Wednesday, February 8, 2017

Lottery open for below-market rate apartments in Stuy Town

The Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village affordable housing lottery is underway ...again.

Property owner Blackstone said that potential renters who missed out on a unit last year (15,000 reportedly applied) could try again now through March 10.

Here's Town & Village with more:

This reopening is specifically for applicants in the higher-income bracket for one and two-bedroom apartments since those are the unit sizes that are most common throughout the property. However, the original waiting list is still active for unit types not included in the current lottery as well as one and two-bedrooms.

And!

An ad promoting the lottery that’s running in four newspapers this week, including Town & Village, states that the rent for a one-bedroom would go for $2,805 for one person earning $84,150-$104,775 or for two people earning $84,150-119,625. A two-bedroom would go for $3,366 for a 2-4 person household earning a minimum of $100,980 to a maximum of $119,625 for two people, $134,640 for three people and $149,490 for four people.

By contrast, market rent in Stuyvesant Town starts at $3,200 for one-bedroom units and at $3,900 for two-bedroom units.

Town & Village interviewed several people about the process. (Read that article here.) Here's one person, who entered the lottery last year, expressing frustration about the experience.

“The city was proud to announce that 5,000 units at Stuy Town would remain affordable, and they claimed that Stuy Town would remain a place to live for low to middle-income New Yorkers like nurses, teachers,” he said. “However, 90 percent of these affordable units are being awarded to those making no less than $84,150 a year. I don’t know any teachers or nurses who make that kind of a salary.”

You can apply online here.

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

There aren't any more holiday trees to mulch in Tompkins Square Park



The tree pen is empty for now... just 45 days past Dec. 25. Hopefully we have enough mulch in reserve to get us through the summer.

Photo today by Bobby Williams

Updated: Report of a fire at 86 E. 10th St.


The FDNY responded to a report of a fire this afternoon at 86 E. 10th St. between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue.

A department spokesperson told Patch there were "two reported injuries being evaluated on the scene."

The fire reportedly started on the third or fourth floor of the building, which houses the bar Black & White on the ground level. (2/10 — Black & White remains closed.)

There isn't any info at the moment about the cause of the fire or extent of the damage.



Updated 3:30 p.m.

These shots are via eventphotosnyc ...









98 Favor Taste, now without the plywood on St. Mark's Place



Workers have removed the plywood here on St. Mark's Place at Second Avenue... offering the full reveal of the incoming 98 Favor Taste...



As noted back on Friday, the restaurant is from the operators behind the 99 Favor Taste restaurant in Sunset Park since 2011 ... and the Grand Street location since 2012.

The restaurants specialize in traditional Korean-style barbecue and Chinese hot pot meals.

Thanks to EVG Senior Plywood Correspondent Steven

A tribute to Leonard Cohen at HiFi



Hifi is hosting a tribute to the late Leonard Cohen tomorrow evening... check out the list of performers here. The show is free and starts at 7:30 in the bar's back room. Hifi is at 169 Avenue A between 10th Street and 11th Street.

Report: Raphael Toledano selling major EV portfolio; foreclosure proceedings underway

Raphael Toledano’s East Village empire continues to crumble. As The Real Deal reports, Toledano is selling a chunk of his properties to Joseph Sutton, son of retail mogul Jeff Sutton, for some $145 million.

This contract comes as Madison Realty Capital has moved to foreclose on one of Toledano's major portfolios.

Per The Real Deal:

Madison, according to documents filed in New York State Supreme Court late last week, claims Toledano, the founder of Brookhill Properties, owes the firm about $140 million, which includes $125 million in loans against 15 properties, plus interest and attorneys’ fees.

Sources close to Toledano said that after he defaulted last year, Madison waited months to initiate foreclosure proceedings, allowing time for him to find a buyer for the properties.

It's unclear just how many EV buildings Sutton is purchasing. (Toledano purchased 28 buildings in two separate portfolios from the Tabak family for a total of $140 million.)

The Brookhill Properties website previously showed that the company owned 21 buildings in the East Village. As if this morning it shows 18 properties. If this deal goes through, then the number will presumably be in the single digits.

Last September, he reportedly sold 221 E. 10th St. and 58 St. Mark’s Place. There was also a listing for 444 E. 13th St. (That address is no longer on the Cushman & Wakefield website.)

As market observers have told The Real Deal, Toledano was believed to be in way over his head.

Toledano has also been accused of a variety of predatory practices. In addition, 20 of his buildings were tested for toxic levels of dust.

Image via the Brookhill website

Work underway on 10-story condoplex at 4th Avenue and 10th Street



Looks as if work has officially commenced for the 10-story retail-residential complex at the southeast corner of Fourth Avenue and 10th Street...



To recap, there are approved plans for a 10-story building ...with retail on the ground floor and 12 dwelling units above. The residential portion encompasses more than 24,000 square feet, so those units will presumably be condos. Floors 2-5 will each have two units while 6-8 will each have one unit while a two-level duplex to top things off. The plans also show a rooftop "recreation space" ... with more outdoor space on the ground level. Residential perks include a media room, an exercise room and storage for seven bikes, according to the permits.

SBLM Architects are listed as the architects of record. We didn't spot a rendering at their website.

However, we've seen several renderings for this lot elsewhere. The most recent one was posted at CityRealty ... it is listed as 80 E. 10th St. ...



This is the wrong corner, though. The above rendering is on 13th Street at Fourth Avenue. Perhaps a potential sign of things to come to that currently one-level corner building?

Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: Demo permits filed to raze southeast corner of 4th Avenue and 10th Street

The 'tremendous retail potential' of East 10th Street and 4th Avenue

10 stories of condos in the works for the long-vacant corner of 4th Avenue and East 10th Street

With new building OK'd, corner of 4th Avenue and 10th Street finally ready for razing

Clay Pot, from Hong Kong to St. Mark's Place



Signage is up for a new restaurant called Clay Pot at 58 St. Mark's Place between First Avenue and Second Avenue...



According to their Facebook page, they will be serving "traditional Hong Kong style open-flame cooked clay pot rice."

Here's more:

Clay Pot Rice – a literal translation from the dish called “Bao Zai Fan” (煲仔饭) – is revitalizing a traditional style of cooking rice in a clay pot over an open-flame setting. A flavor packed combination of aromatic Jasmine rice, topped with fresh ginger, scallion, a splash of soy sauce, and enriched with your choice of protein, come together to deliver your taste buds on a powerful and savory exotic journey.


Hakata Hot Pot and Sushi Lounge closed here at the end of February 2016. (Hakata Hot Pot combined with sister restaurant Zen 6 the next block to the west at 31 St. Mark's Place.)

Natori, a longtime favorite, closed at this address in November 2012.

Monday, February 6, 2017

Sugar Cafe has closed



As expected, the 24/7 cafe on Houston and Allen shut its doors after service yesterday.

This note greets patrons...



BoweryBoogie had previously heard that a rent increase — perhaps as much as double the current ask — was behind the closing.

The narrow cafe had been here for 10-plus years.

For now, a few desserts remain behind ...

Today in photogenic squirrels in Tompkins Squirrel



Another day, another squirrel doing something adorable (or terrifying, depending on your opinion of squirrels) in Tompkins Square Park...

EVG Senior Squirrel Correspondent Steven spotted this squirrel enjoying some sap from a tree near Avenue A and Ninth Street...





Naturalists have noted that when a squirrel's stash of pinecones and nuts gathered during the summer and fall run low, they will often turn to sap for an energy boost... sap as well as pizza, crackers, bananas, pumpkins and Hershey's Cocoa.

Noted



As of this morning, this fuzzy artwork — on two sheets of plywood — sat outside 19-23 St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue... it's not immediately clear what this is (or was) It was placed out here sometime late on Saturday, as far as we know...


[Photo by Derek Berg]

Guess/theories are welcome (and LinkNYC, Lady Gaga or Tom and Gisele have been eliminated as suspects).

A look at the Moxy Hotel coming to 11th Street



Demolition work continues at 112-120 E. 11th St., where five walk-up buildings are coming down to make way for the 13-story hotel for Marriott’s Moxy brand here between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue.

Meanwhile, we hadn't seen any renderings for this 300-room hotel aimed toward the Millennial set. Stonehill & Taylor are the architects of record. (They designed the one going up in Chelsea.) However, their website didn't have anything on the East 11th Street property.

Turns out that we were looking in the wrong place. CityRealty had the first look back in December ... via Flintlock Construction...


[Rendering via Flintlock Construction]

Thoughts?

Work permits on file with the city show that the hotel will be 78,361 square feet — about 250 square feet per room. In addition, the permits show a lounge in the hotel's basement along with an "eating and drinking establishment with accessory terrace." The application also shows a lounge and another eating and drinking establishment on the first floor/lobby (not sure if these are connected) ... as well as a "grab n go" food and drink space. There's also another bar-restaurant planned for the top floor.

The permits, first filed in September, are still awaiting the city's approval. They were disapproved (again) on Friday, per the DOB.

Local residents, preservationists and local elected officials have all spoken out about the demolition of the "landmark-elegible" buildings and loss of housing.

The Moxy website shows that the 11th Street hotel is expected to open in late 2018.

And if you're new to the Moxy brand, here's more via its website:

Moxy is a boutique hotel with the social heart of a hostel. A free-spirited place where you can do all that crazy fun stuff you’d never think of doing at home, together with likeminded spirits you’d otherwise never have met.

Yes, the WiFi is speedy and the cushy beds are freshly made, but more importantly, the bar is always open and the crew is always on. Whether you’re staying for the night or just a nightcap, you’ll see why it’s no place like home.

Previously on EV Grieve:
6-building complex on East 10th Street and East 11th Street sells for $127 million

Report: 300-room hotel planned for East 11th Street

Preservationists say city ignored pitch to designate part of 11th Street as a historic district

Permits filed to demolish 5 buildings on 11th Street to make way for new hotel (58 comments)

At the Moxy hotel protest on 11th Street last evening

Tsukimi bringing sushi to 10th Street

Sushi is coming to the small, subterranean space at 228 E. 10th St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

Applicants for Tsukimi are on this month's CB3-SLA agenda for a beer-wine license. (The meeting is tonight, though this item won't be heard in front of the committee.)

According to the questionnaire (PDF here) on the CB3 website, Tsukimi will be open from 6 p.m. to midnight Tuesday through Sunday. The space will have four tables seating eight people plus a 10-seat sushi bar.

The application shows the Tsukimi Kaiseki Menu (9 courses) at $85 per person.

The applicants also run SakaMai, which opened in 2012 on Ludlow Street.

No. 228 was home until last September to Dieci, which closed after 10 years in service.

196 Orchard's 'Culture & Cuisine'



An EVG reader asked if we had seen the stencils on the plywood at Ben Shaoul's incoming luxury condos on Houston and Orchard...



Residences ... culture & cuisine... It's part of the branding for the building, which will include a two-level Equinox (gym). The 196 Orchard website includes a 46-page digital publication/advertorial called "The Orchard Review." (You can access it here.)

Turn-of-the-century tenements with patina facades house biodynamic wine stores. The corner slice joint rubs elbows with the starred cuisine of Wildair and Contra. And a perfect date night is sharing a Katz's pastrami followed by a scoop of black sesame from Il Laboratorio del Gelato.

Anyway, the available condos here in the 11-story, 94-unit building range from a 551-square-foot studio for $1.075 million to a 2,069-square-foot three-bedroom, three-and-a-half bathroom apartment asking $5.995 million.

Work is still in the foundation stage, as a look through the blogger portals show...



Sales for the residences launched back in September. A few weeks ago, the Lo-Down asked a Ben Shaoul spokesperson how sales were going here. The response: "While sales have been robust with multiple units placed under contract since launching sales in mid-Fall of 2016, the Sponsor is not disclosing specific figures at this time."



Previously on EV Grieve:
Making way for Ben Shaoul's new retail-residential complex on East Houston

Katz's is now the last business on East Houston between Ludlow and Orchard

Send a salami to your boy next door in the condo

Sunday, February 5, 2017

Sunday's parting shot



Avenue A and Sixth Street this afternoon...

Mid-afternoon mannequin break



Remainder from the 1/2-off sale?

Photo on First Avenue and St. Mark's Place by Steven...

Week in Grieview


[Photo on 2nd Avenue by Derek Berg]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

At the 'Lower East Side Rally Against Hate' in Tompkins Square Park (Monday)

Condos at Rite Aid's new neighbor on First Avenue will range from $1 million to $6 million (Thursday)

Rookie officer stationed at the 9th Precinct dies in car crash (Friday)

Streecha Ukrainian Kitchen is now open daily on Seventh Street (Monday)

Out and About with Lola Sáenz (Wednesday)

Report: East Village landlord Raphael Toledano close to losing prize Chelsea building (Tuesday)

Today is the last day for Turntable Lab before move to new 10th Street storefront (Thursday)

East 12th Osteria closes on 1st Avenue, moving to the West Village (Monday)

New bakery on the way for the Whole Foods Market® Bowery (Monday)

Mandolino Pizzeria has opened on 13th Street (Tuesday)

An appreciation: the Village East Cinema (Friday)

Pichi & Avo wrap up new work at the Houston/Bowery Mural Wall (Monday)

Todd Hase brings custom furnishings to Seventh Street (Wednesday)

Report: Anyway Cafe robbed at knifepoint (Wednesday)

There's a new barber shop on Ninth Street (Thursday)

Sugar Cafe closes after service today (Wednesday)

98 Favor Taste signage arrives on St. Mark's Place (Friday)

Reader mailbag: A call to keep the lights on the holiday tree in Tompkins Square Park (Friday)

Mr. White bringing 'new Southern cuisine' to St. Mark's Place (Thursday)

Progress at Little Tong Noodle Shop, coming soon to First Avenue (Friday)

Seat saved for Merrick Garland on Astor Place (Tuesday)

Checking in on Artichoke's new 14th Street home (Tuesday)

Gramercy Cafe closes; Gramercy Kitchen coming soon (Monday)

That last day of January when it snowed a little bit (Tuesday)

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Saturday, February 4, 2017