Updated: Report of a fire at 68 2nd Ave.

[Photo by Russell K.]

Multiple EVG readers have pointed out a large FDNY presence on Second Avenue late this evening... the @FDNY feed points to No. 68 ...

FDNYalerts MAN ALL HANDS 68 2ND AVE, MULTIPLE DWELLING FIRE IN A BASEMENT,

— FDNYalerts (@FDNYAlerts) February 12, 2017

...this is the building on the southeast corner that houses Queen Vic...


[Reader submitted]

Will update there's any more info...

Updated 10:30 a.m.

Walked by this morning... no one was around... the sidewalk gates were up... there was a post-fire smell coming from the basement... couldn't really tell the extent of any damage...

Christo and Dora, sitting in a tree...

A moment with the red-tailed hawks today in Tompkins Square Park (Christo on the left, Dora the right)... photo by Steven...

[Updated] Black & White looks to reopen early next week

The Black & White has been closed since the fire Tuesday afternoon on an upper floor here on 10th Street between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue.

The low-key bar, which recently recently celebrated its 17th anniversary, provided an updated via their Instagram page:

Thanks for all the well wishes. Everybody got out safely and the bar sustained little damage. We should be open sometime soon after the weekend. Check here for updates.

[UPDATED 2/14: The bar is back open tonight.]

As for the rest of No. 86... here's a look at the damage...



...the fire apparently started in the third-floor apartment...



Patch reported that emergency responders evaluated two people at the scene for injuries. There wasn't any other information about cause or the extent of the damage.

According to public records, an LLC going by Elk Mas 86 East 10th owns the building. The third-floor unit, listed at two bedrooms, was asking $5,645 a month, per Streeteasy. The space above Black & White previously housed the company behind the Governors Ball Music Festival and Wiz Kid Management.

Finnerty's closes for spring cleaning this winter

Speaking of other temporary bar closures ... Finnerty's has been closed this past week on Second Avenue between 13th Street and 14th Street for what the signage describes as a spring cleaning



Finnerty's will be back open on Friday. The bar is allegedly a Bay Area Sports haven, though they do not seem to show much love for the best teams there — the Oakland A's and Oakland Raiders.

A smoking manhole on 7th Street

[Photo by Derek Berg]

There was a report of a car that appeared to be smoking yesterday on Seventh Street between Avenue A and First Avenue. Someone called it in... turns out it was the manhole the car was parked over that was causing the disturbance in the force concern...


[DB]

The FDNY blocked off the street around 4 p.m. while ConEd came to check it out.

Apparently there's nothing imminently serious here... as of this morning, just some ConEd cones and FDNY fire line tape remain...



... the car has been moved/shoved back... and the manhole continues to smoke/gurgle... salt is likely the culprit on the wiring, per unnamed observers...



Also, unrelated, someone broke the window at Todd Hase, the high-end home furnishings shop that just opened here at No. 111 back on Monday night...

Mystery on St. Mark's: the new 98 Favor Taste signage is — gone

[Photo by Steven from Tuesday]

On Feb. 3, workers put up colorful signage for 98 Favor Taste, the incoming restaurant that will serve traditional Korean-style barbecue and Chinese hot pot meals on St. Mark's Place at Second Avenue.

And one week later, the signage has been wiped away... this happened sometime yesterday...



To be continued...

Friday's parting shot

A view toward the East River late this afternoon via Bobby Williams...

EV Grieve Etc.: A vigil at the 9th Precinct for officer killed in crash; forum on Rivington House’s future

[1st Avenue and 10th Street at sunset yesterday]

A vigil to honor Officer Bianca Bennett outside the 9th Precinct (DNAinfo)

Community forums on Rivington House’s future (The Lo-Down)

About the "foreclosed" birdhouse in First Park (DNAinfo)

A visit to Three Seat Esresso & Barber on Avenue A (ABC 7 ... previously)

Nest activity picks up in Tompkins Square Park (Laura Goggin Photography)

The Anthology continues tradition of toxic yet sublime anti-romantic films in honor of Valentine's Day (Official site)

Brazilian model lists 11th Street home (Luxury Living NYC)

Past Best Picture winners, including "The Apartment" and "Midnight Cowboy," are part of this series at the Metrograph (Official site)

Rentals at Puck Building now asking up to $150k monthly (The Real Deal)

Iggy Pop and Thurston Moore documentary playing at Rough Trade in Brooklyn on Sunday (Brooklyn Vegan)

"Taxi Driver" was released on Feb. 8, 1976 (Off the Grid ...previously)

...and a little outside the neighborhood... not sure when this happened — the 13th Street (between Fifth and University) location of NYC vegan chainlet Blossom Du Jour has closed after some 18 months in business...

Only 'You'

A pre-Valentine's Day song for you... a cover of "Can't Get Used to Losing You" by the English Beat... from 1983...

Today in photos of a Maserati being dug out of the snow on 1st Avenue

Photo by Derek Berg