Morning view from Ninth Street at Avenue A via Vinny & O.
Previously
Monday, April 29, 2019
Grant Shaffer's NY See
Here's the latest NY See, East Village-based illustrator Grant Shaffer's comic series — an observational sketch diary of things that he sees and hears around the neighborhood — and NYC.
Grant is taking a week off — look for the next panel (No. 46!) a little later in May.
1 weekend down: L-train slowdown recap
We are now officially in L-train slowdown mode for the next 15-18 months.
On Friday evening, the MTA started its service reduction to repair the Sandy-damaged tubes between Manhattan and Brooklyn, ramping down L times to 20-minute waits starting at 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. during the week and around the clock on weekends. (Here's the MTA press release on it.)
The slowdown's debut on Friday received so-so to negative reviews, based on various published reports and social media accounts.
Line for the L train. Things are going great New York! #mta #nyc pic.twitter.com/pAkGr6XIU3
— Eric Yearwood (@EricYearwood) April 27, 2019
Officially a slowdown. #LTrainSlowdown pic.twitter.com/W2mblzsr97
— Edgar Sandoval (@edjsandoval) April 27, 2019
Jake Offenhartz has a nice recap of the first night — featuring broken arrival clocks and hour-long waits for trains — over at Gothamist.
Here's a quick overview:
For many of the city's regular L riders — a group that numbers 400,000 on a normal day — the reality underground was a far cry from the governor's description of "service that would still work." In Union Square, crowds were penned in along barricades on the mezzanine level, in some cases waiting to board an open train that wouldn't arrive for close to an hour. Transit workers, stationed across the system in large numbers, practically begged customers to make use of the increased service on the M, G, and 7 lines, or the free transfers on the M14A/D and Williamsburg Link buses.
Those who did stay encountered extended waits not only inside stations, but on unmoving trains as well. The dwell times seemed especially bad at Union Square, where the MTA's interlocking system means that Brooklyn-bound service must wait for a passing train to arrive before switching over to the shared track, in order to avoid the construction area between 3rd Avenue and Bedford.
"It's worse than I thought," said Alfredo Fernando, a dish-washer at a restaurant near Union Square.
Transit reporter Vin Barone has his recap for amNY here. As he notes, the MTA's biggest challenge might be happening as you read this: making sure there isn't any lingering construction left to disrupt this morning's commute.
“[We] are aware of how critically important it is to have that smooth transition so that at 5 a.m. we can start back in service,” said Ronnie Hakim, the MTA’s managing director, during a trip along the L line on Sunday. “We do this. We know how to do it. It’s a function of working out all the kinks.”
You can also find coverage at the Times, who was more sympathetic in its tone with a headline: "First Weekend Disruption Is Frustrating, but Not Disastrous."
By Saturday, the L-train situation had mostly righted itself. Christopher Robbins at Gothamist explored one of the alternative methods touted by the MTA to get around — the M14 — on Saturday afternoon. "And while there were definitely more M14 buses, there is nothing to save them from getting stuck in the miserable traffic that clogs 14th Street. It took us 47 minutes to get from Grand Street on the Lower East Side to 8th Avenue and 14th Street."
Help may be on the way. In June, the city plans to convert 14th Street into a busway from Third Avenue to Ninth Avenue with very limited access to car traffic.
Look how many buses are trapped on 14th Street! Ugh.
— Thomas DeVito (@PedestrianTom) April 27, 2019
Seeing it in person just makes me more 😡 that a few cranks in the West Village almost succeeded in dictating the policy response to the #LTrainSlowdown
Now let’s activate this busway, please. #Peopleway @TransAlt pic.twitter.com/NU3hXxu9v6
Now to a few other observations related to the slowdown...
The MTA is stockpiling extra M14s on the east side of Avenue A between 11th Street and 13th Street ...
This means no parking/or standing along here for the foreseeable future... from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday through Friday, and all weekend long...
The MTA also has extra buses at the ready on the east side of Third Avenue between 12th Street and 14th Street...
This also means no parking on this side of the Avenue ...
Meanwhile, the SBS bus services starts in June... and more ticketing machines have been unveiled... on the north side of 14th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue...
... and the east side of Avenue A between Fifth Street and Sixth Street...
Anyone have any L-train stories to share from this past weekend?
2nd Avenue gas-explosion defendants due back in court June 21
[Photo of 119 2nd Ave. from Friday]
On Friday, we noted how quickly the 7-story condoplex was rising at 119 Second Ave. at Seventh Street, site of the deadly gas explosion on March 26, 2015.
The work, which started in January, is moving along much more quickly than the legal case against the defendants.
The previous owner of 119 and 121 Second Ave., Maria Hrynenko, was due back in New York County Criminal Court on Friday. As in the previous 25 appearances, the outcome was the same since the first appearance in February 2016 — "adjourned/bail continued."
Hrynenko, her son Michael Hrynenko (now deceased), contractor Dilber Kukic and their plumber Anthanasios Ioannidis illegally tampered with the gas line at 121 Second Ave. then failed to warn those in the building before the blast, according to the Manhattan District Attorney.
Charges against Hrynenko, Kukic and Ioannidis include second-degree manslaughter. All three are due back in court on June 21, according to public records.
In March, the fifth defendant, Andrew Trombettas, was sentenced to probation and community service. Trombettas had previously pleaded guilty for his role in rubber-stamping a modification to 121 Second Ave. prior to the explosion that killed two men and injured 20 others on March 26, 2015. The D.A.'s office charged him with two counts of "Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, a class E felony."
Shaky Cohen's Nexus Building Development Group, Inc., paid $9.15 million in June 2017 for the lots at 119 and 121 Second Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place.
Previously on EV Grieve:
Remembering Nicholas and Moises: the Figueroa family marks the 4-year anniversary of the 2nd Avenue gas explosion
2nd Ave. explosion — landlord, 3 others charged with 2nd degree manslaughter; showed 'a blatant and callous disregard for human life'
Elvis has left Great Jones; 'seafood focused neighborhood restaurant' coming soon
It appears that some renovation work is underway at the former Great Jones Cafe ... at the least, someone has removed the Great Jones signage, papered over the windows and taken away the bust of Elvis that peered out from the behind the window for years...
There aren't any work permits on file yet with the DOB, so this may all be just some more cosmetic moves.
Last we heard, restaurateur Gabriel Stulman was eyeing the space here just west of the Bowery. He was to appear before Community Board 2's SLA committee last month.
According the official minutes of the CB2 full board meeting on March 21, Stulman reps were pitching a "seafood focused neighborhood restaurant" with a raw bar (under the name Marlinspike Hall, LLC d/b/a TBD).
Per the minutes, the premises will have eight tables with 24 seats and one bar with nine seats for total interior seating of 33, with a 75-square-foot sidewalk café with three tables and six seats. Additionally, the approved hours of operation are 4 p.m. to midnight Sunday through Wednesday; until 1 a.m. Thursday through Sunday.
The full CB2 unanimously approved the application.
Stulman, under his Happy Cooking Hospitality, operates a handful of West Village establishments, including Joseph Leonard, Jeffrey's Grocery, Fedora, Fairfax and Bar Sardine. He's been part of the fauxstalgia wave.
Great Jones Cafe never reopened after Jim Moffett, the longtime owner, died last July at age 59. The Cafe, a popular yet low-key spot, first arrived in 1983.
Previously on EV Grieve:
RIP Jim Moffett, owner of the Great Jones Cafe
New owners vying for the Great Jones Cafe space
[Updated] The future of the former Great Jones Cafe
CB2 SLA committee OKs license for new ownership of Great Jones Cafe
Basics Plus apparently not closing on 3rd Avenue after all
[Photo from Friday]
As previously reported, housewares shop Basics Plus was set to close this spring at 91 Third Ave. and 12th Street. Employees had said that today, April 29, was the last day.
The prominent going-out-of-business signs in the front windows directed future Basics Plus shoppers to the location on University at 13th Street ... along with notices for 20 percent off all items.
However, in the past week, several EVG readers passed along the news that Basics Plus is staying put. Per one reader:
"I went in there a few days ago to ask when their closing date was, and the employee told me they're no longer closing, they're just downsizing. So I asked why everything was still on sale, and she said she didn't know."
In a brief telephone call, an employee confirmed the change of closing plans, saying that they're just moving out the hardware section. When pressed for more details, she hung up. (The phone went to voice-mail on the return call.)
The store closing/sale signs were still up as of Saturday.
Meanwhile, the Be Juice bar connected to the shop has cleared out...
Basics Plus opened here in August 2014.
Surprise! Surprise! — a like-minded housewares shop with, according to readers, better customer service — was the previous tenant, closing in April 2014 after 25 years in business.
Previously on EV Grieve:
Basics Plus is closing on 3rd Avenue
Workers still on the clock at 250 E. Houston St.
A quick follow-up to the clock post from April 11.
Workers have been refurbishing the (purposefully) askew clock atop 250 E. Houston St., the former Red Square here between Avenue A and Avenue B.
The Dermot Company bought the 13-floor building for $100 million in 2016. Since then, they've revamped the lobby and added new retail tenants.
While the 18-foot statue of Vladimir Lenin, which stood atop Red Square for 22 years was removed in 2016 (before eventually returning not too far away), the clock appears to be in the renovated building's plans.
Renderings of the new-look No. 250 include the clock with the numbers still out of sequence...
The original Red Square developers, Michael Rosen and Michael Shaoul, reportedly put the clock in this spot to cover the water tower and elevator shaft. The distinctive clock is a take on MoMA’s "Askew" watch that features a random sequence of numbers. (Hungarian graphic designer Tibor Kalman created this version.)
Previously on EV Grieve:
Rumors: Red Square has been sold
New ownership makes it official at the former Red Square on East Houston
Apartment listings at 250 E. Houston look to offer glimpse of former Red Square's future
Long-vacant retail space hits the rental market at 250 E. Houston St.
Former Red Square lobby gets the plywood treatment on East Houston
Avenue A Copy Center & Shipping Outlet has closed
After three-plus years, the Avenue A Copy Center & Shipping Outlet has closed at 47 Avenue A between Third Street and Fourth Street (in one of the retail spaces of the Ageloff Towers).
As you can see, workers have started clearing out the space...
The Copy Center was an annex run by the owners of Essex Card Shop at 39 Avenue A. You can now head there a block to the south for your copy and shipping needs in this part of the neighborhood...
New restaurant alert for the former Kambi Ramen House on 14th Street
A quick note about an incoming restaurant... there's a taker for the former Kambi Ramen House on 14th Street just west of First Avenue... EVG regular Pinch pointed out this Community Board notice on the front door last week...
This is in the jurisdiction of CB6 (and not CB3 per our usual coverage)... and their website doesn't appear to have a detailed account of the applicants. So all we know is this: New Wine, Beer & Cider License for Trad Japan Co LTD.
We'll keep an eye on this for further developments here.
Kambi Ramen House closed in July 2018 after 10 years in service. The Kambi family also operates the popular Minca Ramen Factory on Fifth Street near Avenue B.
Sunday, April 28, 2019
April 28
Spring Cleaning continues... and more people apparently feel as if it's time to toss the Christmas tree... EVG reader Melissa spotted this one today on Third Street between Avenue A and Avenue B...
Week in Grieview
[Spring in Tompkins Square Park]
Posts on EVG this past week included...
A visit with Steven Antonelli, director of Bank Street Head Start on 5th Street (Friday)
More about the return of the 14th Street busway; 12th and 13th street bike lanes now permanent (Thursday) ... M14 mystery abounds as SBS ticket vending machines arrive (Wednesday)
A CVS is coming to the corner of Houston and Orchard in Ben Shaoul's luxury condoplex (Monday)
This week's NY See strip (Monday)
It looks as if 264 E. 7th St. won't be demolished after all (Thursday)
The SUNSHINE leaves the marquee at the former Sunshine Cinema (Tuesday)
About the NYPD cracking down on bikes without bells in Tompkins Square Park (Tuesday)
Report: First red-tailed hawk egg hatches this year in Tompkins Square Park (Tuesday)
San Loco plotting an East Village comeback? (Friday)
Explosion-site condoplex rising quickly (Friday)
An Earth Day message from East River Park (Monday)
On 9th Street, Cha-an Bonbon to serve as a to-go outpost for Cha-an Teahouse (Tuesday)
In sight: Block's Vision Care relocates inside Block Drugs next door (Tuesday)
The Tribeca Film Festival arrives in the East Village (Wednesday)
2 down, 98 to go: Work starts on the 100 Gates Project at East Village shops (Thursday)
Bright Horizons bringing child care to EVGB (Wednesday)
Reader report: About East Village Acupuncture & Massage on 2nd Street (Wednesday)
East Side Gourmet Deli has closed on 4th and B (Monday ... and Thursday)
When the door is open at the incoming H Mart (Monday)
Green days: How to become a member of the 6BC Botanical Garden (Saturday)
The line for the Jay-Z show on the first night of the Webster Hall reopening (Friday) Union Rat makes first appearance outside Webster Hall (Wednesday)
Cocoa Grinder is closed for now on 1st Street (Monday)
What the F? New subway stop arrives on 4th Street courtesy of 'Mr. Robot' (Wednesday)
And as noted on Thursday, the Wisteria vine on Stuyvesant at 10th Street is in bloom... here are more photos from yesterday...
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