EV Grieve

Monday, July 8, 2013

Something Sweet space for rent on First Avenue

[Photo by Blue Glass]

"Space available" signs went up Friday at the former home of Something Sweet on First Avenue at East 11th Street.

The family-owned bakery had been closed since last July. There had been a variety of issues, from problems with the landlord to health-related concerns for a family member.

The owners tired to revive the business back in the spring... and were hopeful that they would be able to reopen with new investors and updated business model.

However, at the very last minute, we understand that the landlord came forward with two other potential tenants, both willing to pay $11,000 a month for the space — out of reach for a new Something Sweet. There was an auction here in late spring...

Given the for rent signs, it's apparent that the space is still up for grabs.

[Photo by Blue Glass]

~~We also heard that the landlord is specifically seeking some type of chain for the space.~~

And it's a tough time here for longtime family-run bakeries here. The 9th St. Bakery closed for good on June 9.

Updated:
Some of the information about future rent/tenants that we received turned out to be inaccurate. We crossed out those sections.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Something Sweet still looking for help to revive its beloved business

An abandoned car in an empty lot that will soon yield a 13-floor residential building

Walking on East Houston near Ridge Street, we noticed an abandoned car in the long-empty lot on the south side of the street... not sure how long it has been there...

Anyway, spotting the car served as a reminder to check in on the status of these lots. Last summer, The Lo-Down reported that an unknown buyer has purchased the two vacant lots at 327 and 329 E. Houston St. for $8.4 million, as well as two adjoining parcels at 331 E. Houston and 163 Ridge St. for another $4 million.

It's part of the portfolio that belonged to reclusive real-estate baron William Gottlieb.

Plans were filed in February for a 13-floor residential building with 78 units for the L-shaped 331 E. Houston St./163 Ridge St. parcel. (The DOB disapproved the first round of plans on June 14.) Records show that Stephen B. Jacobs is the architect for the project. (His firm's East Village work includes the Copper Building on Avenue B and the Village Green on East 11th Street.) Jon Halpern of "East Houston Development LLC" is listed as the owner on the DOB permits. (Halpern is a partner and head of Real Estate Investments at Marathon Real Estate Mortgage Trust.)

There are also demo permits on file for the former laundromat here...

There's nothing on record for 327 and 329 E. Houston St.

As for the car, perhaps a test run for the future parking garage here?

Previously on EV Grieve:
An L-Shaped footprint ready to make its impression on East Houston Street

RUMOR: FroYo for Avenue A

Work continues at 70 Avenue A, part of the storefront that previously housed East Village Pharmacy. (They moved to East Third Street and Avenue A in 2011.)

According to multiple tipsters, some kind of FroYo operation is rumored to be moving into this space. No other details at the moment — just FroYo...

Looking at the retail listing for 19 St. Mark's Place, future home of a Walgreen's?

Supercuts moved away from the mall here at 19 St. Mark's Place at the end of last month... Curious about the rent and what not here, we looked at the Cushman & Wakefield listing...

Curious thing about the listing, which notes the anchor tenants here — Chipotle and St. Mark's Market ... and look at the Anchor Tenant 3 on the listing...

Walgreen's! A mistake? Wishful thinking? Or is a Walgreen's going to be moving into part of this complex one of these days...?

[Updated] Something new for tinkerers on East Fifth Street

Goggla passes along word of a new store that has opened on East Fifth Street just east of Second Avenue...

We don't know anything about Tinkersphere other than what is on its website:

Tinkersphere Corp. is a high-end retailer specializing in robotics, DIY electronics and toys. All products are hand-selected to ensure the utmost in quality. Based in New York City, Tinkersphere is proud to serve tinkerers of every age and skill level.

The previous tenant here, the specialty records shop Tropicalia in Furs, closed in January.

Updated:
The folks at Tinkersphere passed along some more info to us...

Tinkersphere officially opened on July 1 at 304 East 5th Street in the East Village. The president, an engineer herself, opened this store to help serve the growing community of tinkerers and makers in New York City. Tinkersphere hopes to inspire, educate and empower tinkerers of all ages by providing a range of toys, crafts, robot kits, and hobby electronic kits for all skill levels. Tinkersphere is preparing little tinkerers for the digital age we live in while giving grown tinkerers a place to entertain their hobbies and gain new ones.

Updated 7-11
Serena Solomon at DNAinfo has a feature on the store here.

Sunday, July 7, 2013

19 photos from a long weekend in the East Village

[Actually Chelsea]

Tonight's spectacular sunset

Photos by Bobby Williams.

Flea market continues outside home of former flea market on Avenue A

This afternoon between East 11th Street and East 12th Street... photo by Bobby Williams.

Previously.

Week in Grieview

[Inside the Immaculate Conception gymnasium]

Injured East Village Farm and Grocery workers emerges from coma (Tuesday)

Vandalizing Citi Bikes (Tuesday)

Out and About Part 2 with Philip Giambri (Wednesday)

First Avenue Pierogi and Deli on vacation the rest of the summer (Monday)

Third Rail Coffee opens on East 10th Street (Tuesday)

Plans for the Odessa Cafe and Bar (Tuesday)

Honoring Ryan Gosling on Canada Day (Monday)

Rainbows and double rainbows (Wednesday)

Zoltar's new sidewalk mate (Friday)

Looking at new luxury homes on East 12th Street (Monday)

Noise notes outside Upright Citizens Brigade (Monday)

Citi Bikes docking station as an apartment amenity (Wednesday)

Happy birthday Debbie Harry (Monday)

A ribbon for 'Serendipity' in Tompkins Square Park

[Bobby Williams]

A red ribbon arrived on "Serendipity," the life-sized sculpture of Christopher Gamble's silhouette in Tompkins Square Park. The silhouette is in honor of Gamble, who was homeless for nearly 28 years. Fanny Allié's creation will be in the Park through November.

Today in photos of a decorative camel resting on First Avenue

Near East Second Street. Explanations?

Today in photos of a double-decker, eight-wheeled Hummer super stretch limo on Avenue A

Wow. We thought things like this only existed on Cheezburger sites... but no — EVG reader MA captured this photo last night around 9 in the wilds of Avenue A... Anyone spot the occupants?

Saturday, July 6, 2013

Free charge

Free charge outside the men's room at Tompkins Square Park... photo by Bobby Williams.

Shocking report: Rich people are coming below 14th Street

There's an article in the Times tomorrow titled "New York’s Beau Monde Finds Downtown."

The photo caption that appears with the main photo sums it up this way: "Uptown denizens who once thought Harry Cipriani on 59th Street was the southern border for gracious living are discovering new condos and restaurants downtown."

It's not necessarily about the East Village, but downtown in general. Examples in the article cite a UES couple who are buying apartments for their high-school age children in — gasp! — Battery Park City ...the article also mentions new developments on Charles Street and Leonard Street....

A few excerpts, because you don't really want to read the whole piece:

“Downtown is livelier — we feel as though we have been in Milan for the weekend,” said Brooke Garber Neidich, a chairwoman of the Whitney Museum.

(We believe this is a reference to Milan, Italy, and not Milan, Ohio, birthplace of Thomas Edison.)

And!

Such a rarefied perspective may particularly rankle longtime downtowners, and portend the end of Manhattan’s few remaining bastions of bohemia. But just as flocks of young New Yorkers who might once have lived in the East Village are now in Brooklyn neighborhoods like Williamsburg, and those who had once lived in Williamsburg have moved on to Bushwick, it is perhaps inevitable that gaggles of Muffys and Thurstons wearing Lilly Pulitzer are invading neighborhoods below 14th Street. The cool crowd has long been on a southward migration.

And!

“You are seeing people ask themselves: Do I have an affair, get a divorce or get a downtown apartment?” said Michele Kleier, the president and chairwoman of Kleier Residential.

East Houston, 9:18 a.m., July 6

And the City has the cooling centers open. Find a list here.

One way to enjoy the Houston/Bowery Mural Wall

Taking in the new mural by REVOK and POSE.

Photo by Vinay Anantharaman.

Rite Aid is turning blue on First Avenue

More exciting news to report from the World of Rite Aid on First Avenue and East Fifth Street... first, they cleaned up the inside and ditched the carpet...

Now, workers are painting the exterior, as the headline likely tipped you off... Goggla shared this from yesterday afternoon...