1st LinkNYC kiosk arrives on St. Mark's Place

This blessed event happened yesterday just west of Second Avenue near the former 7-Eleven.

Previously

So now you're thinking about getting a pair of solar eclipse glasses

Several people have asked if I knew anyplace in the East Village where one can buy solar eclipse glasses.

You need a pair of the special glasses, of course, to safely view the big event Monday afternoon. In NYC, we'll have a partial solar eclipse — about 70 percent of the sun will be covered when the moon passes directly between the sun and the Earth, as I cut and pasted.

Anyway, I have no idea where you can buy glasses here. (You're welcome!) This list of reputable vendors via NASA mentions 7-Eleven as an authorized nationwide dealer, among many others, such as Best Buy. For the sake of research, I stopped in the Avenue A 7-Eleven. The clerk had no idea what I was talking about.

Other articles mention that public libraries nationwide have them. Perhaps, but not around here...

We are very sorry, dears, but we have no eclipse glasses. 😎😎 #avagardner #solareclipse #libraries

A post shared by Tompkins Square Library (@tompkins_square_library) on Aug 17, 2017 at 2:22pm PDT

Has anyone seen a store selling the glasses in the East Village? This article at Curbed lists several places in NYC with glasses, such as B&H (the photography shop on Ninth Avenue, not the diner on Second Avenue) and Adorama on 18th Street.

As for particulars on Monday, via the NYC Parks Department:

The best time to view the eclipse is between 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. (weather permitting). The actual event occurs at 2:44 p.m. The eclipse will last only three minutes, so be prepared!

And etc. etc.: The last time the United States experienced a coast-to-coast total solar eclipse was 1918. After Monday, the next coast-to-coast total solar eclipse is due on Aug. 12, 2045, which coincides with Webster Hall's reopening.

In closing, please protect your retinas if you view the eclipse in any of these recommended Parks.


[Spurgeon Tanner!]

And because there are so many good songs with "sun" in the title...

Retail space at 347 Bowery sells for $20 million

A transaction from last week to note... in which developer Urban Muse sold the 8,400-square-foot commercial space at the base of 347 Bowery for $20.3 million, according to The Real Deal.

This is the two-level, bank-branch looking storefront at Third Street...



No word on a tenant (or tenants!) for the space. And no mention of the rent at RKF.

The listing notes:

"With a mix of luxury contemporary fashion labels, high-end dining options and influential neighbors, the area is a perfectly curated mix of downtown cool and cultured sophistication."

The listing does not divulge that this retail opportunity is directly next door to a 7-Eleven.



The Annabelle Selldorf-designed 13-story luxury building features five stacked town homes.

Own Olympic snowboarding champ Shaun White's A Building condo

Shaun White, the two-time Olympic gold-medalist snowboarder, is selling his penthouse condo over at the A Building on 13th Street, the Post reports.

Here's the listing for the unit (NOT the one that had the slide) in Ben Shaoul's pool-topped condoplex between Avenue A and First Avenue via Citi Habitats:

Come inside this stunning and south facing Two bedroom Two and one half bathroom sunlit highly coveted penthouse at the A building. Floor to ceiling windows and soaring 12 foot+ ceilings with open layout provide downtown views and beautiful sunrises on your private patio. The building is a full service luxury doorman building with fully equipped rooftop including a vibrant pool scene, gym, and garden. Modern finishes throughout the apartment combined with an abundance of natural light are sure to impress.

The Real Deal notes that the unit last sold for $2.9 million in 2014. Presumably White has owned it since then. (Not sure how much time he actually spent there.)

Current asking price: $2.79 million.

Previously on EV Grieve:
People apparently love the condo with the giant metal slide, according to article about how much people love the condo with the giant metal slide

Your chance to stand in line outside a 7-Eleven to meet Shaun White today

Bricks and penthouses come into view at Steiner East Village

Just a periodic update after our weekend walk through Steinertown on Avenue A between 11th Street and 12th Street ... more and more of the bricks of the 7-story, 82-unit building called Steiner East Village come into view...



...and from the 12th Street side (developer Douglas Steiner's condoplex is officially at 438 E. 12th St) ....



The building features homes starting at $1.1 million... with the 4-bedroom penthouse with 1,364 square feet of terraces that was asking $11.25 million. Amenities in Stei Town include a 24-hour lobby concierge, 50-foot long pool, spa, gym, library, playroom, parking and, in some cases, views of a 7-Eleven.

Steiner bought the former Mary Help of Christians property in 2012 from the Archdiocese of New York for $41 million.

Previously

50 Avenue A is no longer a Citibank branch

About 20 minutes after the Citibank branch shut down operations yesterday at 50 Avenue A, workers began removing the signage here between Third Street and Fourth Street...

Workers continued to haul out the remains of the bank branch today... while telling customers that they need to go to the Seward Park branch on Grand Street for banking business...



There is also a Citibank ATM inside the 7-Eleven on Avenue A at 11th Street (and a branch on First Avenue in Stuy Town)...



Previously on EV Grieve:
The Citibank branch on Avenue A is closing

New broker for former 7-Eleven space on St. Mark's Place

The 7-Eleven at 37 St. Mark's Place at Second Avenue closed at the end of November 2013. And the storefront has been empty ever since... there's now a new broker for the retail space. (The listing isn't online just yet at Walter-Samuels.)

A few of the storefronts here in the corner building have sat empty since late 2011. (RIP Timi's Gelateria Classica™.)

However, there will be a new tenant soon enough next to the former 7-Eleven with the arrival of 98 Favor Taste, which will specialize in traditional Korean-style barbecue and Chinese hot pot meals

Steiner East Village's place in the NYC condo market

[Photo from Saturday]

The New York Times checked in yesterday with a piece on the NYC condo market... while the market for $100 million mansions in high rises along 57th Street may have vanished, "sales at the other end of the new development market have been brisk."

Prominently mentioned in the article is Steiner East Village, developer Douglas Steiner's condoplex rising on Avenue A at 12th Street. Not exactly giving it away here. The 7-story, 82-unit building officially at 438 E. 12th St. features homes starting at $1.1 million... with the 4-bedroom penthouse with 1,364 square feet of terraces that's asking $11.25 million.

[W]hile prices in the building, which average $2,100 a square foot, are hardly a bargain in the East Village, which has very little new development, they can seem inviting compared with other downtown neighborhoods. [Broker Fredrik] Eklund said the building has drawn a number of buyers from the West Village and TriBeCa, some of the most expensive areas in the city, where inventory under $5 million is hard to come by.

“I think we’re setting a new high market for condos in the East Village, but compared to the rest of downtown, people understand that they’re getting a value for Manhattan,” said Douglas C. Steiner, the chairman of Steiner NYC.

Amenities in Stei Town include a 24-hour lobby concierge, 50-foot long pool, spa, gym, library, playroom, parking and, in some cases, views of a 7-Eleven.

Meanwhile at 7-Eleven on Avenue A...

The location at East 11th Street is participating in the Slurpee's 50th birthday.

For a limited time, there's a new birthday cake-flavored Slurpee ... as well as a Birthday Cake Slurpee donut and Slurpee-flavored Chapstick.

Slurpee Week begins tomorrow, FYI.

Not sure if the location on 14th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue has the special Slurpee products. A reader shared this flyer on the door...

Verizon Wireless closes for good on 2nd Avenue

The Verizon Wireless on Second Avenue at St. Mark's Place has closed up shop, EVG correspondent Steven notes.

The storefront looks to be in the process of being cleaned out...



This Verizon outlet opened in September 2013, taking over the space from Cohen's Optical. This building seems to have a tough time holding on to retail tenants, such as DF Mavens and 7-Eleven. However, the owner of 99 Favor Taste is bringing Korean-style barbecue and Chinese hot pot to two of the empty storefronts on the St. Mark's side.

As for the Verizon, the space once housed in part the St Mark's Cinema... as seen here in "Moscow on the Hudson" with Robin Williams from 1984...



The cinema closed in 1985.

'Concrete blowout' at Broadway condo project damages neighboring building

At 809 Broadway, where workers are adding a 10-story addition to the former Blatt Billiards building, a "concrete blowout" during construction on March 11 has caused "extensive damage" to the adjacent property where residents have been forced from their homes, according to city records.



According to the DOB, there are four Stop Work Order complaints for 809 Broadway, including one for "work does not conform to approved construction documents."



Next door, at this building between East 11th Street and East 12th Street, a a Partial Vacate Order remains in effect. Residents have not been allowed back into the building since the construction accident. (City documents show that contractors were admitted inside to remove personal effects for the tenants.) In addition, the 7-Eleven on the ground floor remains closed.





Property records show that Ben Shaoul's Magnum Real Estate is the owner of the damaged 813 Broadway, where the rentals feature four and five bedrooms that range in price from $7,000 to $10,000 a month, via Streeteasy listings.

A neighbor says that residents at 813 won't likely be able to return for at least two more weeks.

809 Broadway was the longtime home until 2013 to Blatt Billiards, a pool table manufacturer that had owned and occupied the building since 1972. Blatt principals Ronald Blatt and Bruce Roeder reportedly sold the building to a buyer who was identified only as 809 Broadway Holding LLC.

The Commercial Observer noted last July that 809 Broadway Holding LLC "is a partnership of three private investors led by its principal Ariel Rom." New York-based IDM Capital is the project's development manager, per the Observer.

There are approved permits on file to boost the height of the 55-foot building to 199 feet, adding 10 stories to the existing five-story structure. In total, the building will house 10 luxury condos, including one duplex and one triplex penthouse on the top floors.

Here are renderings via ODA-Architecture...





The construction incident at 809 Broadway sounds similar to what occurred in 2012 at 133 Third Ave., where workers accidentally sent wet concrete oozing through a wall and into an the NYU dorm next door on East 14th Street. The owner of the building that NYU leases the dorm from subsequently sued to halt the project. The 16-story residential building has remained dormant since the accident. Recently approved amendments to work permits suggest that constructions will resume again here.

Thank you to EVG reader Mitchell Schneider for the tip and photos

Week in Grieview

[Curbside check-in on Avenue A via Derek Berg]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

Police looking for four suspects in random East 11th Street attack (Tuesday ... Saturday)

Former tattoo shop will now house the Cupcake Market on East Seventh Street (Monday)

14th and C still waiting for its Karl Fischer-designed retail-residential complex (Wednesday)

A souvenir Russian Souvenirs sign heads to Queens (Monday)

New owners of building that housed Lucky Cheng's looking to attract restaurant group (Thursday)

Trash & Vaudeville now open on East Seventh Street (Saturday)

197 E. 3rd St. is for sale (Tuesday)

For rent sign arrives at the Stage (Wednesday)

The Ricky's on First Avenue has closed (Thursday)

Out and About with Shari Albert (Wednesday)

Ess-A-Bagel will be opening one of these days (Monday)

About Lucky, a new bar opening on Avenue B (Friday)

Selling off the former Nevada Smiths (Monday)

Here's 21E12, the condoplex coming to the former Bowlmor Lanes space (Friday)

East Village to be home to a Tim Burton-themed bar (Thursday)

Vape shop casualty as East Second Street storefront arrives on rental market (Wednesday)

Puck Fair closing on March 27 (Tuesday)

Teavana closes ahead of conversion into a Starbucks on Broadway (Friday)

Full liquor license arrives for Nicoletta (Monday)

(Unauthorized) support for Donald Trump at the Starbucks on First Avenue (Thursday)

Someone tagged the Keith Haring sculpture outside 51 Astor Place (Wednesday)

Bagel belly signage arrives (Monday)

Behold the newish Wild Cherry Slurpee® donut at the 7-Eleven on Avenue A (Thursday)

Airbnb films commercial on Avenue A; announces new website for complaints (Monday)

... and a moment with EV resident Phoebe Legere, enjoying a bowl of borscht at B&H Dairy...


[Photo by Andy Reynolds]

Noted, and noted

Behold the newish Wild Cherry Slurpee® donut at the 7-Eleven on Avenue A at East 11th Street.

EVG reader Riian Kant-McCormick noted earlier that there was not even a line for these. (Given how people wait in line for pastries and stuff around here.)

Not that they weren't selling. For reasons that we didn't inquire about, Riian returned (for the sake of the blog?) to the scene...



"We bought one of the remaining two. My friend described it as the worst donut that he ever had. It was pink and speckled red to the core. The cashier told us that if you buy a Slurpee® to dunk it in the donut would be free."

Reader report: Man throws trashcan into 7-Eleven's front window on Avenue A

Around 8:30 this morning, an EVG reader said that a man, who was believed to be homeless, threw a city trashcan into the front window of the 7-Eleven store on Avenue A and East 11th Street. His motive was unclear. Police were quickly on the scene, though it wasn't known if they had any suspects.

The storefronts for rent on the Bowery

Environment Furniture, which "creates timeless contemporary collections for the home that respect the planet," has been holding a going-out-of-business sale at its showroom on the Bowery between Great Jones and East Fourth Street. Now the storefront is for rent. (The listing isn't online at Ozymandius Realty.)

Meanwhile, there are plenty of other storefronts available nearby (in the few blocks between East Fourth and East Houston) on the Bowery ... such as the former Subway sandwich shop...



... and the spaces where PYT and SRO Pizza were...



...and Patricia Field's storefront... (Field is retiring from the boutique business after 50 years... the store's last day is Feb. 28.)



...and the now-closed Tatyana Boutique...



Also, just as an FYI...


[Photo by Margarita on Jan. 31]

Rock is either no longer dead... or it died... as the Rock is Dead? banner has been removed at the John Varvatos store...



Also, just as an FYI Part 2...

The newish Kenneth Cole shop on the Bowery at Bond was closed over the weekend after a pipe broke/burst...





...and the 7-Eleven at 351 Bowery between East Third Street and East Fourth Street was randomly closed yesterday for unspecified reasons...

Landlord Greed stickers on St. Mark's Place

Someone has placed Landlord Greed stickers on the long-empty storefronts at 37 St. Mark's Place and Second Avenue...





Some of the spaces have been without retail tenants since late 2011. Back in the fall, workers removed the for rent signs and papered the windows, given the impression that someone had leased the space. Guess not yet.

Thanks to EVG contributor Steven for the photos!

Previously on EV Grieve:
Timi's Gelateria Classica™ facing eviction on St. Mark's Place

[Updated] Baoguette Cafe still looks rather closed

A few more details about renting the former 7-Eleven space on St. Mark's Place

After nearly 4 years empty, 37 St. Mark's Place may be getting new retail tenants

Halloween reminders

If you're wearing a mask and want to enter the 7-Eleven on Avenue A and East 11th Street, then you will need to remove it before heading into the store, per the sign.

If you absolutely MUST keep the mask on while shopping at 7-Eleven, then head to the locations on East 14th Street near Second Avenue or the Bowery near East Third Street. Neither of those stores have the mask-off mandate.

After nearly 4 years empty, 37 St. Mark's Place may be getting new retail tenants

Workers have removed the for lease signs and put up paper on the windows at 37 St. Mark's Place … where several storefronts here in the corner building at Second Avenue have sat empty since late 2011.

Timi's Gelateria Classica™ closed at the end of 2011 in one of the spaces… while Michael "Bao" Huynh's Baoguette Cafe shut down at summer's end in 2012.

Still no takers for the former 7-Eleven space next door, though…



Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] Reader report: The 7-Eleven on St. Mark's Place has closed (48 comments)

A few more details about renting the former 7-Eleven space on St. Mark's Place

Timi's Gelateria Classica™ facing eviction on St. Mark's Place

[Updated] Baoguette Cafe still looks rather closed

Meanwhile, next to the 7-Eleven on Avenue A

It's an EV Wacky Package.

Photo via cartknocker

The Subway (sandwich shop) has closed on the Bowery

Is the new Bowery becoming too upscale for even a Subway? (OK, so the 7-Eleven is still alive and well across the way.)

Anyway, workers gutted the Subway space at 342 Bowery between Bond Street and Great Jones yesterday.

The Subway opened here in late 2009, taking over the space after Downtown Music Gallery moved to Monroe Street.

This is the latest Subway to close in the neighborhood… joining the one on East 14th Street … First Avenue … Second Avenue…

Meanwhile, the Subway next to McDonald's on First Avenue recently came under new management …


[Photo by EVG correspondent Steven]

… after doing away with the "Restroom & 10% Cab Discount Available" campaign.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Nearly 4 years later, sidewalk bridge removed from 338 Bowery