The storefront closed without any warning... or note indicating a temporary closure. Several readers noted, however, that the proprietors of the deli, which sells homemade Pakistani-Punjabi food, were just freshening up the interior.
At last look in November, the former four-story residence at 253 E. Seventh St. between Avenue C and Avenue D had been reduced to a pile of bricks.
An LLC with a Grand Street address bought the building in August 2014 for $4.3 million. The new owners had plans to put up a 6-story building with six residences on the property. However, the city has yet to approve those plans.
Now this empty property is for sale. It arrived on Streeteasy yesterday. Per the listing at the E Property Group:
Subject property is currently vacant land, & ready to go development site. Perfect for a:
• Boutique condo building
• Rental building,
• Your dream custom mansion townhouse
Prime Location:
Located on one of the east village’s most beautiful & serene tree-lined historic blocks. Preserved gardens to the west & north create a grand opportunity for lot-line & rear country like views. 1.5 blocks from Tomkins sq. park & just a few doors down from the magnificent flowerbox condos.
Pre-approved plans available for a high-end 6-unit condo building, EPA, & boring sample
The asking price is $6.25 million.
And here's a rendering of sorts that accompanies the listing...
Again, despite what the listing says, these plans haven't been approved by the city...
As we noted back in the December, people were using the former Mobil station on East Houston and Avenue C as a parking lot.
No more though! As of last Thursday, workers erected a (rather flimsy TBH) fence around the property... and posted a "private property" sign...
The station closed in September 2014, and there are plans in the works for a 9 (or 10!) story retail-residential building here. However, the project appears to be in limbo. Nothing recent has happened with the application, which the DOB rejected in April 2014 for incomplete drawings, per city records. And there haven't been any demolition permits filed yet either to remove the structure left on the property.
Workers removed the plywood around the storefront at 114 Third Ave. near East 14th Street ... the incoming deli/cafe will go by Bagel Belly...
The proprietors, who also own Namu Deli & Grocery at 252 Third Ave. between 20th Street and 21st Street, were on CB3's SLA committee docket back in December for a beer-wine license. (This item was not heard during the committee meeting.)
EVG contributor Derek Berg took a look inside the space the other day to see how the renovations were going... as workers are de-Red & Gold Boil-ing the interior...
The larger space for the falafel restaurant is expected to open this spring.
Environment Furniture, which "creates timeless contemporary collections for the home that respect the planet," has been holding a going-out-of-business sale at its showroom on the Bowery between Great Jones and East Fourth Street. Now the storefront is for rent. (The listing isn't online at Ozymandius Realty.)
Meanwhile, there are plenty of other storefronts available nearby (in the few blocks between East Fourth and East Houston) on the Bowery ... such as the former Subway sandwich shop...
EVG regular William Klayer spotted this in the window at the KHL check-cashing/loan shop on First Avenue between East 10th Street and East 11th Street...
In one of our very first gazette dispatches here at EVG, we noted a new "old ale house" opening at 15 E. Seventh St. near Cooper Square.
At the time, it was not clear if founder John McSorley had appeared before CB3 or bothered collecting signatures of support or had proper permits for the big belly stove.
A few readers expressed displeasure. For example:
"I wish they'd keep their doors closed. I can hear the barkeep dropping nickels into the soup bowl from a block away."
And!
"Don't we already have enough establishments around here in which to drink ale and eat raw onions?"
And!
"Oh great, another place catering to the tanners, bricklayers and slaughter-house butchers."
And!
"I give it 6 months."
And!
"There goes the neighborhood."
Anyway, (I kid because I love), 162 years later, give or take eight years, McSorley's is celebrating today...
And as always when mentioning McSorley's and anniversaries... There are some doubters ("doubters gonna doubt!") about when McSorley's actually opened. Per New York: "Though McSorley’s claims it opened its doors in 1854, NYC historian Richard McDermott used public records to prove it really opened in 1862." Which means Lincoln never set foot in the place.
Still, Lincoln will likely make an appearance here today as in previous years...
Arrests in the Second Avenue explosion: landlord, three others charged with 2nd degree manslaughter (Thursday) Former residents talk about landlord Maria Hrynenko (Saturday)
City plans more penalties for serious construction-safety lapses; de Blasio makes announcement outside under-renovation building on East Eighth Street where undocumented worker died (Friday)
The other day I noticed that someone added a heart and sign on the corner of Second Avenue and East 7th Street, where the three buildings came down following the March 26 gas explosion.
But it's actually for the former business at 119 Second Ave. — Love Saves the Day...
...someone misses the store...
Updated 2/15
EVG reader Daniel shared these photos he took earlier in the month ... when Nicholas Figueroa's father Nixon and brother Neal placed Valentine's Day messages on the fence...
Been awhile since I may have been the only person in Tompkins Square Park. The dog run was empty (at least when I walked through at 8:30 or so...) I did eventually see a Parks employee emerge from the office (he was singing, it was kind of nice) ...
Perhaps the windchill has something to do with the lack of Parkgoers...
Also, there is one hearty Greenmarket vendor setting up (the bread guy/person) along Avenue A...
Updated noon
Several more vendors have arrived, including the folks from Stannard Farm Vegetables...
