Retail rent at 190 Bowery is $2 million a year

The news yesterday was that fashion emporium Totokaelo has signed a lease for 8,918 square feet at the landmarked 190 Bowery.

Totokaelo, which sells designer lines such as Acne Studios and Jil Sander, plans to open a pop-up shop from this fall to March 2018. A rep for owner Aby Rosen’s RFR said that he hoped it would turn into a longterm deal.

Whoever the tenant will be needs deep pockets. According to the Post: "the asking rent for the retail space on the ground floor, mezzanine and basement was $2 million a year." Or roughly $166,000 a month.

Rosen bought the landmarked building from photographer Jay Maisel for a reported $55 million in 2014.

Previously

Michelle Alteration & Boutique now open on Avenue C

An alterations/tailoring shop recently opened on Avenue C just north of 10th Street...



... and there's a 50-percent off deal now though Aug. 11...





Photos from July 16

The blanding of Union Square West

Bloomberg files an article on the escalating rents on Union Square West that are forcing restaurants such as the Blue Water Grill and Republic to close or relocate.

Some passages from the piece...

Rising rents and real estate turnover are hardly new phenomena, but Union Square West, along with other desirable residential areas of New York ... have seen their rents become so prohibitive that most of their restaurants — with the exception of chains, or flagship “loss-leaders” — are forced to move elsewhere.

And!

“When rents go up, it makes the viability of restaurants harder,” said Stephen Sunderland, the senior managing director of Optimal Spaces, a tenant broker in the city. “You have to think of restaurants as artists, or neighborhood pioneers,” he explained. “They come into a neighborhood, it becomes hip, and that’s the source of their demise,” he said. “They create the trends that undo them.”

80 E. 10th Street rises, teases

The broker bunting is up on the sidewalk bridge surrounding the new development on the southeast corner of 10th Street and Fourth Avenue.

As previously reported, a 10-story, retail-residential condoplex is on its way up on the property that was formally a one-level structure of businesses.





The address here is officially 80 E. 10th St. And there is a teaser site up for the 12 condos. Sales are expected to start this fall.

Incoming rendering!



Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: Demo permits filed to raze southeast corner of 4th Avenue and 10th Street

The 'tremendous retail potential' of East 10th Street and 4th Avenue

10 stories of condos in the works for the long-vacant corner of 4th Avenue and East 10th Street

With new building OK'd, corner of 4th Avenue and 10th Street finally ready for razing

98/99 Favor Taste opens on St. Mark's Place

98 Favor Taste is in Grand Opening Mode now at 37 St. Mark's Place at Second Avenue. (They opened on Saturday.)

As noted back in February, 98 Favor Taste is from the operators behind the 99 Favor Taste restaurants, which include locations in Sunset Park and Grand Street.

The restaurants specialize in traditional Korean-style barbecue and Chinese hot pot meals. You can find their menu here.



Upon opening on Grand Street, the Voice gave 99 Favor an enthusiastic review... calling it "a feastly orgy: trays heaped with raw meats and fishes, feathery greens and fungi, boiling and bubbling pots, and popping and sizzling meats top every table. Diners crowd around, heads-down, slurping noodles and soup with chopsticks, only looking up to tend the meat, cooking at arm's distance away."

And as you may recall, the hot pot hotspot went through some signage changes during construction...


[Photo from February by Steven]

These storefronts had been vacant going for nearly five years. Timi's Gelateria Classica™ closed at the end of 2011 in one of the spaces… while Michael "Bao" Huynh's Baoguette Cafe shut down at summer's end in 2012.

The Pourhouse might be in the poorhouse with back rent due in excess of $60k

The Village Pourhouse vacated the premises at 64 Third Ave. at 11th Street back in April after 10-plus years in business.

Over the weekend, the landlord placed some legalese on the front door... giving notice that the establishment owes $65,046.29 in back rent (which includes some legal fees...)



Take a look at the notice... the combined rent (for "store west" and "store east") is more than $30,000 a month.

Meanwhile, the owners of the Ainsworth, an upscale sports bar with multiple NYC locations, have been vying for the space.

This week at the Village East Cinema

[Random City Cinemas Village East marquee shot]

A few screenings to note this week at the Village East Cinema on Second Avenue at 12th Street.

On Wednesday night, its the 50th anniversary of the Oscar-winning "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" with Spencer Tracy, Sidney Poitier and Katharine Hepburn.

On Thursday night, Hedda Lettuce hosts a viewing of "American Gigolo."

Find ticket info here.

The Village East is also showing "Dunkirk" in 70mm.

[Updated] RIP Neftaly Ramirez

The cyclist who was fatally struck by a garbage truck early Saturday morning in Greenpoint has been identified as Neftaly Ramirez, 27, who lived in East Village, according to published reports.

Ramirez was biking home following his shift at Paulie Gee's, the pizzeria on Greenpoint Avenue.

About the collision, per DNAinfo:

Ramirez was riding on Franklin Street about 12:30 a.m. when the garbage truck driver, heading south on Franklin, turned right on Noble, fatally struck Ramirez, and kept driving, NYPD officials said.

The truck was green and had white and yellow writing on it, police said. Investigators were still trying to find the driver Monday morning, police said.

Authorities said they believe the truck belongs to a private company.

The Daily News talked with several people who knew Ramirez.

“He was such a nice, quiet guy,” said tearful neighbor Emily Yambo, 43.

“He was a good, hard-working person,” the pal said, adding he was loved animals and video games. “They need to find the person that hit him.”

Last night our beloved staff member Neftaly Ramirez tragically lost his life as he was struck down on Franklin Street by a hit and run garbage truck driver while bicycling home after his shift. We are all heartbroken and will miss him very much. Please be careful out there on the roads. They are a very dangerous place these days. RIP Neffy.

A post shared by Paulie Gee (@pauliegee123) on Jul 22, 2017 at 3:23pm PDT

Updated:

Gothamist talked with Paulie Gee proprietor Paul Giannone about Ramirez:

"He washed dishes for a while and he was engaged to be married and he was very excited about that, and he wanted the opportunity to make more money," Giannone said. "And I just recently had the opportunity to promote him to a bar back, and he was very excited about that. And the staff was very supportive about him, and helped him."

Updated 7/31

The truck that struck and killed Ramirez reportedly belongs to New Jersey-based Action Carting.

Per DNAInfo:

Action Carting, the city's largest private garbage company which has been lugging waste since 1999 and picks up garbage from more than 16,400 private restaurants, offices and companies across the city, has settled a handful of cases in which its drivers have struck and injured people.

Updated 8/11

The NYPD declined to charge the garbage truck driver who struck and killed Ramirez, per Gothamist.

1st LinkNYC kiosk coming to St. Mark's Place

[Photo Saturday by Steven]

There was a ceremonial groundbreaking on Saturday (following the ceremonial sawing down of the pay phones) on St. Mark's Place just west of Second Avenue ... where workers have started the prep work for what will be the first LinkNYC kiosk on St. Mark's Place.

The other pay phones remain up for now on this block between Second Avenue and Third Avenue, where the LinkNYC will sure to be put to good use.


[A Clint Mario special]



Despite LinkNYC's tech advances (Wi-Fi, device charging, access to city services, maps and directions), they do not provide ample space to, say, mix or hold beverages like the pay phones on the block ...



Previously

Former San Loco space for rent on 2nd Avenue

[Photo from Friday]

The empty storefront is now on the rental market at 124 Second Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place.

The listing (PDF here) doesn't offer too many specifics on the 800-square-foot space. There isn't any mention of the asking rent... (the first neighboring tenant mentioned is Caffe Bene, which closed in April on St. Mark's Place...)



San Loco closed last month "due to a rent increase that is unsustainable," according to owner Jill Hing. The business opened in this location in 1986.

Polish G. I. Delicatessen has officially closed

[Reader-submitted photo]

Back on Friday, an EVG reader spotted workers removing shelves and equipment from the Polish G. I. Delicatessen on First Avenue between Sixth Street and Seventh Street. With that, it appears the shop is now closed for good.

Eater reported that that the Eastern European specialty foods shop was closing on June 30. However, counterman David Cohen kept the space open for several weeks after that, selling coffee and doughnuts from the mostly empty storefront.

There are two versions of what will happen next with the business.

1) Cohen told Eater that they would be taking a two-month vacation and returning with hopes of opening in a new location. "Nothing is sure, but we'll see what happens," he said. EVG reader DrGecko said the shop would reopen on Ninth Street in September.

2) Multiple readers told us that chef-owner Grace Iwuc was retiring, and closing the shop. The retail listing for the space notes that "the owner is retiring and selling her 10-year lease of $2,600/month." Several readers wondered how a business could find a more reasonable rent in a different locale in the neighborhood.

The Polish G. I. Delicatessen opened in 1996.

H/T Luke A

Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: Polish G. I. Delicatessen is closing at the end of the month

Bonefade Barbers mark arrival on Avenue A

A tipster told us last month that a barber shop is opening at 115 Avenue A between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place.

On Saturday, the coming soon message/skull arrived for Bonefade Barbers.

The space hasn't had a full-time tenant since Alphabets closed here in February 2014 and moved to 64 Avenue A.

Here's Martina

Just a quick post to note that the plywood came down last week outside Martina, the Roman-inspired pizzeria from Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group that's opening next month on 11th Street at Third Avenue...



The previous Martina post (here) had a few more details on the place.

Eventually the space will look like this rendering...



Meanwhile, the corner slot on 11th and Third — the former M2M — still has the plywood treatment while workers carve out the incoming Wagamama.



Previously on EV Grieve:
Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group planning Martina for 55 3rd Ave.

Darkstar coffee opens on Great Jones

Darkstar Coffee opened late last week at 2 Great Jones St. between Broadway and Lafayette.

As you can see, the place wasn't open for the day yet when I stopped by on Saturday morning...



It doesn't appear to be related to the Darkstar Coffee in Perth, Western Australia.

The cafe shares space with In Living Stereo ... where they had a small but well-curated record shop that closed back in the spring.

Sunday's parting shot

A moment with El Gatito on Avenue A ... photo today by Lola Sáenz

Campaign to get a wax statue of Paul Giamatti at Madame Tussauds™ comes to the East Village

EVG reader MP spotted this on Ninth Street.

Via the WaxPaulNow website:

For too long, we as Americans have sat back and ignored the flagrant oversight that is the dearth of wax statues of Paul Giamatti at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum. What Times Square is to New York, Paul is to the institution of acting itself. No longer shall we remain silent. Join us; make your voice heard!

Week in Grieview

[The former Village Gifts Friday morning on St. Mark's Place]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

The real story behind the so-called Lower East Side hoarder (Tuesday, 55 comments)

The Living Stage Summer Festival coming to Meltzer Tower Garden (Friday)

Out and About with Brian Breger (Wednesday)

Basketball courts at Open Road Park getting refurbished thanks to NBA star Kevin Durant (Tuesday)

An update on Steiner East Village, "Usherer of Alphabet City Gentrification" (Wednesday)

Montauk Salt Cave coming to 10th Street (Monday)

Gelarto officially (re)opens on Avenue A (Friday)

Townhouse living on 5th Street for $7.5 million (Friday)

N'eat is currently closed (Thursday)

Report: Man arrested after 3 failed bank robberies (Thursday)

Traveling and panhandling (Monday)

Going up and going down on 14th Street (Tuesday)

New EVG feature looks at the rent-stabilized apartments of East Village residents (Thursday)

More about Boris and Norton, the dog-friendly cafe coming to Avenue A (Thursday)

Ladybird about a month away from opening on 7th Street (Wednesday)

Café Floral Delight now open on 10th Street (Thursday)

What's happening with the former Edge space? (Thursday)

La Newyorkina joins Astor Plate on Astor Place (Thursday)

Retail space at 347 Bowery sells for $20 million (Monday)

Looking at the Allegro Coffee Roasters, now open at Whole Foods Market® Bowery (Tuesday)

More about Martina, Danny Meyer's "fine-casual pizzeria" coming to 11th Street (Wednesday)

Mayahuel closing Aug. 6 on 6th Street (Tuesday)

Yuan Noodle in soft-open mode on 2nd Avenue (Monday)

---

Follow EVG on Instragram and/or Twitter for more updates

Your weekly update on the Tompkins Square Park sinkhole

The first two photos are from Wednesday evening at the Eighth Street/Avenue B entrance to Tompkins Square Park...







... and today...





Have you seen anyone work on the month-old sinkhole this past week? Doesn't seems as if there was much, if any, progress this week.

Previously

Today in randomly sticking it to the man (aka Noted)

5th and B...

Report: About the 20 year old who spent the night locked inside a Lower East Side bar

This was the ultimate walk of shame https://t.co/N7eSoSnH17 pic.twitter.com/BpJpi9vfSy

— New York Post (@nypost) July 22, 2017

The Post files two stories about a 20-year-old New Jersey resident who reportedly passed out in the women's restroom at Boss Tweed's, the bar/saloon on Essex near Delancey.

Article Article No. 1:

Therese Hipolito, 20, of Flemington, could be heard shouting from behind the roll-down gate at Boss Tweed’s ... before cops set her free at around 9:20 a.m. [yesterday], police and witnesses said.

And...

The reveler had been tossing back drinks with a gal pal when she nodded off on the floor of the bar’s rest room some time before workers closed up at 4 a.m., sources said.

She woke up a few hours later, freaked out and called 911 at 7:55 a.m., according to cops.

Bartenders had failed to check the bathroom before closing up, cops said.

The bar may now be in hot water over the underage drinker, a police source said.

Then in article No. 2, she told the Post that she believes her drink was spiked.

“Whatever happened last night, I’m not that kind of person.

“I would never be in the city just drinking. I was at a friend’s birthday party. I had one shot and one glass of champagne. And the last thing I remember, I go get a slice of pizza with my friend and we sit back down in a booth [at the bar] and that was my last clear memory."

And about being locked in:

“How do you not notice someone sleeping on the floor of your bathroom? There are only two stalls," she said, adding, "I’m going to sue them."

Speaking of her night behind the bar’s bars, she said “it’s really not like me – it’s so inappropriate and trashy."

Boss Tweed's closed earlier this year ... and reemerged as a more upscale lounge that advertises Super Model Karaoke on Wednesday evenings.