On St. Mark's Place, 400 years of 'There goes the neighborhood'

[South side of St. Mark's Place between 3rd Ave and 2nd Ave circa 1975]

Tomorrow afternoon (March 6), author-journalist Ada Calhoun will discuss her forthcoming book about the street she was born and raised on (uh, St. Mark's Place) at the New York Public Library.

Per the announcement:

Those who appreciate the street for its essential role in the beatnik, hippie, punk, hardcore, and hip-hop scenes of the past sixty years insist that St. Marks Place — now home to some of the priciest rental apartments in the city — is dead. But Calhoun notes that people have been saying that about this particular piece of land at least since the seventeenth century. She will argue that the street is only as dead as it ever was.

The talk is from 1:15 - 2:30 p.m. Find the building info here.

Her book for W.W. Norton & Company is titled "St. Marks Is Dead."

We spoke with Calhoun about the in-progress book last March. Seems like a good time to revisit part of that interview.

Any common themes emerging so far?

"The thing that I kept running into [were] people saying that there was this golden moment on the street when St Mark's was really itself and reached its full promise on this date and for these five years there was no better place in the entire world. It was the heart of culture — the center for music, art and poetry," she said. "People would describe passionately how it was so vibrant and they were so alive, then it died this horrible death."

For instance, Jack Kerouac biographer Joyce Johnson said that St. Mark's was all over in 1974 when someone flipped a cigarette into her son's stroller.

Another person Calhoun interviewed said that the scene died in 1974. Someone else said that all started in 1974. She also heard that the block reached its peak in 1978. Not to mention 1980. And so on.

"I'm really curious what's going on now. Basically my theory right now, based on doing this book, is that everyone was wrong. Everyone who thought it was dead was wrong," she said. "So people who think it's dead now are probably wrong too. My theory is that people coming out of karaoke bars or yogurt shops ... this is going to be some new wave of culture that we don't know about and won't even know about until it's over."

Previously on EV Grieve:
St. Mark's Place is dead! Long live St. Mark's Place!

Chalkboard commentary outside Veselka

Second Avenue and East Ninth Street…



Photos yesterday by Bobby Williams…

Please note that this apartment building is NOT the new Post Office retail outlet on East 14th Street

It is confusing, seeing as the building shares the same address with the new USPS retail outlet that opened next door at 333 E. 14th St. … and both buildings have mailboxes in the lobby…



If this helps…



Right here.



Wonder if this happened when the USPS outlet was the Duane Reade or Gristedes…

Japadog loses it letters on St. Mark's Place

Japadog, the Japanese-inspired hot dog restaurant by way of Vancouver, closed for good Friday on St. Mark's Place.

And the Japadog letters came down yesterday. We were hoping to nab the DOG. Or maybe the PA.



Previously on EV Grieve:
Breaking: Japadog is closing for good after tonight on St. Mark's Place

Now THIS is a line for free pancakes

Checking in on National Pancake Day, where IHOP is serving free short stacks (of pancakes) on IHOP Way/East 14th Street … A very healthy line around 5, made up mostly of students (high school, middle school…)



The line goes back to Kings Hairstyling … about 9 storefronts to the west … it is all very orderly …



… and an ambulance remains parked nearby… just in case.

Noted

EVG contributor Derek Berg spotted the sign along Tompkins Square Park this morning...

Facing eviction, A Gathering of Tribes looks for a donor to purchase its East 3rd Street home

Facing an April 15 eviction, supporters of A Gathering of Tribes, 285 E. Third St. between Avenues C and D, are reaching out to find someone to help save the embattled 23-year-old arts and cultural organization. The following letter from Steve Cannon, the blind poet who founded Tribes in 1991, is making the rounds on Facebook:

As you may already know, our landlord Lorraine Zhang has put 285 E. 3rd St. on the market, and has taken Steve Cannon to court for what she asserts is an unlawful use of the premises. As a result, we are now subject to a legally binding agreement to leave by April 15.

Zhang purchased the building from Cannon in 2004 for $950,000. She is currently asking $3.35 million — an amount which we believe exceeds the value of the property.

We are reaching out to you now with an urgent appeal to avert the displacement of Cannon and the dissolution of this internationally recognized arts space.

A Gathering of the Tribes was founded in 1990 here at 285 E. 3rd Street. We are a 501 C3 and have received funding support from the New York State Council of the Arts, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, Jerome Foundation, Andy Warhol Foundation, Bloomberg LP, as well as an abundance of private donors.

Our literary magazine, which is published annually, is distributed to museums, schools and libraries worldwide. Our gallery space showcases both seasoned and emerging artists from across the US, as well as Russia, India, China, Africa and beyond. We host an average of 10 exhibitions per year, in addition to the annual Charlie Parker Festival in August. Fly By Night Press, our publishing arm, publishes poetry by writers from diverse backgrounds. Tribes also sponsors and hosts music and dance performances, poetry readings, lectures, forums, open mic’s, and other happenings. We have been featured in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, literary magazines, art journals and numerous local and international publications.

Because we’ve been established for close to 25 years and have made the East Village our home, we would like to continue to operate here and offer a base of support and community for artists in our neighborhood.

This is why we need your help. Tribes is in search of a benevolent donor to purchase this property on behalf of our 501 C3. We plan on continuing and expanding our activities on the second floor as described above (gallery, poetry and performance salon, publishing magazine bi-annually, as well as 2 to 4 books per year). And we would like to convert the rest of the building to residences for poets, writers, musicians, and artists of all stripes. Our plan is to partner with foundations, schools or other institutions that can provide stipends to artists to reside here for 3-6 months, up to 1 year periods of time. We will continue offering internships through local universities to young artists, who can get involved in our programming and be mentored by the artists we house.

In order to manage such an operation, we would expand our staff to include at minimum a full-time office manager, grant writer, program coordinator, online editor and maintenance staff.

[The cost of running this building is relatively low. Fuel is approx. $10,000 per year (heat and hot water), insurance is approx. $5,000 per year, and real estate taxes are just $3620 per year. That’s a total of $18,620 annually.]

There are many possibilities for how Tribes can thrive and grow—including leasing floors to groups that could fund such artist residences. We are open to any and all kinds of creative financing. At this point what we need is to secure the building.

If you are interested in buying the building or donating to a fund to purchase the building, please get in touch. We have exhausted our legal appeals, so we either need to find someone(s) to purchase the property or get out.

This year, the HOWL! Festival will honor Steve Cannon by naming him the poet laureate of the Lower East Side. There is even now a Two Boots pizza named after A Gathering of the Tribes.

It would be a tragedy to lose our space in spite of such ongoing recognition of the services we provide as an arts incubator on the Lower East Side. We are one of last places left that nurtures young aspiring artists in all disciplines. Please help, or help pass the word. SAVE TRIBES!

Thank you for your careful consideration of this matter. If you would like further information about the property or any details of our legal situation, please do not hesitate to call.

Sincerely,

Steve Cannon
Director, A Gathering of the Tribes aka the Blind Guy

You may find contact info here.

Cannon and Tribes have been locked in a lengthy battle with Zhang now for the past three years, including various court appearances and eviction notices. For more background on the situation here, you can read this article by Colin Moynihan at the Times from March 2011 … as well as The Local in May 2012.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A Gathering of Tribes faces an uncertain future on East Third Street

[Updated] On Avenue A, Table 12 is now Au Za’atar

To be honest, we don't know exactly when the changeover occurred here on Avenue A at East 12th Street … a few alert readers pointed this out to us just yesterday … (The first Yelp review is from Sunday.)

In any event, Table 12, the former 24-hour cafe/bistro that served sandwiches, wraps, egg dishes, etc., has been turned over to Au Za'atar. Here's the restaurant's description via Facebook:

Au Za'atar is a Middle Eastern restaurant with a French twist. Our menu offers everything from Lebanon's national dish (Kibbe Kras) to classical Parisian fare with influences spreading from the Arabian Peninsula to the Mediterranean Sea.

To complement this blend of flavors we serve an extensive selection of organic wines, by the glass, and delicious craft brew beer.

For brunch our free-trade organic coffee and espresso comes from a "craft" roaster straight out of Brooklyn.

Our intimate and beautiful interior was designed and built using only recycled materials.

The hours are 8 a.m. to midnight.

Anyway, all this explains why we spotted 50 pounds of Table 12 to-go menus in the middle of East 12th Street one recent day…




Updated 2:41

A rep for the restaurant said that the Au Za’atar menus have not been finalized, and asked for us to remove the menu that we posted.

In addition, the old menus were left in the street by the carting company after they broke the garbage bag. The restaurant apparently cleaned them up after seeing what happened.

For lease: 147 E. Houston St., current home of Lucky's Famous Burgers

There's a new listing for 147 E. Houston St. According to Massey Knakal:

This retail space features highly visible frontage along the south side of East Houston Street. Located steps from the 2nd Avenue Subway Station, it is also highly accessible. Included in the space is a brand new kitchen build-out with new kitchen equipment and venting. The lease is available for review upon request.

The possession is "immediate" … the rent is listed at $10,599 a month with $240,000 key money.

Since the spring of 2011, this space here near Eldridge Street has been home to Lucky's Famous Burgers, which also has locations on 23rd and 52nd Streets. And this likely means the end of Lucky's here … we would get their food when they had the location on Avenue A next to Benny's.

HiFi launches monthly Reading Series

The HiFi Bar on Avenue A debuts a new monthly Reading Series tomorrow night at 8 with Brooklyn author Marie-Helene Bertino along with writers Michael Baptist and Julia Strayer.

Via the EVG inbox...

The HiFi Reading series brings you a selection of “undiscovered” writers, curated each month by an established author. The notion here is simple: we think great, accomplished writers have excellent taste, and we can’t wait to see whom they think we should be watching out for.

On the first Wednesday of every month, The HiFi Reading series will take place in the newly renovated back room of the The HiFi Bar. Other than the guest curator, none of the writers featured on The HiFi Reading series will have a book out…yet. These are writers at the beginning of the career, regardless of background.

Find more info about tomorrow night's readers and Series coordinators here.

Details:
Wednesday, March 5, 8 pm
FREE (1 drink minimum)
169 Avenue A

It's National Pancake Day, which means that you can stand in line for free pancakes at IHOP

Oh, today is National Pancake Day. Let's go to the EVG inbox…

Since beginning its National Pancake Day celebration in 2006, IHOP restaurants have raised $13 million to support charities in the communities in which they operate. On March 4, 2014, guests from around the country will once again celebrate National Pancake Day at IHOP restaurants and enjoy a free short stack of Buttermilk pancakes*. In return for the free pancakes, guests will be asked to consider leaving a donation for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals© or other designated local charities. Visit IHOP between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. to receive a free short stack of pancakes during the restaurant's effort to raise awareness for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.

Meanwhile, the NYPD has the barricades up for the pancake-eating masses tomorrow…



Also, an ambulance is standing by in case you eat too many short stacks.



As a bonus for reading this far… we'll flash all the way back … to National Pancake Day here in 2012....

How did you survive today's snowstorm?

[Via the EVG Twitter account]

It was pretty wicked out there, as you can see from this photo that we bravely snapped around 7 a.m. on Second Avenue… as conditions continued to deteriorate…

Still, while forecasters were off the mark by, say, 7.999999 inches, there was just enough snow for an original #sprkl on East Fifth Street between Second Avenue and Cooper Square…


[Photo by Derek Berg]

[UPDATED] 7-Eleven in talks to open store in retail space at Arabella 101 on Avenue D

The retail space at Arabella 101, the rental building that sits atop the new Lower Eastside Girls Club on Avenue D between Seventh Street and Eighth Street, remains empty.

However, word is that The Dermot Company, developer and manager of the 12-story residential building, is in discussions to bring 7-Eleven to one of the available spaces.

According to a retail listing at Newmark Grubb Knight Frank, there is 5,000 square feet available.



The listing shows that "ideal uses" include "quick-serve restaurants, discount retailers, medical, pharmacy, laundromats and salons."

We hear that the Girls Club and some members of the Avenue D community are concerned — they thought that they had a solid agreement with the Dermot Company not to bring fast-food and chain stores into the building.

Meanwhile, at East 11th Street and Avenue A, members of the community and the No 7-Eleven group continue to hold weekly "No 7-Eleven" rallies outside the store that opened last October.

Arabella 101 began leasing in July 2012.

Updated 12:10 p.m.
A representative for The Dermot Company contacted us, stating "the deal is not moving forward with 7-Eleven."

Also, according to the Dermont spokesperson, the condo documents prevent them from leasing to national fast-food chains ... (other types of chain retain are apparently OK) ... The spokesperson also acknowledged the restriction that they are not permitted to seek stores/retailers who sell alcohol for off-site consumption.

Weekend recap: Japadog has closed

As we first reported Friday, Japadog has closed on St. Mark's Place.

The Japanese-inspired hot dog restaurant by way of Vancouver opened the first U.S. outlet at 30 St. Mark's Place to great fanfare in January 2012.

And we were completely wrong about this place… predicting long lines and the end of humanity, pretty much. (We weren't alone in this feeling!) But the place never quite seemed to catch on. (Remember when they tried a breakfast service for a day or two?)

What do you think? Too much food competition on St. Mark's Place with $1 pizza, sliders, ramen, Chipotle, etc., etc.? Not to mention an already established hot-dog specialist down St. Mark's in Crif Dogs. The arrival of Papaya King back in May could not have helped…



We haven't heard an official reason for the closure. An employee told Eater yesterday that Japadog closed due to "problems with management." There hasn't been a mention of the closure on Japadog's various social media platforms.

As for what's next here… the space is fully vented for a restaurant… we spotted the listing on Craigslist back on Thursday … still, you have to figure ramen, $1 pizza, bubble tea, FroYo or vaping products as possible candidates here…

Previously on EV Grieve:
Cue the long lines: Japadog opening first New York City location on St. Mark's Place

Breaking: Japadog is closing for good after tonight on St. Mark's Place

Japadog construction starts; plus, the end of an era for 'the doorshitter'?

'Demolitions and renovations' starting today at 128 Second Avenue

[EVG file photo]

The remaining residents of 128 Second Avenue now have a gut renovation to look forward to…



[Click image to enlarge]

To date, we've heard accusations of harassment from the new landlord … as well as stories of days without heat and hot water.

Back in the fall, the ownership of 128 Second Ave. changed hands for $7.5 million… The listed buyers for the building between between St. Mark's Place and East Seventh Street are LLCs... with addresses that matched up to Stellar Management ("known as a premier owner and operator of commercial real estate") and Icon Realty Management, the hotshots who have bought up several East Village properties, such as 205 Avenue A.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Happy holidays from 128 Second Ave.

128 Second Ave. has been sold

Kung Fu Tea closes on East 10th St.; move to St. Mark's Place apparently in the works

The Kung Fu Tea location at 241 E. 10th St. at First Avenue closed for business after Friday… there is a note on the door…



While there isn't any mention of this on the sign or elsewhere … word from St. Mark's Place neighbor Jordy Trachtenberg is that Kung Fu Tea will move over to 32 St. Mark's Place … formerly the home of 8 Crown Trade, the family run T-shirt and souvenir shop at No. 28 that was ousted by a rent hike last June…



After this move occurs, you will have plenty of bubble tea choices right here… TKettle is directly next door while CoCo Fresh Juice & Tea is directly across the street.

A development at the dormant Pride and Joy space that doesn't involve a lawsuit

[Photo Saturday of an entrance on East 2nd Street]

There's a doozy of a lawsuit going on over at 24 First Ave., the former Lucky Cheng's space where the remaining Pride and Joy BBQ partners are hoping to open a restaurant.

Things are stalled at the moment as Pride and Joy is suing landlord Hayne Suthon for $22 million for allegedly lying to them about the condition of the space and trying to evict them for not paying the rent … this after the restaurant was apparently ready to open for business last May before celebrity BBQ chef Myron Mixon filed a lawsuit accusing his partners of "trademark infringement, breach of contract, and misappropriation of name and likeness."

Meanwhile, in a development that doesn't involve a lawsuit, someone needs to pay the Con Ed bill (again) …



The outstanding charges are for $1,820.71 … given the recent Con Ed rate hikes, this might just be for one week of service.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Myron Mixon's Pride & Joy BBQ now in the works for the former Lucky Cheng's space

Fire reported at incoming Pride and Joy BBQ on East Second Street

Myron Mixon lawsuit puts opening of Pride and Joy BBQ in question at former Lucky Cheng's space

More alterations for the Pride and Joy space

Report: Pride and Joy BBQ partners suing landlord Hayne Suthon for $22 million

Pride and Joy's unpaid electric bill

Bhakti Center vegetarian buffet on hiatus through March

The Bhakti Center launched the Bhakti Buffet last October at 26 First Ave.

However, the cafe is closed for the time being… per an e-newsletter item from the Bhakti Center…

Our Bhakti Buffet has been off to a great start, nourishing body and soul through the Fall and Winter. As the Spring approaches, we are looking forward to an exciting season of increased services and offerings. Our chefs and host team are working to provide you with expanded hours, developing menus, and enhanced dining experiences.

To make this happen, we will need to close our doors for a few short weeks to facilitate a few renovations and upgrades to our operations. Beginning Monday February 24th and through the month of March, the Bhakti Buffet will be closed; we will re-open the first week of April. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause any of you and we deeply hope that you can share the excitement with us as we patiently await the coming Spring and look to re-open in April.

And they are not the only folks patiently awaiting the coming Spring.

Because several people started commenting randomly about Chipotle the other night

[Via Gothamist]

A Chipotle conversation broke out in the comments section in the post about Japadog closing Friday night. So this is for you!

Chipotle is introducing its new tofu-based burrito, sofritas, in NYC locations today.

We'll let Gothamist explain what goes into this. Or these.

Watery, chalky supermarket tofu this is not. The chain sources their product from Oakland-based Hodo Soy, which crafts artisanal tofu with beans sourced from organic, sustainable farms across the country. The partnership reflects the company's commitment to natural products, as well as the desire for the best-tasting product they can find. The quality stands out, both in the tofu's slightly chewy texture and the subtle nutty flavor.

To create the sofritas, the tofu gets seared and then ground into crumbles similar to the chorizo bits you might find in a taco. The tofu is also braised with chipotle chilies, roasted poblanos and lots of spices, in a treatment similar to the ones given to other protein offerings. The resulting product has a deep, earthy flavor with bright notes of cumin and lots of heat from the peppers.

Meanwhile, in the post last week about the 139th Chipotle opening around Union Square, I said that I had never eaten at a Chipotle.

Per EVG commenter Axis of Eville: "I can't comprehend the idea that someone hasn't had Chipotle."

It's true!

But I will try this new tofu thingy. Some day.

[Updated] Reader report: Cab crashes into Optyx on Second Avenue and East 14th Street

An EVG reader sends along the above photo from a little earlier this afternoon (roughly around 4:45), noting "Multiple fire trucks, cops, etc. Fortunately it appeared that no one was injured."

And via @amybraun7 …



At this point, we don't know any other particulars… such as the cause of the accident…

Updated 6:19

Plate on cab that crashed store today at 14th/2nd has 18 violations on record, 4 for running red: https://t.co/4Z2tpKitJs h/t @alter_spaces

— newyorkist (@Newyorkist) March 2, 2014

Updated 6:23

Here's a photo by ddartley via Flickr, where you can find a few more shots…



And several people have pointed out the fact that the driver crashed into a storefront with an awning reading "eyes examined."

Updated March 3

A witness told 1010 WINS reporter Gary Baumgarten that the vehicle was driving fast when it crashed through the front window. "He was driving extremely, extremely fast," Richard Ciero said.

The impact was so loud that a nearby store owner came outside thinking that a bomb had gone off.

And an EVG reader left this comment:

It was my daughter in the back of the cab. She was on her way to the airport. She has severe whiplash. Very grateful her injuries were not worse.