Looking at the new-look 29 Second Ave.

[The old-look No. 29]

You may have noticed that 29 Second Ave. between First Street and Second Street has a new look... outside...



... and inside as well.

The three-bedroom residence above the (two-floor) retail space recently arrived on the market via CitiHabitat:

Welcome to 29 Second Avenue, a building recreated with newly renovated interiors. The residences at 29 Second Avenue boast all of the essentials of new construction: central air conditioning and heating, washer and dryer in the unit, custom kitchens with luxury appliances, white shaker cabinetry, quartz counter tops and backsplashes, and porcelain tile-clad bathrooms with custom vanities and glass-enclosed showers. The apartment features extra wide white oak plank floors throughout, solid core wood doors with chrome hardware, LED dimmable lighting with smart technology capabilities, USB electrical outlets, an HD video intercom, exposed brick and ample closet space.

The custom Chef’s Kitchen features a coordinated LG stainless steel appliance package, complete with dishwasher, built-in microwave with vented hood, and garbage disposal. The countertops and backsplash are Calacatta Quartz with a luxurious book matched waterfall enhancing the shaker style solid wood cabinetry with soft closing hardware. The vast living space is perfect for home entertaining with a custom built-in bar, complete with a wine chiller and an ice maker.

The apartment includes three full bathrooms with radiant heated flooring, imported Italian tile, linear shower drains, rain shower with additional hand shower on slide bar, full glass enclosures, quartz counter tops with fully wrapped waterfall over custom vanities, and recessed medicine cabinets.

The asking rent is now $11,995 after a $1,505 price reduction earlier this week.

Meanwhile, the retail space has been asking $23,000-plus change ... the previous tenant here, The Cock, moved a few blocks to the north in December 2015.

Earlier this year, Highpoint Property Group purchased the building for $4.55 million from Jared Kushner's Westminster Management, according to public records.

Tuesday's parting shot

In the rain late this afternoon on Avenue B and Ninth Street...

Photo by Bobby Williams

Report: Man sentenced to 40 years in 2011 shooting death of teen outside Campos Plaza

Hockeem Smith, who gunned down a teen outside the Campos Plaza Housing Complex on 12th Street near Avenue C in October 2011, has reportedly been sentenced to 40 years in prison.

Smith, who was 24 in 2011, received a 25-year sentence for manslaughter and an additional 15 years for criminal possession of a weapon, as Town & Village reported.

The victim, 18-year-old Donovan “Keith” Salgado (pictured), was a senior at Washington Irving High School who lived on Ninth Street, a block away from Smith.

The Lo-Down reported at the time that Salgado's mother was the leader of an anti-violence youth group. The shooting reportedly occurred following a game of late-night dice. Smith attempted to rob Salgado prior to the shooting, per DNAinfo.

[Photo via the Daily News]

An outpost of the Ainsworth vying for former Pourhouse space; E.Vil is not coming

The owners of the Ainsworth, an upscale sports bar with multiple NYC locations, is vying for the former Village Pourhouse space on Third Avenue at 11th Street.

Team Ainsworth (Matthew Shendell is the principal owner) will appear before CB3's SLA committee next Monday night.



According to the questionnaire on file at the CB3 website, the Ainsworth East Village is seeking hours of 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 3 a.m. Friday to Sunday.

The Ainsworth is also looking to license the sidewalk for outdoor seating. The application shows seven tables seating 14 people for the outside. (The Village Pourhouse also had a license for the sidewalk.)

And now, you may be wondering what happened to E.Vil, a rock-inspired bar expected to open here at 64 Third Ave. "where you go to hear Aerosmith, the Clash, Guns N’ Roses, Led Zeppelin, ’80s/’90s rock, the Cult," according to Page Six back on March 20.

E.Vil's Instagram once noted an April 17 opening date. The account, mostly iconic photos of everyone from David Bowie to Johnny Thunders to the Sex Pistols, hasn't been updated since early April. At one point, the account showed a June 1 opening date ...





Perhaps E.Vil will turn up elsewhere. In May, someone spray painted E.Vil on the side of the former Pourhouse...



The legend lives on.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Village Pourhouse still looks like the Village Pourhouse outside, but E.Vil is on the way

Village Pourhouse is closing on 3rd Avenue; E.Vil is coming soon

E.Vil is coming to the East Village

A few more details on the end of Webster Hall in its current format

The current owners of Webster Hall offered more details about the closure of the club in a Facebook post early yesterday via Gerard McNamee Jr., director of operations...

Sad but true, the legendary and world-famous Webster Hall has been sold and will close as we know it for its final club night on Saturday August 5th, 2017, which just so happens to be my birthday, which is certainly somehow apropos. It will be closed for an undisclosed period of time for demo, reno and transition to corporate ownership under Barclays/AEG/Bowery Presents. I highly recommend that you all stop by before the end of this era to pay your respects to the Ballingers and the building for providing us with a lifetimes worth of memories.

The Ballinger family has owned and operated Webster Hall since 1989.

Anyway, so the last club night is Aug. 5. As we noted back in May, the last concert date was listed on Aug. 8 (Michelle Branch: The Hopeless Romantic Tour). A record release show with Marateck is now on the calendar on Aug. 9 in the Studio. And that's it.

After that, the new owners, Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment along with AEG-backed The Bowery Presents, will begin renovations at the landmarked building on 11th Street between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue.

An EVG reader was at the recent CB3-SLA committee meeting in which Spectrum Catering and Concessions was applying for a new liquor license. (The 25-year-old company provides concessions for a variety of venues and festivals nationwide. In NYC, they manage Terminal 5, the Music Hall of Williamsburg, Rough Trade and Brooklyn Steel.)

Per the reader:

No more club/late night parties.
No more Marlin Room.
Reducing capacity due to the addition of elevators.
Minimum closure of 18 to 24 months starting August 11th

DNAinfo has some background on the liquor license application here.

Finally, as noted last Friday, a group of filmmakers, who are also working at the venue, hope to make a documentary on Webster Hall's last month.

Webster Hall was built in 1886. Alex has a post here yesterday about when the venue was the Ritz.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The plan to document the last month of Webster Hall's existence

Speculation about Webster Hall's closing date

Raphael Toledano-owned East 6th Street building returns to the market for a few million more

The 6-story walk-up building at 332 E. Sixth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue is back on the sales market.

Here's part of the listing, via Cushman & Wakefield:

The entire building underwent a gut renovation in 2016 that included the build out of an expansive resident accessible rear deck space, upgraded common areas, and fully updated mechanicals. Current ownership also has approved plans for a restoration of the facade from Landmarks they are currently undergoing.

The apartments feature Chef's range kitchens, custom granite countertops, dishwashers, stackable washers/dryers, wide plank oak floors, and custom lighting. 8 of the units are 3-BRs and 4 are 2-BRs. Upon being renovated, the units were leased immediately at near market rents showing the high demand for apartments in the immediate vicinity. Furthermore, each unit has a gas boiler (tenants pay) reducing operating expenses in perpetuity. There is potential upside in the RS units along with adding an an addition using the 2,950 SF of air rights subject to Landmarks approval.

This is a great opportunity to acquire a low maintenance and high cash flowing multi-family asset in the heart of the East Village.

Asking price: $10.5 million.

In early 2016, presumably pre gut renovation, the building was seeking $8 million. At that time, of the 12 units, nine were empty and three were rent-stabilized.

Public records show that Raphael Toledano's Brookhill Properties bought the building in January 2016 for $4.5 million. (This was owned by the Tabak family, though not part of the larger portfolio they sold to Toledano.)

As previously reported, Madison Realty Capital has replaced the controversial landlord as the property manager of his remaining East Village buildings while a deal to transfer the ownership is worked out.

Here's what's coming to 222 1st Ave.

An outpost of the hearing-care company HearUSA is opening on the east side of First Avenue between 13th Street and 14th Street.

The space was previously a hair salon.

Tompkins Square Park sinkhole awaiting new pipe

On Saturday, workers began digging out the 4-week-old sinkhole at the Eighth Street/Avenue B entrance to Tompkins Square Park.

A worker said that he was making way for the plumbers to fix the vitrified clay pipe (guessing!) installed during the Cleveland administration that broke.

Unfortunately, the plumber apparently couldn't make it today. The hole remains uncovered, awaiting new pipe...





The good news is the trashcan that the sinkhole swallowed has been safely retrieved.

Noted

[Courtesy of Dallas BBQ]

Via the EVG inbox...

Come out to Dallas BBQ and celebrate National Piña Colada Day today!

Even though piña coladas originated in San Juan, Puerto Rico, you don’t have to travel to the Caribbean for a delicious, refreshing piña colada. Stop by any of Dallas BBQ 10 popular locations throughout New York City to enjoy DBBQ most popular piña coladas, the ‘Blue Hawaii’ with blue raspberry flavor or if your taste buds wants something a bit stronger, try the ‘Beach Bomb,’ a Blue Hawaii topped with frozen pineapple crush with a healthy shot of 151.

No need to go to the beach, stop by Dallas BBQ today and celebrate National Piña Colada Day TEXAS-SIZE!

Dallas BBQ is on the corner of Second Avenue and St. Mark's Place.

Work on new Avenue A entrances to the L train looks to be getting underway

Starting today, the MTA is relocating bus stops for the M14A and M14D between First Avenue and Avenue B.

For instance, the eastbound M14A will now pick up and drop off passengers on Avenue A between 14th Street and 13th Street ... the signs kind of explain the new system...



This is all apparently in preparation for building new entrances at Avenue A and a new power station at Avenue B for the L train. The MTA has said that the Avenue A entrances would serve 60 percent of the station’s ridership. (The First Avenue station sees 24,286 daily weekday riders, according to the MTA's website.)

As previously reported, this work is starting ahead of the L train shutdown between Bedford Avenue and Eighth Avenue to repair the Sandy-damaged Canarsie Tunnel. The shutdown of the L is expected to last 15 months with a start date of April 2019. The MTA signage on 14th Street notes a completion date of the fourth quarter of 2020 at a cost of $900 million.



Here's part of an MTA news release from March:

Prior to the tunnel closure, extensive station work will be performed that will increase operational efficiency and improve accessibility and circulation. Station improvements at the 1 Av and Bedford Av L Subway stations will include new stairways, and four ADA-compliant elevators and other work to improve customer flow.

Construction of a new Avenue B substation and other infrastructure will address power requirements that, combined with the existing CBTC signal system, will allow more trains to run on the line to accommodate growing ridership.

There's no word how long this First Avenue/Avenue A station work will last. Presumably you won't be able to take advantage of these new entrances until the fourth quarter of 2020 when the L train tunnel rehabilitation is complete.

And here's a look at where some work has already started taking place, such as across from the Associated Supermarket...



... and outside the diner on 14th Street...





... and just east of Avenue B, there are barrels set up around the Citi Bike docking station, which likely seems to be a candidate for a relocation...



Workers have also removed the bus shelters on 14th Street, in an unannounced move. Town & Village noted this back on Friday. The MTA gave this convoluted statement to them:

The existing bus stops on the westbound side of 14th Street on the island at Avenues A and B have shelters which were removed this past Friday in advance of the two bus stops being relocated this week. Both of these stops which are on the west side of the intersection now and will be moved to the east side of the intersection. The bus shelters will not be installed at the temporary stops but will be replaced at the end of the project when the stops are relocated back to their permanent location.

The existing bus stop on the eastbound side (south side of 14th Street) at Avenue A does not have a shelter. This stop will be moved this week as well. The bus stop for M14A will move around the corner on Ave A. The stop for M14D will be move to the east side of Avenue A intersection, however, since there is a building construction project occupying that space for the next nine months the bus stop for M14D at Avenue A will be eliminated until next spring (one stop is at First Avenue and the next will be at Avenue B). M14D customers who want to exit at Avenue A will be advised to take M14A bus while the bus stop for M14D at Ave A is not available.

So no bus shelters here until the work is complete.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Avenue A L train entrance closer to a reality … some day

CB3 and Sen. Squadron to address frequency and reliability of M14A bus service

Speaking of the MTA and the M14A... During CB3's Transportation, Public Safety & Environment Committee meeting tomorrow night, State Sen. Daniel Squadron's office will provide an update on requests for improved M14A service — specifically the frequency of the buses.

This is also a chance for residents to speak out about the issue. CB3 tweeted last week: "Concerned about frequency & reliability of M14A bus in your neighborhood? We need 2 hear from u!"

Upon continuing to hear complaints about the frequency of the M14A, Squadron took another crack at improving service late last year. Per The Lo-Down last November:

In a letter to Veronique Hakim, president of New York City Transit, he explained, “M14A and M14D bus service is critical to the Lower East Side community. These lines provide much needed public transportation to a transit-starved area. My office receives complaints about long wait times for buses, bus bunching, and unexpected scheduling of the two lines.”

In 2014, the MTA dismissed requests from residents for more frequent 14A service.

Cooperatively Yours, the LES-based blog for tenants, had this to say about the situation the other day:

It’s happened to all of us: waiting 30 minutes or more for the M14A at Union Square while watching bus after bus after bus marked M14D pick up passengers. The MTA says there’s a 3-to-1 ratio. The question is, why the disparity?

The MTA then reviewed ridership and decided that the frequency of buses was consistent with the count of riders. Advocates ... said those counts were flawed because of how many people at Union Square just give up on getting an M14A and hop on the M14D instead.

The committee meeting is tomorrow (Tuesday!) night at 6:45 at Downtown Art, 1st Floor Theater, 70 E. Fourth St. between Second Avenue and the Bowery. This is the third item on the meeting docket.

Steve Cuozzo: 'A new Starbucks will make the thriving East Village an even better place to live'

[Photo by Steven]

As we noted last week, various community groups and local shop owners from the East Village Independent Merchants Association (EVIMA) are planning a rally at the incoming Starbucks on Avenue A and St. Mark's Place on Thursday from 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Per the invite: "We don't need more chains in the East Village! We need retail diversity and independently owned local businesses!"

The rally notice caught the eye of New York Post columnist/critic Steve Cuozzo... who filed a piece published this past weekend titled "Why anti-Starbucks hipsters sound a lot like Trump supporters" ...



Some excerpts, including the lead...

East Village apocalypse! Starbucks is at the Tompkins Square Park gates! Sound the dirge for “retail diversity and independently owned local businesses!”

And!

Their tantrum would be funny if it didn’t reflect an obnoxious New York sociopolitical sensibility shared by “progressive” thinkers who quail at actual progress — whether it means reducing crime, investing in decayed neighborhoods or selling coffee that doesn’t taste like grounds at the bottom of a cup.

No neighborhood impulse is more illiberal than to keep out those who don’t conform to voluble locals’ sense of who belongs. We may assume that Starbucks-damning East Villagers did not vote for Donald Trump (whose son-in-law Jared Kushner controls a real-estate company that owns 50-odd Alphabet City buildings). Yet they sound ready to build walls to protect small shops and cafes from outside competition and perhaps to demand the interlopers pay for them.

But if the East Village’s colorful small shops and eateries face a threat, it isn’t Starbucks or drugstore chains. It’s landlords who raise rents to a level the market will bear, a phenomenon that stretches north, west and south of Tompkins Square Park.

And in the end...

A new Starbucks will make the thriving East Village an even better place to live. But it’ll disappoint those who perversely preferred the neighborhood of 30 years ago, when it was better known for crack than for coffee.

[Updated] Old Monk looking ready to open

Old Monk, a new Indian restaurant, is shaping up on the northeast corner of Avenue B and 11th Street... the paper is off the windows, as these photos by EVG reader Cheyenne show...



The sign on the window notes that Old Monk is opening soon ...



And it looks ready to serve diners...



There's a teaser site for Old Monk, though it doesn't have the menu posted just yet. The restaurant's Instagram account describes the Old Monk as serving "contemporary Indian soul food."

Prolific restaurateur Sushil Malhotra, whose ventures include Cafe Spice, is behind the Old Monk along with chef Navjot Arora of Chutney Masala in Westchester.

The address here, 175 Avenue B, has seen a variety of cuisine in recent years, including Babu Ji (2015-17) and Spina (2009-2015).

Updated 7/15

The restaurant is now open...

Quickly reaching the top of 287 E. Houston St.

I can't recall a new development that has gone up as quickly as 287 E. Houston St. ... workers hoisted the flag atop the 11-floor condoplex between Clinton and Suffolk late last week...



A quick recap: The 120-foot-tall luxury building will feature 28 residences. The development will have two to four units on each story, including two duplexes on the first and second floors and a penthouse duplex on the top two floors. The smallest unit (624 square feet) starts at $1.18 million. (More background here.)

It will likely look like the rendering by Labor Day...

Your chance to own part of an East Village bar

You've probably noticed these flyers around the past few days ... asking if you'd like to INVEST IN AN EAST VILLAGE BAR. (I saw the flyers on Third Avenue, Second Avenue and Avenue A...)

The link goes to an IndieGoGo page with details on the crowdfunding campaign.

Be an Influencer
You walk in to the bar, point to your photo on the owners wall, and treat your friends to rounds of drinks. Participate in shaping what the bar serves, the events it plans, the specials it offers. You help make the bar you want to hang out in.

Have Fun
The success of every bar is in the service (which already is stellar) and the patrons, who make the experience that much more enjoyable for each other. You aren't responsible for the management of the place, your job is to show up, be friendly, and have fun.

Keep the East Village Great
We're talking about an established pub in the heart of the East Village, just off Avenue A, that can become the living room for you and your friends. Contribute today, and take advantage of the perks forever. Help keep the East Village locally owned, and avoid the 'Bleeckerization' of this great neighborhood.

Guarantee
If adequate funding levels are not achieved, you will be refunded 100% of your investment, guaranteed.

Depending on your contribution (starting at $50), you'll have your framed photo on the owner's wall and receive various drink specials and a bar T-shirt. For $100, you get to represent the bar before Community Board 3. (Kidding!)

The person behind the campaign is looking to raise $200,000. At last look, they were at $1,800.

At the Weeping Willow Wake

[Photo by Steven]

This afternoon, residents and members of La Plaza Cultural gathered on Ninth Street and Avenue C to bid farewell to the last two willow trees in the community garden.

As previously reported, an inspection showed that the willow nicknamed Cher, located in the corner of the garden by Avenue C, is rotting, and will need to be removed. (The second willow, Krusty, located near the gazebo, is also in poor shape and will likely need to come down as well.)

Rev. Billy, along with members of his choir, presided over the event, titled the Weeping Willow Wake...


[Photo by Steven]


[Photo via @evan_kapitansky]

Reverend Billy and the church of stop shopping at the weeping willow #tree memorial in la Plaza. #weepingwillow #reverendbilly #nyc #park #garden

A post shared by Eden Bee (@edenbrower) on Jul 9, 2017 at 1:39pm PDT

In a statement earlier, La Plaza officials said:

The Parks Department has made a descion that they must come down and will take them down when they have the time. La Plaza Community Garden is saddened by the loss of our great willow trees and is reaching out to the community seeking people's opinion as to where we should go from here.

Here's one opinion...


[Photo by Steven]

The Parks Department has yet to schedule a date for removing the willows, believed to be 41 years old.

-----

Updated 8 p.m.

Here are a few more photos via EVG regular Peter Brownscombe...

Today in apologies

Spotted on Avenue A.

Water Problems
So sorry all, but someone (me) drilled through the cold water pipe that goes to the kitchens!
I will get a plumber in here ASAP, but it will probably not be before Monday.
Kitchen hot water works
All water works in bathrooms

Week in Grieview

[Photo in Tompkins Square Park by Derek Berg]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

The former Church of the Nativity one step closer to hitting the sales market on 2nd Avenue (Wednesday)

A renewed effort to restore and preserve the Yiddish Theatre Walk of Fame on 2nd Avenue (Thursday)

Cab strikes and kills 87-year-old man on Cooper Square (Monday)

A wake for the last willow trees at La Plaza Cultural (Friday)

The plan to document the last month of Webster Hall's existence (Friday)

S'MAC is open in new home on 1st Avenue and 12th Street (Wednesday)

The East Village artists behind the Danceteria time capsule from 1984 that prompted a bomb scare in 2017 (Friday)

Remembering Louise Nevelson at the Nevelson House on 7th Street (Wednesday)

Owners of Babu Ji settle 2nd wage lawsuit (Friday)

Paloma Rocket looking to land in the East Village (Wednesday)

Report: Steve Croman sued to stop his father from managing 3rd Avenue properties (Wednesday)

A few dining details about Joe and Pat's, the Staten Island pizzeria opening on 1st Avenue (Thursday)


[Photo on 10th Street by Derek Berg]

Christo needs a larger bird bath (Tuesday)

Body found in the East River north of the Williamsburg Bridge (Tuesday)

Details on the "New York in the 70s" series starting this week at the Film Forum (Monday)

Reader report: Rooftop fire on 12th Street (Monday)

Why it would be a bad idea to take this discarded carpet on Second Avenue (Sunday)

A look the incoming Starbucks on St. Mark's and Avenue A, site of a rally on July 13 (Wednesday)

Cholo Noir opens on 6th Street (Friday)

The new view of 10th Street from 11th Street (Thursday)

---

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Today in Tompkins Square Park

Photo via Bobby Williams...

Band that played Tompkins Square Park on June 25 looking for some help with park permits

[Image via Facebook]

On June 25, Tycoon Dog, a jam/rock band, played a free show in Tompkins Square Park. The band, which formed in 1996, plays in various parks — Including Tompkins Square in the past — throughout the city during the warmer weather months.

The band's founder, Scott Bailey, sent this email out... so perhaps if you were at that show...

We are asking for your help.

The NYC Parks Dep't has revoked all our 2017 permits. They say that at our June 25 show in Tompkins Square Park, police issued two summonses to us, and that we failed to turn down the band's volume when the police asked us to.

These things didn't happen at the 6/25 Tycoon Dog show in TSP - there were no issues or problems of any kind at that show. We think they may have happened at a big punk show there the previous day, and that there has been some kind of mix-up. However, as of now our permits are revoked and we need your help to try and get them back.

If you were at the 6/25 Tompkins show, especially if you saw the whole show, could you please email me? I am hoping some ... of you can give us a statement saying you were there and that the volume was fine and there were no problems.

Here's Scott's email.