A 1-day strike at Anthology Film Archives

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Here are a few scenes from last evening's strike at the Anthology Film Archives on Second Street at Second Avenue. 

As previously reported, AFA staff voted unanimously last year to unionize with UAW Local 2110, whose members include employees at cultural institutions such as BAM, MoMA and the Guggenheim. 

According to employees: "AFA's negotiating position and current contract offer are untenable."

Thursday's parting shot

So long to some open-air pay phones along Avenue C... workers were seen uprooting them earlier today.

Last year, workers removed pay phones on Avenue A. (No sign of LinkNYCs in their place!) 

Thanks to Heather Dubin for the photo!

6 posts from March

A mini month in review ... with a photo from March in Tompkins Square Park by @miche.nyc ... 

• Massive film collection from the former Mondo Kim's is heading to Alamo Drafthouse downtown (March 23) 

• Rest easy, citizens of 12th Street — the large animal invader has been slain (March 22) 

• Gaia Italian Café Shop is coming to the East Village (March 17) 

• Let's take another look at the eerie remains of the long-abandoned 6 Avenue B (March 10) 

• Another visit to Streecha Ukrainian Kitchen (March 3) 

• How Veselka is helping with Ukraine relief efforts (March 2)

Mid-afternoon mannequin break

Photo by Steven 

As seen outside the now-closed Himalayan Vision at 127 Second Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place. 

As of about 3:30 p.m. today, there were a few discarded mannequins left, but people were quickly scooping up the various parts. 💖💖💖

Workers at Anthology Film Archives set to strike this evening

Workers at the Anthology Film Archives have decided to hold a one-day strike. 

Tonight from 6:30-9:30, workers will set up a picket line outside the theater on Second Street at Second Avenue. The activities include a selection of "anti-capitalist shorts" screened outside.

According to the letter posted to the @AFAworkers account, AFA staff voted unanimously last year to unionize with UAW Local 2110, whose members include employees at cultural institutions such as BAM, MoMA and the Guggenheim. 

As the letter states, "AFA's negotiating position and current contract offer are untenable." 

Read on for more details.

🗣️AFA WORKERS ON STRIKE!

Join us on our picket line March 31 from 6:30 - 8:30 PM in front of AFA (2nd Ave and 2nd St, Manhattan)!#AFAONSTRIKE #unionyes #local2110 @AFAworkers pic.twitter.com/oE4PhdfXhv

— Anthology Film Workers (@AFAworkers) March 29, 2022

Tonight's screenings at the 52-year-old theater include two showings of Ted Fendt's "Outside Noise."

H/T Leo

Help for an East Village teacher who lost everything in an apartment fire

Jean Finnerty, a teacher and co-founder of the Children's Workshop School on 12th Street, lost everything when her apartment caught fire on Tuesday. 

Maria Velez-Clarke, principal at CWS, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help Finnerty replace her personal items and find long-term housing. 

Per Velez-Clarke: 

Over the years, Jean has served as a leader in our school and has taught nearly all grades at the school, and this year is serving as our health and wellness physical education teacher. She has mentored and supported thousands of children over the years and works to nurture the next generation of public school teachers as the student-teacher coordinator at CWS. 

You can find the GoFundMe here.

H/T Salim

Farewell to Holyland Market on St. Mark's Place

Photos yesterday by Stacie Joy 

Holyland Market is now certified closed. 

As we first reported on March 14, the Israeli grocery at 122 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue was closing at the end of this month after 18 years in business. 

Moving forward, owner Eran Hileli (pictured below) will focus his time and attention on his blossoming hummus business — the 4-year-old Holy Hummus, now available at 700-plus stores in the United States, including locally at Westside Market and Union Market. He said he is introducing 12 new products/flavors, including spicy w/red s'chüg, roasted pepper, roasted garlic, za'atar flavored and green s'chüg.

EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by the shuttered shop yesterday ... as Hileli continued to clean out the space...

In a previous interview with Stacie, Hileli said he had challenges finding help and felt burned out after working through the pandemic. He was also unable to find a buyer for the market. 

While we're happy that Hileli has found success with his hummus (and it is delicious), we hate to lose yet another unique shop in the neighborhood — and in NYC. 

As The Times of Israel recently noted: 

Expats could score their favorite products from home at Holyland, down to lavender-scented Pinuk hair conditioner and the Friday edition of the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, in a store that felt like it could be located in Tel Aviv or Ashkelon — a Middle Eastern parallel to New York City’s beloved bodegas.

Demolition grinds on at 38-48 2nd Ave.

Last Thursday, we shared photos that Idan Cohen took from inside the remains of the deconsecrated and shuttered (as of July 2015) Church of the Nativity at 44 Second Ave. between Second Street and Third Street. (Revisit that post here.) 

Demolition has picked up at the remaining two structures on the parcel — the church (top pic) ... and the former church rectory (below).

The former La Salle annex on the corner of Second Street was demolished in the fall.

And a few shots via Steven of the demo work... as seen from Second Street...

As previously reported, Gemini Rosemont Development has plans for an 11-story mixed-use building on this soon-to-be-empty parcel. (We haven't spotted any renderings out in the wild just yet.)

In 2020, Gemini Rosemont bought the former La Salle annex at 38 Second Ave. and Second Street. The $14.5 million purchase of the four-story building was the third of three contiguous plots that they acquired. The Los Angeles-based commercial real estate investment company closed on 42-44 Second Ave. and 46-48 Second Ave. (the former Church of the Nativity) in March 2020 for $40 million.

Previously on EV Grieve:

• There are 8 million stories in the naked city... and this is one of them on 2nd Avenue 

Openings: Avenue A Deli and Grill

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Avenue A Deli and Grill just opened here at 123 Avenue A between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place. (Previous posts here.) 

EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by and met the owners (on the left and middle, with the chef on the right)...

Avenue A Deli and Grill offers a variety of wraps, sandwiches, burgers, salads, smoothies, juices, etc. 

... and because people always ask about breakfast... here's a look at some of their offerings... with a breakfast platter starting at $6... and omelets (with toast and home fries or hash browns) ranging from $6.50 to $9 ... they also have several breakfast sandwiches starting at $3... 

The deli is open daily from 6 a.m. to midnight. Phone: (212) 982-1253.

Wednesday's parting shot

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the linocut style of David Barthold ... a recent arrival on Houston and the Bowery... 

H/T @catscoffeecreativity