Tuesday's parting shot

Photo by Derek Berg 

A new era for chess in Tompkins Square Park...

[Updated, we were faked-out edition] Today in miracles on Houston and Avenue B

For the first time in eight-plus years, there won't be a sidewalk bridge on the NW corner of Houston and Avenue B. [OOPS — see the update below!]

Workers from the Department of Miracles were removing the long-standing structure today. (Thanks to EVG reader Miriam Abrahams for the photo!) 

In February, we reported on the long-vacant building's new owner, an LLC linked to Penn Capital South, whose portfolio includes multiple EV properties. A gut renovation is in the works.

The liquor store in the retail space has been closed since the owner passed away in the fall of 2009 at age 89. (See the shop's frozen-in-time interior here.)

This was one of the abandoned buildings owned by the estate of the mysterious team of Arthur and Abraham Blasof, both long deceased. However, No. 6 has been generating some income with the cell-phone towers on the roof. 

Updated 8 p.m. 

Well then! So much for that sidewalk being free of a sidewalk bridge... so workers removed the old one and have erected a new sidewalk bridge (thanks again to Miriam for keeping tabs on this!).

As you were!

Previously on EVG:

• Because you've always wanted to know what the inside of the long-empty 6 Avenue B looks like

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

Here are the official local Open Streets for 2023

This past Earth Day weekend, city officials unveiled the list of 2023 Open Streets, 160 locations that equal nearly 300 blocks in the five boroughs...

This year’s new Open Streets feature locations across the five boroughs, including in Bushwick & Brownsville, #Brooklyn; South Jamaica, #Queens; & Soundview, #theBronx. More Open Streets are being finalized, with anticipated launches on/after 7/1. Details: https://t.co/Cvz8Quf16F

— NYC DOT (@NYC_DOT) April 22, 2023

The Open Streets initiative launched in the spring of 2020 to give pandemic-weary residents more space to take in the outdoors. 

Only some people are enamored by the program. Per Gothamist: "Opponents of the program have complained about losing valuable parking spots, and argue that Open Streets inhibit emergency vehicles and hinder residents with limited mobility."

Here are the local Open Streets...

• Avenue B, Sixth Street to 14th Street (limited local access)

Hours: Daily 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Partner: The Loisaida Open Streets Community Coalition

• Bleecker Street, Mott to the Bowery (full closure)

Hours: Wednesday-Friday, 5-11 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.

Partner: Von Design Ltd 

• Bond Street, Lafayette to the Bowery (full closure)

Hours: Monday-Friday, 4:30-11 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m.-11 p.m.

Partner: il Buco 

• Fourth Street, the Bowery to Second Avenue (full closure)

Hours: Thursdays, 4-9 p.m.

Partner: Fourth Arts Block (aka FABnyc) 

• Seventh Street, Avenue A to First Avenue (full closure)

Hours: Monday-Friday, 4-11 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays, noon-11 p.m.

Partner: Overthrow Hospitality 

Top photo on Avenue B via @loisaida_oscc

Reminders: Tompkins Square Library branch now closed for renovations

Photos by Steven

The Tompkins Square Library branch on 10th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B is now closed (as of yesterday) for renovations. (First mentioned here.)

According to an email to patrons, the closure, expected to last three months, will "facilitate improvements to the building, including preliminary work on a new Teen Center at the library, as well as replacing the branch's flooring and a fresh coat of paint." 

During this temporary closure, patrons are encouraged to use the following nearby branches: 

• Ottendorfer Library, 135 Second Ave. 

• Hamilton Fish Park Library, 415 E. Houston St. 

• Jefferson Market Library, 425 Sixth Ave. 

The branch opened here in 1904 and is expected to be back in service in early July.

Asbestos abatement for the vacant storefronts along Stuyvesant Street

Earlier this month, workers erected a sidewalk bridge along 29 Third Ave. (home of the Bean) and the empty storefronts at 8-14 Stuyvesant St.

Work permits at the DOB show a pending permit for "retail store white box interior renovation." (We have also yet to see any for-lease signs here.)

We're waiting to see what might be happening with these high-profile spaces.

In the interim, Asbestos Abatement Notices have arrived on the plywood... noting the removal of asbestos... with a projected completion date of Feb. 23, 2024.

This is the first activity we've seen here since the previous tenants moved out last spring.

As previously noted, it was nearly a year ago that news first surfaced — via a tweet by Alex Vadukul, a correspondent for The New York Times — that Tony Yoshida's four businesses along Stuyvesant Street between Ninth Street and Third Avenue were expected to close. Village Yokocho, Angel's Share, Panya and Sunrise Mart were all gone by the end of April. 

Cooper Union, which leased the buildings from their owners and had subleased them to the Yoshida Restaurant Group for more than 25 years, said it was the tenants' decision to move on. (This post has more background. Yoshida had not paid rent since 2020.)

There haven't been any public statements on what the landlord, believed to be 29 Third Ave Corporation c/o Casabella Holdings, LLC, has in store for the spaces. A Cooper Union rep told us previously that no new building is planned on this site. 

Signage alert: The restaurant-bar in the works at 309 E. Fifth St.

Signage is up for a new restaurant-bar at 309 E. Fifth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue... Eden shared these shots from the other day...

Last September, Community Board 3 approved a license for an applicant to open a Thai restaurant here under the trade name Ni Yom. (Application here.) Perhaps they decided on a different name for the establishment.

The previous tenant at No. 309, Jiang's Kitchen, closed after ownership opted to relocate to 65 St. Mark's Place and open Jiang's Kitchen in November 2021.

Monday's parting shot

Avenue A sky views...

Here's what's coming to the former Zum Schneider space on 7th Street and Avenue C

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Ayat, a Palestinian bistro with several Brooklyn outposts, including the original in Bay Ridge, is opening its first Manhattan outpost on the NW corner of Seventh Street and Avenue C later this year. 

EVG contributor Stacie Joy met owners Akram Nassir (left) and Abdul Elenani outside the space, where interior renovations are underway...

Elenani and his team have been busy expanding in the five boroughs, with multiple new locations and concepts in the works, as Eater previously reported. 

The East Village location will offer Middle Eastern/Palestinian food — and no alcohol.

Zum Schneider, the popular biergarten and restaurant, closed here after 20 years in late February 2020. 

In November 2020, a jokester attached a fake sign to the storefront stating that a McDonald's was opening here. 

The skyward-bound 21-story office building at 360 Bowery reaches the halfway mark

Workers are up to the 11th floor now here on the SW corner of the Bowery and Fourth Street ... which means they've passed the halfway mark on the 21-story, 110,000-square-foot office building with full-floor office suites. (See the final product here.)

Importantly, you can still make out part of Kendall Jenner's elbow on the mostly-obscured Marc Jacobs billboard ad...

... and the view from six blocks to the north...

This development replaces the single-level B Bar & Grill (1994-2020) on property that was previously a gas station.

The developers of this project within the Soho/Noho rezoning area are reportedly a collaboration between SK Development, Ironstate and CB Development. 

The Braised Shop closes in the East Village

After nearly five years of serving a variety of Taiwanese street food, the Braised Shop has closed at 241 E. 10th St. at First Avenue. Last night was the last in service.

However, in making the announcement, ownership promises that "it's not the end." Sounds like they have plans for a new concept elsewhere. 

Here's their entire message via Instagram...

 

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A post shared by The Braised Shop (@thebraisedshop)