Monday, May 31, 2021
Monday's parting shots
6 posts from May
• Honoring the memories of Nicholas Figueroa and Moises Locón on 2nd Avenue (May 27)
• Woman dies after falling from Avenue A rooftop; Rivera demands review of building enforcement procedures (May 23)
• St. Mark’s Comics is reopening this summer (in Brooklyn) (May 20)
• The remains of the Gem Spa can now be found in homes (and a barn) across the U.S. (May 18)
• This East Village Easter footage from 1966 includes a crucifixion in Tompkins Square Park (May 14)
• Cinema Paradiso looks to bring foreign and independent films to Avenue A (May 10)
Tompkins Square Library hosting an online discussion with Grant Shaffer
Per the invite, Grant "will show and talk to us about his work. He will discuss his process and inspirations, including the work he has created inspired by life in NYC during the COVID pandemic."
Grant's illustrations have appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times and Interview.
The discussion is from 6-7 p.m. Sign up at this link.
And coming up on Saturday: Longtime East Village resident Sarah Schulman will discuss her upcoming book "Let the Record Show: A Political History of ACT UP New York, 1987-1993." Details here.
Food Emporium has closed on Union Square
As we first reported back in March, this 14th Street location was to close on May 30, according to a WARN notice filed on Feb. 25 with the New York State Department of Labor.
The WARN filing says that the Food Emporium lease is expiring. The closure will impact 50 employees, per the notice.
In February 2020, Lois Weiss at the Post reported that Target signed a lease for the 32,579 square feet here in the base of the Zeckendorf Towers. At the time, the Food Emporium was said to stay here through the end of April 2023. Perhaps now Target will push forward their opening date.
And we'll walk off with a passage from Rachel Sugar's March 11 essay at Grub Street titled "New York Grocery Stores Are Uniquely Weird. That’s Why They’re Important" ...
In itself, the Union Square Food Emporium was not special. It was — and is! (until May 30) — what one might call "serviceable," which is to say that it does indeed sell groceries and has two stars on Yelp. But it is emblematic of its kind. It is, like Key Food and Foodtown and C-Town and Gristedes and Associated and Bravo and D’Agostino, a quintessential New York City chain. Are these stores largely mediocre? Of course, but they are distinctly mediocre. And while there are recognizable differences between them, such as quality and ownership and location, spiritually, they are the all same.
Previously on EV Grieve:
Monday's opening shot
Sunday, May 30, 2021
Week in Grieview
• Elected officials call for more rooftop oversight; details emerge about woman who fell from 202 Avenue A (Tuesday)
• Honoring the memories of Nicholas Figueroa and Moises Locón on 2nd Avenue (Thursday)
• Volunteer help wanted for the new Loisaida CommUnity Fridge and Pantry (Monday)
• Opinion: Against Upzoning (Wednesday)
• Report: One of Amelia and Christo's 2021 offspring has died (Thursday)
• Gas service is restored at Pangea after 7 months (Wednesday)
• The owner of alt.coffee and Cake Shop is looking to start a new cafe concept (Tuesday)
• A follow-up to the fire on Bleecker Street late Friday night (Monday)
• March gallery debuts on Avenue A (Friday)
• How expensive are the flowers here? (Friday)
• An organic grocery for the Bowery (Monday)
• Marufuku Ramen next up for 92 2nd Ave. (Tuesday)
• 7th Street Burger for 7th Street (Tuesday)
• Sidney's Five in soft-open mode on 1st Avenue (Monday)
... and in case the skies miraculously clear by this evening...
---Happy Manhattanhenge! It's TONIGHT- don't miss it!!#exit9 #exit9giftemporium #shoplocal #eastvillage #brooklyn #manhattanhenge pic.twitter.com/TbG05IuciY
— Exit9 Gift Emporium (@ShopExit9) May 30, 2021
Spring into Pride extended through June at 3rd & B’Zaar on 3rd Street
However! Based on the feedback this past month, the organizers have decided to extend Spring Into Pride through June (June 28 to be exact).
There will be a few new vendors joining the more than 30 local designers, vintage sellers and artists.
Spring into Pride is open from 1-6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.
3rd & B’Zaar debuted late last year with a month-long Holiday Market ... followed by Sex, Love & Vintage in February.... with several art shows in between.
Today is the last day for Streecha Ukrainian Kitchen before summer break
The basement cafe, which generates income for the St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church on Seventh Street, is open today from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for takeout.
Stock up your freezer!
Previously on EV Grieve:
A visit to the Streecha Ukrainian Kitchen on 7th Street
Top photo from 2018 by Stacie Joy!
Saturday, May 29, 2021
Today's concert at the East River Park Amphitheater has been postponed
Friday, May 28, 2021
'Crisis' communications
For the holiday weekend... Holiday Ghosts have a new record out (the UK-based band's third)... the video here is for "Total Crisis."
Flashback Friday
March gallery debuts on Avenue A
Photos by Stacie Joy
As previously reported, Phillip March Jones, an artist, writer and curator, leased this space.
The debut exhibit, titled Pre-Renovation Potluck, is an installation of self-portraits by 16 artists whom March has worked with in the past. You can read more details on the March website.
Until June 2020, this storefront was Alphabets ... owner Linda Heidinger moved the novelty-gift shop to Palm Springs, Calif.
And wait until you see how expensive their balloons are!
The sign originally said "Florist Flowers." The new signage — "Very Expensive Flowers" — is definitely more memorable.
Anyway, they are running a special — the dozen red roses, previously priced at $19.99, are available for $101.11, which includes the "no sense of humor fee."
Photo by Stacie Joy!
Can you Dig it? [Update: Postponed due to the rain]
Update 5/29: The organizers have postponed the show to a later date given today's wind and rain...
Dig Stop! will bring together more than a dozen local bands, DJs and speakers from 1 to 5 p.m.
You can also purchase Save East River Park T-shirts and totes ... and bid on a mystery bag raffle with items donated by Patagonia. Proceeds go to the East River Park Action legal fund.
East River Park Action has been asking for a "real environmental review" of the $1.45 billion plan to protect the Lower East Side and surrounding neighborhoods from a 100-year-flood event and sea-level rise.
Opponents of the city's current plan — where workers will raze the 57.5-acre plot of land, bulldozing 1,000 mature trees and rebuilding the park atop eight feet of landfill — say there are better ways to preserve the park and provide flood protection, such as the one mapped out in the years after Sandy.
In late 2018, the city surprised community stakeholders by announcing a complete overhaul of a plan, part of the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project, discussed over four years of local meetings.
Thursday, May 27, 2021
Honoring the memories of Nicholas Figueroa and Moises Locón on 2nd Avenue
Family members of Nicholas Figueroa and Moises Locón came together outside 121-123 Second Ave. yesterday morning for the dedication of a memorial plaque in honor of the two men who died here during the gas explosion on March 26, 2015.
Retired (2017) FDNY battalion chief John Dunne joined the families ... Dunne, the third-highest-ranking member of the FDNY at the time, was part of the massive response to the explosion that leveled three buildings here at Seventh Street.
State Sen. Brad Hoylman, City Councilmember Carlina Rivera and her predecessor, Rosie Mendez, who was in office at the time of the tragedy, were also on hand to pay their respects to the family members.
The Village Preservation advocated for the inclusion of the plaque here on the new residential building at 45 E. Seventh St.
Thank you to Steven for the photos
Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: One of Amelia and Christo's 2021 offspring has died
Local red-tailed hawk documentarian Goggla reported this yesterday:
Thanks to Goggla for the photos!
Unfortunately, we have no idea what happened, when exactly the chick passed away, or where the body is now. It's likely still up in the tree, but there is no way to check up there and, without a body, no way to know what caused the chick's death. Any stories floating around the park are pure speculation. The last time we observed the chick, it appeared fine, but they were all still too small to be able to get a really good look at them. Of course, we're watching the remaining two chicks closely.
As she points out, this is not the first time that the resident red-tailed hawks have suffered the loss of their fledglings. In 2018 and 2019, at least one of the chicks died from rodenticide poisoning.
In more positive news, the other two chicks appear to be doing well ... and they are briefly in that awkward 7th-grade phase as they mature into lean, rat-hunting machines.
The Lower East Side Festival of the Arts returns for in-person events this weekend
Expect to find a mix of theater, music, dance, comedy, poetry, film and fine arts indoors and out on Friday through Sunday.
You can check out the extensive offerings at the Theater's website.
The events are all free of charge. Theater officials have also noted the following about admission:
Thanks to Lola Sáenz for the photos. Lola also has a work on display in the art show.
[S]adly, we cannot be as uninhibited and laissez-faire with our audience as usual. So, we must let you know that you WILL BE ASKED TO SHOW US YOUR VACCINATION CARD or a NEGATIVE COVID TEST NO MORE THAN FIVE DAYS OLD, IN ORDER TO BE ADMITTED! There will be masking and social distancing, and we will adhere to the most recent rules promulgated by the CDC, State and New York City.In addition, TNC's Lobby Art Gallery is displaying the work of local artists...
Wednesday, May 26, 2021
Wednesday's parting shots
Moon struck
Unveiling the plaque in honor of Nicholas Figueroa and Moises Locón on 2nd Avenue
Workers yesterday installed the memorial plaque on the new residential building at 45 E. Seventh St. that pays tribute to Nicholas Figueroa and Moises Locón, the two men who died here during the gas explosion on March 26, 2015. (Top photo by Steven; photo below by Drew Heffron.)
We're told there will be an official unveiling this morning at 11. The plaque is on the Second Avenue side of the Morris Adjmi-designed building, where the residences range between $1.35 and $8 million.
Figueroa, 23, who had recently graduated from SUNY Buffalo State, was at Sushi Park, 121 Second Ave. and the site of the fatal blast, dining with a co-worker. Locón, 27, worked at Sushi Park.
The explosion also injured more than 20 others and leveled 119, 121 and 123 Second Ave. (The new building sits on two of these three lots.)
In January 2020, landlord Maria Hrynenko, contractor Dilber Kukic and unlicensed plumber Jerry Ioannidis were found guilty of manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and related offenses for their role in the explosion. They were each sentenced to four to 12 years in prison. Hrynenko is out on bail as she awaits an appeal of the case.
Prosecutors said that Hrynenko, driven by greed, and her cohorts rigged an illegal system to funnel gas from 119 Second Ave. to 121 Second Ave. to save money.
Prosecutors said that Hrynenko, driven by greed, and her cohorts rigged an illegal system to funnel gas from 119 Second Ave. to 121 Second Ave. to save money.
In October 2017, city officials unveiled new street blades that co-name this northwest corner of Second Avenue and Seventh Street after Figueroa and Locón.
Previously on EV Grieve:
• RIP Nicholas Figueroa
• RIP Moises Locón
• RIP Nicholas Figueroa
• RIP Moises Locón
Opinion: Against Upzoning
Local Assemblymember Harvey Epstein wrote the following op-ed.
With the Soho/Noho Neighborhood Plan pushed by Mayor de Blasio stuck in legal limbo and mired by community opposition, it's time we reevaluate upzoning as a tool for creating affordable housing.
In 2019, the Democratically controlled legislature partnered with advocates to pass the statewide Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act (HSTPA), the strongest tenant protection in decades. The bill closed many of the loopholes that led to a loss of affordable housing over the years preceding, especially in "high opportunity" neighborhoods in Manhattan.
But now, the de Blasio approach of upzoning –– changing the existing zoning to allow for more height and density –– undermines the work we did to protect renters in the HSTPA by incentivizing the demolition of existing rent-regulated affordable housing, one of the few ways rent-regulated units can still be lost.
Upzonings imperil small older apartment buildings, which suddenly become vulnerable to demolition when an upzoning incentivizes their replacement with new buildings two or three times the size or more. Older, smaller, affordable buildings could be replaced with new buildings required by mandatory inclusionary housing to offer rents as high as 75 percent market rate. It's unlikely many current tenants could afford a unit in the buildings that would be allowed due to an upzoning.
Today, every day New Yorkers foot the bill for three units of luxury housing for every one unit of not very deeply affordable housing, often in wildly out-of-scale new buildings that may be replacing existing affordable housing and residents. It’s a bad deal for New Yorkers.
The need for a more affordable and equitable city is especially great right now, and every neighborhood needs to take part in that effort. We should eliminate as-of-right development and require all new residential developments to designate a greater than 25 percent share of units as affordable. Linking affordability and upzonings forces a false choice. Affordability shouldn't be dependent upon upzonings, which inherently endanger existing housing in neighborhoods, including affordable housing with longtime and often lower-income residents.
We should also be directly subsidizing and funding the construction of truly affordable housing in NYC that doesn't depend on the whims of the market and private for-profit developers all across the city, not just in less well-off neighborhoods.
With these policy changes, we can protect existing affordable housing, create new affordable housing, and do it in a way that’s compatible with neighborhood character and doesn't create a flood of new luxury housing that does more harm than good in terms of making our neighborhoods equitable, affordable, and diverse.
Assemblymember Harvey Epstein represents the 74th District, which includes parts of Manhattan's east side.
Gas service is restored at Pangea after 7 months
After seven months without gas for cooking — not to mention heat during the winter months — the service has been restored at Pangea, the restaurant-cabaret at 178 Second Ave. between 11th Street and 12th Street.
As previously reported, on Oct. 30, Pangea management entered the restaurant to discover that Con Ed had shut off their gas in the middle of the night. (A nearby resident was said to smell gas on the block. Although Con Ed didn't detect a leak, they went ahead and shut down the gas service to just the restaurant.)
In the ensuing months, Pangea's ownership was entangled in the time-consuming bureaucratic process that included scheduling inspections by the DOB, Con Ed and an assortment of plumbers. Local elected officials, including City Councilmember Carlina Rivera's office, had been helping navigate the red tape. However, complicating matters: an inspection showed that Pangea needed all new pipes before gas service could return.
In the interim, Pangea owners Stephen Shanaghan and Arnoldo Caballero took action and bought electric cooking equipment and created a menu to fit their circumstances with the help of a new chef.
In an update on their crowdfunding campaign earlier this year, Shanaghan noted:
Dealing with bureaucracy in normal times is a challenge. Being subjected to it during pandemic restrictions is immobilizing.
We quickly reinvented and began operations using all-electric equipment. The process has been unnecessarily drawn out, costly and back-breaking.
He went on to thank Pangea's loyal patrons:
The only reason our doors are not shuttered is due to the tremendous support we have received from our extended family of customers, friends and artists. We are fortunate to have so many who believe in what Pangea stands for. Over the years, Pangea has become a second home to all. In more recent years, it has become an incubator for artistic expression in our performance space. All genres of music, theater, satire and comedy have been presented.
Hopefully, things will continue to look up for Pangea. Aside from the restored gas service, they started to host limited-seating shows in the cabaret space... they are also hosting no-cover entertainment in the Piano Lounge in the front of the restaurant. (Check out their website for details on upcoming events.) And there's the recent return of Sunday brunch from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Pangea has a long history in the neighborhood. Read our interview with Shanaghan and Caballero here.
Tuesday, May 25, 2021
Elected officials call for more rooftop oversight; details emerge about woman who fell from 202 Avenue A
"This tragedy shows just how dangerous overcrowded or mismanaged rooftop parties have become, and how often they have little to no safety protections or monitoring," local City Councilmember Carlina Rivera said during a press conference on Sunday morning outside the building between 12th Street and 13th Street. "We will continue to pursue my legislation to ensure agency responses so that these deadly situations do not happen again. But landlords are ultimately responsible for ensuring outdoor spaces are legally and safely accessible and are not used improperly. If you make the decision to buy a building, you are responsible for the lives of its residents. And these landlords are not living up to that responsibility."
Rivera is working on two bills to address this issue. She has already introduced Intro 1292, which would require tenants to sign and acknowledge their understanding of the city's noise codes. She's planning on introducing a second bill that would ensure enforcement agencies have easier access to phone numbers of overnight building supers or contacts and require better oversight of rooftop use and capacity.
"We've heard complaints from constituents regarding out-of-control rooftop parties, even before the start of the pandemic," said Assemblymember Harvey Epstein. "I'm committed to ensuring we push state legislation and hearings to address this ongoing problem. The city and state need to take control of this situation before we lose more lives."
Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer also said that she supports a City Council hearing and a City Hall review of building code enforcement procedures related to rooftop parties, which some residents say have increased in recent years with a spate of new or renovated buildings offering outdoor amenities.
Residents who have been enduring unending rooftop parties hope that the proposed legislation will call on landlords to prevent these events from occurring or assess penalties to tenants for disturbances.
Meanwhile, more details have emerged about the victim, identified in published reports as Cameron Perrelli, a Connecticut native and Lower East Side resident who worked in finance.
Her uncle, Michael Perrelli, told the Daily News that the family received three versions of what led to her fall into an airshaft at around 3 a.m.
"We got three stories — that she was jumping from one building to the next, and we heard that she was walking on an air-conditioning vent, and then somebody just said she slipped," he told the paper. "Don't they have a fence on top of the building? They allow parties?"
Said her father, Louis Perrelli: "It's not like her to be a risk-taker. She's not one to take those risks. I don't get it. She was perfect. ... She was always the designated driver, the good person, the peacemaker. She was an angel — that good."
The Daily Mail reports that Cameron Perrelli attempted to climb from the roof at 202 Avenue A to the roof next door at 200 Avenue A. A Daily Mail photographer accessed the roof yesterday morning, taking photos showing that 202 Avenue A is about four feet lower than the adjacent building at 200 Avenue A with a 3- to 4-foot airway in between.
As previously reported, workers added a horizontal and vertical enlargement of the existing 4-floor structure at 202 Avenue A, doubling the total square footage from 5,334 to 10,920. There are eight residences here at The Topanga. The penthouse units, featuring advertised rooftop access, are renting for $12,000 monthly, per Streeteasy.
Highpoint Property Group bought No. 202 in a deal that closed in late 2017 for $6.75 million. To date, Highpoint has not publicly responded to the tragedy despite requests from various media outlets, including The Daily Mail and People magazine.
In a complaint filed yesterday with the Department of Buildings, there's a "report of recreational use of the rooftop, contrary to the C of O [Certificate of Occupancy]."
Records at Streeteasy show that the first penthouse at the renovated building — with a $12,000 ask — was rented in November 2020.
It's not clear who filed the complaint. A DOB rep told ABC 7 yesterday that the department "was not requested to investigate the fatal fall and has not received any 311 calls related to illegal occupancy of the rooftop."
The DOB said in order for rooftops to be legally occupied as a recreational space, the building owners must obtain a Certificate of Occupancy for that use. They said 202 Avenue A does have a Certificate of Occupancy which includes an accessory roof terrace. The adjacent building, 200 Avenue A, does not have the certificate.
The most recent C of O we spotted online for 202 Avenue A was for the pre-renovated building and dated December 1992. (There appears to be a temporary C of O posted to the DOB Now portal.)
Also, according to 311 records, there have been 75 noise complaints at the address going back to December.
Image via Twitter
The owner of alt.coffee and Cake Shop is looking to start a new cafe concept
Updated 5/28: According to materials on the CB3 website, Bodor will be vying for the former Meatball Shop space at 84 Stanton St. just east of Allen.
"I am looking at spaces in the neighborhood to re-boot alt-coffee (1995-2007 on Avenue A) and meld it with Cake Shop, the Library Bar plus add a T-shirt store: alt-cafe bar, bakeshop and T-shirt emporium," he said in an email.
He's currently securing investors for the business (see this link for details). Here's part of his pitch:
• We think the community is missing us now more than ever and we need to develop something new.
• We hope to create a new long running, passionate, maybe slightly eccentric business... just like our previous venues.
• We want to open a young adult friendly cafe/performance space/screen printing facility/retail store/bakery in New York.The Library Bar at 7 Avenue A has been closed since the start of the pandemic. However, the new venture won't impact its status. The Library, d.b.a., Doc Holliday's and Milano's will reopen this summer, said Bodor, a partner in the group that owns these bars.
Cake Shop photo from December 2016 by Walter Wlodarczyk
Marufuku Ramen next up for 92 2nd Ave.
Coming soon signage is up now for Marufuku Ramen here at 92 Second Ave. between Fifth Street and Sixth Street. (Thanks to Steven for the pic!)
Marafuku has outposts in California and Texas and is licensing franchises.
About their product, via the Marufuku website:
Marufuku proudly serves the authentic Hakata-style Tonkotsu ramen — featuring milky and umami rich broth made from boiling pork bones for long hours, an ultra-thin artisanal noodles that match perfectly with the broth, and Cha-shu made from specially selected pork.
No word on a possible opening date. It might not be too much of a turn-around ... after all, Sanpoutei Gyoza & Ramen was the most recent tenant, debuting in January 2020 after a lengthy renovation.
Sanpoutei never reopened after the PAUSE of March 2020. No. 92 hit the retail market last fall.
Kabin Bar & Lounge closed in March 2015 at this address. While there were a few potential suitors, the storefront remained empty until the build-out for Sanpoutei Gyoza & Ramen began in early 2019.
7th Street Burger for 7th Street
Updated: 7th Street Burger opened on June 3.
Not sure at the moment who's behind this venture. Per their website: "7th Street Burger offers classic American smash-burgers for takeout and delivery."
The menu on the website includes a cheeseburger ($6), an Impossible burger ($7.50) and a grilled cheese ($3.50). They'll also serve Mexican Coca-Cola.
This space was previously the longtime home to Caracas Arepa Bar, which closed last fall.
Monday, May 24, 2021
Monday's parting shot
Volunteer help wanted for the new Loisaida CommUnity Fridge and Pantry
Here are more details:
We are a group of volunteers in the East Village getting ready to launch a Loisaida CommUnity Fridge and Pantry, a 24/7 Free Fridge and Pantry located outside of Trinity Lower East Side (SE corner of Avenue B and 9th Street).The model is very similar to the East Village Neighbors' Fridge and Pantry located outside of S'Mac (12th Street and 1st Ave). It will be guided by the philosophy of "take what you need, leave what you can," with the goal of providing relief to community members experiencing food insecurity, reducing food waste from local restaurants/groceries, and supplementing the non-24/7 food pantries in the area.We are aiming to begin offering the service to the community in the next couple of weeks, and need your help in making sure the fridge is a success. (There is no specific time commitment necessary to join the group.)
Find the volunteer form right here.
Trinity's Services and Food for the Homeless (SAFH) has served meals to those in need for more than 30 years. Last September, they launched College Food Pantry, which aims to help "address food insecurity among college students of all ages and backgrounds."
Sidney's Five in soft-open mode on 1st Avenue
The principals here include David Lowenstein, who also runs the cafe-deli Pickler & Co. in Midtown, Edie Ugot, whose kitchen experience includes EdieJo's in Brooklyn and the Spotted Pig and the Breslin Bar, and Kai Woo, who was behind the bar at Union Square Café.
You can find more details on the Sidney's Five website.
For now, the restaurant is serving a variety of sandwiches and some salads, coffee, soda, etc. (They applied for a liquor license in March.)
Here's their temp menu...
They are open from 5 p.m. to ? Tuesdays through Sundays.
Ugly Kitchen closed here last year after nearly nine years in business.
An organic grocery for the Bowery
The sign promises an assortment of "produce, beer, breakfast, lunch, convenience, fresh juice, milkshakes, smoothies." And it might give the 7-Eleven directly across the Bowery some convenience competition.
Signage for a COVID-19 rapid-test site arrived here in December, though that never materialized.
The Sage Kitchen restaurant space closed here last year. Their catering business is still in operation from another location.
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