Sunshine Cinema-replacing office building reaches the top on Houston

The steel structure is complete at 141 E. Houston St. ... and workers this past week planted the American flag atop the 9-story building here between Eldridge and Forsyth to mark the occasion... 

Some marketing background:

From acclaimed architect Roger Ferris, the only new development of its type on the Lower East Side, 141 East Houston is a new frame for viewing the neighborhood. Column-free and unbounded by walls, it reinterprets the area through a bold geometric perimeter of cladding and glass. State-of- the-art workspaces and private terraces reframe expectations, while a well-connected location recasts perspectives. 

With its glass frame and dynamic courtyard running the length of its eastern side, doubling as a second facade, 141 East Houston challenges the distinction between indoors and out.

East End Capital and K Property Group bought the property for $31.5 million in the spring of 2017. The links below provide more background on what has transpired on the site of the former Sunshine Cinema (RIP January 2018).

Previously on EV Grieve: 
• Sunshine Cinema-replacing office building moving forward; demolition watch back on

• Discarded theater seats and goodbyes at the Sunshine Cinema

• The 9-story boutique office building coming to the former Sunshine Cinema space

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

• The boutique office building replacing the Sunshine Cinema will be 'unbounded by walls' with an outdoor space called Houston Alley

2 new plant-based restaurants arrive for takeout and delivery on 1st Street

58 E. First St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue is now home to two plant-based restaurants — VistroBurger and PurpleThai...

The restaurants, offering takeout and delivery, popped up here last week.

Vistro offers several varieties of burgers, including the CHICKpea, the Shroom'n, the Beanoa (black beans and quinoa) and the Sexy SeiTAN. The menu is here. You can find the PurpleThai menu here.

Both establishments are from Ross Glick, the founder of Vegan Warrior Project. 

The new businesses must mean the end of Km1, short for Kilometro Uno, the Caribbean restaurant that debuted late in the summer of 2020 and only lasted a few months before going dark.

This address has seen several quality restaurants come and go in recent years. Esperanto Fonda lasted nine months, closing in May 2017. Before that, this was home to BARA for two years and Prima for three years. The Elephant, a Thai restaurant, was previously here for 17 years.

Week in Grieview

Posts this past week included (with a photo outside Cooper Union by Derek Berg...) 

• RIP Julian Baczynsky (Friday) 

• Appreciating the pinhole photography of late East Village resident Veronica Saddler (Wednesday) 

• Frank Prisinzano planning grocery concept near Lil' Frankie's on 1st Avenue (Tuesday) 

• Claim: The pandemic caused more bar-restaurant closings in the East Village than in any other NYC neighborhood (Wednesday) 

• At the Black History Bowl (Sunday) 

• On the Bowery: Stop Asian Hate (Saturday) 

• City removes tree said to have been tangled up with a sanitation truck on 1st Avenue (Thursday) 

• Sidewalk bridge fakeout at the beleaguered Mariana Bracetti Plaza (Wednesday) 

• PSA 4 providing increased security at Mariana Bracetti Plaza (Monday) 

• Concern for the barking dogs at 58 St. Mark's Place (Friday) 

• Pod dining in this week's NY See (Wednesday) 

• Gallery Watch heads to Public Access on St. Mark's Place (Wednesday) 

• Indoor dining in NYC increases to 50% on March 19; Little Poland promises to reopen (Thursday) 

• "Russian Doll" films on 3rd Street (Wednesday) 

• Anthology Film Archives will remain closed for the time being (Thursday) 

• New owners for Thirsty Scholar Pub on 2nd Avenue (Friday) 

• Phony Express returns with an "Odessa" special (Friday)

• O Ramen Dim Sum M has closed on 9th Street (Monday) 

• Changes: Looking for a Coinstar replacement after the Food Emporium closes this spring? (Tuesday) 

• Full reveal for Spike's on Avenue A (Monday) 

• San Francisco's Beloved Cafe ready to adore the LES (Thursday) 

• Incoming pizzeria check, 14th Street/Avenue A edition (Monday)

... and, to keep with a bike theme in the photos, a moment along St. Mark's Place Friday via Derek Berg...

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Follow EVG on Instagram or Twitter for more frequent updates and pics.

Tonight, the city will honor the 30,000 New Yorkers who have died from COVID-19

Photo of the COVID-19 memorial on A and 10th from April 11. 

Tonight at 7:45, the city will pause to mark the one-year anniversary of the first reported COVID-19 fatality in New York City.

One year. One city.

Tonight we remember and honor the New Yorkers we lost to #COVID19.

Join us: https://t.co/nro6pm8sRc #COVIDMemorial pic.twitter.com/68skVpaqBX

— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) March 14, 2021

As Gothamist reports, 30,031 people have died from COVID-19 in New York City — 25,147 deaths categorized by the city as confirmed, and 5,027 considered probable. 

The City has more on this evening's memorial event here.

Report: Kavasutra ownership blasts educators who teach remotely, 'pussy leftists' for wearing masks

As the New York Post reports, Kavasutra Kava Bar, the Florida-based chain, "is taking heat" for posts this past week from its main Instagram account that called out educators who still teach remotely and "pussy leftists" who wear masks. 

According to their Instagram posts, those educators who aren't teaching in-person are banned from all Kavasutra locations, including the two in the East Village (10th Street and First Street). 

After a barrage of criticism and one-star reviews on Yelp for the post on March 9, Kavasutra followed up with another on Instagram:

"It has come to our attention that we may have upset some people with our last post. We've been reading your comments and we understand how we may have effected [sic] some of you, so we want to be very clear: masks are for leftist losers. Teachers unions are trash. Women are born with ovaries. And we are doing slams at midnight tonight."

As The Miami Herald noted in its headline Friday: "This South Florida bar just managed to insult almost everyone in two Instagram posts." On Friday, the editorial board at The Denver Post suggested to its readers that they "steer clear" of the two Kavasutra outposts in that city.

Various news outlets have reported that this isn't the chain's first go-around with inflammatory social media posts. In sexist and anti-transgender posts in 2018, they stated that participants in ladies night must be women from birth. In a follow-up, they tried to clarify their position: "The point of ladies night is to get ladies in the door so the men can bang them. If there's no vagina then they don't qualify because they don't benefit the business and the plan."

Initially, management reportedly blamed an employee who they said was fired. However, as the Sun-Sentinel later reported, owner Dylan Harrison admitted to police that he wrote the posts. The admission came after a confrontation at a South Florida location led to several arrests.

The 10th Street Kavasutra location opened in July 2015; the First Street outpost in December 2019.

EVG Etc.: Gov. Cuomo's rise and fall; Eisenberg's possible revival

Photo on 4th and the Bowery last night by Stacie Joy

• The rise of fall of Gov. Cuomo (The New York Times)

• The great Eisenberg's sandwich shop on 5th Avenue has closed; the building's manager and owner want someone to save it (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York) 

• Inside the city's SoHo/NoHo rezoning plan (Off the Grid) 

• Egg watch for Amelia and Christo in Tompkins Square Park (Laura Goggin Photography) 

• Survey says half of NYC's office workers won't return until September (Gothamist) 

• The importance of the midsize NYC chain grocer (Grub Street) 

• On 3rd Street, Book Club extends hours from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. on weekends (Instagram) 

• Details on a Joey Ramone tribute live stream in the U.K. (NME) 

• Rough Trade in Willismburgh closes on March 21 ahead of a move to a new, undisclosed location. Anyway, sales! (Instagram) 

Saturday's parting thank you note

A note as seen on First Avenue and Fifth Street (thanks Karen!)... 

To the guy who 

found & returned 

my wallet today 

(Saturday), thank 

you so much!!! 

Sorry I was frazzled 

& didn't thank you

enough. I am so

grateful. — Emily

Noted

As seen on Second Avenue and Second Street... no sign of the headboard... photo via Stacie Joy...

On the Bowery: Stop Asian Hate

As seen at 246 Bowery at Stanton — #StopAsianHate, a mural by @plannedalism in collaboration with @lisaprojectnyc.

This CNBC article from Wednesday has more on the rise in anti-Asian violence and its impact on the restaurant industry. 

A group of restaurateurs, including many in the East Village (886, Málà Project and Nowon), have joined forces to raise awareness via a #EnoughIsEnough campaign. Read more about it at Eater. 

Welcome to Chinatown is also a good resource for how to support businesses in that neighborhood.

Another chance to Zumba on the open streets of Avenue B this afternoon

The Loisaida Open Streets Community Coalition is hosting two Zumba sessions this afternoon on Avenue B between Ninth Street and 10th Street... there's a low-impact version at 1 p.m. followed by an all-level session at 2 p.m. 

Your Rite Aid on 1st Avenue signage update

As a follow-up to Wednesday's post on the disappearing signage at the Rite Aid on First Avenue and Fifth Street...

EVG contributor Stacie Joy was at the store yesterday: "Crew reports new lettering and signage (to reflect new colors, font, etc.) should be up next week. They told me they have no plans to close, that all Rite Aids are being rebranded."

Workers smoothed over the marquee to make way for the new brandage/signage... which will look like this...

And there's a sneak preview up now (thanks Goggla!)...

Friday's parting shot

A moment on Rivington Street today... thanks to Colin Clark for permission to repost this photo... (find more of his work on Instagram).

March 12, part II

When the temps get above 60, it must become a good time to toss the ol' Chrsitmas tree ... Wheezy tracked this one down on 11th Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue today... way to go Wheezy!

Friday I'm in love

Was flipping through magazines at Ink on A (66 Avenue A) the other day... came across the March issue of Mojo, essentially a tribute to the Cure... including the band's 30 greatest songs... No. 1 on the magazine's list? "A Forest" from 1980 ...

 

Good pick, though not my No. 1. This is all really subjective ... I'd put "The Catepillar" atop the list ... (No.  10 at Mojo)...

  

 "Six Different Ways" would be in there (didn't even rate a mention in Mojo)...

   

... and "Primary" (No. 16 in Mojo)...

  .

.. and "In-Between Days" ... (No. 2 in Mojo)...

 

... and one that didn't make the list..."Cut Here"...

 

March 12

As seen on Ninth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue... photo by Steven... 

And don't forget to spring forward this weekend.

Concern for the barking dogs at 58 St. Mark's Place

Back in October, an EVG reader wrote in about a seemingly unattended dog (or dogs) coming from somewhere in the shared courtyard toward the west side of the block between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place ... and First Avenue and Second Avenue. 

Since then, thanks to some sleuthing, the reader has tracked down the location ... but is stymied by the lack of progress to free the dogs.

I posted on Next Door, where I was able to find a man across the courtyard who had already posted about the dogs, and could identify the building and posted a video of the dogs barking and scratching at the back entrance, as well as someone who had seen the dogs moved into the same building at the time when the barking started. 

Unfortunately, what we learned is that the dogs are being kept in the abandoned unit that formerly was home to Clay Pot at 58 St. Mark's Place. It's empty. So every time I report it to 311, they send a police officer who knocks on the door, no one answers, and they shut the animal neglect ticket. 

The Office of Health and Mental Hygiene isn't answering their phones or returning messages. The barking is near-constant day and night, and obviously very distressed and suffering. I have been posting flyers outside the door, which get ripped off, and I found a ConEd notice this week saying that there was no tenant in the unit but it was still receiving gas, which would be shut off. 

I (and the others on NextDoor) am now worried that if it gets cold again, or if electricity is cut off, those dogs will freeze to death, or die of sheer neglect in the dark.

Is there anything else EV Grieve readers can think of? I have tried 311 and the 92nd St ASPCA (both of which send the complaint to the local NYPD precinct, which knocks and leaves), flyers, Next Door. I'm at wit's end and feel as though I am just waiting for the dogs to die tragically. 

58 St. Mark's Place between First Avenue and Second is one of the many East Village buildings scooped up by now-disgraced landlord Raphael (Rafi) Toledano. The building appears to still be in his name, per public records.

In 2017, a subsidiary of lender Madison Realty Capital took over the portfolio while Toledano was mired in bankruptcy proceedings. It's not immediately clear who is managing the building today... or who is keeping the dogs behind an empty restaurant space.

RIP Julian Baczynsky

Julian Baczynsky, who opened the East Village Meat Market in 1970 at 139 Second Ave. between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street, died on Wednesday. He was 98. 

The shop's Instagram account posted this tribute:

It is with great sadness that we write to inform you of the passing of our beloved founder/owner, Julian Baczynsky. His work and dedication to the Ukrainian community and the East Village will always be remembered.

According to Village Preservation, Baczynsky emigrated here from Ukraine in 1949.

In 1955 he opened his first store on Avenue B and 10th Street, and later he and a partner opened a store on First Avenue. In 1970 he and his partner parted ways and he started his own store at 139 Second Avenue with the goal to have a store that would preserve Eastern European culture.

Per the East Village Meat Market website: "It was his life-long dream to own a business and have a slice of the American Dream."

We asked Tom Birchard, the longtime owner of Veselka on Second Avenue at Ninth Street, for his thoughts about the passing of his friend and neighbor.

Mr. Baczynsky opened his shop on Second Avenue shortly after I came to Veselka in 1966 and we’ve been friends and neighbors ever since. He has supplied us with his excellent home-smoked kielbasa for over 50 years. We have at times struggled to survive and at times flourished together. We couldn't have asked for a better neighbor and collaborator. We are very thankful for his long and very productive life. He will be sorely missed.

Although Baczynsky lived outside the city of late, he was a resident of this neighborhood for many years. The shop will continue under the leadership of manager Andrew Ilnicki.

Image via @eastvillagemeatmarket

New owners in line for former Thirsty Scholar Pub on 2nd Avenue

Thirsty Scholar Pub has not been open since the start of the pandemic in March 2020 on Second Avenue between Ninth Street and 10th Street.

New owners are now in line to open a like-minded establishment here. David Harris (above left) and Cris Nastasi (right) will appear before CB3's SLA Committee on Monday for a liquor license for a bar called the Long Pour.

The two, who collected signatures of support outside the space this week, have ties to the neighborhood — and this block. Harris is currently the manager of Bull McCabe's on St. Mark's Place and previously served as a bartender at now-closed block-mates the Telephone Bar & Grill and Ryan's Irish Pub. Nastasi was born and raised in the neighborhood and spent 15 years as the technical director of "Stomp" at the Orpheum Theatre on Second Avenue.

You can find the Long Pour questionnaire on the CB3 website here. 

The virtual committee meeting starts Monday evening at 6:30. The Zoom link is here.

The Thirsty Scholar opened in 1999, first going as the Jolly Rodger. 

Photo by Steven 

Phony Express serving up an 'Odessa' special

The pandemic-era local band Phony Express (read the backstory here) is back with a new single in honor of a longtime friend on Avenue A ... here's "Odessa" ...

Thursday's parting shot

A moment from the "FBI" shoot (the CBS series!) today around Cooper Union... photo by Derek Berg...

Spring break

66 degrees at 5 p.m. on this March 11... photo in Tompkins Square Park late this afternoon by Lola Saénz ...

Grant Shaffer's NY See

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

Indoor dining in NYC increases to 50% on March 19; Little Poland promises reopening

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced yesterday afternoon that New York City will expand indoor dining capacity to 50 percent beginning on March 19. 

The news coincided with New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announcing that his state's restaurants would also increase to 50 percent. 

NYC and New Jersey restaurants are currently operating at 35 percent capacity ... while the rest of New York State is operating at 50 percent capacity (soon to be 75 percent on March 19).

And via the news advisory...

"In New York State, our decisions are based on science and data and we are encouraged by the continued decline in infection and hospitalization rates," Cuomo said in a statement. "We will continue to follow the science and react accordingly. If we keep the infections down and vaccinations up, we will continue to stay ahead in the footrace against this invisible enemy and reach the light at the end of the tunnel together."

Several East Village bars and restaurants have previously said that they'd reopen when the capacity hit 50 percent ... including Little Poland on Second Avenue. The diner teased this out yesterday on Instagram...

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Little Poland Restaurant (@littlepoland_nyc)

Top photo at Il Posto Accanto from February by Stacie Joy...

Anthology Film Archives will remain closed for the time being

One year ago today Anthology Film Archives temporarily closed its doors at the start of the pandemic.

Although NYC theaters were OK'd to reopen at limited capacity last Friday, the theater on Second Street at Second Avenue was not among the movie houses electing to restart its in-person programming. 

Here's more via the Anthology Instagram account: 

[D]espite that announcement, Anthology is not planning to rush it — given the current COVID numbers in NYC, the uncertainty surrounding new variants of the virus, and the increasing momentum of the vaccination program, we are keeping our theaters closed for the time being. 

We're hard at work developing the protocols that will allow us to safely reopen when the time is right, and we’ll keep you updated. 

Meanwhile, we'll continue to offer online programming before and after we open our doors, so that until everything returns (as much as possible) to normal, watching our programs from home will still be an option.

The Anthology is a vital part of this neighborhood (and NYC)... looking forward to when they are ready to safely return.

City removes tree said to have been tangled up with a sanitation truck on 1st Avenue

The tree on the northwest corner of First Avenue at 12th Street was spotted on the ground yesterday morning. (Thanks to William Klayer for the photos.)

We asked Caesar Ekya, the co-owner of S'MAC on that corner, about what transpired.

According to Ekya, a sanitation truck was traveling north in the bike lane, emptying the garbage cans along the west side of First Avenue on Tuesday night around 11. 

"It must have got tangled in the branches because as it drove off it pulled the tree along with it," Ekya said. "That was a gorgeous tree and we're hoping the city can put it back and not have to tear it out." 

Unfortunately, before the day really got started yesterday and Ekya arrived at the restaurant, the city already had the tree removed.

A bad sign at Joe's Rice Roll on St. Mark's Place

Workers were seen emptying Joe's Steam Rice Roll at 36 St. Mark's Place on Tuesday (thanks to Steven for the photos) ... it's not entirely clear what's happening here between Second Avenue and Third Avenue at the moment... there's a dumpster parked out front...

... and the interior is bare...

There isn't any message about a temporary or permanent closure on the shop's Instagram account. (Or, better — on the front door.) The website is currently offline and the phone is not in service. No one responded to messages just yet about the status here. (Pandemic-time refresh/renovation?)

This wouldn't be the first time this outpost closed without any notice: Joe's was shuttered for seven weeks in the fall of 2019 without any explanation before finally reopening. 

Joe's debuted in the East Village in June 2019 ... another branch of the popular quick-serve establishment, which got its start in Flushing. They had been open in recent months. 

Report: San Francisco's Beloved Cafe ready to adore the LES

The San Franciso-based Beloved Cafe is opening its first NYC outpost at 196 Allen St. just south of Houston. 

As the Commercial Observer first reported this week, the health-focused cafe specializing in organic juices, teas, smoothies, salads and plant-based bowls plans to debut this summer. 

The original location opened in San Francisco's Mission District in 2017. 

Part of this Allen Street storefront previously housed Palà, the pizzeria that closed in May 2017 after 11 years in business. 

Beloved Cafe will be the third new food establishment to open on Allen between Houston and Stanton this year, joining Meat + Bread and Mi Salsa Kitchen. 

P.S. 

On the topic of quick-serve health-focused cafes... several EVG readers have pointed out that the now-former Dr Smood outlet (opened September 2017) around the corner on Houston and Orchard is for rent ... the branch of the chainlet closed late last year...

That '80s show: 3rd Street all Russian Dolled up today for Netflix TV shoot

Crews for "Russian Doll" are along Third Street between Avenue A and Avenue B today (and tonight) ... where the block for the time-bending Netflix series (No. 2) was decked out for an early 1980s look.

Despite the leap back a few decades, series lead (and a writer and creator) Natasha Lyonne hasn't reverse aged a day! 

EVG contributor Stacie Joy shared these photos...

... this is Jane's Exchange... doing duty as a Ukrainian market called Ukraine Grocer...

Apparently, only Book Club along here missed out on the time travel. 

And around the corner on Avenue B, Ben's Deli, which played a key role in season 1, got a new look...

Stacie reports that Lyonne was very friendly with the onlookers, who cheered her on as she smiled and waved ...

AND SPOILER!

They bought some records from us so there'll be records

— Academy Records NYC (@AcademyRecords) March 11, 2021

Gallery Watch: 'Dress Up My Lindsay' at Public Access on St. Mark's Place

Text and photos by Clare Gemima

Dress Up My Lindsay 

Public Access, 8 Saint Mark's Place 

Public Access is a cute space tucked away on a lower-level storefront on Saint Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue that has been exhibiting an eclectic and impressive mix of artists since opening this past September. 

For the gallery's latest show, Marika Thunder has painted 10 large-scale oil paintings in her solo show, Dress Up My Lindsay. While slightly disconcerting in some painted moments, the show presents autobiographically intriguing and nostalgic plays on pain and heartbreak that we find within celebrity culture. 

Dress Up My Lindsay showcases a bittersweetness of what adolescence promises versus what it actually provides. The recurring motif used in Thunder's body of work is the child star turned troublemaker Lindsay Lohan, famous for her roles in "Freaky Friday," "Parent Trap" and "Mean Girls." 

The power and influence that Lohan had on her community were at an all-time high in the 1990s. It is no surprise that young girls all over the country idolized her, and for Thunder's case, started to religiously follow her tabloid headlines and celebrity behaviors by collaging magazine clippings into notebook pages for fun. 

The compositions of her paintings in Dress Up My Lindsay are reminiscent of her collaging days, bringing life to scribbled pages and dirty marks now with oil paint and a bolder delivery. The smudginess and lack of realism make these paintings unique and stand out amongst each other distinctly. Most paintings don't necessarily consider the precise rendering of Lindsay Lohan, positioning Thunder's subject more as a projected catalyst or representation of the artist's own childhood. 

This is an exciting space that pushes the boundaries of contemporary art and culture. I am grateful to have been greeted and shown around by a lovely man named Diego. He outlined to me how Public Access aimed to be a hospitable and inclusive art gallery that maintained a welcoming attitude regardless of who walked through the door. 

The experience he facilitated was very down-to-earth and inquisitive. I find it to be such a nice rarity when people working in an exhibition context wish to engage in dialogue with their viewers. It's also gratifying to see and feel so much passion in a newer space.

Dress Up My Lindsay at Public Access will be showing until April 12. The gallery is open Thursday through Sunday from 2-7 p.m. You may schedule an appointment for viewing here. 

~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ 

Clare Gemima is a visual artist from New Zealand. New-ish to the East Village, she spends her time as an artist assistant and gallery go-er, hungry to explore what's happening in her local art world. You can find her work here: claregemima.com 

The mystery of the disappearing Rite Aid sign

Goggla shares this from the corner of First Avenue and Fifth Street...stay tuned for new signage? And are people liking this RA outpost more these days?

Updated 3/12

Per Stacie Joy: "At Rite Aid today: crew reports new lettering and signage (to reflect new colors, font, etc.) should be up next week. They told me they have no plans to close, that all Rite Aids are being rebranded."