This afternoon in squirrel photos

From Tompkins Square Park today, riachung00 shares this photo of a (the?) blond-tailed squirrel...



... one of the elusive members of the Park's wildlife, a group that includes the black crowned night heron and opossum (and I don't know what happened to the oppossum).

EVG Etc.: Fall return for the pedal-assist Citi Bikes; Baby hawk watch in Tompkins Square Park

[Window shopping at Trash & Vaudeville on 7th Street]

Rent reform explainer (Curbed)

The pedal-assist Citi Bikes won't return until the fall (Streetsblog)

A feature on Avenues for Justice, an East Village-based court advocacy program dedicated to rescuing New Yorkers in their teens and early 20s (amNY)

This upcoming walking tour highlights the early years of the gay rights movement in the East Village (Daily News)

Watching the baby red-tailed hawks in Tompkins Square Park (Laura Goggin Photography)

Allure Group has until 2022 to open new LES health facility (Crain's)

RIP Wholesale District (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

And if it's Tuesday, then it's Soup Night at Ciao for Now, 523 E. 12th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B...

View this post on Instagram

That’s right soup night six hours 22minutes 39 seconds

A post shared by Ciao For Now (@ciaofornowny) on May 14, 2019 at 7:38am PDT

The all-new Essex Market debuts in its new Essex Crossing home

[Photo yesterday via EVG reader Ann Marie Duross]

The all-new Essex Market officially opened yesterday (after a weekend sneak preview) in its new state-of-the-art home at Essex Crossing ... across the street from its location of nearly 80 years.

There was a ribbon cutting and all that...

View this post on Instagram

✂️🎀 Official Grand Opening ribbon cutting complete (with giant scissors, of course). Now...let’s eat!😎 #essexmarketnyc #wecrosseddelancey #marketsmattermost #openforyourbusiness Monday - Saturday, 8am to 8pm with select vendors serving at 10am and open as late as 10pm; Sunday, 10am - 6pm.

A post shared by Essex Market (@essexmarket) on May 13, 2019 at 2:24pm PDT

In total, the new Essex Market features 37 vendors, including the 21 from the previous space.

There are previews galore around the webs ... you can find coverage at Curbed ... Untapped Cities ... Eater ... Time Out ... the Lo-Down ... amNY ... and Bowery Boogie.

And here are the list of vendors (via H/T Eater!):

Prepared Foods
Peasant Stock
Davidovich Bakery
Cafe d’Avignon
Ni Japanese Deli
Nordic Preserves, Fish & Wildlife Co.
Arancini Bros.
Puebla Mexican Food
Dominican Cravings
Shopsin’s
Samesa
Don Ceviche
Eat Gai
Mille Nonne
Heros & Villains
Zerza

Grocery
Essex Farm Fruits & Vegetables
Luna Brothers Fruit Plaza
Viva Fruits & Vegetables
Luis Meat Market
New Star Fish Market
Essex Shambles

Specialty
Porto Rico Importing Co.
Formaggio Essex
Essex Olive & Spice
Top Hops Beer Shop
Valley Shepherd Creamery
Riverdel
Josephine’s Feast
Sugar Sweet Sunshine
Flower Power
L.E.S. Ice Cream Factory
Roni Sue’s Chocolates

The new Essex Market will also include two full-service restaurants. Later this year, Roni Mazumdar, whose résumé includes the Indian restaurants Rahi and Adda, will bring Dhamaka to the space.

The new Essex market is at the southeast corner of Essex and Delancey.

The market is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

The old Essex Crossing shut its door on May 5 — that structure will eventually be razed for a high-rise residential building.

2020 vision: New completion set for Rite Aid-adjacent condoplex on 1st Avenue

As we've noted, work has picked up again at 75 First Ave. between Fourth Street and Fifth Street, where an 8-floor, 22-unit condoplex is in the works next door to the Rite Aid.

After nearly 14 months of inactivity, the completion date on the plywood rendering has been adjusted to summer 2020...



As for the rendering, the design is the same... but there are now two scalies — the proud inhabitants of the architectural rendering world, as Curbed has put it — on the scene... a man gazing toward a woman about to cross First Avenue.

Difficult to say what the male scalie might be thinking. Perhaps he's concerned that she's about to walk in front of that speeding car...



And the scalie looks familiar... (if you have any guesses)...



The 75 First Ave. site lists that nine of the units are in contract. And here are a few renderings, some of which we had not seen previously...







This slowly-developing development broke ground in September 2016.

Nexus of the Juiciverse: Juicy Lucy's kiosk at 1st and 1st returns to action

Juicy Lucy reopened yesterday for the warmer-weather months at its tropical-looking shack on First Street and First Avenue.

You can find a variety of juices, smoothies, coffee, breakfast breads and pastries, among other quick-serve items here – similar to their outpost on Avenue A between Fifth Street and Sixth Street.

The Juicy Lucy at First and First opened in 1996 (the Avenue A location in 2000). You can read more about the business via this EVG feature from 2014.

Demolition watch: 238 E. 3rd St.

The demolition continues at 238 E. Third St. between Avenue B and Avenue C... workers have been chipping away at the two-level structure.

Per EVG reader David: "I have had the pleasure this past week of listening to workers literally trying to take down this building with — sledge hammers. I was expecting heavy machinery. It’s quite amusing to see the old ways are always best!"



As previously reported, a 7-floor, 20-unit residential building is slated for this property (no sign of any renderings just yet), previously owned by the Blue Man Group. In a previous life, the address served as a single-screen movie theater ... here's a glimpse of the theater circa 1936 via Cinema Treasures...

Grant Shaffer's NY See

Here's the latest — and last in this format! — NY See, East Village-based illustrator Grant Shaffer's comic series, an observational sketch diary of things that he sees and hears around the neighborhood and NYC.

Moving forward, Grant is switching up this format. After nearly a year of panels, Grant is switching to a single panel each week so he can focus on his new project: short stories for a graphic novel. More on this later...

3 chances to hear about the city's plan to stormproof East River Park — and the East Side

[Photo of East River Park from last week]

You have several chances this week to learn more about the city's plans to stormproof the East Side of Manhattan ...



Per the invite via the city's Department of Design and Construction (DDC):

Please stop by to learn more about current plans for flood protection along Manhattan’s Lower East Side and planned park improvements. City agencies and members of the design team will be available to explain and answer questions about the design, the associated Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) application, and the project’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). Community members are encouraged to drop in to the Open House at their convenience.

Community Open Houses
• Tuesday, May 14
4-8 p.m.

• Wednesday, May 15
2-8 p.m.

Both info sessions are at the Lower Eastside Girls Club, 402 E. Eighth St. at Avenue D.

And on Thursday, DDC reps will make a presentation before CB3's Parks, Recreation, Waterfront, & Resiliency Committee at 6:30 p.m. That public meeting is at the BRC Senior Services Center, 30 Delancey St. between Chrystie and Forsyth.

As previously reported, to stormproof the East Side and protect residents from storms the magnitude of Sandy, the city plans to "lift" East River Park by up to 10 feet when work starts in March 2020.

Creating the intricate flood protection system would see the city close East River Park for up to three and a half years, shutting down the current amenities, cutting down many of the trees and rebuilding the newly renovated running track, among other things.

The draft environmental impact statement — 900-plus pages — for the East Side Coastal Resiliency project is currently available for review and comment. My previous post here has more details on the review process and links to relevant materials.

Last fall, the city unveiled an updated plan, which took residents, community leaders and local-elected officials by surprise after years of outreach and groundwork. The revamped plan — released without any community input — is radically different than what had been discussed, and its expected cost will increase from $760 million to $1.45 billion. City officials have said in various presentations that this approach will provide a reduced construction time, resulting in an operable flood protection system for the 2023 hurricane season.

Meanwhile, community coalition group East River Alliance has a petition in circulation calling for a change to the plans.

Per the petition:

East River Park is the largest park in Manhattan below 59th Street and a precious recreation space for a community where many residents cannot afford vacations.

There will be no access to a 3-mile stretch of waterfront from 23rd Street to Montgomery Street. No ball games, barbecues, sprinklers and playgrounds, runners, bikes, walkers — for nearly four years.

We demand that the City reconsider this plan. Our community deserves a resiliency plan that includes:
• Flood protection now and during construction
• Phased closing during construction and immediate reopening of completed sections
• Real alternatives for healthy recreation during construction
• Consideration of other options including flood protection along the FDR and covering the highway to create additional parkland

Find the petition here.

A look at 119-121 2nd Ave. post sidewalk-bridge collapse

[Photo Friday by Steven]

As we reported late Friday afternoon, a box truck veered off Second Avenue and collided with the sidewalk bridge on the northwest corner at Seventh Street — the site of the deadly March 2015 gas explosion.

Several EVG readers who were on the scene had said that a car cut off the box truck prior to the collision. Thankfully no one was injured.

Crews replaced the sidewalk bridge by the end of Friday.

Here's a look at the corner as of Saturday morning ...



You can see how much progress has been made on the project — a seven-floor residential building with 21 condo units with ground-floor retail that got underway in January. Work looks to be starting on the fourth floor this week...





Shaky Cohen's Nexus Building Development Group paid $9.15 million in June 2017 for the empty lots at 119 and 121 Second Ave.

The new building will include a commemorative plaque that honors the two men who died in the explosion — Nicholas Figueroa and Moises Locón.

Previously on EV Grieve:
2nd Avenue gas-explosion defendants due back in court June 21

Ravi DeRossi's Fire & Water is closed for now on 7th Street

Restaurateur Ravi DeRossi is currently enjoying the opening of Honeybee's over at 95 Avenue A.

Meanwhile, though, one of his other establishments, Fire & Water, remains dark at 111 E. Seventh St.

Tony Mongeluzzi, the corporate executive chef of DeRossi's restaurant group DeRossi Global, which includes Ladybird, Avant Garden and Death & Co., had been working on the Fire & Water menu — veganizing sushi and dim sum — for a year before the restaurant was set to open last fall here between between Avenue A and First Avenue.

Sadly, Mongeluzzi died last September at age 31.

"He had been with my company for many years. He was a very close friend and one of the best chefs I have ever come across in my life — vegan or not," DeRossi said in an email on Saturday. "He tragically passed away just a few weeks before we were supposed to open."

Fire & Water eventually did open in late November.

"We tried to make it work with another chef but failed miserably. Our hearts just weren't in it," DeRossi said. "So for now the space is closed while we figure out what to do next."

Jackdaw, coming soon to the former Durden space on 2nd Avenue

Jackdaw is the name of the bar-restaurant opening soon at 213 Second Ave. at 13th Street... you can see the outline for Jackdaw on the marquee here ...



The Jackdaw Instagram account describes this as a "craft bar and kitchen" that will serve brunch, lunch and dinner.

CB3 OK'd the new liquor license last December for Curt Huegel, who runs a handful of establishments around the city, including Campagnola, Printers Alley, Galli and Bill's NYC.

While it sounds like an Aerosmith song or Johnny Depp character, Jackdaw is actually a crow-like black bird.

Durden, a "Fight Club"-inspired sports bar, closed earlier this year after five-plus years in the corner space that previously housed the Nightengale Lounge.

Updated 5/17

Sandwicherie has closed on 4th Avenue and 13th Street; doomed corner status yet?

That's all for Sandwicherie New York on the southeast corner of Fourth Avenue and 13th Street.

EVG regular Laura shared these photos from Saturday, showing that the quick-serve, health-conscious sandwich shop has been emptied out...



Sandwicherie opened here in April 2017.



This has been a challenging corner for businesses since the longtime deli was rent-hiked out of here in November 2012. The space has been home to Fresh & Co. and Pie Face and now Sandwicherie in the past five years. Next!

Bright Horizons signage arrives at EVGB on 14th Street

As noted late last month, Bright Horizons, one of the country's largest child-care providers, is opening at 524 E. 14th St. in the retail spaces at EVGB.

EVG reader Brian Carroll notes that the BH signage arrived back on Friday here at the newish residential complex between Avenue A and Avenue B.

This is the first retail tenant for No. 524. There's still another space available right next door. The day-care center joins Target, which opened in EVGB's corner spot at Avenue A (500 E. 14th St.) last summer.

Week in Grieview

[Space Invader's Lou Reed mosaic circa 2015 at 110 St. Mark's Place]

Report: 10 teens hospitalized after someone tossed chemical from above during party at First Houses (Monday)

Report: Preservationists want probe of the tech hub deal on 14th Street (Monday)

Sidewalk bridge collapses at explosion site on 2nd Avenue; box truck culprit, witnesses say (Friday)

A visit to Gem Spa (Friday)

At the NYC Cannabis Parade & Rally 2019 in Union Square (Sunday)

The Blind Pig is closing on 14th Street following 50% rent hike (Monday)

The 43rd annual Saint George Ukrainian Festival is May 17-19 (Thursday)

Countdown to the Dance Parade and DanceFest (Wednesday)

A new storefront for A Repeat Performance, and word about the next tenant (Friday)

Report: RGB gives nod to rent increase; final vote coming June 25 (Wednesday)

Tea time for 2nd Avenue and 5th Street (Monday)

Peeping Amelia and Christo's 2019 offspring (Wednesday)

New 3rd Street condoplex off the Bowery is called 3E3; first unit hits the market (Monday)

Hamilton Fish Park Library will operate with limited services during upcoming AC renovations (Tuesday)

Once again, everyone's favorite 14th Street triplex with a garage door for a wall is back on the market (Wednesday)

Asian Taste opens on 3rd and B (Thursday)

Winning projects revealed in District 2's Participatory Budgeting vote (Wednesday)

See the She NYC Arts Summer Theater Festival on 4th Street this June (Tuesday)

Capital One leaves the East Village (Friday)

Signup for the Washington Square CSA ends June 1 (Tuesday)

The Marshal visits Thaimee Table, who will return next week (Friday)

Honeybee's debuts on Avenue A (Friday)

11 Avenue C finally makes first appearance above street level (Tuesday)

The #Rethinklink campaign (Tuesday)

When workers unpack dry goods at the incoming H Mart (Monday)

The rent due at the now-closed Beijing Express (Monday)

Construction watch: 809 Broadway (Wednesday)

Lord, what fools these mortals be! A pop-up Shakespearean-themed restaurant for Broadway (Tuesday)

And that above post generated several great comments... like:

Anonymous said...
If music be the food of love ... separate checks

There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are included in our lunch special

And...

DrGecko said...
And when there's a long line for the bathroom ...

Stand not upon the order of thy going, but go at once.

And...

Sir Francis Christopher William Bacon Marlowe Stanley, 69th Earl of EV said...
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Drunk? and speak parrot? and squabble? swear?

Do you think because you are virtuous, that there shall ne on more cupcakes and India pale ale?

Eight artisanal, organic, farm-to-table , curated, wild boars roasted at brunch, but twelve persons here splitting the bill or paying one with Venmo

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Spotted yesterday morning in Tompkins Square Park... a memorial for L-Doo









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