Steamy on 10th and B

Photo this morning via Grant Shaffer

Do you have what it takes to be a member of the Community Board? (Well?)

Want to serve and improve your #Manhattan neighborhood? Consider joining your Community Board! Apply here: https://t.co/wp89JyaZic

— Gale A. Brewer (@galeabrewer) December 5, 2016

Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer has launched the recruiting process to fill open positions on local Community Boards.

A few details via Brewer's office:

Community Board members must live, work, or have an otherwise significant interest in the neighborhoods served by the community board, and be a New York City resident. In addition, the Manhattan Borough President’s office looks for applicants with histories of involvement in their communities, expertise and skill sets that are helpful to community boards, attendance at community board meetings, and knowledge of issues impacting their community. No more than 25 percent of the members of any board may be New York City employees.

You must also be able to keep a straight face when applicants claim that they only want a liquor license to have something to pair with their desserts.

You can fill out an application online here. The application deadline is Feb. 3.

As The Lo-Down aptly noted: "One suggestion. If you’re interested in joining your local community board, it’s a really good idea so sit through a meeting (these meetings are often not for the faint of heart)." Good times! Check out CB3's December meeting rundown here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The community board-State Liquor Authority drinking game

New location of Barnyard Cheese now open on Avenue B

Barnyard Cheese is up and running now at 168 Avenue B between 10th Street and 11th Street.

As we first reported, owner Beatriz Arremony was moving both Barnyard and her Brix Wine shop from Avenue C and Ninth Street to side-by-side storefronts on B. (Brix is expected to be open by the end of the month.)

Arremony said that the move will allow them to expand their offerings. Barnyard will now finally have a full kitchen and unveil a number of new items beyond their meats, cheeses and sandwiches.

"We will miss our corner of 9th and C and the great community that we've been part of for the last nine years but hope to continue to do the same on the B side," she told us last month.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Barnyard Cheese and Brix Wine Shop moving from Avenue C to Avenue B

Raphael Toledano tenants take to Midtown streets to speak out against their landlord and his lenders

Tenants of more than 20 buildings owned by Raphael Toledano, along with local elected officials and community organizers, went to Midtown to call out Madison Realty Capital and Signature Bank for their role in lending money to the controversial landlord.

The group, including a large number of East Village residents, first convened yesterday morning outside Madison Realty Capital headquarters, 825 Third Ave., then, accompanied by members of the Rude Mechanical Orchestra, marched to the Signature Bank headquarters, 565 Fifth Ave.





Here's part of a statement issued via the Cooper Square Committee:

In September of 2015, Madison Realty Capital, a determined private equity lender, issued Toledano a $124 mil mortgage to buy 17 buildings throughout the East Village and Chelsea area.

News coverage (The Real Deal) has documented the risky lending patterns that Madison Realty Capital maintains. The Real Deal quoted a veteran real estate investor saying that MRC’s $124 million loan to Toledano left him “over leveraged,” and that Toledano is now “pushing up rents to pay off a high mortgage.”

The mortgages Madison Realty Capital issued Toledano went as far as to require him to spend $2 mil of the loan exclusively on tenant buyouts or renovations – practices which often trigger huge rent increases. Tenants in Toledano’s buildings have faced alleged harassment and extensive building issues ever since he took ownership. Signature Bank played a role here as well, as they collateralize Madison Realty Capital in the lending they do.

And here are prepared statements from elected local officials...

State Assemblymember Deborah Glick: “Raphael Toledano has proven to be an unscrupulous and harassing landlord who takes financial risks and is often over-leveraged while seeking to make an enormous short-term profit off a group of buildings at the expense of tenant’s rights. Madison Realty Capital, and their collateralized backer, Signature Bank, show a disregard for stable communities by funding these mortgages for Toledano. We urge them to stop funding these projects which inevitably result in tenant harassment."

State Sen. Brad Hoylman: "Madison Realty needs to take responsibility for the unscrupulous, anti-tenant actions of the developers it bankrolls. Madison is greasing the skids for predatory landlords in my district who systematically harass tenants out of their homes. I’m proud to stand with the Toledano Tenants Coalition, Cooper Square Committee, and the Rude Mechanical Orchestra in calling on Madison Realty to pull the plug on Brookhill Properties."

Toledano is reportedly trying to sell a large number of his East Village properties.

Photos courtesy of the Cooper Square Committee

XyZ Pintxos y Botanas closes for now on 7th Street

The small cafe serving a variety of tapas has closed for the time being at 102 E. Seventh St. between Avenue A and First Avenue.

Per the XyZ Facebook page: "To all our friends, XyZ will be CLOSED until further notice. Thank you so much for your patronage and happy holidays!"

The interior looks in disarray at the moment. (The XyZ listing at OpenTable notes they are permanently closed.)



In any event, the food and wine here had received high marks upon opening in the early fall of 2015. Here's a post from Gothamist from October 2015:

While the food is outstanding at XyZ, cooked by Basque native chef Javier Ortega — who previously owned the TriBeca restaurant Pintxos and ran the kitchen at the natural wine bar The Ten Bells — the wine selection is truly unique and adventurous.

From Wine&Spirits:

Chef Javier Ortega and his daughter, Alaia, serve up a menu that would be at home in San Sebastian, filled with pintxos and botanas, little bites like salt cod croquetas or salty-sweet pa amb tomaca, tomato-rubbed toasts.

This has been a competitive block for cafes/wine bars. Virgola and Shervins Cafe have both closed this year.

The previous tenant here, Tink's Cafe, closed in June 2015.

Don't cross Christo and Dora

The red-tailed hawk parents hang out at a familiar spot atop St. Nicholas on 10th Street at Avenue A...



Photos by Steven

Closing portraits at the Neptune

The Neptune Restaurant's last day in business was on Sunday.

The building that houses the Polish-American diner at 194 First Ave. between 11th Street and 12th Street was sold. According to one source, the asking rent doubled for the space, which includes a backyard garden.

Photographer Nick McManus, a group portrait artist, stopped by the Neptune for a few parting shots on Sunday afternoon...



In this photo, Neptune owner Zenon Krawczyk (center in white chef's coat) and staff pose with some regulars...





While the Neptune opened in 2001, the space has been home to a Polish-American diner, such as KK, for many years.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Today is the last day in business for the Neptune

A last (maybe) look at 100 Avenue A

Construction wrapped up in recent weeks at 100 Avenue A, Ben Shaoul's condoplex between Sixth Street and Seventh Street. The entrance (above) was ready for entry action the week of Thanksgiving.

To date, we haven't actually seen anyone moving into the 32-unit building... this past weekend, someone left all the lights on...



As previously noted, residences at the 6-story 8-story building started at $1.3 million. The website for broker Nestseekers shows that just two units are currently available. (Hey, nudity sells!)

The Blink Fitness Center in the retail space opened on Oct. 25, and it appears to be doing decent business. And if you're looking for an investment, the retail portion of the building is for sale for just a little less than $24 million.

Shaoul bought the former theater-turned market at 100 Avenue A in the spring of 2013 for $15.5 million. The demolition started in November 2013.

---

And a look back to 2009, when the one-time movie theater was East Village Farms...



Previously on EV Grieve:
A little bit of Hollywood on Avenue A

Inside the abandoned theater at East Village Farms on Avenue A

Reader reports: Village Farms closing Jan. 31; building will be demolished

Asbestos abatement continues at 98 Avenue A, Ben Shaoul's latest East Village trophy

Wooing the condo crowd with naked women motif on Avenue A

The retail space at Ben Shaoul's 100 Avenue A is available for $24.5 million; plus, naked model marketing clarification!

Trying to figure out what is going on at 98-100 Avenue A

Part of the former Alphabets storefront will serve as sales office for Ben Shaoul's 100 Avenue A

Someone threw black paint bombs at the naked women condo ad along 100 Avenue A

Take a look at the inside of Ben Shaoul's condos at 100 Avenue A

100 Avenue A announces its incoming sales office with familiar naked, graffitied person motif

1st sign of Hà Nội House on St. Mark's Place

An EVG reader who lives on St. Mark's Place shared this photo... showing some new awning signage for Hà Nội House at 119 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue.

As noted back in the spring, a Vietnamese restaurant is in the works for the space. According to the application on file for public viewing at the CB3 website, the principals include veterans of Stephen Starr's Starr Restaurants, whose NYC establishments include Upland, El Vez and The Clocktower.

The proprietors originally sought a full liquor license, though CB3 was unwilling to approve one in this saturated area. (They eventually settled for a beer-wine license with earlier closing times, though, according to the minutes of the April CB3 meeting, the proprietors "then chose not to agree to make as conditions of its license the aforementioned stipulations and elected not to withdraw its application and return to Commuity Board 3 for additional hearing of its application.")

There was an open call yesterday for cooks. Per the ad: "Hanoi House is a new Vietnamese restaurant from two seasoned NYC restaurant professionals and a native Vietnamese chef. We are hiring part time and full time Line Cooks and Prep Cooks to start within the next few weeks."

The previous tenant here, Luca Bar, closed in April 2015.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Proprietors offer more details about proposed Vietnamese restaurant for St. Mark's Place

[Updated] Patrons trying to help keep Big Lee's open on 1st Avenue

We noticed that Big Lee's (aka the Hard Swallow Saloon), the no-frills bar at 140 First Ave. between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street, has been closed the past week.

Some patrons of Big Lee's have started a fundraising campaign to help keep the bar open. Here's part of their appeal:

We are friends of Big Lee's The Hard Swallow Saloon, and are fighting to keep another true dive bar from being kicked out of the big city. Due to a re-neg on a purchase agreement of the bar, our friends are now having to incur some serious legal fees to fight this injustice, and also cover lost revenue while the bar is closed. ... So we're asking for everyone to help pitch in a little to help cover the legal fees & get our favorite bar back open.

So far, the group has raised some $1,400 of a $10,000 goal.

The bar opened in the summer of 2015 in the former Spanky and Darla's space. Big Lee is a former doorman/bouncer at Hogs & Heifers as well as Coney Island High on St. Mark's Place (he is also originally from Coney Island).

Updated 12/10

Big Lee's is back open...


[Photo by Steven]

The 25th annual tree lighting in Tompkins Square Park is Sunday (Dec. 11)

From 4-5 p.m. And as usual, the event includes music via the Carolers of Olde New York from Theatre for the New City and refreshments from Veselka.

The tree was planted in 1992 in memory of Park advocate Glenn Barnett, "and each of our neighbors whom we have lost to AIDS," per the sign that hangs near the tree.

Revisit last year's gathering here.


[Photo from last year by Stacie Joy]

Turntable Lab reveals new 10th Street storefront

[Image via Turntable Lab]

Last month, the owners of Turntable Lab announced that they will be moving away from their small storefront on Seventh Street near Avenue A "to a larger, more central East Village location."

The Google Map link they provided on their website takes visitors to 10th Street between Fourth Avenue and Third Avenue. There are several available storefronts on that block, so we weren't sure which space the 17-year-old Turntable Lab would be taking.

Now, though, the coming soon signage is at 84 E. 10th St. ...



... above Ramen Zundo-Ya and right next door to Black and White.

The sign points to a February opening for the store that sells a variety of vinyl, stereo equipment and assorted DJ gear.