On the Lower East Side, the Children's Magical Garden is celebrating a new chapter after developer calls off legal battle

Image via @childrensmagicalgarden 

After a decade-long legal battle, the Children's Magical Garden on the Lower East Side is no longer threatened by development on part of its space at 157 Norfolk St. at Stanton Street.

The Real Deal first reported on this agreement between the garden and developer David Marom: 

Marom, who helms the Horizon Group, agreed to donate the lot ... to the Children's Magical Garden in honor of his mother. As a result, three separate lawsuits between the parties are being called off. 

For more than 40 years, the Children's Magical Garden has occupied the corner space off Stanton Street, using the land to grow produce and host local community events. But Marom's purchase of a portion of the garden from Serge Hoyda for $3.3 million threatened the future of the space, as the developer moved to build a seven-story residence. 

And today at 2 p.m., the garden is hosting an event to celebrate the moment. Per an Instagram post: 

Big NEWS! We did it! The children of LES are getting their community garden back, PERMANENTLY! After 10 years of litigation and many more of advocacy, we've come together with the developer who is donating the land. So many amazing community members, lawyers, neighbors, and gardeners helped make this possible. We are truly grateful. Thank you. Please come on March 10, 2 p.m., and help us start our new chapter. 

They are raising funds to help rebuild and "serve the children and their children to come!" 

This link has some of our coverage of the story.

Checking out just part of the ongoing New Colossus Festival

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Dream Pop was front and center last night at a showcase at Arlene's Grocery as part of the New Colossus Festival. 

We stopped by at the start of the bill for Phantom Handshakes, a local collaboration featuring the ethereal vocals of lead singer Federica Tassano ...

...and Matt Sklar (on the right in the striped shirt)...

Check out their music here. (This piece discusses how the two met during the pandemic and started the band.)

We also really liked the first band up, the timeless D.C.-based indie pop trio Flowers for the Dead...(they're playing at Arlene's again tomorrow at noon)...

The New Colossus Festival continues today and tomorrow at EV/Lower Side music venues. Find the schedule here.

This is why Most Holy Redeemer is green around the bells on 3rd Street

Anyway, you really were seeing green last night on the recently restored bell and clock tower at Most Holy Redeemer/Nativity Parish on Third Street between Avenue A and Avenue B. 

Father Seán told EVG contributor Stacie Joy that the church can now add colors (sorry, only one color at a time!) to the clock faces. 

The clocks are green now for Saint Patrick's novena, and they'll remain that way until his feast on March 17. 

The church will change the colors for future civic and religious commemorations, Father Seán said. (Maybe midnight navy blue for opening day at Yankee Stadium on April 5?) 

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• Up in the under-restoration belltower at Most Holy Redeemer

Saturday's opening shot

At the entrance to Tompkins Square Park at Seventh Street and Avenue A this morning ... there are two new trees the city recently planted here (replacing this one).

Friday's parting shots

An EVG reader shared the top photo... showing the new green-tinged clock faces at Most Holy Redeemer on Third Street (Happy St. Patrick's Day?)... [Updated 3/9: Here's more about the green clock faces.]

Meanwhile at the church between Avenue A and Avenue B...EVG reader Carl Bentsen shares that workers removed the Christmas trees from the façade today... Happy daylight saving time weekend!

'Vulture' club

 

The New Colossus Festival is underway at LES/EV venues through Sunday.

One more band to highlight (as we've done on recent Fridays at 5): Holiday Ghosts, a four-piece from the U.K. 

Look for them at Pianos tomorrow (Saturday!) at 5:45 p.m. 

Find the full New Colossus schedule here.

Today in discarded finds of the century on 2nd Street

Inexplicably (for now!) discarded (for now!) this afternoon outside 75 E. Second St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue. 

Does anyone have a spare U-Haul? 

(And thanks to EVG reader Camille Coric for the photo!)

Honoring Puerto Rican freedom fighter Pedro Albizu Campos with a mural on 12th and C

Brooklyn-based artist Danielle Mastrion finished her mural yesterday on the SW corner of Avenue C and 12th Street that pays tribute to Puerto Rican freedom fighter and spiritual luminary Pedro Albizu Campos ... and directly across the street from Campos Plaza...

The mural is the first outside the newly renovated 656 E. 12th St., which the city officially unveiled on Tuesday. The renovation will provide some affordable housing options for the neighborhood.

For several years, the walls outside No. 656 housed the 12C Outdoor Art Gallery, which featured a rotating batch of murals curated by East Village-based artist and speaker Robert Galinsky.

Expect more new murals on the wall in the months ahead.

This work was unveiled via Galinsky Coaching, the Loisaida Center and L.E.S. CommUnity Concerns.

Updated: Veselka documentary gets extended at Village East by Angelika

Updated: Now playing through March 21

The theatrical release of "Veselka: The Rainbow on the Corner at the Center of the World," the documentary on the iconic Ukrainian diner on the corner of Second Avenue and Ninth Street, is on for another week at the Village East by Angelika.

The well-reviewed film is now screening at the theater on 12th Street and Second Avenue through Thursday, March 14. March 21. (For all the EVG readers in Los Angeles, it's playing at the Laemmle NoHo 7.) 

If you want to hear more about the production, there are Q&As after Sunday's 1:25 p.m. screening and the Monday-Thursday 7:30 p.m. shows. (The previous Q&As have included director Michael Fiore, Tom and Jason Birchard, Veselka's second and third-generation owners, and staff members featured in the documentary.)

 

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• A visit to Veselka, as the East Village institution celebrates 70 years and another week for its documentary at the Village East

• Veselka looks to ease back into a 24/7 schedule, starting with weekends first

Asian Taste closing in on a reopening

Photo Wednesday and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Asian Taste is getting closer to returning after being sidelined for the past six months on the NW corner of Avenue B and Third Street. 

During an inspection of 199 E. Third St. in late September, Con Ed found multiple leaks and shut off the gas to the entire Steve Croman-owned building, including the businesses.

Management tells me they are just waiting for the proper approvals (unfortunately, there is no timeline on this), and they will be back serving their welcomed and reasonably priced quick-serve Chinese cuisine. 

Meanwhile, visit our round-up of old-school Chinese restaurants in the neighborhood here. 

Look at the former Dallas BBQ now

Photo by Steven

We have a storefront reveal on the NE corner of St. Mark's Place and Second Avenue. 

On Tuesday, workers removed the plywood around the incoming new bar-restaurant for the space.

As we've noted, hospitality vet Curt Huegel, whose portfolio includes concepts such as Bill's Townhouse, Campagnola and Printers Alley, and, closer to home, Jackdaw on Second Avenue at 13th Street, is behind the establishment.

Huegel appeared before Community Board 3 in June 2022 and received approval for the unnamed concept. There was some debate over closing time, and the committee wouldn't approve a 4 a.m. close (midnight during the week and 2 a.m. on weekends). 

Huegel didn't respond to our previous request for comment about what's in store for this space. Workers at the scene knew nothing about the name or opening date. 

The space has been under renovation for the past year. 

About the new look, per EVG Brian: "Seems like they are going for the 'Tuscan' vibe like Wegmans." (Fifth photo in this post.)

Dallas BBQ closed in December 2022 after anchoring the corner since the mid-1980s. Staff said the building's landlord would not renew the chainlet's lease.

Thursday's parting shot

As seen this week on Avenue C between Sixth Street and Seventh Street (thanks to Louise Segev for the photo!). 

The message reads: "Ana Paula do you want to be my girlfriend?" (Mickey and Minnie art by @hanisidewalkart.)

A new signage era for Best Housekeeping on Avenue A

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

There's new familiar-looking signage at Best Housekeeping, the longtime business selling kitchen cabinets and appliances at 17 Avenue A between Houston and Second Street. 

Manager Myriam Stern said the previous sign (see below!) was missing some letters and had "seen better days," so it was time to replace it. A company in Brooklyn made the sign and installed it several days ago, as well as hauling away the old one. (Unfortunately, this classic Avenue A signage wasn't salvageable, unlike the much smaller Champagne's from up the block.) 

She and her husband, Fred Stern, took over the business in 1975 (they also own the buildings housing Best Housekeeping). 

According to this Q&A with Fred from 2012, the store's original owner, Bernie Hymowitz, chose Best Housekeeping to honor his initials. (The business dates to 1914.)

And a look at the sign from 2014... with the s in Housekeeping MIA...

Here's another view of the storefront the other day via EVG reader Newman... on the new sign, the GE logo is much smaller and there's less copy...

Vacant parking garage gets the plywood treatment on 9th Street

Photos by Steven 

Someone has boarded up the entrance to the Little Man Parking garage (also known as LaSalle Parking) on Ninth Street, located between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. 

This is obviously fresh plywood; otherwise, it would be filled with graffiti [😍] and wheat-paste ads for, say, Body by Victoria and Blueland detergent pods.

The garage has been closed since late April 2023 after the Department of Buildings issued a vacate order on the property following the deadly collapse on April 18 at the Little Man garage on Ann Street in the Financial District.

The address was offered as a "redevelopment project" last August, though that listing is no longer active.

However, nothing (yet) about a sale is in public records, and no recent work permits are on file with the DOB, suggesting a renovation or (more likely) a demolition. 

So, it will remain empty and inactive for now.

Budget Car Rental and Tori-Bien, a restaurant that specialized in Japanese fried chicken, were also forced to leave their retail spaces at this address due to the vacate order...

Previously on EV Grieve:

• After deadly collapse, city issues vacate order at the Little Man Parking garage on 9th Street