Alibaba Smoke Shop coming to 14th Street

Alibaba Smoke Shop will soon be selling items such as cigars, beer and e-juice here on 14th Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue...



In the past four years, the address (No. 328) has been home to Vegtown Juice, Chubby Mary's and Led Zeppole.

Thanks to EVG regular Pinch for the tip!

Sunday's parting shot

The FDNY was recruiting on St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue today... photo by Derek Berg

[Updated] Someone tagged the cube on Astor Place

This happened sometime Saturday night or Sunday morning.

Someone also tagged the structure that will house Astor Plate...



The reaction...

Mindless graffiti of the Alamo Sculpture is unacceptable!! We'll be erasing/repainting shortly. Please contact with ANY info and RT. Thx!! pic.twitter.com/yhk0Apmcvh

— Astor Place NYC (@AstorPlaceNYC) February 26, 2017

The refurbished Alamo was officially unveiled on Nov. 16 after nearly two years away during the Astor Place-Cooper Square reconstruction.

Updated 5:30 p.m.

S/O to the Village Alliance Clean Team for their hard work in getting the "Cube" cleaned up today after senseless vandalism. Thanks Guys! pic.twitter.com/MINlgIMxWW

— Astor Place NYC (@AstorPlaceNYC) February 27, 2017

Brix Wine Shop now open on Avenue B

Brix Wine Shop opened this weekend at 168 Avenue B between 10th Street and 11th Street.

The shop joins sister business and next-door neighbor Barnyard Cheese, which opened here in early December.

As we first reported back in November, owner Beatriz Arremony was moving Barnyard and Brix from Avenue C and Ninth Street to side-by-side storefronts on B.

Arremony told us that the move will allow them to expand their offerings.

"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 said in November.

Week in Grieview

[Photo Friday in Tompkins Square Park by Derek Berg]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

Ost Cafe is closing on A and 12th (Wednesday)

Love Shine is closing shop on 6th Street and moving online (Tuesday)

Behold Civic Hall, the high-tech future of Union Square — and NYC (Monday)

Mob scene on 10th Street as 'Gotti' crew and John Travolta hold forth (Wednesday)

Community meeting set to discuss lowering the playground fences in Tompkins Square Park (Friday)

Gutting the former M2M on 3rd Avenue (Tuesday)

Out and About with Delphine Blue (Wednesday)

6th Street synagogue ready to hold first services since condofication (Friday)

VeryThai coming to Avenue B (Tuesday)

Foreclosure notice arrives on Raphael Toledano-owned building on 12th Street (Tuesday)

The Immigrant adds cocktails to its menu on 9th Street (Monday)

Full views of the zinc-clad 347 Bowery (Tuesday)

1st sign of Sister Jane East Side Tavern on 13th Street (Friday)

The campaign to save the TV series 'Uncle Buck' is underway on Avenue C (Thursday)

Chi Ken, the Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken Store, coming to St. Mark's Place (Wednesday)

Former Dahlia's Tapas Wine Bar space for lease on 9th Street (Tuesday)

14th St. Lotto & Magazine has closed (Friday)

Ikinari, the no-seat Japanese steakhouse, opens (Thursday)

Speaking of Ikinari, local musician-artist-folk hero Paul Kostabi presented the management there with a sprkl bib...


[Photo by Panda Cat]

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Report: Man found dead of suspected overdose at the Ludlow House

A 31-year-old man was found dead Friday night of a suspected drug overdose inside the members-only Ludlow House, according to published reports.

The Post reported that the man, whose identity has not been revealed, was found with a needle in his hand in a third-floor bathroom at the club, an off-shoot of the Soho House.

The Ludlow House opened last year on Ludlow Street between Stanton and Rivington.

According to the Ludlow House website: "The majority of our members work in traditional creative industries, with the film, fashion, advertising, music, art and media sectors, among others, heavily represented." Membership costs $1,050 annually for access to Ludlow House, and up to $3,200 for access to all the Soho Houses, the Post noted.

Reps for the Ludlow House have yet to comment on the incident, per Gothamist.

Today in photos of a squirrel eating a Toaster Strudel in Tompkins Square Park

Photo by Bobby Williams...

Report: City official who OK'd Rivington House deed lift fired

Ricardo Morales, a deputy commissioner at the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS), who approved lifting deed restrictions at the Rivington House on the LES, was fired last night, The Wall Street Journal reported this afternoon. (Subscription required.)

The dismissal came hours after Mayor de Blasio was interviewed by the feds at the office of Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara.

As the Journal noted: "Mr. Bharara’s office has been examining the Rivington deal as part of a broader investigation into whether Mr. de Blasio’s administration gave special favors to donors."

A DCAS spokesperson said, "These changes have been in the works for some time and have nothing to do with the mayor’s or City Hall’s cooperation with the U.S. Attorney."

In February 2015, the Allure Group paid $28 million for the property, promising that 45 Rivington — the former Rivington Center for Nursing & Rehabilitation — would remain a health facility. In November 2015, a city agency lifted the the deed in exchange for the Allure Group's $16 million payment to the city. Early in 2016, Allure then reportedly sold the property for $116 million to the the Slate Property Group, a condo developer who plans to create 100 luxury residences in the building that overlooks Sara S. Roosevelt Park.

Previously

East Village pigeon life

Via Grant Shaffer

EV Grieve Etc.: Carlina Rivera's run for City Council; Jake Dell's plans for Katz's

[Photo yesterday in Tompkins Square Park by Derek Berg]

A feature on Carlina Rivera, former legislative director for Councilmember Rosie Mendez, who is running to fill the seat in District 2 that Mendez will vacate this year due to term limits (Town & Village)

Opinion: The Mayor must avoid past mistakes with the former P.S. 64 (The Lo-Down ... previously)

Looking at de Blasio's “Vision Zero Year Three Report” (Streetsblog)

A Veselka then and now (Off the Grid)

Protest outside the Stonewall Inn over President Trump's rollback of transgender protections (ABC-7)

Katz's owner Jake Dell, 29, keeps traditions alive while expanding the brand (Crain's)

Trapizzino, purveyors of meat-and-sauce-stuffed bread pockets, now open on Orchard (Gothamist)

NYC dive bar listicle includes Milano's, Sophie's, Coal Yard and Blue & Gold (Eater)

This series on Canadian “tax shelter” movies includes "Atlantic City," "Heavy Metal" and "The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane." (Anthology Film Archives)

Arthur Russell exhibit set for BAM from March 1 – May 14 (Brooklyn Vegan)

Stick collecting in Tompkins Square Park (Laura Goggin Photography)

Some EV streetscapes seen in this 1984 video for Japanese rock band Go Ohgami (Flaming Pablum)

About Iggy Pop's leopard head jacket from the back cover of Raw Power (Dangerous Minds)

Beth B’s "Voyeur" now through March 16 at Howl! Happening on 1st Street (Official website)

Condos designed by Lenny Kravitz on Kenmare Street are on the market (Curbed)

The rooftop wooden water tanks of NYC (Ephemeral New York)

Enjoy this warm weather now (The Atlantic)

... and vintage boutique Dusty Buttons, 324 E. Ninth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue, is closing at the end of the month...

Last weekend at Dusty Buttons! Come find a treasure to remember us by! Lots of great deals! #deals#vintage #antiques #eastvillage

A post shared by Dusty Buttons Vintage & New (@dustybuttons) on Feb 23, 2017 at 7:28pm PST

When it was foggy early this morning

If you woke up today after, say, 9 a.m., then you missed the foggy wonderland that was NYC. It was almost like the set of "The Hound of the Baskervilles," except without the phantom pack of hounds baying across the moor.

Noting

[Photo from this evening]

Several readers have asked if we knew when the lights were turned off on the Tompkins Square Park holiday tree. It has been at least a week since we've seen it lit up...

Three weeks ago, EVG reader Jose Garcia made an appeal to light the lights on year-round.

Sign of the Kross

Redd Kross is back... brothers Jeff and Steve McDonald are embarking on a tour, which includes a stop at the Bowery Ballroom on May 4.

The above video is for 1990's "Annie's Gone."

Noted

Possibly suspicious golf activity on Avenue A this morning... photo via ‏@Jason_Chatfield

Community meeting set to discuss lowering the playground fences in Tompkins Square Park

Via the EVG inbox...

On Monday, Feb. 27, NYC Councilwoman Rosie Mendez and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation will hold a community meeting pertaining to the Tompkins Square Park Avenue B Children’s Playground Renovation.

Councilwoman Mendez allocated capital funds to renovate the Avenue B Children’s Playground. The Parks Department has supplemented the funding with its “Parks Without Borders” Initiative that would lower the fences from its present height of 7 feet to 4 feet.

This initiative to lowers the fences at the Avenue B Playground has raised many concerns from residents and NYC Councilwoman Mendez. Please join us at the meeting to share your concerns for the initiative.

The meeting takes place Monday night from 6:30-8 at Saint Brigid-Saint Emeric on Avenue B at Eighth Street. Use the entrance on Eighth Street.

For a little more background, here's a piece from DNAinfo earlier this month:

The Parks Department currently plans to lower the fences around the two playgrounds at the southeast corner of the park from seven feet to four feet as part of a larger reconstruction project, claiming the high fences could obscure bad behavior and actually make the playgrounds less safe.

But community representatives say lowering the fences would expose children using the playgrounds to "vagrants" and drug paraphernalia in the park.

Capt. Vincent Greany, commanding officer at the 9th Precinct, also told DNAinfo that he believes the fences should not be lowered.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Your chance to brainstorm ideas to renovate the Tompkins Square Park Playground (27 comments)

Reminders: Meeting on possible improvements to the Tompkins Square Park Playground

Join Rosie Mendez to discuss improvements to the Tompkins Square playgrounds tomorrow night

Report: 6th Street synagogue ready to hold first services since condofication

After nearly four-plus years, services will resume on March 1 at the condofied Adas Yisroel Anshe Mezritch Synagogue (or Congregation Mezritch Synagogue) at 415 E. Sixth St. between Avenue A and First Avenue, DNAinfo reports.

Today at noon, the synagogue will celebrate its reopening by unveiling its new interior.

EVG regular Michael Hirsch got a look at the under-construction space back in November...



The synagogue — active here since 1910 — had reportedly fallen on hard times, "with a dwindling membership and few resources to maintain the building," as The New York Times noted. Previous plans called for the demolition of the building. Those plans never materialized, and a new developer, East River Partners, emerged and proposed the current arrangement calling for several luxury residences.

As part of the current agreement, the developers are providing at least $20,000 annually to the congregation for the next 198 years ... East River also gave the synagogue a $180,000 "fit-out allowance" to design and rebuild the sanctuary and other spaces, like offices or meeting rooms in the basement.

Per DNAinfo:

Rabbi Paul Ackerman, who served as the head of the congregation for more than four decades, didn't live to see the synagogue's second life — he died months after the deal was made, leaving the century-old structure in the hands of the synagogue board.

The deceased rabbi's son, Sandy Ackerman, now serves as vice president and secretary of that board, and says the historic structure’s restoration would have made his father proud.

“I’m happy for my dad — my father would have loved this,” said Sandy Ackerman.

Per the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, "Congregation Mezritch Synagogue appears to be the sole remaining operating tenement synagogue in the East Village, and thus is an important link to what was once perhaps the most significant Jewish community in America."

The three luxury residences here range in price from $2.95 million (second floor) to $4.4 million for the duplex penthouse, which has two private terraces. You can visit the official 415 site here for more details.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Plan to add condos to historic East Sixth Street synagogue back on

Play spot the potential penthouse atop the East Village synagogue

A final look inside the Anshei Meseritz synagogue on East Sixth Street

Stained-glass windows removed ahead of condo conversion at Congregation Mezritch Synagogue

Condos at former East 6th Street synagogue will start at just under $3 million

Sidewalk bridge comes down as condo conversion continues at former East 6th Street synagogue

History reimagined with $4.4 million penthouse at former 6th Street synagogue

Check out the penthouse at the synagogue-turned condos on 6th Street

1st sign of Sister Jane East Side Tavern on 13th Street

As we've been reporting in recent months, East Side Tavern is coming to the former Redhead space on 13th Street just west of First Avenue.

Now the coming soon signage is up in the front windows... (it looks like the name will be Sister Jane East Side Tavern)...



Michael Stewart, a co-owner of Tavern on Jane at 31 Eighth Ave., said he plans to bring that low-key neighborhood bar/restaurant vibe to 13th Street. He hopes to be open early this spring.

Previously

14th St. Lotto & Magazine has closed

Yesterday was the last day in business for the convenient store at 430 E. 14th St. between Avenue A and First Avenue.

An EVG reader, who shared the above photo, passed along the news. A clerk at the store said that they were moving uptown. He declined to say why they were leaving the neighborhood.

Perhaps it's due to the decrease in foot traffic along this corridor in recent years. The store is directly next door to the former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office, where a residential building is in the works.

This PO branch closed almost three years ago to the date in 2014.

A fashionable way to share your feelings about those Supreme-branded Metrocards

In response to the Supreme-branded Metrocards that were unveiled on Monday, especially the hype around them (the $5.50 cards are hitting $1,000 on eBay) ...

These fools out there at Union Square waiting in line for a Supreme MetroCard 😂😂😂. #MTA pic.twitter.com/r4yEAWk6hw

— Icculus The Brave (@FirenzeMike) February 21, 2017

...one Lower East Side resident has created a T-shirt.

Via the EVG inbox...

We figured you've seen all the hype around the Supreme metrocards this week, and thought you might be interested in our new Fuck Supreme Metrocard T-shirts that we developed in response. The custom printed, hand embroidered, tongue-in-cheek shirts are now available through our instagram @fuckmalkam.

📸 by @sozi.nyc

A post shared by Fuck Malkam (@fuckmalkam) on Feb 23, 2017 at 11:28am PST

Honeybee ready to read your past, present and future on Avenue A

[Photo from March 2014]

There's apparently a new psychic in town... in this exclusive report, workers this morning hoisted the new awning at 199 Avenue A between 12th Street and 13th Street...



As the sign shows, Honeybee is now doing readings here, which include the past, present and future...



Any thoughts on the punctuation in the sign? Readings By: Honeybee. As opposed to, say — Readings By Honeybee.

Anyway! This space went under renovation in March 2014, setting a local record with a two-day overhaul. (Read that post here.)

We'll check back later on the status of the guardian lions here...




[Photos from Saturday]