Steiner East Village's place in the NYC condo market

[Photo from Saturday]

The New York Times checked in yesterday with a piece on the NYC condo market... while the market for $100 million mansions in high rises along 57th Street may have vanished, "sales at the other end of the new development market have been brisk."

Prominently mentioned in the article is Steiner East Village, developer Douglas Steiner's condoplex rising on Avenue A at 12th Street. Not exactly giving it away here. The 7-story, 82-unit building officially at 438 E. 12th St. features homes starting at $1.1 million... with the 4-bedroom penthouse with 1,364 square feet of terraces that's asking $11.25 million.

[W]hile prices in the building, which average $2,100 a square foot, are hardly a bargain in the East Village, which has very little new development, they can seem inviting compared with other downtown neighborhoods. [Broker Fredrik] Eklund said the building has drawn a number of buyers from the West Village and TriBeCa, some of the most expensive areas in the city, where inventory under $5 million is hard to come by.

“I think we’re setting a new high market for condos in the East Village, but compared to the rest of downtown, people understand that they’re getting a value for Manhattan,” said Douglas C. Steiner, the chairman of Steiner NYC.

Amenities in Stei Town include a 24-hour lobby concierge, 50-foot long pool, spa, gym, library, playroom, parking and, in some cases, views of a 7-Eleven.

A moment in the ongoing East Houston Reconstruction Project

As the East Houston Reconstruction project creeps along, already three years behind schedule, EVG reader EV Rob says that he was getting tired of seeing the new medians as well as the East First Street pedestrian plaza filled with weeds and trash.

"I check the weekly bulletin they issue just to see what's coming. They listed those weed-ridden plots as accomplishments," EV Rob wrote us in an email.

And he wondered why the center medians from the Bowery to Sixth Avenue are usually maintained and manicured ... yet those from FDR to First Avenue are overgrown with weeds as tall as 6 feet in a few spots...







So EV Rob sent an email last Thursday to the project's community rep... Not only did Rob receive a response that day, he also saw that on Friday a crew started cleaning up the Greenstreets pedestrian plaza outside Punjabi Deli ...



The rep offered an apology and said that the DDC would clean up the medians "then turn them over to the Parks Department for all future maintenance."

EV Rob said that was impressed that someone got back to him... and took action.

Meanwhile! There was talk that the whole project might be wrapping up this month. However, DNAinfo reports that there is now a further delay in the the already-prolonged project. Spring 2017 is the new completion date.

The DDC has been reconstructing/replacing combined sewers, trunk main, water mains, catch basins, fire hydrants, sidewalks, etc., etc., along East Houston Street, from the Bowery to the FDR Drive. This work phase started in June 2010, when the Lakers beat the Celtics to win their 16th NBA Championship and "Jonah Hex" was playing in theaters.

Happy Labor Day.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Coming soon to East Houston: Construction, hell, rodent control stations

Long-threatened East Houston reconstruction starting this month

East Houston Street construction will be a living hell for an extra year

How you can help Punjabi Grocery & Deli stay in business

Never-ending construction continues to hurt Punjabi Grocery & Deli

Taxi Relief Stand arrives on Avenue A; Punjabi Grocery & Deli relieved

Sept. 4

Photo today outside the Tile Bar on First Avenue at Seventh Street via Vinny & O...

Looks as if the lights are still attached ...



Happy Labor Day Weekend!

A moment on 2nd Avenue today

Outside Moishe's Bake Shop on Second Avenue today via Derek Berg

You likely saw this closure coming

A closure to note from this past week... the psychic who had set up a psychic reading shop on East Sixth Street between Avenue A and Avenue B has closed after just six months of psychicing.

Despite a competitive $10 psychic reading deal and loyal fanbase nearby at Josie's, the business just couldn't sustain itself.

The space, which previously housed a (short-lived) organic dry cleaners-cafe, is now for rent.

Previously on EV Grieve:
You likely had a feeling of what is opening in this storefront on East 6th Street

Openings: Guac NYC, Chi Snack Shop & Roll It Up

A few recent openings around the neighborhood...



Guac NYC is up and running at 179 Avenue B between 11th Street and 12th Street. The Mexican restaurant is run by Vincent Sgarlato, who owns and operates Eleven B and 11B Express across Avenue B.

You can find the Guac menu (featuring 11 varieties of guacamole) here.

The address was home to Mercadito until March 2015.

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[Photo by Steven]

Chi Snack Shop opened this past week at 22 St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue... the shop specializes in Asian snacks and sweets.

Mamoun's relocated from here to 30 St. Mark's Place in May.

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[Photo by Steven]

And Roll It Up ice cream has arrived at 65 E. Seventh St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue... the nautical-themed shop sells Hong Kong egg waffles and Thai ice cream rolls.

[Updated] Ess-A-Bagel's new location is now open

[Image via Facebook]

The wait is over for fans of Ess-A-Bagel ... the owners have announced via Facebook an opening date for their new store at 324-326 First Ave. at East 19th Street in Stuy Town.


Not sure about an opening time — one wasn't listed with the post. (Will add store hours when they are available.)

There have been a few delays. February was the first opening date. Co-owner David Wilpon had said that the delay in opening had to do with obtaining numerous city permits to build out their new space.

Ess-a-Bagel closed its 40-year-old shop on First Avenue at East 21st Street in March 2015 following a landlord dispute.

Updated 9/5

As several commenters noted, Ess-A-Bagel had its soft opening yesterday... and they are open today from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

I went by just after 8 and there were 16 people in line. (I did not stay....)



Previously on EV Grieve:
New 1st Avenue Ess-A-Bagel will have a TOASTER

Logan Hicks mural tagged again

The stenciled painting titled "Story of My Life" by Logan Hicks has been on the Houston/Bowery Mural Wall for less than two weeks... and the work has now been tagged twice in the last few days...

Goldman Properties, who owns the space, has been quick to clean up the tags... Will be interesting to see if this escalates to the level of Shepard Fairey hating in 2010.

The remaining unpaved portion of Cooper Square now with asphalt

Much to the delight of motorists, pedestrians, cyclists, skateboarders and exhaust systems, that last stretch of Cooper Square between Fifth Street and Fourth Street has its new asphalt ... (as well as Fourth Street between Broadway and Second Avenue)...

The crew left the equipment out in case you see any spots they missed. (The keys are hidden in a compartment in the smokebox.)



Maybe they should keep milling and paving... the rest of the Bowery could used a new roadway...



According to the Astor Place-Cooper Square Reconstruction Newsletter (PDF), workers will be putting the pavement markings on the new asphalt next week.

LinkNYC-Zoltar showdown on 2nd Avenue

The latest LinkNYC kiosk went up yesterday on Second Avenue near St. Mark's Place...near the watchful eye of Zoltar. Not so sure this will be a friendly rivalry. ("I see you over there...")

Mikey Likes It Rocks the Bells

[Photo by Greg Masters]

LL Cool J is the artist of the month on the gate at Mikey Likes It, 199 Avenue A near East 12th Street. Andre Trenier's 1980s-flavored mural coincides with the flavor of the month — Rock the Bells.

Friday's parting shot

Lovely sunset these evening... here's a shot of it via East 13th Street by EVG reader Helene Burke...

Summer 'Lover'

Crocodiles recently released "Telepathic Lover," their first single from the upcoming album Dreamless out Oct. 21 on Zoo Music.

As Brooklyn Vegan noted, the new record marks a "sonic departure for the band," who is favoring piano and synths over fuzzed-out guitars this time around.

Raclette moves from Avenue A to East 12th Street

Raclette has left its 14-seat home at 195 Avenue A at 12th Street and moved around the corner to the larger confines of 511 E. 12th St., the former Northern Spy space.



The restaurant, which serves French and Swiss Raclette, Croques and Tartine, opened to some fanfare in February 2015.

Northern Spy closed this past February after six years in business.

The Peter Cooper Block Party is tomorrow (Saturday!)

Via the EVG inbox...

Peter Cooper Block Party
Free & Open to the Public

Saturday, Sept. 3
Noon-5 pm

7 East 7th St., Outside Cooper Union's Foundation Building

Development, construction, demolition, re-development, re-construction, re-demolition, un-re-development, re-un-construction, de-un-remolition...Amidst the dust, it's hard to know: what's going on here?

- - -

About Peter Cooper Block Party 2016

The Block Party is a relatively new tradition of coming together to celebrate, reconnect, and showcase the ongoing work of the Cooper community.

The theme of this year's Peter Cooper Block Party is a provocation:

“Under Construction:"

And a question:

"What’s Going On Here?”

2016 marks the completion of a decade’s worth of private and public redevelopments — architectural, financial, and cultural — at and around Cooper and the Astor Place area. This year’s celebration bears witness to the unfolding impact of these changes.

This year's programming also takes on an additional charge:

Reflecting while in motion.

Let's! Yet! Both!

- - -

Programming

This family-friendly event will feature many alumni, student, and faculty projects, live music and performances, informational materials about the state of the Cooper Union and the re-development of Astor Place, a bouncy house and family craft table, and light refreshments.

More details here.

Last day for New York Central Art Supply

After 111 years in business, New York Central Art Supply at 62 Third Ave. closes its doors for good today.

The Wall Street Journal today talks with some of the longtime employees and patrons and offers up some of Central Art's history.

Inside the drawers of the shop’s back office, assistant manager Christopher Colvin remembers finding pre-World War II architectural drawing tools and compasses, small artifacts of the store’s long history.

Among the many treasures he has found: a pencil set so old and delicate it has begun to disintegrate. It is a token that Mr. Colvin said he bought for himself and will cherish long after he says goodbye to the staff, the store and its loyal patrons for the last time.

On July 11, the Steinberg family, who has run the art supply store for three generations, announced that they would be closing up shop. They cited "poor business conditions" and the pending sale of the building between 10th Street and 11th Street as the primary reasons behind the closure.

Back to today's Journal:

[Family member Doug] Steinberg said the four-story building is in the process of being sold, and that neither the price nor the buyer’s intentions for the property had yet been disclosed.

Doug Steinberg told us last week he did not know why the buyer was, "But I am 99 percent sure it is NOT Lightstone. They actually looked at it and passed. Whoever is buying it is — as far as we know — unrelated to the hotel mania around the corner."

Steinberg also told us (and DNAinfo) that they are trying to find a new home for what's left of their inventory and paper collection.

Icon Realty buys building that housed Surma Books & Music for 98 years on 7th Street

Surma Books & Music closed earlier this summer at 11 E. Seventh St. near Cooper Square after 98 years in business.

Third-generation owner Markian Surmach had cited a decline in business and the expense of property tax and other charges related to owning the building.

According to public records, the Surmach family sold the property to the historically controversial Icon Realty for $5.75 million. (Surmach's grandfather reportedly paid $15,000 for the building in an undisclosed year.)

And the retail space that housed the Ukrainian specialty store is now on the retail market... signs went up yesterday...



According to the listing, the asking rent is $17,000 a month. The space "can be vented" and is "perfect for: Restaurant, bar, clothing store, salon, and all general retail uses."

Schnitz has not been open lately on 1st Avenue

[Photo from Wednesday]

Several readers have noted that Schnitz has been closed all week at 177 First Ave. at 11th Street. The phone goes unanswered. There also isn't any note for patrons.

In the past, the Schnitzerz have left a note when their doors would be closed, like earlier in August...



The space has also been on the rental market. According to the listing (PDF) at RKF, the asking rent is roughly $9,100 a month. (One local restaurant owner told us that he was offered the space last month for $8,500.)

No one from Schnitz responded to our email requests for comment.

Schnitz, which serves old-fashioned schnitzel sandwiches with unconventional toppings, opened here in March 2014. This was the first permanent retail space for Schnitz after gaining a following at Smorgasburg in Williamsburg and Dumbo.

The quick-serve sandwich market got a little crowded on the block in the past year or so ... with the arrival of Fuku and Black Seed bagels. In any event, we liked their food the few times that we tried it.

The space does have a small sidewalk cafe and beer/wine license.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Smorgasburg favorites Schnitz planning restaurant at former Something Sweet on First Avenue

'Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory' plays Saturday at the Regal Union Square

On Saturday, the Regal Union Square 14 is showing "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory" as a tribute to the 1971's film's late star, Gene Wilder.

The screenings are at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Details here. ("Willy Wonka" and "Blazing Saddles" will be at the AMC Empire 25 in Times Square Saturday and Sunday.)

Wilder died Monday at the age of 83 of complications from Alzheimer's.

Updated 9:30 p.m.

"Wonka" is playing at the Metrograph down on Ludlow Street too. Details here.

Ayios Greek Rotisserie now open on St. Mark's Place

An EVG reader let us know that the Greek restaurant is now in soft-open mode (as of yesterday) at 2 St. Mark's Place near Third Avenue/Cooper Square.

We don't know anything about the operation just yet. (An EVG reader heard that one of the people behind the excellent Taverna Kyclades is running the place here. That is an unconfirmed report.) Meanwhile, Ayios is still hiring, according to this help-wanted ad.

The previous tenant at No. 2, St. Mark's Ale House, closed at the beginning of July after 21 years in business.