State seizes Mobil station on Avenue C and Houston for nonpayment of taxes

Passersby and motorists alike were surprised to find the Mobil station on East Houston and Avenue C closed yesterday.

The orange stickers affixed to the pumps tell the story...



Nonpayment of taxes. Perhaps this is just a matter of writing a check, taking care of some paperwork, etc.

Or maybe this is it for the station.

Back in March, Hakimian Property filed plans (waiting for approval) to erect a 9-story mixed-use building on the site. Plans call for 45 residential units and 4,550 square feet of commercial space.

The Times reported in October 2013 that construction would begin when Mobil's lease expires in two years — roughly toward the end of 2015.

Previously on EV Grieve:
How much longer will the East Village have gas stations?

The East Village will soon be down to 1 gas station

The Mobil on Avenue C is still going strong — for now

You have a little longer to get gas on Avenue C

Plans filed for new 9-story building at site of Mobil station on East Houston and Avenue C

RUMOR: Gas station going, boutique hotel coming on Second Avenue? (31 comments)

BP station on 2nd Avenue closes this month

Demolition permits filed to make way for 15-floor building on East 14th Street and Avenue C

[EVG photo from June 9]

Last week we noted that workers were giving last rites to the former R&S Strauss auto parts store on the southeast corner of East 14th Street and Avenue C.

And yesterday the demolition permit was filed with the city to knock down the one-level building.

Coming soonish. A Karl Fischer-designed retail-residential complex featuring 8,578 square feet of commercial space, 18,937 square feet for community space ... and 50 apartments above it all, so to speak.

R&S Strauss closed in the spring of 2009.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Development back in play for East 14th Street and Avenue C

More details on the sale of 644 E. 14th St.

Here comes a 15-story retail-residential complex for East 14th Street and Avenue C

Prepping the former R&S Strauss auto parts store for demolition on East 14th Street and Avenue C

7 Spices space for rent on Second Avenue

The Turkish restaurant at 82 Second Ave. between East Fourth Street and East Fifth Street recently closed.

And Icon Realty is asking $11,000 for the space — 620 square feet on the ground floor and another 480 square feet in the basement.

It wasn't always easy here. Last fall, 7 Spices went on a week-long vacation for several months before eventually reopening. Previously, the owner tried a go with Reyna Exotic Turkish Cuisine.

Things that randomly appear on 1st Avenue around 1 a.m.

EVG reader Sam Teichman spotted this unattended vehicle early this morning between East Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place... seemingly came out of nowhere...





Also, can any car people out there let us know what this is...?

Taking Citi Bikes for a bike ride

Spotted on Avenue D this morning... We've never noticed this more environmentally friendly way to transport bikes from one station to the next... via @artisanmatters

The Olympic Restaurant may close for good as soon as tomorrow

With the star-spangled Essex Crossing retail-residential complex on the way to the Lower East Side, the life expectancy of the Olympic Restaurant at the corner of Delancey and Essex has been relatively short.

In fact, the 34-year-old diner has been on a month-to-month lease for some time, as The Lo-Down pointed out almost two years ago to this day.

And BoweryBoogie reported that demo permits for the single-level structure that also houses the neighboring Jade Fountain liquor store were filed in late May.

EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by the other day for what very well may be a last meal at the Olympic...









The waitress told Stacie that owner Steve Palakas is going to court tomorrow to fight to stay open for another few months. If things don't go his way, then tomorrow is probably the last day for the diner.



The Olympic has been the no-frills kind of place where you can get an egg and cheese on a roll and a glass of frothy lemonade and receive back change from a $5.



As Jeremiah Moss wrote after a recent visit to the Olympic, the restaurant wasn't offered space in Essex Crossing. It doesn't "have a place among the artisan bread and cupcake shops, the Prada and Pastis that fill the architect's renderings of the new shopping mall to come. When it's all done, Delancey will be a very different place."

Retail space housing The Smith and M2M asking $25.5 million on 3rd Avenue

[Image via Massey Knakal]

The Benchmark Real Estate Group picked up the 12-story residential building with retail space on the southeast corner of Third Avenue and East 11th Street late last year for a whopping $57 million.

The developers are currently gut renovating the building, now called Eleventh and Third, upgrading the space to luxury apartments that will fetch more than $10K a month for two bedrooms.

Now the retail space — three separate spaces encompassing 15,000 square feet — is on the market with an asking price of $25.5 million.

Here are details from the Massey Knakal listing:

The plans call for the existing lobby space to be moved further east along 11th Street which will allow the current lobby to be incorporated into the corner retail space upon vacancy, thus increasing the most valuable Third Avenue ground floor retail footage by approximately 1,314 square feet. Upon M2M vacating and the implementation of the proposed strategy, there is potential to instantly double the asset’s net operating income.

Currently, 2 of the spaces are occupied by locally anchored tenants The Smith, a casual and lively American brasserie with three locations in NYC, and M2M, the area’s convenient grocery store. The Smith currently occupies approximately 3,886 SF above grade and pays $496,500 annually equating to approximately $127 psf. M2M currently occupies the corner space which totals approximately 3,266 SF above grade paying approximately $352,315 annually equating to approximately $108 psf.

These leases expire in 2027 and 2017 respectively with no further extension options or renewals for either tenant. The remaining unit, with frontage on East 11th Street, will be delivered vacant at the time of sale.

So M2M or The Smith aren't going anywhere for a few years. But they will have to vacate upon the end of their respective leases. That third storefront is already vacant. NY Copy & Printing moved to East Seventh Street after 22 years on East 11th Street.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Someone actually paid $57 million for this East Village building

Reimagining this 12-story East Village building, now on the market

NY Copy & Printing forced out of longtime E. 11th St. home, opening second location on E. 7th St.

Rebranded 'Eleventh and Third' will have rentals upwards of $10k

St. Mark's Bookshop closes Monday ahead of move to new home on East 3rd Street

[Photo by Jeremiah Moss via Facebook]

From the St. Mark's Bookshop Facebook page:

On June 23 we close at 10 pm and hope to open a few days later at 136 East 3rd St.

The bookshop has been at 31 Third Ave. and Stuyvesant Street since 1992, and in the neighborhood a total of 37 years.


[EVG file photo]

Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: St. Mark's Bookshop prepping fundraiser ahead of possible move to Avenue A.

Is this the new home for the St. Mark's Bookshop?

Report: St. Mark's Bookshop signs lease for East 3rd Street space

Renovations at the future St. Mark's Bookshop on East 3rd Street

Gutted Cow

[Photo yesterday by EVG reader jcroot]

The Sunburnt Cow closed for good on April 27 after 11 years at 137 Avenue C near East Ninth Street.

Work has started on a building-wide gut renovation, which will see the addition of an extra floor all via architect Ramy Issac.

EVG regular Dave on 7th got a look inside the former Sunburnt Cow yesterday, and didn't find much resembling a bar left...





Previously on EV Grieve:
Renovations in store for 137 Avenue C, home to the Sunburnt Cow

The Sunburnt Cow closes for good at the end of this month

Maiden Lane debuts its sidewalk cafe

The folks at Maiden Lane, the 13-month-old cafe on Avenue B and East 10th Street, let us know that their sidewalk cafe opened on Tuesday ... with eight tables on the East 10th Street side facing Tompkins Square Park.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Here's what's coming to the former Life Cafe space

The Copper Still signage is up, and an opening is near

As we mentioned last Thursday, Ryan's Irish Pub at 151 Second Ave. closed after 22 years here near East Ninth Street ... to make way for The Copper Still, run by partners who include a former Ryan's manager.

Workers finished up the façade yesterday, as you can see from the above photo. According to the bar's Facebook page, they'll be opening today, if all goes well.

Meanwhile, you can check out the Still's food and drink menus here.

Updated:

They are now open.

DBGB apparently parted with these chairs on the Bowery

Or else they are expanding their sidewalk cafe!

EVG regular Derek Berg spotted these early last evening...

A message from Bobby Flay

A note to NY landlords. Good restaurants are closing all over the city because the rents are impossible to pay. Stop turning NYC into a mall

— Bobby Flay (@bflay) June 18, 2014

H/T Crazy Eddie

Art returns around the Park

Early this evening outside the East Seventh Street/Avenue A entrance to Tompkins Square Park.

Am I the only person who likes these?

Photo by Bobby Williams.

Updated 9:31 p.m.

EVG Facebook friend Michael Paul says that the artist is Yonkers-based Jeffrey Reid.