New York Sports Clubs permanently shutters Avenue A location 2 days after reopening

That was fast. After a grand reopening on Monday, the New York Sports Clubs at 28 Avenue A between Second Street and Third Street has permanently closed.

Multiple readers shared an email from NYSC about the closure.

On behalf of NYSC, we have made the difficult decision to permanently close the Avenue A location on September 30th. 

This decision was a difficult one, but all isn’t lost. Effective immediately, your membership has been upgraded to our Elite Membership level at your current rate which gives you access to our entire network of clubs. By having an Elite Membership, you’ll be able to work out in all of our over 160 locations — from DC and Maryland to New York, Boston, Florida, California and yes, even Puerto Rico.

Meanwhile, the sign on the door points to a temporary closure...

Town Sports filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Sept. 14 due to coronavirus-related closures. They had reportedly worked out a deal with a group of lenders and a private-equity firm to serve as the lead bidder for the assets. 

On Wednesday, AG Letitia James filed a lawsuit against Town Sports for allegedly illegally charged customers their membership fees during the COVID-19 closure and then failed to issue reimbursements.

This NYSC outpost opened in March 2015 in the newly gut-renovated building... what tenant might want to take arguably the neighborhood's ugliest building?

Previously on EV Grieve:
• New York Sports Club in the works for Avenue A

• New York Sports Club says hello on Avenue A

• Familiar Burger-Klein sign has disappeared from Avenue A

• Here is the New York Sports Club building on Avenue A

Thursday's parting shot

 

A moment along Second Avenue via EVG reader Megan Finsaas ...

About Correspondences on Astor Place

No, this isn't a low-budget remake of "Dune." Or Gov. Cuomo's idea of a return to indoor dining with limited capacity. (Thanks Eden for the photo!)

Today through Sunday, a performance called Correspondences will take place on Astor Place.

Here are some details via the Village Alliance:

With Correspondences, multidisciplinary artist duo Ximena Garnica and Shige Moriya offer multiple entry points for spectators to engage with questions of being, interdependence, and coexistence. The human body (performer and observer), machines, natural elements, and the urban square mingle in an entangled poetic microcosm while opening inquiries into animate life and environmental ethics.

In the inaugural presentation of this multi-borough project, audiences can safely engage in Astor Place installation over conversation, and bear witness to daily activation periods performed by members of the LEIMAY Ensemble.

Single bodies are enclosed inside transparent chambers partially filled with sand. Bodies are donned with gas masks as they try, time and again, to rise to standing. At intervals, machines attached to the chambers trigger a blast of sand causing the performers to lose their footing, sinking them back down into the ground. This seemingly perpetual eruption repeats throughout daily performance activation periods of Correspondences, both with and without performers.

The first performance is tonight at 8... with additional shows tomorrow through Sunday at noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and so on... 

[Photo by Lola Sáenz]

... and here's another view via Steven today ... an undress rehearsal...

Grant Shaffer's NY See

Here's the latest NY See panel, East Village-based illustrator Grant Shaffer's observational sketch diary of things that he sees and hears around NYC ... as well as political observations on current events...

The East Village storefront art of Delphine le Goff

During the pandemic, East Village-based artist-designer Delphine le Goff started illustrating storefronts from around the neighborhood... here's a sampling of her work via Instagram ...

If you like her whimsical work, then you can check it out in person... this evening from 6-8 she'll be at Lucky, 168 Avenue B between 10th Street and 11th Street, selling prints, postcards and her 2021 EV storefront calendars... Or you can browse her Etsy shop here.

Public Access debuts on St. Mark's Place with show by legendary skateboarder Mark Gonzalez

Leo Fitzpatrick, a local resident and former director at the now-closed Marlborough Gallery, is now running Public Access at 8 St. Mark's Place... the community art space just east of Third Avenue debuted last week with Custom Boards, which features work by pioneering skateboarder (and artist) Mark Gonzales that will be up through Oct. 25.

Public Access is open Thursday through Sunday from 3-8 p.m. You can schedule an appointment via this link.

The gallery opened in January as JUICE before Fitzpatrick took over in the aftermath of the COVID-19 PAUSE. 

Pado is closing on 2nd Avenue

After nearly two years at at 199 Second Ave., the Japanese restaurant Pado has closed here between 12th Street and 13th Street ... though the owners vow to find another location.

In announcing their closure in an Instagram post, the owners cite a familiar foe — the landlord.

The restaurant industry during this pandemic has experienced unprecedented challenges and all of us had to fight hard to save our business and jobs. Since March, Pado team has been working tirelessly to remain in business. As much as we wanted to remain open, we unfortunately could not find an agreement with our current landlord at 199 2nd Ave. ⁣

⁣Pado emerged between compassionate and like-minded foodies with big dreams to make it in NYC. Our passion still remains intact and we will not let this pandemic change that. It pains us to announce our closure for 10/1, but we will strive to find a new place and we will share this information as soon as it is available for you.⁣
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We want to thank all of our customers for your love and support. The pandemic did really bring out the best in people, and your kind words and support have been the biggest driving factor for us.⁣
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We will see you again, we promise.⁣

H/T Vinny & O

A new front window era at Le Fournil

On May 30, during a vandalism spree along Second Avenue, someone smashed the front window at Le Fournil, the French bakery at 115 Second Ave. at Seventh Street.

And yesterday, after four months of plywood-induced darkness inside the shop, Le Fournil introduced a new window... and thanked patrons for their support this summer in an Instagram post...

C & C Dry Cleaning closes on 7th Street

From the EVG tipline... the longtime dry cleaners at 178 E. Seventh St. just west of Avenue B – Amy's aka C & C — has closed... 

Dry cleaners have been hard hit nationwide during the pandemic: more people are working from home, and fewer people are going to events where they need to dress up ...

6 posts from September

A mini month in review...

• Cults classic: East Village-based duo on the release of their fourth record Host (Sept. 24) 

• Native Bean wraps up 20 years on Avenue A (Sept. 21) 

 • Jules Bistro will not be reopening on St. Mark's Place (Sept. 17) 

• After 46 years, the Ukrainian Sports Club has left the East Village (Sept. 16)

• Scenes from Save Tompkins Day (Sept. 9) 

• An end-of-summer appreciation: Pinc Louds (Sept. 4)

Photo from outside the Gene Frankel Theatre on Bond Street

Late afternoon on 1st Street

A view this afternoon of Abetta Boiler & Welding Service at 66 First St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue... been here since 1949, and their sign still features an old NYC telephone exchange — GR 3-2390...

Sophie's, Josie's and Mona's will reopen this week

After sitting out the past six-and-a-half months, sister bars Sophie's, Josie's and Mona's will reopen later today with a 25-percent capacity.

The owners are renting small electric ovens and will be offering pizza (as well as a few smaller items) to meet Gov. Cuomo's meal-with-a-drink mandate.... and in keeping with the reopening guidelines, there is only table service. So no sitting at the bar. And masks are mandatory. 

The pool tables at the three bars, which closed at the start of PAUSE in mid-March, have also been removed to allow for more socially distant spacing for the handful of tables.

Of the three bars, only Mona's on Avenue B might have a few outdoor tables. (Owners said they thought outdoor seating on the side streets where Sophie's and Josie's are located might be too disruptive to nearby residents.)

The three are expected to be open from 3-11 p.m., though that is subject to change.

• Josie's (seen below yesterday), 520 E. Sixth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B. (646) 590-0044
• Mona's, 224 Avenue B between 13th Street and 14th Street (212) 353-3780
• Sophie's (seen above last night), 507 E. Fifth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B. (212) 228-5680