Amato Opera looks to be getting an encore as city OKs residential use

[EVG file photo]

On the Bowery, the historic Amato Opera building has sat vacant since the company closed on May 31, 2009.

In January 2009, Anthony Amato, the company's 88-year-old founder, announced that he had sold the building that the Opera had called home since 1964. (Amato died in December 2011.)

In recent years, new landlord Steve Croman had applied to convert the theater at 319 Bowery between East First Street and East Second Street into a commercial and residential building. Now according to DOB records, the city approved the plans on Monday. Plans show three residential units above the ground-floor retail space, which is still on the market.


[Rendering for 319 Bowery via RKF]

Plans originally called for a penthouse here... though we didn't see any mention of that in the approved permits.



BoweryBoogie got a look inside the decaying Amato Opera back in June 2013. (Check out those photos here.) The building was later hit with a Stop Work Order.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Life after the Amato Opera

Costume drama on the Bowery as the Amato Opera empties out

Ruin of the Bowery nearly complete: Last season for the Amato Opera

Earlier today in the rain on 1st Avenue

At East Third Street.

Helpful message from the NYPD?

Photos via Derek Berg

1st sign of future development at 79-89 Avenue D

[Photo by Bride of 7th]

Workers were on the scene yesterday at 79-89 Avenue D taking soil samples.

As previously reported, plans call for a 12-story, mixed-use building here on the west side of Avenue D between East Seventh Street and East Sixth Street. The space is currently home to Rite Aid and two long-empty storefronts.

The Real Deal reported in May that "the existing single-story structure contains 72,300 square feet of floor area, which can be expanded to 96,400 square feet with an inclusionary housing bonus."

L&M Development Partners, one of the groups involved in the Essex Crossing development at the former Seward Park urban renewal site, acquired 79-89 Avenue D for $12.5 million.

There aren't any construction plans on file yet with the DOB.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: Space that houses Rite Aid on Avenue D hits market for $22.5 million

Report: New 12-story, mixed-use building in the works for Avenue D

Mobil lot partially boarded up on Avenue C

The Mobil station on Avenue C and East Houston abruptly closed at the beginning of the month.

And now workers have put up plywood ... around just part of the property...





... that will one day yield to a 9-story mixed-use building. Plans call for 45 residential units and 4,550 square feet of commercial space.

Until then, this former station will likely make for another fine canvas.

Previously on EV Grieve:
How much longer will the East Village have gas stations?

The Mobil on Avenue C is still going strong — for now

You have a little longer to get gas on Avenue C

Plans filed for new 9-story building at site of Mobil station on East Houston and Avenue C

State seizes Mobil station on Avenue C and Houston for nonpayment of taxes

The last gas station in the East Village has closed

You won't have to sit on a cracked Citi Bike seat too much longer

An EVG reader shared this post from the Citi Bike blog yesterday...

We’re excited to announce that over the next few months, we will be installing new seats on the entire Citi Bike fleet.

1,500 new seats have already arrived and are being installed on bikes as they come through our shop for other repairs. Soon an entire shipping container full of seats will arrive with an additional 6,000 seats. This means we’ll have plenty of seats to cover all of our bikes plus extras to spare.

So where do all the old seats go? We’ve partnered with Bikes for the World, a nonprofit dedicated to providing affordable bikes in developing countries. Rather than let used bike parts sit in a landfill, Bikes for the World rescues and recycles them to help individuals travel to work, school, and health services.

Salon V leaving East 7th Street after 10 years

The 10-year-old hair salon is on the move from 96 E. Seventh St. to 10 E. Eighth St. between Fifth Avenue and University Place...



The move Saturday then opens up a chunk of prime storefronts between Avenue A and First Avenue. Salon V's neighbor, Angelo Lambrou's custom bridal gown boutique, recently decamped to Midtown.

Thanks to Bill the Libertarian Anarchist for the info...

CB3 wants your input on 2016 budget priorities

Folks from CB3 asked me to share this… From the EVG inbox...

CB3 Public Hearing — Fiscal Year 2016 Budget Priorities
Wednesday Sept. 17 at 6:30 pm — Community Board 3 Office, 59 E. 4th St. (between Second Avenue and the Bowery)

This is an opportunity for organizations and residents to tell the Community Board their budget priorities.
• What parks need reconstruction?
• What programs need funding?

Help us assess the needs of our community.
Every year the Community Board submits a list of capital and expense budget priorities to city agencies. This hearing is your opportunity to have input into these district budget priorities. Tell us how money should be spent in Community Board 3.

Organizations, groups, and individuals representing all segments of the community are encouraged to participate.

OddFellows Ice Cream Co. now delivering to parts of Manhattan

[Image via Facebook]

From the EVG inbox yesterday...

OddFellows Ice Cream Co.'s East Village outpost is excited to announce ice cream delivery in Manhattan starting [Monday]. OddFellows' custom pints, milkshakes, and sodas will be available for purchase through the premium online meal delivery service, Caviar.

Caviar's delivery service for Manhattan is currently available for those living between 59th Street and the Financial District. Delivery hours run from 5 pm - 10 pm and include a delivery charge of $4.99 per order.

OddFellows opened back in the spring at 75 E. Fourth St. between Second Avenue and the Bowery.

A 'Late Night' moment with Iggy Pop

Dangerous Minds has a collection of (former East Village resident) Iggy Pop's appearances on "Late Night with David Letterman" from the 1980s ... like the above clip from 1988...stick around for the interview.

Another tree lost in Tompkins Square Park

As you probably know, bendy tree, the leaning elm in the middle of Tompkins Square Park, has been declared "structurally unsound" and will need to be removed.

Meanwhile, workers took down another tree today — a red oak adjacent to the Samuel S. Cox statue by the entrance at East Seventh Street and Avenue A…



We only saw the aftermath … so we didn't get to ask what was wrong with the tree…


[Image view Google Street View]

Get your new city maps!

The New York City Department of City Planning has released a revised neighborhood map updated with new neighborhoods, statistics and topographical features, according to a sentence that I just lifted straight from The Wall Street Journal today.

Head over to the Department of City Planning website to download a map for free.

Also, please note the disclaimer on the bottom of the map page:

"Neighborhood names are not officially designated. Due to space constraints, this map product does not include an exhaustive list of known neighborhood names."

Which explains why the map doesn't include such locales here as Astor Place, WeAs (West of Astor), LeLa (left of Lafayette Street), SoFaBo (South of Facebook) and Stuyversy (The merger beween Stuytown and Gramercy Park).

Thanks to Giovanni for some of those fine names.

Your chance to lease the retail space in the new Cooper Square dorm

Signs are up now for the retail space in the ground-floor of the 13-floor building that will one day house students from Marymount Manhattan College.

Let's take a look at the RKF listing here at Cooper Square and East Sixth Street…



There isn't any mention of rent… though the listing does mention the "tremendous wraparound frontage" and "strong retail adjacencies including fashion, design and restaurant tenants."

The rendering shows — ding! ding! — a bank.

Not to mention a gorilla sticker (on the rendering at the site) …



Previously on EV Grieve:
City OKs 13-floor dorm for Cooper Square

Updated: Here's what the newest East Village dorm will look like

Dig bottoms out on Cooper Square; here comes the dorm, here comes the dorm!

When it is time to discuss the 'fucking drugs' in the building

A reader shared this Urban Etiquette Sign from a building on East Third Street.

The top part is direct enough: "Get your fucking drugs out of the building. We're calling the cops."

OK!

And the handwritten part, presumably from the accused, reads:

"To the idiot/s that left this under my door let this be the last thing I receive from your dumbass/es!

At the very least leave your Name + # so I can help you get to the bottom of your accusations. Otherwise, I implore you to call the police!"

Updated 9/16 ... added this link...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Reader mailbag: What do I do about my new neighbors who smoke pot all the time? (66 comments)

Former 2nd Avenue BP station making for a fine tapestry

The BP station on Second Avenue and East First Street closed in early July.

So until whatever new development comes along here (the rumor is boutique hotel), the property is providing a fine canvas for, well, all this...









Anyway, nothing yet on file with the DOB for the address.

Previously on EV Grieve:
RUMOR: Gas station going, boutique hotel coming on Second Avenue? (31 comments)

BP station on 2nd Avenue closes this month

The 2nd Avenue BP station has closed

Here is the new entry step for Empellón al Pastor

Lots of activity at the former Sushi Lounge space, where Alex (Empellón Cocina, Empellón Taqueria) Stupak is opening Empellón al Pastor (bar meets tortilleria!) this fall here on Avenue A and St. Mark's Place.

Given that it is apparently the most anticipated restaurant opening on Avenue A and St. Mark's Place this fall, here's a progress report on the entrance. Specifically the entry step...

June!



Now!



Tomorrow, we hope to have an exclusive look at the door handle.

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] Chef Alex Stupak vying for former Sushi Lounge space on Avenue A and St. Mark's Place

As the for rent signs turn on Avenue A

Here are a few scant details about chef Alex Stupak's new venture on St. Mark's Place

CB3 OKs liquor license for Alex Stupak's new restaurant on St. Mark's Place

More about Empellón al Pastor, opening this fall on Avenue A and St. Mark's Place

Bendy-lujah

Earlier tonight, Reverend Billy And The Stop Shopping Gospel Choir stopped by Tompkins Square Park to say a prayer ("Bendy-lujah!"), offer commentary and sing for the doomed Bendy Tree, the leaning elm that an arborist hired by the Parks Department found to be "structurally unsound." It will need to be removed soon.

Photo by Bobby Williams.

Updated 9/15

Here's video of Rev. Billy and the Choir via Gammablog's Tompkins Trees site ...

Tonight's sunset

Via Bobby Williams

Week in Grieview

[Photo Wednesday morning by EVG reader Steven]

Will this long-empty lot on 1st Avenue yield to affordable housing? (Tuesday)

Slow Zone signage arrives (Monday)

Remembering 9/11 (Thursday)

Yaffa Cafe remains closed for now (Friday)

Urging the Mayor to say no to dorm conversion at PS 64 (Friday)

Korilla BBQ announces its arrival on Third Avenue (Thursday, 34 comments)

CityMD Urgent Care center coming to The Jefferson's retail space on East 14th Street (Monday)

Shampoo Avenue B making the move down the block (Wednesday)

Someone defaced the Joe Strummer mural (Friday)

Checking in on the new luxury residents coming to Eighth and D (Tuesday) and Seventh and D (Thursday)

149 First Ave. landlord told to make building 'safe immediately' (Monday)

With the help of Rosie Mendez, La Sirena gets a new lease on East Third Street (Thursday)

Is this the end of the $1 pizza war on First Avenue? (Friday)

Out and About with Satie Saurel (Wednesday)

Primary Day with Miss Kita (Tuesday)

Someone stole the bench from Hearth (Thursday)

More BigBellies for Tompkins Square Park (Tuesday)

Prayers and songs tonight for the doomed bendy tree in Tompkins Square Park

Tonight at 8:30, Reverend Billy And The Stop Shopping Gospel Choir will perform ("pray and sing") at the bendy tree in the center of Tompkins Square Park.



As noted yesterday, a professional arborist hired by the Parks Department found the leaning elm to be "structurally unsound" … and it "poses a danger to the public." The tree will likely be removed this coming week.

[Updated] West Village restaurant now selling 'Big STRAIGHT ice cream'

[Photo via @DemandaDahling]

Now available at Gallo Nero, an Italian restaurant at 95 Seventh Ave. South. … right near the West Village location of Big Gay Ice Cream…

Head to Twitter for some reaction to this.

@biggayicecream @GalloNeroNYC Vanilla with some homophobia on the side?

— Melissa Marks-Shih (@mmscooks) September 14, 2014

Big Gay Ice Cream celebrated its third anniversary in the East Village on Sept. 3.

Updated to note that the sign is at the West Village location, not the Midtown address.

Updated 9-17

Gothamist talks to the restaurant owner.

"The chef was making his own ice cream, straight ice cream right from his kitchen, like, he didn't buy the ice cream, he was making his own," Besim Kukaj said, explaining why Gallo Nero posted a sign that advertised "Big STRAIGHT Ice Cream" across the street from Big Gay Ice Cream's second location on Grove Street. "I love gay people, I have nothing against gay people."