North River looks to be going as The Nite Owl now on 1st Avenue

[Photo from last weekend]

Back on Wednesday, we noted that North River at 166 First Ave. just north of East 10th Street was closed for renovations.

There were't any other details about what was in store for the restaurant serving American-style comfort food from chef Adam Starowicz, who spent time at Momofuku Ko and Hearth. (The sign on the door simply said that changes were afoot.)

Now, however, a new sign is up for — The Nite Owl ...



There isn't any mention of the new venture, which sounds decidedly more nightlife-focused, on North River's website or social media properties.

Rosie Mendez co-sponsors proposed new city legislation cracking down on Airbnb

Local City Council member Rosie Mendez is one of two sponsors behind new legislation that would potentially empower tenants to sue their landlords for using Airbnb or other short-term stay services to rent out neighboring apartments as hotel rooms.

Here's the official release via Mendez's office yesterday:

NYC Council Members Rory Lancman and Rosie Mendez announced the introduction of legislation to crack down on tenant harassment from illegal hotel conversions. Their bill would expand the definition of harassment to include illegal conversions of residential units, and create a new civil penalty for landlords who use Airbnb and other illegal hotel companies to harass and push out tenants using illegal conversions.

"Airbnb and illegal hotels destroy the quality of life of those around them and pose a grave threat to New York's affordable housing supply. This bill lets tenants take landlords to court to win injunctions against illegal conversions and impose fines that support the city's housing enforcement efforts. We need to call out illegal hotel conversions for what they really are — tenant harassment," said NYC Council Member Rory Lancman, Chair of the Committee on Courts & Legal Services.

“I am proud to co-introduce legislation with Councilman Rory Lancman that would enable tenants to sue their landlords in housing court for renting out residential apartments, contrary to the law, as hotel units,” said NYC Council Member Rosie Mendez.

Tenant harassment complaints in Housing Court have nearly doubled since 2011, and complaints of illegal hotels in New York City have also greatly increased in recent years. In 2014, there were 1,150 illegal hotel complaints, a 62 percent increase since 2013. 883 inspections were performed in response to those 1,150 complaints and 804 violations were issued. Unsurprisingly, the growth of illegal hotel activity in New York City has matched rapid growth of online short-term rental websites like Airbnb.

There are currently over 28,000 residential units being listed for transient hotel use on Airbnb. This represents a 5,800 percent growth in units from 2009, when Airbnb first began allowing New Yorkers to list their residences online. A report published late last year by the New York State Attorney General analyzing Airbnb bookings in New York City from January 1, 2010 through June 2, 2014, found that nearly 75 percent of Airbnb’s listings were in violation of state law.

Furthermore, a new data tool – www.insideairbnb.com — launched by an independent software developer that collects all public data points from Airbnb’s website showed:

• The value of 77 percent of Airbnb listings comes from illegal rentals of entire apartments;

• Nearly 60 percent (16,000) of Airbnb listings offer the entire home/apartment (in violation of state law), and those units are available for rent an average of 247 days (68 percent of the year); and

• Nearly one-third of Airbnb listings come from hosts with multiple units, such as commercial landlords, not regular New York tenants.

Currently, the definition of what constitutes legally actionable harassment does not include illegal conversions. If passed, this new expanded definition of harassment would allow a court to impose a civil penalty against a landlord of between $1,000 and $5,000 for every unit in which the court finds a tenant who is lawfully entitled to that unit has been harassed (through the existence of an illegal conversion).

Just last week, Governor Cuomo, Attorney General Schneiderman, and Mayor de Blasio announced the launch of a joint enforcement task force, titled the Tenant Harassment Prevention Task Force, to investigate and bring enforcement actions – including criminal charges – against landlords who harass tenants. The task force will confront the rise in complaints that landlords are using a variety of tactics, including disruptive and dangerous renovation and construction projects, to force tenants into vacating rent-regulated apartments.

Under the Lancman/Mendez tenant harassment bill, illegal hotel conversions would be included in the definition of harassment, and therefore could fall under the jurisdiction of the Tenant Harassment Prevention Task Force and be subject to its investigations and enforcement actions.

Airbnb spokeperson Nick Papas told the Post: "We strongly oppose large-scale illegal hotels and we know most Airbnb hosts share only the home in which they live and use the money they earn to pay the bills."

And now Benny's to-go closes on Avenue A

[Photo by Fenton Lawless]

Benny's Burrito's closed for good after service on Nov. 29, as we first reported.

However, the small consolation was that Benny's would still offer food to go and make deliveries from a small storefront adjacent to the restaurant space here on Avenue A and East Sixth Street.

Now, though, that too comes to an end: tonight is the last night for the to-go business. (If you're thinking about ordering a last Benny's meal: They don't have everything left in stock, things like vegetables.)

Back in November, owner Mark Merker told Lisha Arino at DNAinfo that Benny's has had trouble staying afloat, as costs and rents rose while competition increased from Chipotle and other restaurants that served burritos.

Benny's first opened in the East Village in 1988.

Well...to all our customers for so many years I'd like to thank you for coming to Benny's Burritos East

— Benny's Burritos (@BennysBurritos1) February 26, 2015

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] Benny's Burritos is closing; will offer take-out only service (50 comments)

Remembering Rothstein's Hardware on the LES with free posters

[Image via Facebook]

The single-level buildings along 50-62 Clinton St. between Stanton and Rivington are ready to make way for luxury condominiums.

Rothstein's Hardware, which has been serving the Lower East Side for more than 60 years, was one of the displaced businesses. Raymond Rodriguez, the store's owner since 1981, was able to find new space at 106 Ridge St.

Upon hearing about the store having to leave its longtime home, LES resident Rachel Zaretsky, the great granddaughter of the original owner, took photos of the interior ... and made newsprint posters of the space for anyone who may like to have one.

Via email, she tells us: "They are free and I'd like to offer anyone who cares a chance to look at a place that no longer exists ... that had some significance to me and the neighborhood."

She will be outside 52 Clinton St. this afternoon from 2-5 with the posters. (There's a Craigslist ad about this here.)

Residences rising from the former Mary Help of Christians lot will now be market-rate condos

[Photo from December by Peter Brownscombe]

It's time to revisit the plans for the former Mary Help of Christians lot off of Avenue A between East 11th Street and East 12th Street.

Aside from some soil testing, the lot has been quiet since late 2013 while the plans awaited city approval.

A quick recap. Developer Douglas Steiner bought the property in 2012 for $41 million. During the summer of 2013, workers demolished the church, school and rectory.

The permits that Steiner's reps filed with the city in October 2013 called for a 7-story, 158-unit 164,720-square-foot structure with frontage on Avenue A, East 11th Street and East 12th Street. The U-shaped building would feature rentals (and a rooftop swimming pool).


[View from Avenue A]

In addition, the project would contain 22 affordable units designated as Inclusionary Housing units ... consisting of four studios, 14 one-bedroom units and four two-bedroom units.

Apparently all this has changed. Steiner's reps told Community Board 3 on Tuesday night that the residential complex will now feature — market-rate condos. Updated paperwork at the DOB now shows a total of 82 residential units (with the pool and deck on a lower level).

This size of the development was of concern to nearby residents when Steiner's team presented the plans to CB3's Land Use, Zoning, Public & Private Housing Committee in November 2013 ... made somewhat palatable with the affordable component. Not now, though. One neighbor called the switch to condos "total bullshit."

We'll have more on the new plans here as soon as additional information is available.

Previously on EV Grieve:
New residential complex at former Mary Help of Christians lot may include rooftop swimming pool

Meet your new neighbor on Avenue A

Permits filed to demolish Mary Help of Christians church, school and rectory

Preservationists call for archeological review of former cemetery at Mary Help of Christians site

The 'senseless shocking self-destruction' of Mary Help of Christians

Hummus Place will not be reopening on St. Mark's Place

[Photo from Feb. 2]

Hummus Place closed after business on Feb. 2, as we noted here. Signs on the door at 109 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue pointed to a renovation as the cause of the closure. The space has looked awfully quiet for any kind of renovation.

An EVG reader sent us the following last evening: "Called the Hummus Place on St. Mark's and my call was forwarded to the Seventh Avenue location. Man on the phone said St. Mark's was closed for good and all calls were being forwarded to his location."

Meanwhile, the East Village location has already been scrubbed off the Hummus Place website.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Hummus Place closed for renovations on St. Mark's Place

Transformation of Louis 649 to Mace continues on East 9th Street

[Renovation photo via Instagram]

Louis 649, the 14-year-old cocktail bar, closed last fall at 649 E. Ninth St. just west of Avenue C.

Louis proprietor Zach Sharaga sent out a status update this week:

Louis 649 is currently undergoing a transformation to Mace, a great new cocktail bar opening very soon. I partnered with Greg Boehm and Nico de Soto on this project and we're all very excited and hope to see you when we start shaking cocktails next month.

Last December, the owners opened a holiday-themed pop-up bar called Miracle on Ninth Street in the space.

As for Mace, their website isn't live yet. But they are on Facebook and Twitter.

Amona Deli & Grocery has closed on East Houston

Last week we heard that Amona Deli & Grocery at 250 E. Houston near Avenue B was going to be closing at the end of the month. Apparently February got even shorter — workers have cleared out the store, which now sits empty here along the Shoppes at Red Square.

A cashier told us that the deli owner was hoping to move … however, there aren't any signs up indicating a new address.

I've seen that face before

Some familiar faces on East Second Street and East First Street near First Avenue...





...courtesy of #Agni @graffaddict2014…

Headline H/T

Resident in critical condition following East 13th Street fire

MAN ALL HANDS 710 E 13 ST, MULTIPLE DWELLING FIRE ON 2ND FL, UNDER CONTROL

— FDNY (@FDNY) February 25, 2015

A 37-year-old man is in critical condition following a fire this afternoon in his apartment at 710 E. 13th St. near Avenue C. FDNY Battalion Chief John Rail said that the cause was likely electrical. (DNAinfo)

NYPD searching for knife-wielding suspect wanted for 6 store robberies, including on East 7th Street

Police officials have released the above sketch of a suspect wanted in connection with six downtown shop robberies in recent weeks.

The first robbery occurred on Jan. 21 at AuH2O Thriftique, 84 E. Seventh St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue. According to published reports, the suspect entered the shop around 5:30 p.m., and demanded the money. He fled with $240. An accomplice was standing watch outside.

The suspect, working alone, then allegedly robbed five more businesses, including on Bond Street, Elizabeth Street and Mott Street. Gothamist has a rundown of all six robberies here. According to Gothamist, police described the suspect in the sketch as being 5-8 to 6-0 tall and in his 30s. No other information about the suspect was immediately available.

Anyone with information that could help in the investigation is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). You may also submit tips online.

[Updated] More about Sugar, the missing pit bull mix with a $5k reward

You may have seen flyers up around the neighborhood for Sugar, the 6-year-old Amstaff/pit bull mix that went missing some time on Monday.

The Post has an article today on the situation ... interviewing Sugar's owner, East Village resident Morgan Bogle.

Bogle was in London on business, leaving Sugar in the care of her dog walker of three years. Then something apparently went really wrong.

Per the article:

But the man flipped out while she was away, kicking the front door of her apartment Monday while shouting and swearing, witnesses said.

“He was screaming, ‘F–k you! Let me in the f–king house now!’ ” a witness said, adding that Sugar was nowhere in sight.

“He seemed manic . . . I told him, ‘You’re acting like a lunatic.’ He was muttering stuff, but it wasn’t coherent at all,” the witness said.

A neighbor texted Bogle, and she sent a friend to the dog walker’s apartment. The pal spotted the man hiding behind a trash can outside and “acting strange,” Bogle said.

Sugar's collar and sweater were inside Bogle's apartment... but no sign of the dog. The dog walker reportedly "had no explanation" for Sugar's whereabouts.

Bogle is offering a $5,000 reward for Sugar's return. A reader who sent us the above flyer said that Sugar is spayed and microchipped. We've heard various versions of when Sugar was last seen — either Sunday or Monday ... with one reader saying that Sugar was spotted on East 26th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

Updated 6:28 p.m.

Sugar now has Twitter and Facebook pages.

PLS RT: Sugar last seen on 2.23 at 9am at 210 East 26th St. She may be wearing a navy sweater. #FindSugarNYC pic.twitter.com/1nm3kxIgvw

— FindSugarNYC (@FindSugarNYC) February 25, 2015

And WABC has a report here.

Updated 2-28

The reward is now $10,000. Find more details here.

Out and About in the East Village, Part 2

In this weekly feature, East Village-based photographer James Maher provides us with a quick snapshot of someone who lives and/or works in the East Village.



By James Maher

Name: Sheila Rothenberg
Occupation: Production Manager at Works in Progress NYC
Location: St. Mark's Place between 1st and 2nd (the photo for Part 2 is at the Tile Bar on 1st Avenue and East 7th Street)
Time: 6:30 pm on Thursday, Feb 5

Picking up with the end of Part 1

I opened my own restaurant on 2nd Avenue, between 1st and 2nd. It was called Dine East. We bought it from Sam of Sam’s Luncheonette. We didn’t know at time, but the reason he made money was because he had poker games in the back. I bought all the equipment from some cokeheads who had a restaurant in Chinatown. I was there from ’83 to ’86 and that’s where I met my husband — he was teaching at La Salle across the street.

It was so much fun and so much hard work. It was like a greasy spoon. My dad was working as my dishwasher. I’m still friends with everyone who worked with us. I really had my regulars. But in ’85, ’86 the crack stuff started happening. The heroin wasn’t so bad because they would not bother you so much. They'd ask, ‘Do you sell bottled soda? Do you have a bathroom?’ They wanted the bottle cap. I’d say, ‘No, because you want to shoot up in the bathroom.’ But crackheads were crazy, so it got a little sketchy. I didn’t know what was going to happen. I had five years left on the lease when I left. It was 28 seats. I made $100, $200 a week. I didn’t know about business so well and I gave a lot of stuff away, but it was really fun. I just realized that I couldn’t really go on with the life we were planning.

After that, I went to cook at Florent on Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District. It was a hot place. I made salads for Madonna. But there I really learned how to cook. I learned French cooking and how to make sauces.

Then I got pregnant and left. My next job was at the Telephone Bar as a cook for three years. That was great. Barbara Sibley was the general manager and Abe from the 2nd Avenue Deli was the owner and I loved him. Barbara has a lot of integrity and working for them was… like I got paid vacation. What you got at that restaurant was unheard of. She got group insurance for people. She was so flexible with time off. Working there was wonderful.

Today I am a production manager at Works in Progress NYC, a not-for-profit silk-screening company in the East Village. We provide internships for approximately 15 students annually from a growing list of New York City high schools and work readiness programs.

We are often able to provide paid summer jobs for high school students who have interned at WIP and several former interns are currently full-time staff. I like working with teenagers the best. It's fun being with kids and making shirts for people in the neighborhood and meeting great people.

Even though the neighborhood is changing, I still feel like it’s my community and I still have a lot of friends. We got very involved in the schools down here when we had children. We were founding parents of The Neighborhood School on 3rd Street. My husband was the first PTA president and I was the second. We got much more active politically because of the schools and trying to make better schools for kids.

My husband was teaching conflict resolution and I got very interested in the concept, so I did a training and learned to be a facilitator in conflict resolution. It was called Peace in the Family, which is sort of a misnomer. It was about just working with parents about active listening and good communication with your kids and bringing parents in to talk to teachers and to not be scared or intimidated. Then I went back to college since I had never finished college. I worked for Educators for Social Responsibility and then on 12th Street was an organization called the Girls’ Project and I was program manager there.

This block [St. Mark's Place between First Avenue and Second Avenue] was always pretty nice. I’m also a landlord. In 1993 we bought this building. I saw a for sale sign during the savings and loan scandal, so you couldn’t get a commercial loan and this was a commercial building. However, we got a great deal. I think the building dates back to 1840s [and belonged to] Peter Stuyvesant’s son. This was all Stuyvesant’s land.

It amazes me what these tenements are renting for. You know the Groucho Marx thing, ‘I don't care to belong to any club that will have me as a member’? I don’t want to rent to anyone who can afford to live here. We did, and the first rental we had here were these trust-fund kids and they called me to change a light bulb, and they were paying below market. I’m like, ‘That’s not the way it works. You gotta change your own light bulbs.’

I’m one of those people who came here and made good. There’s kind of this balance that people miss in terms of the gentrification. There was a time on 1st Street between 1st and 2nd where you could not walk on that block. I had a friend who lived there, a waitress at the Kiev and they said, ‘No you can’t come in.’ Shooting galleries were a real thing. They had bodyguards and they wouldn’t let you up the steps. I was like, ‘Fuck you, my friend lives up there, I’m going.’ That was the kind of person I was. It was not good for kids; it was not good for anybody.

As I heard de Blasio say on the radio [the other day], ‘When things are done without a plan, it gets screwed up.’ You’ve got to develop and you’ve got to change, but you have to have a plan. It’s greed on the part of people who own stuff but it’s also that there isn't any regulation. Everyone talks about mom and pop and small business and it is so difficult. I could never open a restaurant now.

Read Part 1 here

James Maher is a fine art and studio photographer based in the East Village. Find his website here.

[Updated] Confirmed: East Village Cheese will be moving to Avenue A later this year

We got word last month that the Duane Reade on Third Avenue at East 10th Street was going to expand into adjacent storefronts on that block, forcing out several businesses, including neighborhood favorite East Village Cheese, in the process.

We were told shortly after that the owners had secured a new storefront on Avenue A and East 13th Street — the former Kim's Laundromat & Cleaners on the southeast corner…


[Photo from Jan. 17]

In a feature at Off the Grid yesterday, East Village Cheese co-owner Lobsang Tsultrim confirmed the upcoming closure and move. Tsultrim said that his lease lasts until July 31, with a move coming after that.

Per Off the Grid:

“Rent is going up, cheese is going up,” Tsultrim said. “If I have to move, I have to spend money. I don’t know if it’s going to work.” They have to move the equipment and fixtures, he said, and the new space is smaller. The store’s practice is to buy cheese for, say, $2 per pound, then sell it for $4 per pound where other stores will mark the same product $10.

“They’ve got the money and they’re trying to take over. We’re trying to help the East Village. It’s all about the money, you know,” he said. “We’re trying to help the Village – that’s why we’re having a problem.”

Updated 2:21 p.m.

Ugh. Off the Grid spoke again today with Tsultrim, and they've amended their blog post to the following:

On Feb. 25 Tsultrim clarified that, while he had been considering taking over the former Kim’s Laundromat at 208 Avenue A at 13th Street, that space no longer seems viable and his search for an East Village location is ongoing.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Rumors: Duane Reade expansion will take over adjacent storefronts, including East Village Cheese (74 comments)

Changes afoot at North River

North River at 166 First Ave. just north of East 10th Street has been closed in recent evenings.

There isn't any mention of a closure on the restaurant's website or various social media properties.

Meanwhile, someone has removed the North River sign and menu … and painted over the gate.

And over at Open Table, the first reservations are available starting on April 16.



But apparently the place is just closed for renovations … according to the sign now on the front door…



In case you were wondering, Dead Drop is the name of the sorta hidden speakeasy in the basement.

North River's American-style comfort food, from chef Adam Starowicz, who worked at Momofuku Ko and Hearth, seemed to get positive notices (here and here, as an example), though some readers thought the prices were too steep.

Anyway, so no word yet on what these changes might be at North River, which opened on Dec. 19, 2013.

The Met Foods space is now for rent on 3rd Avenue

Earlier this month, we reported that the Met Foods on Third Avenue between East 16th Street and East 17th Street will be closing at a date to-be-determined this spring.

The for rent sign is now up at the space. We didn't spot a listing for it online just yet.

Meanwhile, the mood inside isn't so good. Said EVG reader Harry Weiner, who shared the above photo: "There is a subdued atmosphere of gloom in the store…"

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Met Foods on 3rd Avenue in Gramercy Park is closing (19 comments)

After 2 months, Matty's is closed for now on Avenue B

[Photo from last month]

Matty's took over the Idle Hands space at 25 Avenue B… opening here between East Second Street and East Third Street on Dec. 12.

Now, for the time being, the bar is closed.

There's a rent due notice now on the gate for the sum of $38,326.77 … "for rent from from January 2015 to February 2015."


[Photo via @Salim]

Matty's NYC is the sister bar to the Matty's on the Drive, a now-closed gay bar in Wilton Manors, Fla.

The Matty's NYC website is now out of commission as well. There isn't any mention of a closure on the Matty's Facebook page.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A bar called Matty's in the works for Idle Hands on Avenue B

Matty's makes it official on Avenue B

Bowery Coffee space for lease; plus The Mobile Spa for East Houston?

Bowery Coffee at 87 E. Houston just west of the Bowery closed for good after the business day back on Jan. 14. Word was that the landlord apparently refused to renew the shop's lease, per BoweryBoogie.

Anyway, a for rent sign is now up on the space. The listing via KVNY doesn't appear to be online just yet.

Meanwhile, next door to the east …



…there's a coming soon sign for The Mobile Spa, which, according to the store's website, is a "unique boutique for mobile phones, gadgets and accessories."



They currently have locations on Bleecker Street and in Nassau County.

SUVs now catching on fire outside the Con Ed plant

A scene on East 14th Street at Avenue C around 4 p.m. … outside the Con Ed plant, which likely had nothing to do with this SUV fire.

Thanks to @soaperynyc for the photo!

NYU expansion opponents will get another day in court

"Opponents of New York University's massive expansion in Greenwich Village will get a final chance to try to block the school's plan, after the state's highest court agreed on Tuesday to hear their case." (Read the story at DNAinfo here)

Updated 3:03 p.m.

The Greenwich Village Society for Historical Preservation has more about today's news here.