Here's the first look at the new building slated for 50-64 Third Ave.

With permits in place to demolish six East Village buildings on the west side of Third Avenue between 10th Street and 11th Street, we have our first look at a rendering for the new development...

A reader shared this from the State Building Group website, the Toronto-based real-estate company behind this project. 

The address — 50-64 Third Ave. — is listed under the company's "residential" portfolio. (At first glance, the building looks more commercial/office. We reached out to confirm the residential use and other details, such as number of units.) 

Here's the information included with the listing:

50-64 3rd Avenue is a 6-building assemblage located at the nexus of the East Village, Greenwich Village and Astor Place. The site allows for 160,000 sq. ft. of new construction and has a land area of 16,500 sq. ft. Construction is expected to commence in late 2023.

Late 2023 seems ambitious for a start date. So far, there aren't any new building permits on file with the Department of Buildings. In addition, the existing buildings are still awaiting demolition.

In late August, according to Straus News, which publishes several local weekly newspapers and associated websites, including Our Town — Eastsider, a spokesperson for the DOB said "that outstanding objections" have interrupted the developer's plans. 

However, there are new/updated demolition permits on the DOB website dated Sept. 6 and Sept. 12.

As PincusCo. first reported in May, Kinsmen Property Group — a joint venture between State Building Group and another Toronto company, Madison Group — has been buying the walk-up buildings over the past two years, paying more than $60 million for the parcel.

Most of the retail spaces in the properties were already closed, including, most recently, the Ainsworth on the SW corner of 11th Street in July 2022. (No. 62 was home to New York Central Art Supply for decades until its 2016 closure.)

Only one building will remain on the block after the demolition — 48 Third Ave., the 4-story property owned by Isfahany Realty Corp. on the northwest corner at 10th Street with Healthy Greens Gourmet in the retail space. 

Openings: Cantina Cubana on Avenue B

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Cantina Cubana debuts today (Sept 15) at 4 p.m. at 17 Avenue B and Second Street. 

Ricardo Arias and Patricia Valencia, the husband-and-wife owners, were happy that ConEd finally turned on the gas for the restaurant.

The couple previously operated Café Cortadito at 210 E. Third St., just east of Avenue B. They closed at the end of January after 18 years in business after the landlord increased the rent from $8,000 to $15,000 monthly. 

Cantina Cubana is opening with a full menu with a similar lineup as Cafe Cortadito. Ricardo says it's 99% the same menu, with some new additions such as tacos and guacamole, plus a smash taco burger made with tortillas. 

Here's a look inside...

Hours: Tuesday through Friday, 12 p.m. to 10 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. breakfast hours are possible in the future. 

You can find the Cantina Cubana website here.

For the Byrd: Celebrating the music of William Byrd at Most Holy Redeemer

On Saturday evening, the Most Holy Redeemer/Nativity Parish on Third Street is hosting a Byrd Fest. 

The church is celebrating the music of English organist and composer William Byrd (who was NOT a founding member of the Byrds), in the 400th anniversary year of his death featuring faculty members from Juilliard 

The event, free and open to the public, starts at 7 p.m. at the church, 173 E. Third St. between Avenue A and Avenue B. There are post-concert refreshments in the rectory garden. 

Find more details here.

Friday night with Crackhead Barney and Friends at Grace Exhibition Space on Avenue C

Photos by Stacie Joy 

This past Friday night, the Grace Exhibition Space, 182 Avenue C, kicked off its fall season with performances by Crackhead Barney (below left) and Friends... or as the folks at Grace put it, "a night of pure chaos trash maximalism."

The evening featured performances by Brei Frei, MangoWorld, Jacob Cohen, Contessa Stuto, as well as a screening of the VICE documentary on Crackhead Barney, the notorious street performer and ambush interviewer... 

You can find the rundown of upcoming events here at this link.

Grace Exhibition Space is on the east side of Avenue C between 11th Street and 12th Street...

The owner of Max restaurant is returning to Avenue B with a new pizzeria

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Luigi Iasilli, owner of the well-liked Max restaurant, which closed 10 years ago at 51 Avenue B, is back on the block with a new venture — Potenza Centrale. 

The pizza shop, coming soon to 38 Avenue B (site of the former KC Gourmet Empanadas) between Third Street and Fourth Street, is named in honor of the town in Italy where he was born and raised.

The pizzeria will feature square slices from a rectangular pie, as well as round pizzas, notably different from the Roman style due to the extra fermentation process. Iasilli said it takes up to five days to ferment the highly hydrated dough, and it's folded and worked to be airier and lighter than traditional dough. 

Iasilli, who's no longer involved with Max, which had several locations, also wants to add baked gnocchi, pastas like lasagna or rigatoni, and eggplant parm topped with housemade mozzarella. Each day will feature specials — one meat and one vegetarian, listed Italian-style on the chalkboard walls. 

In addition, Iasilli plans to sell his homemade sauce to go (he welcomes folks to bring their own jars that he can fill) and balls of fresh mozzarella. He's currently working on focaccia and other styles of bread. When I asked him about the possibility of dessert, he mentioned reprising the famed tiramisu from Max. 

As for an opening, he has yet to set a date; the space is waiting on ConEd approval and the meter installation. 

Here's Iasilli with Chef Alex Chavarria ...

As for returning to this block of Avenue B, he says: "I am coming full circle."

Dim Sum Go Go's East Village outpost set for a soft opening on Saturday

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Dim Sum Go Go is set for a soft opening on Saturday here at 221 First Ave. between 13th Street and 14th Street. 

Operating manager Jackson Lau and owner Ken Li said that they'll offer just a little more than half of the usual menu items during this soft opening period. (And it's an extensive menu.)

They will also feature two self-ordering stations... (you can also order from someone at the front counter)...

This second location has been in the works since July 2021, and between the pandemic and some bureaucratic issues, the opening had been pushed back. 

As previously noted, this is the second outpost for the restaurant that made the Michelin Bib Gourmand list last year. The flagship space at 5 E. Broadway in Chinatown opened in 2000. 

And from left here: Lau, Isabel, who was here on a job interview, and Li...

The case of the missing East Village Mini Market signage

Photo by Steven

On Sept. 2, we noted that Tompkins Finest Deli & Grill abruptly closed at 153 Avenue A near 10th Street... and just like that, new business signage for the East Village Mini Market was on the storefront. 

The new business gave off some smoke shop vibes... in any event, that signage is gone for now. (Also noted by a commenter on the last post the other day.) 

The windows remain papered over, so we can't tell what's going on inside. 

So. Theories! 

Perhaps: 

1) The sign was damaged and needs to be replaced 

2) The owners had second thoughts and decided not to open 

3) The landlord had second thoughts about renting to a smoke shop 

4) All the above

Openings: Motel No Tell on Avenue A

Motel No Tell now has three weekends under its belt here at 210 Avenue A at 13th Street.

The retro-y bar-restaurant serves a variety of pizza and calzones ... not to mention a weekday happy hour from 4-7 p.m.

Our previous post here has more about the ownership and the corner space's recent bar history.

And because people keep bringing this up: No-Tell Motel was a scene-y bar via Deb Parker at 167 Avenue A (now Mama Fina's) between 10th Street and 11th Street that closed in the early 1990s. 

Wednesday's parting shot

Photo by Stacie Joy 

Today in outdoor dining on Avenue B...

Report of a fire this afternoon at 91 E. 3rd St.

Photos by Felton Davis 

The FDNY responded to a report of a kitchen fire this afternoon around 2:30 at 91 E. Third St., just west of First Avenue...

Manhattan All Hands Box 0422, 91 E 3 ST, MULTIPLE DWELLING A, APT 11-KITCHEN

— FDNYalerts (@FDNYAlerts) September 13, 2023

The FDNY reported the small blaze under control in 10 minutes...

Manhattan All Hands Box 0422, 91 E 3 ST, MULTIPLE DWELLING A, APT 11-KITCHEN, Under Control

— FDNYalerts (@FDNYAlerts) September 13, 2023

Felton Davis, who lives on this block, said: "Congratulations to the FDNY for the speed with which they arrived and got this one under control... Many buildings, including ours, are over 100 years old, and it wouldn't take much for a fire to spread."

There isn't any word of the cause or extent of the damage. There weren't any reports of injuries.