A special premiere at Theater for the New City

[Image via Facebook]

On Sunday afternoon at 2, Theater for the New City is unveiling a state-of-the-art, wheelchair-accessible elevator as part of the Lower East Side Festival of the Arts.

Via the EVG inbox:

The elevator will serve TNC’s fourth theater on the lower level as well as its costumes, props and mask collection, additional audience bathrooms and much used rehearsal room. It will also offer access to the theater’s archives...

TNC is billing this as a grand opening complete with ribbon cutting and champagne as the theater names the elevator The Gerald Rupp, after its largest individual donor, who will be present and take the first ride.

“The elevator will support disabled individuals and the frail elderly, as part of Theater for the New City’s push for complete diversity in audience, as well as, the stage,” Crystal Field, executive artistic director, said.

The first 50 attendees will be able to follow suit and everyone attending will get a chance to test out the elevator’s internal telephone.

Kitty Lunn, dancer, choreographer, director of Infinity Dance company for abled and disabled dancers will host the event. The Infinity Dance Company and Yip Harburg Foundation’s Rainbow troupe will perform.

Theater for the New City is at 155 First Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street. You can find the rundown for the 23rd annual Lower East Side Festival of the Arts here. The programming starts tonight at 6.

7-story residential building pending at the former Lucky Cheng's space

[Photo of 24 1st Ave. from April]

Developer Sergey Rybak filed plans with the city yesterday for a 7-floor, 22-unit residential building at 99-101 E. Second St., part of the L-shaped assemblage that once housed Lucky Cheng's. In total, the building will encompass 19,000 square feet, as The Real Deal first reported.


[Photo of 99-101 2nd St. from April]

As we first reported in March, Rybak, of the South Brooklyn-based Rybak Development, was the winning bidder during an auction in February. According to EPIC Commercial Realty, who represented the buyer and the seller, the winning bid was $12.25 million.

So far, there aren't any demolition permits on file.



Hayne Suthon, who owned and and operated Lucky Cheng's, the cross-dressing cabaret, also lived on the upper floors at 24 First Ave. She died of cancer at age 57 in June 2014.

No. 99-101 Second St. housed a variety of short-lived restaurants in recent years, including Bento Burger ... Marfa... and Waikiki Wally's.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Onetime home of Lucky Cheng's and adjacent property on the development market for $26 million

Building that housed Lucky Cheng's on 1st Avenue now on the auction block

Onetime home of Lucky Cheng's and adjacent property sell for $12 million

The 31st annual Loisaida Festival is Sunday

This year's Loisaida Festival takes place from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday (rain or no rain) in its usual place — along Avenue C from Sixth Street to 12th Street.

Here's more about this year's edition, via the EVG inbox...

This year’s Loisaida Festival aims to connect local community-based and led efforts in Loisaida’s recovery and resurgence post-Sandy, to the many grassroots and emergent leader efforts that have taken hold in Puerto Rico that have brought hope to communities and empowered local residents to unite and act on their own behalf. “Bridging Resurgence: From Sandy to Maria,” the 2018 Loisaida Festival theme, is also an urgent reminder of the continuing struggle of those still recovering from Hurricane Maria’s devastation of the Island. The Loisaida Center remains committed to the Island’s recovery as an affirmation of our neighborhood’s Puerto Rican heritage.

And here are some links to what you can expect to find ... on the main stage, hosted by Flaco Navaja and Jeannie Sol... at the Loisaida Festival Community Parade, which starts Sunday at 11 a.m. ... and read more about the Festival poster that Gustavo Castrodad created here.

Also on Sunday, four VIVA Loisaida Award honorees will be recognized. The recipients are Damaris Reyes, executive director of GOLES; Aixa Torres, president of the Alfred E. Smith Houses Tenant Association; the Rivera-Fargas family, whose mother, Adela Fargas, owner of Casa Adela, died in January; and Dr. Manuel Moran, founder and artistic director of the Society of Educational Arts (and founder of Teatro Sea at the Clemente).

A post shared by The Loisaida Festival (@loisaidafest) on May 21, 2018 at 12:05pm PDT

Trinity Lower East Side Lutheran Parish celebrating 175 years this weekend

On Sunday, Trinity Lower East Side Lutheran Parish is celebrating its 175th year in the neighborhood.

Via the EVG inbox...

On Sunday, May 27, we will gather with our congregation, elected officials, and community leaders for worship with Bishop Don McCoid of the Metropolitan New York Synod presiding and former Pastor and founder of Trinity's Services And Food for the Homeless, Pr. Bob Wollenburg preaching.

Broadway musicians and the TLES choir will provide special music. After worship, we will meet for a toast, presentations by community leaders, a catered reception, and live music in our garden on the corner of 9th Street and Avenue B.

Find more info here.

Meanwhile, church reps recently unearthed this short documentary from 1992 that was created as a fundraising appeal for the building that the church currently resides in on Ninth and B...

Grant Shaffer's NY See

[Click on image for more detail]

East Village-based illustrator Grant Shaffer recently introduced a new comic series, NY See. It's an observational sketch diary of things that he sees and hears around NYC — mostly in the East Village.

Starting today, we'll share the panels here in an ongoing feature.

When Caitlin met Cáit

Caitlin, a U.K. native who recently completed her Ph.D. in molecular biology, works part-time at Confectionery, the sweet shop on Ninth Street near Avenue A.

EVG correspondent Steven was recently talking with Caitlin at Confectionery. She mentioned that her parents named her after Caitlín "Cáit" O'Riordan, who played bass for The Pogues, the Celtic punk band.

It just so happens that O'Riordan, a singer-songwiter (and bassist), lives in the East Village these days. Steven met her several months ago, and approached her about saying hello to Caitlin. She agreed.

And so the other day, Cáit went to the shop to see Caitlin, who was was surprised and extremely happy about meeting her namesake.

Caitlin later reported:

My goodness! My mum's beyond excited — she's telling EVERYONE she knows!

I think she wishes she could've been here to meet her. She's so happy though!

Afandi Grill bringing food from Central Asia to 1st Avenue

Coming soon signage is up now at 149 First Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street for Afandi Grill, which will offer cuisine from Central Asia ...



The website advertised on the poster isn't live just yet... so not sure of their menu, presumably featuring cuisine from Central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.

This is a pretty small space, so it may primarily serve as a to-go operation. The storefront has been vacant since This Little Piggy Had Roast Beef closed in March 2014. A psychic adviser has been set up outside of late.

Thanks to Steven for the photos!

Previously on EV Grieve:
So you want to rent the former This Little Piggy Had Roast Beef space

Landlord tells residents of 149 First Ave. that they need to vacate ahead of demolition

On the sales market: 428 E. 13th St. (plus air rights)

Over on 13th Street, No. 428, a 4-story walkup between Avenue A and First Avenue, arrived on the sales market this week.

The listing at Streeteasy ominously notes: "Will be delivered vacant. Single-family conversion."

Broker Marcus & Millichap has more details, such as there are "2,800 remaining developable square feet."

The building, under the same ownership since 1973, currently features three apartments, one commercial space, one art studio and an unrenovated rear building. The art studio apparently connects the front and rear buildings.

No. 428 is near several new high-end developments, including the Thirteen East + West condoplexes a few doors away and Benenson Capital's 432-438 East 14th St. at the site of the former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office.

And the asking price: $9.75 million.

Wednesday's parting shot

Post-cow cleaning outside Paul's Da Burger Joint today on Second Avenue at St. Mark's... photo by Derek Berg

Straight story on this section of the 10th Street bike lane

stay in your lane 🚴‍♂️🌖🌓🌔🐍

A post shared by Peter Sutherland (@petersutherland) on May 14, 2018 at 4:09pm PDT

EVG regular Daniel reports that the formerly wonky 10th Street bike lane between First Avenue and Avenue A is a straight line again...



... and with the minivan conveniently blocking the bike lane...



And for future reference ... as Daniel noted... you can make a 311 request to take care of street-line/bike-lane issues with the city here.

A discussion next week on 'the State of the LES'

Next Wednesday night, Downtown Art and FABnyc are hosting a community gathering titled "the State of the LES."

According to the invite, this discussion, part of Lower East Side History Month, is a chance for residents to:

Hear the big picture from people who know it! Come connect with local leaders — hear and converse on the leading issues currently impacting the Lower East Side.

Topics will include affordable housing, resiliency, preservation, zoning and small business, immigrant services, transportation, and arts and culture. (There isn't any mention yet about who will be leading these conversations.)

The event is next Wednesday, May 30, at Downtown Art, 70 E. Fourth St. between Second Avenue and the Bowery.

The doors open at 6:15 p.m., and "the State of the LES" gets underway at 6:30 p.m.

It's free to attend, though you do need to RSVP here.

Inkstop Tattoo closing later this summer after 21 years on Avenue A and 13th Street

Eric Rignall, the owner of Inkstop Tattoo on Avenue A at 13th Street, recently announced via Instagram that the shop was closing by Aug. 1 after 21 years in business on this corner.

However, he will continue working by appointment only from a new space in Queens.

I asked Rignall more about the situation. I wondered if the six new luxury residential buildings that have either opened or are in the process of welcoming tenants within a two-block radius, including Steiner East Village and Extell's EVGB, played a role in the move.

For starters, he said that the Ink Stop landlord has been fair with him "but market value for rent in the neighborhood is a bit too high in general to stay on top of things," he said. "Also, it is true that the new changes to the neighborhood in the last few years have dramatically reduced business in the area. A lot of people have moved out and there is not as much foot traffic as there was."


[Photo of Rignall from January by James Maher]

Rignall lives in Queens, and working closer to home "with a much lower overhead is the right choice for me to make."

Meanwhile, the corner space is now on the market. The listing notes that it's a "perfect space for office or retail. No cooking. Microwave is allowed."

Read our interview with Ringall from January 2017 here.

The buzz at La Plaza Cultural

The other day we received news from La Plaza Cultural, the community garden on the southwest corner of Ninth Street and Avenue C.

The garden now has bees, which arrived last Wednesday. (The hives were put in on May 12.)

Here's more from the La Plaza newsletter...

Nestled under a tree, in the Southwest corner of La Plaza, you will find a newly established hive of honeybees.

The colony starts small and will grow taller with more numerous honeybees as the year progresses. Hard-working honeybees are inside building comb and raising babies; outside they are foraging for nectar, pollen and water. Honeybees are gentle, industrious creatures that create beauty in our world and pollinate our food supply.

At La Plaza, Marga Snyder and Grai Rice are the beekeepers establishing this colony for the joy and education of all. Many years ago, there had been two colonies on the roof of the toolshed, long before it became legal again to tend hives in the city limits, and it is a complete delight to bring the bees back.

You can sit quietly and watch them, and listen to the gentle hum of the hive. What you need to know is that they are not aggressive, however they are scared by fast motion and vibration. Grai Rice from HoneybeeLives.org will be doing a couple of hive introductions to garden members, once the colony is more established and honeybees are accustomed to their new urban environment.

Photos courtesy of La Plaza...

This rental on 10th Street is near 'everything your bohemian soul could desire'

[Image via Streeteasy]

The triplex unit at 84 E. 10th St. between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue is on the rental market with a July move-in date.

The residence arrived on Streeteasy this week. Per that listing:

You are surrounded by boutique retail, major retail, bars, restaurants, cafes. easy access to all subway lines, clubs and everything your bohemian soul could desire.

The unit is a massive triplex 1800 sq ft loft.

It is built out as a 5 bedroom, 3 bath plus a home office.

It features multiple skylights, private roof deck, modern kitchen, over sized living room, soaring high ceilings, natural light, hardwood floors and laundry in the unit.

The asking rent: $10,900 a month.

The space was last on the market in 2013, when it was fetching $7,950.

This residence may also be the reason behind an ongoing — dating to June 2010 — "stop the rooftop noise" sticker-and-flyer campaign in the immediate vicinity...



And No. 84's rooftop via Streeteasy...

Noted

This gap is easy

A post shared by All Citi (@citibikeboyz) on May 10, 2018 at 6:29am PDT

From the Post:

Daredevil Lower East Side cyclists are turning clunky, notoriously heavy CitiBikes into their personal stunt bikes, pulling off gravity-defying stunts with wheelies across alleys and jumps off stairs, then posting videos of the free-wheeling antics to an Instagram account called “Citibikeboyz.”

The ‘boyz’ behind the account say they actually feel safer jumping over a curb or doing a wheelie on the 45-pound, carefully-designed rides.

A post shared by All Citi (@citibikeboyz) on Nov 28, 2017 at 11:23pm PST

And by the way, Sunday marks Citi Bike's fifth anniversary in the City...there will be cake...

Hey Citi Bikers, get ready to party! We're turning 5 on May 27th and we want to celebrate with YOU! Join us on Sunday, 5/27 for a ride, CAKE, games, prizes, and more. Did we mention there was cake? Learn more at https://t.co/fbjo9mOysr pic.twitter.com/fh619mTI9o

— Citi Bike (@CitiBikeNYC) May 22, 2018

Bird watch: A nesting American robin on 3rd Street and Avenue B

An American robin recently built a nest on the fire escape outside David Browning's window on Third Street near Avenue B ... and this past weekend, two of the eggs hatched.

David shared these photos that he took during the last few days...









"I feel lucky these robins picked my fire escape for their nest," said Browning, who has lived in the building for 16 years. "It’s really awesome to watch unfold."

Mast Books launches sale ahead of short move on Avenue A

[Photo from early April]

Back on May 1 in our "Empty corner storefronts on Avenue A" post, we noted that Mast Books was moving a few storefronts away to the larger space on Avenue A at Fifth Street.

This past weekend Mast announced a sale on Instagram ahead of the relocation...

After 8 years at our current location at 66 Avenue A, Mast Books will be moving just up the block next month to 72 Avenue A! We’ve started a Moving Sale today, select books at 50% off or more!

A post shared by Mast Books (@mastbooks) on May 19, 2018 at 11:33am PDT

The storefront has sat empty since East Village Pharmacy moved to 41 Avenue A in early 2011. (There was also the brief reign of Gestations.)

As previously noted, this is a good block for retail here between Fifth Street and Fourth Street … with a coffee shop/cafe (Croissanteria), a housewares shop (Lancelotti), a bookstore (Mast), a magazine shop (Ink on A), a gift shop (Alphabets), a dry cleaners … not to mention the nail salon, lottery place and the liquor store.

Mast opened on A in May 2010.

Former Lovecraft space for rent on Avenue B

After sitting in the dark these past three-plus months, the bar-restaurant inspired by horror writer H. P. Lovecraft is now for lease at 50 Avenue B near Fourth Street.

And so this officially brings an end to Lovecraft, which opened in August 2014. (There was some speculation among neighbors that the place would reopen.)

Johnny Favorite's, the pizzeria attached to the Lovecraft space around the corner on Fourth, is also for lease... as is the former 212 Arts gallery, which recently relocated to 12th Street.



Johnny Favorite's hasn't been open since this past August. (The pizzeria debuted in April 2015.)

This listing hasn't arrived online at CityConnections just yet.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Lovecraft has not been open lately on Avenue B

24 St. Mark's Place sells for $12.9 million

There's a new owner for 24 St. Mark's Place, a 17-unit, 6-floor walk-up with Ben & Jerry's in the retail space here between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

The transaction hit public records last week with an LLC linked to a Greene Street address as the seller, and an LLC in Great Neck as the buyer. The purchase price was $12.9 million.

The Traded: New York Instagram account posted that Laurence Beame sold the property to Danny Hakakian.

A Bahram (Danny) Hakakian of Great Neck was once on City Councilmember Bill de Blasio's "Slumlord Watch List," according to the Daily News in 2009.

In 2011, The Real Deal's analysis of city records found that "there were 3,020 housing code violations on the 334 units" in the 17 buildings that Hakakian reportedly owned. (He had just sold many of the properties.) That figure came out to about nine violations per unit.

Since then, however, Hakakian has not appeared on any lists, such as the 2017 Worst Landlords Watchlist via Public Advocate Letitia James.

The building was last sold for $5.3 million in January 2012, per public records.

Icon Realty shaves $4 million off of its 9th Street townhouse ask

[Image via Streeteasy]

Icon Realty's 7-level townhouse at 327 E. Ninth St. has been on the market these last six months as both a $30,000 rental and a $17-million whole-building buy.

Icon recently dropped the ask from $17 million to $13 million.

And to refresh your memory about the design and amenities... here's Streeteasy:

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.

Each sunlit floor offers open layouts and a transitional aesthetic featuring a light color palette which has been highlighted by White Appalachian Oak Floors with radiant heating and Christopher Peacock Kitchens with luxurious Italian Arabescato Marble countertops and backsplashes.

Bathrooms feature Dornbracht fixtures adorned with Zebrino Marble.

The building features outstanding private outdoor experiences with private balconies on each floor, an expansive roof deck and multiple landscaped private patio spaces with copper trimmed LED perimeter lighting and full outdoor kitchens.

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

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