Friday, December 9, 2016
Oh, the lights are working
The official Tompkins Square Park holiday tree lighting ceremony is Sunday afternoon at 4 ... but the lights are on now. Perhaps someone is just practicing. Or those meddling kids plugged in the lights.
Photo this afternoon by Steven
EV Grieve Etc.: de Blasio introduces new gas safety rules; Taberna 97 opens on St. Mark's Place
[On Bond headed for the Bowery]
At 24 Avenue A, Wendigo's 4th Annual Holiday Group Show is happening now through Dec. 29 (Official site)
Mayor’s introduces new gas safety rules (Curbed)
Taberna 97 now open on St. Mark's Place (B+B)
About the collaboration between the International Center for Photography and the Bowery Mission (DNAinfo)
A new editor for The Village Voice (The New York Times)
A cinematic tribute to the work of Peter Hutton (Anthology Film Archives)
That deflating feeling on First Avenue outside Saifee Hardware...
[Photos by Derek Berg]
New exhibit on Sixth Street: Contemporary works by seven first-generation Ukrainian-American artists (The Ukrainian Museum)
Public meetings in the works for new residential towers slated for along the East River (The Lo-Down)
Metrograph screening some yuletide classics, including "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg" and "Die Hard" (Official site)
Mission Cantina closes on Orchard Street (Eater)
Inside Icon Realty's 50 Clinton St. condos (Curbed)
Photos: TriBeCa in the 1990s (Flaming Pablum)
How about a $2,700 Lou Reed sweater (Dangerous Minds)
And how about some Christmas Ray... details here.
About the 3rd Annual Holiday Shopping Event tomorrow (Saturday!)
The East Village Independent Merchants Association (EVIMA) is hosting its third annual holiday shopping event ALL DAY Saturday, Dec. 10. East Villagers are encouraged to shop local and support small business owners, in exchange for special discounts, promotions and in-store treats.
EVIMA will also host a holiday party at Jimmy’s No. 43 from 4-6 PM, where shoppers can enter a special Grab Bag raffle with treats from EVIMA members. Shoppers will receive one raffle ticket for every store they shop using a special passport card they can pick up at participating stores.
Residents can also pick up their FREE copy of the recently launched EVill Card, the first east village discount card designed by merchants for residents. The card, launched in late October, is a free resource for all residents of the East Village. Card owners access special discounts and deals throughout the year from an ever-growing list of participating merchants. For more info on the EVill card, click here.
Participating merchant list:
• Anthony Aiden Opticians — Free eye exam with purchase and 15% off complete set of eye glasses all weekend
• B&H Dairy — 10% off breakfast, lunch and dinner all day
• Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks — 10% all day and have in-store carolers
• Chinese Hawaiian Kenpo Academy — $150 for 100 days of unlimited classes or $80 per month for 1 weekend class per week (6 month contract)
• East Village Vintage Collective — 15% off store-wide and some mulled cider
• Exit 9 Gift Emporium — 15% off in store to anyone who mentions the shopping event
• La Sirena Mexican Gifts — 10% off day of event
• Lucky on B — Free "holiday shot" with purchase
• New York Copy & Print — Spend $100 get 20% off
• Pageant Print Shop — 10% off in store to those who mention the promotion
• Parlor — 15% off all Aveda products & complimentary Holiday make-up tips with Christopher from 3-6pm
• Random Accessories — 15% off plus some sweet treats
• Three Seat Espresso & Barber — buy 1 coffee get one free through Dec. 11
Concern for the Sunshine Cinema
[EVG photo from last night]
There has been speculation about the long-term health of Landmark's Sunshine Cinema on East Houston Street since news broke in May 2015 that the building housing the six-screen theater was for sale. (Asking price: $35 million.)
IndieWire checks in on the theater's status ...
Though a number of media outlets have reported that the Sunshine’s lease will be up for renegotiation at the end of 2018, the existential threat facing the theater has less to do with its lease than the possibility that a new buyer will demolish the building and replace it with a towering apartment complex. Built in 1898, the property has a reported price tag of more than $35 million.
Ted Mundorff, president and CEO of Landmark Theaters, told IndieWire that turning the theater into a high rise is easier said than done. “It would take years for anyone who’s going to pay the kind of money they’re looking for to demolish [the building] and construct something,” he said. “At this point I don’t see any imminent danger of us leaving the property.”
Other thoughts...
Bill Thompson, senior vice president of theatrical sales at international arthouse distributor Cohen Media Group, said that despite the fact that the Sunshine’s building has failed to lure a buyer, the chances of the theater sticking around for long are slim. “I think everyone is expecting that the building itself is going to end up becoming a high rise,” he said.
By the way, Cohen Media Group is behind the revamp of the Quad Cinema on 13th Street. That theater, being branded as “the New York City home of classic, foreign, art-house and independent films,” is now expected to return in the spring, per IndieWire.
The Neighborhood School Holiday Fair is Sunday
The Neighborhood School's biggest fundraiser of the year is coming up on Sunday.
The fair includes food, games and the always-challenging box maze. The festivities are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the recently refurbished school, which is also celebrating its 25th anniversary, at 121 E. Third St. between Avenue A and First Avenue.
These East Village bars are participating in SantaCon tomorrow
Last night, the organizers of SantaCon released the names of the bars participating in the annual _______________, which takes place tomorrow (Saturday).
Here are the participating Santa Bars in the East Village (joining the main venues in this neighborhood — Solas and Webster Hall):
• Royale, 157 Avenue C near 10th Street
• The Central Bar, 109 E. Ninth St. near Third Avenue
• Village Pourhouse, 64 Third Ave. at 11th Street
• Finnerty's, 221 Second Ave. between 13th Street and 14th Street
• Amsterdam Billiards, 110 E 11th St. at Fourth Ave.
• The Continental, 23 Third Ave. at St. Mark's Place
• Bull McCABE'S, 29 St Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue
• Professor Thom's, 219 Second Ave. between 13th Street and 14th Street
• Coyote Ugly, 153 First Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street
• Crocodile Lounge, 325 E 14th St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue
• Phoenix Bar, 447 E 13th St. near Avenue A
• PINKS, 242 E 10th St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue
• Doc Holliday's, 141 Avenue A at Ninth Street
• 7B, 108 Avenue B at Seventh Street
• Thirsty Scholar, 155 Second Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street
• Double Down Saloon, 14 Avenue A between East Houston and Second Street
In all, there are 45 (plus) different bars in Midtown, the Flatiron District and the East Village officially participating in this ________. You can find the full list at the SantaCon website. The official SantaConning begins at 10 a.m.
(And there will likely be bars who won't be letting anyone dressed as Santa or other assorted costumes inside. So far we've only officially heard about one.)
Meanwhile yesterday, there was suspicious Santa activity on St. Mark's Place and Astor Place...
Photos by Derek Berg
Peering into the crystal ball about the future of these storefront businesses
[EVG photo from September]
The Commercial Observer explores the economics behind some dwindling storefront businesses in a piece titled "What Does the Future Hold for the City’s Tarot Card Readers and Fortune-Tellers?"
[H]ow do you make rent off of $5, $10 or even $20 readings? It’s something we think about all the time in terms of restaurants and $8 eyebrow threading and $10 manicures. But those industries have visible, steady clientele. And with rents what they are — $418 per square foot in Lower Manhattan for retail space, according to Cushman & Wakefield’s most recent retail market report, which works out to approximately 21 readings at $20 for every single square foot in a space—the economics seem daunting. (Retail rents are much higher, of course, in other parts of the city.)
“The people they meet for $20 — that’s just an opening,” James Famularo, a senior director at Eastern Consolidated, told Commercial Observer. “Once in a while, they’ll hit a nerve. Some sucker will believe it, commission the reader [industry speak for astrologists, psychics, and crystal, energy, palm and tarot readers] as a life consultant and pay hundreds or thousands of dollars per month. They’re not doing it for a palm read — they’re looking for a well.”
Still, that seemed far-fetched in terms of a business plan. Or, at least, risky. And, anyway, all psychics are not created equal.
This is not a story about who is good at their practice or who is easily seduced (or who is interested in doing a reading “for research”). This is a story about who is good at bookkeeping. Whatever the math, readers appear to be a vanishing breed, at least in terms of new storefronts and new searches for visible space.
Recent psychic closures in the East Village include storefronts on Sixth Street ... Second Street ... and Sixth Street.
Regardless, fans of the storefront psychics, tarot card readers and fortune-tellers shouldn't fret.
One broker compared them to "street hot dogs" — "Someone’s eating them. I don’t think they’re going anywhere."
By the way, don't be fooled by the "psychic" on the door at 170 E. Second St. The actual psychic closed here, but the new tenant — a graphic design studio — kept the former business logo intact...
[Photo last month by Derek Berg]
Thursday, December 8, 2016
All someone wants for Christmas...
An EVG reader spotted this on First Avenue between Sixth Street and Seventh Street... a flyer campaign noting that SantaCon, scheduled for Saturday, has been cancelled... which means, according to the sign:
• NO congregating in Santa costumes
• NO throwing up on the sides of buildings
• NO public sex acts
• NO excessive drunkenness
(What about the rest of the year?)
Anyway, SantaCon hasn't been cancelled... the list of participating bars will be released later tonight.
Tompkins Square Park holiday tree starting to look more like a holiday tree
[Photo by @davidpiz]
Workers are putting the lights on the Tompkins Square Park holiday tree ... ahead of the tree lighting this Sunday from 4-5 p.m.
(And enjoy the lights while you can — they'll likely only be up through the middle of February.)
-----
From the archives ...
[Photo by Bobby Williams]
Chain reaction: Report shows a slight decrease in national retail stores in Manhattan
[The same image and caption that we use every year]
The Center for an Urban Future has released its ninth annual State of the Chains report... so far they've just sent out the top-line results.
Per the EVG inbox:
Each of the outer boroughs experienced marked increases in the number of national retail stores in 2016, while Manhattan saw its stronghold on national chains dip slightly from previous years ...
The study shows that Dunkin Donuts remained New York City’s largest national retailer with 596 stores city-wide and widened its lead over second place retailer, Subway, which has 433 locations. Dunkin Donuts now has 163 more stores than any other retailer in the city.
Dunkin Donuts topped our list for the eighth consecutive year as the largest national retailer in New York City, with a net increase of 24 stores compared to 2015. Subway is still the second largest national retailer in the city, but it has 12 fewer locations than last year. Rounding out the top ten national retailers in New York are MetroPCS (with 326 stores), Starbucks (317), Duane Reade/Walgreens (303), T-Mobile (223), Baskin-Robbins and McDonald’s (217 each), Rite Aid (185), and CVS (153). There are 12 retailers with more than 100 stores across the city, down from 13 last year.
For the eighth consecutive year, national chain stores have expanded its presence in the city, and despite a slight decrease of locations in Manhattan, chain retailers still have almost double the number of stores in Manhattan than in any other borough. Overall, chain retail locations in New York City grew from a total of 7,154 stores in 2015 to 7,243 stores in 2016, a 1.2 percent increase.
Among the study’s other major findings:
• Starbucks has more stores in Manhattan than any other national retailer with 223 locations, while Dunkin Donuts topped the list in each of the other boroughs.
We'll update later when the Center releases the full report, which shows the number of chain stores by zip code in the city.
You can find last year's report here ... 2014 ... 2013...
East Village venues playing host again to SantaCon
SantaCon organizers took to Twitter last evening to announce "the amazing Seven Spots of Santacon 2016," which takes place this Saturday starting at 10 a.m.
And those seven spot of SantaConning include two East Village venues, Solas and Webster Hall. The full list:
• Ainsworth Park, 111 East 18th St.
• 230 Fifth Rooftop Bar, 230 5th Ave.
• Slake, 251 West 30th St.
• Madison Square Tavern
• Webster Hall, 125 East 11th St.
• Bar 13, 35 East 13th St.
• Solas, 232 East 9th St.
The SantaConning participants will be spread far and wide. As Patch reported:
In addition to these core venues, around 50 participating bars will open their doors to the Santas and offer special SantaCon deals. Those bars — along with the route's exact starting point — will be announced [tonight].
The East Village also served as SantaCon central last year.
And from the archives last year, Gothamist interviewed the organizer of SantaCon, East Village resident Jim Glaser (not named here but in a subsequent feature in the Times).
Salon Seven exiting 7th Street at the end of the month
However, longtime Salon Seven proprietor Mark D. has announced that he is leaving the space, closing on Dec. 31.
Per a message to patrons:
It has been a great privilege to have been a part of your lives for nearly 20 years at Salon Seven. Thank you for your patronage and loyalty ... I will be moving to a nearby location effective January 6, 2017. My new digs will be at the Tim Dark Hair Salon, located at 27 East 3rd Street where I will continue cutting your hair as usual...
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
Wednesday's parting shot
The holiday lights have arrived (as of Sunday) outside 7B/Vazac's/Horseshoe Bar on Seventh Street and Avenue B ... photo via Bobby Williams this evening...
Quite a set of pipes on 10th Street
Just checking in on some of the water main replacement and sewer rehab going on around parts of the neighborhood... such as here on 10th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B... EVG reader Daniel shared these photos from today...
A worker at the scene told Daniel that these pipes were from 1910 (not sure about that — but that's what he said) ...
Do you have what it takes to be a member of the Community Board? (Well?)
Want to serve and improve your #Manhattan neighborhood? Consider joining your Community Board! Apply here: https://t.co/wp89JyaZic
— Gale A. Brewer (@galeabrewer) December 5, 2016
Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer has launched the recruiting process to fill open positions on local Community Boards.
A few details via Brewer's office:
Community Board members must live, work, or have an otherwise significant interest in the neighborhoods served by the community board, and be a New York City resident. In addition, the Manhattan Borough President’s office looks for applicants with histories of involvement in their communities, expertise and skill sets that are helpful to community boards, attendance at community board meetings, and knowledge of issues impacting their community. No more than 25 percent of the members of any board may be New York City employees.
You must also be able to keep a straight face when applicants claim that they only want a liquor license to have something to pair with their desserts.
You can fill out an application online here. The application deadline is Feb. 3.
As The Lo-Down aptly noted: "One suggestion. If you’re interested in joining your local community board, it’s a really good idea so sit through a meeting (these meetings are often not for the faint of heart)." Good times! Check out CB3's December meeting rundown here.
Previously on EV Grieve:
The community board-State Liquor Authority drinking game
New location of Barnyard Cheese now open on Avenue B
Barnyard Cheese is up and running now at 168 Avenue B between 10th Street and 11th Street.
As we first reported, owner Beatriz Arremony was moving both Barnyard and her Brix Wine shop from Avenue C and Ninth Street to side-by-side storefronts on B. (Brix is expected to be open by the end of the month.)
Arremony said that the move will allow them to expand their offerings. Barnyard will now finally have a full kitchen and unveil a number of new items beyond their meats, cheeses and sandwiches.
"We will miss our corner of 9th and C and the great community that we've been part of for the last nine years but hope to continue to do the same on the B side," she told us last month.
Previously on EV Grieve:
Barnyard Cheese and Brix Wine Shop moving from Avenue C to Avenue B
Raphael Toledano tenants take to Midtown streets to speak out against their landlord and his lenders
Tenants of more than 20 buildings owned by Raphael Toledano, along with local elected officials and community organizers, went to Midtown to call out Madison Realty Capital and Signature Bank for their role in lending money to the controversial landlord.
The group, including a large number of East Village residents, first convened yesterday morning outside Madison Realty Capital headquarters, 825 Third Ave., then, accompanied by members of the Rude Mechanical Orchestra, marched to the Signature Bank headquarters, 565 Fifth Ave.
Here's part of a statement issued via the Cooper Square Committee:
In September of 2015, Madison Realty Capital, a determined private equity lender, issued Toledano a $124 mil mortgage to buy 17 buildings throughout the East Village and Chelsea area.
News coverage (The Real Deal) has documented the risky lending patterns that Madison Realty Capital maintains. The Real Deal quoted a veteran real estate investor saying that MRC’s $124 million loan to Toledano left him “over leveraged,” and that Toledano is now “pushing up rents to pay off a high mortgage.”
The mortgages Madison Realty Capital issued Toledano went as far as to require him to spend $2 mil of the loan exclusively on tenant buyouts or renovations – practices which often trigger huge rent increases. Tenants in Toledano’s buildings have faced alleged harassment and extensive building issues ever since he took ownership. Signature Bank played a role here as well, as they collateralize Madison Realty Capital in the lending they do.
And here are prepared statements from elected local officials...
State Assemblymember Deborah Glick: “Raphael Toledano has proven to be an unscrupulous and harassing landlord who takes financial risks and is often over-leveraged while seeking to make an enormous short-term profit off a group of buildings at the expense of tenant’s rights. Madison Realty Capital, and their collateralized backer, Signature Bank, show a disregard for stable communities by funding these mortgages for Toledano. We urge them to stop funding these projects which inevitably result in tenant harassment."
State Sen. Brad Hoylman: "Madison Realty needs to take responsibility for the unscrupulous, anti-tenant actions of the developers it bankrolls. Madison is greasing the skids for predatory landlords in my district who systematically harass tenants out of their homes. I’m proud to stand with the Toledano Tenants Coalition, Cooper Square Committee, and the Rude Mechanical Orchestra in calling on Madison Realty to pull the plug on Brookhill Properties."
Toledano is reportedly trying to sell a large number of his East Village properties.
Photos courtesy of the Cooper Square Committee
XyZ Pintxos y Botanas closes for now on 7th Street
The small cafe serving a variety of tapas has closed for the time being at 102 E. Seventh St. between Avenue A and First Avenue.
Per the XyZ Facebook page: "To all our friends, XyZ will be CLOSED until further notice. Thank you so much for your patronage and happy holidays!"
The interior looks in disarray at the moment. (The XyZ listing at OpenTable notes they are permanently closed.)
In any event, the food and wine here had received high marks upon opening in the early fall of 2015. Here's a post from Gothamist from October 2015:
While the food is outstanding at XyZ, cooked by Basque native chef Javier Ortega — who previously owned the TriBeca restaurant Pintxos and ran the kitchen at the natural wine bar The Ten Bells — the wine selection is truly unique and adventurous.
From Wine&Spirits:
Chef Javier Ortega and his daughter, Alaia, serve up a menu that would be at home in San Sebastian, filled with pintxos and botanas, little bites like salt cod croquetas or salty-sweet pa amb tomaca, tomato-rubbed toasts.
This has been a competitive block for cafes/wine bars. Virgola and Shervins Cafe have both closed this year.
The previous tenant here, Tink's Cafe, closed in June 2015.
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