The former TakeMeHome Rotisserie Chicken space on Avenue A will be...

On Tuesday, we noted that the former TakeMeHome Rotisserie Chicken space was under renovation at 151 Avenue A between Ninth Street and 10th Street.

A sign for the USPS arrived on the front door yesterday ... complete with a business name. And it has nothing to do with (presumably!) dessert or beer/vape or vape/beer ... it's Quick Repair and Electronics...


[Photo by Steven]

The storefront has been vacant since the quick-serve TakeMeHome venture closed in the summer of 2016.

Wednesday's parting shot

A heartfelt delivery on First Avenue and Seventh Street this Valentine's Day via Derek Berg...

Red & White

Previously by peter radley

Happy Valentine's Day from Rite Aid on 1st Avenue

If you're stuck on a last-minute Valentine's Day gift, the Rite Aid on First Avenue at Fifth Street has an outside-the-box suggestion — Tide pods.

Thanks to Marjorie Ingall for the photo!

Ai Weiwei installation ready to depart from 7th Street

An EVG reader shared these photos from earlier the morning on Seventh Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue... where workers were prepping to remove the Ai Weiwei installation from between the buildings here...



Here...



This was, as you know, part of a citywide project in collaboration with the Public Art Fund titled "Good Fences Make Good Neighbors."

The fences were officially on display from Oct. 12 through Feb. 11. Workers removed the installation on Cooper Union on Monday and Tuesday.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Ai Weiwei on 7th Street

Get well soon, Mikey

[Photo via Instagram]

If you've been on Second Street between Avenue A and Avenue B, then you've likely seen Mikey Evans. He was born and raised on the block, and has lived his whole life at 190-192 E. Second St.

He hasn't been feeling well of late, and Julio Pena and Beatrice Tosti di Valminuta, the husband-wife owners of Il Posto Accanto at No. 190, are collecting get-well wishes for their longtime friend.

Here's what they had to say via Instagram yesterday:

Mikey has been a little under the weather. A lot of you, near and far, noticing his absence have been asking for news. We do not have much in terms of updates, but if you want to drop off a get-well card at Il Posto, we will make sure he gets it. Love and well wishes are always a good idea.

Beatrice later told me that Mikey is "the all-around greeter of Second Street — the sunshine of the block with his smile." When Julio and Beatrice opened Il Bagato in 1995, people thought that Mikey was the owner. "And we liked that."

More details on the all-new playground coming to P.S. 19

[Photo by Steven]

Last Wednesday, we noted that renovations were underway on the playground behind P.S. 19 on First Avenue between 11th Street and 12th Street.

This came about via funding by Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and (now-former) City Council member Rosie Mendez in conjunction with the Trust for Public Land.

Mary Alice Lee, director, NYC Playgrounds Program for the Trust for Public Land, shared more details about the project.

Working with landscape architects from Studio HIP, the Trust for Public Land engaged the P.S. 19 community — students and parents, teachers and staff — as well as local residents and members of the Sirovich Senior Center on 12th Street in a participatory design process last year.

Per Lee:

The playground will feature a synthetic turf field, a painted track, play equipment, trees, a garden area with an outdoor classroom, a green-roof gazebo, junior basketball, benches, game tables, student art and an outdoor ping-pong table.

It was designed as a green infrastructure playground, and will capture hundreds of thousands of gallons of stormwater each year.

Weather permitting, the work should be complete early this summer. The playground will be open to the community until dusk, after school and on weekends and holidays — just not when in use by P.S. 19 or any of their after-school programs.

And here's a look at the final plan...


[Click on image for more detail]

Here's more about Facebook's takeover of Kmart's 2nd floor at 770 Broadway

[EVG photo from January]

As you may know, Kmart recently vacated the second floor at 770 Broadway, the landmarked building on Astor Place.

The three-level store had recently condensed its wares to the main floor and lower level — reportedly to allow for Facebook to expand its presence (by 78,000 square feet) in the building.

The Commercial Observer has more on the deal, announced during landlord Vornado Realty Trust's fourth quarter earnings call yesterday.

Per the Observer:

The deal grows Facebook’s total footprint at the building to 513,000 square feet, Vornado Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Steven Roth said on the earnings call.

The space was made available for Facebook after Vornado bought Kmart out of its lease on the floor, which Roth said had 18 years remaining at rents of $33.50 per square foot. Kmart still has 82,000 square feet at 770 Broadway.

Yes, but do they still have pajamas?

Previously on EV Grieve:
Kmart staying on Astor Place, minus the 2nd floor (for Facebook?)

Valentine's Day Eve

The scene at Sunny's on Second Avenue and Sixth Street... the best place around for flowers... thanks to Goggla for the photo!

And earlier today via Eden B...

Report: high-end condo in the works for 2nd Avenue explosion site

[EVG file photo]

Shaky Cohen's Nexus Building Development Group has filed plans to build a high-end condo at 121 Second Ave., where one of three buildings were destroyed in the deadly gas explosion in March 2015.

Nexus Building Development Group paid $9.15 million for the empty lots at No. 119 and 121 between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place.

As The Real Deal reported, Nexus reps filed a permit application with the DOB today. According to the permit, the building will feature 2,100 square feet for commercial use with 21,000 square feet for residences.

Here's how the Nexus site describes the project:

...121 Second Avenue is a high-end condominium building designed by Morris Adjami, with seven floors including 21 apartments and a retail space. Residential units are one, two and three bedrooms.

Size: 7 floors, 21 Residential units

Developer: Nexus Building Development Group in partnership with Immobiliare Capital and Premier Equities

Architect: Morris Adjimi Architects

Marketing and Sales: The Tavivian Team from Douglas Elliman

The permits list 119 as the address for the new building while the Nexus site lists the address as 121.

There aren't any renderings for the building just yet.



In a previously recorded transaction, Ezra Wibowo paid $6 million for the property at 123 Second Ave. A source told the Post last March that this was a long-term investment. "He’s not in a rush to build or develop."

Previously.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Exclusive: 2nd Avenue explosion sites have a new owner

Dedicating Moises Locón Way and Nicholas Figueroa Way on 2nd Avenue at 7th Street

Soil testing underway at the 2nd Avenue explosion site

Tarallucci e Vino closed through March for renovations on 1st Avenue

Papered windows and a sign greeted patrons yesterday at Tarallucci e Vino on First Avenue at 10th Street...



Per the signage at the Italian cafe: "After 16 great years ... it's time to spruce things up a bit."

The original Tarallucci e Vino (there are now five locations total in the city) expects to reopen by the end of March.

Thanks to Steven for the photos!

Storefront makeover for the former TakeMeHome Rotisserie Chicken on Avenue A

The former TakeMeHome Rotisserie Chicken space is getting a makeover at 151 Avenue A between Ninth Street and 10th Street... on Saturday, just the "Take Me Home, I'm Hot!" signage remained...



That was gone by the end of Sunday...


[Photo by Steven]

There aren't any work permits on file with the city for the storefront's renovation ... so that eliminates one way of finding out what might be next here. (Going with either dessert or a smoke-vape/vape-smoke shop.)

The space has sat empty since TakeMeHome officially closed in the summer of 2016. (As you may recall, TakeMeHome would close for weeks at a time.)

TakeMeHome opened in November 2014. The address was previously a San Loco outpost.