Thursday, October 11, 2018

Pinks hosting 'Trash Bash' to protest the DSNY's decision to park garbage trucks on 10th Street


[Photo Monday by Steven]

The owners of Pinks, the bar and grill at 242 E. 10th St. west of First Avenue, are hosting a "Trash Bash" tonight as a protest of sorts over the Department of Sanitation's (DSNY) recent decision to park garbage trucks in front of their business.

As I first reported on Sept. 18, the DSNY is now using part of 10th Street for their fleet. The DSNY no longer has use of their garage at 606 W. 30th St., and are relocating their trucks elsewhere, including parts of 10th Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

This move — apparently done without much, if any, consultation with Community Board 3 — has sparked numerous complaints from residents and merchants alike who have called out the problems with the smell, noise and negative impact on business.

As for tonight's festivities...

"We are trying an alternative playful community protest to inspire the DSNY to make changes," Pinks owner Avi Burn told me. "We would like those responsible for the decision to make a garbage truck parking lot out of 10th Street to imagine this happening right outside their residence or place of business.

"It's horrific and irresponsible and there are alternatives to be discovered with a little effort. There is always a solution. We understand the DSNY has missed some deadlines to communicate with CB3, this will not go away — they need to focus on it and come to a satisfactory resolution with us."

Here's what to expect this evening, via the Facebook event page:

Costume theme: TRASHY AND FLASHY.
Free entry for costumed guests. $10 suggested donation for all else.

8 PM: Join us for trash themed cocktails and dinner (Mexican Cuisine). Sign a petition against the DSNY's irresponsible actions

8:30 PM: Live music by Liah Alonso

9 PM: Trash-ion Show by Christopher Hardwick. Dress in trash pieces or anything related to "Trash." Pinks Gift Card prizes and giveaways to the winners and best dressed!

9:30 PM: More music, fun and resistance to the trash.



Parking aside, the DSNY hasn't been the best neighbor. On Sept. 27, a surveillance camera captured a DSNY employee dumping trash out of his garbage truck into a planter outside Pinks, ABC 7 reported.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Questions and concerns as the sanitation department begins using 10th Street to park garbage trucks

More trash talk about those garbage trucks parked on 10th Street

Coffee is in your future at this new café on 7th Street



Storefront renovations continue at 117 E. Seventh St. between Avenue A and First Avenue ... the help-wanted signage notes that the incoming business, Future You Café, is hiring baristas...



I don't know yet who's behind this venture. You can sign up to be on the Future You mailing list at their teaser website.



There is now some caffeine competition on this block: 787 Coffee opened earlier this month a few storefronts to the east. (Coffee and cold brew is also available right across the street at Becky's Bites.)

Hitchcocktober movie of the week — 'Shadow of a Doubt'



The Hitchcocktober movie of the week is... "Shadow of a Doubt" tonight at 8... at City Cinemas Village East on Second Avenue at 12th Street.

From 1943, Joseph Cotton stars as Uncle Charlie, a calculating and charming killer who hides out in his relatives' small hometown. There, he befriends his favorite niece and namesake, Young Charlie (Teresa Wright). But she begins to suspect he may be the famed Merry Widow murderer!



Is good ol' creepy Uncle Charlie really the famed Merry Widow murderer??!?!?!??!?! Is Young Charlie really old enough to be in a bar?!?!?!!?!?!?!?

And the remaining Hitchcocktober slate:

Oct. 18 — "Strangers on a Train"

Oct. 25 — "The 39 Steps"

Halloween night — "Psycho"

Find advance ticket info here.

Grand Opening continues at the Dumpling Shop on 2nd Avenue



A little late to note that the Dumpling Shop is now up and running at 124 Second Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place. (They officially debuted on Sept. 26.)

This link will take you to their array of dumpling offerings.

They sell other things too, as you can see via the Dumpling House Instagram account...



Previously on EV Grieve:
The Dumpling Shop moving into the former San Loco space on 2nd Avenue

Signage arrives for The Dumpling Shop on 2nd Avenue

Wednesday, October 10, 2018

Wednesday's parting shot



13th Street between Broadway and University today via Derek Berg...

Noted



An EVG reader shared this spray-painted marker from outside a building owned by the Kushner Cos. on Avenue A.

The message reads in part: "Jared Kushner owns this building. Know your enemy."

Not sure how widespread these are. I walked by four other Kushner-owned properties and didn't spot similar messages. One estimate puts the number of Kushner-owned East Village buildings at 31. (Only Steve Croman reportedly owns more East Village buildings.)

Jared Kushner stepped away from running the family real-estate business when he entered the White House in January 2017 to work for his father-in-law.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Jared Kushner not done buying every walk-up in the East Village

Reports outline how Kushner Companies is aggressively trying to empty 170-174 E. 2nd St.

Jared Kushner's East Village tenants wish he'd resolve issues closer to home

Report: Kushner Co. filed false paperwork with the city over number of rent-regulated tenants

[Updated] Williamsburg Pizza vying for East Village location on 14th Street



Updated: This item has been withdrawn from this month's agenda.

The owners of the popular Williamsburg Pizza have designs on opening an outpost at 226 E. 14th St. between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

And they're on this month's CB3-SLA docket for a beer-wine license...



A pizzeria in this spot makes sense, as the most recent tenant was the rather blah Krust, which closed in January after seven years at the address.

I haven't confirmed this yet, but it looks as if the WP team will be taking the small vacant space next door as well. The questionnaire at the CB3 website shows 9 tables here seating 24 people, plus counter space for eight along the east-facing wall. (Krust wasn't all that large.)

The proposed hours are 11:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. during the week, with extended hours Thursday through Saturday night.

If all goes well, then this will make the latest Williamsburg Pizza location... joining the original out on Union Avenue and the one on Broome Street on the LES. (Chef/owner Nino Coniglio also makes pizza at 310 Bowery.)

The pizzeria has plenty of fans (for example). And a few years back New York magazine gave them the Best Slice Joint nod.

Williamsburg Pizza is one of the applicants to appear before CB3's SLA committee this coming Monday. Part two of the October SLA committee meeting takes place at the Public Hotel, 17th Floor, Sophia Room, 215 Chrystie St. between Houston and Stanton. The festivities start at 6:30.

The gutting of 180 2nd Avenue continues



Gut renovations started late last year at 180 Second Ave. between 11th Street and 12th Street, where the existing building is getting a complete condoplexification with the addition of two more floors.



A look inside from the sidewalk reveals the extent of the gut job... and just how much work remains...


[Photo by Steven]

The ongoing work can't be much fun for the restaurants on either side of the property — Cacio e Pepe at No. 182 and Pangea at No. 178. (Go see a show in the backroom at Pangea!)



As a reminder from previous post, here's a rendering of the condoplex in making via Ole Sondresen Architect...



And the description:

This East Village residential building is elegantly comprised of four 2 bedroom units and two 1 bedroom homes. Each unit features its own private terrace with open views down 2nd Avenue. The apartments are composed of two programmatic wooden boxes housing closets, bathrooms, and mechanicals which allows for an open loft-like feeling in the rest of the living space. The building is designed to earn LEED Platinum and Passive House certification, integrating a green roof with solar hot water panels for each residential unit. Reclaimed wood planters are incorporated into each terrace allowing lush plantings to liven the facade.

The Chicago-based Polish National Alliance was the previous owner of No. 180. The building housed the Józef Pilsudski Institute of America, which is the largest Polish-American research institution specializing in the recent history of Poland and Central Eastern Europe. (They found a new home in Greenpoint.) An LLC bought the building for $6.75 million in June 2014, per public records. The owner is listed as Robert Stern.

As for the ground-floor retail space, the Ninth Ward, the previous tenant, is expected to return.

And a p.s. from this construction zone via Vinny & O ... a Bagel Zone sign greets any salmoners...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Residential conversion underway at 180 2nd Ave.; the Ninth Ward expected to return

The renderings for the all-new 180 2nd Ave. include Leonardo DiCaprio on a Citi Bike

Name reveal: Emmy Squared's grilled-pizza sibling will be called Violet on 5th Street

Violet is the name of the grilled pizzeria coming to 511 E. Fifth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

Eater had the scoop yesterday on the name for the latest venture from Emmy Squared's husband-wife team of Matt and Emily Hyland. The place is named after the state flower of Rhode Island. Matt was born in Brooklyn, Emily in New Jersey, and they met at Roger Williams University in the Ocean State. (Hey, you learned two factoid about Rhode Island today!)

Aside from grilled pizzas inspired by the Providence-based Al Forno, the menu will feature recipes with Italian and Portuguese influences, per Eater.

Violet is expected to open in early November. And it seems on track given all the work going on in this former home of GG's.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Emmy Squared's owners are bringing grilled pizza to the former GG's space on 5th Street

Getting 511 E. 5th St. ready for new grilled pizza venture from Emmy Squared's owners

Countdown to grilled pizza on 5th Street

That Nutella Cafe is shaping up on University Place



More than a year has passed since news of the first NYC Nutella Cafe came out (via the Commercial Observer).

Anyway, the Nutella signage is now wrapped around the 2,200-square-foot corner space at 116 University Place and 13th Street. (The signage arrived perhaps a month ago.)

Nutella Cafe New York, which is expected to open next month, will feature a (duh) Nutella-inspired menu and specialty espresso beverages.

As previously reported, the Adjmi Architects-designed seven-story condoplex will feature one unit per floor. The starting prices for the homes are $6 million.

The corner previously housed University Place Gourmet as well as several adjacent storefronts, including Bennie Louie Chinese Laundry.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Major changes coming to University Place and East 13th Street

Report: Incoming condos for 13th Street and University Place will start at $6 million


[Photo from June 2015]