What's the deal? Lot Stop slated for former Duane Reade space on 1st Avenue

There has been ramped-up speculation about the future of the NW corner of 14th Street and First Avenue ever since Papaya Dog closed last fall. 

The corner looks ripe for development with the block-long stretch of (mostly) one-level structures. 

Perhaps someday we'll see some kind of condoplex or mixed-use new building. But in the near future, the former Duane Reade space just north of 14th Street will be home to a discount store called Lot Stop with the slogan "A Real Deal!" (Thanks to Sonya for the pic!) 

There are nearly a dozen Lot Stops in the tri-state area. Here's more about their biz, via the chainlet's website:

Lot Stop is a family-operated business founded in 2011. We pride ourselves on offering name brands at the lowest price possible. Our close-out buying team sources deals nationally every week enabling us to provide incredible bargains. 

As the world was transitioning to online shopping, we did not want our neighborhoods to lose the convenience and feeling of connection that comes with a "brick-and-mortar" shopping experience. We study trends, popular name brand items, and necessities to provide the same merchandise as superstores and online giants, at better prices. We take pride in carefully choosing our locations to create an asset to the community through stellar employees and developing lasting relationships with the many who shop here. 

The Duane Reade closed here in November 2019. 

Lot Stop is the second discount shop to open in the EV this spring... joining USA Super Stores in the former Duane Reade on Third Avenue and 10th Street.

Paint Puff 'N' Peace coming soon to 2nd Avenue

For anyone who says the neighborhood is going to pot! 

Singage for Paint Puff "N" Peace arrived this week at 128 Second Ave. just south of St. Mark's Place...

This is the latest outpost for the cannabis shop, which first opened in East Harlem last fall —and with endorsements via Nick Cannon and Fat Joe, per The City. (Paint Puff 'N' Peace takes the EV space from the Village Dream Tattoo and Piercing shop.)

New York legalized marijuana use last spring. However, as The City points out: "Bureaucratic delays — made worse when Andrew Cuomo resigned as governor in August — have pushed back the timeline by months and the city may not see many (or any) pot establishments open their doors for sales in 2022." 

As a workaround in the short-term, businesses offer services such as a curated cannabis concierge service with membership fees, such as at the Empire Cannabis Clubs that opened on Allen Street in January. Higher Empire, which is opening at 71 First Ave. between Fourth Street and Fifth Street, the business is described as a "cannabis club and delivery service." 

This Bloomberg CityLab article from last week addresses many of the challenges budding cannabis entrepreneurs are facing...

Like most states, New York's law requires that dispensaries be a certain distance from schools and houses of worship. These and other expected regulatory requirements for where dispensaries can be located pose a particular challenge in dense New York City, where entrepreneurs say some of the neighborhoods with high expected demand — like Harlem and the Lower East Side — offer very limited available space.

And!

The geography puzzle is just one of a number of real estate hurdles for prospective marijuana entrepreneurs, who face a morass of potential regulatory obstacles — and fierce competition. Although New York's Office of Cannabis Management has released some baseline guidance, like the storefront distancing requirements, there are still a lot of unknowns.

 Top photo by Steven; second photo by Derek Berg

Massive film collection from the former Mondo Kim's is heading to Alamo Drafthouse downtown

After the multi-level Mondo Kim's closed at 6 St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue in December 2008, the shop's massive collection of 50,000-plus tapes and DVDs were shipped off to a town in Sicily, as Jeremiah Moss first noted. 

The plans called for "a Never-ending Festival — a 24-hour projection of up to 10 films at once for the foreseeable future ... and, eventually, the conversion of all Kim's VHS films to DVDs to ensure their preservation." 

And eventually, the plan was for Kim's members to have access to digitized versions of all these films, an assortment of cult classics and hard-to-find treasures. (Didn't go so well in Italy.) 

Anyway! This collection is returning to NYC. 

According to published reports and press releases, Alamo Drafthouse has said its working with founder Yongman Kim to bring his collection to the recently opened Lower Manhattan location (28 Liberty St.). 

Here's part of the press release:

After a twelve year and 9,000 mile odyssey that included a trip to Italy and back, the Kim’s Video collection is now back where it belongs — in New York City. It will be permanently housed and available for rental at Alamo Drafthouse Lower Manhattan.

Alamo is expected to reveal more about the rental system later next week. 

The last Kim's, at 124 First Ave., closed in the summer of 2014.

Pic via Dangerous Minds!

Tuesday's parting shot

An EVG reader shared this spring-time shot today from Tompkins Square Park...

Citizen app alert of the day

Been some doozies of late on the Citizen app... Jose Garcia shared this, asking: "What's going on with the animals?"

DeColores Community Yard collecting books for displaced Ukrainian families

The volunteers who run DeColores Community Yard on Eighth Street are collecting Ukrainian-language books for displaced families who fled to Europe to escape the Russian invasion...

You can drop off books anytime at the garden, 311 E. Eighth St. between Avenue B and Avenue C. 

Looking for Ukrainian-language books? You could try Arka on Second Street or the Ukrainian Museum on Sixth Street.

Images via Instagram

13-story mixed-use building slated for 5th and D

A 13-story mixed-use building is in the works for the SW corner of Avenue D and Fifth Street. 

As NY Yimby first reported: 

The proposed 125-foot-tall development will yield 62,200 square feet designated for residential space. The building will have 85 residences, with an average unit scope of 731 square feet. The concrete-based structure will also have 15 inclusionary housing units and a cellar but no accessory parking. 

Public records show that Manny Ashourzadeh, via Golbar LLC, is behind this new project. 

The work permit filed on Thursday lists 746 E. Fifth St., an empty lot, as the building's address. Given the size of the development, the project will likely include the former Uncle Johnny, the longtime grocery store that closed last month...

As with any one-level parcel of properties, there was speculation that this corner was ripe for new construction. 

In recent years, several new developments, including the Adele ... Arabella 101 and NIKO East Village, have risen along this Avenue D corridor.

A fundraiser for Noor, a cat struck by a car on 10th Street

On Sunday night, East Village residents Rachael Brungard and Matt Lipson were among the horrified onlookers to see a cat dart onto 10th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue and get struck by a car.

The two were able to carefully transport the cat, named Noor, to the Village Veterinarian on 11th Street. 

Unfortunately, the collision left Noor with many injuries, including pneumothorax, pulmonary contusions, traumatic brain injury, a left humeral fracture, abrasions and bruising. 

Rachael and Matt are taking responsibility for Noor's care and will foster him through the recovery.

Rachael also said they'll likely adopt him. "I'm already attached after one day, and we are in love with this little guy," she said in an email. (Noor usually stays in the Half Moon Smoke Shop on 10th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue, which won't be an option post-surgery.)

There's a crowdfunding campaign underway to help pay for Noor's surgery. You can find more information at the GoFundMe here.

Rest easy, citizens of 12th Street — the large animal invader has been slain

The following report showed up on the Citizen app late Sunday night — "large animal invaded home."

The address was listed as a building on 12th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B. 

The report prompted A LOT of speculation — at least in the EVG Instagram Stories.

What could this large animal invader be? A crocodile? A deer? A bobcat? C.H.U.D.? Chupacabra? So many possibilities! (Also, keep in mind that Citizen has posted inaccurate information in the past.) 

Ever-curious EVG contributor Stacie Joy ventured over to the building to learn more about this urban creature/home invader...

Stacie spoke with the super, Oly, who held up the slain beast...

So how did what appears to be a baby mouse on a glue trap end up as a "large animal" home invader? 

Here's what we pieced together based on some Instagram messages and the visit to the building.

The residents of the unit heard a "loud" screeching coming from the kitchen. Living adjacent to a community garden, maybe an opossum found its way into the building and was trapped in an airshaft or in the walls. Thinking it was some kind of animal control situation, they called 311. The 311 operator then told the residents to contact their local police precinct.

It's not clear at the moment how this became a "large animal invader." Perhaps the NYPD was curious, too, as we're told eight officers eventually responded to the scene.

Monday's parting shots

The second "HONK! for Ukraine," led by Stephan Said, took place this evening... the musicians met on Astor Place at 5:30 before moving on to Veselka on Second and Ninth Street for a sing-a-long. The procession ended in Tompkins Square Park... 

Find out more about the song "Glory To Ukraine/Слава Україні" — "a Global Call to Action to uplift and support the people of Ukraine." Per the HONK! website: 

The melody of the song is adapted from the Ukrainian folk song "Oy Marichko," and features renowned Ukrainian trumpeter Semjon Barlas (now in Berlin). All proceeds go to Ukrainian-American organization Razom For Ukraine, playing a vital role in relief efforts.

Thanks to Steven for the top photo and Eden for the shot in the Park...

March 21

Spotted in the nonstop construction zone on Fifth Street just west of First Avenue today... thanks BigStef!

The fruit vendor is BACK on 1st Avenue and 6th Street

From the tipline... after a weeks-long, late-winter hiatus, the fruit vendor is back on the SE corner First Avenue and Sixth Street. A reader saw the cart return last night.

H/T Steph and Isa!