State of the nation

Sextile starts the new year with a new single... here's the L.A.-based band with a video for "Current Affair."

Where's Pitbull?

Yesterday afternoon, Derek Berg spotted a cardboard cutout of the rapper Pitbull on Seventh Street near Avenue A... by this morning, Pitbull was enjoying one of the remaining payphones on Second Avenue...



It is too soon to tell if we have another concrete horse head bust on our hands.

Curlie

EVG reader Bill Buchen, who has lived in the neighborhood for 40 years, shares one of the reasons why he loves the East Village...

This is Curlie, who holds court most days at Hartman Square, a narrow strip between Houston and Second Street on Avenue C playing Old School Doo-wop hits of the 50s and some 60s on his boombox.

Always a sonic treat to hear these rhymes of yesteryear played by an elder. It was too cold for his dogs, but they'll soon be back...

Ciao For Now is closing after 17 years on 12th Street; will continue with catering business

[Photo via Instagram]

Ciao For Now, the homespun cafe at 523 E. 12th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B, is closing after 17 years in business. They will serve their last meal next Wednesday (Jan. 31).

However, the owners will continue on with their catering business as well as use the space for community events.

Here's a letter than they shared with me last night...

Dear East Village Community,

It is with heavy hearts that after 17 years, we close our cafe doors on February 1.

Moving forward, our primary focus will be our catering business and hosting community events.

We look forward to continuing to serve delicious handmade food to you by way of our online catering store at ciaofornow.nyc where you can order catering platters, cakes, pies, pastries and beverages...and yes...that includes our ginger green tea with lemon and honey :)

It is difficult to put into words all of the emotions we are feeling. We feel like we gave it everything we’ve got but as we are seeing all over NYC, the retail small business model has become nearly impossible to sustain. We have met so many incredible people along the way.

Raising our children in the cafe has been a great joy for our family. Ciao for Now has been a second home to many, and we couldn’t have made it this far without our amazing staff and all of your love and support. Thank you for your friendship and loyalty. Our family will always cherish all of the beautiful memories made here.

With much love & gratitude,

Ciao for Now
The Miceli Family

From 2008-2015 Ciao For Now had an outpost in the West Village. (Read about that here.) They closed that spot to focus on the original East Village location. As Amy Miceli said at that time: "It is brutal running a business in the city. I love it and hate it every day."

Ciao For Now will be open per usual for brunch this weekend 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Che Cafe returns as Benny's Burritos & Empanadas on 7th Street

Back on Jan. 10, Derek Berg spotted workers installing the Cafe Che winterized doorway on the front of the new East Village Playhouse on Sixth Street.



Not a good sign, at least for Cafe Che, which then went dark.

I asked owner Mark Merker, who launched Harry's and Benny's Burritos in 1987, what was happening with Cafe Che. He started selling empanada pocket and other items last April at 86 E. Seventh St. just west of First Avenue.


[Photo of Merker from last April by Steven]

"Right now we are in a pause," he said, and that he hoped to return in a few weeks with an expanded menu.

And yesterday, Cafe Che was back. As Jeremiah Moss first reported, the space is now going as Benny's Burritos & Empanadas.

The expanded menu will eventually include burritos and empanadas, along with tacos, chicken tortilla soup and more. Merker told me last night that the burritos will be on the menu in a few weeks.

So some good news for fans of Benny's, which closed on Avenue A and Sixth Street after 27 years in business in November 2014. (The Benny's to-go space next door closed in February 2015.)

Oh, and what about the Cafe Che winterized doorway? "That needed to come down because of a complaint called in to 311," Merker told me.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A look at Che Cafe, home of empanada pouches

Oishi Village Sushi has gone out of business on 2nd Avenue

That's it for the all-you-can-eat-sushi spot on Second Avenue between 12th Street and 13th Street.

Per the sign on the front door: "We're closed. Out of business."



The restaurant, from the owners of Oishi Bay Sushi Restaurant on Second Avenue and 29th Street, opened back in March.

Thank you to @afuseld for the tip!

King Kong Lives (on 13th Street)

Been waiting to get a daylight shot of this mural that Dragon76 created this past weekend on 13th Street at First Avenue... Ichibantei next door commissioned the work...



It takes the place of the Godzilla v. Gamera mural that had been here the past three years...

P.C. Richard puts up the moving signs on 14th Street; more Tech Hub debate to come

[Photo via EVG reader Shiv]

Signage is now up at the P.C. Richard on 14th Street at Irving Place announcing their upcoming move to 23rd Street. (It seems as if this location has been going out of business the past three years.)

As you likely know, the city owns this site, and there are plans to turn the property into a "workforce development and digital skills training center" — aka tech hub.

In February 2017, the de Blasio administration unveiled the renderings for Civic Hall featuring "a tech-focused work and event space" that will anchor the 20-plus story building.

Per the city's news release on Civic Hall:

“This new hub will be the front-door for tech in New York City. People searching for jobs, training or the resources to start a company will have a place to come to connect and get support. No other city in the nation has anything like it. It represents this City’s commitment to a strong and inclusive tech ecosystem,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.

[Rendering via NYCEDC]

CB3's Joint Economic Development Committee and Land Use, Zoning, Public & Private Housing Committee will be discussing the matter during its meeting on Feb. 7. (We'll have more on this closer to the time — 6:30 p.m. at the Henry Street Settlement, Youth Services Gymnasium, 301 Henry St.)

The tech-hub project will eventually need Planning Commission and City Council approval.

The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (GVSHP) has been leading efforts behind a rezoning of the area to enforce some height restrictions and affordable housing requirements. GVSHP officials make their case here.

Report: Gregg Singer heads to federal court to clear way for his 9th Street dorm project

[Image via]

Developer Gregg Singer is now headed to court to try to turn the former P.S 64 and CHARAS/El Bohio community center on Ninth Street into student housing.

The Wall Street Journal has the story (subscription required):

After a 20-year fight, Mr. Singer filed suit Wednesday in federal court complaining he has been illegally blocked by a “conspiracy” of local elected officials in New York City, a preservation group and a hedge-fund manger who lives next door to the school.

The suit cites emails alleging that the opponents worked together to block building permits for the project. “This is a case of seller’s remorse as much as it is a case about a vindictive political plot aimed at improperly reclaiming property legally sold by New York City,” the suit said.

The claims are “ludicrous,” said Andrew Berman, executive director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, who was named in the suit. “The reason why he hasn’t been able to get a permit for the last five or 10 years is because he hasn’t filed one that is actually legal.”

According to the Journal, the hedge-fund manger in question is Christodora House resident Aaron Sosnick, who is chairman and manager of A.R.T. Advisors LLC with $3.7 billion under management.

Singer bought the property from the city in 1998. He wants to turn the landmarked property into a dorm called University Square, and continues in a holding pattern while the DOB maintains a Stop Work Order on the building. (This website has background on the building from Singer and company's perspective.)

Community activists, preservationists and some local elected officials have long been opposed to Singer's plans, and want to see a return to use as a cultural and community center. The building became a community center after the school left in 1977.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Not fake news then: Pro-dorm rally organizer admits some participants were paid, report says

Last call for JAM Paper & Envelope on 3rd Avenue

Saturday is the last day in business for JAM Paper & Envelope on Third Avenue between 14th Street and 15th Street. (One of the owners said that the sale was going well, and they decided to extend it for a few more days.)

"Store is closing" signs appeared in the windows in early January.

Per the JAM Paper website on Jan. 15:

After nearly a quarter of a century in the East Village of New York City, JAM Paper and Envelope’s last remaining brick and mortar location on Third Avenue between 14th and 15th Street, will be closing this month. Before you hit the panic button, business will continue as normal via its e-commerce website: www.jampaper.com

There are several jokey signs up in the windows...



...and this one...

So my wife of 40 years says... Honey (I know I'm in trouble when I'm honey...) no one shops retail anymore.

That's why we are online. Fine I say!

She then says... Now can we go to Florida.

EVG reader Harry Weiner shared these photos from Tuesday...





JAM represents the first letters of the owners' first names — Janet, Andrew and Michael Jacobs, the family members who run the company.

The website notes that JAM has had over 10 different Manhattan locations. Their New Jersey warehouse remains in operation.

Previously on EV Grieve:
JAM Paper & Envelope is closing on 3rd Avenue