Chubby Mary's now serving you heros on East 14th Street

As previously noted, Led Zeppole, the fried-dessert homage to Coney Island on East 14th Street, closed to give way to something called Chubby Mary's from the Artichoke Pizza team...

[From September]

Today, Eater points us to a Chubby Mary tweet ... noting that the Chubsters opened for business last night...

Open tonight - Chubby Mary's... a hero shop brought to you by the guys from Artichoke. Next-door to our 14th Street location. Come by.

— Artichoke Pizza (@artichokepizza) November 15, 2012

Not even a Yelp review yet! Let us know if you try it...

Previously.

[Updated] 6-story apartment building ready to rise from the former Croxley Ales beer garden

We've been waiting for this one... Back in November 2009, we noted that the former beer garden at Croxley Ales was on the market...


A deal was in place for the lot back in March 2011 here on Avenue B near East Second Street. This morning, a tipster points us to the freshly arrived plywood...

Earlier in the year, the city OK'd permits for a six-story apartment building with ground-floor retail space.

Shiming Tam Architects are listed with the DOB.

Updated 3:43

Our tipster passed the site again... and workers put up more signage...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Former Croxley Ales beer garden ready for development

Things that I didn't notice before: The beer garden at Croxley Ales has closed

Deal apparently in place for former Croxley Ales beer garden

East 12th Street to get shadier

EVG regular Greg Masters notes the arrival of new trees this morning on East 12th Street ... just east of First Avenue...

From the look of it, the truck has a lot more deliveries to make... please let me know if you see a tree go up on your block...

Joey Pepperoni brings his $1 slice to IHOP Way

Well, that Joey Pepperoni $1 sliceria went up quickly at the former AT&T store here on East 14th Street just west of Second Avenue...

And this is the second JPP in the East Village ... with the one opening on First Avenue near East 13th Street in August. And this may be a record for turning over a storefront. One day it was empty, the next day it's a fully functioning pizza place. Not bad considering it usually takes the city about 7 weeks to show up and inspect a hand sink.

Anyway. Game on.

You've been put on notice, Nicoletta!

Haha. Kidding!

But seriously — has anyone tried JPP's? (And if you answer, then I promise to never refer to it again as JPP's.) Was curious how it compared to 2 Bros. or any other $1 or $1.50 slices... Or cardboard?

[Thanks to EVG reader Tony for the tip on the opening]

The 2 Bros. 'supreme slice' location still closed on St. Mark's Place

Speaking of $1 and $1.50 pizza... one of the 2 Bros. locations on St. Mark's Place remains closed after the fire in the apartment building above in late September ...

Here's a look at the place yesterday (this is the one that sells the $1.50 "supreme slice" that's closer to Second Avenue) ...

We haven't heard anything about a reopening date. Have you? Meanwhile, the door continues to be Wacky Wok'd...

Previously.

Wall progress at East Side Community School

In the aftermath of Sandy, we hadn't checked in on the progress at the building that houses East Side Community School and Girls Prep Charter on East 12th Street ... as you know, students and faculty evacuated the building when a maintenance worker found part of the eastern wall separating from the rest of the structure.

Crews immediately moved in to tear down and rebuild the wall... the last estimate via NY1 put the return date at late February — at the earliest...

Bobby Williams passed along this photo from yesterday afternoon...

According to Deputy Schools Chancellor Kathleen Grimm in a letter (PDF) dated Oct. 15:

"The current plan is to build a new steel and masonry wall from inside of the east side of the building. This will allow the school to be reoccupied while we continue to work on a new brick facade to be completed after school hours and on weekends... while work continues on the new interior wall on the east side of the building, we will take that opportunity to secure the entire west wall as well."

Previously.

A Thanksgiving meal for Sandy survivors at St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery

A group of local residents are teaming up with Jessica Alfreds Homemade to organize a Thanksgiving Dinner for people who have been affected by Hurricane Sandy ... and won't have the ability to cook their own Thanksgiving dinners due to a lack of power, gas ... or inability to get into their homes in the East Village/Lower East Side.

From the EV Grieve inbox...

Date: Thanksgiving

Time: 1-4 p.m. (or until the food is gone)

Location: St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery, Second Avenue at East 10th Street

If you are willing to roll up your sleeves, donate, connect us to people/companies that can provide us with what we need, or help spread the word all is welcome and appreciated. Please click here to find out more about Thanksgiving for Sandy Survivors.

[EVG file photo]

Early thoughts on Union Market

Union Market finally opened Wednesday on Avenue A and East Houston... a few readers stopped by to see what was what. Some passages from the EVG comments:

-----

Anonymous said...
Prices are competitive with Whole Foods on premium items. Meat and Seafood, produce looked great. Staples and generics will still be bought at Key and the Associated. Nice addition to the hood, in my opinion.

------

Anonymous said...
I went there last night. It's a little confusing to navigate -- one guy was wandering around trying to find the checkout counters. The people who worked there were very friendly. Overall good selection, and a nice addition to the neighborhood.

------

RyanAvenueA said...
We went in last night to check it out and I have to say I loved it. Despite being a year behind schedule, the meat counter alone is worth it. Plus a great selection of pre-made food if you want to throw together a quick dinner. Definitely on the higher end with the prices, so I agree the staples can be bought elsewhere, but it's closer than Whole Foods.

-----

Anonymous said...
"one guy was wandering around..." that's because zombies are and will be patronizing this.

For those looking for good meat, I say bring back mom and pop butcher shops. Personalize attention, my former butcher had a MFA in writing, and a poet. Not only he was knowledgeable about the cuts of meat, he often would recite a poem, in correlation to the type of cut that was purchased. Character.Soul.Personality. Try having that from this generic suburbanize, mallify, Duane Readeesque market. Catalog that for your thoughts.

-----

OK. Anyone else?

Maiden Lane coming to East 10th Street and Avenue B

We had the scoop last month on what would be taking over the former Life Cafe space on Avenue B and East 10th Street — a cafe/restaurant serving beer and wine with the working name of Yardbird (out of homage to Charlie Parker). An alternative to the woo.

Eater learned yesterday that they new place will be called Maiden Lane. (An homage to where the Federal Reserve is located in the Financial District?)

As we noted, the partners are Nialls Fallon and Gareth Maccubbin, East Village residents with restaurant experience at two popular Mulberry Street eateries. Fallon was the general manager at Torrisi while Maccubbin held the same position at Torrisi spinoff Parm next door.

Per Eater:

The pair were granted a beer and wine license at last month's CB3 meeting. They plan to serve a regionally sourced food menu that compliments their white wine and sherry-heavy beverage list.

Maiden Lane is eyeing an early 2013 opening.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Here's what's coming to the former Life Cafe space

After 30 years, Life Cafe closes — 'until further notice' — in the East Village

Manhattan Kids Club II raising funds to rebuild Sandy-damaged facilities

From the EV Grieve inbox...

Manhattan Kids Club II is a nurturing, educational child care facility on East 14th Street ... Hurricane Sandy filled the school with 4 feet of water leaving it unusable for the children and staff. The MKC community is coming together on behalf of the owner Beth Garcia to raise money for the restoration of the space, new furniture, educational materials and supplies.

The facility was ravaged by hurricane Sandy last week, with 4 feet of flood waters rushing through the doors, destroying everything... Everything from walls and insulation, carpeting and flooring was destroyed by the storm. Every toy and book, cubby and desk had to be thrown away. Every single thing will need to be replaced.

A crowdsourcing campaign is under way — the school's modest goal of $2,500 has been exceeded... but a lot more is needed for the facility's complete gut renovation and restoration of supplies, according to one parent ... you can learn more about it here.

Report: Percy's Tavern owner robbed at gunpoint

Larry Watson, an East Village resident and the owner of Percy's Tavern on Avenue A and and East 13th Street, was robbed at gunpoint last Monday night.

According to an article in this week's issue of Town & Village, Watson had just returned from a food-and-clothing drive in the Rockaways. While walking into his building on A and East 12th Street, a car pulled up ... and two men approached him. One man reportedly pointed a gun at his stomach while the second man took his iPhone, $120 in cash and his keys.

Watson admitted to executive editor Sabina Mollot that he had let his guard down for a moment ... exhausted after a day of unloading truckloads of donated supplies in the Rockaways.

According to the article, which hasn't been posted online, Watson "hoped his story could serve as a warning to neighbors in the East Village and Stuy Town. Like most others — even those guilty of doing it — he complained that people are too busy playing with their cell phones to pay attention to their surroundings."

[Click article to enlarge]

Thanks to Crazy Eddie for the clip.

Get Lucky this weekend

[A look inside Lucky Cheng's one recent day]

Jeremiah first pointed out this sale on Wednesday over at Vanishing New York: Lucky Cheng's is having a big moving sale this weekend. (Actually, the cabaret already moved to Midtown...)

Posting it here too in case you are interested in a hodgepodge of restaurant stuff...

Get in on the action tomorrow and Sunday from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. at 101 E. 2nd St. Find the Craigslist ad link here.

As for history of the Lucky Cheng's space, Jeremiah looked at the building's past here. As for the future of Lucky Cheng's space, the owners of Indochine and the new Acme have designs for an Asian-style restaurant-club space. Read about all that here.

Fall Friday flashback: Vikings continued to make ancestors proud during pub crawl

On Fridays this fall, and probably winter and spring and... we'll post one of the 12,000-plus EVG, uh, posts from yesteryear, like this one, from Nov. 20, 2009...

----------


Thanks to OthelloNYC for providing the above photo on Avenue A from last Saturday's Viking pub crawl in the neighborhood. As Othello wrote, "You forgot about chanting 'Flight of the Valkyries,' and ending up being in an outdoor police lineup, and fun times like this."

Indeed.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The viking age: "They were grabbing people off the sidewalk and pulling them into their revelry of yo-ho! and woo-hoo!"

Pika laid to rest

Pika's loved one's laid him or her to rest here on East Seventh Street ... not far from McSorley's ... Seems like an honorable place to bury a hamster. Photo by Andrew Adam Newman on Ave C.

East Village sunrise

I've been up and out with the sun the past two days. Photo opp! The view from St. Mark's Place...

... and East Third Street...

Expecting more of the same tomorrow morning around 6:44...

Today in photos of a casket on St. Mark's Place

Between First Avenue and Avenue A ... via EVG regular Bayou...

Any guesses why this is here? Washed up with Sandy? Artistic statement on the plight of the neighborhood? Pub crawl? Happy hour special? So many possibilities.

Meanwhile, at everyone's favorite local post office branch...

Via EVG reader Mike at the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office on East 14th Street... where he simply wanted to buy a stamp.

The windows were closed. No Internet, per the sign.

Well, just use a machine.

"Nope, the wall machines weren't working either. And they got rid of (probably a while ago) the simpler, dumber (i.e., not Internet-connected) machines that just took money and dispensed stamps."

Anyone around working?

"The only thing open was the line to hand out held packages. And, of course, there wasn't another employee to be seen, even after repeatedly knocking on the door to the back room."

Previously on EV Grieve:
Today in rants: the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office

11th Street A-B-C Block Association opposing incoming 7-Eleven; eyeing future developments

[From August]

The following is a synopsis of last night's 11th Street A-B-C Block Association meeting...

By Matt Amoroso

At Father’s Heart Ministries church last night, approximately 50 attendees comprised largely of 11th Street residents discussed strategies and action items regarding the incoming 7-Eleven on the corner of Ave. A and 11th St., the pending luxury development in the Mary Help of Christians lot as well as the proposed construction of a social services building at 535 E. 11th St.

While the discussion centered on East 11th Street and parts of Avenue A, the fact was not lost on the room that these development concerns are symptomatic not only of the greater East Village neighborhood but also the rest of Manhattan.

Despite the presence of several issues on the docket, the incoming 7-Eleven stood out as the hot-button topic of the evening. The consensus in the room largely acknowledged: the 11th St. Block Association opposes the 7-Eleven, and there is not much the members of the 11th St. Block Association can do to stop this particular location from opening.

In a majority decision, the Block Association voted to oppose outright the opening of this 7-Eleven, and in the failure of that attempt, to push for a list of agreed upon concessions from the local 7-Eleven owner or the landlord. Those concessions included:

• Reduced evening/late night hours
• Reduction in lights and signature signage
• Noise control
• Entrance on Ave. A only
• Enforcement of loitering laws
• Possible security guard
• Limits to the sale of alcohol
• Keeping the door closed at all times

In addition to “Is this really happening?”, the pressing question for most attendees was “What can we do about it?” Aside from a general boycott, the attendees suggested numerous courses of action to accomplish the above goals. The most feasible and effective suggestions centered upon utilizing legislative channels through elected or soon-to-be-elected officials to gain notoriety for the grievances of the block and East Village overall.

Other ideas included: social media engagement and petitioning, flyering, picketing, NY media engagement, and research into the existence of any public funding going into construction.

Despite the clear opposition to the incoming 7-Eleven, several residents noted that this franchise would solve the often-voiced problems associated with the (now-closed) bars on the street, including Bar on A and Angels and Kings. In addition, if this 7-Eleven were not to open, then another bar would surely fill the void (if not out of spite from the landlord).

No love was lost in the room for the much-maligned real-estate developer Ben Shaoul, who owns the building housing the future 7-Eleven as well as the Mary Help of Christians lot.

It remained reluctantly clear to the attendees that there is not much that can legally stop a private owner from developing businesses or luxury condos on his property. One can only hope for community engagement, elected official support, and a little bit of luck to turn the tide in the East Village and Manhattan as a whole.

As community leader Rob Hollander reminded everyone: “The law couldn’t stop Robert Moses, but Jane Jacobs did.”

Author’s note: There were many great ideas and viewpoints expressed during the meeting that couldn’t make it into the above story due to time and space. I encourage people to add anything that was left out in the comments section!

Matt Amoroso is the Co-Editor of The Stark Online.

Free legal assistance for Hurricane Sandy victims today

Today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Haven Plaza ... East 12th Street and Szold Place...

[Click image to enlarge]

Image via Matt LES_Miserable

85 Second Ave. is for sale

We spotted the listing for 85 Second Ave. the other day. We were waiting for more details. So far, though — there's not much posted about the five-floor building at East Fifth Street.

Per CitySites, there are three apartments in the building... as well as the retail tenant, BareBurger, which spans two floors. Asking price: $7.8 million.

The storefront was once home to neighborhood nemesis Sin Sin.

[EVG file photo]

Hyatt Union Square is now opening Jan. 2; and where's the the hydroponic bamboo garden?

One of our favorite five-years-in the-making developments, the Hyatt Union Square, now has an official opening date of Jan. 2, per the Hyatt Union Square website.

Earlier estimates put the opening around Nov. 15 here at Fourth Avenue and East 13th Street.

Which explains why there's still no sign of the hydroponic bamboo garden and halo!

Test drilling at the former Mary Help of Christians lot

A work crew was in the Mary Help of Christians lot yesterday on Avenue A and East 11th Street ... hanging out with a Davey Drill and testing water levels and the composition of the soil ... steps to take before any development can go up here... whatever that may be... stay tuned.

Photos by Bobby Williams.

Previously.

Say hello to Jupiter 21 at the former Mars Bar (for real)

[Oct. 20]

So the new apartment complex that's rising at the former home of the Mars Bar on Second Avenue and East First Street has a name — Jupiter 21.

[Pause]

Jupiter 21.

That's per the official news release that went out yesterday... Curbed had the details:

The building will ultimately have 65 units: 13 affordable condos, 52 market-rate studio through two-bedroom rentals, and two commercial condos. Nine of those affordable condos "have been reserved for the tenants of the original buildings displaced by the new construction" ...

Jupiter 21.

Can you think of a worse name for a building here? Maybe something with Uranus?

Previously.

Here's a blackout-friendly apartment with a fireplace on St. Mark's Place

Seems appealing at the moment — fireplace and all ... though this "junior" one bedroom at 42 St. Mark's Place is going for $2,850. Per the listing:

This classic NY apartment on St. Marks Place has several exposed brick walls with a wood burning fireplace. It provides outstanding light, 11 foot ceilings and an open layout. Your bathroom has been renovated in a clean and contemporary style while the loft style bedroom offers you the best night sleep.

There's an open house tonight from 6-7. Bring a log. Stay awhile.

R.A. Dickey's trip to Tompkins Square Park propelled him to win the Cy Young Award, maybe

Back in May, New York Mets knuckleballer (and all-around-nice-guy) R.A. Dickey was in Tompkins Square Park to watch people throw Wiffle balls and stuff.

Today, he won the National League Cy Young Award, the first knuckleball pitcher to ever receive the honor.

What saved his season and put him in the all-time record books?

Tompkins Square Park, of course.

The stats back this up sort of.

At the time of his visit to the East Village, his record was 3-1 with a not-so-great 4.45 era.

Since then, he went 17-5, and lowered his era to 2.73.

What do you think it is about the Park that turns journeymen pitchers into Cy Young winners?

Previously on EV Grieve:
Allright meat, show him your heat

Reports: Hurricane Sandy damages bike-share program equipment; more delays?

[Citi Bike NYC]

There are multiple published reports this afternoon that Hurricane Sandy has likely added another delay to the city's already-delayed bike-share program. Per the Post:

Bikes and electronic docking components for the program are being stored in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, which took on four to six feet of water during the storm surge two weeks ago.

Officials at the Transportation Department say they are now "assessing" the damage.

They won't say if the first of 10,000 street bikes that were supposed to hit the streets starting in March will be rolled out on schedule.

The Times has more details here.

First sign of the incoming 7-Eleven on Avenue A

For a few months now, people have been talking about the 7-Eleven coming to the corner of Avenue A and East 11th Street... in the space previously occupied by Bar on A and Angels & Kings... workers even told residents as much.

Still, despite plenty of evidence, nothing at the DOB actually said 7-Eleven. (There was mention of a "convenience store.")

Anyway, paperwork went through today to "ERECT NON-ILLUMINATED NON-ADVERTISING AWNING ON WALL. 12 SQ FT COPY TO READ STRIPE 7-ELEVEN."

On this topic... a reminder about tonight's meeting where the supersize 7-Eleven is sure to be discussed...

Block Association Meeting
Wednesday, November 14, 7 pm
@ Father's Heart Ministries
545 E 11th St

Anyone living on 11th Street is a member of the 11th Street A-B-C Block Association.

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning Edition

[Outside Elsewhere Espresso on East Sixth St. via a special EVG correspondent]

13 new hotels on the way for the Lower East Side (The Lo-Down)

Selling off Lucky Cheng's — and dibs on the tiki canoe! (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

Cleaning out SoHo Billiards on East Houston (BoweryBoogie)

The 'gentle poet' of the Lower East Side slums (Ephemeral New York)

A week in the life of the Northern Spy owner post-Sandy (The Huffington Post)

Looking at a boarded up South Street Seaport (The Gog Log)

Last call for Hogs N' Heifers? (Eater)

A review of Calliope begins: 'The southern blocks of the East Village aren't the dreamiest destination for leisurely dining (see: NYU pubs) ... (The Wall Street Journal)

Someone stole this bike on Second Avenue this morning

From the EV Grieve inbox...

My bike was stolen today ...

Stolen outside The Bean on 3rd Street and 2nd Avenue
Time: 10:45am
Date: Wednesday, November 14th

Model: Linus, Dover 1 single speed
Color: Black
Details: Silver basket (that's a pre-basket photo above)

Anyone with info... or if you spot it on Craigslist... we'll contact the owner... let us know via the EV Grieve email

And the bike was locked...

[Updated] Rebreaking! Union Market opens this morning at 10:30 today at noon

On East Houston and Avenue A... Photo and info via EVG regular samo...

Been a long time coming. The signs went up for the space on Feb. 4, 2011, as we first reported.

Previously.

UPDATED. Hold on! Via @IansTweets ... it's now a noon opening!

Everything that you've ever wanted to know about the new benches outside Starbucks on First Avenue

CB3's Transportation & Public Safety/Environment Committee meets tonight at 6:30 ... and on the agenda:

• "Starbucks Coffee (Starbucks Corp), 1st Ave and E 3rd Street – new revocable consent to install, maintain and use 4 benches on the sidewalks of the southwest corner of 1st Ave and E 3rd Street"

The Starbucks here in the former Bean space opened back in February. There have been a few temporary-looking benches in the meantime (like the ones in the photo above!) ...

The CB3 website has a PDF with all the detailed details about the new benches.

Here's a look at what's coming.

I'm a little surprised that they're not going with the HDA -TR 30-M16x190/60 expansion bolt. The HDA -TR 22-M12x125/50 only has an embed depth of 125 mm. Oh well.

But on a serious note. Any thoughts on permanent benches here?