When the world's top collectors of Dom Pérignon rosé came to the East Village for dinner

[Photo from March 24 via @hanyakrill]

Meant to post this earlier in the week… for anyone who was curious about that 11 days of activity around the incoming Brant Foundation exhibition space on East Sixth Street between First Avenue and Avenue A.

We only heard that the space was hosting an event for Dom Pérignon.

The event was held on the evening of Thursday, March 26. (Perhaps worth noting that the fire was still raging nearby at 119-123 Second Ave.)

On Monday, The Wall Street Journal reported that it was for the world's top collectors of Dom Pérignon rosé.

Some excerpts from the article…

Nine rosé Champagne aficionados sat down for an intimate, one-of-a-kind pairing dinner … with Dom Pérignon Chef de Cave Richard Geoffroy.

Guests at the East Village event included New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony, real-estate executive Michael Fascitelli and wine-store owner Robert Schagrin.

And!

The seven-course dinner featured dishes showcasing a global range of spices, from a Thai bouillon to an elegant mole verde to a duck entree, redolent of cumin and coriander, based on a 17th-century French recipe.

The dinner was held at 421 E. Sixth St. and the space decorated for the occasion by rock star Lenny Kravitz’s Kravitz Design, which brought in sculptures, dramatic lighting and sleek furniture.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Neighbors curious about the 11 days of activity at Peter Brant's exhibition space on East 6th Street

The art of noise on East 7th Street ahead of tomorrow night's event at the Brant Foundation

Noted

You've no doubt seen the remains of the minivan on Cooper Square between East Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place… it had been parked along East Seventh Street near Second Avenue at the time of the explosion and subsequent fire last week… The NYPD towed the vehicle out of the way on Sunday evening…

And now, someone has put a for sale sign on it…



"Runs great — need little work." The number is to a landscape design company.

Photos this afternoon by Derek Berg

Updated: We heard that the cops towed it away a little earlier...

2nd Avenue update (April 2)

[M15s running again on 2nd Avenue via Derek Berg]

The latest headlines

Landlord's lawyer blames Con Ed in East Village explosion (The New York Times)

East Village building owner could be charged with manslaughter (New York Post)

Here's what investigators are looking for under East Village blast rubble (DNAinfo)

Buffalo State University to honor Nicholas Figueroa (NBC New York)

Gas leak prompts caution and unforeseen problems (WPIX)

Survivor of East Village explosion tells his story (WABC-7)

New Yorkers rush to help mom of 3 whose apartment burned down (People magazine)

We're live at #EastVillageExplosion site. It happened one week ago today . Updates all morning on @NY1 pic.twitter.com/UAhovurbhl

— Rocco Vertuccio (@NewsieRocco) April 2, 2015

Donations and Services

• The staff of Bar Virage across from the blast site have started a crowdfunding campaign for displaced restaurant workers (Give Forward)

• Speaking of Bar Virage... Via Facebook: "We are rallying at the neighborhood spot Virage – the restaurant directly across from last week's blast – to help get them back on their feet and get all our neighbors and fellow New Yorkers together for happy hour. Also included in this is an informal crawl between Via Della Pace and Van Leewan!" 6-9 p.m.

• Today from 11 to 2 pm., parishioners from the Church of the Nativity, 44 Second Ave. between East Second Street and East Third Street, will again be distributing donations to displaced residents. Details here.

• The 14th Street Y is offering displaced residents and their families six months of membership. Details here.

• Professor Thom's is hosting another fundraiser for their Second Avenue neighbors. Tonight from 6-10, a donation at the door gets you a free beer from Harpoon Brewery as well as happy hour prices until 10 p.m. All the money collected at the door will go to charity. Professor Thom's is at 219 Second Ave. between East 13th Street and East 14th Street.

... and tonight...

RIP Moises Ismael Locón Yac

[Image from Facebook via the Daily News]

The medical examiner has confirmed that the second body discovered in the rubble of 121 Second Ave. on Sunday is Moises Ismael Locón Yac.

Locón, an employee at Sushi Park, was 27. He and Nicholas Figueroa died when a gas explosion rocked the building housing Sushi Park last Thursday.

Various media accounts noted that Locón sent most of his paycheck back to his family in Guatemala, where he worked as a school teacher before moving to the United States seven years ago.

On his days off in New York, Locón liked to accompany his older brother, Alfredo, and Alfredo's two children, to city parks.

According to The New York Times:

Despite a growing fondness for his adopted city — the walls of his rented room in Queens bore a poster of the Empire State Building and a framed cover from The New Yorker — Mr. Locón had been planning to return to Guatemala this year to reunite with his girlfriend [his childhood sweetheart], according to a cousin, Pablo Yac.

"I saw that young man every day," Michael Schumacher, the co-owner of a food market near the sushi restaurant told the Daily News. "Every single day we had a chat — you know, ‘How’s business?’ The kid worked hard for his family. He’s gone. He’s gone."

An East Village couple, who did not know Locón, has established a crowdfunding campaign to raise money to help his family pay for the funeral and other expenses. You may find details here. As of this post, $810 has been raised.

The possibility that the Stage won't reopen on 2nd Avenue

[EVG photo from Monday]

As we first reported on Tuesday, the city issued a Stop Work Order at 128 Second Ave. for what they say was installation of a gas pipe and fittings without a permit.



According to DOB documents, a city inspector on Monday observed this taking place in the cellar of the Icon Realty-owned building, across Second Avenue from the site of the gas explosion that killed two men and brought down three buildings. (Officials have said that a gas pipe underneath 121 Second Ave. might have been "inappropriately accessed" by outside contractors.)

According to a report at Gothamist yesterday: "Some of [128 Second Ave.'s] tenants say they've heard they may be without gas for six to 12 months."

All this has put the Stage, housed in a storefront at 128 Second Ave., out of commission. The beloved diner was able to open for business last Friday and Saturday, but had to close on Monday without any gas for cooking.

A Stage regular spoke with owner Roman Diakun yesterday. Per the regular: "Unfortunately, he might have to close down the restaurant for good. It's going to take much longer to turn the gas on than one would think. Between plans, permits and checking every apartment ... it could take months."

There's also complaint on file with the city Tuesday claiming the following: "Customer is reporting a restaurant hooking up gas pipes. Name of restaurant is Stage."



One resident said that this was a bogus claim, which led to more finger pointing in a building that tenants say has been plagued with problems since Icon bought it in the fall of 2013.

Per Gothamist:

"Tenants have had issues from the get-go," Yonatan Tadele, a community organizer with the Cooper Square Committee, told us. He noted that since Icon took over in 2013, landlords had been taking rent-stabilized tenants to court, then terrorizing remaining tenants with lengthy renovations, frequent gas shutdowns and other quality-of-life issues.

On March 24, the tenants association at 128 Second Ave. filed an HP Action for Repairs and Services against Icon Realty in NYC Housing Court. Among other issues, the remaining residents claim that there is inconsistent heat, broken fire escapes and a lack of fire alarms in the building.

As for the landlord and the city's Stop Work Order, WNYC reported the following:

Mitch Kossoff, a lawyer representing building owner Icon Realty, said the owners were "puzzled" and not aware of any gas work being done.

Early last evening, an Icon rep sent this email to residents of 128 Second Ave., several copies of which landed in our inbox:

Please be assured that Smicon Realty is committed to providing safe and habitable housing to the tenants of New York City, and upon notification of any issues, promptly deals with them.

Unfortunately, and as a backlash of the recent and tragic circumstances that occurred across the street, Con Edison has shut off gas service to a number of buildings, our building included.

Please be assured that we are acting diligently to have the gas service restored as quickly as possible and in the interim, we are trying to make arrangements for a temporary boiler.

We are also going to provide all tenants with double burner hot plates so you can cook. We would like for all tenants who wish to relocate to a Hotel of your choice starting immediately.

For those tenants who are not otherwise in arrears, Management will cover up to $200 per day for your Hotel accommodations until the hot water has been restored building wide.

Management will not cover any expenses that exceed the $200 per diem. Please submit your Hotel receipts into our office for reimbursement.

Your reimbursement check will be processed within 30 business days of receipt.

Your rent will be adjusted accordingly for the days you are without heat and hot water.

We sincerely apologize for this inconvenience and hope to have this matter resolved in a timely manner.

Previously on EV Grieve:
City serves stop work order on Icon Realty-owned building for installing gas pipe without permit across from deadly 2nd Avenue blast zone (48 comments)

Taking the Hummus Place off St.Mark's Place

On Tuesday, workers stripped the signage off the recently shuttered Hummus Place at 109 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue. The restaurant closed for renovations in early February, never to reopen.

Perhaps the space won't be vacant for too long. There's an applicant on this month's CB3/SLA committee agenda for a new beer-wine license for the space. CB3 hasn't filed the questionnaire online with more information on the applicant just yet.

Paprika hasn't been open lately on St. Mark's Place

Meanwhile, nearly directly across from the former Hummus Place on St. Mark's Place, Paprika has remained shuttered in recent weeks (at least three).

Calls to the restaurant are forwarded to a full voice mailbox. There isn't any mention of a closure on the restaurant's website or social media properties. In fact, Paprika, which specializes in Northern Italian cuisine, had been actively posting various menu items on Instagram as late as March 7.

Anyone know what's happening with the space?

Updated: There is a listing for the space on Loop Net, per a reader... the listing was last updated a year ago. It's currently listed as "off market." The asking monthly rent is/was $8,524.

Another East Village cat reunion

As we first reported earlier this morning, the NYPD and ASCPA found Sebastian (left) and Kitty Cordelia, who had been missing inside 125 Second Ave. following last Thursday's explosion. We also heard that searchers found an unharmed Laszlo yesterday.

Now eastvillagesiren tells us that Laszlo has been reunited today with his housemate Lulu ... (and their owner Yvonne)... We don't know all the details to the reunion...



By our count, at least three cats remain missing — Sago, Ryce and Leather-Face. And at least one dog has been reported missing, a pit bull named Pepper. The Washington Square Park Blog has more info here.

Tall man allegedly steals expensive statue

A man named Kitty Rotolo, who has reportedly been in and out of jail since 1985, walked into Nadaeu Furniture on East 11th Street and University Place on Saturday.

He picked up a gold-plated statue of Tara, the Hindu goddess of universal compassion valued at $39,940, and ran out the door, the Daily News reports.

A store manager followed Rotolo, who, at 6-8, was hard to miss. Someone alerted an NYPD patrol car nearby. As the police approached, Rotolo reportedly stopped, handed Tara back to the manager and apologized.

According to the News, he remains in jail held in lieu of $100,000 bail.

Art is not of actual allegedly stolen Tara

Local elected officials holding informational session tomorrow night for displaced East Village residents

Starts at 6:30 p.m. at St Mark's Church-in-the-Bowery, Second Avenue and East 10th Street...

2nd Avenue update (April 1)

[Photo by Caroleen Stewart]

The latest headlines

East Village explosion might have followed attempt to hide gas siphoning (The New York Times)

"A number of law enforcement sources said Tuesday the investigation could take several weeks and possibly a year to learn what caused the explosion and whether criminal charges are warranted." (Newsday)

Palisades woman owns building that exploded in East Village (News 12 Westchester)

Co-worker opens up about final moments with man believed dead in blast (NY1)

Single mom of three loses rent-stabilized apartment in East Village explosion (WPIX)

Taqueria Diana, San Loco, Paul's, Bar Virage all back open (Eater)

Here is information gleaned from the most recent (dated yesterday) Inter-Agency Update:

• Search and recovery operation is transitioning into evidence gathering and collection
• FDNY members continue to spot check debris, but full sifting is concluding
• Approximately 30 firefighters remain on site
• Marshals investigation continues
• A bus lane is now open on the East side of Second Avenue

Donations and Services

• Today from noon to 4:30 pm., parishioners from the Church of the Nativity, 44 Second Ave. between East Second Street and East Third Street, will be distributing donations to displaced residents. Details in our previous post.

• From 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. today, Velselka is giving out $100 gift cards to displaced residents.

• The 14th Street Y is offering displaced residents and their families six months of membership. Details here.

• As we noted on Sunday, Theater for the New City on First Avenue is offering FREE clothing from their costume collection ("costume" street wear) to its neighbors displaced by the explosion. They have coats, jackets and other clothing. Call 212-254-1109 to make an appointment.

• Professor Thom's is hosting another fundraiser for their Second Avenue neighbors. Tomorrow night from 6-10, a donation at the door gets you a free beer from Harpoon Brewery as well as happy hour prices until 10 p.m. All the money collected at the door will go to charity. Professor Thom's is at 219 Second Ave. between East 13th Street and East 14th Street.

Missing Pets

The Washington Square Park Blog has a running list of the missing pets from the buildings. You can find that post here.

And here is the flyer that Whiskers on Second Avenue and East Ninth Street has been distributing…



The number of missing cats has been reduced, though.



Another search by the NYPD and ASCPA yesterday at 125 Second Ave. turned up Sebastian (left) and Kitty Cordelia. They have been reunited with their owner, Kathleen Blomberg. No. 125 is still under a Full Vacate Order.

We also hear that searchers found an unharmed Laszlo yesterday.

The Church of the Nativity is distributing clothes and other items to displaced residents today

Story and photos by Stacie Joy

Today from noon to 4:30 pm., parishioners from the Church of the Nativity, 44 Second Ave. between East Second Street and East Third Street, will be distributing donations to displaced residents from last week's explosion.

I stopped by last night to see what was needed and how the community could help.

There were many tables and bags loaded with towels, sheets, bedding, clothing (men’s, women’s and kid’s, even some baby stuff), toiletries, food (nonperishable), and home goods all being sorted, folded and prepared to be distributed to those residents who lost everything in the recent fire and collapse. (All leftover items will go to the Catholic Worker, as the Red Cross and GOLES are no longer accepting donations.)


[Parishioner Benjamin Rodriguez]





Parishioner and event organizer Mercedes Sanchez explained that there will be people on site today to assist in both Spanish and English, but that they could use a few more volunteers between noon and 4 p.m. (She asks that you email her here if you can lend a hand.)

One of the church’s parishioners, Mildred Guy, lost her home of more than 45 years in the blast. She was at work at The Neighborhood School at the time.

She described a tight-knit group of tenants, with only eight units in her building at 45 E. Seventh St. The residents bonded at her apartment after Superstorm Sandy when they used her landline, the last one in the building, to communicate with loved ones.



She expressed concern over how her fellow tenants are coping with the disastrous events, though she was feeling blessed that she survived, thinking about how much worse it could have been had the explosion occurred when more people were at home.

She told me about the difficulties she and others are having with filling out forms, as HPD (Housing Preservation and Development) and DHCR (Division of Housing and Community Renewal) are requiring paperwork that few people can produce after the devastating fire.

When asked what her most pressing need was, she indicated housing — long-term housing. The apartments she was shown away from the neighborhood far exceeded her previous rent, and the units were much smaller. Her family has lived in the East Village since she moved here from Puerto Rico as a child. At 62, she said she was too young to qualify for senior assistance (SCREE), which becomes available at age 65.

She is currently staying in a hotel provided to her by the Red Cross, and explained that her son, his wife, and their baby only recently moved out of the apartment to start a new job in Albany.

While still processing her own grief, she spoke about gratitude, condolences, and how she is trying to remain busy and active so she doesn’t have to think too much about all that’s lost.

Mildred's son, Branden, established a GoFundMe page to help her with expenses.

25 Avenue B is on the market

The for sale sign went up last week at 25 Avenue B between East Second Street and East Third Street.

Tower Brokerage has the listing, which shows an asking price of $299,000 for the bi-level space. The monthly rent is listed as $16,882.63.

The previous bar here, Matty's, closed after just two months. In the past few years, the space was home to Idle Hands and Station B and Billy Hurricane's.

Sign of Spice on 1st Avenue

The Spice sign is up now at 71 First Ave. between East Fourth Street and East Fifth Street.

According to the note on the door, the Thai chainlet will open its branch here tomorrow.

In case you missed our post from March 21 … Pukk, the 11-year-old vegetarian/vegan Thai favorite, closed for good here after service on March 22. (Pukk and Spice share the same ownership.)

And as previously noted, the Spice on Second Avenue at East Sixth Street is on the rental market. Perhaps First Avenue will one day be the lone Spice in the East Village.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Pukk is closing for good after tomorrow night

Elvis Guesthouse officially ready for occupancy tonight

Elvis Guesthouse, the subterranean space at 85 Avenue A between East Fifth Street and East Sixth Street, has been in soft-open mode since February.

Now co-owner Zachary Mexico, who also runs Baby's All Right in Williamsburg, passes along word that the bar officially opens tonight.

The bar will have a rotating group of DJs, including Chances With Wolves. There will also be an occasional live act as well. (Punk duo Girlpool played back in February.)

Gothamist had a preview here.

Mexico and Billy Jones previously ran the Arrow Bar here, which closed in January.

Image by Clay Williams/Gothamist

Previously on EV Grieve:
Comeback special: Arrow Bar owners opening Elvis Guesthouse on Avenue A

A list of online fundraisers to help residents rebuild their lives

[Photo this morning by Vinny and O]

There are a number of online fundraisers underway for residents who lost their homes in the explosion and subsequent fire at 121 Second Ave.

We received some of those links... however, DNAinfo has the most comprehensive list that we've seen to date. You can find that information here.

2nd Avenue update (March 31)

[Photo by Phillip Giambri via Facebook]

The latest headlines

Manhattan District Attorney investigating fatal East Village gas explosion: officials (The Wall Street Journal)

3 injured in East Village explosion are released from hospital (The New York Times)

Vigil held at site of East Village explosion (WABC-7)

East Village blast victims’ date meets his parents (New York Post)

How you can help Mariann Marlowe rebuild Enz’s (BoweryBoogie)

Here is information gleaned from the most recent Inter-Agency Update:

• Vacate orders remain for 48 residential units in the following buildings: 125 2nd Avenue, and 41 East 7th Street
• Repair work has begun on 41 East 7th Street
• Vacate orders have been lifted for buildings on the East side of 2nd Avenue
• Bellevue Hospital is still treating one patient
• Approximately 3,000 cubic yards of debris searched and removed as of 10 a.m. yesterday
-Estimated to be half of the debris on site
-This represents 46 trailer loads of debris removed
-Each cubic yard weighs approximately one ton

Donations and Services

• From 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. tomorrow, Velselka is giving out $100 gift cards to displaced neighbors.

… and from Trash and Vaudeville ...

pic.twitter.com/myfIXnTtWc

— Trash and Vaudeville (@trashvaudeville) March 30, 2015

Missing Pets

City serves stop work order on Icon Realty-owned building for installing gas pipe without permit across from deadly 2nd Avenue blast zone

Yesterday afternoon, the city inspected the Icon Realty-owned 128 Second Ave. across the street from the three buildings that were leveled in a gas explosion last Thursday that killed two people and left more than 20 others injured.

According to the violation notice, a city inspector observed a worker in the cellar installing a new gas pipe and new gas elbows and valve without a permit.



The city immediately served a full stop work order.



Per the sign on the door, the remedy is either obtaining a permit or restoring to "prior legal condition."

128 Second Ave. is also home to the Stage. The diner was closed yesterday. A reader spotted Stage owner Roman Diakun, who said they didn't have gas service. It's unclear when the Stage will be able to open again for business.

Last Wedensday, the tenants association at 128 Second Ave. filed an HP Action for Repairs and Services against Icon Realty in NYC Housing Court. Among other issues, the remaining residents claim that there is inconsistent heat, broken fire escapes and a lack of fire alarms in the building.

Icon bought the building in the fall of 2013.

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

128 Second Ave. has been sold

'Demolitions and renovations' starting today at 128 Second Avenue

Spotted Owl Tavern opens today in the former Destination space on Avenue A

John Cutillo, the owner of Local 138 and Iggy's Keltic Lounge on Ludlow Street as well as the Grand Victory in Williamsburg, opens his latest venture today.

Look for the Spotted Owl Tavern on the northwest corner of Avenue A and 13th Street ... in the former Destination space. We're told that the vibe will be old-school neighborhood bar.

And there is food. The owner-chef of Black Tree over on Orchard Street helped create the pub-style menu.



The Spotted Own Tavern opens daily at 3.

Destination Bar opened in the summer of 2009 … and closed this past Feb. 1.

Marshal chronicles

The storefronts at 44 E. First St. are now empty.

For starters, the plant store/boutique Green Fingers moved to Rivington Street several weeks ago...



Then late last week, the Marshal paid a visit to the former Wash House space next door…



However, the hyped laundro-bar had already closed last fall after just six-plus months in business.

Meanwhile, at 45 First Ave. near East Third Street …



The Marshal took possession of the Shin Modern Nail shop…



Next door, Puebla Mexican Food at 47 First Ave. recently lost its lease…. owner Irma Marin hopes to reopen in the Essex Street Market.