Report: Emerald Isle closing on April 30, becoming a Kate Spade store

EVG favorite The Emerald Inn, the Upper West Side saloon that has been serving up drinks since FDR was in office, is officially closing on April 30. The fucking rent increased from $17,500 to $35,000. And because this is the way of NYC these days — a Kate Spade store is taking over the space.

West Side Rag had the scoop. The Times confirmed the closure.

Previously.

Flight 2

East 10th Street and Avenue D late this afternoon... Photo by Bobby Williams.

Messy hot dogs; free hot days

1. At Fork in the Road, Robert Sietsema weighs in on the "7 Messiest Hot Dogs" in New York. And the Umami Dog at Japadog at 30 St. Mark's Place made the list at number four... which reminds us...


2. The free Japadog giveaway continues today tomorrow...

'Endless possibilities' await you at 650 E. Sixth St., now for sale

There's a new listing for this townhouse at 650 E. Sixth Street, just west of Avenue C. Here's the listing via Douglas Elliman:

Endless possibilities await a discerning East Village buyer to invest, live or work in this townhouse gem. Opportunity for expansion and/or conversion with an additional approximate 3,620 sqft unused buildable sqft (air rights). On the 97' lot, this 20' wide and 48' deep townhouse is currently configured as 4 free-market floor-through rental apartments totaling approximately 4000+ gross sqft. In addition, the building has an unfinished basement, beautiful 700+ sqft south facing garden and additional 200+ sqft sun deck.

Hallways are in great condition and a new boiler is being changed from oil to more efficient and affordable gas. All apartments have renovated baths and kitchens with dishwashers, washer/dryers, central air conditioning and hardwood floors. The gross rental income from the property is currently $165,600 per year, well below market value. There are no controls and the property could be delivered vacant or with tenants in place to negotiate a new lease.

The opportunities are endless to make this townhouse your new home or a wonderful investment for your future!

Price: $2.75 million. Photos that follow are of the top floor apartment.







In the grand scheme of things, $2.75 million doesn't seem like that much for this, huh? Anyway, by the time you finish this post, Jared Kushner will have purchased it...

Ads for The Jefferson mock your crummy apartment

Last Wednesday, we noted the new ad campaign for The Jefferson, the condo going up now at the former Mystery Lot... we saw the ads on the East 13th Street side plywood ... there are also a few different ads now on the East 14th Street plywood ... such as!



...and...



The last one there is likely meant to be playful... like those Manhattan Mini-Storage ads that read "Why leave a city that has six professional sports teams, and also the Mets?" Still. Really?

Previously on EV Grieve:
City approves new building for Mystery Lot

The Mystery Lot likely facing a luxurious end

The last days of the Mystery Lot

Before it was the Mystery Lot

The Mystery Lot developers using famous dead comedians to sell condos at The Jefferson

East 14th Street exodus continues

With new development looming on East 14th Street, businesses in the way of the still-unspecified project continue to leave... Bargain Bazaar closed for good on Jan. 3 ... its neighbor to the east, Petland, moved to First Avenue... and now the last tenant in this three-store strip, the ABC Animal Hospital, has announced that it will relocate to 200 Avenue A, per the Local.

The move isn't a surprise — EVG regular Gojira passed along word in September that Dr. Tufaro and staff were looking for a new home.

As we first reported in December, eight parcels consisting of 222 Avenue A and 504 - 530 E. 14th St. were leased for a 99-year period by the respective owner to East Village 14 LLC. (East Village 14 LLC is a Delaware Company that registered with the New York State Department of State in October 2012.) Public records put the cost of this parcel at $35 million.

So we're looking at everything from where Stuyvesant Grocery and Pete's-a-Pizza were before the fire on May 12, 2010 at Avenue A east to, and including, the Animal Hospital. The lone exception: 520 E. 14th St. Presumably new development will happen on either side of this building.

Meanwhile, the new tenant at 200 Avenue A ends an ugly chapter in recent East Village history. The space was home to Superdive, which started its reign of woorrorism on June 25, 2009. (Relive that night here) ... then came the lengthy battle for a liquor license with the applicants who wanted to open an "art gallery with a full-service restaurant." The State Liquor Authority finally granted them a license last April after the applicants agreed to a midnight closing time, as we reported here.

However, the group, going by Hospitality LLC, figured that they wouldn't be able to make a go of it with a midnight closing time, and they moved away from the project. In October, 200 Avenue A was back on the market.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Conspiracies: What next for 14th Street and Avenue A?

Those ongoing rumors about the future of East 14th Street between Avenue A and B

Petland is moving away from East 14th Street, fueling more new development rumors

[Updated with correction] 8-lot parcel of East 14th Street primed for new development

Bargain Express has closed on East 14th Street

Is a Chinese restaurant opening at NYU's Broadway Windows?

Just noticed this over on Broadway at East 10th Street... where there's paper in the windows at Broadway Windows, one of two NYU Steinhardt Windows Galleries ...



This sign is taped to the inside of the window...



The most recent exhibit, Stars on Broadway!, closed on Feb. 2.

So. Is this simply some kind of off-beat attempt at announcing the next exhibit? Or, is a Chinese restaurant really opening here? (And there are Ping's Seafood locations in Chinatown and Queens.)

We'll update as soon as we hear back from someone at Steinhardt.

Kamui Den has closed on Avenue A

Not sure when exactly this happened... a tipster pointed this out to us... Kamui Den at 186 Avenue A near East 12th Street has closed... and a "for rent" sign is now in the window of the Japanese restaurant ...

Portal No. 1 repaired on Avenue C; two more on the way

Last week, we noted that someone had vandalized Portal No. 1 on East Seventh Street and Avenue C... EVG reader Steven Matthews lets us know that it has been restored...



Meanwhile, the creators of the portals, Nicolina and Brazilian artist Perola Bonfanti, just started work on Portal No. 4 (there will be 13 in total) set to debut somewhere in the East Village this summer ... they passed along a sneak preview...







It will be the portal "of the material world, nature and sexuality."

Portal No. O is on East Third Street just east of Second Avenue. The portals are interactive, and by scanning the QR code on each one, "you will begin the journey to uncover their mystery."

Here's the website for the portals. Here's the 13 Portals Facebook page.

East Houston Wine & Liquor coming soon to Red Square

A new addition for the Shoppes at Red Square here on East Houston between Avenue A and Avenue B... a liquor store is taking over the space previously leased to a spa-salon.

New era for tree house living room on First Avenue

It appears the long saga of the tree house living room is over. And a new era begins.

First, a flashback. As you will recall, there were pleas to keep the space here tidy. It didn't work. Trash piled up.

Meanwhile, the tree house living room attracted a steady stream of media coverage... such as in New York magazine's "Neighborhood News" feature...

Now, after a frustrating few months of back-and-forth... the tree house team members have opted for...



...plastic flowers.



(And there are even lights for the garden!) Anyway, we hope that there won't be a need for a "this is your garden not a trash bin" sign.

Previously.

For your consideration

Jimmy McMillan campaigning on St. Mark's Place this afternoon. Photo by James Maher.

Not such a Smart Car after all?

EVG regular peter radley spotted this today on Avenue A at East Fifth Street. Anyone see what happened?

Week in Grieview

[East Seventh Street. Photo by Derek Berg]

New 6-story building in the works for East Third Street (Tuesday)

Jared Kushner is buying everything (Wednesday)

A new tenant for the Village Scandal space on East Seventh Street (Wednesday)

There is now a 3-story swingers club on the Bowery (Thursday)

Fly talks UnReal Estate (Thursday)

A rent hike for East Village Shoe on St. Mark's Place (Friday)

Jerry's Newsstand has at least another year on Astor Place (Thursday)

At the Pyramid with Jacquelyn Gallo (Wednesday)

East Second Street penthouse with a private pool and lawn (Tuesday)

Plans for market-restaurant at 125 First Ave. on hold for now (Wednesday)

Croxley Ales extension now open (Tuesday)

Renovations ready for P.S. 122 (Thursday)

Wow, this will be built on Norfolk at Delancey (Monday)

Rats now using forks in Tompkins Square Park (Monday)

Tweet smell of unhappiness in the East Village (Friday)

Alphabet Plaza rising on East Houston and Avenue D (Tuesday)

Look at the Rat Castle now! (Wednesday)

Memory of terrible movie continues to haunt the Bowery

Tonight, as Hollywood honors the alleged best movies of 2012... a moment to note that the billboard for "Playing for Keeps" is still up on the Bowery at East Fourth Street. The movie opened Dec. 7. By now, it's likely playing on TNT. Despite an outpouring of 311 calls from distracted residents and motorists who complain of Gerard Butler's hair and what appear to be smiles from a denture commercial, the ad remains...



There's a 4 percent approval rating from critics at Rotten Tomatoes, who describe it this way: "Witless, unfocused, and arguably misogynistic, Playing for Keeps is a dispiriting, lowest-common-denominator Hollywood rom-com."

Saturday

Is it March yet? Photo by James and Karla Murray via Facebook.

Religious zealots target Zoltar again

As you can see, someone has slapped a sticker across Zoltar's name here outside Gem Spa... AGAIN. (See here.)



"Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on everyones [sic] soul."

Unfortunately in America today, fortune teller machines do not enjoy the same freedoms as everyone else, and find themselves at the mercy of religious extremists. Or, at the very least, the target of people brandishing "Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on everyones [sic] soul" stickers.

Noted

At the M14 stop on Avenue A near East 11th Street. More from the Silent Pro 7-Eleven Collective?

Previously on EV Grieve:
Silent Pro 7-Eleven collective launches shock-and-awe counter-offensive

330 Bowery wrapped and ready

Seeing as I already did two posts about the construction of the scaffolding here on the Bowery at Bond... might as well finish the job. It took workers a week, but they have the historic cast-iron building here wrapped and ready for exterior repairs...

Beware the cone-eating sewer grate of Avenue B

At East Ninth Street at the entrance to Tompkins Square Park. Photo by Bobby Williams.