A few more details about the sale of 123 2nd Ave.

Back in late September, news arrived that the lot that housed 123 Second Ave., one of three buildings destroyed following the deadly gas explosion in March 2015, sold for $6 million.

The buyer was reported as Ezra Wibowo under the LLC 123 Second Ave. Corp. While there haven't been any details divulged about what might be coming to the property, Crain's this week provided a few more details about the deal.

The $6 million sale price for what’s now a vacant lot at 123 Second Ave. is likely higher than what the building that stood there would have commanded. The sellers, who originally asked $9.7 million, had taken a $499,000 mortgage on the building in 1999, and it generated gross revenue of $283,580 in 2014, per real estate research website Reonomy.

Moreover, the September sale price for the lot is comparable to what larger nearby apartment buildings have traded for in recent years. The new owner of 123 Second Ave., an investor from the West Village, could not be reached regarding any development plans — and none have been filed with the city — but it’s unlikely such a choice spot will remain undeveloped for long.

No. 123 housed Pommes Frites and Sam's Deli and several residential spaces. Maria Hrynenko, the owner of 119 and 121 Second Ave. faces various charges (along with four others), including involuntary manslaughter.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: City claims immunity in tenant lawsuit over deadly 2nd Avenue gas explosion

A Drybar opens on Ludlow Street tomorrow

EVG reader Alta Tseng shared this photo from... 179 Ludlow St., the building next to Katz's...

As the Commercial Observer first reported in August, the California-based salon chain Drybar signed a 10-year deal ($150 per square foot) in the retail space of the condoplex

And Drybar, the 13th in the city and the first in this neighborhood, opens tomorrow (Friday!) per the signage.

The condoplex earned the nickname "The Rat Castle" from the Voice back in 2008. (The then-abandoned project attracted rats galore at the time.)

As BoweryBoogie noted in August: "An ironic name for this Hell Square newcomer, though; in an area pillaged with liquor licenses, a Drybar moves in."

Previously on EV Grieve:
Notorious 'Rat Castle' being pitched as 'Swank' on Ludlow Street

Duane Reade's efforts to offer flu shots still don't seem all that appealing

At the Duane Reade on Third Avenue at both Street...

Oct. 20!


[Photo by @edenbrower]

This week!

Attorney General files lawsuit against local landlord Marolda Properties; accused of intimidating rent-stabilized tenants

Via the EVG inbox this morning...

Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today filed a lawsuit against Marolda Properties, Inc., a Manhattan property management company that manages rent-regulated apartment buildings in the New York City metropolitan area including in Chinatown and the Lower East Side, and affiliated landlords that own the buildings.

The lawsuit is the result of a joint investigation between the Attorney General’s Office and Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s Tenant Protection Unit.

The lawsuit, filed in New York Supreme Court, alleges that Marolda Properties and the other defendants improperly sought to evict rent-regulated tenants by serving notices and bringing proceedings in housing court falsely alleging that the tenants no longer occupied the premises as their primary residence. The lawsuit also alleges that defendants refused to renew tenants’ legally-required leases, overcharged and failed to account for rent paid by tenants, did not conduct necessary and proper repairs and renovations, and engaged in other harassing, deceptive and retaliatory behavior.

The affiliated landlords named in the lawsuit include Green Leaf Associates, LLC, Forsyth Green, LLC, Forsyth Blue, LLC, 83-85 Baxter Street, LLC, 7 Rivington Street, LLC, 90 Elizabeth St., LLC, Ludlow 65 Realty LLC, 13-15 Essex Street, LLC, 145 Ave. C., LLC, and 100 Forsyth Associates, LLC.

Read the full release from the AG's office here.

145 Avenue C (649 E. Ninth St.) sold in 2011 for $9.7 million. An entity named Ninth and C LLC is listed as the building's owner, according to public records. At the time of the sale, a resident told us that Marolda Properties would manage the building. Ninth and C LLC has an address in Houston.

Out and About in the East Village

In this ongoing feature, East Village-based photographer James Maher provides us with a quick snapshot of someone who lives and/or works in the East Village.



By James Maher

Name: Candice Brewer
Occupation: Pharmacist
Location: Avenue A, between 2nd and 3rd
Time: 3:30 on Monday, Oct. 31

I sell drugs for a living. I’m a pharmacist. I’m an Army brat, so I’m from all over the place.

I moved here in 1978, I’ve lived on 7th Street and 11th Street, and then I moved down to below Houston Street in 1986. Everybody I knew lived down here. Affordability brought me here too, because it was a real dangerous neighborhood. I certainly didn’t go to the lettered avenues. That was way too scary, and there were blocks that I wouldn’t even walk during the day. They were too deserted.

If you ever looked at some of the old photographs, you’ll see that there was nothing going on. The buildings were burned out; the cars were trashed. I would walk home in the middle of the street, because people could come out from between the junked cars and places like that. I had the keys in my hand, and always checking before you opened your door so somebody wasn’t behind you. I’ve come out of my house and seen the police going, ‘Freeze!’ And I’ve seen busts where they’ve knocked down doors… and all the helicopters. Now I’m the scariest thing on Avenue C.

Like all of Ludlow Street, Orchard Street went dark at 5. It was all fabric stores and a lot of it was gravestone stores. The Mercury Lounge was a store for gravestones and you got free parking for a half an hour — you know, cause you could make that decision in half an hour. You can see along Suffolk Street, there are still some of the hoists and tackles on some of the old buildings, so they could pull the gravestones in to do the carving.

I love the music scene. You’d see a lot of interesting people, and there were a lot of artists living around here. There used to be such good clubs around here. It was really a fun time. The Ludlow Street Café, which doesn’t get a lot of press anymore, was the first bar on Ludlow Street, and that was like our living room. I think that came in around 1985, maybe even before Max Fish I believe. We would have parties there, Christmas parties, and birthday parties. It really was our community center – our country store so to speak.

James Maher is a fine art and studio photographer based in the East Village. Find his website here.

Grand Sichuan has closed on St. Mark's Place

An EVG reader shared the news that Grand Sichuan in the upper level at 19-23 St. Mark's Place is now closed ... there is a 30-day notice of termination taped to the front door here between Third Avenue and Second Avenue...



The restaurant, which received high marks for its Sichuan cuisine, was one of four related Grand Sichuan restaurants in Manhattan.

We don't know the official reason for the closure.

Former employees here had been taking part in regular boycotts outside the restaurant. Among the employee allegations: Stolen tips, no overtime and no minimum wage. Per Gothamist:

In 2012 the Chinese Staff & Workers Association filed a charge against the East Village location for firing two workers and issuing a final warning to another. The case was tried in 2013 and the company was found to have "engaged in certain unfair labor practices" and forced to backpay wages.

Sushi part of plan for former Iron Sushi on 10th Street

Iron Sushi closed back in June on 10th Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

An applicant is on this month's CB3 SLA committee docket to take over the space...the applicant is seeking a new beer-wine license...


[Photo by Steven]

According to the questionnaire (PDF!) on file at the CB3 website, the new venture is called Big Ben Restaurant.

The application shows that the space will hold 21 tables (=72 seats) with the proposed hours of Noon to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; noon to midnight on Friday and Saturday.

There isn't any indication of the type of food here, though there's a mention of a sushi bar.

This month's SLA committee meeting is Monday, Nov. 14 at 6:30 p.m. CB3 will hold the meeting in the Thelma Burdick Community Room, 10 Stanton St. at the Bowery.

Citibank keeps telling people about their impending closure on Avenue A

Back on Oct. 12, we shared the news that the Citibank branch at 50 Avenue A between Third Street and Fourth Street is closing in January.

In recent days several EVG readers shared an email that Citi sent to them about the closure:

We are writing to let you know that the Citibank branch at 50 Avenue A, New York, NY 10009 will be closing on January 13, 2017, at 3:00 PM. We’d like to thank you for the opportunity to have served you here, and we assure you that you will receive the same great service, now at a new location.

This will have no effect on your account(s). It may be convenient for you to bank at our Seward Park branch located at 411 Grand St., New York, NY 10002 but remember, you can always visit any of our branches for your banking needs. Plus, you'll continue to enjoy easy access to your account(s), however you choose, with:

• Thousands of fee-free ATMs nationwide¹

• CitiPhone Banking®

• Citibank® Online

• Citi Mobile® App

• Mobile Check Deposit with your smartphone²

• CitiBusiness® Online

We apologize for any inconvenience this change may cause you. Thank you again for your continued business.

An EVG reader asked a customer-service rep at the branch about the closing. The rep did not know why this was happening, and that few people were likely to use the Seward Park branch seeing as the Stuy Town location on First Avenue at 15th Street was more convenient for many of the bank's current patrons.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Citibank branch on Avenue A is closing

Screaming Mimi's has left Lafayette Street

As we first reported back in June, Screaming Mimi's was leaving its home of 25 years on Lafayette Street for a new location at 240 W. 14th St. between Seventh Avenue and Eighth Avenue.

And, as planned, the vintage clothing boutique closed for good after a Halloween party there on Monday night.

As owner Laura Wills told us at the time, the building at 382 Lafayette was sold, and she decided to relocate.

To be quite honest, we never considered staying. Lafayette Street was a wonderful home for almost 25 years but it has changed so much. I fear it will very soon be blocks of big glass and steel storefronts with no soul. Mostly everyone who opened when we did is gone."

With its various locations, Screaming Mimi's has been open a total of 37 years. The new West 14th Street location is now open.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Screaming Mimi's is leaving its home of 25 years on Lafayette for West 14th Street

Something seems different about the new cube

@evgrieve Funny, it doesn't look the way I remember it. pic.twitter.com/VRDAKkoNDz

— Pinhead (@evpinhead) November 1, 2016

Heh...