No word if the footbridge will be a permanent part of the new Astor Place…
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Today in Steve Croman legal news
[State Sen. Brad Hoylman speaking out against Steve Croman at rally in Tompkins Square Park in May]
The Real Deal reports:
• Commercial brokerage Daniel T. Enterprises won a court battle against landlord Steven Croman for non-payment of a commission on a $5.5 million off-market deal for a tenement building at 635 E. Sixth St.
• "TRD has learned that Croman’s longtime legal counsel, Rose and Rose, filed suit in September for more than $720,000 in unpaid legal fees." (In a statement, Croman reps denied these allegations.)
Meanwhile, Croman remains under investigation by state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman for allegedly using illegal tactics to force rent-stabilized tenants out of their units.
Read the whole Real Deal article here.
Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: Steve Croman facing another lawsuit from East 8th Street residents
Report: East 8th Street residents sue landlord Steve Croman, allege intimidation, harassment
Watch a lot of people speak out against Steve Croman and 9300 Realty
Report: State Attorney General launches Steve Croman investigation
Reader report: Someone dumped motor oil in 2 Steve Croman-owned buildings
More about the world's smallest screening room coming to Two Boots on Avenue A
This past weekend, we noted that Two Boots was ending its 18-year run renting movies.
Two Boots Video closed in the fall of 2008, with a much smaller rental collection merging next door in the pizzeria. (And their great Pioneer Theater RIP'd in November 2008. The video space and Pioneer Theater are now part of the Upright Citizens Brigade.)
Meanwhile, as the posters on the pizzeria's doors on Avenue A and East Third Street promise, the Pioneer Jr. is on the way … dubbed as "The world's smallest screening room."
We reached out to Two Boots owner Phil Hartman for more details.
"We had 18 great years at Two Boots Video and stubbornly kept the little nook going way longer than we ever envisioned — even though barely anyone rents DVDs anymore," Hartman told us via email.
Now it's time to transition to something else.
"We're putting a big screen in that little space, with a cool table made from a refurbished Two Boots sign, and probably about seven stools, so that folks can screen films while eating pizza and drinking pitchers of beer," said Hartman, who added that they're putting in a beer tap on the counter. "It will be a mini-tribute to The Pioneer Theater and a way for us to keep our love of movies alive."
He hopes that the Pioneer Jr. will be up and running before Dec. 25.
In other Two Boots movie-related news, the Saint Nic pizza makes its annual appearance starting on Dec. 19.
As Hartman said, it's a tribute to Nicolas Cage, "the saint of overheated movie acting."
Previously on EV Grieve:
Two Boots is getting out of the video rental business on Avenue A
Support Tompkins Trees
[Click on map for a better view]
Michael Natale, a longtime LES resident, has been keeping tabs on the trees in Tompkins Square Park for the past three years.
Back in the summer, he unveiled an updated map (above) of the Park's trees. (You can find more info at his Tompkins Trees site.)
He's now looking for some financial help to keep the project going ... and he offers an explanation in a post:
I’ve brought the map to a point where I feel it needs to be printed. But doing a professional print run is absurdly expensive. I am asking for donations from the community to support The Tompkins Trees Project. I am hoping to get enough support to be able to finance a large enough print run to make future printed maps affordable to the public.
There are more details in this video...
Bendy thing action at a suddenly taller 185-193 Avenue B
Work has really picked up in recent weeks over at 185-193 Avenue B ... where it looks as if the crew is near the top of the 7-story mixed-used residential building going up at the corner here at East 12th Street.
In total, the building will have 41 dwelling units ... as well as house the Elim Pentecostal Church.
Bendy thing and the workers were still at it last night around 6...
The site has been a source of aggravation for neighbors since demolition started in July 2012... and even before, dating back to the fire that nearly destroyed the building in October 2006.
Previously on EV Grieve:
Inside the Charles
Former landmark countercultural theater now for rent on Avenue B
7-story building in the works to replace former countercultural theater/church on Avenue B
Construction site at 185 Avenue B remains shut down for now
[Updated] The 'insane' noise and pounding are back at 185 Avenue B
The Marshal seizes Wechsler's Currywurst and Bratwurst on 1st Avenue
Yesterday, the Marshall seized Wechsler's Currywurst and Bratwurst at 120 First Ave. near East Seventh Street.
A listing for the space arrived on the market back in the April. The rent was listed as $9,004.07 per month … and with a "motivated seller," per the ad.
Wechsler's opened in April 2009.
BARA debuts on East 1st Street
As we first reported last month, BARA's menu is from Momofuku vet Ian Alvarez.
You can hit their Twitter account for more info. (They just have a placeholder website for now.)
Prima closed in August after nearly three years in this location. In a refreshingly honest assessment, Prima's owners said that they closed because they just weren't busy enough.
Previously on EV Grieve:
Momofuku-French Louie vets opening BARA on East 1st Street
Monday, December 8, 2014
Noted
Tweets arriving now ahead of the blessed event this Saturday...
Details on the SantaCon 2014 destination will be released Friday.
Fighting, vandalism, littering, or public urination will SHUT DOWN SANTACON. Don’t be that Santa. #dontscroogesantacon
— santacon (@santacon) December 8, 2014Santa is a GUEST in NYC. Respect all neighborhoods and the people who live there. http://t.co/bg8vMtGAC6
#dontscroogesantacon
— santacon (@santacon) December 8, 2014Love Santacon? Then don’t Scrooge it up with piss, trash, violence, or vomit. #dontscroogesantacon
— santacon (@santacon) December 8, 2014Details on the SantaCon 2014 destination will be released Friday.
A 14-screen Regal Cinemas theater with electronic reclining seats coming to the LES
Crain's has the story on the first tenant for Essex Crossing:
The theater chain, owned by Regal Entertainment Group, will take 65,000 square feet in the base of a 315-foot-tall rental apartment building to be built at 115 Delancey St., on the southeast corner of Essex Street. Construction is expected to begin in the spring and be completed by late 2017 or 2018.
The lease, which stretches for 15 years, is the first signed for the 1.9 million-square-foot development known as the Seward Park mixed-use development project.
The multiplex will stand at the corner that long housed the Olympic Restaurant and Jade Fountain liquor store.
[EVG file photo]The Lo-Down got a copy of the official Regal news release. Among the theater amenities:
• Recliners for every guest to provide more room, comfort and true luxury.
• Each recliner has an electric control for multiple positions and features padded footrests.
• Digital projection in every auditorium to provide a crystal-clear picture.
• Real D 3D projection systems available for 3D enhanced presentations.
• Stadium seating provides each moviegoer a clear view of the screen.
Seafood market in the works for the International Bar space on 1st Avenue
Back in September, we reported that the International Bar was hoping to move next door from its current home on First Avenue to the former South Brooklyn Pizza space.
Preparations to move the bar and add a pizzeria with slices to go here between East Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place are underway.
Meanwhile, there are also plans to turn the soon-to-be-former International space into a seafood market.
International owner Molly Fitch, who along with Shawn Dahl, reopened the bar in June 2008, said that the new venture at 120 1/2 First Ave. will be called The Liquor Seafood Market + Bar.
With time left on the current lease, Fitch said that she wanted to "open a much-needed place to get fresh fish in the neighborhood."
During the day, the space will operate as a traditional retail outlet for fresh seafood… and in the evening, the market will give way to a more traditional bar-restaurant environment with a 2 a.m. closing time. (Amended this last sentence to add the restaurant part and closing time!)
Fitch shared part of a sample menu with us.
Helping Fitch with the market is Sebastian Jaramillo, a former chef with Porsena on East Seventh Street.
CB3's SLA committee will hear plans for this alteration during tonight's monthly meeting.
Previously on EV Grieve:
The International eyeing move next door to the former South Brooklyn Pizza space
Maybe 67 Avenue C will eventually look like this random building some day
As we've pointed out, a residential building is rising from part of the former Kingdom Hall that was owned by the Jehovah's Witnesses at 67 Avenue C.
According to DOB permits, we're looking at a 7-story, 7-unit residential building with a ground-floor retail space here next to the laundromat at East Fifth Street. The building will be topped off by a duplex penthouse.
To date, we hadn't seen a rendering. And then this appeared on No. 67's plywood last week…
Looks nice like a nice building, wherever it is supposed to be. Wrong address, size, neighborhood, etc.
Previously on EV Grieve:
First sign of the new 7-floor condo rising above the Jehovah's Witnesses on Avenue C
The former Gracefully space is for rent
Gracefully closed for good at 28 Avenue A back on Nov. 18.
We didn't hear any official reason for the closure. One worker claimed that it was because of the New York Sports Club opening soon in the building's upper floors.
However, it doesn't appear that Gracefully closed because the gym needs the former market. Signs are up now noting the storefront is for rent. (We haven't spotted any listings online with rent details.)
As previously noted, there is a Gracefully on First Avenue in Stuy Town … and one remains under construction on East 23rd Street.
Plus! Bill the Libertarian Anarchist confirmed that a Gracefully is on the way to Eighth Street at Fifth Avenue…
Previously on EV Grieve:
Gracefully is closing on Avenue A
Sidewalk bridge arrives on Houston and Avenue B
Last Tuesday evening, debris from atop the corner building on Avenue B at East Houston fell, reportedly breaking the foot of a 57-year-old man passing by on the sidewalk.
On Friday, workers arrived to erect a protective sidewalk bridge.
The FDNY promptly ordered a structural stability inspection and logged a complaint with the Department of Buildings. There aren't any work permits on file yet on this long-vacant building.
Given that mostly nothing has happened here the past few years, we imagine that the sidewalk bridge will be up for some time… perhaps even breaking an EV record in the process.
H/T EVG reader Magic Brian
Previously on EV Grieve:
Cleaning out the long-closed liquor store on Avenue B and East Houston
Is something finally happening to the long-vacant, mysterious 6 Avenue B?
Something new for the old fortress of East 7th Street
Korzo Haus, the deep-fried burger place on East Seventh Street just west of Avenue B, closed at the end of October.
On Saturday, EVG regular Dave on 7th spotted workers, uh, working on the exterior.
According to one of the workers, here's what's next: "Coffee place, take out. American cuisine."
Whatever the place will be, it appears that the new owners have apparently opted not to keep Korzo's fortress look.
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