Because we haven't posted anything about the IBM Watson building in like 3 weeks

The April issue of The Real Deal takes a look at how the leasing came together for 51 Astor Place/the IBM Watson Building … if you're interested …

The building still has some 75,000 square feet to lease … not to mention the three retail storefronts, which total roughly 15,500 square feet.

Developer Edward Minskoff "estimated that the last of the office space would be spoken for in about 45 to 50 days. The building is seeing about five or six tenant showings a week, sources said."

Said Minksoff: "There is an old saying that an ugly building that is 100 percent leased is beautiful, but a beautiful building that is 100 percent leased is gorgeous."

And now we're off to brush up on our old sayings…

At the memorial for d.b.a. co-owner Dennis Zentek

Here are a few scenes from the memorial today for Dennis Zentek, the co-founder and owner of d.b.a. who died on March 23. The afternoon began at the Marble Cemetery on East Second Street followed by a New Orleans-style Second Line Parade …



By EventPhotosNYC

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Photo by peter radley

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Photo by Bobby Williams

Noted

Per an EVG reader:

Annoying people are jogging through the East Village in their underwear. It appears to be an organized event. They came down Second Avenue then came storming down East 12th Street.

One man wore underwear on his head.

FBI now patrolling the Tompkins Square Park chess tables

Ummm, yeah… actually the above photo is from filming today for NBC's "The Blacklist" … where crews took over (and shut down) part of the Park in the name of crime drama…



Photos by Bobby Williams

Updated 9:04 p.m.

And here's a photo of cast members James Spader and Megan Boone via James and Karla Murray …

Virage remains closed for renovations

Virage closed for renovations on March 24... the signs on the 14-year-old restaurant at Second Avenue and East Seventh Street indicated an April 15 reopening date.

However, the Mediterranean-influenced bistro remains closed... there appears to be plenty of work remaining to be done on the exterior ...



... and interior...



Workers removed the signs indicating the April 15 reopening. The restaurant's website and Facebook page do not have any mention of the temporary closure.

Spring backward

Missed the part about the rain turning to snow/flurries/whatever last night.

Above photo via EVG reader Gail George, who spotted this on First Avenue and East Third Street.

Meanwhile, in Tompkins Square Park... via Robert Miner...

Where is Out and About in the East Village today?

Well, you may usually find our weekly feature at this day and time. However! EVG contributor James Maher was out of town... and the EVG backup plan didn't quite work out (backup?). My fault!

So! We'll be back with Out and About in the East Village next week.

Meanwhile, maybe you want to revisit the first features that James did in 2012... right here.

Surprise! Surprise! closes after April 27

[Photo by Cheryl Pyle via Facebook]

As we first reported back in February, Surprise! Surprise!, the housewares store that has anchored the northeast corner of Third Avenue and East 12th Street for more than 25 years, is closing at the end this month.

According to employees, the store's last day is April 27. Everything is now 50 percent off… so go buy a few new shower curtains.

And the reason behind the closure: The rents have gotten too high.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Surprise! Surprise! will close at the end of April (42 comments)

Here is the new sign for Russ & Daughters Cafe on Orchard Street

You probably heard that the folks at Russ & Daughters are opening a full-service cafe at 127 Orchard St. … EVG reader Leesy noted the arrival of the sign yesterday…

As the Times reported last September, Niki Russ Federman and her cousin Josh Russ Tupper, part of the fourth generation of the family that founded the store on the LES in 1914, will run the 65-seat restaurant ... serving all the specialties from the R&D mothership around the corner on East Houston.

Back in October, Federman offered up several details about the new space in an interview with The Daily Meal … including if the cafe will have that R&D counter culture:

That is so critical in how we’re designing the space, trying to bring that counter experience and that human interaction to the new café. So there will be an open slicing area where you can watch the slicing happen, and actually you’ll be able to see it better than you can in the store. Right now you have to peek down poke around, There, we’ll have a slicing counter [and] an old-school soda fountain making our egg creams. There’s going to be almost like a luncheonette counter where you can sit down as you’re watching all the food come together, and you still have that over-the-counter interaction.

We haven't heard about an opening date yet (just spring) … though we did spot a Craigslist ad from March 27 for a sous chef and other positions…

Previously on EV Grieve:
More details about the new Russ & Daughters Café coming to Orchard Street

Memorial today for d.b.a. co-founder Dennis Zentek

Dennis Zentek, who opened d.b.a. at 41 First Ave. in 1994 with friend Ray Deter, died on March 23 from injuries he suffered in a fall.

The folks at d.b.a., where he was the co-founder and owner, have updated the details about a memorial celebrating his life today:

• The bar at 41 First Ave. will be open as usual starting at 1 p.m.
• The memorial service will be held around the corner in the Marble Cemetery on East Second Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue. The memorial, led by non-denominational Life Cycle Celebrant Sacha Jones, begins right at 4 p.m. (People may start arriving at 3:45 p.m.)
• A New Orleans-style Second Line Parade will follow the memorial.
• Afterwards, there will be a slide show in Dennis's memory as well as a showing and silent auction of his photography at d.b.a.
• Please, no flowers, but donations are welcome to Dennis's favorite charity - the d.b.a. bars!

"We the dba family thank you so much for your support and kindness during this time. The bar is open, and we are enjoying a beautiful spring. See you soon …"

[Photo by KM Keller via Facebook]

More about Insomnia Cookie's East Village arrival

We noted yesterday that Insomnia Cookies will be opening an outpost in the East Village soon … Insomnia reps sent along the news release …

The late-April opening of Insomnia Cookies in New York City’s East Village will be the seventh New York location for the late night bakery which has become a favorite among New Yorkers over the past seven years.

“We are thrilled to open our seventh bakery in New York City” said Seth Berkowitz, CEO of Insomnia Cookies. “New York is our home and we take pride in serving our neighbors warm and delicious cookies.”

The new location will deliver to residents of the East Village, broadening Insomnia Cookies’ delivery radius to cover the entire East side of Manhattan from E. 96th to Houston Street.

In honor of the company’s official grand opening, they will serve a free cookie to all customers presenting a free cookie coupon in store. For more information, opening details and for a free cookie coupon, visit the Insomnia Cookies Facebook page.

Insomnia will be taking over the storefront at 299 E. 11th St. just east of Second Avenue. The space was previously a dry cleaners (and maybe briefly a winebar???).

Report: NYPD searching for attempted rape suspect in the East Village

At 3 a.m. this past Sunday, police said a 32-year-old East Village woman woke up to find the above suspect standing on her bed.

The NYPD said the man then sexually assaulted the resident, but fled after a struggle.

The NYPD described the suspect as a Hispanic male in his 20s, standing 5-4 and weighing about 160 pounds.

Anyone with information may call the NYPD Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS or text tips to 274637 (CRIMES) and enter TIP577.

There wasn't any mention of the address — just that it happened within the jurisdiction of the 9th Precinct.

Updated 11 p.m.
We're told that the incident happened on East Seventh Street between Avenue A and Avenue B… contrary to what a News 4 New York reports states tonight … (They list it as near Avenue B and 6th Street.) According to NBC, the victim told police that she forgot to lock her door before going to bed.