Plywood report: 101E2, aka 101 E. 2nd St.

[24 1st Ave.]

The plywood arrived this week outside 24 First Ave. and 99-101 E. Second St., which have been in the preliminary demolition phases...



As previously reported, developer Sergey Rybak has plans for a 7-story, 22-unit residential building called 101E2 on these properties. The Rybak website lists that the residences are condos with ground-floor space designated for retail use.

If this helps ... an aerial view of the block, showing how the two buildings are currently configured ...



The plywood rendering is the same one we saw last year via the Ryback website... this appears to be the Second Street side...



The Ryback website now has a second rendering, which looks like the First Avenue profile...



Hayne Suthon, who owned and and operated Lucky Cheng's, the cross-dressing cabaret at 24 First Ave., owned the properties. She died of cancer at age 57 in June 2014.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Building that housed Lucky Cheng's on 1st Avenue now on the auction block

Onetime home of Lucky Cheng's and adjacent property sell for $12 million

7-story residential building pending at the former Lucky Cheng's space

Demolition permits filed to bring down former Lucky Cheng's building on 1st Avenue

The foot race to beat the M14 along 14th Street

Advocates who want a busway on 14th Street are “racing” the M14 bus. Neck and neck at First Avenue pic.twitter.com/8Ts6gc2tQW

— Jake Offenhartz (@jangelooff) February 20, 2019

Transit advocates, out to show how slow city buses are, organized a contest yesterday morning in which pedestrians power-walked on the sidewalk as they followed an M14 on 14th Street from Avenue A to the west side of Union Square.

In the end, the bus won the race — by five seconds.

Per Gothamist:

"For New York City in 2019 to have a bus going walking speed on a good day is really nothing to celebrate," said Tom DeVito, senior director of advocacy at Transportation Alternatives, which organized the contest. He noted that that car traffic was less paralyzing than usual, likely due to school being out this week.

The M14 has been found to be the city's third slowest, as well as one of its busiest, with a daily ridership of 30,000.

With the L-train slowdown coming, the buses along 14th Street could get even slower.

The MTA/DOT have already taken the first steps to make 14th Street a car-free busway for most of the day. However, with the shutdown called off, the MTA said last week that a busway along this stretch isn't necessary.

The M14 bus beat pedestrians by only 5 seconds on a day when the L Train is running normally.

Imagine what'll happen when there's no L Train service in Manhattan. https://t.co/lnTF6xWgQg

— Joe Cutrufo (@JoeCutrufo) February 20, 2019

You can find more coverage at Newsradio 880 ... NBC 4 ... Metro New York ... and NY1.

Sunday is the last day for St. Mark's Comics

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A post shared by St. Mark's Comics (@stmarkscomics) on Feb 19, 2019 at 11:34am PST

As first reported here on Jan. 29, St. Mark's Comics is closing at the end of this month at 11 St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

The shop's Instagram account has announced that Sunday is now the last day (closing at 6 p.m.). Until then, owner Mitch Cutler continues to unveil some bargains from the basement on this self-described "farewell tour."

And as Cutler told me on Jan. 29:

"There are a number of things that contributed to [the closing]. I have been working 90 hours a week for 36 years, and I no longer have the wherewithal to fight them — all of these various reasons. It is challenging to have a storefront business in New York City for a number of reasons ... it is challenging to keep and maintain a retail storefront and there are enough impediments now that — like I said, I'm exhausted and can't fight them anymore."

The storefront is currently for rent.

For further reading:
The BEST job I’ve ever had": A Tribute to St. Mark’s Comics, From Former Store Manager T.J. Shevlin (The Beat)

Wednesday's parting shot

A view of Tompkins Square Park this afternoon via Bobby Williams...

EVG Etc.: The Strand's landmark battle; Cooper Union's Chrysler Building situation

[Outside Josie's the other morning on 6th Street]

An in-depth look at NYC's post-Sandy flood protection plans along the East River (City Limits... previously)

How NYC restaurant owners and operators are reworking their budgets and operations to cover the minimum-wage increase (Eater)

Tensions over landmarking 828 Broadway, home of the Strand (Gothamist ... Curbed)

The longterm financial outlook for Cooper Union, who owns the land where the Chrysler Building sits. Per this article, "Cooper Union will make more than $50 million in rent and tax income off the Chrysler Building — its main asset." (Commercial Observer)

Mayor releases the city’s 2019 "Borough Pedestrian Safety Plans" (Streetsblog ... amNY ... ABC 7)

Primer for NYC's public advocate special election (Curbed)

Legal drama involving Rosario Dawson's family in renovated 13th Street building (New York Post ... previously)

A few more chances to see Nicky Sunshine's one-woman show "Confessions of a Massage Parlor Madam" this weekend at the Wow Cafe Theatre on East Fourth Street (Official site)

Buzzy Geduld, who started Donut Pub in 1964, discusses his new outpost, opening soon on Broadway at Astor Place (Grub Street ... previously)

"Polylogues" — described as "a theatrical investigation into nonmonogamy" created and performed by Queer|Art Fellow Xandra Clark – plays at Dixon Place tomorrow night and Friday night (Official site)

Journalist Jacob Margolies recalls growing up in the 1960s and 70s on the playground of East Third Street, with a brief postscript on memory and mythologies about the city (Vol. 1 Brooklyn)

TV and movie productions find many of their vintage electronics through the Lower East Side Ecology Center (Gizmodo)

New Essex Market signage arrives (The Lo-Down)

Upcoming special screenings at the Village East on Second Avenue and 12th Street include "Poetic Justice" (tomorrow night), "Easy Rider (Monday) and "The Color Purple" (Feb. 27) (Official site)

... and the House of LaRue, the style, glam and drag boutique, moved out of its storefront on East Houston at Clinton (on to Metropolitan Avenue) at the end of January ... the space is now home to a psychic...

The birds and the bees: Mating season commences in Tompkins Square Park for red-tailed hawks Amelia and Christo

The following post is intended for mature audiences only. Blogger discretion is advised.

The hawkarazzi in Tompkins Square Park have noted that it's mating season for Amelia and Christo, the two resident red-tailed hawks.

Goggla passed along these two photos from Monday...





Here's Goggla with more from a recent post:

We can expect to see an increase in mating activity over the next three or four weeks, with egg-laying expected in mid to late March.

And...

As nesting season progresses, the hawks will be less tolerant of other hawks in their territory, and will chase them out of the area. Today, I saw both Christo and Amelia knock a curious squirrel out of their nest, so no visitors are allowed.

Steven shared these two photos from Saturday...



... and a minute later...



Amelia and Christo welcomed two chicks early last summer... unfortunately, one did not make it.

Kikoo bringing all-you-can-eat sushi to the former Papa John's outpost on 1st Avenue

It appears that Kikoo Sushi is moving on up First Avenue... the all-you-can-eat specialist is currently at 141 First Avenue between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street.

Steven spotted Kikoo signage in the front window a few blocks to the north at the former Papa John's outpost between 12th Street and 13th Street...



This Papa John's shuttered last fall after nearly eight years in business here.

Kikoo opened at No. 141 in 2015. This move is likely several months out — the interior is still set up as a pizzeria.

A 'new wave gay bar' for the Standard East Village

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A post shared by angela🦎dimayuga (@angela.dimayuga) on Feb 19, 2019 at 10:57am PST

Out Magazine has a feature on chef Angela Dimayuga, the creative director of food and culture at The Standard International.

She has been working to relaunch narcbar inside the Standard East Village on Cooper Square at Fifth Street. According to Out, No Bar is Dimayuga's "boldest project to date."

Dimayuga reimagined the haunt as a "new age gay bar."* Trading the rainbow flags and kitschy tchotchkes of a typical West Village dive for banquettes upholstered with a custom cowhide print and a cocktail menu dotted with innuendos (one sipper is named "Spill the Tea"), she notes, "I want us to be chic. We deserve nice things."

But as a nightlife mainstay herself — Dimayuga throws a roving party called GUSH that centers lesbian and nonbinary femmes — she knows that, beyond any design tweaks she could make, queer and safer spaces are all about the folks who occupy them. With carefully curated programming and deliberate language about whom the space is for, she hopes to manifest a holdout where "the only rule is that it is inclusive and that it is a safe space for all types of folks."

No Bar debuts tonight.

* Updated: The No Bar fact sheet and Instagram account describe it as "a new wave gay bar," not "new age gay bar," per the quote in Out.

Updated 7 p.m.

Eater has a preview with more details here.

Ralph’s Famous Italian Ices coming to 2nd Avenue in Gramercy Park

An EVG reader shared this photo from several blocks outside the usual coverage zone ... showing that a Ralph’s Famous Italian Ices outpost is opening on Second Avenue between 21st Street and 22nd Street.

For now this appears to be the only Manhattan location for Ralph's, which got its start in Staten Island in 1928. There are multiple outposts on Long Island, Queens and in New Jersey. (Thanks to Shiv in the comments who pointed out that a Ralph's closed a few years back on 24th Street near Lexington.)

The Ralph's Instagram account notes this location will open in early March.

Tuesday's parting shot

Christo on the hunt early this evening in Tompkins Square Park... photo by Steven

Today in discarded 'Stomp' props

Workers at the Orpheum on Second Avenue were taking out the trash today — some banged-up garbage cans belonging to cast members of "Stomp," now in its 25th year here between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place...





Thanks to Steven for the photos!

The final days of Sidewalk

[Photo from Feb. 12]

Sidewalk Bar and Restaurant is winding down its 34 years on Avenue A and Sixth Street this week.

Staff is telling patrons that the last day of service is Feb. 23.

As I first reported on Dec. 10, hospitality vets Laura Saniuk-Heinig and Alyssa Sartor are taking over the space. (Saniuk-Heinig is the general manager at the Bar Room on East 60th Street; Sartor co-owned August Laura in Carroll Gardens.)

Many current Sidewalk fans are curious if the new owners will continue on with the nightly live music program, including the country's longest-running open-mic night.

In December, Saniuk-Heinig told me in an email that "we are looking forward to keeping the music aspect of the room still alive. Exactly what kinds of shows, we do not know yet." She also didn't know what the name will be moving forward.

In an email from early February, she said "Still working on the name and music aspect."

Meanwhile, as for the current Sidewalk, you can find the remaining (packed) music schedule here.. Saturday marks the final Sidewalk open mic. (Updated 2/20: Nick McManus captured some scenes from the final winter Antifolk Fest here.)

Sidewalk opened in the corner spot in 1985 ... eventually expanding to the space next door when Sophie's relocated to its current home on Fifth Street.

Previously on EV Grieve:
New owners set to take over the 33-year-old Sidewalk Bar & Restaurant on Avenue A

Crooked Tree closes after 20 years on St. Mark's Place

After 20 years of serving up crêpes and other cafe fare at 110 St. Mark's Place, Crooked Tree has closed here between Avenue A and First Avenue.

The closure came after service on Valentine's Day. (You can read their thank you to patrons on Facebook here.)

The owners of David's Cafe right next door were on this month's CB3-SLA agenda for a new liquor license for this space. The CB3 paperwork was on display outside the cafe in recent weeks...





Crooked Tree owner Daniel Rivera is also a partner in David's Cafe. Not sure at the moment what they have planned for the former Crooked Tree. The questionnaire on file at the CB3 website (PDF here) doesn't contain too many revealing details.

A new marquee for Webster Hall

Webster Hall will have a new marquee when it reopens this spring.

So far, this is the only noticeable change to the exterior of the landmarked building on 11th Street between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue ...





The previous Webster Hall marquee became partially dislodged from the front of the building in February 2018...


[Photo in February 2018 by Michael Giacoppi]

Workers blocked off the street and secured the sagging sign with a sidewalk bridge...



The new Webster Hall owners made the surprise spring-return announcement at the beginning of the year. Previous estimates had been for 2020. Still, no word on an official opening-night date or subsequent first act. (One EVG tipster heard the venue will reopen in late April.)

Webster Hall closed in August 2017. Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment and The Bowery Presents bought the landmarked building from the Ballinger family for $35 million in a deal announced in the spring of 2017. The Bowery Presents will be booking the shows here moving forward.

The new ownership filed permits in December 2017 for interior demolition and structural work to renovate the facility and make it ADA compliant. The city approved those permits in March 2018.

As previously reported, the Washington, D.C.-based Martinez+Johnson Architecture (now part of OTJ Architects) is behind the interior makeover. Per their website, the firm brings "their design sensitivities to cultural arts and institutional projects." Their work includes the restoration of the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn and the Boston Opera House.

The building has been around since 1886. It re-opened as Webster Hall in October 1992 after the Ballinger family purchased and renovated the space that was known as The Ritz during the 1980s.

Previously on EV Grieve:
When Webster Hall reopens, there might be a Moxy Hotel across the street

First sign of upcoming renovations at the former Webster Hall

Permits filed to renovate Webster Hall

The Webster Hall marquee looks to be in danger of falling

Plywood arrives at Webster Hall