Parishioners fight to save the Church of the Nativity on 2nd Avenue

Earlier this month, Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan announced the largest reorganization in the history of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York.

In total, 112 parishes will be merged to create 55 new parishes. On this closure list: Church of the Nativity on Second Avenue between East Second Street and East Third Street.

The parishioners have started a social media campaign in hopes of keeping the church open. They have created a Facebook page, a Twitter account and a YouTube channel.



Developers have to be drooling over this prime piece of East Village real estate... a one-level structure in close proximity to three new residential buildings, including Jupiter 21 and that ugly box thing that Ben Shaoul developed.

Gym taking over part of the former Mondo Kim's space on St. Mark's

Signage arrived on Monday for the newest tenant at 6 St. Mark's Place — Nimble Fitness.

They'll be taking the space above Barcade that had been on the market for months.

Here's more about what Nimbler offers via their website:

We bridge the gap between physical therapy and functional strength through movement. At Nimble you’ll work with a team of dedicated professionals that are passionate about helping you achieve success through an integrated training approach.

Previously, before the quick succession of ground-floor restaurants, No. 6 was home to Mondo Kim's ... and going back ... No. 6 was first, starting in 1913, home to the Saint Marks Russian and Turkish Baths ... which, in 1979, became the New Saint Marks Baths, the gay bathhouse (purportedly the largest one in the world) that the city eventually closed in 1985 during the AIDS epidemic.

Also, in 1914, The Modern School — "an anarchist school with Emma Goldman on the board," according to NY Songlines — had space in the building.

Noted

Ah, we hadn't noticed this sign outside Village Veterinarian on East 11th Street...



Thanks to EVG Facebook friend Dian Crystal for sharing the photos this week...

Lucy's will return on Dec. 10

Over at 135 Avenue A, Lucy if off for her customary holiday break... as you can see from the sign, the bar will be back open on Dec. 10.

And is Lucy's the only bar in the East Village with a VFW sticker on the front door?

Report: Suspect in 3 sexual assaults pleads not guilty

[From NYPD surveillance footage]

The East Village man accused of assaulting three women in separate attacks pleaded not guilty today.

Last month, police arrested Juan Scott, 26, for the attempted rape of a 20-year-old woman in an elevator at 600 E. 14th St. in Stuy Town. Scott was later linked to two other attacks, one on East 11th Street and one on East 13th Street.

According to the Post this afternoon:

[He] pleaded not guilty Tuesday to attempted rape, burglary and sexual abuse raps for three separate attacks on women in Manhattan while his latest victim’s teary-eyed parents watched from the gallery.

Prosecutor Brendan Tracy recommended a sentence of 20 years behind bars if the dangerous creep pleaded guilty to all three attacks.

The Villager had previously reported that Scott is a cousin of Rosario Dawson. Her mother and father and other relatives still live at 544 E. 13th St., where police arrested Scott.

There goes The Alamo

Well, no wonder the Alamo was back in plain view on Astor Place... EVG reader John M. just got a quick shot of workers carting off the Cube on a truck ... apparently for safekeeping during the reconstruction of Astor Place.

And here's a little video action via Gothamist...

A video posted by David Johnson (@david_johnso) on Nov 11, 2014 at 7:16am PST

[Updated] Benny's Burritos is closing; will offer take-out only service

[Photo yesterday by Riley McCormick]

Word started circulating yesterday afternoon that Avenue A mainstay Benny's Burritos is closing after Saturday.

However, fans of Benny's Mexicali food here at East Sixth Street will still be able to order it via a to-go storefront that workers have been carving out of the existing corner restaurant and D-Lish Pita next door...



We haven't heard any official word about the closure from management just yet. Apparently Benny's had been struggling lately to make it work here. Employees received the news about the closing yesterday.

Benny's opened in the East Village in 1988... and is the latest comfortable spot to close along Avenue A ... joining 7A and the Odessa Cafe and Bar, among others.

Updated 2:43 p.m.

Lisha Arino at DNAinfo talked with owner Mark Merker about the closure.

“The world has changed,” said Merker, who opened Benny’s in late 1988.

The restaurant has had trouble staying afloat, as costs and rents rose while competition increased from Chipotle and other restaurants that served burritos, Merker said.

“It’s actually been pretty good, that’s the killer,” he said. “I would say that our traffic has been pretty consistent for the past four [or] five years, but that’s a problem. With rising costs, you need more business. It’s just the way things are going.”

The take-out space will include a few tables for diners, he said.

Updated 2:55 p.m.



EVG reader Riian Kant-McCormick notes that workers are currently loading a truck with scrap metal and equipment from Benny's...

City gives Native Bean a moving gift on Avenue A

A few weeks back we reported that Native Bean is moving after tomorrow from 50 Avenue A to 36 Avenue A.

Several days before closing for the move, the DOH came calling … and found enough violation points to immediately closed the cafe here between East Third Street and East Fourth Street.



The inspection, dated Friday, found 59 violation points. The top two listed violations:

1) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
2) Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations.

Not sure what happens next given that they were ready to move from this space.

Native Bean's new home will be in the former space that Angelina Cafe used before moving across Avenue A.



Previously on EV Grieve:
Space that houses Native Bean on Avenue A is for rent

Native Bean space apparently back on the market

Native Bean will be moving on Avenue A

The Alamo comes back into full view

[Michael Paul Photography]

On 15, workers boarded up the Alamo to protect it during the reconstruction of Astor Place... the cube is now temporarily back into view... just mind the backhoe ...



Updated noon:

And now the whole thing is gone.

Noted

The person who has been leaving the "cool" graffiti around the East Village has added this to a building on East Seventh Street and First Avenue — "Kushner is mold" …



We're not sure if this particular building is one of the many bought up by developer/New York Observer publisher Jared Kushner.

To date, he hasn't been very popular around here with all the allegations and subsequent media reports of tenant harassment and quality-of-life issues brought on by gut renovations in the buildings.

Cool also left this one above the former 98-100 Avenue A…



[Top photo via EVG reader Elle Sturm]

Thanksgiving at Odessa

We've eaten our Thanksgiving dinner at Odessa several times now in recent years ... and this year will likely be no different.

They've finally upped the price a few bucks ... still a good deal for all the food that you get here at 119 Avenue A.

Anyway, we always liked the homemade sign that they must stow away for every Thanksgiving ...

2013!



2009!

A call for a SantaCon Free Zone on the LES

Now that SantaCon is apparently a free agent, one block association is doing its best to ensure that the annual pub crawl/sign of the apocalypse won't be welcome on the Lower East Side.

According to an article by Lisha Arino at DNAinfo, the L.E.S. Dwellers wrote letters asking bar owners in Hell Square to decline from participating in SantaCon. (The group also sent out the SantaCon Free Zone flyers.)

The group is worried that since Bushwick is out of the picture, the SantaConners will be calling on the East Village/LES this Dec. 13.

But! Per the article:

SantaCon organizers responded Monday afternoon that the event would not be held in Community Board 3 area, which includes the East Village, Lower East Side and Chinatown, according to board chairwoman Gigi Li and Assemblyman Sheldon Silver.

"I am glad that the organizers of Santacon have listened to the legitimate concerns of our local residents and have agreed not to hold their event on the Lower East Side," Silver said in a statement. "I expect them to honor that commitment."

Report: Rent hike forcing the Bourgeois Pig out of its East Village home

[Photo from November 2011]

A rent hike has KO'd the Bourgeois Pig from its 10-year-old home at 117 E. Seventh St., Eater reports.

The fondue-wine place between Avenue A and First Avenue will close after its lease expires in February. However, the Bourgeois Pig faithful can take some solace in that a new location opens next week in the West Village.

The Bourgeois Pig enjoyed worldwide acclaim in 2010 after the front the building (complete with a temporary sidewalk cafe) served as a backdrop during filming for multiple Academy-Award winner "The Smurfs Movie."

Ugh: The 110-year-old DeRobertis Pasticceria and Caffe closes after Dec. 5

[EVG file photo]

Last week, we noted that 174-176 First Ave., home the past 110 years to DeRobertis Pasticceria and Caffe, was in contract.

The building arrived on the market in June 2013 with an asking price of $12 million. The DeRobertis family owns the building, so it seemed likely that the bakery would remain despite the sale... until a real-estate listing circulated in May showing that the retail spaces in the basement and first floor of No. 176 would be delivered vacant once the buildings sell. (However, workers there denied they were closing.)

Since last week's post, readers heard several different closing dates for the bakery — Nov. 25 and Dec. 6 among them. The family has now officially said they will close for good after Dec. 5.

The economy, age and health reportedly compelled the four De Robertis siblings to sell the building.

John De Robertis, one of the grandchildren, discusses the bakery's rich history in a post at Bedford + Bowery, who first noted the Dec. 5 close date.

Meanwhile, depression has set in...



Previously on EV Grieve:
174-176 First Ave. is in contract

[Updated] 110-year-old DeRobertis Pasticceria and Caffe looks to be closing once the building is sold

174-176 First Ave., home of DeRobertis Pasticceria and Caffe, is for sale

Let's take a look at the DeRobertis in-house bakery