The current state of 20 St. Mark's Place

[Photos Sunday by Steven]

The building between Second Avenue and Third Avenue was tagged multiple times Saturday night/Sunday morning...



A quickie recap on what's going on here: Approved permits are now on file for repair work in the retail space at 20 St. Mark's Place, the longtime home of the Grassroots Tavern until New Year's Eve 2017.

As we've been reporting, Bob Precious is planning on opening a bar in this semi-subterranean space with a working title of Subterranean. (Precious operates the mini chain of Irish-style pubs called the Ginger Man, including the one on 36th Street. CB3 OK'd his new liquor license in December 2017.)

Precious said last August that the former Grassroots space was in bad shape — including structural damage. The approvals for the renovations in the landmarked building had been slow going, for whatever reasons. (In November, Previous was hoping for a spring opening.)

20 St. Mark's Place, known as the Daniel LeRoy House, was built in 1832. It received landmark status in 1971, and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Since the Grassroots closed, people keep tagging the former bar's entrance.

Previously on EV Grieve:
New owner lined up for the Grassroots Tavern on St. Mark's Place

20 St. Mark's Place, home of the Grassroots Tavern, has been sold

Your chance to live in this historic home above the Grassroots Tavern on St. Mark's Place

Last call at the Grassroots Tavern

This is what's happening with the former Grassroots Tavern space on St. Mark's Place

The former Grassroots Tavern ready for a renovation

Monday's parting mystery postcard post

Our friends at the Tompkins Square Library on 10th Street posted these photos on Instagram today, noting: "To the mystery person who sent us a postcard with no message, from Theodore Roosevelt National Park, (in North Dakota!) we adore you."



Meanwhile, check out all the free events — classes, screenings, workshops, discussion groups — happening at the branch this month via this link.

Hawk break

Steven spotted the resident red-tailed hawks Amelia (left) and Christo hanging out earlier today In Tompkins Square Park.

Later, on Second Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue, he saw this visiting juvenile hawk ...

Grant Shaffer's NY See

Here's the latest installment of NY See, East Village-based illustrator Grant Shaffer's comic series — an observational sketch diary of things that he sees and hears around the neighborhood — and NYC. (And readers keep writing in noting Grant's work that's featured on the #ArtOnLink campaign via LinkNYC.)

Basics Plus is closing on 3rd Avenue

[Photo by Steven]

Housewares shop Basics Plus is closing at 91 Third Ave. and 12th Street. A store employee told EVG correspondent Steven that March April 29 is the last day.

The going-out-of-business signs in the front windows direct future Basics Plus shoppers to the location on University at 13th Street. (Also, everything in the store is 20 percent off, per the signage.)

Not sure at the moment why his outpost, which opened here in August 2014, is shutting down. It seems like a good location given the proximity to several dorms (NYU, New School and Cooper Union) as well as multiple apartment buildings. Rising rents? Amazon? Too many Basics Plus outposts?

In any event, I reached out the the Basics Plus HQ to learn more about this closure.

Basics Plus, with multiple NYC locations, took over the space last held by Surprise! Surprise!, which shuttered after 25 years in business in April 2014.

H/T EVG readers Isobel and Doug!

Previously on EV Grieve:
Surprise! Surprise! will close at the end of April (42 comments)

Reader report: Basics Plus moving into the former Surprise! Surprise! space

Basics Plus confirmed for former Surprise! Surprise! space on 3rd Avenue

Gabriel Stulman vying for former Great Jones Cafe space

Restaurateur Gabriel Stulman is now eyeing the currently empty Great Jones Cafe space for an undisclosed new venture.

An EVG tipster pointed out this item on the Community Board 2's March 13 meeting agenda:

Apps. to the SLA for New License for Full Liquor On-Premise (OP): Corp. to be formed by Gabriel Stulman, d/b/a TBD, 54 Great Jones St. 10012 (OP – Restaurant with sidewalk cafe)

Last fall, a group of applicants — Anthony C. Marano (who owns the building at 54 Great Jones St.), Scott Marano, Jonathan Kavourakis and Avi Burn — were OK'd for a new liquor license on their second try for the restaurant between the Bowery and Lafayette.

During the September 2018 CB2 meeting, Kavourakis, a former chef at The Stanton Social and Vandal, described the menu for the new venture as "modern American." Burn, an owner of Pinks on 10th Street and Pinks Cantina in the Bowery Market, expounded on that later last fall in an email: "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."

No word yet what Stulman has planned for the space. (He's been part of the fauxstalgia wave.)

Stulman, under his Happy Cooking Hospitality, operates a handful of West Village establishments, including Joseph Leonard, Jeffrey's Grocery, Fedora, Fairfax and Bar Sardine.

It will be interesting to see how this one plays out. The liquor-license approval last fall wasn't without debate, mostly over hours of operation and the current kitchen's venting system. (This past September, both the applicants and CB2 agreed to a layover on the application for exploration of the above topics.) The previous applicants had agreed to move the kitchen vent from the front facade. Nearby residents had complained about the noise and smell from the vent in recent years.

Great Jones Cafe never reopened after Jim Moffett, the longtime owner, died last July at age 59. The Cafe first arrived in 1983.

Previously on EV Grieve:
RIP Jim Moffett, owner of the Great Jones Cafe

New owners vying for the Great Jones Cafe space

[Updated] The future of the former Great Jones Cafe

CB2 SLA committee OKs license for new ownership of Great Jones Cafe

Introducing Village Preservation

On Friday, the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, founded in 1980 and headquartered in the East Village, introduced a new look.

Moving forward, they'll be known as Village Preservation.

Here's more via their Board President Art Levin:

To continue effectively serving our growing scope and mission, and to continue attracting new supporters to help protect the architectural and cultural character of our unique neighborhoods, we are empowering two vital words in our current name to carry our work forward.

Village Preservation is inclusive, forward-looking, and — importantly — much easier to pronounce and remember. This moniker has been designed as part of a new look which embraces our traditional name while at the same time allowing us to more effectively activate our mission.

Please join the Board and staff of GVSHP in embracing this dynamic evolution, built on the shoulders of what we have already established, with eyes looking toward preserving the wonders of Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo, for all its inhabitants and visitors for years to come.

In case you haven't spent every waking hour on the site seen this yet ... earlier this year, Village Preservation (GVSHP at the time!) debuted a new online tool that allows you to explore the history of every building in the neighborhood. Find East Village Building Blocks at this link.

C&B Cafe debuts outpost on St. Mark's Place

[Photo by Steven]

C & B Cafe opened this past Thursday in its new quick-serve spot at 39 St. Mark's Place just east of Second Avenue.

They're open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. for coffee, breakfast and other cafe fare (as well as some vinyl-records listening) — similar to their Seventh Street location.

The spot is adjacent to the opening SOON (today?) cafe-bar Paper Daisy. C&B chef-owner Ali Sahin is also the executive chef for Paper Daisy. (Still waiting for more info about Paper Daisy.)



And not to worry, C&B fans: The 4-year-old C&B Cafe continues on at the original location at 178 E. Seventh St. near Avenue B.

As for this St. Mark's Place space, Cafe Orlin closed here in October 2017 after 36 years of service.

Previously on EV Grieve:
1st sign of activity at the former Cafe Orlin space on St. Mark's Place

No trespassing (or hunting or fishing) at the former Cafe Orlin

Cafe Orlin will close after 36 years in business (34 comments)

C&B Cafe now part of new venture taking over the former Cafe Orlin space on St. Mark's Place

Celebrating 25 years of Stomp

[EVG photo from yesterday]

In case you missed Stomp Day NYC this past Wednesday ... Stomp is throwing "a very special celebratory performance" tonight in honor of its 500th 25th anniversary at the Orpheum on Second Avenue between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place... the event will be on Facebook Live at 6:50 this evening...

Week in Grieview

[On the gate at the now-closed Raul Candy Store on Avenue B]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

City OKs new building permits for mayor's tech hub on 14th Street (Wednesday)

Q&A: How Cheska Mauban came to open her namesake pizzeria in the Bowery Market (Thursday)

A last visit to Raul Candy Store (Friday)

City issues full vacate order on former P.S. 64 (Friday)

Last call at Sidewalk and St. Mark's Comics, now closed after a combined 70 years in business (Monday)

Love and resistance: Stonewall 50 programs at the Tompkins Square Library (Thursday)

145 2nd Ave., currently a Starbucks, is for lease (Thursday)

100 Gates project coming for East Village gates (Monday)

First signs of Bin 141, a new cafe on Avenue A and 3rd Street (Wednesday)

Last week for Puppy Love & Kitty Kat on 9th Street (Tuesday)

New playground equipment alert in Tompkins Square Park (Monday)

Ravagh Persian Grill is back in action on 1st Avenue (Monday)

This week's NY See (Monday)

FDNY responds to report of 'unstable wall' at 301 E. 10th St. (Tuesday)

Scenes from a 3rd Street construction zone (Wednesday)

[Updated] More mystery over those mysterious concrete barriers on 10th Street; our Stonehenge? (Tuesday)

Construction watch: 3 E. 3rd St. (Tuesday)

Renovations and a 3-day rent demand at Bait & Hook (Wednesday)

BeetleBug sits empty now on 9th Street (Monday)

Report: Discussions on a mixed-income community for former St. Emeric property (Monday)

... and a random photo of Tuesday's sunrise from down at the Brooklyn Bridge...



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Sunday's slow melt

Here are two early morning scenes from Tompkins Square Park via Vinny & O...



And snow is on the way...

Winter storm watch: 4-6” expected for NYC. Snow starts after 3pm today. Heaviest 8pm to 3am. Snow ends by 8am Monday pic.twitter.com/4WykAINhIY

— NY1 Weather (@NY1weather) March 3, 2019

The additional snow might be good news to the developers behind this new venture — currently at a standstill — in Tompkins Square Park...

Saturday's parting shot

12th Street at Second Avenue...

Last weekend for Leekan Designs

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Leekan Designs (@leekandesigns) on Feb 17, 2019 at 1:15pm PST

A heads up from an EVG reader that Leekan Designs closes tomorrow after 35-plus years in business... the shop, which specializes in antique and contemporary beads and jewelry and other accessories from China, Indonesia, India and Morocco, is at 4 Rivington St. just east of the Bowery.

💎Last 2 days of Closing Sale... ALL SILVER Jewelry and Beads 30%-50% OFF!!! Store Closes March 3rd!🎊 -#jewelry #silverjewelry #hilltribe #hilltribeaiover #karentribe #thailand… https://t.co/uoXfQZ4Hws

— LeekanDesigns (@LeekanDesigns) March 2, 2019

Owner Annie Lee recently told BoweryBoogie: "Time to close this chapter without sadness."

The business started in a SoHo loft, before relocating to the LES in 1999.

March 2!

Tompkins Square Park this morning...

Friday's parting shot

[Photo today by Derek Berg]

A scene from the first Kerwin Frost Film Festival today... over at 82 E. Fourth St. between Second Avenue and the Bowery... and the lineup... all free, though you'll need to wait in line...

Step by step

The Devil You Know, the latest release by the Coathangers, is out next Friday on Suicide Squeeze. The video here, which debuted on Wednesday, is for "Step Back."

EVG Etc.: Looking for a purse-snatching suspect; remembering the anti-folk scene at the Sidewalk

[From 7th and A this a.m.]

In case you were wondering what all those helicopters were for last night: Manhunt continues for suspects who struck officer during chase on the FDR (CBS 2)

Police looking for a suspect who snatched two purses last Saturday night, first on Sixth Street then on 11th Street (ABC 7)

The Evelyn & Louis A. Green Residence, which provides senior housing at 200 E. Fifth St. and the Bowery, has obtained a $50 million refinancing (Commercial Observer)

Man posing as NYCHA employee robs resident in wheelchair on the LES (The Lo-Down)

An oral history of the anti-folk scene at the now-closed Sidewalk (Gothamist ... previously on EVG)

Mace, the cocktail bar on Ninth Street at Avenue C, closes after service tomorrow evening... ahead of a move to larger digs at 505 E. 12th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B — the former Double Wide space. The Mace team will use the Ninth Street space then for some new bar concept (Eater ... previously on EVG)

We're behind on a Citi Bike update: Meanwhile: Citi Bike electric fleet will grow to 4,000 — with $2 fee (Streetsblog)

An interview with new Public Advocate Jumaane Williams (Gothamist)

The base MetroCard fare will remain at $2.75, but monthly and weekly rates are increasing (amNY)

Tix for all the shows at Webster Hall go on sale to the public today (Official site ... previously on EVG)

Happy 11th Blog Anniversary to our friend Cathryn at the Washington Square Blog! (Official site)

Winnie's is back with a new outpost on East Broadway (Eater)

The Friends of the Elizabeth Street Garden vow to sue to stop an affordable housing development from replacing the garden (Curbed)

EVG favorite "Cold War," a Best Foreign Language Film nominee, is still playing at City Cinemas on Second Avenue and 12th Street (Official site)

And turning to sports... now that Bryce Harper is a Phillie... the Blind Barber, the barber shop-cocktail lounge that first opened on 10th Street near Avenue B in 2010, is expanding to Philadelphia. Harper, who signed 13-year, $330 million deal to join Phillies yesterday, became a Blind Barber partner last year. (Philly.com)

... and several readers asked if THIS was still a thing... YES, YES IT IS...

Welcome to March!

Photo in Tompkins Square Park this March 1 via Vinny & O...

A last visit to Raul Candy Store

Photos by Stacie Joy

Friends and family gathered yesterday at Raul Candy Store, which wrapped up 43 years in business as I first reported.

Raul opened in 1976. The shop has been at No. 205 between 12th Street and 13th Street since 1981.

Owner Raul Santiago, 75, and his wife Petra Olivieri, 70, decided to retire.

EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by in the afternoon, where she notes there was a sad yet festive mood inside the shop. Raul and Petra's children came down from Massachusetts to help close up the shop. They gave away the last bags of free candy to a group of kids while Stacie was there taking pictures.





Several news outlets stopped by, including NY1 Noticias ...



...and some more scenes from the shop's last day...























Friends and neighbors had offered to raise money to cover rent for a year, but Raul and Petra declined, as they said "it's time to go."

City issues full vacate order on former P.S. 64

A tipster shares the news that the city issued a vacate order on the long-empty P.S. 64 at 605 E. Ninth St. between Avenue B and Avenue C.

The vacate order is dated Feb. 13. According to the DOB (in their ALL-CAP STYLE):

AT VARIOUS EXPOSURES OF EDUCATIONAL FACILITY, ORNAMENTAL FACADE ELEMENTS ARE IN A STATE OF DISREPAIR WITH VISIBLE CRACKS, GAPS, AND DETERIORATION. THESE ORNAMENTAL ELEMENTS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO FALL INTO THE STREET AND YARD. IN ADDITION, INTERIOR FIRE PROOFING ARE MISSING THEREBY EXPOSING STRUCTURAL STEEL MEMBERS. THESE CONDITIONS HAVE MADE THE ENTIRE BUILDING AND YARDS UNSAFE TO OCCUPY.

Developer Gregg Singer bought the property — the former P.S 64 and CHARAS/El Bohio community center — from the city during an auction in 1998. The building has been empty for years. However, as Allegra Hobbs wrote in an article for the Times last June, Singer has an office on the premises.

Mr. Singer visits P.S. 64 about once a week. The only part of the building not falling apart, abandoned, graffitied or coated with pigeon droppings seems to be his modest office on the first floor, decorated with pristine renderings of “University Square” — a “new college living experience,” as the brochures claim, where students would enjoy a theater, a game room, yoga studios and other amenities.

Presumably the vacate order prevents Singer from entering.

The vacate order also came one week after emergency crews examined a large crack in the building's east-facing wall on 10th Street.

City inspectors eventually determined that the building was safe, but did issue a violation to Singer for failure to maintain the exterior facade for cracks observed on the corner of the building at the third floor, as Curbed reported.

Singer later told Curbed: "It’s all political. This is part of a concerted effort to put pressure on us. I was just at the building. There's definitely cracks — that we were already aware of — that will be pointed and repaired, but there’s no immediate danger."

Singer has wanted to turn the landmarked property into a dorm called University Square, which continues in a holding pattern while the DOB maintains a Stop Work Order — dating to August 2015 — on the building.

On Feb. 7, local elected officials gathered outside the building and urged the city to reclaim the property for community use.