Empire Biscuit is now 'peelin' potatoes'

[Photo from Jan. 30 via dwg]

At the end of January, Empire Biscuit announced that they were taking a sabbatical until March...

Being officially March now, we thought we'd check in here at 198 Avenue A between East 12th Street and East 13th Street.

The plate-shaped signage now notes that they are "peelin' potatoes" ... (new menu item?)





Recent tweets point to a reopening sometime soon...

@StellaKramer yes, soon. just tinkering. :)

— Empire Biscuit (@empirebiscuit) March 7, 2016

The quick-serve biscuit emporium cut back its hours during January. At the time, Empire Biscuit owner Jonathan Price told us that they were just taking a break for parts of this month. "It's a slow time of year," he said a few weeks ago. "We're doing some housekeeping. We refinished the floors in the kitchen ... for example."

EV heave: Regal Cinemas debuting 4DX at Union Square on March 25 with 'Batman V. Superman'

[I love the smell of 4DX in the morning...]

Those reclining seats at Loews Village VII will seem like child's play (not the movie) compared to what the Regal Union Square 14 is unleashing on March 25 for "Batman V. Superman:": 4DX.

Here is an explanation of 4DX via the 4DX website:

Advancing the movie theater experience from watching the movie to almost living it, 4DX is the ultimate in state of the art technology delivering a fully immersive cinematic experience. Inside every dedicated 4DX auditorium, motion chairs and environmental effects such as wind, bubbles, and scent work in perfect synchronicity with the action on screen.

With only the best technologies, 4DX motion chairs are equipped with three base movements of heave (move up and down), roll (move left and right) and pitch (tilt backward and forward) which can create an endless expanse of possible combinations to mimic such actions as flying and driving. The skilled team of 4DX editors, "i-Studio", are experts in maximizing the feeling of immersion within every movie without overstepping comfort bounds.

(And where else will you find something "equipped with three base movements of heave"?)

According to the Los Angeles Times, "since debuting with a 4-D screening of "Avatar" in 2010, there are now more than 23,000 4DX seats operating in 182 theaters in 34 countries." The Union Square theater will be the first with 4DX in NYC.

For a sneak preview of what the expect, check out this cheesy clip about the UK's first 4DX theater...



H/T Gothamist!

Decisions 2016

Spotted on St. Mark's Place on the former Yaffa Cafe sign between Avenue A and First Avenue...

Report: 123 2nd Ave. is for sale

[EVG photo from December]

The owner of 123 Second Ave., which was destroyed during the deadly gas explosion of March 26, 2015, is selling his now-vacant property for $9.7 million, the Post reports.

Landlord George Pasternak, whose building housed Pommes Frites and Sam's Deli, listed his property with the Compass brokerage firm. (We didn't spot the listing online just yet.)

As Lois Weiss reports, the city charged the landlords $350,000 to demolish each of the buildings.

Here's more, per the Post:

To add insult to injury, all three properties were reclassified from apartments in Tax Class 2 to vacant land in Tax Class 4, which will bump their expected rates starting July 1.

While only Pasternak’s lot is for sale, each of the three lots, including the corner at 119 Second Ave., can host 10,000 buildable square feet for apartments, residential condominiums plus stores.

“We…understand that the development community has a certain interest,” said Compass broker Gabriele Sewtz, along with colleague Sarah Kruse. “The timing is right [for the owner] to let go and start over and give someone else a chance to develop the property.”

Investigators have said that an illegally tapped gas line next door at 121 Second Ave. may have caused the blast that killed two men and injured a few dozen other people... as well as destroyed three buildings — 119, 121 and 123 Second Ave.

Last month, the DA charged No. 119 and 121 landlord Maria Hrynenko and her son, Michael Hrynenko Jr., with involuntary manslaughter ... as well as contractor Dilber Kukic and an unlicensed plumber, Athanasios Ioannidis. (A fifth person, Andrew Trombettas, faces charges for supplying his license to Ioannidis.)

Previously on EV Grieve:
Updated: 2nd Ave. explosion — landlord, 3 others charged with 2nd degree manslaughter; showed 'a blatant and callous disregard for human life'

Former residents talk about landlord Maria Hrynenko: 'it was clear she wanted to get rid of anyone with a rent-regulated apartment'

Douglas Steiner's luxury condos growing up quickly on Avenue A and East 12th Street

Work is moving right along on Avenue A between East 11th Street and East 12th Street... site of Douglas Steiner's incoming luxury condos...



...looks as if the crew is just getting started on what will be the sixth floor ... in what is now expected to be a six-story residential building with 82 units, with the cheapies starting at $1.1 million. The amenities include a 50-foot-long pool, a spa, a gym, a library, parking and a landscaped courtyard and rooftop gardens.



The focus appears now to be on the East 12th Street side of the former Mary Help of Christians property...



And one day...


Rendering by Williams New York

From this aerial shot of the (now-demolished) Mary Help of Christians church, school, rectory and playground... you can see just how large this project is...

[Via Off the Grid]

Previously on EV Grieve:
New residential complex at former Mary Help of Christians lot may include rooftop swimming pool

Meet your new neighbor on Avenue A

Permits filed to demolish Mary Help of Christians church, school and rectory

Preservationists call for archeological review of former cemetery at Mary Help of Christians site

The 'senseless shocking self-destruction' of Mary Help of Christians

Residences rising from the former Mary Help of Christians lot will now be market-rate condos

Ongoing construction at condoplex on Avenue A enters the swimming pool phase

Report: Developer Douglas Steiner lands $130 million loan for EV condo construction

Douglas Steiner's church-replacing condos emerge from the pit; plus new renderings

The former Bago space is for rent on 1st Avenue

Bago, the quick-serve Filipino restaurant on First Avenue between East 13th Street and East 14th Street, went dark in mid-to-late January. (H/t Nick Solares.) There wasn't any notice about a closure, temporary or otherwise.

A for rent sign now adorns the front window...



The listing is not yet online at the ABS Partners website.

The restaurant opened last June in the former Hibachi Dumpling Express space (and a 2 Bros. before that). Three quick-serve restaurants have come and gone here since the summer of 2014.

A daughter of Elvira Cinco, the proprietor of Elvie's Turo-Turo across First Avenue, ran Bago.

H/T Edmund John Dunn!

Updated: Flywheel Sports debuts Thursday at 51 Astor Place

Classes at the indoor cycling studio start Wednesday Thursday morning over at 51 Astor Place, according to the Flywheel Sports website.

This location — the 11th Flywheel in the metropolitan area — features a stadium-seating studio with more than 70 bikes ... and is conveniently located next to a CVS.

Updated 3/9

We originally understood that the studio opens today (based on the class schedule on the Flywheel website)... Flywheel reps are out on Astor Place today... the first class is free...


[Photo by Vinny & O]

Previously on EV Grieve:
3 retail spaces available at 51 Astor Place (22 comments)

You can finally shop at 51 Astor Place!

3 new retail tenants for 51 Astor Place: Bluestone Lane Coffee, Chop’t and Flywheel Sports

Chopping soon signage up at the Death Star

Here's the Bluestone Lane Coffee signage at 51 Astor Place

Spin cycle: Flywheel Sports opening next month in 51 Astor Place

Former bar turns into an architect's office

In recent years, 448 E. 13th St. between Avenue A and First Avenue has been home to several bars, including Mugs and, until January 2015, M. White.

Now, rather amazingly, the space has been converted into use as an...


[Reader submitted]

... architect's office for Davies Tang + Toews...


[Reader submitted]

No word if they will seek a liquor license... just for something to pair with the renderings...

H/T DWG

[Updated] Report of a fire at 133 E. 7th St.; Yuca Bar remains closed

[Photo by Shawn Chittle]

There were reports of a fire at 133 E. Seventh St. at Avenue A just before 6 this evening...


[SC]


[Mark Cyr]


[MC]

The FDNY was on it quickly...


[Photo by Perri Silver]


[Reader submitted]


[Reader submitted]


[Photo by Vinny & O]


[V&O]

About 30 minutes after the initial report, the fire was under control, per the FDNY...

MAN ALL HANDS 133 E 7 ST, MULTIPLE DWELLING FIRE ON 2ND FLR, UNDER CONTROL

— FDNY (@FDNY) March 6, 2016

Updated 7:35

The FDNY remains on the scene... Yuca Bar is closed... there's broken glass all over the sidewalk... Avenue A is closed off at St Mark's Place and East Sixth Street... and there's no through traffic on East Seventh Street...





As of this moment, there isn't any information on the cause or extent of the damage...

Updated 9:49 p.m.

Word from the scene is that a candle in an apartment started the fire. There weren't any reports of injuries.

Updated 7:30 a.m.

Here's a look at the East Seventh Street side of the building... firefighters needed to break the windows on the upper floors ...



Updated 4:50 p.m.

Ground-floor tenant Yuca Bar is closed tonight...



The dining room is also empty at the moment. It appears that the restaurant sustained some damages too...



Updated 6:15 p.m.


[Photo this evening by Steven]

Week in Grieview

[Wish you were here outside Toy Tokyo, photo by Derek Berg]

Jared Kushner's residents at 118 E. Fourth St. would like gas for cooking and some heat (Thursday)

City changes way it will treat people drinking or urinating (or both) in public (Thursday)

The Stage Restaurant will not be reopening (Wednesday) Fake NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene sign at Stage takes aim at landlord Icon Realty (Wednesday)

"Gentrification in Progress" tape arrives at former Trash & Vaudeville and Stage Restaurant spaces (Thursday)

Cops storm East Ninth Street, apparently find nothing (Thursday)

Final visits to five downtown businesses (Tuesday)

Krystal's Cafe 81 has closed for good on East Seventh Street (Thursday)

At the Parkside Lounge's new back room (Friday)

NYC Velo cycling to new storefront next door on Second Avenue (Friday)

Two beverage distributors depart East Second Street. What next for the spaces? (Wednesday)

Baiting the former Chase branch on Second Avenue for rats ahead of demolition (Friday)

The Calyx has been branded on Avenue C (Tuesday)

Out and About with Annie Ju and Melissa Scott, owners of an.mé /ahn-may on East Ninth Street (Wednesday)

Developers buy former LES nursing facility on Rivington for luxury housing (Monday)

Hakata Hot Pot (RIP Sushi Lounge) has moved on St. Mark's Place (Thursday)

The former Russian Souvenirs will become a coffee shop on East 14th Store (Monday)

Banana Leaf closes on East Sixth Street (Wednesday)

Take a chance on living in a rent-stabilized apartment in Stuy Town (Tuesday)

A branch of the Southern California-based Sugared+Bronzed salon (Monday)

Tacos in the works for East Second Street (Monday)

Maybe Fairway won't be coming to the East Village (Tuesday)

East Seventh Street maintaining rep for stunt parking (Wednesday)

100 Avenue A reps say that 100 Avenue A is already 50-percent sold (Thursday)

How about a new smoke shop for East Houston (Monday)

... and the last of the fake movie snow has been packed up on East Fourth Street...


[Photo by Derek Berg]

Monster Track 2016

The 17th annual street race (brakeless, fixed gear) started yesterday in Tompkins Square Park...







Photos by Derek Berg

Mystery Noah Baumbach project filming this week on a street near you

If you're a Noah Baumbach fan, then you may be interested in knowing the the filmmaker ("Mistress America," "Frances Ha," "The Squid and the Whale") will be in the and around the neighborhood this week working on his next project, "Yen Din Ka Kissa," according to posted flyers ...





As for the mystery, well, there doesn't appear to be much online (such as on his IMDB profile) about YDKK, described on the flyer on East Fifth Street and Cooper Square as a film that "tells the story of an estranged New York family coming together in preparation of artist & patriarch Harold's career retrospective."

Film crews will be around tomorrow (Monday!) and Tuesday on East Fifth Street between Second Avenue and the Bowery... East Fourth Street between Second Avenue and First Avenue... East Sixth Street between Second Avenue and and First Avenue... Lafayette between Bond and Bleecker...

A question on the extra lights and police presence along Avenue D

Photos and email from an EVG reader...

Any word on the reason for the heavy police presence along Avenue D & FDR Drive as well as the assemblage of generator lighting throughout Jacob Riis Houses?

Reader report: Man throws trashcan into 7-Eleven's front window on Avenue A

Around 8:30 this morning, an EVG reader said that a man, who was believed to be homeless, threw a city trashcan into the front window of the 7-Eleven store on Avenue A and East 11th Street. His motive was unclear. Police were quickly on the scene, though it wasn't known if they had any suspects.