Monday, July 6, 2015

Dewatering 98-100 Avenue A



On Saturday we wrote about the generator and steam (not smoke or fire) coming from behind the plywood along 98-100 Avenue A, Ben Shaoul's retail-residential complex coming between East Sixth Street and East Street.

According to a new sign on the plywood:

"We are currently performing dewatering on this construction site. This is condensation (water vapor) coming up through the pipes. There is no fire, no smoke, and no reason for alarm."

So what's going on behind that plywood? EVG reader John Cline shared these photos of the dewatering process...


[Click on image for more details]



After a seemingly long time, the demolition of the former theater-turned-grocery ended last November. No word on when the new building will be finished.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Rest assured, there isn't a fire in the hole at 98-100 Avenue A

A look back at 1941, when 98 Avenue A was a movie theater

Yoo's Convenience Store — former home of New York's 'best coffee' — becoming a vape shop


[EVG photo from April 2014]

A rent hike ended Yoo's retail life at 50 Second Ave. back in April 2014.

The small shop, which boasted handmade signs touting the Best Coffee in NYC (and it was pretty good), had been on the market for months now here between East Second Street and East Third Street…



Anyway, EVG correspondent Derek Berg passes along word of the new tenant — Cloud 99 vapes…

1 residence remains for sale at 227 E. 7th St.


[EVG file photo]

You can still live at 227 E. Seventh St., the new condoplex just west of Avenue C … apparently a unit of the well-received building remains on the market (this building is not to be confused with the new condos at 277 E. Seventh St., aka Seven East Village) …



Here's some of the listing via Douglas Elliman:

This large, Townhouse like living residence is ideal for every demographic. A floor-thru duplex layout, set up as a true 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom living space with an oversize recreation room and a private, landscaped garden.

The recreation area has an oversize skylight, radiant heat floors, door leading to the private garden and a laundry room which can easily be converted into a powder room. This layout offers boundless opportunities for the end user. Ideal for home office, artists studio, yoga studio, playroom, media room or a sleeping den.

Garden which measures 34' x 20' is ideal for pet owners, gardeners, BBQ lovers and sun soakers.

Additional features include high ceilings, top of the line stainless steel appliances, central air on ground level with a separate heating and cooling unit in the rec room for cost efficiency, quartz countertops, washer/dryer, hardwood oak floors and abundance of light from North and South exposures.

Geographically, this is true New York. Everything is at your finger tips, from top restaurants like The Eddy, Frank, Edi & The Wolf, to top bars such as Booker & Dax, Elsa, mom & pop shops, nightlife, supermarket, Tompkins Square Park and so much more.

[Finger tips? Booker & Dax is on East 13th Street at Second Avenue and Elsa closed about a year ago.]

Anyway! The asking price is $1.875 million and there is an open house today from noon to 2 p.m.

H/t Dave on 7th!

Previously on EV Grieve:
Asbestos abatement on East Seventh Street, then a new 6-story building

New building at 227 E. Seventh St. — revealed (28 comments)

Teaser site up for new East 7th Street residential building that people don't hate

Take a look inside the new condos of 227 E. 7th St.

Here's your T-swirl Crêpe shop signage


[Back in April]

Back in April, we pointed out that a T-swirl Crêpe shop is opening at 247 E. 14th St. between Second Avenue and Third Avenue … inside the recently shuttered Subway (sandwich shop).

Now EVG T-swirl Crêpe correspondent Pinch tells us that the T-swirl Crêpe signage has replaced the familiar Subway brandage...



This will be the second location for the Flushing-based business, who is also opening a shop in Philadelphia this summer.

Here's their description: "T-swirl crêpe makes Japanese style sweet and salad crêpes by hand using our secret recipes and tasty fillings."

T-Swirl is also hiring…

Repost: Progress and frustration at B&H Dairy



In case you weren't around during the July 4 holiday … we originally posted this on Friday… an update on the status of B&H Dairy on Second Avenue with comments from owner Fawzy Abdelwahed. Find the post here.

Sunday, July 5, 2015

Relive the July 4 fireworks with this East Village drone footage



In case you missed the fireworks last night… or want to relive them… here's some drone footage… it doesn't have any sound, so you may want to pick whatever you think might make some good accompaniment …



Updated 7-6

Here is more East Village drone footage from another source… this video has some musical accompaniment …

The July 4th moon



Photo last night via Grant Shaffer

Week in Grieview


[10th and A this morning via Michael Sean Edwards]

On East 9th Street Dusty Buttons is closing after 125% rent hike: 'Saying goodbye will hurt like hell' (Thursday)

189 Avenue C is converting to condos (Monday)

Progress and frustration at B&H Dairy (Friday)

Dutch Elm Disease inoculation continues in Tompkins Square Park (Monday)

More about the 10-story building taking the place of the former BP station at 24 Second Ave. (Thursday)

Rent freeze on 1-year leases for rent-controlled apartments (Monday)

Out and About with Nelson Vercher (Wednesday)

Via Della Pace opening a pizzeria on St. Mark's Place (Thursday)

Screen time for Fledgling #1 (Thursday)

Pushcart Coffee opens on Third Avenue (Thursday)

About Superiority Burger (Tuesday, 37 comments)

Here's the trailer for 'Ten Thousand Saints,' set in the 1980s East Village (Monday)

Nonna's Pizza arrives on Avenue A (Monday)

Opening Day at New York Macaroni Co. on St. Mark's Place (Monday)

Boutique 67 ready for sales on Avenue C (Wednesday)

The Dry Dock Playground is closed for reconstruction (Wednesday)

Former Dolphin Gym will work out as medical office space (Monday)

PYT bringing its offbeat burger creations to the Bowery (Tuesday)

Happy Birthday Debbie Harry! (Wednesday)

Checking out Centre-fuge Cycle 17 on East First Street (Monday)

Demolition underway at 127 Avenue D (Wednesday)

We found some legs (Tuesday)

Court gives NYU OK for $6 billion expansion (Wednesday)

Construction watch: 397-401 E. Eighth St. (Tuesday)

Despite Grand Opening banner, Capital Laundry & Dry Cleaners has closed on Avenue B (Monday)

The Subway (sandwich shop) has closed on the Bowery (Tuesday)


[Photo on Avenue D via EVG reader Plumpy]

8:04 a.m., Tompkins Square Park, July 5


Last night


[Photo by James and Karla Murray via Facebook]

The morning after



Tompkins Square Park this morning via William Klayer…

Announcements

A quick note to an EVG reader:

Happy Birthday Corey!

Saturday, July 4, 2015

If you don't like construction noise, then...



From the Post today:

Sixty-two percent, or 33,533, of the complaints logged with the Department of Environmental Protection from July 1, 2014, through June 30 of this year were tied to off-hours construction or noise from equipment such as jackhammers.

Read the whole article here.

Rest assured, there isn't a fire in the hole at 98-100 Avenue A



Just to put your mind at ease this holiday. Over at 98-100 Avenue A, workers continue [and continue] to put in the foundation for Ben Shaoul's new 6-8-story retail-residential complex between East Sixth Street and East Seventh Street.

Readers have noted a generator running 24/7 since early May, at least. And lately there has been some smoke billowing up over the plywood.

An explanation for this arrived this past week.



Per the sign: "We are currently performing dewatering on this construction site. This is condensation (water vapor) coming up through the pipes. There is no fire, no smoke, and no reason for alarm."

So remain calm, all is well.

And for people who don't like reading the fine print…

Holiday road



St. Mark's Place and Second Avenue yesterday via Derek Berg…

Friday, July 3, 2015

Alone Again Or



A new one by Eternal Summers… called "Together or Alone" from the June release "Gold and Stone."

Progress and frustration at B&H Dairy


[B&H in happier days by Ken Goldstein via Facebook]

B&H Dairy has remained shuttered since the deadly Second Avenue gas explosion on March 26.

The 73-year-old lunch counter at 127 Second Ave. between East Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place was close to reopening several times this spring, only to encounter an unexpected setback, such as in early May when the FDNY said that B&H needed a new fire suppression system. (Safety requirements from the city have become stricter since March 26.)

This upgrade, expected to cost $28,000, has kept the small restaurant from opening these past two months. The upgrade is also looking like the major factor that could permanently close B&H.

For starters, owners Fawzy Abdelwahed and Ola Smigielsk needed approval from the Landmarks Preservation Commission (the building is in the East Village/Lower East Side Historic District) to install the new fire suppression system. The LPC approval finally came through last week. And as of Wednesday, the DOB had issued the necessary permit for the job. Work starts on Monday. (The contractor needed to be first approved by the FDNY.)

Now it looks like another few weeks before B&H can possibly reopen. "Another few weeks" is something that Abdelwahed has heard all too often in recent months. Meanwhile, other nearby restaurants were able to reopen fairly quickly after the explosion.

We spoke with Abdelwahed on the phone this week. He was understandably frustrated.

"I have bills to pay. What am I going to do? Where am I going to get assistance from? I just need to open the restaurant — simple," said Abdelwahed, who estimates that his monthly costs are $30,000, which includes rent, taxes and labor costs. (B&H successfully raised $26,000 in a crowdfunding campaign back in April.)

How about the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, which promised financial assistance to residents and businesses impacted by the Second Avenue explosion?

"They promised to give people money who have been affected by the explosion, but this has never happened," he said. "I've never heard from them."

However, he expressed his gratitude to Bernadette Nation from the Small Business Services agency (a mayoral agency), who has lately been advocating on B&H's behalf along with Community Board 3 officials. And there are the B&H faithful. "We have very big support from our customers," he said. "Since being closed the only people who care about us are our customers."

While there is progress to report, B&H still has a labyrinth of red tape to navigate before reopening. For example, after the contractor finishes the work, the FDNY must approve the new system, then ConEd has to approve the building's new gas lines (already installed). Once B&H gets final approval by all involved parties, the Department of Health steps in for an inspection before the restaurant is permitted to serve food again. (B&H had an A rating before.)

And if there is another setback, what will that do to B&H's chances of reopening?

“As each day goes by, I cannot pay the rent if we are closed. Two more weeks and I cannot afford it anymore," he said. "Two more weeks and I’m done. That’s it."

For his part, Abdelwahed just wants to get back to work.

“I miss the whole operation. I miss my customers. I miss seeing them. They are my friends — I know them by name. I miss serving people every day. I miss my job every day," he said, "I get up every day and I don’t know what to do. It is a very bad feeling."


[Photo of Fawzy and Ola from May 9 by Derek Berg]

-----

For further reading:
Save the B&H (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

NYI featured B&H last night on its "NY1 For You" segment.

Plywood arrives for Tompkins Square Bagels build-out on 2nd Avenue



As we've been reporting, Tompkins Square Bagels is opening a second East Village location — this one at 184 Second Ave. between East 11th Street and East 12th Street.

Workers erected the plywood outside the storefront for the renovations yesterday. Owner Christopher Pugliese told us previously that he hopes to be up and running here in December.

Read our interview with Pugliese here.

East Village (temporarily) down 1 psychic



The psychic who has been psychicing from the psychic's space above Dunkin' Donuts on First Avenue at East Sixth Street has moved out of her home of 17-plus years, according to Bill the Libertarian Anarchist.

Apparently she is taking her business to Midtown.

It is not immediately clear what will become of this space. (The psychic signs remain as of this writing.) As we exclusively reported last fall, the business was for sale on Craigslist.

Flashback!



Meanwhile, what is your favorite psychic ability? Put us down for levitation.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Can someone lend me a $1 so that I can become a gypsy?

An unsettling sneak preview at the Quad Cinema



The Quad Cinema closed for renovations back on May 1.

EVG reader Michael Alex shared this photo showing the current state of the 43-year-old theater on East 13th Street between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue…



Real-estate developer Charles S. Cohen, a well-known film buff, bought the theater last summer.

"New York City has perhaps the greatest concentration of serious cinema lovers in the country," said Cohen in a statement published by Indiewire, "but for too long, these great, knowledgeable fans have had few places to see classic and important films on the big screen. The always-vital Quad Cinema will now become an even more important destination for classic films and compelling new ones – and the moviegoers who love them."

The Quad website says the theater will return in the fall.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Now playing at the Quad Cinema: Closed for Renovations