Week in Grieview

Posts from this past week include... (and thanks to Derek Berg for the photo from Tompkins Square Park)

• The latest from the fire-damaged Middle Collegiate Church: the New York Liberty Bell survives (Monday)

• It snowed! (Thursday ... and Thursday) 

• Lovewild Design debuts on Avenue C (Friday) 

• Report of a small fire inside the empty P.S. 64 building on 9th Street (Thursday)

• NY AG: Madison Realty Capital to pay more than $1 million for victims of fraud and tenant harassment (Wednesday) 

• Celebrating 41 years of the Pyramid Club (Tuesday)

• Gallery Watch: In the Woods by Sally Saul at Rachel Uffner Gallery (Wednesday) 

• Theater in Quarantine presents a world premiere from an East Village closet (Monday) 

• East Village bars and restaurants temporarily close down again (Tuesday) 

• Restoring the Blondie mural on Bleecker and the Bowery (Monday) 

• A new look (and name!) for the East Village Neighbors Fridge (Friday) 

• Workers clear lot ahead of new-building construction on 6th Street and Avenue C (Wednesday) 

• A visit to Stoned Gourmet Cannabis Pizza (Friday) 

• New York Sal's Pizza bringing slices to 14th Street (Monday) 

• This week's NY See panel (Thursday) 

• Break ins at A break in at Kolkata Chai Cafe (Tuesday) and East Village Finest Deli (Wednesday)

• Rapid COVID-19 testing center opening on the Bowery (Monday)

• Steel structure for new Houston Street office building continues ascent (Monday) 

• Here then, the renovated 84 2nd Ave. (Tuesday) 

• Sanitation worker spares snowman's life on 7th Street! (Thursday) 

• Former Finnerty's space for rent on 2nd Avenue (Monday)

And remember...

... and this too! (Thanks Delphine for the photo!) ...

---

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

EVG Etc.: Crowdfunding for B&H Dairy; Selling off Gem Spa

Photo by Derek Berg

 

• Two East Village businesses detail their retail struggles (ABC 7) 

• Jacqueline Lewis, senior minister at Middle Collegiate Church, which was destroyed by fire on Dec. 5, talks about celebrating Christmas in 2020 (WNYC ... previously on EVG)

• B&H Dairy on Second Avenue is in danger of closing again (GoFundMe) 

• The great Cozy Soup 'n' Burger on Broadway at Astor Place could use some business too (Official site)

• Gem Spa is auctioning off its sign, rolldown gate, etc. (Official site ... previously on EVG) 

• Investigation: NYPD used excessive force during George Floyd protests (Gothamist) 

• New York State doing its best to permanently shutter restaurants (NBC 4)

• Second-generation Chinese New Yorkers are trying to help businesses in Chinatown establish an online presence and adapt to the pandemic (Gothamist) 

• The future of independent theater (B&B)

• A food vendor on 14th Street — in 1904 (Ephemeral New York) 

• 10 punk Christmas songs (Alternative Press)

• Diversions: The Stooges and the legend of "Metallic KO" (Dangerous Minds)

• And I appreciate Alex keeping the blogging spirit alive in this era of Substack, etc. He always has interesting posts. Give him a visit. (Flaming Pablum) 

Reaching the top at Zero Irving (aka tech hub)

Here's what is turning out to be a monthly look at 124 E. 14th St., aka Zero Irving (and formerly the Union Square Tech Training Center and 14 @ Irving ... and tech hub for life!) ... workers are apparently up to the tippy top here at Irving Place...

The latest Zero Irving e-newsletter (14th @ Irving Construction Update #36, and, by the way, #2 is already a collector's item) states the following updates:

Superstructure Concrete
The project’s superstructure contractor will be completing the 23rd floor slab the week of 9/7. They will continue to place stairs at the top of house, in addition to mechanical pads, curbs and the buildings parapets. Upon completion of this miscellaneous concrete the contractor will begin demobilization. This will include cocoon removal, removal of shoring and decking material and other demobilization tasks.

Cellar
The project’s electrical contractor is finishing installation of Switchgear Room equipment and feeder conduits in coordination with Con Ed’s site visits. End line boxes will be completed, along with overhead conduits throughout the cellar. Con Ed is anticipated to complete their pulls and tie-ins to switch gear room. The project is expecting permanent power by October 2020.

General Site
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 on the 23rd floor. 

The newsletter makes mention of the 23rd floor. The official press release about the project lists this as a 21-floor building. Other news stories mention 21 floors too. The work permit lists 22 floors. Perhaps this 23rd floor mentioned is bulkhead-related. 

The 21-23-story 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 and state-of-the-art event space ... on the seven floors beneath," per the Zero Irving announcement issued last October. Food-hall specialists Urban­Space officially signed the lease for 10,000 square feet on the ground level last month.

The new building — long contested by local preservationists and community groups (see links below) — sits on the former site of a P.C. Richard & Son on city-owned property.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• Behold Civic Hall, the high-tech future of Union Square — and NYC

• Speaking out against a 'Silicon Alley' in this neighborhood

• City Council unanimously approves tech hub; some disappointment in lack of zoning protections 

• The conversation continues on the now-approved tech hub for 14th Street

• P.C. Richard is gone on 14th Street; preservationists want answers about tech-hub commitments

Week in Grieview

[Tompkins Square Park this morning]

Posts this last week included...

• Body of dismembered, decapitated man found inside residence on Houston and Suffolk (Tuesday) Reports: Police arrest former personal assistant in murder of tech CEO (Friday)

• The final days at I Need More, the late Jimmy Webb's rock 'n' roll boutique on the LES (Saturday)

• Bali Kitchen closes on Aug. 1: "COVID-19 was too much for us" (Thursday)

• Gemini Rosemont buys third parcel on 2nd Avenue for future development (Friday)

• Odessa's longtime manager says the diner is closing for good; co-owner later says they're just closing for renovations (Monday)

• The Russian & Turkish Baths have NOT permanently closed on 10th Street (Monday)

• New community coalition helping keep Avenue B safe for cyclists and pedestrians (Monday)

• These East Village streets are now part of the expanded Open Restaurants initiative (Saturday)

• Veeray Da Dhaba bringing the "authentic roadside cuisine of Punjab" to 1st Avenue (Tuesday)

• This week's NY See panel (Thursday)

• Checking in on Pause Cafe (Thursday)

• Flashback Friday: Take a virtual tour of the Brant Foundation's Basquiat exhibit from 2019 (Friday)

• Report of a fire at 67 Avenue D (Wednesday)

• Retail space at 4 St. Mark's Place, onetime home of Trash & Vaudeville, is for rent again (Wednesday)

• Stranded Records is back open (Friday)

• INA NYC closes 13th Street outpost (Wednesday)

• On 2nd thought, C&B finishes its curbside seating with the help of the DOT (Tuesday)

• Mystery dig behind the St. Brigid School (Wednesday)

• Shell shock! Lost turtles return to La Plaza Cultural (Wednesday)

• Calling out a plant thief on 7th Street (Thursday)

• Oscar watch on 2nd Street (Monday)

• The new-look 151 Avenue A (Thursday)

• Formerly interesting new business closes on 1st Avenue and 14th Street (Monday)

• The Standard East Village sets reopening date (Monday)

... and as seen on Avenue B at East Houston...


[Photo by Vinny & O]

---

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

New community coalition helping keep Avenue B safe for cyclists and pedestrians

[Via @loisaida_oscc]

You may have noticed a few changes along the Open Street of Avenue B... this is courtesy of the newly formed Loisaida Open Streets Community Coalition, described as "a community-led program providing safe, socially distanced recreation for our neighborhood."

For starters, volunteers have painted and repaired some of the barriers that are up along the Avenue from Sixth Street to 14th Street daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ...




[Top 2 photos by Stacie Joy]





The group has launched a Twitter and Instagram account...

As the newly formed Loisaida Open Streets Community Coalition, we believe this should be a community-led program providing safe, socially distanced recreation for our neighborhood. pic.twitter.com/RiCfc7yzG3

— Loisaida Open Streets Community Coalition (@Loisaida_OSCC) July 9, 2020

... where you can learn about upcoming events... and receive news alerts...

🚨Barrier protection alert!🚨 Strong winds today—please dismantle and set any barriers you see out today on Avenue B to the side, not blocking building entrances, with legs stacked behind crossbars to keep them from getting blown around. Safety first!

— Loisaida Open Streets Community Coalition (@Loisaida_OSCC) July 10, 2020

If you're interested in volunteering to be an Avenue B Open Streets Ambassador, you can find a sign-up sheet here.

The city announced the Open Street plan in late May to help residents safely get some fresh air while social distancing. As we've noted, people have hidden or vandalized the barricades or they've been clipped by motorists or the FDNY...





A related item of interest... tomorrow (Tuesday night!), CB3's Transportation, Public Safety, & Environment Committee will hear the following item — FDNY: Fire safety concerns regarding Avenue B Open Street.

Here's the meeting info:

Tuesday, July 14 at 6:30 p.m.
Online: https://zoom.us/j/97511826911
By Phone: +1 646 518 9805, +1 929 205 6099
Meeting ID: 975 1182 6911

Updated: Streetsblog has a post on this story here.

[Updated] Police barricades continue sad existence on Avenue B Open Streets

Readers continue to note the sad state of the Open Street concept on Avenue B between Sixth Street and 14th Street. Since the last post on Friday, the police barricades meant to block off the Avenue to through traffic from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. aren't faring so well.

The barricade was smashed and discarded on Ninth and B. The one at Eighth Street is hanging on...



The one at Seventh Street was clipped by a fire truck this weekend...





And someone dragged one of the pieces about 50 yards to the east on Seventh Street...



And at Sixth Street...



The city announced the Open Street plan in late May to help residents safely get some fresh air while social distancing.

Updated 1 p.m.

Via the 9th Precinct...

Thanks for the calls and messages regarding the barriers on Avenue B needing to be replaced to ensure safety while the open space is being utilized. The replacement should be up today. Thanks for your patience!#EastVillage #NYC pic.twitter.com/08NKtxE3QK

— NYPD 9th Precinct (@NYPD9Pct) June 21, 2020

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

A look at last night's damage along 2nd Avenue

Yesterday's mostly peaceful protests turned ugly last night, as demonstrators broke windows along Second Avenue and Broadway, and set fire to multiple police vehicles around Union Square.

Citywide, NBC 4 reported that 345 people were arrested and 33 police officers injured as the protestors and cops clashed late night around several different hotspots, including Union Square.

Along Second Avenue between Houston and 14th Street, windows of each bank branch were smashed ... as well as at the Verizon store and Urban Outfitters. Bus stops and LinkNYC kiosks were also vandalized. In addition, trash cans were upturned and tossed into Second Avenue. There were also reports of several mattress fires ...
















[Photo by Steven]


[TD Bank at 1st Street via Stacie Joy]

Smaller businesses were also hit: The front windows were broken at Kona Coffee and Company between Third Street and Fourth Street, The Gray Mare between Third Street and Fourth Street, Plant Food & Wine at Fourth Street, Cooper's Craft & Kitchen at Fifth Street, Le Fournil Bakery at Seventh Street and B&H between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place.

The protests, which took place in all five boroughs, were in response to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis while in police custody.




[St. Mark's Place]

Updating: Coronavirus-related closures and suspensions in the East Village

[Sanitizer shelves at Rite Aid on 1st Avenue via Stacie Joy]

Here's the start of a list (March 13) of coronavirus-related closures or suspended activities in the East Village. We'll continue to update as more announcements are made. Send any relevant info to this email. Find the bars-restaurants listing at this link.

Updated 5 a.m. 3/16: Mayor de Blasio has announced that restaurants, bars and cafes will only be allowed to serve only take-out and delivery starting 9 a.m. on 3/17.

---

• All New York Public Library events and programs are cancelled through March 31. However, the neighborhood branches — Ottendorfer, Tompkins Square and Hamilton Fish — will remain open. Updated: All public libraries will now be closed from March 14 through at least March 31.

• The Cooper Union Library is now closed through March 22.

• The the 14th Street Y is now closed for at least a week.

• The Brant Foundation, 421 E. Sixth St., is closed indefinitely. More info here.

• The Pyramid Club, 101 Avenue A, is closed until further notice.

• Howl! Happening, 6 E. First St., is closed until further notice.

• The Anthology Film Archives, 32 Second Ave., has suspended all screenings for the rest of March, effective immediately.

• New York Theatre Workshop, 79 E. Fourth St., is suspending all public programming for 31 days, effective immediately.

• All public events and performances of shows at La MaMa are suspended as of tomorrow (March 13) until further notice.

• Bowery Ballroom has is rescheduling its slate of shows through the end of the month.

• Webster Hall on 11th Street is closed until further notice.

• Mercury Lounge on East Houston is rescheduling its slate of shows though March.

• The annual Zoroastrian Fire Jumping Event, set to take place March 17 in Sarah Roosevelt Park, has been cancelled this year.

• The Swiss Institute on Second Avenue and St. Mark's Place exhibitions has put a hold on all public programs and education workshops effective immediately.

• The Ukrainian Museum on Sixth Street is closing its galleries and discontinuing all programs until further notice.

• Events at the Third Street Music School are currently postponed.

• Nublu and Nublu Classic on Avenue C are closed for the weekend.

• The Bhakti Center at 25 First Ave. has suspended all public events, including weekly yoga classes and all other workshops, until March 27.

• Fun City Tattoo on St. Mark's Place is now closed through March 28.

• Alongside Abrons Arts Center, the East Village Dance Project has suspended group classes until at least March 29. They're experimenting now with holding virtual sessions.

• Academy Records at 415 12th St. closes indefinitely after 3/15. They'll still be selling records via Instagram and Discogs.

• Mast Books at 72 Avenue A is closed for now.


[Photo by Steven]

• Spark Pretty, 333 E. Ninth St.

• City Fun Shop, 45 First Ave.

• The Strand, 828 Broadway

• Exit9 Gift Emporium, 51 Avenue A

• Downtown Yarns, 45 Avenue A

• Turntable Lab, 84 E. 10th St. (You can shop online there!)

Week in Grieview

[Seen at Basics Plus on 3rd Avenue yesterday]

Posts this last week included...

• Updating: Coronavirus-related closures and suspensions in the East Village (Friday)

• Updating: Temporary East Village restaurant closings (Friday)

• The Archdiocese of New York cancels church service (Saturday)

• An East Village inventory check (Saturday)

• Checking in on Book Club Bar (Sunday)

• Report of a fire at 138 1st Ave. (Saturday)

• A visit to Russo’s Mozzarella & Pasta (Wednesday)

• Ray celebrates his 87th birthday (Tuesday)

• Bronx Brewery opening an East Village outpost on 2nd Avenue this fall (Thursday)

• Xi'an Famous Foods has closed on St. Mark's Place (Monday)

• First hint of future development at the current home of B Bar & Grill (Thursday)

• Bali Kitchen is back in action, but only on Saturdays and Sundays (Tuesday)

• 130 E. 7th St. sells for more than $20 million (Tuesday)

• More 99-cent pizza for Avenue A; plus hot dog (Wednesday)

• Sally Beauty is now open on 14th Street (Monday)

• Cantilevering condoplex finally reaches the top at 75 1st Ave. (Monday)

• The former Hot Kitchen space is for rent (Thursday)

• Sexyflow moves on from Avenue A (Thursday)

• Resurfacing the sullied sidewalk on 1st Avenue and St. Mark's Place (Tuesday)

• The new-look 107 Avenue C (Wednesday)

• Doctor, doctor: Medical office set for this 3rd Avenue storefront (Tuesday)

• Land of Buddha now open on St. Mark's Place (Monday)

• Bank of America makes it official on East Houston (Monday)

... and longtime East Village resident Daniel Carlson shared these photos from Thursday...







---

Follow EVG on Instragram or Twitter for more frequent updates

Week in Grieview

[Entrance to the 14th Street flea market via Bruce Beschner‎]

• Carlina Rivera states her opposition over plan to transfer air rights for new St. Mark's Place office building (Thursday)

• Officially on egg watch now in Tompkins Square Park (Saturday)

• Coffee time: New counter space coming to Gem Spa (Friday)

• A moment with Wayne Diamond as he checks out "The Wayne Diamond" at Russo's (Wednesday)

• Ralph's Famous Italian Ices & Ice Cream coming to Avenue A (Tuesday)


[Photo on 2nd Avenue by Derek Berg]

• SMØR now open for dinner on 12th Street (Wednesday)

• Why the playground at P.S. 19 has been closed for community use (Friday)

• Another fire at 204 E. 13th St. (Monday)

• The state's plastic bag ban is NOW in effect (Sunday)

• Suki is moving to a larger space around the corner (Monday)

• Half Gallery debuts on 4th and B (Saturday)

• More of the explosion site condoplex comes into view at 45 E. 7th St. (Monday)

• Former PS 64 not subject to the city’s new crackdown on deteriorating buildings (Tuesday)

• Heavy lifting at the future tech hub (Monday)

• Breaking the internet 1995 style at the Anthology Film Archives (Thursday)

• "The Icon variable" (Friday)

• Queens of the Street group art show opens on 11th Street (Friday)

• Prince Tea House announces its arrival on 10th Street (Tuesday)

• Time for the Life Time signage on Cooper Square (Thursday)

• The Marshal seizes the former Hot Kitchen space (Monday)

• That Duane Reade by Walgreens closed on 10th and 3rd (Monday)


[Everyone's favorite Almodovar film]

---

Follow EVG on Instragram or Twitter

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]

---

Follow EVG on Instragram or Twitter

Fat Buddha reopens after early spring fire upstairs

Fat Buddha is back in business (soft open was on Oct. 18) over at 212 Avenue A between 13th Street and 14th Street.



The bar-lounge had been closed since March 29 when a fire tore through an apartment on the third floor of 505 E. 13th St. at Avenue A.

The fire caused extensive damage to this retail space, as the owners documented on Instagram.