[Updating] Post fire, 1 lane of northbound traffic returns to 1st Avenue

After the overnight 6-alarm fire at 188 First Ave. between 11th Street and 12th Street... one northbound traffic lane has been reopened for vehicular traffic, per the NYPD.

• The MTA reports that the M15 bus won't make any local stops on First Avenue between St. Mark's Place and 13th Street.

• There are now a reported 17 injuries, which includes 14 firefighters. None of the injuries were deemed life-threatening.

As for No. 188 and surrounding buildings...

Update from inter agency meeting with @nycoem
Northbound traffic on 1 Ave will remain closed until further notice, please avoid the are is possible.

3 Buildings have been evacuated and will remain empty until @NYCDOB checks the structure’s integrity. #EastVillage #NYC pic.twitter.com/W1jJwemVbg

— NYPD 9th Precinct (@NYPD9Pct) October 3, 2018

Updated 2:45 p.m.

EVG reader dog shares this photo... apparently there has been a flare up, in the words of the NYPD, in the rear of No. 188...



And per the 9th Precinct....

There has been a small flare up in the rear of 188 1 Ave causing northbound vehicular traffic to once again be closed.@FDNY is still on scene https://t.co/niiL9TEbYY

— NYPD 9th Precinct (@NYPD9Pct) October 3, 2018

An estimated 20 FDNY trucks remain at the scene, per dwg.

[Updating] Report of injuries during major fire at 188 1st Ave.

[Photo via @academyrecords]

More than 200 firefighters have been battling a major overnight fire at 188 First Ave., a five-story building between 11th Street and 12th Street...[See below for updates — the fire is in the building's setback]


[Photo by Doug Singer]



First Avenue has been closed at Ninth Street for the FDNY equipment.

We'll continue to update as more information becomes available...

Update 1

Four firefighters and two residents were hurt in the five-alarm fire, ABC 7 reports. All of the injuries are said to be minor.

Per ABC:

The fire broke out on the first floor of a five-story apartment building on 1st Avenue just before 2 a.m.

Fire spread through the building quickly.

Update 2

NBC 4 states nine injuries, including seven firefighters — one of who was seriously injured.

No immediate cause for the fire, officials say.

--

The ground floor is occupied by Uogashi, the Japanese restaurant.

Update 3

The FDNY is calling this a 6-alarm fire now...

MAN 6-ALARM 188 1ST AVE, MULTIPLE DWELLING FIRE IN 1ST FLR SETBACK,

— FDNYalerts (@FDNYAlerts) October 3, 2018

Update 4

JUST IN: The FDNY recommends the DOE to close two nearby schools as they continue to battle a 'stubborn' fire in the East Village that has been burning for hours https://t.co/GUlz9rIaQO pic.twitter.com/POqwF5iXHK

— NBC New York (@NBCNewYork) October 3, 2018

Update 5 — 8 a.m.

The FDNY response is massive. Trucks stretch back to between Seventh Street and Sixth Street.

Here's an early morning photo via Lola Sáenz...



...and these are from the rear of the building taken from 12th Street via Steven...









... and from the front of the building...







Update 6

A view via KT...



Update 7 9 a.m.

More from ABC 7:

Flames spread to a small section of rear of the building, which partially collapsed and could safely not accessed by firefighters.

"Much of the roof on the first floor extension has burned away, but because of the collapse hazard we can't get in there. And that's the problem, why we can't put this fire out right now," Chief James Leonard, FDNY Chief of Department.

They poured water on the small section, waiting for the roof to collapse so they could fully extinguish it.

Until then, the smoldering section spewed heavy smoke that prompted firefighters to evacuate five adjacent buildings.

This aerial view shows the collapse in the structure behind the building... part of Uogashi?



The injured list is now reportedly at 14 — including 11 firefighters, mostly smoke for inhalation and heat exhaustion.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

The Red Cross is on the scene...

Update: @RedCross is located in a truck at below location. Ready to serve. https://t.co/5u7R2uzRNN

— Pedro Carrillo (@plazarillo) October 3, 2018

And no school here...

⚠️ Due to a 6-alarm fire nearby, two NYC Schools in Manhattan to close today, 10/3/2018: East Side Community High School and P.S. 19 Asher Levy. All students and staff are safe. There will be no classes, after school, or other activities at these schools today. [1/2]

— NYC Public Schools (@NYCSchools) October 3, 2018

Update 8

First Avenue will likely be closed for much of the day...

This will be a prolonged operation due to heavy construction and structural concerns of the building - #FDNY Chief of Department Leonard from the scene of the 6-alarm fire, 188 1 Ave. Manhattan

— FDNY (@FDNY) October 3, 2018

Update 9

EV FIRE UPDATE: Fire is contained at the rear of 188 1st Ave. @FDNY will be on standby indefinitely.

* Residents are safe, dozens of units evacuated
* No decision made for @NYCSchools tomorrow
* 14 people injured including firefighters

Next interagency meeting will be at 11am. pic.twitter.com/a2cHAOP8f6

— Carlina Rivera 利華娜 (@CarlinaRivera) October 3, 2018

Update 10 1:15 p.m.

#EastVillage Fire update.

One Northbound traffic lane has been opened for vehicular traffic.

The M15 bus @MTA will NOT make any stops for pickup or drop off from St. Marks Place to East 13 Street. It will then proceed as normal. pic.twitter.com/3eqVktLjK5

— NYPD 9th Precinct (@NYPD9Pct) October 3, 2018

The FDNY issued an under control just before 1 p.m. ...

MAN 6-ALARM 188 1ST AVE, MULTIPLE DWELLING FIRE IN 1ST FLR SETBACK, UNDER CONTROL

— FDNYalerts (@FDNYAlerts) October 3, 2018

Have a Taste of the East Village this Saturday

The third annual Taste of the East Village is this Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. on Seventh Street between Second Avenue and Cooper Square.

Here are details via the Cooper Square Committee:

The Taste of the East Village brings together around 20 of the East Village’s favorite chefs and restaurants to benefit the Cooper Square Committee’s housing programs, and to promote the GoFundMe campaign of EVIMA’s President, Jimmy Carbone, a co-founder of the festival. Local chef at Huertas at 107 1st Ave., Jonah Miller, is chairperson of the festival committee and has selected many of the participating restaurants.

Ticket holders are entitled to four dishes from participating neighborhood restaurants and eateries, including newcomers to the festival like the Eddy, Fry Guys, Ho Foods, Huertas, Maharlika Filipino Moderno, Virginia as well as returning restaurants like Brick Lane Curry, Porsena, Al Horno Mexican Kitchen, Narcbar and Le Petit Parisien. Dessert venues such as Insomnia Cookies, Sweet Generation Bakery, Veneiro’s and Davey’s Ice Cream will also be joining us.

Find more info here. And tickets — $25 now and $30 day of — are at this link.

It's October, which also means it's Hitchcocktober

The City Cinemas Village East on Second Avenue at 12th Street is once again playing host to Hitchcocktober.

This month the theater screens five Alfred Hitchcock classics, starting with "Rear Window" Thursday night at 8.



The rest of the lineup:

Oct. 11 — "Shadow of a Doubt"

Oct. 18 — "Strangers on a Train"

Oct. 25 — "The 39 Steps"

Halloween night — "Psycho"

Find advance ticket info here.

787 Coffee now open on 7th Street

View this post on Instagram

Ready! We are OPEN for business! 131 E. 7th st. East Village, NYC.

A post shared by 787 Coffee Co. (@787coffee) on Oct 2, 2018 at 7:06am PDT

787 Coffee debuted yesterday at 131 E. Seventh St. near Avenue A.

Here's what to expect from their beans, via a preview at Bedford and Bowery:

787 grows, processes, and roasts their coffee, all on a chemical-free farm atop a mountain in Puerto Rico, with the goal of restoring the island’s coffee crop to the level of success it previously enjoyed.

787 previously had an outpost in the now-closed Market NYC on Houston at Mulberry. The Seventh Street cafe will now serve as 787's flagship location.

Read more about 787 here.

No. 131 was previously home to Shervin's Cafe for several years.

Previously on EV Grieve:
787 Coffee for 7th Street

Report: Supreme leasing temp space at 190 Bowery

Streetwear brand Supreme will lease the retail space at 190 Bowery until mid-2019, Crain's reported yesterday.

A temporary home is necessary as Supreme renovates its 24-year-old storefront on Lafayette near Bleecker.

Per Crain's: "Leasing short term to a tenant like Supreme could be a savvy move by RFR Realty to boost the building's profile as a retail destination and attract other stores that might be interested in leasing the space long term."

No. 190's retail tenant is currently the fashion emporium Totokaelo, who was said to be only taking the space short-term. The Post reported last year that the asking rent for the ground floor, mezzanine and basement was $2 million a year. Or roughly $166,000 a month.

RFR Realt's Aby Rosen bought the landmarked building from photographer Jay Maisel for a reported $55 million in 2014.

Previously

Here's Mister Paradise

The signage has arrived for Mister Paradise, a new cocktail bar-restaurant from Will Wyatt (The Nomad) at 105 First Ave.

For now there's not a whole lot of public information about the place, aside from a teaser website here ... and an Instagram account here. (You can read the the application from Wyatt and his partners before they appeared before CB3's SLA committee in July 2017.)

The space has been empty since Empellón Cocina closed in this spot between Sixth Street and Seventh Street in May 2017.

Noted on 12th Street

EVG regular Greg Masters shares this photo from 12th Street this evening.

Per the sign:

Orange Quilt

I accidentaly [sic] left my mother’s quilt out on the street…If you are willing to return it [see the sign for the email].

Report: NYU student dies jumping in front of L train at 1st Avenue

[Photo on 1st Avenue today by EVG reader Laura]

More information is now available about the emergency response early this afternoon at the L train station on First Avenue and 14th Street.

According to the Post, an 18-year-old NYU student was killed when he jumped in front of an oncoming train around 12:05 p.m.

The student, whose identity was not released, died at the scene, per the Post.

A happy hour talk about the Small Business Jobs Survival Act

[Image via Facebook]

Via the EVG inbox (which was actually via Facebook!)... this event is Wednesday evening (tomorrow!) from 7-9.

At long last, the Small Business Jobs Survival Act (SBJSA) is getting a hearing. Come celebrate, meet and mingle, and strategize next steps for this important event and beyond.

Jeremiah Moss and others will be speaking on the importance of this historic bill. David Eisenbach, the anti-REBNY candidate for Public Advocate, will talk about his work and what we can do to get ready for the public hearing later in October.

Dream Baby is giving #SaveNYC an extended happy hour: $4 for beer and well drinks, $2 off everything else.

Dream Baby is at 162-164 Avenue B between 10th Street and 11th Street.

Jeremiah Moss talks more about the SBJSA in this EVG podcast. And this recent Gothamist post explores the SBJSA. And from The Villager newspaper, here's a piece titled Will the S.B.J.S.A. get a fair hearing?

[Updated] The future of the former Great Jones Cafe

Applicants vying for the former Great Jones Cafe space will return before Community Board 2's SLA licensing committee tonight.

Here's the background info as presented via CB2:

The Great Jones Cafe - Returning
(OP) Licenses: — J.F. Jones, Inc., d/b/a Great Jones Café, 54 Great Jones St. (100% Corp Change) (OP – Restaurant)

Great Jones Hospitality LLC, comprised of Anthony C. Marano, Scott Marano, Jonathan Kavourakis and Byron Burnbaum, is becoming the primary investor in J.F. Jones Inc. d/b/a Great Jones Café after the death of James Moffett. Anthony Marano owns the building. Great Jones Café has been open since 1983 and has continually had a liquor license since then. The hours of operation that are presented are from 11 AM to 4 AM 7 days. There are 8 tables, 31 seats and 1 bar with 5 seats. They state they are a restaurant with background music. There is existing sound proofing. One employee will be designated to ensure that at all times the sidewalk will not become a nuisance to neighbors.

The principals have agreed to a new kitchen venting system and have expressed a willingness to reduce the hours of their license to 2 am Sunday through Wednesday and 4 am Thursday through Saturday. Negotiations and stipulations are ongoing.

The applicants appeared before CB2’s SLA committee on Sept. 4. (For starters, they will keep the name the Great Jones Cafe.) During that meeting, Kavourakis (aka Chef Big Sexy), whose résumé includes stints in the kitchen at The Stanton Social (Chef de Cuisine) and Vandal (executive chef and partner), described the menu for the new venture as "modern American" with "very approachable foods" and "a place where it's comfortable to eat every day." (He noted that the Cajun cuisine served at the Great Jones Cafe is "not trending now.")

Two local residents, including longtime Noho power broker Zella Jones, spoke out against the application, sharing concerns about the 4 a.m. close (Great Jones Cafe also had hours until 4 a.m.) as well as the noise from the kitchen exhaust that overlooks the sidewalk.

In the end, both the applicants and CB2 agreed to a layover on the application to allow time for Kavourakis and company to explore a new venting hook up and reconsider the hours of operation.

Tonight's CB2 SLA meeting starts at 6:30 at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 151-155 Sullivan St. (at Houston Street), Lower Hall.

Moffett, the longtime owner of the Great Jones Cafe on Great Jones Street west of the Bowery, died on July 10. The restaurant never reopened following his untimely death.

Updated 5:30 p.m.

Avi Burn of Pinks and Pinks Cantina is also one of the applicants. He shared some addition information.

"Chef Jonathan is aiming to create a menu that people can eat several times per week. We felt Cajun food — while amazing and hearty — is a once-in-a-while treat for many people. Nevertheless we will pay homage to the old menu with some GJ classics and some inspiration from the old menu."

Burn said that the "not trending" quote about Cajun food was taken out of context.

Here's more:

The idea was really to keep as much of the spirit of place as possible. We will clean up, make some cosmetic changes, re-do the food and drink menu while keeping some classics and aim to offer a great update to a classic neighborhood restaurant.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A request not to leave any more bread at the Great Jones Cafe

RIP Jim Moffett, owner of the Great Jones Cafe

New owners vying for the Great Jones Cafe space

East Village history at the Tompkins Square Library branch this month

There are several local history programs of interest on the schedule this month at the Tompkins Square Library branch on 10th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B

Here's an overview via the EVG inbox...

• Wednesday, Oct. 3, 6 p.m.: 16mm Film Screening: La Dolce Festa (1977; 28 mins.) Dir: Kathleen Dowdey. A documentary on the traditions, preparation and rituals of the San Gennaro Festival. 16mm film from the special collections of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

• Wednesday, Oct. 10, 5 p.m.: Author Talk: Alice Sparberg Alexiou and Kerri Culhane. Culhane, an architectural historian who wrote the report that led to the designation of the Bowery as a historic district in 2011, will engage Alice Sparberg Alexiou (author of "Devil’s Mile: The Rich, Gritty History of the Bowery") in conversation about the Bowery’s past, present, and future, followed by time for questions and answers. The program is presented in partnership with the Bowery Alliance of Neighbors.

• Friday, Oct. 19, 6 p.m.: The East Village in the 1980s: a conversation with: Penny Arcade, Clayton Patterson, Chris Rael. Moderator: Andy McCarthy, a reference librarian at the Milstein Division of U.S. History, Local History, and Genealogy at NYPL, and a former NYC doubledecker bus tour guide.

• Exhibition: From Oct. 19 through Nov. 1 the Tompkins Square Library will present “A Look Back on the East Village of the 1980s.”

This vigorous and enthusiastically researched show will focus on the creative counter-culture of the surrounding neighborhood in the 1980's. It will present important, vital highlights from the night club scene, along with the music, theater, and art activity of that period — a period in which the East Village was recognized nationally and internationally for its sometimes famous and sometimes infamous personalities and places.

In conjunction with the show, the Tompkins Square library has been working with material from the New York Public Library special collections, and with the Fales NYU Downtown archive. Of significant interest are the many photographs and fascinating ephemera and reproductions from the East Village in the 1980s.

Find the branch's full rundown of October activities here.

Why El Jardín del Paraíso is temporarily closed

El Jardín del Paraíso, the community garden that spans the block of Fourth Street to Fifth Street between Avenue C and Avenue D, has been closed since late last week.

Here's what Kelly Krause, a press officer for the Parks Department, had to say about the situation:

El Jardín del Paraíso has been closed temporarily at the request of the NYPD due to recent criminal activity in the area, unrelated to the garden. We hope to reopen the garden in a couple weeks.

Thanks to @artisanmatters for the photo!

Milestones for LinkNYC; ongoing concerns about tracking movements

VentureBeat takes a deep dive on LinkNYC as the Wi-fi network passes several milestones.

Two years after the deployment of prototypical kiosks in Manhattan, Intersection ... is ready to declare them a success. The roughly 1,600 Links recently hit three milestones: 1 billion sessions, 5 million users, and 500,000 phone calls a month.

“We have an opportunity to communicate with people as they navigate their day,” Intersection senior consumer marketing manager Amanda Giddon told VentureBeat in a phone interview. “My mandate is to help make Link a part of the community through content and content strategy — really, anything that [makes] New Yorkers feel like tourists in their own city [or] even help tourists feel like New Yorkers through useful, actionable information.”

And in a piece from earlier in September, The Intercept explores if LinkNYC kiosks are tracking your movements.

Since plans for LinkNYC were first unveiled, journalists, residents, and civil liberties experts have raised concerns that the internet kiosks might be storing sensitive data about its users and possibly tracking their movements. For the last two years, the American Civil Liberties Union, Electronic Frontier Foundation, and a small but vocal group of activists — including ReThink LinkNYC, a grassroots anti-surveillance group, and the anonymous Stop LinkNYC coalition — have highlighted the kiosk’s potential to track locations, collect personal information, and fuel mass surveillance.

Now an undergraduate researcher has discovered indications in LinkNYC code — accidentally made public on the internet — that LinkNYC may be actively planning to track users’ locations.

Monday's parting shot

Today Libby Schoettle (aka @phoebenewyork) created this Girl Power installation (via the LISA Project NYC) on the 11th Street side of the Little Tong Noodle Shop at First Avenue...

Thanks to Lola Sáenz for the photo.

A note for a bicycle thief

EVG reader Lauralynn had her bike stolen from 10th Street near Avenue B.

The photo shows her effort to spread good vibes — even to the thief.

Bike thief,

Here is the key to the lock that was on my bike.

Enjoy the bike as much as I did, or sell it to buy whatever you so badly need.

Be well.

Playground renovations underway in Tompkins Square Park

Workers arrived this morning to start renovations on the Tompkins Square Park Avenue B children’s playgrounds.

EVG correspondent Greg Masters shared these photos...





Per Greg: Contractors are installing fences cutting off access to the paths in the area, such as the entrance at Avenue B and Seventh Street, as well as the path around the Don Robert's Garden.

The contract is for one year, a worker on the scene told Greg, but the job could be completed earlier.

Previous District 2 City Council member Rosie Mendez had allocated capital funds to renovate the adjacent playgrounds along Seventh Street and Avenue B at the Park's southeast entrance.

According to the Parks Department website: "This project will reconstruct two playgrounds with new play equipment, safety surfacing, spray showers, seating and fencing.

And a schematic from the website...



The Parks Department was to supplement the funding with its Parks Without Borders initiative that would lower the fences from its present height of 7 feet to 4 feet, a move that stirred plenty of concern.

Parks Department Commissioner Mitchell Silver was reportedly going to make the final determination on the fence lowering. That was in March 2017. We'll try to find out what the final verdict was on the fence's height.

Updated 10/2

In an email, a Parks official said that the new fence height will be 4 feet.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Your chance to brainstorm ideas to renovate the Tompkins Square Park Playground (27 comments)

Reminders: Meeting on possible improvements to the Tompkins Square Park Playground

Join Rosie Mendez to discuss improvements to the Tompkins Square playgrounds tomorrow night

Community meeting set to discuss lowering the playground fences in Tompkins Square Park (28 comments)

Report: There's opposition to lowering the playground fences in Tompkins Square Park

Feltman’s moving away from Theatre 80 on St Mark's Place

Today is the last day to enjoy a hot dog at the Feltman’s of Coney Island outpost at Theatre 80 on St. Mark's Place.

Feltman's owner Michael Quinn shared the news with me via email.

"Grateful we are for the last several years at 80 St. Mark's, unfortunately, we have outgrown the location — but stay tuned because we’ll be back bigger and better in a yet undisclosed space," Quinn said.

He started selling hot dogs from inside the William Barnacle Tavern at Theatre 80 in August 2016. Shortly after, Gothamist declared that Feltman's served NYC's best hog dog.

Feltman's is named after Charles Feltman, purportedly the inventor of the hot dog as well as the restaurant that was located in Coney Island from 1870-1954. (Read more about Feltman at the Coney Island History Project here.)

Quinn is particularly proud that, starting last year, McSorley's began serving Feltman's hot dogs. "The first time they added a food item in over 50 years," he said.

Upon opening on St. Mark's Place in 2016, Quinn said that he had found a good match with Theatre 80 operator Lorcan Otway.

"Lorcan and I are both native New Yorkers and historians who believe in the preservation of NY history and small businesses," Quinn said at the time. "Lorcan told me that he loves that fact that Feltman's is going from what was the largest restaurant in the world at Coney Island to the smallest kitchen on St. Mark's Place."

And moving forward: "We ask you to please support Theatre 80 and the William Barnacle Tavern."

Liquiteria closing 2nd Avenue outpost after 22 years in business

EVG reader Kiki shares this photo and tip — the Liquiteria on Second Avenue and 11th Street is closing after service on Friday.

No reason was cited for the closure — just a thanks to Liquiteria's customers and neighbors.

Doug Green started Liquiteria here in 1996, long before the juice/smoothie craze took hold. Green sold the business several years ago to a group of investors who then opened three more outposts. Those nearby locations at 13th Street and Fourth Avenue and Sixth Avenue at Eighth Street will remain in business.

Tropic Bowl brings the açaí bowls to 1st Avenue

EVG reader EJ brings news of a signage reveal as Tropic Bowl is getting ready to set up açaí shop on First Avenue between Second Street and Third Street.

Don't know too much about this operation just yet ... other than that they'll be serving the South American superfood that has received various levels of hype through the recent years.

This storefront was previously Taxi Parts Inc. (You never know what you might find in your açaí bowl!)