Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Report: Comptroller Scott Stringer looking at city's decision to lift deed at the former Rivington House


[EVG file photo]

New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer is examining the de Blasio administration's decision to lift deed restrictions on the Rivington House, a move that netted the nursing home operator a $72 million profit off the property's sale to condo developers, The Wall Street Journal reports. (Subscription required.)

Per the Journal:

In early 2015, the Allure Group, a for-profit nursing care provider, purchased the building for $28 million, and months later paid the city $16.15 million to remove the restrictions that limited the building’s use, records show.

About three months after the city lifted the restrictions, Allure sold the building for $116 million to a residential developer that plans to convert it into luxury condominiums, over the objections of some community leaders.

Officials in the mayor’s office and at the Department of Citywide Administrative Services, the agency that lifted the deed restriction, had understood at the time that the property would be turned into a for-profit nursing home, Austin Finan, a spokesman for Mr. de Blasio, said Tuesday.


[The Wall Street Journal]

Here's more from The Lo-Down, who has been following this story, from back on Feb. 29.

The building is at 45 Rivington St., which overlooks Sara D. Roosevelt Park on the Lower East Side.

Previously on EV Grieve:
What next then for 45 Rivington St.?

Report: Developers buy former LES nursing facility for luxury housing

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Afternoon break in Tompkins Square Park



Photo today by Grant Shaffer

Report: M9 stop on Avenue C gets light after 7 years in the dark

The city's first solar-powered bus shelter is now in place at the southbound M9 bus stop on Avenue C and East 16th Street, DNAinfo reports.

The shelter has been dark since 2009, when a Con Ed crew disconnected lights from its power source, according to a Community Board 6 member.

Per the article:

Residents have avoided using the stop for years and, in 2013, a [Con Ed] truck fatally struck 88-year-old Stella Huang as she crossed East 16th Street, a tragedy that many blamed on the area’s poor lighting...

As for the solar lights, the city may install a similar set-up at other unlit bus shelters around NYC.

Image via Google Street View

BP station on East Houston and Lafayette closes April 14



A 7-story boutique office building is in the works for the parcel of land on East Houston and Lafayette that currently houses the always-busy BP station as well as the Irish pub Puck Fair.

Puck Fair will close for good this coming Sunday. (The goodbye party is Friday.)

Soon after, the BP station will shut down... officially on April 14...



Per the sign, BP is positioning this as a move... to the existing BP on East 23rd Street at the FDR. (The BP also closed at Second Avenue and East First Street to make way for a new development.)

While the closing date was only recently announced, the closure was a foregone conclusion. In fact, the demolition permit was filed in December 2014, per city records.

As for 300 Lafayette, once completed, the new building will encompass 80,000 square feet of "flagship retail and boutique office" ...


[Rendering by Cookfox]

So you have a few weeks left to fill up at the pumps, pick up some bagels at the BP shop...



... and take in the unobstructed view of Kendall Jenner at the Calvin Klein wall across East Houston...



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

Have you seen the glass tower in the works for Lafayette and East Houston?

Filling up: the status of 2 former East Village gas stations

Report: Boutique office building on East Houston and Lafayette at BP site a go

319 E. 6th St. is for sale; conversion to single-family residence a possibility



319 E. Sixth St., a four-story townhouse between First Avenue and Second Avenue, is new to the market.

Here is the listing via Corcoran:

The house is approximately 4762 SF and consists of 3 expansive apartments with high-end finishes. Unit 1 is duplexed on the garden level and parlor floor and includes an excavated basement on the lower level. Unit 2 and 3 are floor-through 1.5B/2B + HO apartments on the 3rd and 4th floors. Features include gated front yard that opens to contemporary designed interiors with up to 12 ft. ceiling height.



Amenities are numerous, with superb South light and views of a quiet tree-lined street and peaceful rear garden. The property is equipped with multi-zone heat and AC; radiant heat floors; white tile and marble baths; 5" Siberian white oak floors, casement style steel and glass French doors; recessed lighting; and newly restored mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems that are meticulously maintained. The building is outfitted with a video intercom security system, and is topped off with an irresistible surround-view roof-top terrace.

Certificate of Occupancy is for three-unit but can be converted to single-family residence.

Asking price: $7.95 million.

The building last changed hands for $4.35 million in September 2006, according to public records. It appears the current owner is 319 East Sixth Street, Inc., a corporate trust with a Wilmington, Del., address.

Images via Corcoran

Report: An interest in keeping the Associated on East 14th Street


[EVG file photo]

As you may have read, the Associated Supermarket on West 14th Street and Eighth Avenue faces a likely closure after the building's landlord served the market with a $168,000 monthly rent hike. Local elected officials and community members have been rallying to help save the market.

The owners of the Chelsea location also run the Associated in Stuy Town on East 14th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue. However, as previously reported, this store also faces an uncertain future.

The Town & Village Blog talked with principal owner Joseph Falzon about the situation at the East 14th Street Associated.

Falzon said that he and the other three owners are still working with Blackstone to come to an agreement for the Stuyvesant Town Associated before their lease expires for that store in 2017. No further information was available about a possible lease for the location but a representative for Blackstone confirmed that management is committed to having an affordable grocery store in that space.

Falzon also confirmed that the new owner seemed interested in keeping the store there and he and the owners had a good meeting with Blackstone at the beginning of the year.

Falzon, who, along with his partners, also operates the Avenue C Associated, had wanted confirmation of a lease renewal so that he could renovate the store.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: Associated owners not having any luck shopping for a lease renewal on East 14th Street (34 comments)

Petition drive underway to help save the Stuy Town Associated on East 14th Street

Report: New Stuy Town owner pledges to keep a grocery story on East 14th Street, but it may not be Associated

The former Contrada space remains on the market, though now with less key money



The for rent sign arrived at the former Contrada, the Mediterranean-influenced restaurant on Second Avenue at East Fourth Street, last July.

At there time, the asking asking rent was $16,000 with $200,000 key money.

Now a tipster tells us that the space has a new broker... with a new, slightly higher rent ($16,500 a month) but less in key money ($85,000), according to a new listing.

The prime corner space has seen several concepts in recent years, including Calliope and Belcourt.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Contrada has not been open lately

Monday, March 21, 2016

So long to the 1st Monday of spring...



Photo this evening via Bobby Williams

Noted



File under #BuckWild along Avenue A...

Updated 6:31 p.m.

Oh, OK... also on Avenue A...



The morning bread dump in Tompkins Square Park

People continue to leave/dump bread for the pigeons (and rats and whatever other critters) on a daily basis in Tompkins Square Park. The Do Not Feed the Pigeons signs haven't been effective.

Anyway, the bread bounty this morning was the most that we've seen in a really long time...

The 1st Avenue Ricky's is now empty



A "store closed" sign arrived on the door at Ricky's at 112 First Ave. last Wednesday. And now workers have emptied out the storefront here between East Seventh Street and East Sixth Street...



The location has also been scrubbed from the Ricky's website.



There hasn't been any acknowledgment of the closure on the Ricky's website or social media properties. We reached out to the corporate office. We'll update if/when they respond.

The location opened here in October 2011.

The accessories, cosmetics and novelties store, founded in 1989, has nearly 30 locations around NYC (and now in Miami), including one on Third Avenue between East 13th Street and East 14th Street.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Former Miracle Grill garden not-so-suddenly looks like a condo

Former Miracle Grill space on the market

One restaurant, two buildings

Miracle (Grills): A Ricky's and not an eatery opening on First Avenue

The Ricky's on 1st Avenue has apparently closed

Confessional closes on East 6th Street ahead of a relocation



Confessional, featuring a Latin-Influenced tapas menu, has closed at 308 E. Sixth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

An announcement on the Confessional Facebook page notes that they will be moving to an undisclosed "fabulous new location"...




The bar-restaurant opened in June 2014. The cocktail menu includes drinks with biblical references, such as the Last Supper (vodka, elderflower liqueur, homemade strawberry puree). And a centerpiece of the space, per Zagat: "A 60-foot art wall lets visitors jot down their thoughts and — yes — secret confessions."

Thank you to Vinny & O for the photo and tip!

Top Nails is moving next door on Avenue A



Renovations continue inside the former Sustainable NYC storefront. Several tipsters have told us that Top A Nails will be moving here from their current space next door. The husband-wife owners confirmed the move, likely happening in another month.

Meanwhile, there is a small for lease sign now on the salon's front window here between St. Mark's Place and East Ninth Street...



Per the listing, the asking rent is $6,800.

Sustainable NYC, the eco-minded general store and café, closed for good last summer after seven years in business.

Space at 249 E. Houston is for rent, and an update on the proposed 13-floor building on the block



An office and store for rent sign arrived late last week at 249 E. Houston St. between Norfolk and Suffolk.

The listing hasn't appeared online just yet at EVO Real Estate Group. (We'll update when that arrives.) There is, however, an approved work permit to renovate the basement retail space and doctor's office on the first floor.

Interesting timing on this given the recent zoning developments involving the neighboring property at 255 E. Houston St.



No. 255 previously housed the day-care center Action For Progress. They were displaced in the spring of 2010 when construction next door at 179 Suffolk St. destabilized the building.

Last summer, the property's new owner, the controversial Samy Mahfar, filed plans for a 10-story residential complex with 53 residences and 4,600 square feet for community facilities.

However, as BoweryBoogie first reported in late February, Mahfar is seeking a commercial overlay for the parcel, with 7,240 square-feet for commercial use — "most likely Use Group 6 retail and/or an eating and drinking establishment" ... while the project grew to a 13-story building with 63 units. (Under the city's voluntary inclusionary housing program, 20 percent of the residential units would be affordable.)

Take a look...



The Lo-Down laid out what the zoning change would mean here:

A zoning text amendment enacted in 2008 prohibits commercial uses in this area. Mahfar is asking the city to map a C2-5 commercial overlay in the current R8A district to allow retail and restaurant/nightlife uses on the ground floor.

The change, if enacted, would not only impact Mahfar’s development parcel but 20 lots stretching two-and-a-half blocks along East Houston St.

On March 9, Mahfar's reps appeared before CB3's Land Use, Zoning, Public & Private Housing Committee. It did not go well for Mahfar. The committee unanimously (19-0) denied the application, and the meeting turned into "basically a public crucifixion of Samy Mahfar and his predatory actions." Head to BoweryBoogie here for the meeting highlights. (Bedford + Bowery covered the meeting here.)

And here is the official CB3 advisory opinion from the meeting notes:

TITLE: To disapprove the application, C160137 ZMM ULURP Zoning Map Amendment, to map a C2-5 commercial overlay to a depth of 100' along two and one-half blocks on the south side of East Houston Street between the east side of Norfolk Street and the centerline of the block between Clinton Street and Attorney Street to facilitate the construction of a 13-story mixed use building on 255 Houston Street.

Whereas, the applicant Samy Mahfar has a well-documented history of illegal construction and construction harassment at sites including but not limited to 210 Rivington Street, 22 Spring Street, and 102 Norfolk Street; and

Whereas, the development site, was previously a community facility, an affordable city- subsidized day care center serving 350 children that had operated for over 40 years; and

Whereas, the day care center had over fifteen years remaining on its lease; and Whereas, the day care was forced to be vacated due to the open violations and the applicant's failure to address them; and

Whereas, there are still open violations on the site; and

Whereas, the community intended that this site remain a community facility during the 2008 East Village rezoning and is currently facing the loss of many community facilities throughout CB3; so

Therefore be it resolved, CB3 disapproves the C160137 ZMM ULURP Zoning Map Amendment, to map a C2-5 commercial overlay to a depth of 100' along two and one-half blocks on the south side of East Houston Street between the east side of Norfolk Street and the centerline of the block between Clinton Street and Attorney Street to facilitate the construction of a 13-story mixed use building on 255 Houston Street.

Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer will next review Mahfar's proposal.

You can read the 120-page PDF posted on the CB3 website for more on the proposed change. The document notes the commercial rezoning would allow for two other potential "development sites" nearby, including 249 E. Houston St. The new for rent sign shows that the landlord is seeking tenants that are allowed within the current zoning.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Next for 255 E. Houston St.: Community facility/school/medical building?

10-story building now in the works for 255 E. Houston St.

Sunday, March 20, 2016

Week in Grieview


[Curbside check-in on Avenue A via Derek Berg]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

Police looking for four suspects in random East 11th Street attack (Tuesday ... Saturday)

Former tattoo shop will now house the Cupcake Market on East Seventh Street (Monday)

14th and C still waiting for its Karl Fischer-designed retail-residential complex (Wednesday)

A souvenir Russian Souvenirs sign heads to Queens (Monday)

New owners of building that housed Lucky Cheng's looking to attract restaurant group (Thursday)

Trash & Vaudeville now open on East Seventh Street (Saturday)

197 E. 3rd St. is for sale (Tuesday)

For rent sign arrives at the Stage (Wednesday)

The Ricky's on First Avenue has closed (Thursday)

Out and About with Shari Albert (Wednesday)

Ess-A-Bagel will be opening one of these days (Monday)

About Lucky, a new bar opening on Avenue B (Friday)

Selling off the former Nevada Smiths (Monday)

Here's 21E12, the condoplex coming to the former Bowlmor Lanes space (Friday)

East Village to be home to a Tim Burton-themed bar (Thursday)

Vape shop casualty as East Second Street storefront arrives on rental market (Wednesday)

Puck Fair closing on March 27 (Tuesday)

Teavana closes ahead of conversion into a Starbucks on Broadway (Friday)

Full liquor license arrives for Nicoletta (Monday)

(Unauthorized) support for Donald Trump at the Starbucks on First Avenue (Thursday)

Someone tagged the Keith Haring sculpture outside 51 Astor Place (Wednesday)

Bagel belly signage arrives (Monday)

Behold the newish Wild Cherry Slurpee® donut at the 7-Eleven on Avenue A (Thursday)

Airbnb films commercial on Avenue A; announces new website for complaints (Monday)

... and a moment with EV resident Phoebe Legere, enjoying a bowl of borscht at B&H Dairy...


[Photo by Andy Reynolds]

Free large, unwieldy thing on East Sixth Street



On East Sixth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue... dunno if this refrigeration unit still works. But it's free!



Photos by Derek Berg

Finally, someone who will gladly accept your unwanted electronics



Sorry for zero notice on this... a reader just shared that this was going on today via the Lower East Side Ecology Center...

March 20, 10 am - 4 pm, Tompkins Square Park Avenue A between East Ninth Street and East 10th Street

Bring your unwanted electronics to our e-waste collection event.

We will accept working and non-working:

• Computers, monitors, printers, scanners, keyboards, mice, cables,
• TVs (all sizes),
• VCR & DVD players,
• Phones, audio/visual equipment,
• Video games
• Cell phones

Reader report: Housing for Francis

From the EVG inbox...

"Did you know Francis, the homeless guy living on 12th Street near Avenue A under the scaffolding by the school? I just saw this note he left with good news."

Saturday, March 19, 2016

A new era for Trash & Vaudeville begins today



Trash and Vaudeville opened this morning at 11:30 in their new home at 96 E. Seventh St. between Avenue A and First Avenue... EVG correspondent Steven shared these photos...



...where longtime manager Jimmy Webb will be spotted on his smoking breaks...



You can find a few interior shots of the new space on the store's Instagram account.

Rising rents and a change in the business environment on St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue were among the reasons for the move ... from 4 St. Mark's Place to East Seventh Street.

Reward posted for assault last week on East 11th Street



Just noting the posters that went up a few days ago along Fourth Avenue and East 11th Street... there's (up to) a $2,500 reward for information about an early morning assault on March 11 near 119 E. 11th St. between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue.

Police are looking for four suspects who are accused of assaulting two men. According to reports, one of the victims, 23, sustained a broken orbital bone, broken jaw and a cut to the face that required stitches.

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.

Previously.