No sign of life at Nevada Smiths

As we first reported on Tuesday, the Marshal has seized Nevada Smiths on Third Avenue between East 12th Street and East 13th Street.

We walked by this morning… a time when the place would normally be open showing various matches (Chelsea v. Arsenal???). There aren't any signs on the front doors noting the closure. The Marshal's notice remains. Oh, well there is an empty jug of ketchup and two signs for a band on the sidewalk...



We haven't heard any other updates on the situation here. This is the bar's official message:

Due to Circumstances Beyond our Control NS is temporarily closed. We are working to resolve the Situation and Hope to Re-open Soon.

— Nevada Smiths (@NevadaSmiths) September 15, 2015

In April, DNAinfo reported that a New Jersey bank filed suit against Nevada Smiths after the bar failed to make the last four payments on a $150,000 loan.

The football/soccer mainstay opened in their new home in April 2013.

How an East Village 2nd grader is helping the NYC homeless population

Here's a story about Maribella, who attends second grade in the East Village, via the Coalition for the Homeless:

Every day she and her mother, Michelle, walk through Tompkins Square Park, where they see more and more homeless men and women suffering on the streets. Maribella decided she couldn’t just walk past them again and do nothing. So she figured out something even a second-grader could do to help.

About a year ago, Maribella began collecting loose change she found on the sidewalk and under couch cushions, keeping the spare pennies, nickels and dimes in a special jar on her bedside table. She carefully kept track of what she collected in a journal. Now, a year later, her jar holds $25 dollars in change! She decided she wanted to give the money to one of the homeless people she sees everyday – along with a note of well wishes

And if you happen to be out in Ridgewood, Queens, tomorrow, Maribella and her mother are hosting a lemonade stand and stoop sale, with all the money going to the Coalition for the Homeless.

All summer long

Seattle surf-noir outfit La Luz played at the Bowery Ballroom a few weeks back... touring in support of the quartet's new record "Weirdo Shrine." Here's "You Disappear" from that release...

The 6th annual NYC Pizza Run is tomorrow in Tompkins Square Park

Well, you're out of luck if you want to participate in the actual run…

We're sold out! If you didn't make the cut, you can still cheer on participants or meet us @DoubleWideNYC for the after party at noon.

— NYC Pizza Run (@nycpizzarun) September 17, 2015

Anyway, if you're new to this, then here's an explanation via the Pizza Run website…

Starting at 11AM, participants will run four laps around the park, counterclockwise. The total distance of the race is two miles. After lap 1, lap 2, and lap 3, there will be a “pizza station” set up where participants must stop to eat a slice of pizza before they can continue with the next lap. The first person to complete the run will be crowned the NYC Pizza Run Champion!

Previously

Minus a floor (mostly), BSA to weigh in on Ben Shaoul's zoning variance today for 515 E. 5th St.

[EVG photo from Sept. 5]

Workers packed up their gear and sidewalk bridge a few weeks ago at 515 E. Fifth St., where they had been removing the illegal top-floor addition courtesy of landlord Ben Shaoul.

And the top level here between Avenue A and Avenue B has been hollowed out, with a couple of walls remaining ...


[Photo via an EVG reader]

515 Penthouse Removal Watchers say this configuration is now similar to the Shaoul-owned 514-516 Sixth St., where the formerly illegal space is apparently making for a cool party gazebo for residents.

To quickly recap seven-plus years of illegal addition history: The Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA) ruled in 2008 that Shaoul needed to remove the 6th and 7th floors. However, his attorneys had requested that the city grant a zoning variance to "permit the constructed enlargement, minus the penthouse, to remain" here.

The BSA apparently gave Shaoul until the end of July to provide proof that the top floor had been taken down … then the BSA would reopen hearings on the variances that Shaoul and Co. are requesting.

According to a member of the 515 tenants association, the next hearing is today.

DNAinfo reported on Sept. 4 that four studio apartments on the sixth floor had been listed for rent even though the "floor does not have a certificate of occupancy and the building is technically noncompliant with local zoning regulations."

Shaoul told DNAinfo that he did not know how the listings came to appear on Streeteasy. (They are no longer on the site.)

Per DNAinfo:

“I’m not responsible,” he said before pinning the listings on brokers.

“Brokers are unauthorized. Brokers do that all the time. There’s nothing,” he said. “Brokers do whatever they want to do.”

A building source claims that one of the sixth-floor units has been occupied since late August.

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] 5 years later, another BSA hearing on illegal rooftop addition at 515 E. Fifth St.

Protest at 515 E. Fifth St. this morning, site of Ben Shaoul's illegal addition

The disappearing illegal penthouse of 514-516 E. 6th St.

Never-ending battle wages on over additional floors at 515 E. Fifth St.

Never-ending battle over additional floors at 515 E. Fifth St. promises to keep being never-ending

CB3 not into Ben Shaoul's zoning variance for 515 E. 5th St.

Another BSA hearing on Ben Shaoul's illegal rooftop addition; plus, rent 1 of the contested units!

BSA tells Ben Shaoul to remove the illegal penthouse on East 5th Street within 60 days

Ben Shaoul now has until the end of July to demolish his illegal penthouse on East 5th Street

Sidewalk bridge arrives at 515 E. 5th St., site of Ben Shaoul's illegal penthouse conversion

Actual demolition work happening at Ben Shaoul's illegal East 5th Street penthouse

The annual 9th Street Block Party is tomorrow (aka Saturday)

[Photo via Steven]

Via the EVG inbox...

Annual 9th Street A-1 Block Association Block Party

East 9th Street between 1st Avenue and Avenue A

Saturday, Sept. 1​9​, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. (no rain date)

Live Music (from noon - 4 p.m.)

Resident artists, crafts people, and photographers will be showing and selling their work, and residents will be selling a la stoop sale — antiques, bric-a-brac, clothing, accessories, music, jewelry, etc.

Block businesses include:

• Dorian Grey Gallery, Enchantments, Flower Power (herbs), Mr. Throwback (vintage clothing and accessories), Ollie's Place (cat adoption), Pink Olive (gifts), Polytima (jewelry), Pork Pie Hatterie (hats), Puppy Love Kitty Kat (pet supplies), Reason Outpost (clothing), The Upper Rust (antiques)
• Restaurants/Cafes: Good Beer, Tacos Morales, Cagen, Whitman's, Zucker Bakery, Superiority Burger
• Hair Salons/Barbers: Crops for Girls, Lovemore & Do, Maria Mok Salon, Neighborhood Barber, Tsumiki Salon

Report: Raphael Toledano secures $124 million loan for 16-building East Village portfolio

Raphael Toledano's Brookhill Properties secured a $124 million loan for his purchase of a 16-building East Village portfolio, the Commercial Observer reported yesterday.

New York-based real estate investment firm Madison Realty Capital provided the loan for Brookhill, who closed on the $97 million deal with the Tabak family earlier this month.

These are the 16 properties, as previously reported:

• 27 St. Marks Place – 20 residential units; 2 commercial units
• 66 East 7th Street – 22 residential units; 2 commercial units
• 95 East 7th Street – 20 residential units
• 223 East 5th Street – 18 residential units
• 228 East 6th Street – 20 residential units; 2 commercial units
• 229 East 5th Street – 10 residential units
• 231 East 5th Street – 8 residential units; 2 commercial units
• 233 East 5th Street – 10 residential units
• 235 East 5th Street – 10 residential units
• 253 East 10th Street – 20 residential units; 1 commercial unit
• 323-325 East 12th Street – 37 residential units
• 327 East 12th Street – 22 residential units; 2 commercial units
• 329 East 12th Street – 24 residential units
• 334 East 9th Street – 20 residential units; 2 commercial units
• 510 East 12th Street – 20 residential units; 2 commercial units
• 514 East 12th Street – 20 residential units

Per the Commercial Observer:

Through the repositioning, Brookhill plans to upgrade the common areas in the buildings and renovate the residential units to maximize their square footage.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Claim: Landlord of 444 E. 13th St. threatened 'to drop dynamite on the building'

Reader report: Large portfolio of East Village buildings ready to change hands

Report: State investigating East Village landlord Raphael Toledano

Report: Uncle suing nephew broker Raphael Toledano over $100 million East Village deal

Report: Raphael Toledano completes purchase of 16-building East Village portfolio

Photo of 253 E. 10th St. and 27 St. Mark’s Place via The Real Deal

Black Seed bagels about 2 weeks away from opening

In its Fall Restaurant Preview earlier this month, the Times listed that Black Seed bagels would be opening its new location at 176 First Ave. on Sept. 17.

Based on that info, there were a few people expecting to find bagels being served from the former DeRobertis bakery location yesterday.

That wasn't the case.

Black Seed cleared up any confusion via Twitter…

@NameCantBe @evgrieve @nytimes Two more weeks. Hope to see you soon on 1st Ave!

— Black Seed Bagels (@BlackSeedBagels) September 17, 2015

H/T @NameCantBe

Previously

EVG Etc.: Jesse Malin's new record and bar; Marcia Resnick's NYC 'Punks, Poets and Provocateurs'

[Mocha Lite and Miss Demeanor outside the Phoenix on East 13th Street via Grant Shaffer]

Jesse Malin on his latest record and new bar Berlin under 2A on Avenue A (The Village Voice)

Flowers Cafe closes tomorrow ahead of redevelopment at 355 Grand St. (BoweryBoogie)

Threat of lawsuit over massage parlor installation at Orchard Street gallery (artnet News)

Stats on bullying in East Village/LES schools (DNAinfo)

History of the honorary street names along Second Avenue (Off the Grid)

About Louis Abolafia, the East Village artist who ran for president in 1968 (Ephemeral New York)

More on Avant Garden's opening on East Seventh Street (Zagat)

A look at photographer Marcia Resnick's new book of NYC "Punks, Poets and Provocateurs" (Dangerous Minds)

A visit to Rachael Ray's 6-level East Village home (The Wall Street Journal, subscription required)

Some history of Peridance Capezio Center on East 13th Street (The New York Times)

Another chance to discuss the East River flood protection plan (The Lo-Down)

The original Palm restaurant space for rent (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

Lou Reed cornerspotting (Flaming Pablum)

… and in the spring of 2014, Michael Sean Edwards, who has contributed photos to EVG through the years, released a book of photography titled "Past Future Past: The East Village: 1978-1980."

The softcover edition ($24.95) is now for sale at Alphabets, 64 Avenue A, and St. Mark's Bookshop, 136 E. Third St.


[Photo on St. Mark's Place by Michael Sean Edwards]

Thinking about the future (and past) of 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

As you probably know, some major change is in the works for the corners of Third Avenue and St. Mark's Place.

To recap:

• Back in June, The Real Deal reported that real-estate investor Arthur Shapolsky is in the process of buying three properties at the northeast corner of Third Avenue and St. Marks Place: 23 Third Ave., 27 Third Ave. and 3 St. Mark's Place. Basically everything from McDonald's to the corner.

According to The Real Deal, the corner could accommodate a 41,500-square-foot commercial building or a residential one of roughly half the size.

To date, nothing about the sale has shown up in public records just yet.

• Last November, the Pappas family, owners of the St. Marks Hotel, filed plans to build a 10-story mixed-use building on the hotel's lot at the southeast corner St. Mark’s Place and Third Avenue. (The hotel would take floors 2-10.)

New York Yimby got a look at a rendering.



This Super St. Marks Hotel structure awaits DOB approval. (The DOB website shows that city last disapproved the plans on March 26.)

Meanwhile, for a little perspective on this corner (at least the northeast side), take a look at this photo that writer Ada Calhoun bought on eBay that dates to 1963...

The coming changes might make for a nice addendum to Calhoun's forthcoming book, "St. Marks Is Dead: The Many Lives of America’s Hippest Street," out Nov. 2 from W.W. Norton & Co.