Tompkins Square Bagels open for a test run

Over at 167 Avenue A at 10th Street, Tompkins Square Bagels is inching toward its grand opening... and owner Christopher Pugliese is going for a test run this afternoon...

... and he found some willing test subjects for his bagels...

Previously.

Still drilling at the Mystery Lot

@robbyohara passes along a photo from The Mystery Lot, where work has continued all week...

In October, The Real Deal reported that developer Charles Blaichman paid $33.2 million for the site. As Curbed noted at the time, Blaichman was a partner with Jay-Z and Andre Balazs on the hotel that never happened on West 14th Street; and as a partner with Balazs on a doomed project on West 21st Street.

A commenter on our last Mystery Lot post wrote, "this is going to be a condo. it was purchased with a new jersey developer who builds condos."

First sign of Michael White's fancy new pizza place on Second Avenue

The pizzasphere was buzzing back in November when the news broke that Michael White, who apparently causes chow chubbies with his fare at places like Marea and Ai Fiori, is opening a pizzeria called Nicoletta on Second Avenue at 10th ... the former Cafe Centosette, which closed in April.

Yesterday, blue glass noted that workers erected the pizzawood ...

(Grub Street heard the rumors about a Whiteout here going back to September.)

Landmarks Preservation Commission expedites hearing on East 10th Street Historic District

Last Friday, we reported that Ben Shaoul's Magnum Real Estate Group bought 315 E. 10th St. from The Educational Alliance. Renovations continue to convert the building into residential use.

[Dave on 7th]

There is also a pending permit to add a fifth floor to the existing four-floor structure, which the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation believe dates to 1847.

The building is located within the calendared East 10th Street Historic District, though the Landmarks Preservation Commission had yet to schedule a date for a hearing.

However, last night, Lisi de Bourbon, the communications director at the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC), told us that the LPC is expediting the date for a public hearing on its proposal for the East 10th Street Historic District.

"The reason we're scheduling the date earlier than we expected is that DOB notified the Commission's staff this past Sunday that the owner of 315 East 10th Street had filed an application for a permit to construct a rooftop addition that could potentially affect the character of the proposed district," she said.

The Department of Buildings has a mandatory maximum of 40 days to review its permit applications. When owners of buildings that are calendared — meaning under formal consideration for designation by the commission — file for DOB permits, LPC has 40 days to vote whether to landmark it.

The proposed East 10th Street Historic District comprises 26 buildings on the north side of East 10th Street between Avenues A and B that reflect the 19th and 20th century history of the East Village. (Read more about the Ben Shaoul rooftop additions here via the GVSHP.)

According to de Bourbon, The LPC has notified property owners in the proposed district that a hearing on whether to designate the buildings a historic district will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 17 — the earliest date a hearing can be scheduled.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A bid to protect the integrity of 315 E. 10th St.

RIP Anthony Amato

Anthony Amato, the founder and artistic director of the Amato Opera, died on Tuesday. He was 91. According to The New York Times, he had been battling cancer.

Founded in 1948 by Tony and Sally Amato (she died in 2000), the Opera has called 319 Bowery home since 1964. The Amato Opera closed in May 2009.

The building remains on the market at 319 Bowery. Plans for a "bar/restaurant/theater experience" never materialized. The asking price is $6.5 million. Per the listing: "The neighborhood is now lined with luxury hotels, fashionable restaurants and stylish fashion stores. Bring your architect and your imagination."

For further reading:
Amato Opera (Jeremiah's Vanishing NY)

Life after the Amato Opera

Costume drama on the Bowery as the Amato Opera empties out

Ruin of the Bowery nearly complete: Last season for the Amato Opera

Go inside the Amato Opera here.

Speaking of new locations of The Bean...

Fresh from Monday's opening of the Bean at Second Avenue and Third Street ... we were curious about progress of the Bean's location coming soon to Ninth Street at First Avenue... Here's how the place is shaping up Tuesday via photos by Bobby Williams.

We asked Ike Escava, a Bean partner, for a quick progress report.

"We are waiting for the landlord to turn over possession of the space to us," he said. "We are not sure when that will be, but expect it to happen in January or February and will be open about 8 weeks after that."

Previously.

$1 pizza getting less expensive on Avenue C

99 cents!

Here's what is coming soon to Avenue C between Ninth Street and 10th Street... The Mosaic Cafe closed here in September.

Wait till you see their array of latkes this Passover!

Over at Whole Food Bwoery... via a post by Marjorie Ingall, who wrote: "We appreciate the sentiment and accept your slightly confused but well-intentioned holiday wishes."

St. Brigid's at night

How the under-renovation church on Avenue B and Eighth Street has looked at night this week...

Yes, we've been posting a lot about St. Brigid's of late, but it is one of the few really positive constrction-related stories around here ...

Photos by Bobby William.

Coming soon to the former Heartbreak space: Boukies

In his Nov. 10 column at The Villager, Scoopy had news about Heartbreak, the Swiss-German eatery that closed here in October on Second Avenue and Second Street. Scoopy got the word that Heartbreak owner Christos Valtzoglou would open a small-plates Greek place.

Yesterday, Diner's Journal had more details on the new venture: Boukies is scheduled to open in March. "It will specialize in small plates of Greek food, mainly meze, and offer only two main courses: whole grilled branzino and lamb chops."

As you probably know, Valtzoglou also owns Pylos on Seventh Street.

Breaking: Holiday lights are off again in Tompkins Square Park

Oh no!

@angel_chao just passed along this photo...

And just hours after our post that the lights had returned... Too many holiday lights highs and lows for one night...

Joy to something! The holiday lights are back on in Tompkins Square Park

After three nights without the lights illuminated on the holiday tree... Earlier today, a park official told us they were having electrical problems... Can't wait to start complaining when the lights are still on in February!

Photo by Bobby Williams.

Previously.