The 12th Street bike lane will return

An EVG reader reports that workers tore up 12th Street last night ... the reader, who sent the above photo, noted this between Avenue B and First Avenue. Gone for now is the bike lane that arrived back in the fall.

And we heard from other readers who were confused about what's happening here. After all, the city announced last Thursday that the 12th Street and 13th Street bike lanes would remain despite the full L-train shutdown called off by Gov. Cuomo in early January. Did the city change its mind?

Via Twitter, the DOT said the painted bike lanes will return...

This roadway was milled this week. There is typically a two week gap between milling and paving to allow utilities and others to repair the infrastructure below the street.

— NYC DOT (@NYC_DOT) May 3, 2019

As was announced last week, DOT will be adding more delineators and loading zones along 12th/13th Streets. More info: https://t.co/oU7IHQw2Yb

You are welcome to share transportation suggestions at any time here: https://t.co/C4A23H2Cu2

— NYC DOT (@NYC_DOT) May 3, 2019

EVG Etc.: Seniors march for their M14 stops; cats gather on 11th Street tomorrow

[Signage still intact on 1st Street. Photo by riachung00]

An increase in reported hates crimes, NYPD says (The Post)

New Yorkers argue rent law reforms at Assembly hearing (amNY)

Seniors speak out against possible cuts to M14 local service (CBS2 ... Patch ... previously on EVG)

Top cop explains bike-bell crackdown in Tompkins Square Park (Gothamist ... reaction at Streetsblog... previously on EVG)

On Fifth Street, this one-bedroom residence spans over four levels and includes three outdoor spaces, and it's for sale (6sqft)

Sietsema digs that pleasing big tray of chicken at Jiang Diner on Fifth Street (Eater ... previously on EVG)

There's a pop-up cat cafe on 11th Street tomorrow (Instagram ... B+B)

You can dine outside at Kossar's on Grand Street now (The Lo-Down)

Bike Expo returns to Basketball City this weekend (Official site)

Farewell to the White Horse Tavern (Grub Street)

The Old School Kung Fu Fest returns (Anthology Film Archives)

A wide-ranging interview with CJ Ramone (Consequence of Sound)

... via the EVG inbox... more details at this link...

Ecological City: Procession for Climate Solutions on Saturday, May 11, with 20 site performances celebrating ecological sustainability initiatives throughout the community gardens, neighborhood, and East River Park waterfront on the Lower East Side. Ecological City 2019 features a spectacular creative community affirmation of the community’s vision for the #ESCR (East Side Coastal Resiliency) waterfront development plan, including a 40-foot Mobile Mural – LES Ecosystem of Sustainability.

RIP Susan Springfield of the CBGB art-punk band the Erasers. Read more about the band in this profile.

RIP Felicia Mahmood

Several EVG readers have shared the sad news that Felicia Mahmood, a longtime East Ninth Street resident, passed away on April 14. One reader said that she was 51. A cause of death was not disclosed.

Here's part of a tribute to her via the La Plaza Cultural Facebook page...

Felicia was a community leader, a mainstay of the 9th Street Block Association, a friend to all children and a huge part of the garden. Her infinite kindness, big laugh and bigger heart will be sorely missed.

The folks at La Plaza plan to host a memorial for her later this spring or summer — depending on the construction currently taking place in the community garden on the southwest corner of Ninth Street and Avenue C.

Updated 10 a.m.

There's a memorial service for Felicia tomorrow afternoon from 3-5 at the St. Mark's Church-in-the-Bowery, Second Avenue at 10th Street...



Updated 5/6

There's a makeshift memorial for Felicia outside her apartment building on Ninth Street between Avenue B and Avenue C (thanks to Eden for the photo)...

Developers eye air rights at Campos Plaza for long-stalled 14th Street development

[The long-stalled 644 E. 14th St.]

Back in December, Mayor de Blasio announced that the New York City Housing Authority would sell its unused air rights to developers for the first time ever as part of plan called NYCHA 2.0.

The cash-strapped NYCHA said that it would transfer a portion of its 80-million square feet of air rights to generate $1 billion in capital repairs for nearby developments.

PincusCo examined city records to find that several developers have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to lobby the city for these air rights.

Many familiar names are on the list. According to the PincusCo investigation, Madison Realty Capital hired one of the city’s most active government lobbying firms, Capalino+Company, to approach NYCHA about the air rights at Campos Plaza II adjacent to the long-stalled development at 644 E. 14th St. at Avenue C.

Per PincusCo:

Madison Realty is not the fee owner, but the lender on the project. The property owner, Shulamit and Shaya Prager’s Opal Realty, purchased 644 East 14th Street for $23 million in 2016, from the Rabsky Group. At the same time, Opal borrowed $52 million from Madison Realty Capital.

How the firm will obtain air rights from NYCHA for its site is not clear, however, because the adjacent NYCHA development, Campos Plaza II, has no available residential air rights, according to a PincusCo Media analysis of city land use records.

That said, Madison Realty almost certainly has a legitimate strategy to obtain air rights. The firm may be seeking an upzoning on the NYCHA parcel, which would make air rights available.

Or alternately, the developers may be seeking a lot merger with two other tax lots co-owned by NYCHA that have more than 300,000 square feet of community facility space available. That would allow the developers to build, for example, a college dormitory space for students. Scores of New York University students live in apartments across the street at Stuyvesant Town. Madison Realty did not respond to a request for comment.

As previously reported (see the links at the bottom of this post), the pre-air-rights plans called for a 15-story residential building with space for a health-care facility.


[The most recent rendering of the development]

There hasn't been much, if any, activity at this southwest corner of 14th Street and Avenue C in 15-plus months. According to city records, the new building permits expired in December. As the PincusCo report notes, this stall may be intentional. "With additional air rights, the project could presumably be larger."

Also, in late January, the Commercial Observer reported that Second Avenue Deli owner Jeremy Lebewohl filed a $10 million lawsuit alleging that his five-story residential building at 642 E. 14th St. sustained damages by the foundation work next door at No. 644.

As for the currently stalled new development, here's a rehash of the info I received on the project in September 2016:

Madison Realty Capital (MRC), an institutionally-backed real estate investment firm focused on real estate equity and debt investments in the middle markets, provided a $52.0 million first mortgage loan for the acquisition of a development site in the East Village and construction of an approved 76,259 square foot mixed use development on the site.

The plans for 644 East 14th Street include 50 residential units, 8,064 square feet of retail space with 200 feet of frontage on 14th Street and Avenue C, and 21,575 square feet of community facility space.

The property is located at the corner of 14th Street and Avenue C, along the Northern border of the East Village and directly across the street from Stuyvesant Town. Residential units will offer contemporary finishes and large balconies with East River views. The borrower is currently finalizing a lease with a major New York hospital to occupy the entire community facility portion of the new building.

This corner property previously housed the single-level R&S Strauss auto parts store, which closed in April 2009.

In 2015, Madison Realty loaned $124 million to Rafael Toledano, a then 25 year old with no track record as a landlord so that he could buy a portfolio of 15 buildings, mostly in the East Village. He eventually defaulted on Madison's loan.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Development back in play for East 14th Street and Avenue C

More details on the sale of 644 E. 14th St.

Here comes a 15-story retail-residential complex for East 14th Street and Avenue C

Prepping the former R&S Strauss auto parts store for demolition on East 14th Street and Avenue C

City OKs 15-story mixed-use retail-residential building on 14th and C

14th and C now waiting for the Karl Fischer-designed 15-story retail-residential complex

14th and C still waiting for its Karl Fischer-designed retail-residential complex

Report: New owners for the empty lot at 14th Street and Avenue C

After another seizure, Desi Galli returns to service tonight on Avenue B

[Photo yesterday via @jimnobu]

Several EVG readers were alarmed — once again here — yesterday to find a "seized" sticker from the State of New York on the front door at Desi Galli.

This happened in late February as well, though the quick-serve spot selling Indian street food was back open at 172 Avenue B between 10th Street and 11th Street the following night.

In a quick email exchange, owner PriaVanda Chouhan said that she just got out of court, and the restaurant would be back open tonight. When asked if she has worked out a deal with the landlord so this won't happen again, she responded: "Yes — he finally lowered my rent!"

The sibling of the well-regarded Desi Galli on Lexington Avenue and East 27th Street opened here in April 2016.

Egads! 7th Street Village Farm morphs into an E Smoke shop

Derek Berg was present yesterday morning for the ceremonial swapping of the awning on the southwest corner of First Avenue and Seventh Street ... where the 7th Street Village Farm became...



... an omnipresent E Smoke & Convenience shop, selling things like (just one of everything?) Beverage, Cigar and Snack, per the awning. (Does the AP Stylebook say to use e-smoke and not e smoke?)

The corner space had been for rent... and there was even an awning switcheroo back in August 2017.

Anyway, as noted before, this space has been some kind of market/deli for years now...


[Photo from 1979 by Michael Sean Edwards]

Thursday's parting shots

EVG reader Dan Scheffey took these photos earlier today... showing the ongoing demolition on the northeast corner of Third Avenue and St. Mark's Place... and subsequent road work...



Welcome to the neighborhood!

Another good reason to close the store today

Earlier today, we noted that Army & Navy Bags over at 177 E. Houston St. between Orchard and Allen was closed today so the owner could attend his daughter's graduation.

Spark Pretty, the vintage clothing shop over at 333 E. Ninth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue, also had a perfectly good reason to close up today... Cher is at the Barclays Center tonight ...


[Image via Instagram]

A visit to the Bhakti Center on 1st Avenue

Interview and photos by Stacie Joy

I walk by the Bhakti Center, 25 First Ave. near Second Street, all the time, especially on my way to and from the Second Avenue F stop, but I’d never ventured in before. I’d seen folks from the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (sometimes colloquially referred to as Hare Krishnas) outside the building singing, chanting and dancing.

I was very curious about the space — it has ashrams, yoga and meditation spaces, at least one kitchen, a temple, a priest room and a rooftop deck among other spaces, including a ground floor Ayurvedic restaurant. I met with Syama Masla (director of yoga studies), who gave me a tour, and who also solicited the help of Jai Giridhari (director of meditation studies) in answering some of my questions about the Bhakti Center.


[Syama Masla]

There’s a lot going on — such as more familiar programming like yoga and meditation — on any given day. What are some of your offerings that people may not be aware of? How does the Center serve the community?

Outside of daily yoga and meditation classes, the Bhakti Center offers countless opportunities for all to join our community. Book clubs, kirtans [yogic chanting], and social initiatives like sacred ecology and end-of-life care services to name a few.

We offer community groups too. In these groups we provide a social and spiritual anchor for all faiths to come together and grow. One of the biggest problems in today’s society is social media, that we are connected via phones and disconnected in person. These groups help us to reconnect on a heart level!




[Vasudeva Das, Temple director]





What do you have to say to people new to the culture and practices of Bhakti yoga; people who may be too intimidated (or cynical!) to try it?

If you are looking for a spiritual home in NYC give the Bhakti Center a try. Whether you are someone who has no, little, or much spiritual faith...you are welcome here.



What is the Center’s relationship with Divya’s Kitchen on the ground floor, which New York magazine recently named one of the top-10 places in NYC to eat vegan food?

Divya and her husband Prentise are dear friends and community members of the Bhakti Center. We are grateful to have their wonderful and delicious restaurant on our ground floor. Divya’s Kitchen also runs a nonprofit ayurvedic cooking school out of the Bhakti Center called Bhagavat Life.





The neighborhood has changed quite a bit since Srila Prabhupada first brought the culture of bhakti to the West through kirtan in Tompkins Square Park. Does the East Village still seem like a spiritual home for you?

Yes, absolutely. The East Village is alive with open minded and adventurous people — the perfect type of people who appreciate the Bhakti Center.

What’s next for the Bhakti Center?

We plan to keep expanding our offerings to serve the community and beyond. Our programming is really starting to develop and each season we see rapid improvements in terms of the number of people coming through the center.

This summer we welcome back one of our spiritual inspirations Radhanath Swami for two full months! When he comes to town the atmosphere is always exciting.




[Dhyana Masla, left, director of community development, with her sister Syama]







-----

You can keep up with Bhakti Center on Facebook and Instagram.

Graduation Day

Army & Navy Bags over at 177 E. Houston St. between Orchard and Allen is closed today... for a very good reason, per the signage...



Closed to attend daughter's graduation!



I like this touch – a simple way to humanize a business. Of course, you never want to get too cutesy about such notes.

Anna returning to the East Village

Some positive small business news to share: Nearly two years after Anna left the neighborhood for Christopher Street in the West Village, the womenswear boutique is returning to the East Village this summer.

The Anna team made the announcement on Instagram this week...

View this post on Instagram

We’re thrilled to announce that ANNA’s opening in the East Village!!! Come and see us in the EV in June at 304 East 5th Street ⚡️💙⚡️@annanycstore #madeinnyc #mosaicman #eastvillage #anna #yay

A post shared by ANNA (@annanycstore) on Apr 30, 2019 at 3:30pm PDT

Their new home looks to be the space recently vacated by So-Hair here just east of Second Avenue.

Designer Kathy Kemp first opened Anna in 1995 on Third Street near Avenue A. Anna relocated to 11th Street in 2012. Read more about Anna and Kemp in this Out and About feature from 2014.

A look at the all-new 101 E. 10th St.

[Photo by Steven]

A new for-lease sign went up yesterday at 101 E. 10th St., the now-taller residential building on the northeast corner of Third Avenue.

The newish building has been undergoing a four-story addition exterior renovation in recent years... it was only recently unveiled from behind the sidewalk bridge and construction netting...



The helpful arrows highlight the new portion of the building...



The new units are on the market for starting at $4,500 (one bedroom) to $10,000 for the two-bedroom penthouse with private terrace, per the listings.

A little recent history of the corner... the building was converted into luxury rentals in 2015 ...


[November 2015]

SVA used the sixth-floor building as a dorm until the spring of 2014.

Prior to construction of the dorm, the address housed Bendiner & Schlesinger blood labs, which was demolished in 2005.

A Town Hall to discuss the future of the neighborhood's former religious properties

[The former Church of the Nativity on 2nd Avenue]

The Cooper Square Community Land Trust has organized a Town Hall for Monday night at Cooper Union (details below) to discuss potential future opportunities for former religious properties in the neighborhood.

As previously reported, the Land Trust had explored buying the former Church of the Nativity on Second Avenue to use as low-income housing. However, the Archdiocese of New York reportedly didn't seem too keen on that idea, perhaps intent on garnering top dollar for the prime real estate for luxury housing between Second Street and Third Street.

In early April, Catholic Homes New York, the affordable housing unit of Catholic Charities and the Archdiocese of New York, announced plans to redevelop several existing properties to provide 2,000 affordable units in NYC over the next 10 years. Not on the affordable-housing list: Church of the Nativity and the Church of Saint Emeric on 13th Street near Avenue D.

Here are more details about Monday's Town Hall via the EVG inbox...

The community is extremely concerned about the losses of religious properties, as well as the redevelopment of these buildings into luxury housing which has led to the severe displacement of our senior and working-class neighborhoods and communities of color.

“We recognize the good that religious institutions do for our community, but these institutions also have a moral obligation to avoid doing social harm,” said Valerio Orselli, project director of the Cooper Square Community Land Trust.

The agenda will include a brief presentation that is based on a recent international conference in Rome titled, “Doesn’t God Live Here Anymore?” It will answer the questions of just what is the appropriate re-use of closed or at risk religious-owned properties and who is to be involved in making the decision.

A focal point of the discussion will be the Church of the Nativity, which is closely identified with Dorothy Day, co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement and candidate for canonization by the Catholic Church.

Joanne Kennedy from The Catholic Worker said, “We are disheartened by the unnatural inflation of Manhattan’s property values but hopeful that Nativity will be developed into low-income housing that would be consistent with both Dorothy Day’s and the Archdiocese’s mission of social justice.”

The Case for Community Land Trusts, the final segment, will enhance the necessity for land trusts and also emphasize the Town Hall Meeting’s goal: to advance toward a new, transparent relationship between communities and religious institutions.

The Town Hall is set for Monday (May 6) at 7 p.m. in the Rose Auditorium at Cooper Union, 41 Cooper Square at Seventh Street.

The meeting is sponsored by the Cooper Square Community Land Trust, Community Board 3, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, City Council members Carlina Rivera and Margaret Chin, Habitat for Humanity, Cooper Square Committee, and several other political representatives and organizations.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Residences rising from the former Mary Help of Christians lot will now be market-rate condos

Looking at the Church of Saint Emeric on East 13th Street

From St. Emeric's to St. Brigid's

Educator: Turning the former Church of the Nativity into luxury housing would be a 'sordid use' of the property

The fight to keep Church of the Nativity from becoming luxury housing

Report: Archdiocese of New York announces affordable-housing projects; fate of 2 East Village churches unknown

Avenida Cantina is now Eastpoint on Avenue B

Avenida Cantina is in the final stages of a renovation/rebrand over at 25 Avenue B.

Several tipsters yesterday shared photos of the newly painted marquee for Eastpoint.

In an email from March, management said that they would be changing names in the near future: "Still doing Tex-Mex, however slightly more elevated."

More elevated might appeal to the writers at The Infatuation, who once filed one of the more scathing reviews about Avenida Cantina ...

At a real Tex-Mex place, tortillas are soft, fluffy vehicles for taco nirvana. At Avenida Cantina, tortillas are dry, except for the spots where they’re wet, presumably because someone tried the flick-it-with-water-then-nuke-it trick. Or because they dropped them in the sink. At a real Tex-Mex place, the refried beans should taste like fat, salt, and glory. At Avenida Cantina, they look like a poop emoji and taste much less cute.

Avenida Cantina opened in January 2016 ... after several dubious concepts under different ownership at the address, including Matty's, Station B and Billy Hurricane's.

Wednesday's parting shot

The 19th annual Mai-Fest at Zum Schneider, Avenue C at Seventh Street... thanks to Aaron Wilson for the photo...

EVG Etc.: Homeless in NYC shelters hits record high; lead dust issues persist

[Vinny & O check out the newly paved 1st Avenue]

Coalition For The Homeless gives failing grades to city, state government, says shelter population will grow by 5,000 by 2022 (CBS2 ... amNY)

Another East Village building, at 332 E. Fourth St., found to have elevated lead levels during renovations (Curbed)

Commuter says riding the M14D "is a dehumanizing disaster" (Streetsblog)

About the DOB's Quality of Life unit (Town & Village)

Renovations afoot for the Bijou, "one of the East Village’s best-kept secrets until it closed a week ago" (B+B)

Highlights from the May CB3 calendar (The Lo-Down)

Sutton not impress by the grilled pizza at Violet (Eater)

Alex checks out the Museum of Art & Design’s “Too Fast to Live, Too Young to Die” retrospective of punk graphics (Flaming Pablum)

Another look at Cha-An Bonbon, opening today on Ninth Street (Gothamist... previously on EVG)

Random recommendation: Bi Gan's "Long Day’s Journey Into Night" at the Metrograph (Official site)

Confirmed: At least 2 chicks for red-tailed hawks Amelia and Christo in Tompkins Square Park

[Photo by Goggla]

Good news from Goggla yesterday evening: "Looks like Amelia and Christo have at least two chicks! Hoping for a third, but we'll have to wait and see..."

Head over to Goggla's site for more photos and info on this brood of chicks.

And my previous post here has more background on the resident red-tailed hawks of Tompkins Square Park.

Demolition nearing for the northeast corner of 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

Workers yesterday started erecting the sidewalk bridge around the northeast corner of Third Avenue and St. Mark's Place, marking the next phase of demolition. (H/T Steven, Nick Solares and @unitof!)

Until yesterday, the prep work was going on inside the vacant assemblage of buildings — 3 St. Mark’s Place, 23 and 25-27 Third Avenue. This has been a long time coming: Permits were filed in March 2018 to tear down the existing structures to make way for an office building with ground-floor retail.


[Photo yesterday afternoon by Steven]

The size of this new building has yet to be determined. As previously reported, Real Estate Equities Corporation (REEC) wants to transfer the air rights from the landmarked Hamilton-Holly House at 4 St. Mark's Place to add more floors and square footage to their office building.

REEC has already filed permits (last October) for an as-of-right five-story, 29,030-square-foot building on the corner. If the air rights deal is ultimately OK'd, then the Morris Adjimi-designed building at 3 St. Mark's Place would rise to 10 stories.



The Landmarks Preservation Commission heard the application to transfer the air rights back on April 9. In the end, they asked REEC and Adjimi to return with some modifications.

REEC picked up the 99-year leasehold for the properties — housing McDonald's, the Continental, Korilla BBQ and Papaya King, among others — for nearly $150 million in November 2017. The corner assemblage is owned by the Gabay family.

Meanwhile, the once-completed sidewalk bridge should make for a popular hangout this coming summer.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Demolition permits filed for northeast corner of 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

End is nearing for the businesses on the northeast corner of 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

New building plans revealed for 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

Concern over potential air-rights transfer for new office building on St. Mark's Place and 3rd Avenue

Developers of 3 St. Mark's Place are looking to increase the size of their proposed office building at 3rd Avenue to 10 floors with air-rights deal

The lobbyists behind the air-rights transfer and zoning variance for 3 St. Mark's Place

It's May — time for Lower East Side History Month

Today is May 1, which, among other things, means that it's time for Lower East Side History Month, an annual "celebration of the rich and diverse history" of the neighborhood.

Per the EVG inbox:

Each year in May, Lower East Side cultural and community groups, small businesses and residents create a variety of public events, exhibits, tours, and learning opportunities. All events take place in the historical boundaries of the Lower East Side.

Conceived and launched by Downtown Art and FABnyc in partnership with LES-based cultural and community groups, LES History Month aims to connect our present to our past, exploring how our history can inform and inspire our future.

First week activities (all free) include:

• Saving History: Community Advocacy in the East Village
Saturday (11 a.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.)
East Village Community Coalition, northwest corner of 11th Street and Avenue A
Details here

• East Village LGBT Historic Sites Tour
Sunday, 4-6 p.m.
Theatre 80, 80 St. Mark's Place
Details here

• Wild Edibles Walking Tour — East River to the Lower East Side
Sunday, 11 a.m.
Meet at East River and 23rd Street
Details here

Find the full May schedule at this link.

Schmackary's bringing cookies to Cooper Square

Signage arrived Monday for Schmackary's, a bakery offering 40-plus varieties of cookies, at 35 Cooper Square between Fifth Street and Sixth Street... next door to Meet Fresh, the Taiwanese dessert and tea chain here in the base of the dorm for Marymount Manhattan College students.

This is the second NYC outpost for the brand (the other is at 45th Street at Ninth Avenue). Signage points to a summer debut here.

The last tenant here, Pourt, the cafe-work space combo, closed after 11 months in December 2017.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Pourt softly opens on Cooper Square

Pourt signage arrives at Cooper Square dorm retail space