Rumors: Barstool Sports and Williamsburg Pizza teaming up for a bar-pie concept at the former Percy's Tavern

[Photo from November by Steven]

The start of interior and exterior renovations last month at the former Percy's Tavern on the northeast corner of Avenue A and 13th prompted speculation that a new tenant was in the works for the space.

The Pizza Cowboy did a little detective work, and shared it on Instagram yesterday:

I’ve heard from five sources different parts of the same rumor — the partnership, location, and name — that El Pres, aka David Portnoy, aka THAT Portnoy of “Everybody knows the rules” Barstool Sports Pizza Reviews, is teaming up with pizza personality, chef, and consultant Nino Coniglio (of Brooklyn Pizza Crew and Williamsburg Pizza) to open a bar pie pizzeria in the former Percy’s Tavern space ...

The rumored name: Alright Frankie, a Barstool Sports catchphrase that already has its own merch line. You can read the Best Pizza NYC post for more details.

There isn't any confirmation yet on this venture, though the Brooklyn Pizza Crew shared the Instagram post in their Stories yesterday.

The space has been vacant for more than two years after Percy's closed.

In September of 2017, Community Board 3 did not approve the Late Late’s James Morrissey's application to open Honey Fitz at this address.

Updated 1:30 p.m.

Eater has more on Portnoy...

Considering Portnoy’s obsession with pizza and his claim that’d try every single pizza slice in Manhattan, a pizzeria seems like a natural fit for Portnoy’s first restaurant venture.

But whether New Yorkers will embrace him is a different story. In August, Portnoy got into a Twitter spat with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez after she called him out for threatening to fire any employee that discussed unionization efforts. He’s currently being investigated by the National Labor Relations Board over those threats. A Daily Beast report found that Portnoy has also allegedly threatened and harassed female sportswriters by making expletive-laden references to them either on the blog or on a podcast.

In addition, a rep for Nino Coniglio, the chef behind Williamsburg Pizza and Brooklyn Pizza Crew, told Eater that he is working independent of his other projects.

H/T Arthur B.!

The new Bean expected to open today on Broadway

The Bean is expected to open today on the northwest corner of Broadway and Ninth Street.

The coffee shop closed its outpost on Broadway at 12th Street after service on Nov. 9 ahead of this move to the larger confines of 771 Broadway.

As reported in other posts, this storefront was previously a Starbucks, which shut down here back in January ... this after a conversion from the Starbucks-owned Teavana in 2016. (Also: This corner space previously housed Silver Spurs, the diner that closed in December 2013 after 34 years in business.)

The Bean is now down to two locations (here at 771 Broadway and over at 31 Third Ave. at Ninth Street) after the sudden closures of the chainlet's locations on First Avenue and Ninth Street and Second Avenue and Third Street on Nov. 24.

Owner Ike Escava told us the following: "Due to rising costs the decision to close was unfortunately the only one we could make."

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] The Bean is taking over the former Starbucks space on 9th and Broadway

The 1st Avenue and 2nd Avenue locations of the Bean closed for good yesterday

[Updated] Report of a fire at 55 3rd Ave., home of the Smith

Fire above where The Smith in the East Village is at. Whole neighborhood is covered in smoke. pic.twitter.com/vyYCnSbBjo

— Jesse Middleton (@srcasm) December 10, 2019

UPDATE BELOW

There are multiple reports coming in tonight (just after 8) about a fire on Third Avenue between 10th Street and 11th Street. There are unconfirmed reports that the fire started at the Smith, 55 Third Ave.

Here's what the FDNY Twitter account has to say... confirming the address...

MAN ALL HANDS 55 3 AVE, HIGH RISE FIRE IN RESTARAUNT IN THE DUCTS,

— FDNYalerts (@FDNYAlerts) December 10, 2019

Here's another reader photo...



Will update when there's more information...

Updated 9:25

The FDNY declared the fire under control after 40 minutes...

MAN ALL HANDS 55 3 AVE, HIGH RISE FIRE IN RESTARAUNT IN THE DUCTS, UNDER CONTROL

— FDNYalerts (@FDNYAlerts) December 10, 2019

WABC-TV reports that the fire in a duct at the Smith caused the temporary evacuation of the Eleventh and Third Apartments, the 12-story residential building adjacent to the bistro.

No word at the moment on the status of the Smith, which opened here in 2007.

Updated 7 a.m.

There doesn't appear to be any noticeable damage inside the Smith's dining room or bar area. However, signs on the front window announce that the restaurant will be closed today "due to an unforeseen circumstance" (such as a fire in the duct)...



Updated Dec. 13

The dining room remains closed... the bar is open nightly now serving a limited menu...

Monday's parting shot

A rainy (and car-free!) 14th Street near Union Square this evening... photo via Vinny & O.

Breaking: The Trader Joe's signage arrives on 14th Street

The Trader Joe's signage just went up this afternoon at 436 E. 14th St near Avenue A (thanks to Mr. Baggs for the photo!) ...

No word on an opening date, though they are hiring.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Trader Joe's finally confirms that a Trader Joe's is opening on 14th Street at Avenue A

All about EVE, the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office-replacing rentals on 14th Street

Claim: A Trader Joe's won't be coming to new development at 14th and A after all

Trader Joe's: No current plans for grocery at 432-438 E. 14th St.

Looks like there's a Trader Joe's coming to 432-438 E. 14th St. after all

The incoming Trader Joe's on 14th Street at Avenue A is now hiring

At the 28th annual Tompkins Square Park tree lighting

Community members gathered late yesterday afternoon for the 28th annual Tompkins Square Park tree lighting.

The hour-long event included the Carolers of Olde New York from Theater for the New City, music from the Mandel & Lydon Trio and refreshments courtesy of Veselka and C&B Cafe.



EVG contributor Stacie Joy was there for the festivities...


[Albert Fabozzi, founder of the lighting ceremony]






































[Professional sinkhole expert. Please do not attempt.]

Making the case to landmark this unique church on 4th Street

Village Preservation is making a case to landmark the San Isidoro y San Leandro Western Orthodox Church of Hispanic Mozarabic Rite at 345 E. Fourth St. between Avenue C and Avenue D.

Tonight, officials from Village Preservation will request support for the reconsideration of landmark designation for the church before Community Board 3's Landmarks Committee.

In response to information submitted by Village Preservation, the building was determined eligible for listing on the State and National Register of Historic Places in 2017. The group then submitted a request to the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) to consider landmarking the church. The LPC declined.

This fall, Village Preservation provided an extensive history of the church, which was built in 1891-92, on its blog Off the Grid. Here are excerpts...

This remarkably intact Gothic Revival church’s form, design, details, and history reflect the kaleidoscope of immigrants and ethnic groups which called the Lower East Side home and shaped New York over the last century and a quarter — making it not just architecturally significant but an embodiment of New York City’s and the East Village’s immigrant history.

and...

This structure was originally built in 1891-92 and designed by Edward Wenz for the Church of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, serving the surrounding Slovak and Hungarian immigrant community. The church was the first national Slovak parish for the Slovak and Hungarian Catholics of New York and Brooklyn. Later the building was bought by the Russian Greek Orthodox National Association and became the Carpathian Russian Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas.

It served the emerging Russian immigrant community in the early and mid-twentieth century, as evidenced by the royal seal of the Russian Czars located on the church’s front gates. After 1975, the church housed San Isidoro y San Leandro Western Orthodox Catholic Church of Hispanic Mozarabic Rite, a highly unusual Western Orthodox Catholic Church – seemingly one of the very few in America, and one of the few or perhaps only to practice the Mozarabic Rite.

And...

Churches and synagogues such as these, located on single lot sites filling the space of what was once a single home, were once found throughout the East Village and Lower East Side. They were reflective of the incredibly modest resources but bold ambitions of the immigrant communities they served. Increasingly few such structures survive today. The East Village remains woefully under-landmarked and therefore valuable historic resources such as these churches and synagogues are vulnerable to insensitive alteration and demolition.

The three-story building arrived on the sales market in the fall of 2017 with a $6 million price tag. Per the listing at the time: "A new development (of 9,232 SF) could be residential single family/multi-family or Community Facility." There were air rights too.

LoopNet shows that the listing was deactivated in April 2018.

According to public records, Patricio Cubillos Murillo (there are several variations of this name) is the building's owner, with a deed dating to September 1975. The document on file with the city shows that this building changed hands for $6,000 that year. I do not know when the church last held any type of mass here.

Here are two photos of the interior that I took in 2011 during one of the weekend rummage sales held in the space...





... and here's an interior shot via the Cushman & Wakefield marketing materials from 2017...



Tonight's Landmarks Committee meeting is at 6:30 in the JASA/Green Residence, 200 E. Fifth St. at the Bowery.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Unique 4th Street church on the market for development

Ravi Derossi has Soda Club in the works for Avenue B

Ravi Derossi has plans for a new eating-drinking spot on Avenue B called Soda Club, a pasta and natural wine bar.

The East Village-based restaurateur is on tonight's CB3-SLA committee docket for a new beer-wine license (questionnaire here) for 155 Avenue B between Ninth Street and 10th Street.

Via email, Derossi said, if approved, Soda Club will feature "five to seven fresh pastas made daily in house and over 100 natural and inexpensive wines."

Derossi's other East Village establishments include Night Music, Ladybird, Avant Garden, Honeybee, Mother of Pearl and Amor y Amargo.

The previous tenant at No. 155, Donostia, the wine-and-tapas bar, quietly closed in November 2018 after five years in business.

Tonight's CB3 committee meeting begins at 6:30 in the Perseverance House Community Room, 535 E. Fifth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

Michael Jackson mural defaced on 11th Street

The mural showing two images of Michael Jackson was recently defaced on 11th Street at First Avenue.

Someone wrote "King Pedo" on the King of Pop mural ...





Earlier this year, HBO's two-part documentary, "Leaving Neverland," featured two former child performers describing how Michael Jackson allegedly sexually abused them while they were children.

Back in March, Eduardo Kobra, the prolific Brazilian artist who created the two Michaels mural in July 2018, said that he had no plans to remove the work in light of the new allegations of pedophilia.

Before and even after his death in 2009, Jackson was the subject of multiple sexual abuse accusations and police investigations as well as civil and criminal lawsuits. His estate continues to deny all allegations.

An EVG reader who spotted the "King Pedo" message was surprised that the mural hadn't been defaced before.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: No plans to remove the Michael Jackson mural from the wall on 11th Street

On the wall: Mural of Michael Jackson, as a child and an adult, in progress on 11th Street

Ama Raw Bar debuts tonight on Avenue B

Ama Raw Bar opens this evening at 190 Avenue B between 11th Street and 12th Street.

Ama's website describes the place as "an affordable seafood restaurant with a unique asian raw bar."

CB3 OK'd a liquor license for the space back in July.

According to Ama's Instagram account, they will have a lounge area called the Kiki Room...

View this post on Instagram

Our Kiki Room 🔥 who’s ready to Lounge, drink, and have a Kiki? #eastvillage #restaurant #newyork #eater #cocktails

A post shared by Amarawbar (@amarawbar) on Nov 25, 2019 at 2:31pm PST

The previous tenant here, Kingsley, closed in late summer 2018 without any notice to patrons after three-plus years in business. Back 40 was also here for seven years.

Red Gate Bakery shapes up on 1st Street

Awning alert over at 68 E. First St., where Red Gate Bakery is expected to open soon here between First Avenue and Second Avenue. (As you can see, Red Gate also has a red roll down gate.)

The Red Gate website notes that they sell "small-batch, high-quality, no-frills baked goods." Their menu features a variety of cookies, brownies, cakes and a midnight banana bread. You can see some of these items on the Red Gate Instagram account.

This is the first storefront for the proprietors, who have been taking online orders for a variety of events and special occasions.

No. 68 was previously home to the Tuck Shop, which closed in September 2018 after 13 years of selling Australian meat and vegetable pies.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Red Gate Bakery setting up shop at 68 E. 1st St.

Sunday's parting shots

The grand finale at today's 28th annual Tompkins Square Park holiday tree lighting ceremony... Steven shared these photos...



We'll have more later tomorrow via EVG contributor Stacie Joy...

The Anti-Monkey Christ

Christopher J. Ryan shared these photos from yesterday... showing local artist Ian Dave Knife transforming a tree stump into "a beautiful work of street art" here on 11th Street just east of First Avenue.

The stump is titled "The Anti-Monkey Christ" ...

Week in Grieview

[Art walk on 2nd Avenue via Derek Berg]

Posts this past week included...

Debi the Gardener retires (Friday)

Closing time for the Associated on 14th Street (Wednesday)

Prepping for the 28th edition of the Tompkins Square Park tree lighting (Saturday)

In the kitchen with Chef Jae Lee at Nowon (Friday)

Three Seat Espresso down to weekend service on Avenue A (Saturday)

Former Bean space for rent on 2nd Avenue (Thursday)

Huminska closes on 9th Street after 27 years in business (Monday)

Long lost photos of the Dead Boys live on at 72 Gallery (Saturday)

Garbage trucks will still park on 10th Street so drivers can have lunch breaks (Tuesday)

Tramonti Pizza closes on St. Mark's Place ahead of move to NoMad (Tuesday)

Report: 2 homeless men stabbed in fight at the 2nd Avenue F stop (Thursday)

All about the housing lottery at EVE on 13th Street (Monday)


[Friday morning in Tompkins via Vinny & O]

Happy holidays from NY See! (Thursday)

What's going on at Black Iron Burger on 5th Street? (Monday)

Cereal killer: Kellogg's NYC Café shutters on Union Square` (Friday)

Hot Kitchen pivots to Sushi & Sake on 2nd Avenue (Tuesday)

Signage and storefront reveal for Sanpoutei Gyoza & Ramen at 92 2nd Ave. (Thursday)

The San Loco is opening SOON on Avenue C (Monday)

169 and 171 1st Ave. fetch $14 million (Wednesday)

United Copy & Print has apparently closed (Wednesday)

Williamsburg Pizza debuts on 14th Street (Thursday)

... not sure what this film shoot was for this past week, but we knew where they kept the bodies...


[Photo by Derek Berg]

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Reader question: What is that black smoke coming from Village View?

Via the EVG inbox...

What is the black smoke pouring out of the chimney on the Village View apartment complex on First Avenue? No other building in the neighborhood (with many oil burners) is sending out as much. Hmmm — burning trash on a Sunday morning?

The reader thought that burning trash in buildings was a thing of the past. Unless this is something else entirely.

Video: The origins of the Tompkins Square Park holiday tree lighting

As a warmup to today's 28th annual tree lighting in Tompkins Square Park (4-5 p.m.!) ... here's a video short from 2018 with Albert Fabozzi, founder of the lighting ceremony...





Fabozzi planted the evergreen in 1992 in memory of Glenn Barnett, his partner, who died of AIDS ...