EVG Etc.: Commercial rent tax battle; wedding on an M14D

[At the former Golden Market on 1st Avenue at 7th Street]

Police have arrested the Uber driver accused of raping an East Village resident after she fell asleep in his car (New York Post)

The East Village Queer Film Festival is underway at the Wild Project on Third Street (Official site)

A proposal to declaw Manhattan’s commercial rent tax has pitted de Blasio against his own party (The Real Deal)

Couple gets married on a 14D bus (B+B)

East Village man arrested, accused of taking peeping-Tom photos of neighbor (Daily News)

City Hall reported 70 pedestrians and cyclists killed by city motorists through July, and 8,074 injured, compared to 80 deaths and 8,502 injuries in the first seven months of 2016. (Streetsblog)

Pier 36 becomes party boat, cruise ship destination (The Lo-Down)

Celebrating the longstanding and ongoing ties between boxing and cinema (Anthology Film Archives)

Invasion of the outlet malls in NYC? (Gothamist)

Diversions: Andy Kauffman's 1979 show at Carnegie Hall (Dangerous Minds)

On Target for a summer 2018 opening on 14th Street and Avenue A

Last week, workers removed the sidewalk bridge and scaffolding at 500 E. 14th St. at Avenue A... providing a good look at the storefront that will house the Target small-format store...



According to the Target news room, the store in the base of Extell's 7-floor residential complex will open next summer. A few details via Target:

Approx. 27,000 sq. ft. over two levels.
Merchandise includes men’s and women’s apparel and accessories, home, food (with grab-and-go selection spanning sandwiches, salads, beverages and more), health and beauty and electronics assortment.
Services offered: Target Mobile and Order Pickup.

Checking in on the former Other Music space, soon to be a health-focused restaurant

Renovations continue behind the papered-over storefront at 15 E. Fourth St. between Lafayette and Broadway, the former home of Other Music.

The incoming establishment is called Broken Coconut, a quick-serve healthy restaurant serving items such as quinoa parfaits and coconut chia.

BoweryBoogie first reported on this last month, with Eater getting further details, including that the venture is via Scott Sartiano, the nightlife impresario who was one of the founders of both 1Oak and Butter.

You can see the progress from a gap in the papered windows...



Broken Coconut is currently hiring. The Craigslist ad doesn't have many details about the venture: "Full and part time jobs available for new quick service concept serving healthy, delicious meals on the go. We value hard working employees with a great attitude over experience. Competitive hourly wage plus tips."

Other Music closed in June 2016 after 20-plus years in business. The store's owners cited rising rents and the changing face of the music industry as reasons behind the closure.

The filmmakers behind the documentary on Other Music successfully raised the necessary funds last month to complete the project.

We made our goal! Thanks to our backers & to @mollydneuman & everyone at @kickstarter. We're so humbled & can't wait to show you the film. #othermusicforever

A post shared by Other Music Documentary (@othermusicdoc) on Jul 27, 2017 at 12:14am PDT

Just For Fen bringing rice noodles to 1st Avenue

Signage is up at 229 First Ave. between 13th Street and 14th Street... where Just For Fen is coming soon (H/T EVG regular Pinch!).

In this case, Fen meaning a type of Chinese noodle made from rice ...



Don't know anything else about the operation at the moment.

In three years, three quick-serve restaurants have come and gone at this location — Bago ... Hibachi Dumpling Express ... and 2 Bros.

[Updated] Starbucks signage arrives at incoming Starbucks on Avenue A and St. Mark's Place

The sign arrived yesterday...


[Photo by Fenton Lawless]

Still no word on an official opening date. Looks close to being ready, though.

Updated 11:30 a.m.

The rest of the signage has arrived this morning...



Above photo by Daniel Weiss

Previously

Watts up with the bright lights inside Key Food?

If you still have a pair of solar eclipse glasses, then you may want to bring them along the next time that you shop at Key Food on Avenue A... the grocery's new lights, as I discovered this morning, provide the ambiance of an interrogation room...



... perhaps this is an attempt to get people in and out of the store more quickly...



Anyway!

This is just the latest new development here ... joining the new Key logo that arrived in late July...


[Photo by EVG reader Steph]


[Photo from Aug. 1]

Key is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year...

This has nothing to do with a new LinkNYC kiosk

That toppled telephone booth is just a film prop... Crews are dressing up the front of 94 St. Mark's Place this afternoon... the filming here (and elsewhere) is for the Amazon series "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," a dramedy written and directed by "Gilmore Girls" creators Amy Sherman-Palladino and Dan Palladino.

The show stars "House of Cards" alum Rachel Brosnahan as a 1958 New York City housewife "who, through a series of events, winds up exploring the world of stand-up comedy."

Scenes for the pilot episode were filmed last fall at 7B/Vazac's/Horseshoe Bar.

Solar eclipse in the Park (and elsewhere)

Photos in Tompkins Square Park by Steven...







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Felton Davis was set up in his usual spot on Third Street and Second Avenue...



Photos by Frank Franca...

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On St. Mark's Place via @cybergal99 ...

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Peter Brownscombe shared these from 11th Street...





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and the moment inspired some eclipse 'ku...

a crowd in the park

she shares her eclipse glasses

with a tall stranger

after the eclipse

a garbage can overflows

with pin-hole boxes

•

Jeffrey Rabkin

[Updated] Report: Landlord makes eviction case against tenant with the Confederate flags

The drama continues over the flags on Eighth Street and Avenue D. DNAinfo reports that the landlord has filed a lawsuit against the tenant and is seeking to have him evicted.

Per DNAinfo:

William Green's glowing display of two Confederate battle flags in the windows of his top-floor apartment at 403 E. Eighth St. have posed a "clear and present danger" to the building and the surrounding community by sparking violence and mayhem, says the complaint filed Saturday by property owner 113 Avenue D, LLC in New York State Supreme Court.

Green, a rent-stabilized tenant with a lease dating back to 1996, is in violation of both the "Objectionable Conduct" clause of his lease and the Rent Stabilization Code because the flags are a nuisance burdening other tenants in the building and he should be evicted as a result, the lawsuit states.

Green has reportedly been out of town.

He said that he "found the sudden anger about the flags 'suspicious,'" according to emails included in the court papers.

Previous reports noted that Green was one of three non-market-rate tenants left in the building. According to Streeteasy, there are 23 units in the building. The previous listings show an average monthly rent of $2,395. Streeteasy does show any active rentals right now.

Per the listing:

This east village walk up building features beautifully renovated units and live-in super. The M14D bus stops right outside, and there is a citibike station across the street. Easy walking distance to the L, J, F, and M trains. There is a convenient dry cleaner downstairs as well as many bars and restaurants on Avenue C just a block away.

Public records show that No. 403 is managed by Yassky Properties. The building last changed hands for $865,000 in September 2000.

Updated 1:40 p.m.

Here's more from the Daily News:

Yassky’s attorney, Robert Gumenick, said he was not currently seeking Green’s eviction.

“Once the tenant realizes the extent of the problem, we’re hopeful the tenant will cooperate,” he said.

One longtime resident of the building, who did not wish to give her name, said the controversy was complicated by the fact that Green may be mentally ill.

“Obviously I don't want to live in a building with Confederate flags in the window,” the resident said. “(But) I don't know if he understands what that flag represents.”

Updated 8/22

The Post reports that the landlord has withdrawn the case.

“At this point, he feels it would be better to work it out with the tenant,” said Robert Gumenick, the lawyer for building owner Charles Yassky.

Gumenick declined to comment further except to say that Yassky no longer wanted to pursue the matter in court.

Updated 8/23

The Daily News has a short interview with Green.

“Absolutely not,” a defiant William Green told the Daily News on Tuesday when asked if he would classify himself as a racist.

The 43-year-old said the association of the rebel flag with secession and slavery is just a tale being told by select media outlets.

“That’s a fad, something that’s being created by MSNBC,” he told The News.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: Anger over Confederate flags on 8th Street and Avenue D

[Updated] Workers place tarp over flags on 8th Street and Avenue D

[Updated] Flags — and tarp — have been removed from building at 8th Street and Avenue D

Foundation work starts on Moxy hotel as plywood rendering arrives

As I mentioned last week, the city has approved permits for the construction of the 13-story hotel coming to 11th Street between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue.

The foundation work is underway....





... and a look at the hotel for Marriott's Moxy brand is now on the plywood...





That lines up with the only rendering that I've seen in circulation...


[Rendering via Flintlock Construction]

Work permits on file with the city show that the hotel will be 78,361 square feet — about 250 square feet per room. In addition, the permits show a lounge in the hotel's basement along with an "eating and drinking establishment with accessory terrace." The application also shows a lounge and another eating and drinking establishment on the first floor/lobby (not sure if these are connected) ... as well as a "grab n go" food and drink space. There's also another bar-restaurant planned for the top floor.

The Moxy website shows that the 11th Street hotel is expected to open in late 2018. All the background is at the links below...

Previously on EV Grieve:
At the rally outside 112-120 E. 11th St.

Protest reminder about 112-120 E. 11th St.; plus concerns over asbestos removal

6-building complex on East 10th Street and East 11th Street sells for $127 million

Report: 300-room hotel planned for East 11th Street

Preservationists say city ignored pitch to designate part of 11th Street as a historic district

Permits filed to demolish 5 buildings on 11th Street to make way for new hotel (58 comments)

New building permits filed for 13-story Moxy Hotel on East 11th Street across from Webster Hall

There will be several eating-drinking choices at the incoming Moxy hotel on 11th Street

Chipping away 112-120 E. 11th St. to make way for a Moxy hotel

Thaimee Box brings Thailand's Khao Kang eating culture to 13th Street

[Reader-submitted photo]

Thaimee Box is now up and running at 244 E. 13th St. between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. (This is the former Zabb City space.)

Here's their about via Facebook:

Fast-casual Thai by Chef Hong Thaimee inspired by Thailand's Khao Kang (curry over rice) eating culture.

Thaimee is also the chef at Ngam, the well-regarded Thai restaurant at 99 Third Ave. between 12th Street and 13th Street. (The Village Voice named Ngam NYC's No. 1 Thai restaurant in 2013.)

You can find the Thaimee Box menu here ... and Thaimee's bio here. They are open daily from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

And a look inside Thaimee Box ...

A post shared by Ngam NYC (@ngamnyc) on Aug 15, 2017 at 5:21pm PDT

Montauk Salt Cave now open on 10th Street

The Cave opened back on Thursday here at 90 E. 10th St. between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue...



A primer via the always-reliable Wikipedia:

Halotherapy, derived from the Greek halos, meaning "salt," is a form of alternative medicine which makes use of salt. Numerous forms of halotherapy have been known of and used for millennia. One finds the first mentions of spa resorts in Poland in records dating from the twelfth century. They relate to bathing in mineral waters.

Here's the deal:

Here at Montauk Salt Cave, we guarantee a relaxing experience that is also healing. Our walls are built with all pink Himalayan salt rocks and the floor is covered with salt. Our sessions are 45 minutes long. You will enter the cave and sit in a zero gravity chair. You will be surrounded by tons of salt and begin to heal. All you have to do is sit back, relax and breathe.

You can find more info on them via Facebook or the Cave's official website.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Montauk Salt Cave coming to 10th Street

Look at the former Bowlmor Lanes now

A walk by University Place and 12th Street... developer Billy Macklowe's 23-floor retail-residential complex has really charged upwards since the last look in June.

Workers appear to be up to the 19th (18th? 20th?) floor... in what will one day look like...


[Rendering via Selldorf.com]

The average price for the 36 condos (there are 52 in total) in contract is $6.1 million, per Streeteasy.

There are ongoing concerns about overdevelopment along the Broadway/University Place/Union Square corridor.

Bowlmor Lanes closed in July 2014 after 76 years in business.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Building that houses Bowlmor Lanes will convert to condos, like everywhere else around here

76-year-old Bowlmor Lanes closes for good today

Bowlmor says goodbye

Bowlmor Lanes replacement: 23-floor residential building

Major changes coming to University Place and East 13th Street

How about some more condos for University Place

Here's what's left of the block of University Place that once housed Bowlmor Lanes

Oh hi: The 23-floor Bowlmor Lanes-replacing luxury building

A Cheers Cut sneak peek on St. Mark's Place

As we reported on Aug. 10, Cheers Cut, the Taiwanese fast-food restaurant that specializes in fried chicken, is opening an outpost at 36 St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

EVG Cheers Cut contributor Steven got a look inside the opening-soon space on Friday...



Here's more about Cheers Cut:

Our Taiwanese-inspired cuisine features flavorful, fresh dishes that deliver an unforgettable experience to your taste buds. We revolve our business around the goal of providing our customers with quality food and service. The menu features a variety of selections, including our famous crispy fried chicken and seafood dishes cooked to perfection, as well as other recipes ranging from bento boxes to noodles.

No official word on the opening date. Aside from Flushing and Elmhurst, Cheers Cut has locations in Philadelphia and Tampa.

The previous tenant here was Friterie Belgian Fries, which closed back in January after nearly 18 months of deep frying.

Week in Grieview

[Yesterday morning in Tompkins Square Park]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

Report: Icon Realty investigated in tenant harassment probe (Thursday)

Trees coming down for L train expansion on 14th Street (Monday)

New ownership taking over the Alphabet Lounge space on 7th and C (Friday)

When Webster Hall reopens, there might be a Moxy Hotel across the street (Monday)

I Am a Rent-Stabilized Tenant (Thursday)

About finding some solar eclipse glasses (Saturday)

CB3 OKs Triona's takeover of Croxley Ales on Avenue B (Tuesday)

The current home of The Stone is for rent on Avenue C (Thursday)

Confederate flag saga on Eighth Street (Saturday)

Out and About with Heidi (Wednesday)

The closed and for-rent restaurants along this part of 2nd Avenue (Wednesday)


[Going door to door on 2nd Avenue via Derek Berg]

Fair Folks & a Goat leaving 11th Street (Wednesday)

Ahimsa Garden is open on 10th Street (Monday)

Dojo Noodle House closed for now on Avenue B (Friday)

Full reveal at the incoming Starbucks on Avenue A and St. Mark's Place (Tuesday)

Report: 4th Street spa busted for alleged prostitution (Tuesday)

Physical therapy center set for former Dolphin Gym on 4th Street (Thursday)

So long to the great sinkhole at the 8th Street entrance to Tompkins Square Park (Tuesday)

Tasty Tasty won't be reopening on 14th Street (Monday)

Bye bye DBGB (Monday)

...and the podcaster paparazzi photo of the week is with Marc Maron, spotted Wednesday on Seventh Street ... he was in town for an appearance on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" ...


[Photo by Derek Berg]

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Follow EVG on Instragram and/or Twitter for more updates

There's a special Restaurant Week tasting event at Ray's Candy Store tomorrow (Monday!) night

Via the EVG inbox...

Date: Monday, Aug. 21
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: 113 Avenue A @ E 7th Street
Cost: $10 per person (cash only)

Join us at the shop and enjoy a most unique tasting menu cooked up by Chef Ray himself! Guests will be served a 5-course meal including selections of Ray's famous delicacies. We don't know what the chef has in store, but know that you will definitely leave satisfied! Your choice of egg cream, coffee, tea, or soft drink included.

NYC Restaurant Week: Not Just For The Michelin-Rated Joints!!!

More info and RSVP here.

More about the church vs. the travelers on Cooper Square

[Photo on Cooper Square at Seventh Street from June]

Last month, we noted that the travelers who slept outside the First Ukrainian Assembly of God on Cooper Square at Seventh Street had been driven away after someone from the building sprinkled bleach powder on the sidewalk.

Later, someone dumped garbage at the spot (including used toilet paper) and tagged the building.

The Post has a follow-up on this today with a piece titled "Vagrants are going to war against an East Village pastor." The paper talks with the church's leaders, Irina and Ivan Belets.

Alarmed by a growing daily gathering of junkies and hobos, the Belets took matters into their own hands July 22 by sprinkling Comet bleach powder all over the sidewalk in front of the church...

The cleanser fended off the unwelcome interlopers for just a day. “They retaliated and spray-painted all kinds of profanity like ‘f–k you’ on the walls,” Irina said. “They also dumped garbage all over the powder and left a garbage bag filled with used toilet paper.”

And...

The vagrants urinated on the church steps — forcing the Belets to scrub them every day for months in a futile effort to get rid of the “unbearable” stench, Irina said.

Some members of their flock began to skip their weekly Sunday service because of the putrid smells.

And the city reportedly won't do anything about it...

The Belets say they have complained to the city constantly to no avail. They say they have filed at least five complaints through the 311 hotline, and the NYPD confirmed it has received at least 14 calls to 911 this year for the church address, including five reports of disorderly persons...

For now, Irina Belet said the powder has kept the travelers at bay, but she believes they will return. "We need real help. We need the city to do something."


[Photo from today]

Updated

An EVG reader just said that this is a cover story...

On the fence about this rat capture

In today's red-tailed hawk action... Christo and Dora's 2017 offspring, nicknamed Manhattan (or 10, for being their 10th hawklet), captured a rat. (Not sure is this is her first solo grab.)

As Steven, who shared these photos noted, she then crashed into a Park fence ...



Momentarily stunned, Manhattan stayed in this position for several minutes, then flew off again with the rat.

[Updated] Flags — and tarp — have been removed from building at 8th Street and Avenue D

[Image via @visionsofmatty]

This afternoon, the Confederate and Israeli flags were removed from the windows of the top-floor apartment at 403 E. Eighth St.

As we first reported yesterday, workers hung a tarp from the roof to cover the flags from view on the street below.

It's unknown exactly how long the flags had been in the windows (five months to a year, per different media accounts) in the corner building at Avenue D. However, it wasn't until after last weekend's deadly white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., when people started taking notice. (DNAinfo reported yesterday that a pair of the German Naval flags emblazoned with the iron cross were in the windows for roughly a decade before they were replaced by the Confederate flags some time last year.)

Police have been on the scene since a man threw rocks at the windows on Wednesday morning. There is also an unconfirmed report of an the NYPD arresting a man last night for throwing a rock at the windows.

Previous media accounts reported that both the building's property manager and the NYPD had asked the tenant, a 43-year-old male who has lived here for 12 years, to remove the flags.

Will update when more information becomes available about what transpired here today.

Updated 3:15 p.m.

DNAinfo has more on last night's arrest.

Darren Keen, 34, yelled and broke a window at 403 E. 8th St. around 8:40 p.m. before fleeing, according to the NYPD. He was arrested roughly 30 minutes later.

Keen was charged with criminal mischief, given a desk appearance ticket and released.

Updated 8 p.m.

NY1 was actually first to report on Keen's arrest last night.

Police say officers heard the sound of broken glass at a building on East 8th Street near Avenue D.

When they went to investigate, the NYPD says they found a trail of blood leading to the next building and up to Keen's apartment.

Police say Keen admitted to breaking a window and was taken into custody.

He spoke exclusively with NY1 hours earlier and told us he was upset about the flags.

"Everything to make that guy's message go away is good. And I'm going right now to the hardware store and I'm going to pull those tarps up and I'm going to paint a giant Wu-Tang logo on those tarps right now," he said.

It's still not clear who actually removed the flags. Keen is taking credit for it via an Instragram post (breaking the window gave reason for the police to enter, and they took down the flags). Per an updated DNAinfo post: "An NYPD spokesman denied that police entered the apartment and took the flags down, saying that it was freedom of speech."

Other sources have claimed that the building's management entered the apartment and removed the flags. There hasn't been any report of where the tenant is.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: Anger over Confederate flags on 8th Street and Avenue D

[Updated] Workers place tarp over flags on 8th Street and Avenue D

So now you're thinking about getting a pair of solar eclipse glasses

Several people have asked if I knew anyplace in the East Village where one can buy solar eclipse glasses.

You need a pair of the special glasses, of course, to safely view the big event Monday afternoon. In NYC, we'll have a partial solar eclipse — about 70 percent of the sun will be covered when the moon passes directly between the sun and the Earth, as I cut and pasted.

Anyway, I have no idea where you can buy glasses here. (You're welcome!) This list of reputable vendors via NASA mentions 7-Eleven as an authorized nationwide dealer, among many others, such as Best Buy. For the sake of research, I stopped in the Avenue A 7-Eleven. The clerk had no idea what I was talking about.

Other articles mention that public libraries nationwide have them. Perhaps, but not around here...

We are very sorry, dears, but we have no eclipse glasses. 😎😎 #avagardner #solareclipse #libraries

A post shared by Tompkins Square Library (@tompkins_square_library) on Aug 17, 2017 at 2:22pm PDT

Has anyone seen a store selling the glasses in the East Village? This article at Curbed lists several places in NYC with glasses, such as B&H (the photography shop on Ninth Avenue, not the diner on Second Avenue) and Adorama on 18th Street.

As for particulars on Monday, via the NYC Parks Department:

The best time to view the eclipse is between 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. (weather permitting). The actual event occurs at 2:44 p.m. The eclipse will last only three minutes, so be prepared!

And etc. etc.: The last time the United States experienced a coast-to-coast total solar eclipse was 1918. After Monday, the next coast-to-coast total solar eclipse is due on Aug. 12, 2045, which coincides with Webster Hall's reopening.

In closing, please protect your retinas if you view the eclipse in any of these recommended Parks.


[Spurgeon Tanner!]

And because there are so many good songs with "sun" in the title...