Updated: 99 Miles to Philly is now The Joint on 3rd Avenue

There is a branding/name switcheroo at 94 Third Ave. between 12th Street and 13th Street ... where cheesesteak specialists 99 Miles to Philly are now The Joint.

EVG reader Kerry on E. 12th shared the above photo from Tuesday night. Per Kerry:

Looks like 99 Miles to Philly has re-branded as The Joint and is now serving burgers and dogs in addition to their awesome cheesesteaks. The team is the same and they treat their neighborhood regulars like family. Those guys put up with a lot of tough customers in the wee hours of the morning, but they take good care of their neighbors. Place looks a little spiffier and in the name of independent neighborhood journalism, I sampled both a burger and a hot dog: both great!

I reached out to the 99 Miles to Philly ownership to learn more. The quick-serve restaurant first opened here in February 2005.

Updated 10 a.m.

99 Miles partner Neil Barsky shared more about The Joint.

"After 12 years and outlasting every other cheeseteak joint that did not have a bar attached to it, we could no longer survive the costs of doing business in NYC with only having basically one product," he said via email. "We had a choice — close or take advantage of the vacancies left by the closing of Blue 9 and other restaurants in the area. We felt by rebranding with an expanded new menu, which will ... feature Pat LaFrieda's burgers, specialty hot dogs and monthly specialty sandwiches, we could continue to survive and keep good people employed."

UPDATED 'Port of Shadows (Quai des brumes)' Friday night in Tompkins Square Park

Updated 7/14 — The screening has been postponed due to the rain. New date: Sunday, July 16, at 8:30 p.m. ...

The Films on the Green series returns to Tompkins Square tomorrow night.

• Friday, July 14, 8:30 p.m.
"Port of Shadows (Quai des brumes)"
By Marcel Carné, 1938, starring Jean Gabin and Michèle Morgan
Film selected by Laurie Anderson, guest curator



Unfortunately, last Friday evening's screening was interrupted by the downpour.

Find the remaining Films on the Green schedule in other city parks here.

Reminders: The 'Not Another Starbucks Rally' is this evening

[Photo from July 3]

Via the EVG inbox...

Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, East Village Independent Merchants Association, East Village Community Coalition, other local businesses and residents will hold a rally and press conference calling attention to the proliferation of chain stores in the East Village, an area known for small, independently-owned and unique businesses, highlighting how chains promote homogeneity, take money out of neighborhoods, lead to vacancies as landlords wait for a national chain to pay exorbitant rents and put local independent stores out of business.

At the rally participants will call for the approval of a Special Retail District that would limit the size and number of chain stores and promote retail diversity that is currently under consideration by Community Board #3, promote a Shop Local campaign and draw attention to the need for a City Council hearing on the Small Business Jobs Survival Act.

Coffee will be served by local café owners.

What: Not Another Starbucks Rally
Where: 125 Saint Mark’s Place at Avenue A
When: Thursday, July 13, 5:30 p.m.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Steve Cuozzo: 'A new Starbucks will make the thriving East Village an even better place to live'

A look the incoming Starbucks on St. Mark's and Avenue A, site of a rally on July 13

Wednesday's parting shot

Manhattanhenge was not to be this evening.

There's one more chance tomorrow evening for a photo opp as the sun's evening descent conforms perfectly to the pattern of the city's east-west streets.

According to the American Museum of Natural History, at 8:21 p.m. tomorrow, half of the sun will align with the streets and illuminate half of the buildings. Weather permitting.

Photo on 14th Street at Avenue C tonight by Peter Brownscombe

Did you lose a parakeet?

A construction worker found the bird here earlier today in the vicinity of Third Avenue and Ninth Street... an EVG reader has custody of it at the moment ... let us know via email.

Report: Cup & Saucer Luncheonette closing next week on the LES

[Photo from 2011]

The Cup & Saucer Luncheonette, the classic diner on Canal and Eldridge, is closing next week.

The Lo-Down has the scoop:

The reason for the closure is a steep rent increase, to $15,000 per month including real estate taxes. The last day in business will be next Monday, July 17.

The diner first opened in 1940. The current owners took over in 1988.

Developing: Activity at the Tompkins Square Park sinkhole; the Crazy Stallion connection

Thanks you for all the emails, tweets and Instagrams... noting that there is activity at the site of the Tompkins Square Park sinkhole at the Avenue B/Eighth Street entrance. The photos here are by EVG correspondent Steven. Updates to follow, unless nothing else happens.

And for those of you concerned about the status of the trashcan the sinkhole swallowed... it appears to be in good shape... ready to collect trash again after a stint in PT...



Also, we can exclusively reveal what else was inside the sinkhole...



Two empty cans of Crazy Stallion.

Updated





Evening update

Progress?



Thanks to @dens for the photo!

NYPD looking for help in identifying man found in the East River on July 4

[Photo on July 4 by Dave on 7th]

On July 4, a man's body was found in the East River near Sixth Street and the FDR.

Patch reports that authorities still haven't been able to identify the man. The NYPD released a sketch of his face on to try and find clues as to who he is....



Per Patch: "Police say the man is believed to be about 40 years old, and that he was wearing gray sneakers, jeans and a black Casio G-Shock watch at the time of his death."

A moment with Candy the Gem Spa cat this morning

Is that a busted look?





Photos by Derek Berg

Candy is on Facebook too.

Out and About in the East Village

In this ongoing feature, East Village-based photographer James Maher provides us with a quick snapshot of someone who lives and/or works in the East Village or Lower East Side.



By James Maher

Name: Grace Kang
Occupation: Owner, Pink Olive, 9th Street between 1st and A
Photo Location: 8th Street
Date: Wednesday, June 21

I was born in Korea and we emigrated when I was 7 to Las Vegas. We later moved to California, then my father got a job for the City of New York. So we moved to New Jersey when I was in 7th grade. I grew up there and New York was the place where I came to start my adult life.

I was always in retail. I was a buyer for Bloomingdale's, Saks Fifth Avenue and Barneys New York. I was in the fashion space, which was competitive and fast-paced. I always said that if you can survive fashion in New York, you can survive anything.

The East Village has a very special place in my heart since it was [the location of] the first Pink Olive store. The East Village is where I feel like I grew up and found my home when we moved to the city. It was one of those places where I just felt comfortable. The city can be very overwhelming for a lot of people and the East Village is very neighborhoody.

I remember the East Village being a place where I could discover new things, whether it would be new inspirations or ideas. Especially Ninth Street, when it was starting to come into its own. Usually side streets are not the best location for commercial spots, it’s usually all about the avenues, but there was something about Ninth Street that felt like there was something happening. I wanted to be part of that, so when I found the space it was kind of a no-brainer to open my first shop. That was 2007. I just celebrated 10 years. We’re a whimsical gift and lifestyle boutique. We carry an eclectic mix of a lot of creative gifting ideas for little ones to loved ones.

I always thought I would open up a clothing store because that was my background, but looking back, I think I didn’t because that space is not only competitive, which I don’t mind, but it was also a different world back then from where it is now. To be honest, I’m not sure I would have survived that world, because it’s even hard for the big companies, not to mention the little ones. I managed to luck out with the landlords that I ended up meeting. That’s half the battle with any retail business.

There are still some good landlords out there, and when you find one of them, you have to jump on [the opportunity]. I’ve heard the opposite side of that — so many scenarios. I have friends with retail businesses and heard stories of going to court with landlords or getting booted out. It happened on Ninth Street near us. All of those businesses had to leave when Icon bought the building [at 441-445 E. Ninth St.]. It’s sad when that happens. Those were my neighbors, my friends — they really completed that Ninth Street experience.

James Maher is a fine art and studio photographer based in the East Village. Find his website here.

Construction watch: Thirteen East + West

Over on 13th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue, two, 6-floor condos called Thirteen East + West are in progress in space that housed single-level garages.

The top photo shows the status of what is the East building (the former No. 442) ... apparently this one received all the attention first from workers. The West (the former No. 436) building remains in the pit stages...





As we pointed out in previous posts, each building has six floor-through homes, all with private outdoor space. Pricing will start at $2.3 million; $3.4 million for the penthouses. The penthouses at each building will have their own private garages and roof decks. And like most East Village apartments, all units will be finished with white oak flooring, oversized windows and black lacquer Lualdi doors from Italy, and kitchens are fitted with Thermador- and Bosch-brand appliances.

Finally, a look at the final product via the rendering on the plywood...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Tracking the coming changes to East 13th Street between Avenue A and 1st Avenue

A look at the new luxury condos coming soon to East 13th Street

Temporary art and future condos on East 13th Street

Demo time for East 13th Street garages that will yield to luxury condos

A look at the residences coming to Thirteen East + West on East 13th Street

Your chance for enjoying Summer Streets and Smellmapping Astor Place coming next month

[4th Avenue on July 1]

Yesterday, the city/Citi announced plans for the annual Summer Streets ... coming up on Aug. 5, Aug. 12 and Aug. 19.

Per the Summer Streets site:

Summer Streets is an annual celebration of New York City’s most valuable public space—our streets. On three consecutive Saturdays in August, nearly seven miles of NYC's streets are opened for people to play, run, walk and bike. Summer Streets provides space for healthy recreation and encourages New Yorkers to use more sustainable forms of transportation. In 2016, nearly 300,000 people took advantage of the open streets.

Summer Streets is modeled on other events from around the world including Ciclovía in Bogotá, Colombia and the Paris Plage in France and has since inspired other such events around the world such as CicloRecreo Via and London's Regent Street Summer Streets.

Held between 7:00 am to 1:00 pm, Summer Streets extends from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park, along Park Avenue and connecting streets, with easy access from all points in New York City, allowing participants to plan a trip as long or short as they wish. All activities at Summer Streets are free of charge, and designed for people of all ages and ability levels to share the streets respectfully.

As in previous years, the car-free, Street-Festival-Free zone includes Lafayette, Astor Place and Fourth Avenue.

There will be several activities at Astor Place:

To explore all of your senses, the Astor Place Rest Stop will for the first time feature The Citi Experience inviting the public to tap into all of their senses with a 360 degree Mt. Everest VR experience and a New York-centric mini golf course.

And!

Smellmapping Astor Place
DOT Art and the Village Alliance have partnered with designer Kate McLean to produce a Smellmap of the Astor Place neighborhood. Three smellwalks were hosted over the past few months with local residents and stakeholders to gather smell data/information. Participants were asked to explore the environment strictly through their sense of smell by smell catching (receiving smell info), smell hunting (searching for smell info) and lastly free smelling (a mini smell research project). Mclean has collected all the smell data and visualized the findings as a colorful smellmap. McLean will be on-site to lead two walks at 9 am and 11 am to continue building on this research and invites participants to incorporate their findings into a large-scale smellmap available on-site.

Take the #smelltour ( not kidding) at #SummerStreets 2017. Yes, dog poop and garbage is in the list #1010WINS pic.twitter.com/tYxVFxAkww

— Juliet Papa (@winsjuliet) July 11, 2017

Head over to the Summer Streets site for more details.