[UPDATED] Ramona (aka Bear) is lost

Via the EVG inbox...



Updated 3:57 p.m.

Ramona has been found! We don't have all the details... apparently she is a little banged up and is at the vet, but she is fine. Thank you to everyone who helped, tweeted, etc.

Let's go crazy

The Prince-inspired Sing for Hope piano (titled Dearly Beloved) is now ready for action in Tompkins Square Park...



Brooklyn-based artist Eric Inkala designed the piano, which will be in the Park through June 19. Sing for Hope will later place the pop-up pianos from around the city in NYC public schools.

And thank you Tony...



Updated

Here's Billy the Artist taking it for a spin...



Photos by Steven

Christening a new neighborhood

Spotted this morning on the plywood along East 13th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue...



Welcome to Stuyraq!



This is at the site of the former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office. There are currently approved plans for an 8-story, 114-unit (23 affordable, 91 market rate) mixed-use building here.

However, reps for the developers (Benenson Capital Partners in association with the Mack Real Estate Group) are lobbying to receive a zoning variance for a 12-story building. In an analysis of the plot, the developers note that "unusually elevated groundwater levels and exceedingly soft and unstable soil (owing to the presence of an underground stream) ... result in extraordinary construction costs." Read more about this here.

Officials from Stuyraq could not be reached for comment.

Thanks to EVG reader Daniel for the photos!

[Updated] Mount Sinai Beth Israel officials to discuss future plans with CB3; plus, an open letter

There has been a lot of news coming out of Mount Sinai Beth Israel in recents weeks... first, officials announced that they are closing their 825-bed facility on First Avenue at East 16th Street in the next four years.

Mount Sinai Health System plans to replace the existing facility by opening a smaller, 70-bed hospital on 14th Street and Second Avenue.

Yesterday, the Post reported that Mount Sinai officials have put its First Avenue properties on the market.

As a reminder, hospital reps will be on-hand tonight during a joint Community Board 3 committee meeting to discuss their future plans. The 6:30 p.m. public meeting is in the Thelma Burdick Community Room, 10 Stanton St. at the Bowery.

Meanwhile, we heard from several residents who recently received this letter in the mail from Mount Sinai Beth Israel ...


[Click to go big]

Billed as "some exciting news for the downtown community," the letter outlines Mount Sinai Health System's $500 million investment in their services at various facilities below 34th Street...



The letter, signed by Kenneth L. Davis, president and CEO of Mount Sinai Health System, does not mention that the current facility will close in the coming years.

Updated 6-10

NY1 has a report on the meeting here.

Excerpt:

Administrators discussed some details of their plan at a community board meeting Thursday night. Saying while the current 825-bed hospital would indeed shut down — it would be replaced by a new, smaller facility nearby.

Still, many question what they see as a drastic reduction in service.

"Now they say no we're not going to be closed, but the admissions part of it, the in-house beds are going to be closed, reduced from 825 to 70," said one woman.

"I see the poor, the needy and the elderly is going to be the ones who have to travel up to Roosevelt, to all these different hospitals and the ones that's paying market rent down here they are going to be the ones that have the luxury to lay up in the new hospital with only 70 beds," said another.

We'll update with other media reports as they are posted...

Restaurant-ready space at 58 St. Mark's Place asking $19k

[Image via LoopNet]

Hakata Hot Pot and Sushi Lounge, housed in the retail spaces at 58 St. Mark's Place between First Avenue and Second Avenue, closed at the end of February.

In a message on Facebook, the owners said that they had lost their lease. (Hakata Hot Pot combined with sister restaurant Zen 6 the next block to the west at 31 St. Mark's Place.)

The two spaces are now on the market. According to the listing at Sinvin, the 1,400-square-foot space can be leased separately or together. Each space is asking $9,500; $19,000 for the whole thing.

Some bullet sales points:

• Charming intimate spaces for restaurants or coffee shops
• Brick walls & wood floors
• As of right, space for two tables in front of each store
• Landlord presenting each as a vanilla box
• Restaurant ready with venting, grease trap, 200 am electric panel, HVAC, and stubbed for gas and plumbing
• Wine & beer only, next to a church

Raphael Toledano became the building's landlord last fall.

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

201 2nd Ave. is for sale

[Image via Cushman & Wakefield]

The five-story building between East 12th Street and East 13th Street arrived on the market this week.

Here's how the folks at Cushman & Wakefield are positioning the sale:

The building currently consists of a ground floor retail space with residential apartments on the upper floors. The retail is currently leased to Ray's Gourmet until February 2021 who pays $7,957 per month, or $102 per square foot which is below market. There are preliminary plans to expand by increasing the retail square footage to approximately 2,115 square feet (when space becomes vacant).

The preliminary plans for the above floors call for eight apartments of which two (2) will be three-bedroom units, two (2) will be two-bedroom units, and four (4) will be one-bedroom units.

201 Second Avenue presents the opportunity to capitalize on a neighborhood commanding in excess of $85/SF for residential rents and over $2000/SF for new condo units. The building is less than one block from the L train stop at 14th Street, next door to Momofuku Ssam and has close proximity to Union Square.

Price: $10.5 million.

Per public records, it appears 201 2nd Ave. Realty with a 111 Broadway address purchased the building in April 2015 for $7.8 million.

The Grassroots Tavern now opens 1 hour earlier

EVG and Grassroots regular Riley McCormick notes that the bar at 20 St.Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue is now open one hour earlier ... 3 p.m. ... still with the $2 pints (of Bud/Bud Light right???) ... and now also offering — heh — white peach sangria.

Not sure how this compares just yet with the Great Changing of the Old TV Set in 2011.

8:15 p.m.

By Bobby Williams

[Updated] Waiting for POTUS on Astor Place

[Photo by EVG White House correspondent Steven]

President Obama is in town this afternoon and evening for two fundraising events. He also taped a segment for "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon."

Anyway, in case you were wondering about the massive NYPD presence and barricades on Astor Place, Lafayette, East Houston, etc.

Updated 6:15 p.m.

Another photo via Steven...



Those new Cadillacs are pretty nice!

... and another via Steven...



If you missed the President just now, you can also see him during a pop-up visit at Webster Hall at 2 a.m.

Updated 6:40 p.m.

Here's the Presidential motorcade passing Avenue A at East Houston a little earlier... via EVG reader Ronnie... (highlight at the 19- to 24-second mark...)



Previously on EV Grieve:
East 12th Street and Avenue A tonight: Waiting for the President to pass by

Today in Hōkūleʻa sightings on the East River

EVG Hōkūleʻa correspondent Dave on 7th spotted the legendary voyaging canoe on the East River earlier today...



The craft arrived in New York Harbor on Sunday...

The canoe is taking part in a variety events this week, including World Oceans Day today.

You can read more about the Hōkūleʻa and its historic East Coast voyage right here.