The steel base of 1 St. Mark's Place makes first above-ground appearance

A handful of steel beams are now visible above street level on the 9-story office building in progress on the NE corner of Third Avenue and St. Mark's Place...

This has seemingly been a long time coming as foundation work started here late last summer.

Real Estate Equities Corp. plans on 53,000 square feet of office space and some 7,700 square feet for retail here at 1 St. Mark's Place.  

At long last the grand opening date is revealed for Panda Express on 14th Street and 1st Avenue

The grand opening signage is here on the SW corner of 14th Street and First Avenue ... where the Panda Express debuts (at long last?) Monday, July 17...

This pre-grand opening has been a lengthy process. We were the first outlet to report that Panda Express was coming to this corner in January 2022. In April, a PE rep said that the projected opening date was around June 5. 

As noted late last summer, there were issues with permits — as in waiting for the city, Con Ed, etc., to approve them. (One tipster told us that management here was very late in completing the necessary paperwork for the various licenses, etc.)

Panda Express launched in California in 1983 ... with more than 2,000 locations today, including a handful around NYC.   

As previously noted... posts about PE's arrival have brought out comments of support for the delicious and affordable Mee Noodle Shop & Grill down the block at 223 First Ave. (between 13th Street and 14th Street). It was Allen Ginsberg's favorite restaurant (when it was at the former location at 219 First Ave.). You can find their menu via all the online delivery platforms. (212) 260-7838.

On 13th and 3rd, the Ugly Duckling becomes blue bird

Signage is up now for blue bird on the northwest corner of 13th Street and Third Avenue. (Thanks to Doug for the photo!) 

This multi-level space has been closed in recent weeks... as management for Dream Hospitality Group revamped their previous concept here, the Ugly Duckling... which had taken over for the Brazen Fox in late 2021. (The Brazen Fox closed during the pandemic in 2020 after seven years in brunch and happy hour service.) 

As for now, blue bird remains in "coming soon" status. You can tabs on an opening date on the bar-restaurant's new website.

Week in Grieview

Posts this past week included (with a photo from Tompkins Square Park by Steven) ...

• Tuesday is the last day for East Village mainstay Ink on Avenue A (Sunday) 

• East Village staple New Double Dragon has closed (Tuesday)

• The Upright Citizens Brigade is returning to NYC — and the East Village — with a new theater (Monday) 

• The East Village Fine Wine & Champagne's sign has a new home (Wednesday)

• High Vibe looking for some help to continue spreading the love (Monday) 

 • Chrissy's Pizza announces itself on 9th Street (Thursday) 

• Angelina Jolie is creating a collaborative space for designers and artisans in Basquiat's former studio on Great Jones Street (Saturday)

• Openings: Rosemary Home on 9th Street (Friday) 

• After 20-plus years on 13th Street, Keybar is relocating to Bushwick (Thursday)

• Coming attractions: Cabin on 9th (Thursday) 

• When the lights flickered on Wednesday night (Thursday) 

• Mystery solved? Avenue A residents track down source of the incessant 'loud mechanical sound' (Wednesday) 

• Eros is still 'temporarily closed,' and now fully empty (Monday) 

• Full reveal: 699 E. 6th St. (Thursday)

 ... and the latest via Optimo at the Bowery Mural Wall... which has been on "pause" from officially sanctioned murals since May 2022...

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Follow EVG on Instagram or Twitter for more frequent updates and pics. 

Tuesday is the last day for East Village mainstay Ink on Avenue A

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Tuesday will be the last day in business for Ink, the decades-old newsstand on Avenue A between Fourth Street and Fifth Street. 

Owner Ben "Benny" Dahud told us last night that everything is going on sale ahead of the closing. 

As we first reported here and here, Benny has been in a legal tussle with the private equity firm that bought the block-long building last fall for $64 million. 

Despite what has happened, Benny seems at peace with the development ... as the Marshal is expected to padlock the storefront on Wednesday. 

"There is an end to everything," he said. "I’m happy, [it's] just not easy."

Benny reiterated how grateful he is for all the support at the shop through the years.

Ink's hours are 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Updated: The sales sign is up...

Sunday's opening shot

In the past week or so, multiple readers have shared photos of the incoming Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen at 442 E. 14th St., just west of Avenue A ... as you can see, the storefront has been tagged multiple times.

This will be the second EV Popeyes: an outpost opened in October 2020 at 39 First Ave. between Second Street and Third Street.

And while we don't have any photographic evidence of this, there was a Popeyes on First Avenue between 13th Street and 14th Street at some point like 15+ years ago.

Saturday's parting shot

Photo by Derek Berg 

A moment with Wolfspeak today on Astor Place... performing during the annual WitchsFest USA.

Angelina Jolie is creating a collaborative space for designers and artisans in Basquiat's former studio on Great Jones Street

Angelina Jolie has announced a new venture, Atelier Jolie — "a creative collective for self-expression" — opening this fall at a notable address — 57 Great Jones St. between the Bowery and Lafayette. 

The two-level building was once owned by Andy Warhol ... and Jean-Michel Basquiat was living and working in the second-floor studio at the time of his death in 1988. 

Jolie made the announcement on Instagram last night...

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Angelina Jolie (@angelinajolie)

This space had been on the rental market since last November. The back of the ground-floor space was home to Bohemian, an invite-only Japanese restaurant that provided some intrigue for food writers 10-plus years ago. (As we understand, Bohemian's parent company, Play Earth Inc., owns the building.) 

Atelier Jolie will serve as a workshop for under-represented tailors and designers who will then be able to showcase their work from 57 Great Jones.

Here's a more detail description of the business via the Atelier Jolie website: 

I am building a place for creative people to collaborate with a skilled and diverse family of expert tailors, pattern makers and artisans from around the world. A place to have fun. To create your own designs with freedom. To discover yourself. 

We will use only leftover, quality vintage material and deadstock. You will be able to repair or upcycle pieces from your closet you wish to revive, perfecting fit, breathing new life into what could have been thrown away, and creating quality heirloom garments with personal meaning. 

We hope to create a community of creativity and inspiration, regardless of socio-economic background. We will spotlight the people who play a part in each creation. We will bring together a diverse team, including apprenticeships for refugees and other talented, underappreciated groups, with positions of dignity based on skill. And as we work with global artisans and creators, we hope to help share the richness of their cultural heritage and support the development of their own businesses.

It's all new, and I'm more of an artist than a businesswoman. I hope to see you there, and to be one of the many creating with you within our new creative collective. 

Jolie's social media and website note the building's history: "A privilege to be in this space. We will do our best to respect and honor its artist legacy with community and creativity."

The building's façade has served as an ad-hoc memorial to Basquiat through the years. On the 30th anniversary of Basquiat's death in 2018, his friend and SAMO© collaborator, Albert Diaz, along with Adrian Wilson, created a mural that read: "I didn’t sign up to be used as a face for name brand crap." (Wilson also curated a pop-up gallery here.) 

In February 2022, workers painted over all the tributes... though, the various wheatepastes and tags eventually made a comeback, as the top photo from this morning shows. Jolie will reportedly leave the building's exterior as is. 

You can read this post at Village Preservation for more history of the building, which once served as the HQ for Five Points Gang ringleader Paul Kelly.

A Summer Celebration today at the 11th Street Community Garden

The 11th Street Community Garden is hosting a Summer Celebration today (July 8!) here between Avenue A and First Avenue. 

Expect some live music and other activities from 3-7 p.m. ...

A trip 'Wire'

 

Bush Tetras, the influential post-punk/no-wave band that got its start on the Lower East Side in the late 1970s, just released a new video for their single "Bird on a Wire." 

The video, featuring singer Cynthia Sley in front of EV storefronts that housed some iconic businesses, also includes a supporting role from East Village-based photographer GODLIS. 

The track is from the band's new LP, They Live in My Head, out on July 28. 

And catch Bush Tetras — with new members bassist Cait "Rocky" O'Riordan and drummer Steve Shelley joining original guitarist Pat Place — on Sept. 15 at Le Poisson Rouge on Bleecker Street.