The possibility that the Stage won't reopen on 2nd Avenue

[EVG photo from Monday]

As we first reported on Tuesday, the city issued a Stop Work Order at 128 Second Ave. for what they say was installation of a gas pipe and fittings without a permit.



According to DOB documents, a city inspector on Monday observed this taking place in the cellar of the Icon Realty-owned building, across Second Avenue from the site of the gas explosion that killed two men and brought down three buildings. (Officials have said that a gas pipe underneath 121 Second Ave. might have been "inappropriately accessed" by outside contractors.)

According to a report at Gothamist yesterday: "Some of [128 Second Ave.'s] tenants say they've heard they may be without gas for six to 12 months."

All this has put the Stage, housed in a storefront at 128 Second Ave., out of commission. The beloved diner was able to open for business last Friday and Saturday, but had to close on Monday without any gas for cooking.

A Stage regular spoke with owner Roman Diakun yesterday. Per the regular: "Unfortunately, he might have to close down the restaurant for good. It's going to take much longer to turn the gas on than one would think. Between plans, permits and checking every apartment ... it could take months."

There's also complaint on file with the city Tuesday claiming the following: "Customer is reporting a restaurant hooking up gas pipes. Name of restaurant is Stage."



One resident said that this was a bogus claim, which led to more finger pointing in a building that tenants say has been plagued with problems since Icon bought it in the fall of 2013.

Per Gothamist:

"Tenants have had issues from the get-go," Yonatan Tadele, a community organizer with the Cooper Square Committee, told us. He noted that since Icon took over in 2013, landlords had been taking rent-stabilized tenants to court, then terrorizing remaining tenants with lengthy renovations, frequent gas shutdowns and other quality-of-life issues.

On March 24, the tenants association at 128 Second Ave. filed an HP Action for Repairs and Services against Icon Realty in NYC Housing Court. Among other issues, the remaining residents claim that there is inconsistent heat, broken fire escapes and a lack of fire alarms in the building.

As for the landlord and the city's Stop Work Order, WNYC reported the following:

Mitch Kossoff, a lawyer representing building owner Icon Realty, said the owners were "puzzled" and not aware of any gas work being done.

Early last evening, an Icon rep sent this email to residents of 128 Second Ave., several copies of which landed in our inbox:

Please be assured that Smicon Realty is committed to providing safe and habitable housing to the tenants of New York City, and upon notification of any issues, promptly deals with them.

Unfortunately, and as a backlash of the recent and tragic circumstances that occurred across the street, Con Edison has shut off gas service to a number of buildings, our building included.

Please be assured that we are acting diligently to have the gas service restored as quickly as possible and in the interim, we are trying to make arrangements for a temporary boiler.

We are also going to provide all tenants with double burner hot plates so you can cook. We would like for all tenants who wish to relocate to a Hotel of your choice starting immediately.

For those tenants who are not otherwise in arrears, Management will cover up to $200 per day for your Hotel accommodations until the hot water has been restored building wide.

Management will not cover any expenses that exceed the $200 per diem. Please submit your Hotel receipts into our office for reimbursement.

Your reimbursement check will be processed within 30 business days of receipt.

Your rent will be adjusted accordingly for the days you are without heat and hot water.

We sincerely apologize for this inconvenience and hope to have this matter resolved in a timely manner.

Previously on EV Grieve:
City serves stop work order on Icon Realty-owned building for installing gas pipe without permit across from deadly 2nd Avenue blast zone (48 comments)

Taking the Hummus Place off St.Mark's Place

On Tuesday, workers stripped the signage off the recently shuttered Hummus Place at 109 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue. The restaurant closed for renovations in early February, never to reopen.

Perhaps the space won't be vacant for too long. There's an applicant on this month's CB3/SLA committee agenda for a new beer-wine license for the space. CB3 hasn't filed the questionnaire online with more information on the applicant just yet.

Paprika hasn't been open lately on St. Mark's Place

Meanwhile, nearly directly across from the former Hummus Place on St. Mark's Place, Paprika has remained shuttered in recent weeks (at least three).

Calls to the restaurant are forwarded to a full voice mailbox. There isn't any mention of a closure on the restaurant's website or social media properties. In fact, Paprika, which specializes in Northern Italian cuisine, had been actively posting various menu items on Instagram as late as March 7.

Anyone know what's happening with the space?

Updated: There is a listing for the space on Loop Net, per a reader... the listing was last updated a year ago. It's currently listed as "off market." The asking monthly rent is/was $8,524.

Another East Village cat reunion

As we first reported earlier this morning, the NYPD and ASCPA found Sebastian (left) and Kitty Cordelia, who had been missing inside 125 Second Ave. following last Thursday's explosion. We also heard that searchers found an unharmed Laszlo yesterday.

Now eastvillagesiren tells us that Laszlo has been reunited today with his housemate Lulu ... (and their owner Yvonne)... We don't know all the details to the reunion...



By our count, at least three cats remain missing — Sago, Ryce and Leather-Face. And at least one dog has been reported missing, a pit bull named Pepper. The Washington Square Park Blog has more info here.

Tall man allegedly steals expensive statue

A man named Kitty Rotolo, who has reportedly been in and out of jail since 1985, walked into Nadaeu Furniture on East 11th Street and University Place on Saturday.

He picked up a gold-plated statue of Tara, the Hindu goddess of universal compassion valued at $39,940, and ran out the door, the Daily News reports.

A store manager followed Rotolo, who, at 6-8, was hard to miss. Someone alerted an NYPD patrol car nearby. As the police approached, Rotolo reportedly stopped, handed Tara back to the manager and apologized.

According to the News, he remains in jail held in lieu of $100,000 bail.

Art is not of actual allegedly stolen Tara

Local elected officials holding informational session tomorrow night for displaced East Village residents

Starts at 6:30 p.m. at St Mark's Church-in-the-Bowery, Second Avenue and East 10th Street...

2nd Avenue update (April 1)

[Photo by Caroleen Stewart]

The latest headlines

East Village explosion might have followed attempt to hide gas siphoning (The New York Times)

"A number of law enforcement sources said Tuesday the investigation could take several weeks and possibly a year to learn what caused the explosion and whether criminal charges are warranted." (Newsday)

Palisades woman owns building that exploded in East Village (News 12 Westchester)

Co-worker opens up about final moments with man believed dead in blast (NY1)

Single mom of three loses rent-stabilized apartment in East Village explosion (WPIX)

Taqueria Diana, San Loco, Paul's, Bar Virage all back open (Eater)

Here is information gleaned from the most recent (dated yesterday) Inter-Agency Update:

• Search and recovery operation is transitioning into evidence gathering and collection
• FDNY members continue to spot check debris, but full sifting is concluding
• Approximately 30 firefighters remain on site
• Marshals investigation continues
• A bus lane is now open on the East side of Second Avenue

Donations and Services

• Today from noon to 4:30 pm., parishioners from the Church of the Nativity, 44 Second Ave. between East Second Street and East Third Street, will be distributing donations to displaced residents. Details in our previous post.

• From 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. today, Velselka is giving out $100 gift cards to displaced residents.

• The 14th Street Y is offering displaced residents and their families six months of membership. Details here.

• As we noted on Sunday, Theater for the New City on First Avenue is offering FREE clothing from their costume collection ("costume" street wear) to its neighbors displaced by the explosion. They have coats, jackets and other clothing. Call 212-254-1109 to make an appointment.

• Professor Thom's is hosting another fundraiser for their Second Avenue neighbors. Tomorrow night from 6-10, a donation at the door gets you a free beer from Harpoon Brewery as well as happy hour prices until 10 p.m. All the money collected at the door will go to charity. Professor Thom's is at 219 Second Ave. between East 13th Street and East 14th Street.

Missing Pets

The Washington Square Park Blog has a running list of the missing pets from the buildings. You can find that post here.

And here is the flyer that Whiskers on Second Avenue and East Ninth Street has been distributing…



The number of missing cats has been reduced, though.



Another search by the NYPD and ASCPA yesterday at 125 Second Ave. turned up Sebastian (left) and Kitty Cordelia. They have been reunited with their owner, Kathleen Blomberg. No. 125 is still under a Full Vacate Order.

We also hear that searchers found an unharmed Laszlo yesterday.

The Church of the Nativity is distributing clothes and other items to displaced residents today

Story and photos by Stacie Joy

Today from noon to 4:30 pm., parishioners from the Church of the Nativity, 44 Second Ave. between East Second Street and East Third Street, will be distributing donations to displaced residents from last week's explosion.

I stopped by last night to see what was needed and how the community could help.

There were many tables and bags loaded with towels, sheets, bedding, clothing (men’s, women’s and kid’s, even some baby stuff), toiletries, food (nonperishable), and home goods all being sorted, folded and prepared to be distributed to those residents who lost everything in the recent fire and collapse. (All leftover items will go to the Catholic Worker, as the Red Cross and GOLES are no longer accepting donations.)


[Parishioner Benjamin Rodriguez]





Parishioner and event organizer Mercedes Sanchez explained that there will be people on site today to assist in both Spanish and English, but that they could use a few more volunteers between noon and 4 p.m. (She asks that you email her here if you can lend a hand.)

One of the church’s parishioners, Mildred Guy, lost her home of more than 45 years in the blast. She was at work at The Neighborhood School at the time.

She described a tight-knit group of tenants, with only eight units in her building at 45 E. Seventh St. The residents bonded at her apartment after Superstorm Sandy when they used her landline, the last one in the building, to communicate with loved ones.



She expressed concern over how her fellow tenants are coping with the disastrous events, though she was feeling blessed that she survived, thinking about how much worse it could have been had the explosion occurred when more people were at home.

She told me about the difficulties she and others are having with filling out forms, as HPD (Housing Preservation and Development) and DHCR (Division of Housing and Community Renewal) are requiring paperwork that few people can produce after the devastating fire.

When asked what her most pressing need was, she indicated housing — long-term housing. The apartments she was shown away from the neighborhood far exceeded her previous rent, and the units were much smaller. Her family has lived in the East Village since she moved here from Puerto Rico as a child. At 62, she said she was too young to qualify for senior assistance (SCREE), which becomes available at age 65.

She is currently staying in a hotel provided to her by the Red Cross, and explained that her son, his wife, and their baby only recently moved out of the apartment to start a new job in Albany.

While still processing her own grief, she spoke about gratitude, condolences, and how she is trying to remain busy and active so she doesn’t have to think too much about all that’s lost.

Mildred's son, Branden, established a GoFundMe page to help her with expenses.

25 Avenue B is on the market

The for sale sign went up last week at 25 Avenue B between East Second Street and East Third Street.

Tower Brokerage has the listing, which shows an asking price of $299,000 for the bi-level space. The monthly rent is listed as $16,882.63.

The previous bar here, Matty's, closed after just two months. In the past few years, the space was home to Idle Hands and Station B and Billy Hurricane's.

Sign of Spice on 1st Avenue

The Spice sign is up now at 71 First Ave. between East Fourth Street and East Fifth Street.

According to the note on the door, the Thai chainlet will open its branch here tomorrow.

In case you missed our post from March 21 … Pukk, the 11-year-old vegetarian/vegan Thai favorite, closed for good here after service on March 22. (Pukk and Spice share the same ownership.)

And as previously noted, the Spice on Second Avenue at East Sixth Street is on the rental market. Perhaps First Avenue will one day be the lone Spice in the East Village.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Pukk is closing for good after tomorrow night