Workers finish demolition of the old retail spaces along 250 E. Houston St.; now what's next?

If you've walked by 250 E. Houston St. in recent days, then you likely noticed that workers have mostly finished removing the one-level strip of storefronts.

Demoliton started in mid-November ahead of a new mixed-used building for the property here between Avenue A and Avenue B. The demolition has been a challenge/nuisance to nearby residents — especially when jack-hammering starts at 7:30 a.m. on a holiday. There have also been dust complaints, per city records. 

Here's a look from late last week at the now-empty lot courtesy of EVG contributor Stacie Joy...

EVG reader Jim Knapp shared this photo below of the retail spaces at the start of the demolition. The businesses in these storefronts either relocated closer to the residential building at 250 E. Houston St. (Kapri Cleaners and the FedEx Office Print & Ship Center) or closed (Dunkin'/Baskin-Robbins, Subway, Mattress Firm and China Town).

Jim also shared a time-lapse of the building demolition, which you can find on YouTube. 

As for what's next, there's a filing with the DOB for a 6-story mixed-use residential building, as we reported on Jan. 3 ... (click on the image for more detail) ...

However, sources tell us that this was just a preliminary filing to allow for the demolition ... and that the plans for the building will actually be closer to the size/scope of the adjacent 13-floor residences at 250 E. Houston St., the former Red Square that opened in 1989. 

For now, not much will likely happen on the empty plots. 

Revisit this EVG post from 2016 for a photo of this property before Red Square arrived in the late 1980s.

Coddiwomple debuts on 1st Ave.

An outpost of Coddiwomple is now open at 213 First Ave. between 12th Street and 13th Street. (They debuted this past weekend with a sandwich giveaway). 

This is the third location (following the Upper East Side and Hell's Kitchen) for the brand with the tagline: "Travel By Sandwich™️ Internationally inspired sandwiches made with local ingredients." 

Sandwiches include the Roman Holiday (prosciutto, mozzarella, pesto, fresh tomatoes, arugula and balsamic vinaigrette on ciabatta) and the Savannah Smash (chicken salad — pulled breast with secret mayo dressing — and avocados on warm baguette). Find their menu here. 

The EV location will have a dine-in option, per the Coddiwomple Instagram account.

Sunday's parting shot

We've lost the lights on the bottom half of the Tompkins Square Park holiday tree ... kinda back where we started last month. 

Photo by Steven...

Solving the Great Santa Claus Mystery of Tompkins Square Park

Late last night, the rando Santa Claus looked all aglow in an upright position under the holiday tree in Tompkins Square Park, as these photos by EVG reader Jake Bowling show...

As we've been noting this week (here and here), someone brought this Santa figure to the tree in the park sometime Sunday night or Monday morning. 

At one point, Santa was standing proudly... other times, he was flat on his back, per hijinks. 

And through some detective work (our fee: $200 per day plus expenses) and some reader comments, we learned how Santa came to town to the park. (Early reports that Santa was nabbed from a lobby turned out to be incorrect.) 

This Santa had been holding forth outside East Village Social on St. Mark's Place this past holiday season. 

On Sunday night, someone from the bar transported SC to his new resting place... here's a video via Instagram showing Santa on the move (to the gentle strains of George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by East Village Social aka EVS (@eastvillagesocial)

Sadly, the trail ends here. Steven, our secret Santa correspondent, reports that there's no sign of the Claus in the Park today...

Hopefully, he'll be back again some day (or is that Frosty?).

Meanwhile, in Tompkins Square Park ...

An update on the decorative Santa figure that found its way underneath the holiday tree in Tompkins Square Park early yesterday — or overnight Sunday. (First post here.) 

As EVG decorative Santa correspondent Steven noted, there was a moment of joy yesterday afternoon when good samaritans propped up the Santa for a more traditional and dignified Santa stance...

Unfortunately, the story doesn't end on a happy note.

No, at some point, TBD, Santa ended up flat on his back once again... as seen this morning...

Oh, dear.

DOUBLE OH DEAR!

Thankfully, the dog did NOT weewee on Santa. 

And to be continued, probably...

Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus...oh

As seen this morning under the holiday tree in Tompkins Square Park... (thanks to Steven for the photos)...

At first glimpse, there were some SantaCon flashbacks. Then, concern for a possibly injured or inebriated individual dressed as Santa on this frigid Jan. 10. 

However, it is a life-size Santa figure. 

As we understand it, a resident left this in his lobby yesterday for the super to stow for the season. Someone ended up dragging Santa here instead. Update! This was the Santa out front at East Village Social on St. Mark's Place. They made a special delivery. God Bless us, everyone!

Mondays!

6 posts from December

A mini month in review... (with a photo from Dec. 11 by Derek Berg)...

• Because you've always wanted to know what the inside of the long-empty 6 Avenue B looks like (Dec. 23) 

• The Community Holiday Feast fed more than 600 people in Tompkins Square Park yesterday (Dec. 20)

• Letter perfect: City makes the MPH right on 2nd attempt (Dec. 20) 

• Did SantaCon contribute to NYC's current COVID-19 surge? (Dec. 18) 

• Report of a fatal fire early at 118 Avenue D (Dec. 16) 

• At the rally for Casa Adela (Dec. 13) 

Corinne Neary checks out of the Tompkins Square Library branch

Photo by Stacie Joy

After five-plus years as the manager of the Tompkins Square Library branch, Corinne Neary is moving on this holiday season.

Neary is heading to the Jefferson Market branch on Sixth Avenue when it reopens later this winter. (She worked there as a trainee and senior librarian before coming to Tompkins Square in November 2016.)

Patrons of this branch on 10th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B have said that they appreciated Neary's attention to the neighborhood's history ... especially its writers and artists — past and present — with events such as the East Village Arts Festival and various walking tours. Her programing was also top-notch... and she has excellent taste in classic films (a Myrna Loy triple feature!).

We talked with her during the EVG podcasting days for a session in early 2019. Find that conversation here.

A 15-year NYPL veteran, Will Hall, takes over for Neary at Tompkins Square.

Welcome, Will, and thank you, Corinne... 

Week in Grieview

Posts this past week included (featuring Smoking Santas in Union Square by Derek Berg)... 

 • These East Village businesses are temporarily closing as COVID cases continue to climb (Monday)

• The Community Holiday Feast fed more than 600 people in Tompkins Square Park yesterday (Monday) 

• Reports: Did SantaCon contribute to NYC's current COVID-19 surge? (Tuesday) 

• RIP Robert J. Giurdanella (Wednesday) 

• Driver fleeing police charged in the hit-and-run death of delivery worker on Houston Street (Wednesday) 

• Because you've always wanted to know what the inside of the long-empty 6 Avenue B looks like (Thursday) 

• Another visit to the home of Frankie Christmas (Friday) 

• The end of the East River amphitheater (Friday) 

• Letter perfect: City makes the MPH right on 2nd attempt (Monday) 

• Cornerstone Cafe calls it quits (Tuesday) 

• Signage arrives for the new Urban Wine & Spirits (Monday) 

• Former August Laura space is on the rental market; building on the auction block (Thursday) • Arthur’s Barber Shop has closed (Tuesday) 

• Activity at the former St. Brigid School on Avenue B and 7th Street (Thursday)

• 1st sign of Raíz Modern Mexican on 1st Avenue (Thursday) 

• 7-Eleven shutters on 14th Street (Monday)

• Bubbleology Tea has gone out of business on 1st Avenue (Thursday) 

• East Village Social has not been open in awhile (Monday) 

• EVG turns 14 (Tuesday — thank you for all the kind words about the site! ❤️) 

... and thanks to Goggla for this festive holiday shot from Seventh Street and Avenue B...

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

A Lou Reed Christmas scene on St. Mark's Place

A holiday scene on St. Mark's Place... with Invader's Lou Reed mosaic still in place from late 2015 (and via the Lisa Project) ...

The Russian & Turkish Baths are back open on 10th Street

Text and photos by Stacie Joy 

The heat is on just in time for the cold weather.

The Russian & Turkish Baths have reopened their doors at 268 E. 10th St. between Avenue A and First Avenue. Established in 1892, the popular bathhouse has been closed since the pandemic's start in March 2020. They reopened yesterday. 

Partners and brothers (from left) Dmitry and Jack Shapiro gave me a tour of the newly remodeled and renovated space...

Here are the hours during this holiday weekend: 

• Christmas Day: 11 a.m. until 7 p.m.

• Sunday/Boxing Day: 9 a.m. until 10 p.m. (9 a.m. until 2 p.m. men only; 2 p.m. until 10 p.m. coed). 

All patrons must be vaccinated and present proof of vaccination. Capacity, for now, is limited to 40.

Here's more info from the Russian & Turkish Baths website:

We will not be honoring prepaid admission passes or memberships at this time. We will reassess this policy in the New Year. Admission will be $50 per person.

Vaccination cards will be checked for all patrons. If you are not feeling well or are not vaccinated, you will not be allowed in the Baths. 

Dmitry and Jack's father, David, a longtime owner here, passed away in the spring of 2020. Boris Tuberman remains an owner ... and will still have the Boris weeks.

Another holiday visit with Frankie Christmas

Text and photos by Stacie Joy

We last checked in with the undisputed king of East Village Christmas, Frank “Frankie Christmas” Bianco, at this time last year. 

This year Bianco, a Brooklyn native who has lived here since 1980, welcomed us back to his winter wonderland apartment on Avenue D with an update on the lighting schedule...   

“This year, I shattered my previous record and was able to put up a total of 11,875 lights, about 1,500 more than last year. To finish by Dec. 1, I usually start decorating as soon as the Labor Day weekend finishes. For the last couple of months, it took me about 200 hours to complete each room in my apartment. I usually spend an hour or two each night of the week decorating and get the bulk of it done on the weekends, where I may spend up to eight hours decorating.”

What else is new?

“It’s a tradition to get at least a half dozen Christmas tattoos every year since moving down to the LES. I have 11 new snowflake tattoos and the Grinch’s hand holding an ornament. Similar to my Christmas tattoos, I always make sure to add a few new decorations to my apartment as well. I purchased a Christmas Tree from Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland, the largest Christmas store in the world located in Frankenmuth, Mich., and my favorite new addition, a Swarovski 2021 snowflake ornament.” 

...and now take a tour...

 

What can we look forward to next year? 

“In 2022, I’m somehow putting up more lights than I did this year! It’ll be tough, but I’m confident I’ll be able to [string more than] 12,000 lights. I’ll also be returning to Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland to find new additions to my collection, and most important spread the Christmas Spirit!”

Read our Q&A with Frankie from last year at this link. 

No. 14

Here's your annual reminder that EVG is another year older.

The very first post arrived on this site on this date in 2007. It was about Sophie's, which is why I posted the top pic. 

I explained the origins of this news site in our gala 13th-anniversary post right here. 

So let's use the rest of the allotted time in this post to thank you for reading the site, leaving comments, sharing tips, commiserating about the loss of a business and celebrating the best neighborhood around. As I've said before, this site doesn't work without you.

A big thanks to all the frequent contributors, especially Derek Berg and Steven, for their ongoing photo and tip submissions. And a special shout-out to Stacie Joy for her tireless work in documenting the businesses and residents of the neighborhood.

Meanwhile, a happy and healthy holiday season to you!

Seasonal stump art

'Tis the season for some holiday stump art here at the Seventh and B entrance to Tompkins Square Park. 

In recent months, someone has been creating installations atop the stump of the English Elm that came down in August 2020 during Tropical Storm Isaias. 

EVG reader Robert Minder shared this photo from October...

There's usually a "Twin Peaks" vibe to the art... which we appreciate.