Bands we like — Jade Tourniquet

Photos by Stacie Joy

We saw Jade Tourniquet play live several times this summer... short, high-intensity sets in Tompkins Square Park... a handful of songs with a heavy metal-cum-gutter-punk sound. (Their Instagram describes them as "haze gaze punk rock-n-rollers," which also works.) 

The band members are vocalist-bassist Sasha...

... guitarist Mitch ...

... and drummer Frankie...

The three live in other parts of the city, but they always end up in the East Village. (Mitch has been seen busking outside Search & Destroy on St. Mark's Place.) The three also work shifts at Ray's Candy Store on Avenue A. 

EVG contributor Stacie Joy recently spent some time with the band before a recent show in Tompkins Square Park...

For now, Jade Tourniquet is on a local hiatus, as the members are returning to school in the northeast, so you could catch them in Boston or Providence or somewhere else in the months ahead ...

The band recently spent time recording songs, so there's a new EP in the works (a follow-up to the spring EP Bile Study). There's also a promise of some merch. 

Keep tabs on the band's Instagram account for updates on upcoming shows and all other things Jade Tourniquet. And we look forward to seeing them back here someday soon.

The 6-day-long Key Food grand reopening begins TODAY

Photos by Stacie Joy 

The flags are flying. The bunting is in place. Today is Day 1 of the six-day, two-weekend-long grand reopening ("RE-GRAND Opening" on some signage) at Key Food on Avenue A and Fourth Street. 

The six dates: Sept. 2-4 and Sept. 9-11.

As previously reported, the grocery has completed a near-year-long interior renovation, which included new lighting, flooring and freezer(ing). There is also the expanded produce department, which looks sharp ... all alongside Key faves, like the "cakes for any occasion" cakes. 

(And not to dampen the celebratory mood, but Key was never actually closed during the renovations.)

Anyway! There will be raffles, giveaways, and some savings if you spend a certain amount (Loyalty Club Card required!)

... and a closer look...

It may be best to buy the six-day pass for the whole Keychella experience. The pass allows access to the venue, day parking lots, and VIP areas, which offer specialty food & drink vendors, air-conditioned restrooms, shaded seating areas and full cash bars*.

If you attend the fall event of the fall, be sure to tag us in your social posts #Keyapalooza.

*Oops. This is actually info for Coachella 2023.

[Updated] 26-year-old man shot and killed this afternoon outside 3 Haven Plaza

Photos by Garrett Rosso

Police are investigating the shooting death of a 26-year-old man this afternoon outside 3 Haven Plaza between Avenue C and Avenue D. 

According to witnesses, the victim was on a Citi Bike at the time of the shooting around 1:30 p.m. in the area near 12th Street and 13th Street.  (Updated: New info states that the Citi Bike was found at the scene, but it's unclear if anyone was riding it at the time of the shooting.)

NY1 reported that the man, whose identity has not been revealed, was pronounced dead at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue. 

Police at the scene recovered three shell casings...

Police and published reports stated that the suspect is a man in his 20s who was wearing all black and a face mask. Police officials told ABC 7 that the victim had been targeted by the gunman.

The circumstances leading up to the shooting in unknown at the moment.

In an unrelated shooting early this morning, a 25-year-old woman was shot and killed on 14th Street at Irving Place. That shooting remains under investigation.

Updated 9/2

The Post reports that the victim was an alleged Money Boy Gang member.

The gunman blasted him four times in the head as he walked out of an apartment building, according to cops and the sources. 

Video reviewed by investigators shows that the gunman walked back and forth after he shot the victim, then kicked him multiple times in the head, sources said. 

 

[Updated] Reports: 25-year-old woman shot and killed on 14th Street and Irving Place

Post updated below. Photo from 9/3 at the scene of the shooting.

Police are investigating the fatal shooting of a 25-year-old woman early this morning on 14th Street at Irving Place. 

According to published reports and police sources, the shooting occurred just after 5 a.m. on the NW corner of 14th Street and Irving Place — near Chipotle. 

Per PIX11: 

The suspected shooter, who remained at large Thursday morning, was described by police as a heavyset man who wore all black clothing and a mask. Investigators said that they were also seeking a woman, though a description of her, as well as her alleged connection to the slaying, were not immediately specified.

We will update the post when more information becomes available. 

Updated 5 p.m.

NY1 reports that the victim worked at the IHOP on 14th Street.

Updated 9/2

According to the Post, the victim is Imani Armstrong, who worked beyond her usual shift at IHOP because the restaurant was busy. She was headed to the subway when a masked man approached her from behind and shot her in the back of the head.

 "The individual was targeted," Chief of Department Kenneth Corey said Thursday. "We have a number of suspects that we’re looking at, but nothing we want to commit to right now. But I'm very comfortable saying it was not a random attack."

The Post reported that Armstrong, who also worked as an exotic dancer named "Red," had just been served divorce papers by her wife and moved out of the apartment they shared.

Her kids have been in foster care on Staten Island and she was attending anger management classes in hopes of getting them back, coworkers told the Post. But prior to the murder, she didn't seem "like anything was on her mind," one coworker said.

Updated 9/3

Police have made an arrest in the shooting — Clarkson Wilson, a former boyfriend, CBS 2 reports. 

Tenant concern as longtime family-owned residential buildings sell for $58 million

News arrived last week that Meadow Partners is the new owner of 305 E. 11th St. and 310 E. 12th St. (above), adjacent multifamily residential buildings between First Avenue and Second Avenue. 

The deal for the 89-unit buildings, owned by the Chissick family since the late 1960s, was $58 million. 

Here are some details via the news release: 

[T]he elevatored buildings are connected by an 11,000 square foot courtyard. Constructed in 1940, the buildings' studios, and one- and two-bedroom units include distinct architectural features with arched doorways and moldings. 

Jeffrey Kaplan, managing partner of Meadow Partners, said, "This off-market transaction is a testament to Meadow’s strong relationships with leading owners and developers throughout New York City and the deep experience we bring to investing in the East Village for the past 13 years. We look forward to modernizing and enhancing the value of these properties in one of Manhattan’s most exciting neighborhoods." 

According to published reports, about a third of the 89 units are rent-stabilized. Kaplan told Crain's, "the market-rate units are renting below market value, but high rents and demand in the city should mean room for growth." 

We've already heard from several residents here. One said, "they are already trying to push people out" with lease non-renewals. 

Per another resident: 

Hearing rumors of 30-50% rent increases and plans to add a 6th floor — therefore letting all 5th-floor leases lapse. There are many long-term, older people and rent-stabilized/rent-controlled tenants, who are naturally concerned." 

With this purchase, Meadow now owns 430 units in the East Village.

Essex Card Shop reopens on TUESDAY

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Signage went up early last evening... announcing the grand reopening of Essex Card Shop at 47 Avenue A this Tuesday, Sept. 6.

The store opens at 10 a.m. ...

... for the first time since a fire destroyed the business this past Jan. 10. 

You can check out our previous posts on Essex Card Shop, located in the retail space of the Ageloff Towers between Third Street and Fourth Street, for more background on what has transpired to date.

The pits: Workers digging in for the future office building at 1 St. Mark's Place

If you've walked by the NE corner of Third Avenue and St. Mark's Place recently, then you've likely noticed that construction has restarted on the future 9-story office building (with retail!) for the lot. 

Workers are digging into the pit ... there's an excavator and Davey drill on site now.

Work had been stopped for nearly 10 months until the developer, Real Estate Equities Corp. (REEC), received a $70-million loan to kickstart the project. REEC plans on 53,000 square feet of office space and some 7,700 square feet for retail.

The building, officially 1 St. Mark's Place, is slated for a summer 2024 completion. Our previous post has more details about what has transpired here to date. 

REEC picked up the 99-year leasehold for the corner properties for nearly $150 million in November 2017. The previous assemblage, which included retail tenants such as Korilla BBQ, the Continental and McDonald's, was demolished in 2019.

Thanks to Steven for the top photo!

East Village Exotics announces itself on Avenue B

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Signage went up yesterday for East Village Exotics on the SE corner of Avenue B and Fourth Street. 

The owners also run East Village Finest Deli right across B... (and they plan to keep both businesses). 

Aside from the usual smoke-shoppy stuff, there will be some corner-market offerings when EVE opens in the next 1-2 weeks...

The previous tenant here, Your Desire For Food, quietly closed in early 2021 after six months in operation ... in the storefront in one of the most colorful buildings around...

Why Panda Express isn't open yet on 14th and 1st

Photos by Stacie Joy

The incoming Panda Express (first mentioned in January) has seemingly been in a holding pattern here on the SW corner of First Avenue and 14th Street in recent weeks. 

It looks ready to go (mostly!), with workers milling about inside (though not in the photo below) ...

One of those workers told EVG correspondent Stacie Joy yesterday that the quick-serve restaurant was waiting for a license from the city to open. (The worker didn't specify what kind of permit.)

The Chinese restaurant chain launched in California in 1983 ... with more than 2,000 locations today (with a handful around NYC). 

6 posts from August

A mini month in review (with a photo of the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival on Aug. 28 by Dan Scheffey)... 

• The next iteration of the Knitting Factory coming to the East Village (Aug. 24) 

• Another day, another car drives into Tompkins Square Park (Aug. 16) 

• Watch the Nissan Sentra drive through Tompkins Square Park (Aug. 16)

• Here's the midnight email that employees of the Trader Joe's Wine Shop received about the closing on Union Square (Aug. 12) 

• A visit to Aliens of Brooklyn on 9th Street (Aug. 11) 

• A visit with East Village singer-songwriter Jim Andralis (Aug. 4)