In sight: Block's Vision Care relocates inside Block Drugs next door

You may have seen the signs in recent weeks at 101 Second Ave. (thanks to Steven for the tip and photos) ... Block's Vision has merged into the Block Drugs space next door at Sixth Street ...



... and the now-former Block's Vision space — 400 square feet — is on the rental market (all uses considered, per the sign) ...



Blocks's Vision opened at No. 101 (previously the home of Jack's Luxury Oyster Bar) in the summer of 2013.

Block Drugs, owned and operated by Carmine and Beth Palermo (a licensed optician), dates to 1885. The business has been in the Palermo family since 1962.

For further reading:
How a 131-year-old pharmacy survives against the Rx giants (New York Business Journal, February 2016)

Sunshine sunset

As we first reported last week, workers erected the sidewalk bridge in front of the late Sunshine Cinema on Houston Street... ahead of demolishing the circa-1898 building between Forsyth and Eldridge.

An EVG reader yesterday reported that workers removed the SUNSHINE letters on the marquee.

"Couldn't bare the thought of them getting trashed, so I asked the Construction Site Manager if I could have one of the letters. He gave me a quick 'no' and said the building owners intend to keep them. Hope that's the truth. On the bright side, the construction people were quite nice."

[EVG photo from January 2018]

The new owners of the address, East End Capital and K Property Group, have approved plans to erect a 9-story office building.

Our previous post has more details on what's to come.

The five-screen Landmark Sunshine Theater closed Jan. 21, 2018, after 17 years in business.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Sunshine Cinema-replacing office building moving forward; demolition watch back on

Discarded theater seats and goodbyes at the Sunshine Cinema

The 9-story boutique office building coming to the former Sunshine Cinema space

A celebratory ad on the purchase of 139 E. Houston St., current home of the Sunshine Cinema

The boutique office building replacing the Sunshine Cinema will be 'unbounded by walls' with an outdoor space called Houston Alley

An Earth Day message from East River Park

An EVG reader shared these photos from earlier today ... showing a banner hanging from the East River Park Amphitheater: "Destruction (of the park) ≠ Protection (from climate change)."

As you probably know, to stormproof the East Side and protect residents from storms the magnitude of Sandy, the city plans to "lift" East River Park by up to 10 feet when work starts in March 2020.

Creating the intricate flood protection system would see the city close East River Park for up to three and a half years, shutting down the current amenities, cutting down many of the trees and rebuilding the recently renovated running track, among other things.

The draft environmental impact statement for the East Side Coastal Resiliency project is currently available for review and comment. (Be warned: the whole thing is 900-plus pages.) My previous post here has more details on the review process and links to relevant materials.

Grant Shaffer's NY See

Here's the latest NY See, East Village-based illustrator Grant Shaffer's comic series — an observational sketch diary of things that he sees and hears around the neighborhood — and NYC.

A CVS is coming to the corner of Houston and Orchard in Ben Shaoul's luxury condoplex

Developer Ben Shaoul's gold-dusted condoplex at 196 Orchard St. has signed another retail tenant.

CVS is coming soon to the corner space here at East Houston Street...



The drug-store chain (FYI originally named the Consumer Value Store) joins the Marshalls in the retail spots of the 11-story, 94-unit building where residential units top out at $5.995 million.

Shaoul's luxury building, constructed in part with hand-laid, gilded-bronze brick imported from Cadaqués, also includes an Equinox Fitness center.

This property on Houston between Ludlow and Orchard previously housed a single row of storefronts, including Ray's Pizza, Bereket and Lobster Joint.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Making way for Ben Shaoul's new retail-residential complex on East Houston

Katz's is now the last business on East Houston between Ludlow and Orchard

East Side Gourmet Deli has closed on 4th and B

That's all for the East Side Gourmet Deli on the southeast corner of Avenue B and Fourth Street (in the retail space of the colorful building). A look through the slats in the gate reveals an stripped and empty shop.

Word from around here is that the newish owners decided against staying following an increase in rent. The deli had been open lately with limited hours of operation.

The block isn't without market options — East Village Finest Deli is open right across the Avenue ... and Ben's is one block to the south.

H/T Stacie Joy for the photo!

Cocoa Grinder is closed for now on 1st Street

We've had a few queries about Cocoa Grinder, the cafe that had its soft opening at 45 E. First St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue back in November.

Several readers have noted that the space has been dark of late...



We reached out to the Cocoa Grinder team, who confirmed that they are closed for now. Per an email: "Figuring out if we should open it or not."

Cocoa Grinder, which offers all-day breakfast, burgers, protein shakes and freshly squeezed juices, has multiple locations in Brooklyn.

This part of East First Street has been a tough block lately. There was the water-main replacement that took months...


[Photo from February]


[Photo from February]

...and the west end of the block remains choked with construction on the 32 E. First St. condoplex.

There's also ample coffee-cafe competition that's easily accessible at the east end of the block with the Juicy Lucy stand, the Lazy Llama and Juice Press as well as the Mudspot Café in First Park.

The address here — 45 E. First St. — previously housed the bar-restaurant Joe and Misses Doe.

When the door is open at the incoming H Mart

In this week's episode of H Mart is coming soon, EVG correspondent Steven takes a look to see how interior renovations are progressing here along Third Avenue between Ninth Street and 10th Street...







It appears that the H Mart will take four of the six retails spots here in the base of NYU's Alumni Hall ...


[Arrow courtesy of EV Arrow]

At least two of those retail spots — Birdbath and Citi Habitats — have been empty for nearly five years. The other two empty spots once belonged to a Subway (sandwich shop) and Saint's Alp Teahouse.

We first spotted the branding for H Mart here last August. Still no exact opening date for the specialty Asian-American grocery chain, based in Lyndhurst, N.J.

Sunday's parting shot

Christo atop St. Brigid-St. Emeric on Avenue B and Eighth Street late this afternoon ... thanks to Steven for the photo!

April 21

Thanks to Simon Dumenco for sharing these photos today from St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue... as he correctly notes: "It’s Easter Sunday, so it’s time for the traditional sacrificing of the Christmas trees."

Have to make room in the apartment for all the eggs...