The East Luxe is 70% rented; Petco confirmed for retail space

People apparently want to live in The East Luxe, Ben Shaoul's new 20-unit rental building at 31-33 Second Ave.

According to a release via reps from brokerage firm Platinum Properties, 70 percent of The East Luxe between East First Street and East Second Street has been rented "in just 8 weeks on the market."

Here is more info from the release:

Two of three four-bedroom rental units were just released starting at $6988 (this is net effective pricing after one free month) and the building will be offering a third four-bedroom unit onto the market in mid-March for April occupancy. Renters will have the opportunity to select from 3 different 4-bedroom layouts; 2 out of 3 of the units have 14-ft. ceilings.

And!

Completely renovated and redesigned by developer Ben Shaoul, the elevator building has landscaped roof deck with views of the Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, and the Manhattan Bridge. Each unit is appointed with condo finishes offering washer and dryer units in each apartment, stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, and marble bathrooms.

And here are a few interior shots via Platinum…







In addition, Platinum announced the previously reported news that Petco has signed on to be the retail tenant in the building's 3,500-square-foot storefront.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Ben Shaoul planning a 3-story addition at 31-33 Second Ave.

Bracing for 3 new floors at 31-33 Second Ave.

Checking in on the work in progress at 31-33 2nd Ave., where Ben Shaoul is adding 3 new floors

Ben Shaoul's bland new 2nd Avenue building is called The East Luxe

More about The East Luxe, Ben Shaoul's new 20-unit rental on 2nd Avenue

[Photo of 31-33 2nd Ave. from 2009 by LuciaM via Panoramio]

Proto's Pizza has closed on 2nd Avenue

We're sorry to see that the pizzeria here at 50 Second Ave. between East Second Street and East Third Street has closed. We liked the pizza served up by Brooklyn native Rob Proto.

Now for rent signs are hanging in the window. The space that belonged to Yoo's Convenience Store — home of New York's "best coffee" — remains vacant next door.

Proto's opened in May 2012.

Taqueria St. Mark's set to open Thursday

The former Taqueria Lower East Side is ready to start life anew as Taqueria St. Mark's at 79 St. Mark's Place just west of First Avenue.

Taqueria Lower East Side had to find a new home after developer Ben Shaoul bought up the corner of Orchard and East Houston for a new luxury development. BoweryBoogie reported that the 4-year-old Taqueria closed at 198 Orchard St. after business on Sunday.

Here's more on them via Fork in the Road: "Taqueria, an offshoot of a Jersey City restaurant, amassed a stable of neighborhood regulars during its run here, thanks to its cheap fare, solid margaritas, and excellent tacos. For our money, it makes some of the best carnitas in town."

Fork in the Road said that you can expect "the same line-up of tacos, tortas, and platters plus margaritas and Mexican beer" on St. Mark's Place.

With this opening, will the neighborhood finally have enough taco/taqueria options?

After the Typhoon Lounge closed at 79 St. Mark's Place in May 2012, the space has been home to the quick succession of Saints Tavern and Kamikaze & Co.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Taqueria Lower East Side relocating to St. Mark's Place

Looking for a Serious Decent Character

Boarding Room flyer of the day/week… spotted the other day on Avenue C and East Second Street…

Noted

A reader shared this from along First Avenue between East Fifth Street and East Sixth Street… What should we do with this information? Turn around?

Survey: East Village residents are spending 56% of their incomes on market-rate apartments

A new Streeteasy survey suggests that NYC could be nicknamed the Big Rent Burden. Per the survey on market-rate rentals:

As a classic rule of thumb, a rent-to-income ratio of 30 percent or lower is considered “affordable,” meaning that renters spend 30 percent or less of their monthly income on rent – freeing up the majority of their income for other costs of living and savings. Even when considering that residents of large cities will typically spend more of their incomes on rent than in less amenity-rich areas, New York is in a league of its own. The median asking rent in New York City is expected to reach $2,700 in 2015, amounting to a staggering 58 percent of median income in the city according to StreetEasy estimates. High rent prices are only half of the picture, though. Stagnant income growth, short supply of rental units, and rapidly increasing rents is making New York City one of the most expensive and challenging rental markets in the country. According to census data, New York City rent prices grew at almost twice the pace of income between 2000 and 2013, meaning that over time rent has taken up a much larger piece of New Yorkers’ incomes.

Streeteasy's interactive map shows you the percentage of income residents are paying in rent by neighborhood. In the East Village, it's 56 percent ... with the Lower East Side checking in at 81 percent. As The Wall Street Journal notes, "The report offers a glimpse into one aspect of the much-studied question of affordability in the city, looking at the median income of people who live here compared with the more than 140,000 listings that StreetEasy analyzed from its site." You can read the whole survey here.

DumplingGo is a go on 2nd Avenue

On Thursday, a reader told us that workers were putting up the signage at DumplingGo, the new, um, dumpling place opening on Second Avenue at East 12th Street…

...and the place was open for the weekend...



DumplingGo is part of the NYVA Restaurant Group — "an owner, operator, and proud franchisee for multiple brands."

Per the the DumplingGo website:

The DumplingGo franchise is conceived from a mix of Asian and Western business and culinary experiences. The Restaurant concept reflects the eclectic flavors and multicultural pallets of an interconnected global society.

With 20 years of business experience in the New York tri-state area, the founding partners have isolated a niche market in the fast-casual dining space. Our market research suggests that Dumplings are a growing market in metropolitan cities around the world and present a unique opportunity for a franchisor.

Perhaps their market research would have noted that there are already two choices for dumplings on this block. Mimi Cheng's Dumplings opened up right across the Avenue last July. And there's Plump Dumpling down on Second Avenue and East 11th Street.

Anyway, you can find the DumplingGo menu here. There's now another location on West Third Street with two more on the way in Manhattan.

The previous tenant here, Shima, abruptly closed in January 2014.

Previously on EV Grieve:
How about some more dumplings?

Juice Press on East 10th Street (the one near Avenue A) closes for renovations

And this is a legit closed for renovations, not one of those "closed for renovations" tactics (examples here and here and here) …

Not sure exactly what is being renovated here. (We thought it might also serve as a JP test kitchen.)

One tipster on the block heard that the JP was expanding into the vacant storefront next door… but that rumor hasn't been confirmed.



There are approved work permits on file with the city for "interior renovation with partition and plumbing works" on the first floor.

This Juice Press location opened in June 2011.

Former space housing 1st bar for pregnant women returns to market on Avenue A

[EVG photo from September]

The corner retail space on Avenue A and East Fifth Street served as an advertising repository last October for some bar-finding app disguised as Gestations — "NYC's first bar for pregnant women."

The storefront has sat empty since East Village Pharmacy moved from here to 41 Avenue A in early 2011.

And now there's a new broker for the space…





So far, we haven't spotted the listing online at the Tower Brokerage website. And is the space next door that housed Twist for lease as well?

In any event, this is a good block for independent retail here between East Fifth Street and East Fourth Street … you have a coffee shop/cafe (Croissanteria), a housewares shop (Lancelotti), a used bookstore (Mast), a magazine shop (Ink on A), a gift shop (Alphabets), a dry cleaners … not to mention the lottery place and the liquor store.

Previously on EV Grieve:
No, 'NYC's first bar for pregnant women' isn't opening on Avenue A

People behind Gestations still pretending to be opening a bar for pregnant women on Avenue A

The Nite Owl opens for night owls and probably other people

North River's transformation into the Nite Owl looks complete at 166 First Ave. near East 10th Street.

Several EVG readers told us that The Nite Owl was open for business on Saturday evening...



Said one reader: "Not a single table and chair left. All high tops with stools and the bar. So much for a restaurant."

The Nite Owl is serving food. Here's a look at the menu on display outside… featuring bar-food items like chicken nuggets, smoked deviled eggs, burgers and tacos…





We first noticed North River closed after service on Feb. 21… a sign on the door said there "there are changes afoot at North River." North River, which served American-style comfort food from chef Adam Starowicz, opened in December 2013.