Construction watch: 401 E. Eighth St., now with rendering

Some progress to report since we last checked in at 397-401 E. Eighth St., a stalled development for nearly nine years. Approved plans are in place for a nine-story residential building with a penthouse.

There has been activity at this lot at Avenue D.



And the plywood sports a rendering of the new building. Brace! And behold...



Akeeb Shekoni of Queens-based Akson Architect is listed as the architect... and the building's owners are the vague 399 E8 Development LLC.

Also, in closing, they are asking nicely now, so... no graffiti!



Previously on EV Grieve:
Meanwhile, before we christen Avenue D the next Greenpoint...

Stalled development site on Eighth Street and Avenue D asking $5.2 million

Long-stalled East 8th Street lot coming back as 9-story residential building — with penthouse

Banjara moving soon to the Haveli space on Second Avenue

Word is that Banjara, the reliable Indian restaurant on First Avenue at East Sixth Street, will be moving this week... into the Haveli space on Second Avenue near East Sixth Street...



Haveli has been closed for the past month.



EVG reader @SeanCarlson dined at Banjara the other night ... and picked up a new business card...



One member of the staff explained, "business down, rent up."

An Italian restaurant called Figaro Bistro Grill was looking to take over the Banjara space, as we noted last month. The Figaro principals were on last month's CB3/SLA committee docket, but withdrew their application.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Banjara space yielding to Figaro Bistro Grill, 15 comments

A few more details on Momofuku Ko (aka, TBD) coming to Extra Place

Extra Place seems extra quiet these days... though likely not for too much longer. As The New York Times first reported, Momofuku Ko is planning to move its "counter-only tasting-menu restaurant" from First Avenue to Extra Place.

Of course, there's a big vacancy here since sister restaurants Extra Place and Heidi closed earlier in the fall at 6-8 Extra Place, the alleyway that runs behind the former CBGB space on the Bowery off of First Street.

Paperwork filed ahead of this month's CB3/SLA committee meeting for 4-8 Extra Place seems to have an air of Kremlin-like secrecy.



There's no mention of Momofuku or chef-founder David Chang on the documents on file at the CB3 website. Just TBD.

As for other details. There will be four tables seating four people each as well as a counter for 25 diners. The proposed hours are from noon to midnight Sunday through Wednesday; until 1 a.m. Thursday through Saturday. There will be 20 employees... and, uh, a sound system featuring an iPod with two small speakers, per the documents.

The Times reported that Momofuku Ko will possibly move by the end of the year.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Extra Place now officially a Dead End

Extra Place and Heidi currently 'closed for renovation' in Extra Place

Now will Extra Place become Extra special?

The wood for David Schwimmer's roof deck has arrived

[Photo yesterday by Michael Hirsch]

The wood arrived yesterday to presumably join the garden that was airlifted in back in the spring here on East Sixth Street...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Is David Schwimmer the 'Friends' star who now owns the demolished 331 E. Sixth St. townhouse?

Here is David Schwimmer's East Village home

Report: Golden Cadillac will pay homage to the Lenox Lounge and Odessa Cafe

The New York Times has more on Golden Cadillac, the new bar-restuarant opening Thursday at 5 p.m. on First Avenue and East First Street.

The space is going for a 1970s vibe.

“Images of discos come to mind,” said Giuseppe Gonzalez, a bartender whose past posts include the cocktail bars Clover Club, Dutch Kills and Painkiller. “We’re going to try to make people think differently about the ‘70s.”

Mr. Gonzalez’s vision of that decade is all about the New York he grew up with. “The birth of punk music, birth of hip-hop,” he said. “Keith Haring moved here in 1978. Martin Scorsese made four films set in New York in the ‘70s. That’s what I wanted.”

And!

The interior, designed by Jeannette Kaczorowski of Crow Hill Design Studio, along with Fieldlines Architecture, pays homage to two recently vanished New York landmarks: the Lenox Lounge in Harlem and the Odessa Cafe in the East Village. “Jeanette said there were lots of layers in those bars,” Mr. Boehm said. “You started with Art Deco, and then it was built upon. Lots of oranges, burgundies and browns.” Another inspiration was the fictional Volpe Bar in Mr. Scorsese’s film “Mean Streets.”

The space was previously home to Boca Chica since 1989.

As for the Odessa Cafe and Bar ... as we noted last week, the Odessa will serve drinks in a cozy ambiance similar to the former Cafe and Bar in the back of the restaurant Wednesday through Saturday nights starting at 8.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Here's Golden Cadillac, the '70s-nostalgic bar' opening at the former Boca Chica space

[Updated] Claim: Employees restyle 'No 7-Eleven' sign for new Avenue A storefront

We've heard from several readers who claim that an employee of the new, much-maligned 7-Eleven on Avenue A and East 11th Street was spotted removing a "Stop 7-Eleven" flyer from a storefront across the street... (the flyers are up in several businesses along Avenue A and East 11th Street and elsewhere.... courtesy of the No 7-Eleven blog.)

As you can see, someone then repurposed the flyer, which is now in the new 7-Eleven's front window...


[Image via @matteominasi]

And another photo courtesy of Anton van Dalen...



Updated 1 a.m.

Shawn Chittle notes that someone has ripped down the sign...

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning Edition

[At Union Square Stadium 14 via Michael Sean Edwards]

Laurie Anderson's lovely tribute to Lou Reed (New York)

Owners of the Bowery's Whitehouse Hotel suing longtime tenant who always sues them (New York Post)

Family puts up rent-stablizied apartment in the East Village to make bail for gypsy (Daily News)

Remembering See/Hear on East Seventh Street (Flaming Pablum)

The extreme first release from Thurston Moore's Ecstatic Peace label (Dangerous Minds)

Orchard Hell Building grows (BoweryBoogie)

"[A] vote for Bill de Blasio is a vote against Bloomberg's vision of the city" (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

Night in Tompkins Square Park (Gog in NYC)

Luscious Jackson back after 14-year hiatus (Gothamist)

Construction watch: 100 Avenue A

[Bobby Williams]

Prep work for the demolition of 100 Avenue A is getting serious... the scaffolding has arrived... and workers put up the plywood along Avenue A...

The city OK'd a demolition permit in June for 98-100 Avenue A, which housed East Village Farms until Feb. 7, 2012.

Developer Ben Shaoul purchased the former theater turned market in May for $15.5 million, according to public records.

We don't know specifically what will be here... Shaoul's reps filed the plans in the hub self-service... and they will not be made public until the city approves them.

But a rendering on the plywood shows a building looking like this:



...six floors of residences above the retail component here between East Sixth Street and East Seventh Street.



A retail listing that we posted in May stated that the building will contain 40 residential units.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A little bit of Hollywood on Avenue A

East Village Farms is closing; renovations coming to 100 Avenue A

Inside the abandoned theater at East Village Farms on Avenue A

Reader reports: Village Farms closing Jan. 31; building will be demolished

Asbestos abatement continues at 98 Avenue A, Ben Shaoul's latest East Village trophy

Otto's Tacos (soft) opens today

Otto's Tacos has its soft opening today at 141 Second Ave. between St. Mark's Place and East Ninth Street.

Per the Otto's website:

Otto's Tacos is an LA inspired grab and go taqueria focusing on freshly prepared tacos. We make all of our tortillas, salsas and marinades from scratch every day.

(Otto Cedeno told us more about his first restaurant back on Aug. 21.)

You can find Otto's menu here.



Previously on EV Grieve:
Otto's Tacos, opening this fall on Second Avenue

[Photos via Facebook/Otto's Tacos]

Identity has closed on East 6th Street

Identity Bar and Lounge closed after service last Thursday night. The bar on East Sixth Street between Avenue A and Avenue B had a bit of a strip-mall vibe until former bartenders from Bar 82 took over the space for the owner back in the spring.

However, despite helping create a better neighbor ambiance, we understand that the owner was still in arrears ... and could not pull himself out of the financial hole that he was in before the Bar 82 folks came aboard. No word on what's next here.

Former AAA Amici Pizza space for lease on 3rd Avenue; no coffee, Chinese food, sushi or burgers

AAA Amici Pizza on Third Avenue at East 12th Street closed last July. At the time, EVG regular Muzz talked to the owner, who said that the pizzeria was rent-hiked out of there.

The Newmark Grubb Knight Frank listing has the asking rent at $21,000 per month for the 1,600 square feet of space.

Description
Vented Corner for Lease. HOT NYU / UNION SQUARE AREA.

NO COFFEE. NO CHINESE FOOD. NO SUSHI. NO BURGERS.

And dreams of a coffee-Chinese food-Burger-sushi bar are squashed.

A Slice of Naples now open on the Bowery

The space at Forcella on the Bowery between Bond and Great Jones has been cut in half... proprietor Giulio Adriani is now offering up slices at the appropriately named A Slice of Naples next door ...



Time Out previewed A Slice of Naples:

The rolled-thin specialty is built atop rectangular, meter-long crust and slow-cooked in an imported electric oven. The Naples native turns out five varieties, including the Stracchino-cheese-and-prosciutto Ripiena and a Caprese topped with hand-pulled mozzarella, tomatoes and pesto, plus a rotating pie of the day.

Find their menu here.

The former Sushi Lounge is for rent

As we first reported this past Friday, Sushi Lounge has closed on the corner of St. Mark's Place and Avenue A... a "for rent" sign quickly went up...



We didn't call Mr. Josh at Gibraltar Management Co. to inquirer about the asking rent... a Sushi Lounge manager told a reader that their rent was $27,000 ... So, any thoughts on what will take this space with rents at that level?

Previously on EV Grieve:
Sushi Lounge has closed (17 comments)

The T.G.I. Friday's space is for lease on Union Square

[Currently]


[The possibilities]

Sad news to report for fans of T.G.I. Friday's Sesame Jack™ Chicken Strips, Jack Daniel's® Chicken & Shrimp, and Bacon Mac & Cheese Bites ... the national chain's Union Square location is for lease... the space has been on the market for several months, apparently... the rent is currently "negotiable."

Per the listing:

Retail/Restaurant space available at 34 Union Square East. Located on the Southeast corner of 16th Street. Frontage is 140 ft wraparound. Ground and second floors can be leased seperately. Can create ground floor entrance on 16th Street and combine with the second floor. Currently TGI Friday's.

Located on the southeast corner of 16th Street in Union Square. Neighbors include, Union Square Greenmarket, Nordstrom Rack, Whole Foods, W Hotel, Barnes & Noble, Diesel, Sephora, Babies R Us

The restaurant remains open for now. And this is just the latest T.G.I. Friday's to likely close in the city. The location on Eighth Avenue — one of like 23 TGIFs in Midtown — is expected to close early next year.

The Standard East Village unveils its new sidewalk cafe

[Friday]

The plywood came down Friday to unveil the Standard East Village's new sidewalk cafe concept on Cooper Square...


[Saturday]

... and a more final look from yesterday...





...complete with Christmas trees...



The Cafe at The Standard Café Standard is expected to open today, according to Eater, who has more Standard-related restaurant news here.

We first reported on the changes here back in April 2012.

Updated 9:48 a.m.

EVG reader Robert Miner notes the pace this morning... ready for action...



The Café Standard is open 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday-Wednesday and until 4 a.m. Thursday-Saturday.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Big changes in the works for the Standard East Village lobby, outdoor space; Café on the Bowery anyone?

Dusk, 1 hour earlier

Tompkins Square Park this evening via Bobby Williams...

At the Boycott 7-Eleven Rally today

Twenty-plus people came out today to hand out flyers in support of the Boycott 7-Eleven Rally ... the group handed out more than 200 flyers on Avenue A and East 11th Street ... find more photos at the No 7-Eleven blog here... You may also sign the petition here for amendments to zoning laws to prevent a chain store infiltration of the East Village.



Photos by Shawn Chittle

Week in Grieview

[This week's lost and found]

What's coming to the former Mary Help of Christians lot (Wednesday)

Out and About with 85-year-old Jerry (Wednesday)

Longtime counterman at Stromboli Pizza killed in cycling accident (Friday)

Did Mel Gibson save St. Brigid's? (Monday)

Westside Market opening on Third Avenue (Monday)

Scenes of fall in the East Village (Tuesday)

Enjoy this video of the Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black from Halloween (Friday)

Kids on costumes on Avenue B (Thursday)

Sushi Lounge closes (Friday)

The Beagle has closed on Avenue A (Thursday)

New building for East 13th Street (Monday)

Biscuit Empire opens (Wednesday, 64 comments) and runs out of stuff (Friday)

Lets go vaping on St. Mark's! (Thursday)

Wigstock lives for a day (Wednesday)

Schnitz planned for former Something Sweet space (Wednesday)

Good news for fans of the Odessa Cafe and Bar (Wednesday)

Village Joker now Augers Well on St. Mark's (Thursday)

East 5th Street Tree Committee as badass as ever (Monday)

Burglar falls 5 floors making a getaway (Sunday)

Batmobile! (Wednesday)

New 7-Eleven christened in the East Village

[Via @jimnobu]

Over at the new 7-Eleven that opened Friday on Avenue A and East 11th Street.

As EVG reader Cartknocker said, "Not sure what it means, but we can imagine."



...and via VH McKenzie...



Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] The 7-Eleven signage is up, and someone has already spit on the front window (42 comments)

And how was your Saturday morning?

An East Village couple awoke yesterday morning to reportedly find a drunken man peeing in their bathroom sink.

To the New York Post!

It turned out the man was staying in another apartment in the building at First Avenue and East 13th Street. He was too inebriated to find the right apartment when he got home.

The couple whose apartment the man invaded called 911. But after cops showed up, they thought better of pressing charges.

The Post referred to the sink pee-er as "the drunken hipster."

[Bathroom sink file photo; not involved in actual incident]