More about the new venture from Pilotworks on the Bowery

Two weeks ago I mentioned that Pilotworks was the new commercial tenant at 347 Bowery. (Just the ground-floor space.) That was after spotting signage touting Pilotworks — which offers co-working space for food professionals — arrived on the corner here.





A rep for Pilotworks shared more about what they will be doing with the space. (Basically businesses who are part of Pilotworks will be selling their stuff here.)

Via the EVG inbox:

Pilotworks - Culinary Incubator is Opening FIRST Retail Space on Bowery

I’m excited to announce Pilotworks ... is opening their FIRST RETAIL concept on the Bowery in Spring/Summer 2018. Located at 347 Bowery ... food businesses (AKA members or makers) that operate in Pilotworks kitchens across the country will have access to increased visibility and exposure for the very first time.

The location is already catching eyes because the exterior is outfitted with REAL RESIGNATION LETTERS from members at Pilotworks, including Hometown Poke from the Pilotworks Providence (RI) kitchen, and Stagg Jam and Watermelon Road, both based out of the Pilotworks Brooklyn kitchen. These resignation letters represent the moment a dream becomes a reality and a true testament to the importance of pursuing what you LOVE.

Here's more about Pilotworks from their website:

Pilotworks is a new kind of business on a mission to change the landscape of the food industry. We operate high fidelity culinary incubators across the United States that provide specialized products and services to entrepreneurs in the food community to help them bring new companies and ideas to market.

Through our holistic approach, selected companies benefit from our flexible and affordable infrastructure, outsourced services, personalized mentorship, distribution reach, educational events and workshops as well as our vibrant community of culinary professionals looking to innovate the industry. Pilotworks (headquarters in Brooklyn) recently closed a $13MM round of Series A financing led by Techstars Ventures and Acre Venture Partners, alongside a group of world class venture capitalists and food industry veterans.

Pilotworks also has outposts in Chicago, Dallas, Portland, Maine, and Newark, N.J.

As for the residential portion of No. 347, the Annabelle Selldorf-designed 13-story luxury building features five stacked and expensive town homes. The site was previously the Salvation Army's East Village Residence, which closed in 2008.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Salvation Army's former East Village Residence will be demolished on the Bowery

Whatever happened to that really ugly hotel planned for the Bowery?

Looks like 347 Bowery will be home to a 13-floor mixed-use residential development

The future of 347 Bowery (sorta!) revealed

Let's take a look at 347 Bowery, now and in the future

347 Bowery getting its zinc supplements

Openings on Avenue A: Mama Fina's House of Filipino Sisig

Mama Fina's House of Filipino Sisig, an Elmwood Park, N.J.-based restaurant, recently opened its first NYC outpost at 167 Avenue A between 10th Street and 11th Street.

The family-owned restaurant serves dishes such pork sisig, lumpia shanghai and crispy pata. (You can find their menu here.)

A post shared by Mama Fina’s NYC HOFS 🇵🇭 (@mamafinasnyc) on Feb 24, 2018 at 11:10am PST

Mama Fina's hours are Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday-Saturday until 10 p.m.; Sunday from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. They are closed Tuesdays.

This space had been empty since Moonstruck Eatery closed in July 2016.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Mama Fina's signage arrives on Avenue A

Garbage bags now adorn the windows at Out East

Out East has been closed the past two months here on Sixth Street between Avenue A and Avenue B.

There hasn't been any sign of activity at the restaurant — except for the black trash bags that someone covered the windows with last week...



There was never any announcement about a closure at the seafood-centric restaurant that aspired to bring a little Montauk to Sixth Street. The Out East website has "expired" while Open Table notes the place has permanently closed.

One EVG reader who dined here a few times noted that after a strong debut last April, Out East quickly fell apart, with disorganized service and marginal food and portion size for the price.

The operators of the two-level, 124-seat restaurant — which underwent an extensive gut renovation to make it Out East — have been involved with hotspots such as Beauty & Essex and Stanton Social. Perhaps they will try something different in this space.

Noted

[Click for a better view]

Goggla shares this photo today from East River Park ... art doubling as an Urban Etiquette Sign (or the other way around).

Feb. 25

An EVG reader just spotted someone discarding this tree on Second Avenue between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place... the tree still looks plenty lively a mere two months after The Big Day.

Anyway, one of the first candidates for MulchFest 2019.

Week in Grieview

[Last night at Royal Tailor on 11th Street]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

Pile driving for new building on Avenue C prompts arrival of crack monitors next door (Wednesday)

At the annual Mr. Lower East Side Pageant (in Queens) (Monday)

Jimmy Carbone and Paloma Rocket collaborating on new venture for the Jimmy's No. 43 space (Tuesday)

The latest I Am a Rent-Stabilized Tenant (Friday)

Honoring actor Joseph Sirola at Theatre 80 on St. Mark's Place (Monday)

Bad news for fans of Siggy's Good Food (Wednesday)

Still House relocating to 9th Street (Friday)

Clay Pot opens on St. Mark's Place (Tuesday)

A London-based hairdresser gave free haircuts to the homeless in Tompkins Square Park (Tuesday)

Avant-Garde-Arama at Performance Space grand re-opening (Thursday)

Retail for rent signs arrive for Steiner East Village storefronts (Tuesday)

A look at the former GG's space on 5th Street (Friday)

McSorley's turns 164 (Monday)

A spin through Downtown Yarns on Avenue A (Thursday)

Awaiting repairs for a sidewalk vault on 4th Street (Wednesday)

All is quiet at 75 1st Ave. (Thursday)

Last weekend for the Stone on Avenue C (Thursday)

Report: Financial firm takes the Death Star penthouse (Wednesday)

Chat 'N Chew reboot opens (Tuesday)

...and an opossum update from last night in Tompkins Square Park...

Opossum spotting! Dog barking at poor Opie up in his tree! @evgrieve pic.twitter.com/NiXovGhM0O

— EdenBrower (@edenbrower) February 25, 2018

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The Landmarks Preservation Commission under Mayor de Blasio's watch

In the Daily News today, Eric Uhlfelder — author of “The Origins of Modern Architecture” — contributes an opinion piece titled De Blasio vs. NYC’s historic buildings.

As he writes, even properties within historic districts are at risk of redevelopement ... and "the Landmarks Preservation Commission, the last line of defense for protecting historic New York, is rolling over rather than pushing back."

Two key players are responsible for LPC contradicting its own mandate: Chairwoman Meenakshi Srinivasan — who openly questions the LPC’s right to tell architects what to do — and Mayor de Blasio, who is promoting redevelopment at the cost of the city’s architectural heritage.

A recent study commissioned by the New York Landmarks Conservancy showed the Landmarks Commission in a typical year approved more than 99.5% of all applications in historic districts.

De Blasio named Srinivasan chair of the LPC in 2014 after her stint as chair and commissioner of the Board of Standards and Appeals, "an agency known for granting zoning variances to expand development rights."

In the East Village, Uhlfelder notes how "the LPC ignored requests by preservationists to landmark a group of Beaux-Arts apartment buildings, permitting development of a new graceless hotel." This would be the incoming Moxy hotel on 11th Street between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue.

Saturday's parting shot

Photo on Fourth Avenue today by Derek Berg...

Point of no return

NYC-born artist Yuno (now in Jacksonville, Fla.), who was recently signed by Sub Pop, released his first music video this past week... and Tompkins Square Park has a starring role... the above video is for "No Going Back."

H/T EVG reader VP!

The Webster Hall marquee

Here's a look at the Webster Hall marquee this morning.

As first reported last Sunday, the marquee became partially dislodged from the front of the landmarked building on 11th Street between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue. Crews erected this sidewalk bridge to keep the marquee from landing on the sidewalk.

Anyway, I fixed it...



Updated 2 p.m.

The downside of the repair...

Thanks, little help here! cc: @evgrieve. pic.twitter.com/MO6mLPOank

— pinhead (@evpinhead) February 24, 2018

Please remember to take your rice cooker with you when exiting the train

Thank you for your patience as we investigated a suspicious item at the Delancey/Essex St station- Service is back up and we have determined the item was not threat- Enjoy your night on the Lower East Side pic.twitter.com/jaIIcNpel5

— NYPD Transit (@NYPDTransit) February 24, 2018

A rice cooker that someone left behind on the F train last night at Essex and Delancey led to a bomb scare.

Per the Daily News:

Initial reports from authorities said the device was a pressure cooker with wires sticking out of it, but police later determined the electronic was not an explosive.

Subway trains were stopped while the bomb squad investigated and resumed running moments after cops gave the all clear around 8:45 p.m.

Meanwhile, in other MTA news from last evening, via PIX 11:

According to data released at an MTA meeting this week, New Yorkers took 1.727 billion trips taken last year, compared to 1.756 million taken in 2016, so roughly 30 million fewer trips.

"I'm not surprised. The subways have been pretty bad lately," said subway rider Leslie Spencer.

'Metro' NY

"Street Safari," the second record from Public Access T.V., was released today ... the above video, featuring actor Kevin Corrigan, is for the song "Metrotech."

Not sure where the band calls home these days... in 2015, they were living at 123 Second Ave., which was destroyed during the deadly gas explosion. (The band was on tour out west at the time.)