7-story building in the works to replace former countercultural theater/church on Avenue B

We've been keeping an eye on the long-empty 185-193 Avenue B for the past few years. The address was a movie theater for many years, first the Bijou in 1926, then the Charles. (The theater closed in 1975, and a church took over the space.) A fire nearly destroyed the building in October 2006.

There had been talk of fixing up the place for the tenant — the Elim Pentecostal Church. But those plans never panned out. In June 2010, we toured the space between 11th Street and 12th Street with the Rev. Carlos Torres. (See that post here.)

And to rehash from a previous post: He had plans to sell the space to a developer. The ground-floor would house the church and a community center. The upper levels of the new building would be designated for some combination of housing. Torres didn't have a timeline for any of this; and there seemed to be a lot of red tape involved in any plans. However, what was clear from the conversation: The building was beyond repair and needed to come down.

Yesterday, a few workers continued to haul out some debris from inside the building ...

There is a demolition application on file already with the city (dated Sept. 20). And, according to the DOB, plans for a mixed-use seven-story building with 44 units were "disapproved" last Monday.

The DOB lists Conrad Roncati, CEO and principal of Architectura in Edgewater, N.J., as the architect. That firm's portfolio includes numerous mixed-use, commercial, residential and religious buildings. The Architectura site didn't include any renderings for this project.

We're waiting to hear what they next steps are here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Revival planned for church and theater on Avenue B

Inside the Charles

Former landmark countercultural theater now for rent on Avenue B

The rare backhouses of East 12th Street

So back in July we reported that the long-dormant pit also-known-as 427. E. 12th St. is primed for a six-story, 11-unit residence courtesy of Montreal-based architect Karl Fischer ...

Until that soulless glass coffin goes up, you have the chance to enjoy not one but two backhouses. In a post yesterday, Off The Grid — the blog of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation — wrote about the history of backhouses ... namely "residential structures which are separate from and located behind other buildings (usually, but not always, residential buildings) which face the street."

Here's a look at them via Google...

Let's go back to Off the Grid for more.

"The newly- (and temporarily-) revealed backhouses at 425 and 429 East 12th Street, between First Avenue and Avenue A, present a variation on these backhouse scenarios, one which we believe may be somewhat rare. The four-story front-buildings at 425 and 429 were both built in 1852, and appear to be very early, purpose-built tenements (i.e. they were built as tenements, not structures built as single-family homes which were converted to multi-family housing).

Off the Grid has more photos, history... as well as a street map from 1853. Find all that here.

Lucy's returns on Dec. 12 (frown)

Lucy's is on another break... as always, we look forward to her return...

And where's the smiley face sign?

New Vietnamese sandwich shop in the works for St. Mark's Place

Here at 96 St. Mark's Place just east of First Avenue... most recently the home of a massage place... Workers put up the signs yesterday... interior still has a way to go...

Habibi Lounge hasn't been open lately

Neighbors of this hookah bar on Avenue A between 12th Street and 13th Street haven't seen the place open in several weeks...

...and trash is collecting inside the entryway...

They still have an outgoing message on their answering machine... nothing to show that they have closed appears on the Habibi website...

Today in photos of bassoon players performing outside ice cream shops on Seventh Street

At the Big Gay Ice Cream Shop. Per their Twitter account: "I'm not sure why, but we've got two of NYC's best bassoonists (McCracken and Timmerman) playing outside the shop!"

And from Bride of 7th...

Nevada Smith's is closed, and here's what's next

Here's what we know.

• Nevada Smith's closed up last night at its current location at 74 Third Avenue.

• The soccer/football bar will eventually reopen at 100 Third Ave.

• Nevada Smith's goes before the CB3/SLA committee next month for a license at 100 Third Ave.

• The buildings at 74-76 Third Ave. will be demolished. The city has OK'd the permit for 76, the former home of Yummy House.

• The Manhattan Parking Group shut down its lot at 78-84 Third Ave. at 12th Street at the end of August ... a temporary lot is in its place.

• A mystery apartment building will take over this space. Per the announcement at Nevada Smith's website: "Our old home's almost done now with developers poised to demolish most of the block and replace our place, and yours, with a new luxury apartment block."

• NYU has NOTHING to do with the new development. James Devitt, deputy director for media relations at NYU, said the rumors of the school buying the space were "completely false" back in August.

Demolition work continues at 9-17 Second Avenue; is BFC Partners still involved?

Work continues to creep along at 9-17 Second Avenue... On Friday, workers started erecting the scaffolding for the construction netting needed for the continued demolition... we stopped by for updates ...

Friday!

Saturday!

Sunday!

Meanwhile, Bobby Williams passed along this "Corrected Public Notice" from the Daily News Saturday...

We have no idea what all this legalese is (we welcome your interpretation of this). It looks as if the new development here will include 13 affordable "cooperative dwelling units" and 51 "market rate rental dwelling units" and 6,350-feet of commercial space ... plus 1,677 square feet of open space.

Back during a CB3 Zoning Committee Meeting last December via BoweryBoogie, officials said that nine of the affordable units would be for returning families with the rest would be for new families via a lottery. At the time, officials were unsure if the market-rate units would be rentals or sales.

One noticeable absence in this "Corrected Public Notice" — Any mention of BFC Partners, builders of luxury properties such as 48 Bond on Bond Street and Toren in Brooklyn, who first introduced this idea in December. Something called Jupiter 21 LLC is listed here as the "sponsor." A New York State records search listed Jupiter 21 LLC (formed on Aug. 15) as having the same Myrtle Avenue address in Brooklyn as a high-end custom cabinetry company called Wells Woodwork. We're not sure about any connections between BFC Partners and Wells Woodwork.

Anyone know anything about this?

There's a public meeting on the development set for Dec. 6 at 10 a.m. at 22 Reade St.

Previously.

Joe's Bar still closed

After being closed for about a month earlier in the fall... one of our favorites, Joe's Bar on East Sixth Street, reopened on Nov. 16... A combination of Joe's health and the DOH knocked the bar out of action...

Unfortunately, as several readers pointed out, Joe's was closed again starting last Tuesday... and the bar remained closed during the holiday weekend...

We understand that Joe's health continues to be an issue.

Sidewalk shed at the Tom Cruise building on East 13th Street

A reader noted that a sidewalk shed went up last week outside the American Felt Building on East 13th Street ... where, for some reason, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes have a place or two. Anyway, nothing all that revealing at the DOB... something like "for installation of spacecraft landing pad." Per the DOB, in their ALL-CAP style:

ALTERATION TYPE 3 - CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT - SIDEWALK-SHED INSTALLATION OF HEAVY DUTY SIDEWALK SHED APPROXIMATELY 26 L.F AS PER PLAN AT 114 EAST 13 STREET. DURING REMEDIAL, WORK SHALL COMPLY WITH 2008 BUILDING CODE CHAPTER 33. NO CHANGE IN USE, EGRESS OR OCCUPANCY.

And, for making it this far, a bonus... Miss Holmes with a drink from Everyman Espresso down the street on Nov. 9.

[Photo by Bauer Griffin]

Thanksgiving leftovers

Were you away for the holiday? If so, then welcome back. Anyway, we posted a bunch of stuff the last few days... In case you missed it the first time around...:

• Your CB3/SLA booze and bar agenda for December.

• Thanksgiving at the Blarney Cove

• More about Puddin' on St. Mark's Place

• Looking at the Robin Raj holiday window display

• People lined up really early for Black Friday at the Union Square Best Buy

• Lingerie-clad model in a lamp post photo shoot

• You may now buy Christmas holiday trees

• Chico creates a new ad mural on Houston and Avenue B

M&M Variety Hardware space for rent on Avenue B

We don't know for sure when the M&M Variety Hardware closed on Avenue B near Houston... but we can't recall seeing it open anytime recently.

The space is now for rent — $9,000 per month. One reader who shopped here thought that a hardware store had been at this location since 1950.

...and this is the work of Goggla from last fall ... during happier times for the store...

Reciprocal Skateboards expands

Shawn Chittle passes along word that Reciprocal Skateboards has expanded into the previously vacant storefront next door on East 11th Street near First Avenue...

Chocolate Library owner trying to save his shop via Kickstarter

On Friday, we pointed out that the Chocolate Library on St. Mark's Place is now for rent... The shop closed rather quietly last month...

Owner Byron Bennett left a comment on that post... He is trying to raise money on Kickstarter to reopen the store... here's his comment:

FYI, I'm trying to see if I can raise enough money to reopen The Chocolate Library at 111 St. Mark's Place or somewhere else in the community. It's a long shot, but the store was well liked. And, the neighbors tell me that people are still coming by every day looking for it. The truth is that only my mistake for Valentine's Day through us off.

Here's the Kickstarter page.

Outside the Father's Heart Ministry Center tonight

On East 11th Street near Avenue B... for no reason... perhaps for the neon...

Photos by Bobby Williams.

Why you shouldn't be outraged at Kelly Donahue for refusing to give up her seat

EV Grieve reader Creature spotted this flyer on Avenue B at Fifth Street... then another one a few blocks away...

As you might expect, the sign is a fake... it's part of an ad campaign for a book out next month titled "I Hate You, Kelly Donahue."

Week in Grieview

[VIDEO] Inside Tompkins Square Bagels (Monday)

Is Ben Shaoul buying the Cabrini Nursing Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation on East Fifth Street? (Monday)

Why there's an Airstream trailer inside the new Lower Eastside Girls Club HQ (Tuesday)

Video circa early 1980s of the Hells Angels on East Third Street (Wednesday)

In which a film crew calls your wife a 'stupid bitch' on Avenue A (Wednesday, 50-plus comments)

Why living by IHOP stinks (Wednesday)

Welcome to the East Village, Standard (Monday)

Breaking: Last night for Nevada Smith's at 74 Third Ave.; and here comes more luxury apartments

As we first reported, Nevada Smith's is planning to move from its current home at 74 Third Ave. up the block to 100 Third Ave. ...

Nevada Smith's current home will be demolished, as we've pointed out here.

A message on Nevada Smith's website today officially announces the move...

Per the message: "Our old home's almost done now with developers poised to demolish most of the block and replace our place, and yours, with a new luxury apartment block."

The closing night party starts at 7.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Those persistent rumors about 74-76 Third Avenue and the future of Nevada Smith's

The East Village will lose a parking lot and gain an apartment building

Dumpster of the day

St. Mark's Place near Second Avenue.

Holiday tree hovel welcomed to the neighborhood

An addition to the holiday tree hovel a day after it arrived here outside St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery...

...and still no trees...