Reminders: Community meeting about the former PS 64 is tonight

[EVG photo from Jan. 8]

As we noted back on Jan. 9, plans continue moving forward to convert the former P.S 64 and CHARAS/El Bohio community center on East Ninth Street into student housing.

Developer Gregg Singer, who bought the property between Avenue B and Avenue C from the city in 1998, is reportedly pushing Mayor de Blasio's administration to remove a stop-work order that has been in place since 2015.

According to published reports, Singer has a signed lease with Adelphi University, and hopes to have students move in by the fall of 2018.

Here's more from Crain's in a piece published on Jan. 11:

City Councilwoman Rosie Mendez and other local officials wrote to Buildings Department Commissioner Rick Chandler in October, saying that the lease does not meet the "community use" requirement, because Adelphi would use only part of the building. The officials also objected to the university's position that dormitories count as an appropriate community use. In an October letter to Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen, Fisher argued that a dormitory would meet the deed-restriction requirements.

The disagreement touches a political nerve partly because the city's recent removal of a deed restriction a few blocks away allowed Rivington House, a nonprofit nursing home, to become high-priced condos. Unlike in that case, P.S. 64's deed restriction was issued by the City Council, and only the council may lift it. Singer is not seeking the restriction's removal, but the sensitivity stemming from the Rivington controversy and local opposition has kicked a Buildings Department matter up to the mayor's office.

CBS 2 also filed this report...



Preservationist groups and other residents have been opposed to Singer's plans, and want to see a return of the landmarked building to use as a cultural and community center.

All this and more will be a topic of discussion during a community meeting tonight (first noted here on Jan. 9)...



The meeting tonight is at 6:30 at Loisaida, Inc., 710 E. Ninth St. near Avenue C (next to Ninth Street Espresso).

Previously on EV Grieve:
Community meeting set as dorm plans continue moving forward at the former PS 64

The space for Turntable Lab, soon to move to 10th Street, is for rent

A Seventh Street resident noticed the arrival of two for rent signs from different brokers outside Turntable Lab on the block between Avenue A and First Avenue.

The resident said she was sorry to see the business closing. In this case, however, as we noted back in November, the store that sells a variety of vinyl, stereo equipment and assorted DJ gear is moving to a larger space on 10th Street.

Turntable Lab will be setting up shop at 84 E. 10th St. between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue some time next month.


[Photo from last month]

For now, Turntable Lab remains on Seventh Street. However, a listing for the space did arrive yesterday on LoopNet.

Here are the details:

Wonderful ground floor retail space in well maintained building is available for the 1st time in 15 years! PERFECT FOR RESTAURANT OR BAR. ALL USES CONSIDERED. This spaces includes a full basement and the stunning backyard is an option to be included in the lease for this space.

Amazinglocation! Pure east village commercial space for rent. Located on high traffic destination... On the same block as major East Village retail & restaurant destinations such as Big Gay Ice Cream, Miss Lily's, Avant Garden, Pylos, Giano, Koan, Rose & Basil, Trash & Vaudeville, Luke's Lobster....etc....

Asking rent on the 750-square-foot space: $7,500.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Turntable Lab reveals new 10th Street storefront

1 more year for the phone book, apparently

I recalled reading last summer that Verizon was ending the print distribution of its business directory (aka telephone books) in New York.

According to published reports, "the company delivered 6.3 million business directories [in 2015]. Verizon estimates that by eliminating the printing of massive phone books it will save 13,600 tons of paper per year from entering the waste system."

In any event, as you may have noticed in recent days, Verizon has dropped a few tons of phone books off around the neighborhood...


[3rd Street between C and D]


[7th Street between A and 1st]


[6th Street between A and B]

In one case, I noticed that someone actually took one of the books...


[3rd Street between A and 1st]

I took one too — just to see if they listed EVG correctly... oh well — maybe next year...

Presence of ping-pong table doesn't deter these badminton fans in Tompkins Square Park

The action this morning via Derek Berg...

...with bonus shuttlecock pic...

VHS collection up for grabs

First Avenue and Ninth Street. Some cinema classics here, such as "Deep Blue Sea" and "Broken Arrow," which showed the world what Howie Long could be capable of before "Firestorm."

Anyway. Hurry before the rain starts!

Thanks to Wiliam Klayer for the photo!

New owner of 629 E. 5th St. offers tenants incentives to move out early

[EVG file photo]

There is new ownership at 629 E. Fifth St., a building on the north side of the cul-de-sac between Avenue B and Avenue C.

And the new landlord's property manager, Jordan Cooper and Associates, has notified the tenants in the 24-unit building that they will need to move out at the end of their lease, but preferably sooner.

One current resident shared the letter from Cooper and Associates ...


[Click to go big]

The letter reads in part:

We hope you had a nice holiday season. As we begin the New Year, the new owners wish to communicate their business plan and how it will affect you as current tenants with as much clarity and transparency as possible.

Ownership’s goal is to improve the building’s infrastructure common areas, basement, and to renovate each unit in the building.

Therefore we do not plan to renew or extend any leases at expiration.

Instead of a standard 30 day notice of non-renewal, ownership wants to provide as much time as possible for each tenant to seek new housing.

We are not terminating anyone’s lease. You are absolutely welcome to stay until the end of your current lease term (if you need information on when your lease expires please email or call the office). In order to expedite the construction process, ownership is offering incentives to anyone willing to move out on or around February 28th, 2017.

We are keenly aware that moving is not easy. We would be happy to have any qualifying tenants back in the building as soon as units are complete (generally 4 months after renovation begins). Ownership feels that providing open, honest communication is the appropriate way to handle our relationship.

As the current resident said: "It's causing a lot of people to be displaced into an unrealistic rental market and creating more unaffordable housing in the East Village."

The building arrived on the market in April 2014. The asking price was $12.5 million. Per the listing at the time:

There are 24 residential units, all of which are Free Market. Of the 24 apartments, 13 are month-to-month, 6 expire at the end of April, 3 are currently vacant and 2 expire between May and July. The rents are performing at less than 75% of market and considering the building is fully deregulated, an investor could quickly bring the units up to market rents as the leases expire. Therefore, a gross annual income of around $930,000 could be achieved in a relatively short period.

Public records from November show that the building sold for $16.2 million. The LLC listed as the owner matches up to the address of Morgenstern Capital, run by Robert Morgenstern, co-founder of Stone Street Capital. The Luthien Group was the seller.

Former beverage distributor on 2nd Street demolished to make way for 8-story condoplex

[Photo from August 2016]

The former Houston Street Beer Distributors at 298 E. Second Street between Avenue C and Avenue D has been demolished ...



Up next: As previously reported via New York Yimby, East Village-based Starleeng Equities has filed applications for an eight-story, seven-unit residential building. New York Yimby noted that the residential units should average 1,967 square feet apiece — most likely condos. There will be a duplex apartment on the ground and second floors, with full-floor apartments on the third through eighth floors.

According to public records, the building sold for a little more than $7 million in the fall of 2015 to 298 East Village Owner LLC. We have not yet seen any renderings of the new building via Zakrzewski + Hyde Architects.

Meanwhile, in other former beverage distributor on Second Street news... the one that was housed at 188 E. Second St. between Avenue A and Avenue B is now, as of last November, Karma, the art bookseller and gallery...



Previously on EV Grieve:
298 E. 2nd St. latest development site up for grabs

East Village now minus 2 beverage distributors

Something brewing (demolition) for former beer distributor on East 2nd Street

Some good Karma for 2nd Street?

Sandwicherie New York yumming soon in former Fresh & Co. space on 4th Avenue

The abundant "yumming soon" soon signage is up on the southeast corner of Fourth Avenue and 13th Street ... where Sandwicherie New York is opening an outpost..



Here's more about them via their Facebook description:

Our aim is to give our customers a natural, healthy and vibrant lifestyle ... we strive to build our small family owned business one SANDWICH(erie) at a time.

We are committed to serving you fresh and healthy meals, coupled with a pleasant shopping experience and premium service. Operated by a seasoned and very talented team that consistently puts out chef-inspired or made to order salads and sandwiches that are packed with great flavor. Eye popping New York breakfasts and lunches that include healthy quinoa and wild rice bowls, fresh-pressed juices and a large assortment of bakery and desserts.

Kind of sounds like the previous tenant here, Fresh & Co., which closed at the end of December.

This will be the second NYC location for Sandwicherie ... joining the outpost on 42nd Street near Grand Central. You can find their menu offerings with meat and vegan options here.

This will also be a competitive corridor for sandwiches. Make Sandwich, which "serves uniquely classic sandwiches and quality make-your-own ingredients with NYC hustle," opened several storefronts to the north on Jan. 9.

JuiceGo awning arrives on 9th Street

[Photo by Steven]

As noted back in September, a shop called JuiceGo is opening at 333 E. Ninth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

And yesterday, the awning went up ...

JuiceGo is expected to open later this month, and will sell a variety of made-to-order cold-pressed juices, smoothies, salads and sandwiches. You can find the JuiceGo website with more info here.

Beer & Cigars replace Massage & Bodywork on Avenue B

The storefront is coming together here at 206 Avenue B... not sure what this place will be called (the descriptive Beer & Cigars has a nice ring to it) between 12th Street and 13th Street.

Aside from beer and cigars, the shop will be selling cigarettes, glass, vape, e-juices and soda, per the signage.

The storefront was previously the equally descriptive Massage & Bodywork...



H/T to the EVG commenter who mentioned this arrival back in this post...

Today in yellow-bellied Sapsucker sightings in Tompkins Square Park

So that's what was causing that incessant drumming today (jk!) ... photo by Bobby Williams

Today in large holes in the middle of 10th Street

The 10th Street water main replacement and sewer rehab continued today between Avenue A and First Avenue...

Thanks to EVG regular Daniel for the photo...

What are those green bicycle lights on Citi Bike?

Via the EVG inbox today...

As part of an ongoing commitment to safer cycling in New York, the Citi Bike program is installing an innovative new safety feature — the Blaze Laserlight on 250 bikes this winter, Citi Bike and Blaze leadership announced today.

This pilot program aims to make Citi Bike riders more visible to drivers and pedestrians, creating safer conditions on the road and providing greater peace of mind to all.

Extensive research on the Laserlight on London’s bike share fleet revealed that a cyclist with a Laserlight at night is even more visible than a cyclist in daytime.

The vast majority of London bus drivers surveyed said the light made it easier to notice and react to cyclists at night, while 75% of cyclists felt more confident cycling with a Laserlight.

“By incorporating Blaze’s lights into the bike, we aim to keep New Yorkers on foot, behind the wheel and riding a Citi Bike safer and to improve the rider experience overall so that people of all backgrounds are inspired to try New York City’s popular bike share program,” said Jay Walder, President & CEO of Motivate, operators of the Citi Bike program. “Bike share is an extremely safe way to get around, and we are proud to work with Blaze to welcome every rider to Citi Bike while helping our city get ever closer to our Vision Zero goals.”

New map offers look at area's civil rights and social justice history

Via the EVG inbox from the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (GVSHP)...

Civil rights and social justice are prominent in our minds as we begin 2017. And few places in America have made more significant contributions to civil rights and social justice struggles for African-Americans, Women, Latinos, Immigrants, and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender people than the Village, East Village, and NoHo. Now more than ever, it’s important to remember and pay tribute to that history and to the lessons learned from it.

So GVSHP is kicking off 2017 by creating a new Civil Rights and Social Justice Map of the Village, East Village, and NoHo – view it here. You’ll find well-known landmarks like the Stonewall Inn and Judson Memorial Church, locations key to the founding of the ACLU and the Young Lords, and the places where Lorraine Hansberry wrote and Bella Abzug lived. Learn the former sites of some of our city’s first African-American and abolitionist churches, as well as where the NAACP’s iconic “A Man Was Lynched Yesterday” flag flew. Find out where Billie Holiday first sang the anti-lynching anthem ‘Strange Fruit,’ where birth control began, and the spots key to the abolitionist journeys of both Abraham Lincoln and John Brown, among many others.

With nearly a hundred locations, the map just skims the rich surface of civil rights and social justice history in our neighborhoods. Know another site that should be included? Just email it and all information, along with sources, to info@gvshp.org – the map will be updated regularly.