Xi’an Famous Foods reopens Sunday on St. Mark's Place

After a longer-than-expected renovation, Xi’an Famous Foods at 81 St. Mark's Place near First Avenue reopens on Sunday...



The popular noodle shop closed for renovations back on March 17 and was expected to be closed an estimated three-four weeks. However, there were apparently some issues with the DOB and Con Ed.

Anyway, here's a look inside the renovated space...

St. John's brands 51 (or 101) Astor Place

St. John's University continues to prep its new 71,000 square feet of space for its Manhattan campus here at 51 Astor Place/101 Astor Place/the IBM Watson Building/Death Star, etc.

According to a release about the move from December:

The new location will house St. John’s School of Risk Management, a key division of the University’s Peter J. Tobin College of Business and a global leader in risk and insurance education and training.

The School of Risk Management contains the Kathryn & Shelby Cullom Davis Library, which comprises the world’s largest collection of risk and insurance literature, policies, and related documents, and serves as a center for study and research for students of risk management, insurance, and actuarial science around the world.

The location will also be home to The Language Connection, St. John’s intensive English language institute, and to continuing professional education and other academic programs.

St. John's plans to be ready for the fall semester. The new site replaces the school's Manhattan campus in Tribeca, which the University sold for $223 million in July 2013.

Meanwhile, we've already spotted several students walking to their new campus...


[Random photo from last week by Derek Berg]

Films on the Green return to Tompkins Square Park tonight

The Films on the Green are back in Tompkins Square Park tonight and next Friday (June 27 for those keeping track) ...

To refresh your memory: "Films on the Green is a free out-door French film festival that brings classic and contemporary French cinema to New Yorkers in different parks around the city." (Merci to the French Embassy!)

Tonight!



Friday, June 20, 8:30 pm
"The Women on the 6th Floor"
Per IMDB: In 1960s Paris, a conservative couple's lives are turned upside down by two Spanish maids. (Comedy!)
By Philippe Le Guay
Starring Fabrice Luchini



June 27!



Friday, June 27, 8:30 pm
"La Haine"
Per IMDB: After local youth Abdel is beaten unconscious by police, a riot ensues on his estate during which a policeman loses his gun. The gun is found by Vinz who threatens he will kill a cop if Abdel dies. (Drama, duh!)
By Mathieu Kassovitz
Starring Vincent Cassel, Hubert Koundé, Saïd Taghmaoui



As for the free Films in Tompkins series that played on Thursday nights in previous summers ... well, as you may have figured by now, that is not going to happen this year. A rep for Howl! Arts confirmed this to us via email. We hope to have more on this later.

State seizes Mobil station on Avenue C and Houston for nonpayment of taxes

Passersby and motorists alike were surprised to find the Mobil station on East Houston and Avenue C closed yesterday.

The orange stickers affixed to the pumps tell the story...



Nonpayment of taxes. Perhaps this is just a matter of writing a check, taking care of some paperwork, etc.

Or maybe this is it for the station.

Back in March, Hakimian Property filed plans (waiting for approval) to erect a 9-story mixed-use building on the site. Plans call for 45 residential units and 4,550 square feet of commercial space.

The Times reported in October 2013 that construction would begin when Mobil's lease expires in two years — roughly toward the end of 2015.

Previously on EV Grieve:
How much longer will the East Village have gas stations?

The East Village will soon be down to 1 gas station

The Mobil on Avenue C is still going strong — for now

You have a little longer to get gas on Avenue C

Plans filed for new 9-story building at site of Mobil station on East Houston and Avenue C

RUMOR: Gas station going, boutique hotel coming on Second Avenue? (31 comments)

BP station on 2nd Avenue closes this month

Demolition permits filed to make way for 15-floor building on East 14th Street and Avenue C

[EVG photo from June 9]

Last week we noted that workers were giving last rites to the former R&S Strauss auto parts store on the southeast corner of East 14th Street and Avenue C.

And yesterday the demolition permit was filed with the city to knock down the one-level building.

Coming soonish. A Karl Fischer-designed retail-residential complex featuring 8,578 square feet of commercial space, 18,937 square feet for community space ... and 50 apartments above it all, so to speak.

R&S Strauss closed in the spring of 2009.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Development back in play for East 14th Street and Avenue C

More details on the sale of 644 E. 14th St.

Here comes a 15-story retail-residential complex for East 14th Street and Avenue C

Prepping the former R&S Strauss auto parts store for demolition on East 14th Street and Avenue C

7 Spices space for rent on Second Avenue

The Turkish restaurant at 82 Second Ave. between East Fourth Street and East Fifth Street recently closed.

And Icon Realty is asking $11,000 for the space — 620 square feet on the ground floor and another 480 square feet in the basement.

It wasn't always easy here. Last fall, 7 Spices went on a week-long vacation for several months before eventually reopening. Previously, the owner tried a go with Reyna Exotic Turkish Cuisine.

Things that randomly appear on 1st Avenue around 1 a.m.

EVG reader Sam Teichman spotted this unattended vehicle early this morning between East Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place... seemingly came out of nowhere...





Also, can any car people out there let us know what this is...?

Taking Citi Bikes for a bike ride

Spotted on Avenue D this morning... We've never noticed this more environmentally friendly way to transport bikes from one station to the next... via @artisanmatters

The Olympic Restaurant may close for good as soon as tomorrow

With the star-spangled Essex Crossing retail-residential complex on the way to the Lower East Side, the life expectancy of the Olympic Restaurant at the corner of Delancey and Essex has been relatively short.

In fact, the 34-year-old diner has been on a month-to-month lease for some time, as The Lo-Down pointed out almost two years ago to this day.

And BoweryBoogie reported that demo permits for the single-level structure that also houses the neighboring Jade Fountain liquor store were filed in late May.

EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by the other day for what very well may be a last meal at the Olympic...









The waitress told Stacie that owner Steve Palakas is going to court tomorrow to fight to stay open for another few months. If things don't go his way, then tomorrow is probably the last day for the diner.



The Olympic has been the no-frills kind of place where you can get an egg and cheese on a roll and a glass of frothy lemonade and receive back change from a $5.



As Jeremiah Moss wrote after a recent visit to the Olympic, the restaurant wasn't offered space in Essex Crossing. It doesn't "have a place among the artisan bread and cupcake shops, the Prada and Pastis that fill the architect's renderings of the new shopping mall to come. When it's all done, Delancey will be a very different place."

Retail space housing The Smith and M2M asking $25.5 million on 3rd Avenue

[Image via Massey Knakal]

The Benchmark Real Estate Group picked up the 12-story residential building with retail space on the southeast corner of Third Avenue and East 11th Street late last year for a whopping $57 million.

The developers are currently gut renovating the building, now called Eleventh and Third, upgrading the space to luxury apartments that will fetch more than $10K a month for two bedrooms.

Now the retail space — three separate spaces encompassing 15,000 square feet — is on the market with an asking price of $25.5 million.

Here are details from the Massey Knakal listing:

The plans call for the existing lobby space to be moved further east along 11th Street which will allow the current lobby to be incorporated into the corner retail space upon vacancy, thus increasing the most valuable Third Avenue ground floor retail footage by approximately 1,314 square feet. Upon M2M vacating and the implementation of the proposed strategy, there is potential to instantly double the asset’s net operating income.

Currently, 2 of the spaces are occupied by locally anchored tenants The Smith, a casual and lively American brasserie with three locations in NYC, and M2M, the area’s convenient grocery store. The Smith currently occupies approximately 3,886 SF above grade and pays $496,500 annually equating to approximately $127 psf. M2M currently occupies the corner space which totals approximately 3,266 SF above grade paying approximately $352,315 annually equating to approximately $108 psf.

These leases expire in 2027 and 2017 respectively with no further extension options or renewals for either tenant. The remaining unit, with frontage on East 11th Street, will be delivered vacant at the time of sale.

So M2M or The Smith aren't going anywhere for a few years. But they will have to vacate upon the end of their respective leases. That third storefront is already vacant. NY Copy & Printing moved to East Seventh Street after 22 years on East 11th Street.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Someone actually paid $57 million for this East Village building

Reimagining this 12-story East Village building, now on the market

NY Copy & Printing forced out of longtime E. 11th St. home, opening second location on E. 7th St.

Rebranded 'Eleventh and Third' will have rentals upwards of $10k

St. Mark's Bookshop closes Monday ahead of move to new home on East 3rd Street

[Photo by Jeremiah Moss via Facebook]

From the St. Mark's Bookshop Facebook page:

On June 23 we close at 10 pm and hope to open a few days later at 136 East 3rd St.

The bookshop has been at 31 Third Ave. and Stuyvesant Street since 1992, and in the neighborhood a total of 37 years.


[EVG file photo]

Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: St. Mark's Bookshop prepping fundraiser ahead of possible move to Avenue A.

Is this the new home for the St. Mark's Bookshop?

Report: St. Mark's Bookshop signs lease for East 3rd Street space

Renovations at the future St. Mark's Bookshop on East 3rd Street

Gutted Cow

[Photo yesterday by EVG reader jcroot]

The Sunburnt Cow closed for good on April 27 after 11 years at 137 Avenue C near East Ninth Street.

Work has started on a building-wide gut renovation, which will see the addition of an extra floor all via architect Ramy Issac.

EVG regular Dave on 7th got a look inside the former Sunburnt Cow yesterday, and didn't find much resembling a bar left...





Previously on EV Grieve:
Renovations in store for 137 Avenue C, home to the Sunburnt Cow

The Sunburnt Cow closes for good at the end of this month