$1 million will get you a studio at Ben Shaoul's new East Houston Street condoplex

The pricing for Ben Shaoul's incoming condoplex on East Houston and Orchard Street (the official address is 196 Orchard) is now available.

The Real Deal had the scoop yesterday:

Prices at Ben Shaoul’s new Katz Deli-adjacent condominium, designed by Ismael Levya Architects, will start at just under $1 million for studio apartments and $1.23 million for one-bedroom units, the developer tells The Real Deal.

With studio sizes starting at 555 square feet and one-bedroom homes starting at 655 square feet, that pegs the starting price per square foot above $1,800. The total blended price per square foot is likely to top $2,000 a foot, however.

And the latest rendering of the building, which will include an Equinox in the retail space, looks like...



The property on East Houston between Ludlow and Orchard previously housed a single row of storefronts, including Ray's Pizza, Bereket and Lobster Joint.

Meantime, no word yet if Ben will choose a naked-lady motif to sell the units like he is over at 100 Avenue A, where the residences will range in price from $1.3 million to $2.3 million.

While the units are more expensive here, you'll save money by joining Blink Fitness, the $25-amonth club that is taking the retail space in the building between East Sixth Street and East Seventh Street.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Someone threw black paint bombs at the naked women condo ad along 100 Avenue A

Making way for Ben Shaoul's new retail-residential complex on East Houston

Katz's is now the last business on East Houston between Ludlow and Orchard

The gift of SantaCon keeps on giving

This gentleman on East Fourth Street near Second Avenue told EVG contributor Derek Berg today that he picked up the Santa outfit on Saturday ... after a SantaConner had removed it for the evening ...

Biang! is now open on 2nd Avenue

Biang! — the sit-down Chinese restaurant via Xi'an Famous Foods owner Jason Wang — is now open at 157 Second Ave.

The well-regarded restaurant, — it received one star from The New York Times — has relocated from its original location in Flushing to here between East Ninth Street and East 10th Street.

A sign on the door notes cash only for now. (Not sure about alcohol — they were just on the CB3/SLA docket yesterday.) And for now they are using the sidewalk cafe guard from the previous tenant — Wylie Dufresne's bistro Alder, which closed after two-and-a-half years at the end of August.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Jason Wang bringing Xi'an Famous Foods offshoot Biang! to the former Alder space on 2nd Avenue

Report: Armed robber takes hedge-fund manager's $26k Rolex

The Daily News reports that an armed robber took a $26,000 Rolex from a hedge-fund portfolio manager who was bar hopping in the East Village early Sunday morning.

The incident occurred on East Second Street near Second Avenue about 2:15 a.m. when a man approached the 33-year-old victim and showed him the butt of a gun. The robber also took $200 in cash, according to the News.

Report: East Village landlord Raphael Toledano allegedly misrepresented himself as a lawyer

The Real Deal has published an investigative article about new East Village landlord Raphael Toledano, and how he allegedly misrepresented himself as a lawyer.

According to the article:

In the summer of 2014, a New York landlord with a modest portfolio received a letter from a certain Raphael Toledano, Esq. In the letter, Toledano allegedly identified himself as belonging to Truman & Wildes LLP, a Park Avenue law firm. He claimed to be representing real estate investor Josh Zegen in a 1031 exchange, and assured the landlord that his client was interested in one of his buildings and would “pay above market value” for it.

The issue, however, is that Truman & Wildes LLP is bogus. It is not a licensed law firm in the tri-state area, and isn’t even a registered entity in Delaware, Connecticut, New Jersey or New York. Its website, which was taken down shortly after The Real Deal began making inquiries, appears to be a basic web template with language lifted verbatim from legitimate law firms. Misrepresenting oneself as a lawyer is illegal.

For his part, Toledano, a former broker and now a prominent local real estate investor, denies any connection with the law firm. But property records and interviews with his former employees, business associates and industry players indicate otherwise.

In compiling nearly a 20-building portfolio, the majority of them in the East Village, the 25-year-old Toledano "has been peppered with allegations of cheating his partners and harassing his tenants," as The Real Deal put it.

To date, rent-stabilized tenants at 444 E. 13th St. have filed suit against him for alleged harassment. In addition, in August, Aaron Jungreis, one of the city's elite multifamily brokers, sued Toledano, "claiming he was squeezed out of a $100 million deal" to acquire 16 East Village buildings. (That suit was later settled.)

In addition, the landlord of Toledano's Flatiron office reportedly filed suit against him for failing to pay rent.

As for multiple identifications, City Limits noted this in an article about Toledano and 444 E. 13th St. back in September:

Curiously, there are numerous websites with similar URLs purporting to have been created by Raphael Toledanos across the country that fill up Google search results for his name. One Raphael Toledano is "a fervent traveler from the incredible state of Chicago," another is a "19-year-old boy from Ohio who wants to become an internationally recognized soccer player," and still another is "an Assistant Principal in one of the reputed schools of Rhode Island." Each of these sites was created on January 28, 2015 according to registration information on whois.net.

The last post on each of the sites is Feb. 24.

Toledano and Brook Hill closed on the 16-building East Village portfolio for $97 million back in the fall.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Claim: Landlord of 444 E. 13th St. threatened 'to drop dynamite on the building'

Reader report: Large portfolio of East Village buildings ready to change hands

Report: State investigating East Village landlord Raphael Toledano

Report: Uncle suing nephew broker Raphael Toledano over $100 million East Village deal

Report: Raphael Toledano completes purchase of 16-building East Village portfolio

More about alleged harassment and landlord visits via Brook Hill Properties

Brook Hill Properties launches chocolate offensive

In op-ed, Raphael Toledano says that he wants 'to make the East Village a better place'

'Invisible City' at Theatre 80 tomorrow night

Photographer Ken Schles is giving a free presentation tomorrow night from 6-7 at Theatre 80.

Schles, a Brooklyn native, lived in the East Village in the 1980s. His black-and-white photos from this period are the backdrop for the book "Invisible City" from 1988. A companion volume, "Night Walk," came out in 2014.

"New York always has stories about what the city used to be," he told The Wall Street Journal back in January. "I think it's up to all of us to take what we've been given and try to see beyond, to make it something new. That's what this was for me."

We asked Schles, who now lives in Fort Greene, what people can expect from his talk.

"I'll be showing images from 'Invisible City' and 'Night Walk' as well as the video trailers with music by Live Skull and Sonic Youth and telling some of the stories from when I moved to the East Village when I was 17, how I ended up on Avenue B, what the neighborhood was like and what happened when the landlord abandoned the building. I'll talk about how I came to make these two books — especially 'Night Walk' more recently. I'll have copies of some of my books for a book signing at the end. I timed the talk at about 50 minutes. That'll give me time to take questions ..."

You can read more about Schles and see some of his 1980s photos from the neighborhood in this feature at the Times.

Theatre 80 is at 80 St. Marks Place between First Avenue and Second Avenue. Find the Facebook event page here.

[Updated] Crime drama to play out on East Village streets

Film and TV shoots around have become so commonplace that they aren't even worth noting. For the most part.

Having said [written] that, however... "The Blacklist," an FBI crime drama on NBC starring James Spader, will be camped out all day on parts of East Seventh Street and Avenue A, among other places.

The last time that we recall crews for "The Blacklist" filming around here, they had a scene with FBI agents in tactical gear and black SUVs in Tompkins Square Park. Which provided for a few confusing moments for anyone not paying attention...


[Photo from April 2014 by Bobby Williams]

Updated 7:01 a.m.

Apparently this scene doesn't call for Joe Strummer in the background... the crew temporarily covered the mural outside Niagara on East Seventh Street...



Updated 6 p.m.

Workers uncovered the mural after the filming... someone said that they couldn't have it in the shoot because it is copyrighted art????


[Photo by Derek Berg]

Report: Contractor with ties to deadly East Village explosion receives probation in unrelated case

Contractor Dilber Kukic, who's under investigation in the deadly Second Avenue explosion, was sentenced to probation today in an unrelated bribery case.

As the Post reports, Kukic, 40, "copped to felony bribery in October ​in ​exchange for three years probation, 200 hours of community service and a $4,000 fine as part of a plea deal."

He reportedly admitted to paying an undercover investigator $600 last year to dismiss building violations at properties he owns on West 173rd Street.

Defense lawyer Mark Bederow had argued that the prosecutor’s hardline approach in the bribery case “results from the people’s ongoing investigation into the East Village explosion.”

Kukic was inside 121 Second Ave​. on March 26, where he had a permit to do renovations, when the building exploded. He dragged the landlord’s son to safety.

Bederow declined to comment on the status of the Second Avenue explosion investigation, according to the Post. Authorities have said that an illegally tapped gas line at 121 Second Ave. may have caused the fatal blast.

The Post reported in April that investigators have "six prime suspects" in the blast at 121 Second Ave.: Landlord Maria Hrynenko, her son Michael Jr., Kukic as well as an unidentified subcontractor and two workers.

A SantaCon 2015 postmortem (first of several perhaps) and a look ahead to next year!

[Photo Saturday on St. Mark's Place by Derek Berg]

Because several people asked... the Daily News reports that the NYPD made five arrests and handed out an even 100 summonses — ranging from open container violations to disorderly conduct to public urination — during SantaCon on Saturday.

As for the arrests, "cops charged one reveler with assault, one with weapon possession and three with drug possession."

Meanwhile! The SantaCon organizers issued a statement today... with a look toward 2016 [insert screaming emoji here]

Via Gothamist:

Santacon NYC 2015 was blessed with its best weather yet, a huge turnout and, per NYPD only a few minor disturbances during our event. Beginning in WIlliamsburg's McCarren Park and later transitioning to the East Village, the official route and venues all reported relatively orderly fun and a wealth of positive interactions. Again, Our organization worked in conjunction with the NYPD, Parks Department, city officials as well as several NYC area art collectives. The event has transitioned, becoming a more widely supported expression of the holiday season. A celebration, that invites all to join, if they want to share in the season’s festive spirit.

The Santacon Charity Drive again was a significant success with the participation of over 40 official venues and donations by a vast majority of the santas, elves, reindeer and the many other holiday characters. A full report is forthcoming but all proceeds will go to support City Harvest, Materials for the Arts, Dance Parade and the Ali Forney Center. For 2015, Santacon NYC was gratified by more “balanced” reporting. We understand the "Bad Santa" narrative makes for easy and often funny copy but we are glad that journalists also describe the exceedingly positive spirit and the many creative people who make such an effort every year.

For 2016, Santacon NYC has already reached out to the concerned elected officials inviting any who are truly interested in NYC's creative culture to get involved during the off­season and demonstrate their interest in assisting us...

Before saying goodbye totally to SantaCon 2015, EVG reader David shared this rooftop shot from Saturday... and he was curious what Santa is doing (or receiving) here...





Previously on EV Grieve:
SantaCon announces its path through the East Village for 2015

[Updating] Santa Clauses (and the Easter Bunny) came to town, as you probably noticed

That morning fog

The Williamsburg Bridge early this morning by @terrinthekalian

And a different view a little bit later via Bobby Williams...

Signage arrives for Avenida on Avenue B

[Photo yesterday via EVG reader David]

Several readers pointed out the arrival of the Avenida name at 25 Avenue B this past weekend.

According to the questionnaire (the PDF is here) that was filed ahead of the September CB3/SLA committee meeting, there was a 100 percent corporate change for the business, from the short-lived Matty's to a new venture/bar called Avenida Cantina.



However, despite the new concept and partners, this item was not heard in front of the committee. The paperwork shows that the new proprietor served as manager of East End Bar & Grill on First Avenue between 86th Street and 87th Street. (Not sure what East End is like these days. In July 2010, CB8 unanimously rejected the bar's application for a sidewalk cafe. According to DNAinfo, "Neighbors at the public hearing testified that the post-college age crowd drunkenly wrestles in front of the bar and sometimes urinates on their doorsteps.")

In recent years, this space between East Second Street and East Third Street was home for two months to Matty's ... and, earlier, Idle Hands, Station B and Billy Hurricane's. (And upon a time — Save the Robots.)

Avenida Cantina will just be one of the new occupants along this part of Avenue B.

The pet store next door is closing, and the space is for rent...



And the former deli next to Cornerstone closed earlier in the year... the space was gutted and glammed up...



...and is now on the market...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Whatever happened to simple bar names...concepts?

Billy Hurricane's looking to hire attractive, sexy, fun, loud and pushy female bartenders who are still in school — and rock

Openings: Edwin and Neal's Fish Bar, Virgola

Edwin and Neal's Fish Bar is now in service at 345 E. Sixth St. just west of First Avenue. As we first reported, the restaurant is a larger extension of Shane Covey's Upstate, which is still in business around the corner at 95 First Ave. He described Edwin and Neal's as a neighborhood fish place.

-----



On East Seventh Street, an outpost of the Greenwich Avenue-based Virgola, an oyster and wine bar, has opened at 111 E. Seventh St. between Avenue A and First Avenue ...

Previously on EV Grieve:
More about Edwin and Neal's Fish Bar, coming soon to East 6th Street

Oysters coming to the former Bourgeois Pig space on East 7th Street

Filling up: the status of 2 former East Village gas stations

You probably noticed those support poles arrive late last week on Second Avenue and East First Street...







... for the new construction fence to surround the parcel of land that was, until July 2014, a BP station.

As for what's coming next... as previously reported, there are approved plans to erect a 10-story building with 31 residences and ground-floor retail.

Here is the rendering that we saw for the new building... via the website for mortgage lender Ladder Capital, who provided a bridge loan for the project...



While this project steams ahead, another parcel of land that housed a gas station earmarked for development is seemingly stalled ... as the 9-story building in the works at 11 Avenue C/251 E. Second St. at the site of the former Mobil remains on hold. As we pointed out this past summer, nothing seems to be happening with that new building application, which the DOB rejected in April 2014 for incomplete drawings, per city records.

Right now the former Mobil station, which closed in September 2014, is making for a nice parking lot...



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

BP station on 2nd Avenue closes this month

The 2nd Avenue BP station has closed

Report: 50,000 square feet of condos coming to the former 2nd Avenue BP station

Permits filed to demolish former 2nd Avenue BP station

More about the 10-story building taking the place of the former BP station at 24 2nd Ave.

A look inside the last East Village gas station

Check out the new 10-story building for the former 2nd Avenue BP station

Newsflash: It doesn't take long to demolish a gas station

Reader report: New York Healthy Choice has apparently closed on Avenue C

An EVG reader notes that the gates have been down for at least 10 days now (perhaps longer?) here on Avenue C and East 11th Street.

The grocery, which sold fresh produce, meats and seafood, opened on Dec. 20, 2012 via the owners of Yankee Deli across East 11th Street.

Previously on EV Grieve:
At the New York Healthy Choice grand opening today on Avenue C