Farmwich pops up with speciality sandwiches at Ben's Deli on Avenue B

Farmwich, serving sandwiches "sourced entirely from local regenerative agriculture farms," is now open through Feb. 4 at Ben's Deli, 32 Avenue B between Second Street and Third Street.

As EVG contributor Stacie Joy reports, Farmwich will offer one speciality sandwich a day during their limited hours of noon to 2:30 p.m. Sunday through Tuesday. All sandwiches are $9, which includes tax and tip.

And some Farmwich details via their website:

All our food is “vegan, organic, local, and fair trade” but we don’t call it that. Rather than focus on the imitation or absence of animal products, we celebrate the rich flavors of seasonal vegetables grown in polyculture soils. The season writes our menu anew each day. It is possible that we never serve the same sandwich twice.

We source almost all our produce from Lani’s Farm (Bordentown, NJ), extra-virgin sunflower oil from Hudson Valley Cold-Pressed Oils (Poughkeepsie, NY), sourdough bread from Hawthorne Valley Farm & Bakery (which grows and mills almost all its own grain on-site; Ghent, NY), heirloom beans from GrowNYC (mostly Caledonia, NY), pumpkin seeds from Stony Brook Wholehearted Foods (Geneva, NY), and fruits from Wilkow Orchards (Highland, NY).

With the exception of a few dry spices from the East Village’s Dual Specialties, we buy all ingredients directly from our farmers without a middleman or distributor.

They also offer a sample menu from a recent preview dinner:

#1: Sunchokes crisped in sunflower flour, mache greens, gremolata, pickled root vegetables (carrot, parsnip, rutabaga, beet)

#2: Honeynut squash, squash seed and Lani’s miso puree, pickled cabbage, mixed baby greens (mustards, kales, sorrel, tatsoi, arugula)

#3: Japanese sweet potato mash, caramelized shallot jam, sautéed broccoli rabe, Tokyo bekana, radish, cumin-coriander vinaigrette

Here are a few scenes from opening day yesterday ...





... and here's the opening day sandwich — "A Massion in Addis," Berbere sautéed red kale, sweet potato pomme frites, garlic sunflower aioli and root pickles root pickles...

Mobile police lights arrive on St. Mark's Place

As you may have noticed, the NYPD has set up mobile lights outside 19-25 St Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. Steven shared these photos from Friday night...





It's not immediately clear why the the NYPD placed the lights here. Typically the lights arrive after a highly publicized incident. For instance, in October 2018, the NYPD set up a light tower on the northwest corner of Seventh Street and Second Avenue after several published reports about the growing number of increasingly unruly travelers/crusties gathering on the sidewalk.

The sidewalk bridge has been up here for what, two to three years? Readers have noted a menacing undercurrent at times here.

Both businesses on the lower level here are closed, making it an appealing spot to gather without any repercussions from store management. St. Mark's Market vacated the premises back in October. Mi Tea next door is currently closed for renovations. Also, upstairs tenant Chipotle shut down in August 2018. A new restaurant is going in to the space in the months ahead.

Liquiteria has apparently closed on 4th Avenue

The Liquiteria on the northeast corner of Fourth Avenue and 13th Street is no longer in business...



EVG regular Laura pointed this out to us late last week, noting the store had been closed in recent days. It appears all three Liquiteria locations in the city shuttered. Their website is no longer active and the phone numbers are disconnected. (Perhaps this means that they'll be a liquidation for Liquiteria?)

The original Liquiteria opened on Second Avenue and East 11th Street in 1996, long before the juice/smoothie craze took hold. Founder Doug Green sold the business several years ago to a group of investors who then opened several more outposts.

The Second Avenue location closed in October 2018.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• East Village-based Liquiteria taking over Gray's Papaya space

• Liquiteria coming soon to former Blimpie space on 4th Avenue

• A new look for the northeast corner of Fourth Avenue and East 13th Street

A new Citi Bike station arrives on 4th Avenue

From the EVG tipline — news of a new Citi Bike docking station on Fourth Avenue at 12th Street... this one holds 34 bikes...



A reader thought this one replaced the docking station on 12th Street west of Third Avenue. That one remains, however...

Week in Grieview

[FDNY Godzilla yesterday on 2nd Avenue via Steven]

• NYPD investigating early morning police-involved shooting on 7th and A; 2 men dead (Thursday)

• Exclusive: Video shows chaotic moments after fatal shootings on Avenue A (Friday) Collateral damage at Hub Thai on Avenue A (Thursday)

• More details about Zum Schneider's February closing date on Avenue C (Monday)

• A Visit to Don Juan’s Barber Shop on 4th Street (Wednesday)

• So you want to serve on your local Community Board (Tuesday)

• A rally at the former Church of the Nativity as rumored sale of building spreads (Friday)

• Trader Joe's opens on 14th and A (Monday) ...

• Jiang Diner opening a second East Village outpost (Monday)

• The Ottendorfer Library branch is now hosting a book swap on Saturdays (Friday)

• C&B Cafe is no longer part of Paper Daisy on St. Mark's Place (Wednesday)

• The Chippery bringing fish and chips to 1st Avenue (Tuesday)

• Avenue C Restaurant has apparently closed on Avenue C (Tuesday)

• Pizza pocket purveyors I Love Panzerotti coming to St. Mark's Place (Monday)

• L-train construction fence finally comes down on 14th Street — 3 weeks after the Associated closed (Monday)

• About Shaq's assist on East Houston Street today (Monday)

• Hopes for a January opening at the all-new Baji Baji on 1st Avenue (Friday)

• Happy Three Kings Day from Zaragoza (Monday)

• Behold the Russo's-Black Seed bagel bread bomb (Wednesday)

• Choice Cleaners 7 coming to Avenue A (Tuesday)

• Space 194 has closed on 1st Avenue (Monday)

... and parting thoughts from the late Barnaby Hall in Tompkins Square Park... photo by Derek Berg...



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A new home for the A Repeat Performance sign

Back on Wednesday, we noted that the old A Repeat Performance sign from the now-closed bric-a-brac shop at 156 First Ave. needed a new home.

The fine folks who run the East Village Vintage Collective on 12th Street are now the proud new owners. No word yet what they have planned for the classic sign.

A Repeat Performance closed last July after 39 years in business.

Saturday's parting shot

Here's Amelia, one of the resident red-tailed hawks, enjoying this spring-like day today atop the St. Nicholas of Myra Orthodox Church on Avenue A and 10th Street ... thanks to Steven for the photo.

Sublet of the day

EVG reader Jackflashnyc shares this photo... showing a spacious sublet — 6 square feet — available on Seventh Street between Avenue A and First Avenue. Price: a modest $3,750.

It likely won't be on the market long — Rainer Turim reports that there's already plenty of interest in the space...

Sweet Generation celebrating 5 years on 1st Avenue

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A post shared by Sweet Generation Bakery | RISE (@swtgeneration) on Jan 11, 2020 at 4:46am PST

Sweet Generation, the bakery at 130 First Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place, is celebrating its 5th anniversary this weekend ... on this occasion, they are giving out free mini cupcakes [while supplies last].

Sweet Generation partners with several nonprofit organizations and local high schools to create an internship program that teaches baking, food safety, customer service, work readiness, and entrepreneurship to teens and young adults from low-income communities.

Today is MulchFest Part 2 in Tompkins Square Park

As a reminder... today marks the second round of MulchFest 2020. Head over to Tompkins Square Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for the metal mulching machine.

The above photo, depicting a creative way to haul a discarded Christmas tree, is from Tompkins Square Park Thursday via Derek Berg. (P.S. Please do not attempt to throw a carpet into the mulcher.)

Friday's parting shot

An EVG tipster shared this tribute to David Bowie from outside the Broadway-Lafayette station. Today marks the fourth anniversary of the death of Bowie, who lived nearby with his wife Iman.

Station to Station was Bowie's 10th studio album, which included the single "Golden Years."

Heroes

David Bowie died on this day in 2016. The video here is a live version of "Life on Mars?" — one of my all-time favorite songs.

Exclusive: Video shows chaotic moments after fatal shootings on Avenue A

Early Thursday morning, two men, identified as Earl Facey and Richard Reid, reportedly got into an argument inside the Hayaty Hookah Bar at 103 Avenue A between Sixth Street and Seventh Street.

The fight escalated outside the club, when the two men — each reportedly carrying a .22 caliber handgun — exchanged gunfire. Surveillance footage obtained by NBC 4 shows the two men "shooting at each other as they dance around a parked car," per the report, outside Hayaty.

The chase ended in front of 113 Avenue A, the address of Ray's Candy Store, where Facey was said by police to fatally shoot Reid in the torso. Two uniformed officers who were on patrol nearby shot Facey on the northwest corner of Avenue A and Seventh Street as he walked away, refusing multiple commands to drop his weapon and lie on the ground, according to police accounts and media reports. One officer fired his weapon twice, the other one time. Facey later died at Bellevue.

Francisco Valera, a photographer and photojournalist/videographer, lives in a front-facing apartment on Avenue A at Seventh Street.

"It was 3:38 a.m. I was awake, writing in my computer in my living room. It was pretty quiet. Suddenly I heard the shouts of what appeared to be men, nothing unusual for this crazy corner. Then I heard the shots — like three or four times," he said in an email. "I knew right away they were from guns. My dog ran toward
the window and I panicked, thinking the bullets could hit him. I turned the lights off and looked out the window to see a men laying in the middle of Avenue A."

He shared this two-minute video that shows the moments after both men were shot. (The first 15 seconds of the video were filmed sideways.) In the clip below, two officers have their guns drawn, crouching behind a trashcan, looking toward Facey, in the green jacket lying in the intersection of Seventh Street at Avenue A.

An unidentified voice can be heard yelling "two shooters down" and telling officers to "holster up." Officers can also be heard commanding passersby to "back off" multiple times.

In the street outside 113 Avenue A, officers are performing CPR on Reid, on his back in the white jacket. An unidentified man is seen pleading with the police. "Officer, please put him in a car. Put him in the car — you don't have a fucking second!" The sounds of an ambulance can be heard in the distance. The man turns to the north on Avenue A toward the approaching ambulance. He pleads with the officers again to take Reid to a hospital in an NYPD vehicle: "There's traffic because of this! What the fuck are you all doing!"

The video contains disturbing images — viewer discretion is advised.



Police said both men were reputed gang members and have been linked to prior shootings.

Previously.

A rally at the former Church of the Nativity as rumored sale of building spreads

Rumors started late last year that the Archdiocese of New York had sold the former Church of the Nativity on Second Avenue between Second Street and Third Street for use as luxury housing. (There's nothing in public records yet to confirm the rumors.)

This afternoon at 3, the Cooper Square Committee and the Nativity Committee are holding a rally in front of the property at 44 Second Ave. ... per the flyers, "the $40 million sale of the Nativity Church/Rectory is coming."



The Church closed after a service on July 31, 2015, merging with Most Holy Redeemer on Third Street.

As previously reported, the Cooper Square Community Land Trust had explored buying the former Church of the Nativity 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.

In April 2019, 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.

This wouldn't be the first time that a former Catholic church was demolished for upscale housing in this neighborhood. Developer Douglas Steiner bought the former Mary Help of Christians property in 2012 from the Archdiocese of New York for $41 million.

During the summer of 2013, workers demolished the church, school and rectory to make way for Steiner East Village, the block-long condoplex where a penthouse unit is currently renting for $19,000 per month.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• 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

The Ottendorfer Library branch is now hosting a book swap on Saturdays

[File photo via Steven]

Last Saturday, we mentioned that the Tompkins Square Library branch was giving away extra books ... via the comments, an EVG reader mentioned that the Ottendorfer Library, 135 Second Ave. between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street, is once again hosting a book swap on Saturdays.

Here are details via the library's website:

By popular demand, Ottendorfer now hosts a Book Swap every Saturday! Please bring your books, DVDs, CDs and miscellaneous trinkets to trade with others.

Saturday, Jan. 11, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 18, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 25, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Hopes for a January opening at the all-new Baji Baji on 1st Avenue

Good news for Jay Yang, owner of the recently revamped China Star at 145 First Ave. near Ninth Street.

EVG regular Lola Sáenz shared this photo yesterday — after Con Ed signed off on all the work following a second inspection.

Starting last summer, Yang set out to upgrade his quick-serve restaurant. He unveiled Baji Baji in the space this past fall. However, the renovations got bogged down, and there was a wait time with various kitchen inspections, including the FDNY and Con Ed, who asked him to make some changes following the first pass late last year.

Now Yang is hiring staff with hopes of being open in two weeks.

You can read our interview from October 2017 with Yang at this link.

Thursday's parting shot

Tossing everything including the kitchen sink today on Seventh Street ... captured by Derek Berg.

Collateral damage at Hub Thai on Avenue A

An EVG reader shared these photos this evening... the front windows at Hub Thai on Avenue A were hit during the early morning shootout on Avenue A between Sixth Street and Seventh Street.

The restaurant is adjacent to the Hayaty Hookah Bar at 103 Avenue A, where a fight between Earl Facey and Richard Reid started. According to the Post, the altercation began after the women they were with bumped into each other.

Outside the bar, the two men reportedly shot at each other during a chase, per NBC 4. Both men were said to be carrying a .22 caliber handgun. Two uniformed officers who were on patrol nearby shot Facey on the northwest corner of Avenue A and Seventh Street after he refused multiple times to drop his weapon and lie on the ground, according to police accounts and media reports. Both men later died at Bellevue.



Per the reader: "I'm not an expert, but that doesn't look like a .22 shot — looks like a service revolver shot, perhaps 9mm or .45?"



Hub Thai was expected to reopen soon after the windows were repaired. Thankfully, the restaurant was closed at the time of the shooting.

A look at Avenue A and 7th Street this evening

Avenue A opened up again for vehicular traffic late this afternoon around 5 ... this after the NYPD finished their crime scene investigation following the deadly shooting early this morning.

An NYPD light tower remains on Seventh Street and Avenue A...





According to the NYPD, an argument that started inside the Hayaty Hookah Bar at 103 Avenue A between Sixth Street and Seventh Street, spilled out into the street around 3:30 a.m.

One man, identified as Earl Facey, reportedly shot Richard Reid. Two officers from the 9th Precinct, on patrol nearby, responded to the scene. Police say the officers shot Facey, who was holding a weapon, three times after he refused to get on the ground. EMTs took Facey and Reid to Bellevue, where hospital officials pronounced them dead.

Police said that both men were in gangs and each had prison records.

Read more at this link.

Updating: NYPD investigating early morning police-involved shooting on 7th and A; 2 men dead

[9th and A at 6:30 a.m. via Vinny & O]

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Preliminary recap:

• Two men are dead after an early morning shootout on Avenue A at Seventh Street.

• Police say an argument that started inside the Hayaty Hookah Bar, 103 Avenue A, spilled out into the street.

• The two men, each armed, shot at each other. One of the men, identified as Richard Reid, 41, died. Both men were reportedly gang members.

• Two uniformed officers from the 9th Precinct, on patrol nearby, responded to the scene. Police say the officers shot the second man after he refused to get on the ground. The man, identified as Earl Facey (also ID'd as Lacey), 37, reportedly was on parole for a prior shooting for which he had served eight years in prison.

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Original post with updates...

There's a massive police response on Avenue A and Seventh Street [as of 5 a.m.] following an early-morning shooting involving two men on the southwest corner.

According to ABC 7, the gunfire was a result of a fight that started inside the Hayaty Hookah Bar, 103 Avenue A between Sixth Street and Seventh Street.

Per ABC:

Both men were taken to Bellevue Hospital with injuries described as life-threatening.

No officers were injured in the gunfire, although two were being taken to the hospital to be treated for ringing in the ears.

A weapon has been recovered at the scene.

Avenue A is currently closed to through traffic between Fifth Street and 10th Street (as of 5 a.m.)...

M14A-SBS buses are detoured in both directions because of Police activity on Avenue A between St. Marks Pl and 7 St. Details at https://t.co/4PI10QaRnr

— NYCT Buses (@NYCTBus) January 9, 2020

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

Updated 7:19 a.m.

From the scene... both men, including one shot by police, are dead...

Update: Both men shot this morning after a dispute in the East Village are dead, said the NYPD. One was shot by police. @LindsayTuchman pic.twitter.com/OshVfW7zZs

— Spectrum News NY1 (@NY1) January 9, 2020

Updated 7:22 a.m.

According to NBC 4, two uniformed officers from the 9th Precinct who were patrolling Tompkins Square Park heard the gunshots around 3:30 a.m. and responded to the scene at the corner of Seventh and A.

That's where they found a man shooting at another man.

The officers engaged them and told the armed man to get on the ground. "It was then the officers fired approximately three times at the male, striking him," NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan told reporters.

Updated 7:26 a.m.

The press conference...

UPDATE: @NYPDChiefofDept and other NYPD executives provide an update on this morning’s police involved shooting in Lower Manhattan. The investigation is ongoing, all information is preliminary https://t.co/sWwYY7Reqi

— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) January 9, 2020

Police Chief Terence Monahan said that the man police shot was on parole for a prior shooting for which he had served eight years in prison.

Updated 8:45 a.m.

Police released photos of the two weapons the men had in their possession.

This morning’s police-involved shooting is another example of the bravery demonstrated by NYPD officers every day. When two suspects shot at each other, our cops put themselves in harm’s way by running toward the danger.

Photos of the suspects’ guns, recovered at the scene: ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/f9HKRqppa4

— Commissioner Shea (@NYPDShea) January 9, 2020

Updated 10 a.m.
Steven shared these photos... taken at 8:50 a.m. and showing the ongoing investigation...



There are bullet casings on Avenue A...









Several businesses along Avenue A aren't able to open, including Starbucks at St. Mark's Place, which won't be open at all today, per a sign on the door...



Updated 1:30 p.m.

The Daily News has more on the two victims, Richard Reid and Earl Facey, gang members who did not know each other.

Sources said Reid, who lived in Brownsville, was a Crip with 14 arrests on his record. He had connections to two previous shooting, sources said. He was a person of interest in a March 31, 2019, non-fatal shooting in Bedford-Stuyvesant and was a witness in another shooting, also not fatal, on Jan. 3, 2017, on the Lower East Side.

Facey, a member of the Insane Gangsta Crips who lived in East Harlem, had an even worse record, sources said.

He had been arrested 21 times and served almost seven years in state prison for gun possession before he was paroled in August 2017. He was also considered a suspect in a Sept. 28, 2008 shooting in East Flatbush and a April 3, 2008, murder in Flatbush, sources said. Facey was also shot once before, in Crown Heights on May 1, 2004.

Updated 4 p.m.

Per the Post: Reid and Facey got into a fight inside the bar after the women they were with bumped into each other.

During the fracas, a bottle or glass of water was thrown, prompting a bouncer to boot all those involved out onto the street where Facey and Reid ultimately opened fire on each other, sources said.