Rue St. Denis bids au revoir to Avenue B

Back in April, news surfaced that Rue St. Denis, the vintage clothing and accessories shop, was closing after 25 years on Avenue B between 10th Street and 11th Street.

The boutique, which sold unworn vintage collections, shut down at the end of June.

EVG regular Daniel shared these photos... showing the empty storefront...



Founder Jean-Paul Buthier and his partner Riccardo Bonechi bid au revoir with this sign on the door, including the message: "Keep buying vintage. Save the planet!"



Buthier and Bonechi closed the store for a change of pace, not because of rising rents or declining sales, as The New York Times first reported.

Monday's parting [novelty T-shirt] shot

"Sons of Arthritis" spotted on Seventh Street via Derek Berg...

Noted

Thanks to Alex G for sharing this photo... showing that 13th Street and Second Avenue is now 48th Street and Ninth Avenue... Welcome to Hell's Village.

NYU student discusses random weekend attack: 'He got me right to the ground and kept punching'

EXCLUSIVE: NYPD Says Crime Is Down Despite Recent Spate Of Random Assaults https://t.co/Im44jd3Ixh

— CBS New York (@CBSNewYork) July 9, 2018

CBS New York files a report on several of the random attacks that have occurred around the city in recent days.

Marcia Kramer spoke with one of the women who was attacked in the East Village this past weekend.

Per Kramer's report:

NYU junior Cat Heinen says being violently ambushed and beaten by a homeless man in the East Village late Saturday has left her scared and shaken.

“I don’t think I can walk alone for a long time,” she told CBS2. “I’ve been walking with my keys in hand.”

Heinen also says she’s bought pepper spray after the terrifying ordeal. While the NYPD was quick to catch the man who attacked Cat and two other women, she says the experience has changed her life.

“This has been really traumatic and awful,” she said. “He got me right to the ground and kept punching, I’m pretty sure he was going to rape me.”

Carlos Munoz, 23, was arrested and reportedly charged with assault and criminal possession of a weapon.

Police officials tell Kramer that there isn't any crime wave, that statistics for the first six months of the year show overall crime is down another 1.8 percent.

City Council's lone public hearing on the 14th Street tech hub is tomorrow

Tomorrow morning at 9:30, City Council is holding its only public hearing on the rezoning for Mayor de Blasio's proposed 14th Street Tech Hub.

The upzoning is necessary to allow for a 21-floor building — called the Union Square Tech Training Center — to rise on the current site of the former PC Richard complex on 14th Street at Irving Place.

The approval process tour — the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) — has already received endorsements from the City Planning Commission, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and Community Board 3, who included an amendment in their resolution calling for zoning protection. (Note: Brewer’s recommendation also comes with a set of conditions. Read her report here.)

As previously reported, that zoning protection is the key for some concerned area residents and preservationists, who fear overdevelopment south of Union Square along Broadway, University Place and Fourth Avenue.

District 2 City Council member Carlina Rivera said during her election campaign last year that she'd sign off on the project only if the city agrees to downzone the surrounding area. As Crain's noted: "Because the council traditionally defers to the wishes of local members, her vote is crucial."

And more from Crain's, in an article published Friday:

"[Rivera] has been negotiating with the mayor's office throughout the process," a spokesman said. "She's going to be working on securing zoning protections that preserve affordable housing and the character of the neighborhood."

And...

"Our conversation with council member Rivera has been productive," an EDC spokesman said in a statement. "We look forward to continuing to gather feedback from her, community stakeholders, and the City Council subcommittee as we present on this important project that seeks to diversify the city's tech sector."

Plans for the 240,000-square-foot Tech Training Center include educational facilities, market-rate office space and a food hall. Read more about the project via the city's Economic Development Corporation here.

Meanwhile, the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation makes their case for zoning protections here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Behold Civic Hall, the high-tech future of Union Square — and NYC

Speaking out against a 'Silicon Alley' in this neighborhood

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

Preservationists: City schedules next public hearing on tech hub without any public notice

Julie's Vintage is closing on 2nd Street

[Photo by Goggla]

The closing signs are up at Julie's Vintage, the eclectic vintage/thrift shop at 84 E. Second St. at First Avenue.

The store is expected to close at the end of the month, with a possible relocation to the Bushwick Market. A store source said high rents are behind the closure. (Thanks to Goggla for the photo and info!)

Julie Erinc, a former designer, opened up shop here during the winter of 2016.

Here's more about the place from a Sideways NYC post:

After one steps into Julie’s Vintage, it does not take long to realize that Julie, the owner, is more of an artist than a retail vendor. Headpieces adorned with recycled flowers and deer antlers, dashing 1920’s style dresses with encrusted jewelry, and incredibly creative Halloween costumes overflow the small space ...

And...

Even more impressively, she uses mostly recycled materials that she has collected in her years spent traveling the world (since the early 1980’s), a time period which includes fourteen years working as a lingerie designer.

Demolition permits filed for 99-101 E. 2nd St.; first look at the condoplex to come

As previously reported, developer Sergey Rybak has submitted plans for a 7-story, 22-unit residential building on the property of the current 24 First Ave. and 99-101 E. Second St.



The demolition permits were filed with the city back on June 1 to bring down 24 First Ave.

And last Thursday, the permits arrived to demolish No. 99-101 — just a formality at this point.

Meanwhile, here's the first look at the rendering for the space via the Rybak website...



According to the site, the residences will be condos (building name for now — 101E2).

No. 99-101 has been vacant for the past six years (there was that whole Pride & Joy BBQ debacle). It housed a variety of short-lived restaurants in recent years, including Bento Burger ... Marfa... and Waikiki Wally's.

The work permits for the new building show that there'll be 600 square feet for commercial purposes.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Onetime home of Lucky Cheng's and adjacent property on the development market for $26 million

Building that housed Lucky Cheng's on 1st Avenue now on the auction block

Onetime home of Lucky Cheng's and adjacent property sell for $12 million

7-story residential building pending at the former Lucky Cheng's space

Demolition permits filed to bring down former Lucky Cheng's building on 1st Avenue

There are new plans to expand the mysterious 84 2nd Ave.

Tonight, CB3's Landmarks Committee will hear a proposal on a Certificate of Appropriateness for 84 Second Ave., the circa-1841 Greek Revival-type rowhouse (aka that rather mysterious building with a dark past) just south of Fifth Street.





The new owners of the currently-empty building, reportedly Highpoint Property Group, a real-estate development company, are — in DOB speak — looking to modify and replace the storefront infill; replace windows; construct rear yard and rooftop additions; and install railings.

According to the alteration permits, filed with the city on June 28, the additions would take the building from its current 5,829 square feet to 8,439 total square feet. The modified No. 84 would feature new retail space as well as four residences.

If you're interested, then this 51-page PDF has all the details, including some historic photos.

This property changed hands for the second time in as many years back in May, selling for $7.8 million.

The previous owners were looking to make similar alterations to the building. In January, CB3's Landmark's Committee issued a partial Certificate of Appropriateness for the address.

According to the official minutes from the January meeting, CB3 approved the front façade plan and opposed the rear yard addition. Among other points, CB3 officials said that "great care should be taken to monitor this fragile building and its neighboring buildings." (There was also a petition in circulation in opposition to the planned alterations to the rear of the building.)

However, the previous owner didn't follow through with the plans with the Landmarks Preservation Committee, instead selling the building. (Landlords of buildings located within a designated New York City historic district must receive a permit from the Landmarks Preservation Commission for major work.)

As we've noted several times through the years, the address has a dark past, which includes the still-unsolved murder of Helen Sopolsky, proprietor of the family's tailor shop who was found bludgeoned to death in 1974, per an article at the time.

The storefront has remained empty since her death in 1974.

The Landmarks Committee meeting is at 6:30 tonight, taking place at the Lee, 133 Pitt St. at Houston.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Plywood and a petition at 84 2nd Ave.

Workers clearing out the mysterious 84 2nd Ave. storefront

Renovations proposed for mysterious 84 2nd Ave.

Mysterious 84 2nd Ave. sells again, this time for $7.8 million

East Village Tavern officially (re)opens today

The next iteration of the East Village Tavern, now a Mexican restaurant and sports bar, officially opens today on Avenue C and 10th Street ...

OFFICIAL DATES!: We are happy to announce, we will be officially opening our doors on Monday, July 9th! We will be hosting a party on Wednesday, July 11th from 5pm-10pm for friends & family (if you don’t fall into either of those categories yet, we’d love to have you anyway!) We’re ready to make some new friends & good memories! We can’t wait to see you! 💀🌹🥂 • • • #eastvillagetavern #eastvillage #fiesta #wereopen #bar #restaurant #hungry #thirsty #happyhour #diadelosmuertos #party #grandopening #specialtycocktails #cerveza

A post shared by East Village Tavern (@eastvillagetavernnyc) on Jul 3, 2018 at 6:09pm PDT

Per the Yelp description: "Conceived in 2018 by 5 friends from the restaurant industry, we are excited to reintroduce the East Village Tavern to the neighborhood as an authentic Mexican restaurant and American sports bar."

The listed hours of operation are 11 a.m. to midnight daily; until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.

The previous East Village Tavern closed in November 2016 after eight years in business. Bar management blamed a disagreement with landlord Steve Croman for the closure. (A Croman rep reportedly said that the owners were behind on rent.)

Since then, several applicants unsuccessfully tried to open new concepts in this space, including the operators of a Miami-based restaurant called the Irish Times Pub and Eatery as well as a jazz club called the Snow Leopard.

Shawn Chittle shared these photos from a soft opening the other evening at the new EVT ...





Shawn notes that this will be the first bar on Avenue C with a pool table since Duke's closed at the end of 2011.

Eggloo closes 1 year in on Avenue A

Eggloo has closed at 147 Avenue A between Ninth Street and 10th Street.

The shop, which specializes in Hong Kong egg waffles and ice cream sandwiches, opened on July 1, 2017.

Eggloo management confirmed the closure, and directed fans of their desserts to their original location down on Mulberry Street.



This is a crowded corridor for dessert choices ... nearby options on Avenue A and side streets include Mikey Likes It Ice Cream, Gelarto, Mahalo New York Bakery, Confectionery!, Superiority Burger (they have a variety of sorbet and gelato), Ray's Candy Store, Big Gay Ice Cream, Butter Lane Cupcakes, Becky's Bites ... and on First Avenue between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street — Stuffed Ice Cream and Davey's Ice Cream.