Changes: Looking for a Coinstar replacement after the Food Emporium closes this spring?

In our post last Thursday about the May closure of the Food Emporium on Union Square, a reader lamented the pending loss of the grocery's Coinstar machine.

As another reader noted, there's a Coinstar machine in the lower level of the Kmart on Astor Place.

Also! You can find one at the PayOMatic at 303 E. Houston St. between Clinton and Attorney... where EVG contributor Stacie Joy took these photos the other day...

There is an 11.9 percent service fee here ... (fees may vary by location!) ...

Other nearby locations include the D'Agostino outpost on First Avenue between 20th Street and 21st Street.

A quick look at CTown's new deli

Also from our post about the Food Emporium closing in May on Union Square ... a reader pointed out that the CTown over at 188 Avenue C between 11th Street and 12th Street has a new deli ... Indeed! EVG contributor Stacie Joy happened to be by and shared these two photos... a bevy of Boar's Head products ...

Open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Noted

As seen on Second Avenue between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place... someone amended the work zone sign to read — "Cuomo Zone Ahead. Share Them Broads."

Five women have now accused the governor of inappropriate sexual conduct. Attorney General Letitia James is now investigating the sexual harassment allegations.

Bing celebrates International Women's Day with photo of RBG mural on 1st Avenue

On International Women's Day today, the Microsoft Bing homepage features a photo of the Ruth Bader Ginsburg mural on First Avenue and 11th Street. (Thanks to Upper West Sider for the screengrab!)

Artist @ellestreetart finished the mural of the late associate justice of the Supreme Court back in November. 

PSA 4 providing increased security at Mariana Bracetti Plaza

This year, EVG contributor Stacie Joy has been reporting on the dangerous living conditions at Mariana Bracetti Plaza, the public housing complex on Third Street and Fourth Street along Avenue C. 

In early February, local elected officials and NYCHA deputies met with tenant activists Kanielle Hernandez and Yvette Maria for a firsthand look at the issues here, a list that includes flooding, leaks, sewage and infrastructure issues, broken door locks, trespassing, nonfunctioning elevators,  police response and drug use and sales. 

Stacie now reports that officers from Police Service Area 4 (PSA 4), the Avenue C-based station that serves 25 NYCHA developments in the 5th, 7th, 9th and 10th precincts in Manhattan, are working to provide increased security at Mariana Bracetti Plaza.

Stacie took the top photo on Saturday when PSA 4 officers were joined by members of the NYPD's Law Enforcement Explorers program, which is for young men and women ages 14 to 20, at Mariana Bracetti Plaza.

Security aside, there's also an emphasis now on providing educational materials related to COVID-19 testing and vaccinations for the residents... these materials were spotted in the lobby...

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• Local elected officials, NYCHA reps get firsthand look at the problems at Mariana Bracetti Plaza 

• Residents say dangerous safety conditions at Mariana Bracetti Plaza lead to illegal and hazardous activities 

• Another look at conditions in and around the Mariana Bracetti Plaza public housing complex

More hot dogs for Avenue A

Work continues at 147 Avenue A between Ninth Street and 10th Street.

What can you expect? Hot dogs!

The work permit in the window points to a "hot dog store" ...

We're tracking down more details about the business... which will offer up more hot dogs for Avenue A...  the 99-Cent Fresh Pizza & Hot Dog shop opened back in September. And Ray's Candy Store has been peddling franks for decades at 113 Avenue A.

Arepa Factory, the quick-serve Venezuelan restaurant, closed at 147 Avenue A in January 2020 after nearly five years in business.

Photos by Steven

Full reveal for Spike's on Avenue A

The new awning/signage for Spike's arrived late last week at 218 Avenue A between 13th Street and 14th Street.

Spike's Instagram account describes the establishment as an "East Village dive bar."No word on an opening date.

As previously noted, Spike's is from the same ownership as the family of bars that includes Iggy's Keltic Lounge on Ludlow, Local 138 on Orchard and the Spotted Owl on Avenue A.

This space was previously the Horsebox, the sports bar that opened in the spring of 2010 ... they never reopened after the PAUSE in March 2020. A for-lease sign arrived here in August. 

O Ramen Dim Sum M has closed on 9th Street

A for-rent sign now hangs on the storefront at 350 E. Ninth St. just west of First Avenue.

The previous tenant, O Ramen Dim Sum M, never really had a chance. They opened this past July for two weeks then closed when there wasn't any business during the pandemic ... sources on the block said that they reopened in the fall, but their hours were sporadic... open for a day or two, then closed for several days.

And previously: beQu Juice closed here in November 2019 after nearly six years in business. Until 2012, a bakery had been in this storefront for 87 years. 

Thanks to Steven for the photo... and to William Klayer for also noting the closure. 

Incoming pizzeria check, 14th Street/Avenue A edition

The signage is complete now for the incoming Burrata Pizza at 221 Avenue A between 13th Street and 14th Street. 

As we reported this week, this pizzeria is taking the place of Muzzarella Pizza (1991-2020). 

And Burrata isn't the only new pizzeria in the works right here at 14th Street... a 99-cent sliceria is taking the former Rainbow Nails & Spa space at 424 E. 14th St. between Avenue A and First Avenue...

... and New York Sal's Pizza is set for 536 E. 14th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B...

This is a sibling to the New York Sal's Pizza up on 10th Avenue in Hell's Kitchen.

At the Black History Bowl

Text and photos by Stacie Joy 

Residents and community groups came together yesterday afternoon for Black History Bowl, an event at the Baruch Playground on the Lower East Side to help celebrate both Black History Month and Women's History Month (this was originally scheduled for last Saturday, but was rained out) ...

The Black History Bowl was created by Ty Lemons — aka For the Love of the City, a neighborhood resident and coach, mentor and event planner. 

East Village native Frank Gonzalez, founder and principal broker at Loisaida Realty, helped organize yesterday's activities. 

"I was happy to partner with him as I see his potential to make a difference with our youth, who are one of the underserved groups in our community," said Gonzalez, who's also a youth pastor. "[Ty] is focused on working with youth, particularly from NYCHA housing. He created For the Love of the City to put on events and organize activities for kids and teenagers." 

Here's (from the left) Coss Marte of ConBody, one of the sponsors, with Lemons and Gonzalez yesterday...

Yesterday's activities included youth workouts via ConBody and games of flag football as well as free food and music courtesy of the Brooklyn United Marching Band. 

Here are a few photos from the afternoon...

Week in Grieview

Posts from the past week included... 

• East River community group gets action on the release of (heavily redacted) value engineering study (Tuesday) 

• Report of a fatal fire on 5th Street (Friday) 

• Meeting Chef Wayne from the Bowery Mission (Friday) 

• The Union Square Food Emporium looks to be closing at the end of May (Thursday) 

• Police make arrest in fatal punch on 1st Avenue and 11th Street (Tuesday) 

• Checking on in Meat + Bread on Allen Street (Wednesday) 

• Movies theaters prep for reopening (Thursday) 

• Hub Thai debuts new Avenue A space (Thursday) 

• A stroll by a Goya display in this week's NY See (Thursday) 

• Gallery Watch: 'Last Supper' at LatchKey Gallery (Wednesday) 

• This is the new tenant for the NW corner of 2nd Avenue and St. Mark's Place (Wednesday) 

• 787 Coffee opens an outpost on 14th Street (Monday) 

• Catch a wave at this incoming Asian restaurant on 6th Street (Thursday) 

• Report: The Knickerbocker Bar & Grill will be reopening soon on University Place (Wednesday) 

• Mike's Cleaners is closing on Avenue A (Monday) 

• A much-needed beach day for Kita the Wonder Dog of East 10th Street (Wednesday) 

• A new pizzeria for the former Muzzarella Pizza space on Avenue A (Monday)

• Openings: Mi Salsa Kitchen on Allen and Houston; Davidovich Bagels on Avenue A (Monday) 

• When Charles the dog blasted Daft Punk on 2nd Avenue in a video directed by Spike Jonze (Sunday)

• 347 E. 4th St. sells; conversion to residential use is in the works (Tuesday) 

• The first opossum sighting of 2021 in Tompkins Square Park (Wednesday) 

• About Nudibranch, bringing a pop-up tasting menu to 130 1st Ave. this month (Friday) 

• Leasing underway at Stella LES on Avenue C and Houston (Wednesday) 

• Construction watch: 799 Broadway (Tuesday) 

• New signage for the incoming Greenwich Marketplace on 4th Avenue (Monday)

... and I Know! I Know! This used to be such a nice, safe neighborhood... via the Citizen app...

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Remembering Wendy Schonfeld

Wendy Schonfeld died in a fire in her fourth-floor apartment at 335 E. Fifth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue late Thursday night. She was 80. 

The Daily News has more about Schonfeld and her life:

Even at 80, Schonfeld was a vibrant fixture in her East 5th St. building and a priceless mentor to former colleagues at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. 

"She lived and breathed the arts," said Robert La Force, a neighbor for 29 years. "Even though she didn’t really go out the last couple of years, she was still a part of everything," said La Force. "She would stick her head out the window and talk to people."

And...

Her home was crammed with artifacts from Mexico and elsewhere collected during a lifetime of devotion to the arts. 

At the Met, Schonfeld was recalled for guiding younger colleagues to get their noses out of books and helping them communicate the grandeur of art to the general public. 

"She had that wonderful New York way of setting things straight, with kindness," said Joanne Pillsbury, a curator at the Met. "She was a fountain of information about objects and ideas."

According to the News (and as several readers pointed out), there was another fire in Schonfeld's apartment more than 10 years ago. She reportedly suffered permanent health problems from smoke inhalation.

As for this fire, FDNY officials told the News that "the blaze may have been caused by faulty wiring in an air conditioner." 

Photo by Steven