenue (Thursday) 

 • Vegan Grill coming soon to 58 St. Mark's Place (Thursday) 

• The all-new 21-23 Avenue B comes into view with 2 extra floors (Tuesday) 

• Signs of life (again) at the former Benny's Burritos on Avenue A (Tuesday) 

• Blank Street debuts on the Bowery (Monday) 

• 14th Street outpost of Bagel Boss likely closed through the end of the year (Wednesday)

• Taking a look at the NW corner of 14th Street and 1st Avenue (Tuesday) 

• Joey Bats Café offering a sneak preview outside new Avenue B home (Monday) 

• Openings: Beard Papa's on St. Mark's Place (Thursday) 

• La Colombe taking over the Allegro Coffee Roasters space at Whole Foods Market® Bowery (Thursday) 

• Report: Mermaid Inn to return to 2nd Avenue in 2022 (Wednesday) 

... and there was a report of a car fire on Fourth Street west of Avenue D early this morning (4-5) ... EVG reader Jonathan Calvenna shared this photo... no word on how it started... the FDNY was on the scene for close to an hour, we're told...

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Who's the landlord for the strip of stores that caught fire last week?

After the three-alarm fire wiped out the businesses on 14th Street and Avenue A, some residents began speculating about what might happen to the prime block of East Village real estate... The area here also falls outside the East Village/Lower East Side Rezoning ...

A reader says that the same crew who was doing work at Pete's-A-Place, where the fire started, has also been working on renovating Apt. #12 at 542 E. 14th St. at Avenue B. However, there are no permits on file with the DOB for this address.

According to the reader, the DOB has tried to get access to Apt. 12 without success. The workers allegedly don't answer the buzzer or door. There have been six complaints filed with the city since April about this unit. Among other things, the complaints include that the construction in the unit is causing the entire building to shake.

The 542 E. 14th St. building has had problems in the past... In August 2007, Curbed noted that workers ripped out the entire kitchen and bathroom in one unit and left a 12' x 6' hole in the floor in which the tenant could see into the apartment below.

Empire Properties owns 542 E. 14th St. as well as most of the rest of the block, including the fire-stricken businesses. Empire's holding company is the infamous Solil Management, which is the estate of famed real-estate investor Sol Goldman.

[Photo by EV Grieve reader Sergey]

Week in Grieview

[Photo on 7th Street by Derek Berg]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

This is the story of how Geoffrey Weglarz died on 12th Street, and why it took a week to find him (Wednesday)

Boys' Club fast tracks sale of East Village clubhouse as final bids are due Oct. 30 (Tuesday)

Local elected officials continue to press city for alternatives to parking garbage trucks on 10th Street; muggings now a concern (Monday)

An all-new I Am a Rent-Stabilized Tenant (Thursday)

Preliminary demolition work at 99-101 E. 2nd St. is — surprise — in the asbestos-removal phase (Monday)

Nobletree Coffee is the next tenant for 37 St. Mark's Place and 2nd Avenue (Thursday)

Run DMC mural on the way at 12th Street and Avenue A (Friday)

Demolishing the fire-damaged back extension at Uogashi, which appears to be permanently closed (Monday)

Goodbye Dojo (Friday)

Nai Tapas Bar now open in new East Village location (Thursday)

This week's special NY See panel (Thursday)

News roundup: At the SBJSA hearing Monday (Wednesday)

So long St. Dymphna's (Tuesday)

The new Donut Pub on Broadway is now HIRING (Friday)

Mexican restaurant opening on 2nd Avenue called Savor Por Favor (Monday)

Cocoa Grinder bringing coffee and all-day breakfast to 1st Street (Tuesday)

NYPD light tower back in illuminating action on 2nd Avenue and 7th Street (Tuesday)

Mi Tea now serving up the cheese tea on St. Mark's Place (Monday)

210 1st Ave. is for sale; and a visit to Gena's Grill (Wednesday)

Pado in soft-open sushi mode on 2nd Avenue (Monday)

Gym moves: IG-Fit replaces Synergy on 14th Street (Monday)

And as Eden carefully documented Friday, someone on Fifth Street discarded a well-curated scrapbook of Leif Garrett clippings from the late 1970s when the actor-singer ruled the covers of teen-focused magazines (along with his contemporaries such as Shaun Cassidy, Willie Aames, Robby Benson, Rex Smith, Scott Baio and the Bay City Rollers)...



In any event, this is all Leif, all the time, showcasing his life and career to this point in seven parts...



Sadly though, Leif, who turns 57 on Nov. 8, has struggled with drug abuse as an adult.

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Week in Grieview

Posts this past week included (with a photo on First Avenue by Derek Berg) ... 

• Ben’s Deli moving on without Ben on Avenue B (Wednesday) 

• Time passages: Check out the interior of the long-empty Mom's Liquor Store on Avenue B (Tuesday) 

• Suspect arrested after firing gun on 4th Street between C and D (Thursday) 

• Reconstruction work on the Tompkins Square Park field house starts soon (Monday) 

• Report: Gregg Singer places the former P.S. 64/Charas into bankruptcy protection (Wednesday) ... At the long-vacant former P.S. 64/CHARAS, more "frivolous court actions to tie up the property" (Thursday) 

• Paying tribute to the victims of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire of 1911 (Friday) 

• These East Village tenants, fearing displacement, to rally against their new landlord (Saturday) 

• Experimental Intermedia brings the films of Bradley Eros to Whitebox gallery (Thursday)

• Anthology Film Archives hosting a long-overdue retrospective of East Village artist Abigail Child (Wednesday) 

• McSorley's "bringing all the energy back inside" (Monday) 

• Corteiz x Nike Air Max 95 collab drop draws crowds, NYPD on 4th and C (Tuesday)

• The $1 cheese slice at 2 Bros. on St. Mark's Place is now $1.50 (Monday) ... A cheese slice is 99 cents again at 99 Cent Pizza on 14th Street (Thursday) 

• Highlighting "Free The Nipple Day" on Avenue A (Thursday)

 ... and a moment on Third Avenue between 13th Street and 14th Street...

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(Updated 12:57) After the fire: No injuries reported

Still no injuries have been reported.

Now from NY1:

Firefighters from about five ladder companies are still working to contain a blaze on East 14th Street near Avenue A. The fire broke out just after 10 a.m. on the roof of a one-story building and became three alarms about an hour later.

At least four businesses including a pizza restaurant, a convenience store, a hair salon and a Jackson Hewitt tax preparation office were damaged in the fire.

No serious injuries were reported.

The owner of the 24-hour convenience store said he smelled smoke and heard commotion next door at Pete's-A-Place pizzeria, where workers were making renovations, and ran over to help put out the fire.

"At first when I smelled the smoke I thought it was a small fire so I could help with that one. I could really stop the fire," said the convenience store owner. "But when we went upstairs, the flames were very, very big, very intense."

There is no word yet on what caused the fire.

Streets in the area of the fire have been temporarily closed.

Photo via Sergey.

Tech hub nears halfway mark

Here's another in our periodic looks at the high-profile Zero Irving (aka tech hub) on 14th Street at Irving Place.

Construction here was deemed essential, and work restarting on the site in early May.

According to the 14th @ Irving Construction e-newsletter out this past Friday, work is up to the 10th level of what will be a 21-floor building.

And if you want some super specifics:

The project’s superstructure contractor will complete wall systems cycle for forms on Level 9 (supporting level 10), strip forms on deck below, install rebar in wall forms and close walls starting from East to West. It is anticipated that the East walls will be poured on Wednesday 6/17 and West on Thursday 6/18.

And!

The project’s mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection contractors continue work on site to install sleeves and layout embeds and all other materials being placed into the deck. Stairs and fire standpipes will continue to jump with the building progress, staying (2) floors behind working deck. Plumbing Rough-in work is ongoing on the 2nd and 3rd floors. Fuel oil and storm risers will be installed up through 8th floor. Water risers and duct risers are expected to be up to the 5th floor by 6/26.

The building, developed jointly by the city’s Economic Development Corp. and RAL Development Services, will feature 14 floors of market-rate office space as well as "a technology training center and incubator, co-working spaces, state-of-the-art event space, and street level food hall on the seven floors beneath," per the Zero Irving announcement issued last October.



The new building sits on the former site of a P.C. Richard & Son.

Previously on EV Grieve:
P.C. Richard is gone on 14th Street; preservationists want answers about tech-hub commitments

[Updating] Danger of falling bricks on 9th Street and 3rd Avenue

[Photo by Steven]

In case you wandered what all the helicopters were doing circling...

According to NBC 4, someone noticed a 10-by-10 foot section of the facade starting to separate from the building on the 15th floor at the St. Mark, 115 E. Ninth St. at Third Avenue.

We'll update when more info comes through...

6:09 p.m.

Yikes... you can see where the problem is...here between East Ninth Street and East 10th Street...


[Photo by Steven]

6:31 p.m.

There are at least six firetrucks on the scene... and several small rescue vehicles. There isn't any word of injuries. And there are conflicting reports if any bricks actually fell to the sidewalk bridge below...







Thanks to Steven for the photos...

Updated 9:33 p.m.

Crews are on the scene shoring up the facade this evening...





Photos via EVG reader Christopher

Updated 10:30 p.m.

A resident of the building shared this "this poem/rant/list of questions" that someone put in the elevator tonight. "Tenants are pissed too," the resident told us.



Here's part of an updated report from CBS 2:

Initially, there were reports that bricks fell from the building, but the FDNY later said that was not the case.

There was no immediate threat to public because there was already a sidewalk shed in place, the FDNY said. Only three apartments were evacuated.

Late Wednesday, Third Avenue remained closed between 9th and 10th streets. It was not known when the street would reopen.

5/12

As of around 7 a.m.





Third Avenue remains closed between Ninth Street and 10th Street ... and East Ninth Street between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue is also shut down.

Per ABC 7:

Firefighters have built a temporary wooden brace to keep bricks from falling from the 14th through 16th floors. The New York City Fire Department will remain on the scene with one engine until the facade is inspected by the engineer.

A boom truck is being used for more permanent repairs.

The building has 17 open Buildings Department violations, including one for facade safety. There is also an ongoing violation for failure to certify correction of a prior violation, which will require payment of a penalty to DOB.

On the ground level, workers have been tearing down the walls and gutting the former P&P Convenience Store, East Village Cheese (now on Seventh Street!) and Excel Art and Framing Store (now on the other side of Third Avenue!)... to help expand the Duane Reade on the East 10th Street corner.

Updated 1:30 p.m.

The streets around the building remain closed...



... and from the look of the photo via Steven... it appears just one worker is on the job now. Perhaps there are others inside...



Updated 2:30 p.m.

OK, there are several workers in the hanging scaffolding... as these photos via EVG reader Robert F. show...



...and the scene around the zone... Most of the storefronts between Ninth Street and 10th Street are vacant...





Previously on EV Grieve:
Rumors: Duane Reade expansion will take over adjacent storefronts, including East Village Cheese (74 comments)

East Village Cheese makes move to 7th Street official

Week in Grieview

[Someone tossed a P from Stomp on St. Mark’s Place]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

AG's office: Steve Croman agrees to pay $8 million to the tenants he harassed (Thursday)

Workers remove the sculpture fence and prep lot at 89 1st Ave. (Wednesday)

Paquito's Restaurant closing after 25 years on 1st Avenue; take out and delivery will remain (Tuesday)

Neighbor: East Village Cheese, closed now for 2 weeks, is starting to smell (Thursday) ... and a co-owner spotted clearing out the space (Friday)

Santa delivers sacks of coal to Madison Realty Capital, Rafael Toledano's lenders (Friday)

Hotel Tortuga, now with morning espresso service on 14th Street (Wednesday)

Partial vacate order and violations for sidewalk-collapse building on 4th Street (Monday)

Presenting Mercury East Presents, which brings together several local music venues (Tuesday)

How many East Village properties do the Kushner Cos. actually own? (Wednesday)

Pinky's Space bringing quick-serve food options to 1st Street (Monday)

Opossum action (Friday ... Wednesday)

GG's closes on Fifth Street (Friday)

The Ainsworth East Village debuts on 3rd Avenue (Tuesday)

Icon's 9th Street townhouse now available for $17 million (Tuesday)

Out East has not been open the last few days (Thursday)

Viking Waffles signage arrives on Avenue C (Monday)

Reader report: Beware the Amazon Fire TV Stick (Monday)

Westside Market opening in the former Met Foods space on 3rd Avenue and 17th Street (Tuesday)

Some Steiner East Village retail speculation (Monday)

... and several readers noted this bike-lock job on 10th Street and Third Avenue...


[Photo via EVG reader Doug]

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Week in Grieview

[Inspiration on Avenue B]

Posts from this past week included...

• Ranger Rob comes to the rescue after Christo gets stuck between buildings on 7th Street (Saturday)

• Report of a fatality at the Astor Place station (Monday)

• JUICE is a new gallery on St. Mark's Place, and its first group show debuts tonight (Thursday) At the opening night group show at JUICE gallery on St. Mark's Place (Saturday)

• Crowdfunding campaign launched for fire-damaged Via Della Pace on 7th Street (Tuesday)

• Special news report from 1967: "Hippies change scene in East Village" (Wednesday)

• The Third Man has closed on Avenue C (Monday)

• 94-96 Avenue A wrapped ahead of 1-floor extension (Monday)

• The Black 6 Coffee Trading Co. takes up temporary residency on 4th Street (Tuesday)

• Someone tagged the steps at the Merchant's House Museum (Tuesday)

• More details made public about the 101 Condominium on 1st Avenue and 2nd Street (Thursday)

• Here's a look at the new Half Gallery exterior on Avenue B and 4th Street (Thursday)

• Zadie's Oyster Room has closed (Friday)

• Sally Beauty coming to 14th Street (Wednesday)

• Solidcore snaps up former ICP space on the Bowery (Monday)

• The former Manitoba's space receives the plywood treatment on Avenue B (Friday)

• Construction watch: 238 E. 3rd St. (Wednesday)

• Cover letters: Signage comes down at the now-closed Zum Schneider on Avenue C (Thursday)

• Here's the completed mural of Kobe and Gianna Bryant on the Lower East Side (Friday)

• Stargirl 2020 (Friday)

• The remains of the St. Mark's Market (Thursday)

... and please enjoy the new mailboxes that the USPS left for our use, such as one on Avenue A and Ninth Street...


[Photo yesterday by Steven]

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Week in Grieview

[Yesterday's sunrise view from 14th Street]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

Off-duty cop pistol-whipped during attempted robbery on 13th Street (Thursday)

A visit to CAVAglass on 7th Street (Wednesday)

Permits filed to demolish former P.C. Richard & Son property to make way for the tech hub (Monday)

Tu-Lu's Gluten-Free Bakery has closed on 11th Street after 9 years (Wednesday)

Restoration watch: 74 E. 4th St., the crown jewel of La Mama's theater community (Tuesday)

The completed new work at the Bowery Mural Wall (Saturday)

The former Grassroots Tavern ready for a renovation (Tuesday)

FULL full reveal at the historic Hamilton-Holly House on St. Mark's Place (Tuesday)

Nobletree Coffee debuts on 2nd Avenue at St. Mark's Place (Saturday)

L-train non-shutdown fallout: Bike lane battle shaping up along 12th and 13th streets (Monday)

Tree-mendous fire wipes out remains of the holiday season in 4th Street pile (Wednesday)

A birthday celebration for Ray at Ray's Candy Store (Tuesday)

Rue-B's daytime service now includes CBD-infused coffee (Thursday)

January Christmas miracles: The holiday tree lights are back ON in Tompkins Square Park (Friday)

Reminders: Here's how you can apply to be a Community Board member (Friday)

The Bowery Bond closes on the Bowery (Thursday)

KC Gourmet Empanadas coming soon to 38 Avenue B (Monday)

Mandala Tibetan Store is closing on St. Mark's Place (Monday)

12 months of inactivity at 75 1st Ave. (Wednesday)

Beijing Express pulls into 3rd Avenue after Gala's quick exit (Monday)

Former Old Monk space for rent on Avenue B (Thursday)

PARTIAL reveal at 80 E. 10th St. (Monday)

...and EVG reader Trixie reports that someone placed MulchFest remains in the tree beds along 12th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B...







... there's also fresh mulch in the skateboard planter on Seventh Street...



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Week in Grieview

[Thursday evening in Tompkins Square Park]

Posts this past week included...

Mount Sinai Beth Israel offers more details on new East Village hospital, plans for the former Rivington House (Tuesday)

Report: Mayor unleashes the "Green Wave Bicycle Plan" to address increase in cycling fatalities, make streets safer (Friday)

Bartender files federal complaint against Bar None for harassment (Thursday)

NYPD looking for suspect who forced his way into woman's apartment near 12th and A (Saturday)

Ruby’s Cafe bringing its Australian vibes to the former Martina space on 11th Street (Monday)

The new fence at La Plaza is officially complete (Friday)

RIP Paul Krassner (Monday)

Curiosity about the anonymous buyer behind the sale of the Boys' Club Harriman Clubhouse (Wednesday)

This week's NY See (Thursday)

The M14A tops the slow-bus charts (Tuesday)

You may now book a room for October at the Moxy East Village (Wednesday)

787 Coffee and Calexico now open on 2nd Avenue (Saturday)

1st of 2 Flamingos Vintage Pound shops has opened in the East Village (Monday)

The Village East screening Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time ... In Hollywood" in 70mm (Wednesday)

Old Fashioned Pizza coming to 13th Street (Thursday)

Soft opening for Craft+Carry on St. Mark's Place (Friday)

Pizza Rollio has closed on 9th Street (Tuesday)

Sorbet Cray Cray debuts on Avenue A (Thursday)

Nolita Pizza now serving up slices on 2nd Avenue (Monday)

That's all for Bruno Pizza, which has been closed fire upstairs last November (Monday)

Chinese Graffiti has not been open lately on Avenue A (Tuesday)

14th St. Candy & Grocery has not been open lately on 14th Street (Monday)

... and thanks to the readers (h/t @Jason_Chatfield!) who pointed out the freshly pained awning at the newish cafe Bin 141 on Avenue A and Third Street...



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Week in Grieview

[Friday evening outside Sidewalk on 6th and A]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

AG Schneiderman introduces new bill — the Tenant Protection Act of 2017 (Wednesday)

Speculation about Webster Hall's closing date (Monday)

New broker for former home of Lucky Cheng's and adjacent property (Tuesday)

Films on the Green return to Tompkins Square Park this July (Tuesday)

Report: Morton Williams will take over the Associated space on 14th Street (Wednesday)

An early-morning fire at 328 E. 14th St., home of Artichoke Basille’s Pizza (Friday ... Saturday)

Reader report: Neo-Nazi slogan spotted on East Village sidewalks (Thursday)

Shake Shack coming to the Death Star (Friday)

Out and About With Jerry Shea (Wednesday)

The Marshal seizes Palà on Allen Street (Wednesday)

A celebratory ad on the purchase of 139 E. Houston St., current home of the Sunshine Cinema (Thursday)

Baby hawk! (Tuesday)

Commercial co-op on 10th Street, guarded by Rex, is for sale (Wednesday)

Babu Ji going and coming (Monday)

Chi Ken signage arrives on St. Mark's Place (Thursday)

Jones LES sold for $61 million (Friday)

David Choe next up on the Bowery mural wall (Friday)

New East Houston condos "effortlessly embody the sophistication of Lower East Side living" (Monday)

Blink Fitness on Avenue A extends hours (Tuesday)

The #rednose installation is now on Astor Place (Monday, 17 comments)

Former Joe and Misses Doe space for rent on 1st Street (Monday)

...and on Sixth Street between Avenue A and Avenue B, the Wood House Spa looked like a goner this past week. The no-frills spa (pretty good as far as these places go) was emptied out...



But! After a few days, the closed for renovations signs arrived... noting a reopening on Thursday...



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A report of a small fire at Dua Kafe on 14th Street

Updated the location of the fire. And an update via Dua: "We should be opening up again very soon (the plan is tomorrow!) since the damage was relatively minimal outside of the bathroom space."

On Wednesday night around 10:30, there was a report of a fire in the bathroom at Dua Kafe, 520 E. 14th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B. (Thanks to EVG reader Russell K. for the top photo.) 

The FDNY reported an "under control" from the scene in less than 15 minutes. (Dua has a posted closing time of 10 p.m.)

EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by yesterday... fortunately there was little evidence of any fire, including smoke or water damage. 

Workers at a neighboring business said that there was a small electrical fire in the back and "everything should be fine again soon." 

In the meantime, there are there is a "closed for renovation" sign up at the restaurant specializing in Albanian cuisine (read a Times review of the space here) ...

9 photos showing the East Village of the 1970s

Earlier this month, our blogging friend Alex at Flaming Pablum alerted us to the Museum of the City of New York's website ... where they just unveiled more than 1,000 digitized photos by Edmund V. Gillon, who chronicled NYC in the 1970s and 1980s.

Some two weeks later, we finally looked at every single photo. We pulled a few from this neighborhood with their accompanying captions for you... (But you should really go here and see them all for yourself.)


[East 8th Street and Avenue B, 1975]


[Christodora House, 1978]


[Second Avenue looking at East 12th Street, 1975]


[Cylindrical fire escape on the façade of 62 East 4th Street, 1977]


[Phebe's on the Bowery 1975]


[107-113 East 14th Street, 1976]


[Fresh Jersey Eggs, Open Thursday Only at 72 East 7th Street, 1978]


[Varieties Theatre, 110-112 Third Avenue, 1979. Demolished in 2005.]


[Broadway and 14th 1977]

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A word about the new collection from the Museum's website:

These photographs by Edmund V. Gillon (1929-2008) are a recent addition to the Museum's Photography collection. Gillon is best known for more than a dozen books on New York City for the Dover Publishing Company. The bulk of the collection is architectural in nature, portraying the city’s historic districts, landmarks, architectural ornamentation, and civic sculpture. His photographs bring to life not only the countless readily apparent changes that have taken place in the city’s urban landscape over the past several decades, but also the many subtle changes that transformed neighborhoods such as SoHo, Tribeca, and Dumbo as they transitioned, building by building, from gritty wastelands into the vibrant urban oases they have become.