Paquito's Restaurant closing after 25 years on 1st Avenue; take out and delivery will remain

[Image via Google Maps]

Paquito’s will shut down its restaurant and bar at 143 First Ave. near Ninth Street after service on Dec. 30. This news was first announced on the Paquito’s Facebook page.

However, fans of the usually-reliable Mexican restaurant can take some solace in that Paquito's will maintain a to-go counter and delivery service in the space next door to the restaurant.

The owners didn't provide a reason for the closure, offering: "It has truly been a pleasure to serve the East Village for all these years. Please feel free to visit our Take-Out & delivery next door which will continue to serve our same great tasting food."

Paquito's opened in 1992. Their location on Third Avenue between 16th Street and 17th Street closed several years ago.

Thanks to EVG reader Susan for the tip!

Westside Market opening in the former Met Foods space on 3rd Avenue and 17th Street

[Photo by Harry Weiner]

Westside Market is opening a new location on Third Avenue near 17th Street. (H/T EVG reader Harry Weiner!)

The signage points to a spring opening...



The retail space has been for lease since the longtime Met Foods closed in the spring of 2015.

This is an interesting spot for Westside, the family owned mini chain of markets. The Westside opened in the East Village on Third Avenue and 12th Street in October 2014. Two locations within five blocks?

The Westside location on Broadway near 77th Street closed last month, per the West Side Rag. (As they reported, "the issue was not a rent hike, but [the landlord's] rejection of a plan by Westside Market to rent the available adjacent space.")

This location will be the fifth for Westside.



Previously on EV Grieve:
The Met Foods on 3rd Avenue in Gramercy Park is closing

Icon's 9th Street townhouse now available for $17 million

At last look, the two units at Icon Realty's 327 E. Ninth St. were on the market for $30,000 per month.

Now though, the entire 7-level townhouse is for sale with an asking price of $17 million.

Per the listing:

This newly constructed 20’ wide townhouse is being offered for sale in its entirety. It is comprised of 2 stunning residences totaling 8,323 square feet with an additional 1,600 square feet of private outdoor space and an adjoined heated private garage (capable of fitting any sized SUV).

The townhouse, as constructed, can easily be used as a single residence or a 2-family home.

Designed by Isaac & Stern Architects with interiors by Paris Forino, this brand-new building was designed with a traditional limestone facade that stands as a new classic. Utilizing modern finishes that establish a new contemporary elegance, this home raises the benchmark for luxury living in the East Village.

The townhouse — nearly five years in the making — is at the site of a former parking lot here between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The big dig begins for 6-story, 2-unit condo on East 9th Street

East Ninth Street parking lot will yield to 6-floor residential building

A look at Icon Realty's 9th Street building where the rentals are $30k a month

The Ainsworth East Village debuts on 3rd Avenue

[Photo from Saturday]

As previously reported here, the Ainsworth, the growing chain of upscale sports bars, is opening a location on Third Avenue and 11th Street.

The Ainsworth East Village (other new locations are coming to Nashville, Kansas City and Wall Street), is expected to open to the public this week. (They are apparently hosting a few private events.)

Jennifer Gould Keil has a preview at the Post yesterday:

The East Village location is 4,500 square feet and comes with 16 dining seats, 30 high top seats, and 25 seats in the bar area. It will feature cocktails like the Crooked Knife, a jalepeño-infused DeLeón tequila with lemon and agave; and the Ains Martini with Ketel One citroen, Aperol and citrus.

The Village Pourhouse closed here back in April after 11 years. The bar was expected to be E.Vil for a few Instagram moments.

Previously on EV Grieve:
An outpost of the Ainsworth vying for former Pourhouse space; E.Vil is not coming

Presenting Mercury East Presents, which brings together several local music venues

In case you didn't see this news yesterday... press release via the EVG inbox...

Michael Swier, co-owner of Bowery Ballroom and Mercury Lounge and an original founder of the Bowery Presents, and Live Nation Entertainment, the world’s leading live entertainment company, have joined forces to create a new promotions and booking venture called “Mercury East Presents.”

Focused on the coveted live music market in New York City, the alliance creates a nexus of current and future independently-owned and operated venues within the five boroughs while capitalizing on shared expertise and industry strength to serve artists and fans alike. Mercury East unites iconic venues throughout the city under one umbrella, establishing a network of clubs and theaters, including Swier’s Mercury Lounge and Bowery Ballroom, Live Nation’s Irving Plaza, Gramercy Theatre, Warsaw and Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk.

The group will continue to expand this portfolio and will assist in growing artists by bringing acts to NYC’s most venerable open rooms, including Madison Square Garden, Barclays Center, The Beacon Theater and Radio City Music Hall. Mercury East will also collaborate with Founders Entertainment, who have introduced hundreds of new artists to the New York market through appearances at their Governors Ball, Meadows Music & Arts Festival and festival after parties.

Both parties have a proven track record in the New York live entertainment scene. Live Nation remains the leader in live entertainment for the region, producing 2,000 events for more than 5.5 million fans in the NYC area in 2016. And Swier’s Bowery Ballroom has hosted thousands of events since its opening in 1998, and is nationally recognized as one of the premier live music venues in the countrry thanks to its talent bookings and intimate performance atmosphere. Well known to music lovers, The Mercury Lounge continues to offer a boutique vibe, welcoming crowds of 250 since its opening in 1994.

Check out the Mercury East website here.

Back in August, the AEG-owned Bowery Presents parted ways with the Bowery Ballroom and Mercury Lounge, as Variety reported.

Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment, along with The Bowery Presents, will be booking shows at Webster Hall on 11th Street once renovations are complete.

Citi Bike of the day

A reader shared this photo from 11th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue... previously.

Reader report: Beware the Amazon Fire TV Stick

An EVG reader, who works from home, shared this (including the above photo) about the Fire TV Stick...

My web connection really slowed down. Once I got on my Verizon wireless modem setting online with one of their tech people, it turned out that along with my devices listed as connected there was also an Amazon device connected. I do not have an Amazon wireless device. Turns out it is an Amazon Firestick, the device you connect to a TV to get Amazon streaming video.

Verizon said that there are apps for phones now that can be used to figure out your wireless passwords easily. It is commonly done with Amazon Firesticks since they take a lot of bandwidth. Once I changed my password and wireless network name the device was no longer listed as connected. The tech said she changed her wireless name and password every other month due to this.

The reader shared this because it "may save a lot of people aggravation."

East Village Cheese remains closed

Another weekend went by without the East Village Cheese Shop being open for business at 80 Seventh St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue. The storefront has been shuttered since Dec. 7.

Several readers have now reported (via the building's super) that the power is off inside the shop. As one reader noted, "It's going to get gross in there soon." (If not already.)

This temporary (for now) closure has been a popular topic in EVG reader emails. Several people have been looking for cheese alternatives. One popular choice is Barnyard Cheese on Avenue B between 10th Street and 11th Street...


[Image via Yelp]

Other East Village possibilities via readers include the Westside Market on Third Avenue at 12th Street ...





... and Union Market on Houston at Avenue A...



Previously

Partial vacate order and violations for sidewalk-collapse building on 4th Street

A few more details have emerged regarding the partial sidewalk collapse outside 125 E. Fourth St. Saturday morning.



According to the Daily News, a worker at the nail salon was preparing to open the shop around 10:40 a.m. here between First Avenue and Second Avenue when a 5x4 section of the sidewalk caved in, sending the worker plunging into the building's basement.

EMTs took the salon employee to Bellevue. Her injuries were not life-threatening, per the News.

The city issued a partial vacate order at the address, which temporarily closes the salon and the adjacent business, Manny's Barber Shop.

Per the News: The Department of Buildings issued "aggravated violations" to the property owner for failing '"to maintain the building in a safe manner." Public records show a court date of Feb. 1.

This is a co-op building. Public records list the owner as: 125 East 4th Street Owner Corp.

Viking Waffles signage arrives on Avenue C

Some signage arrived Friday at 137 Avenue C near Ninth Street, which is home to Viking Waffles...



The space serves as both a wholesale manufacturing business and (eventually) a retail outlet for the popular protein-rich waffles that are sold online and at several health-food stores and gyms, including Barry's Bootcamp. (Benedicte Engen, a Crossfit trainer, is the founder of Viking Waffles.)



In any event, it doesn't appear that the Avenue C space is ready for retail just yet.

No. 137 went under extensive renovations (it's basically a new building) in recent years. The building's ground-floor was previously home to drunk-brunch hotspot Sunburnt Cow until April 2014.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Former Sunburnt Cow space on Avenue C is the new home of Viking Waffles

Renovations in store for 137 Avenue C, home to the Sunburnt Cow

The Sunburnt Cow closes for good at the end of this month

137 Avenue C, hollow on the inside


[Photo from April 2014]

Pinky's Space bringing quick-serve food options to 1st Street

The Pinky's Space neon is up at 70 E. First St. just west of First Avenue... this will be the first location for Pinky's, which has ambitious plans to open multiple outlets near commuter hubs (here being across the street from the F stop).

Here are details from a crowdfunding campaign for the business:

Pinky's will be a GRAB & GO food chain offering a 7 item menu with multiple locations located in small venues (approximately 150 sq/ft) next to high traffic NYC subway stations. We will offer healthy Southern American & French style cuisine served hot and packaged fresh in vibrant packaging creatively designed for easy commute and convenient dining.

The Pinky's team is Wesley Wobles, a personal chef and cookbook author, and Mimi Blitz, who spent nearly two decades working for her mother's catering company and bakery in New Orleans.

Pinky's has a website here. No word on an opening date.

The space previously (and briefly) served as a gym for Marcus Antebi, the Juice Press founder-CEO who opened his first store next door in April 2010.

Some Steiner East Village retail speculation

Some locals have been curious about what retail tenants might be coming to Steiner East Village on Avenue A between 11th Street and 12th Street... workers recently put up paper on the windows, fueling speculation that something imminent is in the works...



However, a source tells us that Steiner reps are still in the preliminary stages in considering retail leases in the nearly 11,000 feet of retail space at the condoplex.

You can likely count out a Trader Joe's and Target, which are opening on 14th Street and Avenue A. (Duane Reade is always a popular jokey choice, though they are currently downsizing locations.)

The idyllic rendering at the Steiner East Village website shows what looks like a restaurant/wine bar in the corner space on 11th Street along with some smaller shops...



Ripco Real Estate still has a listing for the address that dates to 2014.

Season's greetings from the FDNY on 2nd Street

EVG reader Bill Buchen shares these photos of Santa arriving at Engine 28/Ladder 11 on Second Street between Avenue B and Avenue C this afternoon ...

Week in Grieview

[1 explanation for the recent cold weather via Derek Berg]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

Bea Arthur Residence nearly ready to accept first tenants on 13th Street (Thursday)

After 42 years on St. Mark's Place, the Grassroots Tavern closes on New Year's Eve (Monday)

Permits filed to renovate Webster Hall (Tuesday)

MTA, DOT outline plans for life without the L train (Thursday)

Fire at 80 E. Third St. (Friday)

Sidewalk bridge finally hauled away from the Verizon building on 2nd Avenue (Wednesday)

The latest installment of I Am a Rent-Stabilized Tenant (Friday)

EVG contributor James Maher has an exhibit at the Manny Cantor Center titled "Storytelling in our Immigrant City" (Monday)

Traffic lights for the East Houston-FDR-East River overpass (Monday)

$1 coffee talk (Thursday)

Another case of stolen packages from an East Village lobby (Wednesday)

243 and 245 E. 2nd St. asking nearly $18 million (Wednesday)

Citi Bike of the week (Thursday)

Honeyhaus is the latest departure on 11th Street (Monday)

Opossum drama in Tompkins Square Park (Tuesday)

A look at the Tompkins Square Park holiday tree (Sunday)

Checking in on the Moxy hotel project (Tuesday)

Applicants looking to bring live jazz to the former East Village Tavern (Monday)

The "other" hawk (Sunday)

More about Poke N' Roll, coming soon to 9th Street (Tuesday)

Gramercy Kitchen debuts on 3rd Avenue (Tuesday)

Chat 'N Chew looks closer to reopening on Union Square (Wednesday)

Boris and Horton, the dog friendly coffee shop, now hiring on Avenue A (Monday)

House of Fluff pops up on the Bowery (Tuesday)

Construction watch: 606 Broadway and 300 Lafayette (Wednesday)

... and yes, these were seemingly everywhere after Friday evening's snowfall... plenty more where these came from...


[Photo by Steven]


[Photo by Lola Sáenz]

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Report: Law firm files lawsuit against Jared Kushner for unpaid bills

Cornicello, Tendler & Baumel-Cornicello, a law firm that represented Jared Kushner’s real-estate company in dozens of eviction and housing court cases, is now suing him for unpaid bills, the Daily News reports.

Per the report:

The law team Cornicello, Tendler & Baumel-Cornicello filed a lawsuit in Manhattan Supreme Court on Dec. 7 against Kushner Cos. and 19 of its subsidiaries that own or manage properties. Cornicello seeks $102,000 for work it did between December 2014 and May 31, 2015.

In 2014 and 2015, Cornicello represented Kushner properties in at least 32 landlord-tenant cases, mostly involving apartments in the East Village, records show.

A Westminster rep told the News that they are "working to resolve the matter."

As the News notes, East Village tenants and local elected officials have accused Kushner Cos. and its property manager, Westminster, in lawsuits and in other complaints of using harassment-as-eviction tactics through the years.

In 2013, Kushner started buying up some 40-plus buildings in the East Village. According to the Cooper Square Committee, only Steve Croman owns more residential buildings in the East Village than Kushner does.

Kushner removed himself as the company’s CEO back in January to become a senior adviser to his father-in-law, President Trump.

Reader photo at 118 E. 4th St. from March 6.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Tenants claim: Kushner and Westminster want to destroy this building's beautiful garden

Reports outline how Kushner Companies is aggressively trying to empty 170-174 E. 2nd St.

Local politicos join residents of 2 Jared Kushner-owned buildings to speak out about poor living conditions, alleged harassment

Jared Kushner's residents at 118 E. 4th St. would like gas for cooking and some heat

Jared Kushner's East Village tenants wish he'd resolve issues closer to home

Saturday's parting shot

Photo on Avenue A from this morning...

Report: Sidewalk sinkhole injures 1 on 4th Street

Person falls in large hole in East Village sidewalk, officials say https://t.co/UrwFHyzKnL

— NBC New York (@NBCNewYork) December 16, 2017

There's not much information available at the moment about a 5x4 section of sidewalk that gave way this morning on the north side of Fourth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue. The Daily News and NBC 4 report that one person was taken to Bellevue with unspecified injuries.

At the 9th Precinct's holiday party

EVG contributor Derek Berg stopped by the 9th Precinct's annual holiday party this morning on Fifth Street ... and shared these photos of the festivities...

Video: Opening night at MoMa's Club 57

[Image via]

As you likely read about somewhere, "Club 57: Film, Performance, and Art in the East Village, 1978–1983" opened last month at MoMa ... the retrospective explores the influential venue at 57 St. Marks Place between First Avenue and Second Avenue. (This exhibit has generated a lot of press... most recently with this interview published Thursday at The Brooklyn Rail with guest curator Ann Magnuson.)

Yesterday, MoMa posted this video from the opening...



You have until April 1 to catch "Club 57" at MoMa.

H/T Christine C.!

Santa is coming (came) to the 9th Precinct

The 9th Precinct's annual holiday party is going on right now ... until 1 p.m. on Fifth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

And there's probably a SantaCon joke here somewhere...

Nobody makes a better entrance then #SantaClaus arriving at our #EastVillage neighborhood party #NYC @NYPDCommAffairs #NYPDConnecting pic.twitter.com/oJ0mzrkjy8

— NYPD 9th Precinct (@NYPD9Pct) December 16, 2017