[Updated] 145 2nd Ave. returns to view

From the Department of Miracles, workers yesterday removed the remainder of the construction netting and scaffolding from the northwest corner of Second Avenue and Ninth Street (145 Second Ave.), as Steven reports  ...

The scaffolding has been here since May 31, 2018, as a local merchant noted on a pole of the sidewalk bridge...

We're told that the sidewalk bridge will remain in place for an unspecified period of time ... providing protection above the former Starbucks, which closed in April 2019, and the co-opted outdoor space that the 13th Step next door is putting to use...  

Updated 12 p.m.

THE SIDEWALK BRIDGE IS COMING DOWN...

Report: Mermaid Inn plans to reopen, though the SLA isn't helping

[Photo from Aug. 22]

Co-owners Daniel Abrams and Cindy Smith have plans to reopen the Mermaid Inn, the seafood-centric restaurant that closed late last summer after 17 years on Second Avenue between Fifth Street and Sixth Street.

However, as Abrams tells the Post, a stringent State Liquor Authority law is delaying the reopening.

Why?

Under current law, new or revived restaurants and pubs outside New York City can obtain a temporary liquor permit within 30 days, while the State Liquor Authority reviews an applicant’s request for full license — a process that could take anywhere from four to six months.

And?

... unlike their peers in other parts of the state, Big Apple restaurants that want to open or reopen are barred under the law from obtaining a temporary permit to sell booze pending the SLA’s months-long review on whether to provide a two-year license to sell liquor.

Hmm.

The more restrictive treatment of city restaurants under the state alcohol and beverage control law is a result of complaints from city residents and lawmakers who railed against the proliferation of bars in certain neighborhoods, sources familiar with the law said.

According to Abrams, alcohol sales account for 40 percent of a restaurant's revenues. 

"What's the purpose of opening a restaurant without serving alcohol? If you can't offer a glass of wine with the oysters, diners will go somewhere else," he said.

Abrams decided to reopen the Mermaid Inn after renegotiating a lease with the landlord and seeing "more foot traffic and economic activity."

Wednesday's parting shot

A moment on St. Mark's Place during that hailstorm this afternoon... photo by Derek Berg...

Noted

When a trashbag simply won't do in a pinch (?). 

Photo on Ninth Street by Steven...

The EVAC, an arts venue, replaces FlyeLyfe on 1st Avenue after 1 day in business — why?

Reporting and photos by Stacie Joy

The EVAC is in the works for 215 First Ave. just south of 13th Street. 

According to Steve Hirsch, who's opening the EVAC (East Village Art Collection), the space will be an art gallery with music, spoken word, painting, sculpture, photography and "maybe even a small Calder show." 

"We want to work with the community and showcase East Village artists," said Hirsch, whose LinkedIn profile describes him as having a 25-plus year career in apparel design and merchandising and being "an industry innovator." "There are no galleries on First Avenue in this area."

The EVAC's arrival means that East Village-based artist and entrepreneur P.J. O'Rourke's FlyeLyfe, which moved to this storefront from 11th Street last month, will not be continuing on from this location — after just one day in business. 

According to Hirsch, who was involved with securing the new FlyeLyfe storefront with the goal of expanding the brand: "We had a change in the business plan. We're no longer working with P.J. O'Rourke — we're going in a different direction." 

And this quick turn of events took O'Rourke by surprise. In an interview and subsequent email exchange, O'Rourke described his version of the story. He didn't mention Hirsch by name, referring to him instead as his "so-called business partner," who first bought a print from O'Rourke when he was still hustling his T-shirts, hats and other original designs from the L train.

Hirsch, he said, helped him secure the first FlyeLyfe storefront on 11th Street before Avenue A and First Avenue.

"When it came time to scale up, he offered 215 First Ave. if we signed a partnership. I obliged hesitantly, but obliged nonetheless based on his word of helping it scale 'worldwide.' The new LLC was signed on Jan. 26, and the grand opening was March 19," O'Rourke said. "After hiring a few employees, he decided to make a very authoritarian person in charge of handling and managing employees. The employees were intimidated amongst other things with 'even if you’re not here, you're being filmed.' All this time of preparation, my job was to be the artist and not worry about any of the management and set up at the shop."

O'Rourke said that he "had to put faith and trust into the process." While the grand opening day on March 19 was a success, a "verbal altercation" the night before between a friend of O'Rourke's and Hirsch at the storefront apparently soured relations. Hirsch and the "authoritarian person" allegedly said that the friend wasn't welcome in the space. 

Later on the opening day, according to O'Rourke, his "business partner" then shut down the space.

"I immediately left ... in complete shock. I even came back a couple of hours later and was berated by the authoritarian figure and completely undermined. He said 'you just fucked up, I have been talking to local artists, and we have no problem turning this into an artist space without you,'" per O'Rourke. "I went back to get my stuff ... Not only had they locked me out, but my belongings were also inside and my partner told me it was his. They papered up the entire store, and now a couple of weeks later, they are trying a fly-by-the-seat art gallery, while leaving my livelihood at stake. And that's factually what has happened to me at this point. I really just need to get my stuff back so I can make my living again."

In a follow-up call, Hirsch, whose LinkedIn profile lists him as director of operations for FlyeLyfe, denied this version of the events.

"I have no comment on what Mr. O'Rourke had to say. Mr. O'Rourke's statements are not facts," Hirsch said. "He presented his version of the story, I presented something different." 

He then ended the call by saying "this conversation is over."

For now, O'Rourke is in a holding pattern. You can follow the FlyeLyfe website or Instagram for updates. In the interim, O'Rourke said that he has been working on creating NFTs.

Signs of life at Sanshi Noodle House

Signage arrived back in August on the northeast corner of Second Avenue and Seventh Street for Sanshi Rice Noodle.

And we hadn't seen a lot of activity here since then... but apparently, work was going on behind the papered windows... those windows have been uncovered to show the in-progress dining room, as these photos by Steven show ...

This will be the second location for the restaurant ... joining the original outpost in Flushing. You can check out some food pics via the Sanshi Instagram account. Here's a menu for the Flushing location.

This prime corner space has been vacant since Bar Virage closed in December 2018 after 20-plus years in business. 

On second thought, Chef Hans looks to be the new tenant for 120 1st Ave.

Last month, the @TradedNY account reported that Jian Bing Man, which specializes in Chinese crêpes, signed a lease at 120 First Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place.

However, on Monday, signage arrived for a completely different establishment — Chef Hans Asian Kitchen. Not sure at the moment what happened to Jian Bing Man ... or perhaps this is some kind of spin-off restaurant.

The previous tenant here, Doma Food and Drinks, a Korean bistro, didn't have much of a chance, opening in February 2020 — about six weeks before the PAUSE ... this was a new concept from the owners of the Tang, which opened in this space in July 2016. 

Photo by Steven

Tuesday's parting shot

Photo in Union Square just after 5 p.m. ... via Twitter by NBC 4's Phil Lipof (@lipoftv), who was there getting reaction to the guilty verdict that was reached in the murder trial of former Minnesota police officer Derek Chauvin, who was charged in the death of George Floyd... found guilty on all counts.

According to the Daily News: "... about 500 people throughout the park shouted: 'Guilty! Guilty! Guilty!'"

Virtual 'Spring Rituals' via the Ukrainian Museum on Saturday evening

The Ukrainian Museum on Sixth Street between Second Avenue and Cooper Square is hosting a virtual event this Saturday evening titled "Ukrainian Spring Rituals: Songs & Conversation."

Here are details via the EVG inbox...

This celebration of Easter and spring will lead off with a brief discussion of Ukraine's rich Easter traditions and their pre-Christian pagan roots by Lubow Wolynetz, the Museum's curator of folk art, followed by performances of traditional Ukrainian springtime melodies by Go_A (Ukraine), Balaklava Blues (Canada), and Ukrainian Village Voices (U.S.).  

 Our special guests from Kyiv, Go_A, draw inspiration from traditional vocal repertoires associated with springtime rituals. Go_A is Ukraine's official entry in the Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam on May 18–22, a competition that draws millions of viewers around the globe. Go_A has recorded a special set specifically for The Ukrainian Museum.

Iryna Voloshyna, a graduate student at Indiana University's Department of Folklore and Ethnomusicology, conducted an interview with the electro-folk group's members, which will be presented during the event. 

You can find more details about the event at this link ... find the free registration details here. The program begins Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

The Ukrainian Museum remains closed during the pandemic. You can check out their virtual exhibits here.

Bluestockings officially reopens Friday in new Lower East Side home

The new home for the Bluestockings Cooperative has its official grand opening on Friday at 116 Suffolk St. between Rivington and Delancey.

Bluestockings shared the info with EVG via Instagram...

The volunteer- and collective-run bookstore and activist space hosted a soft, limited capacity reopening for the holiday season back in November.

A successful crowdfunding campaign, which raised a little more than $100,000, allowed Bluestockings to build out the new home.

Bluestockings opened at 172 Allen St. between Stanton and Rivington in 1999... before moving on at the end of last July. 

You can follow the Bluestockings Instagram account for updates. The hours: Tuesday-Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• Today is the last day for Bluestockings on Allen Street; new LES location in the works

A little of the old Coyote Ugly at the new Coyote Ugly on 14th Street

Work continues at 233 E. 14th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue ... where the address will one day be the new NYC home of Coyote Ugly.

EVG regular Pinch got a look inside the open door the other day... and spotted the Coyote Ugly signage from the old (and original) location on First Avenue mounted on the wall ...

As we first reported this past September, Coyote Ugly permanently closed its home of 27 years at 153 First Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street. (That space is currently going under a gut renovation.)

In announcing the closure, CEO and founder Lil Lovell had this to say in a video clip: "After sitting closed for six months due to COVID restrictions, we simply can't afford to pay the rent." This was the very first of the Coyote Ugly saloons — featuring bartop dancing and body shots. There are now more than two-dozen global outposts.

The Blind Pig, the sports bar/pub, closed after service in June 2019. At the time, the owners of the 13-year-old Blind Pig said they were hit with an untenable 50-percent rent increase.

A print edition of the Village Voice is now out

At the beginning of the year, The Village Voice, the city's iconic weekly paper that folded in 2018 after a 50-plus-year run, returned online with new ownership in Brian Calle, the chief executive of Street Media, the owner of LA Weekly. 

Calle told the Times that they'd be quarterly print editions... and the first one is apparently out this week...

Per the Voice's Instagram account:

Back in 2017 we stopped the print edition of the Voice. Turns out that, like Joe Biden, we just needed a few years off. Look for the Spring 2021 edition of the Voice, distributed to select boxes around town, retailers, eateries, bookstores, and apartment buildings.

Expect to see longtime columnist Michael Musto's byline again... he pens an Oscar night preview for the print edition (and online). 

I have not seen an issue out in the wild just yet. (A reader said she picked one up on Astor Place.) 

When the news of the brand's revival arrived in late December, there were warnings from the (now ex-) writers who worked for Calle's LA Weekly... describing it as a "zombie publication," among other things. (See this post for more.)

Monday's parting shots

Goggla shared these sunset pics tonight from First Avenue and Fifth Street ... noting the spotlight effect through the clouds...

At the March to Save East River Park

An estimated 500 people turned out yesterday for the March to Save East River Park. 

Participants, carrying noise-makers and homemade signs, gathered in Tompkins Square Park and made their way over to East River Park along Avenue B, with a stop outside the Fourth Street office of local City Councilmember Carlina Rivera, who has voiced support for the city's plan to cover the park with eight feet of fill for flood control and cut down 1,000 trees. 

The march, organized by East River Park Action, ended at the amphitheater, where there were an array of speakers, including neighborhood activists, several candidates for City Council and Manhattan Borough President and the poet Eileen Myles, who served as emcee. (Recaps at Gothamist and NY1.)

EVG contributor Stacie Joy shared these photos from along the march and in East River Park...

Opponents of the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project demand a "real environmental review" of the $1.45 billion plan to protect the Lower East Side and surrounding neighborhoods from a 100-year-flood event and sea-level rise. 

Opponents of the city's current plan — where workers will raze the 57.5-acre plot of land, bulldozing 1,000 mature trees and rebuilding the park atop eight feet of landfill — say there are better ways to preserve the park and provide flood protection, such as the one mapped out in the years after Sandy.

In late 2018, the city surprised community stakeholders by announcing a complete overhaul of a plan discussed over four years of local meetings.

In October 2019, the city announced that they would phase in the construction, so only portions of the park are closed to the public at any given time. According to various reports, the city has committed to leaving a minimum of 42 percent of East River Park open to the public. It is projected to be completed in 2025, a timetable opponents say will never be met.

Meanwhile, the city officially kicked off the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project this past Thursday via an announcement by Mayor de Blasio.

As previously reported, the lowest bids have come in, and they've already exceeded the budget by $73 million, which doesn't cover the entire project. 

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• City tries again with the release of a Value Engineering Study for East River Park

• Report: Lowest bids for East River Park construction are $73 million over budget 

• East River community group gets action on the release of (heavily redacted) Value Engineering Study

• Advocacy group: The city's Value Engineering Study for East River Park does not exist

Concern for the main lawn in Tompkins Square Park

The large lawn space in the middle of Tompkins Square Park is attracting attention for its barren look this spring... prompting concern from some Park regulars ... 

Per one TSP regular: "The main field is in terrible condition. It needs to be reseeded soon to be in good shape for summer."

As noted before (here and here), budget cuts have prompted volunteer groups to pick up trash, weed and rake parts of the Park's gardens.

The most recent inspection report (from August 2020) posted to the NYC Parks website found the overall condition and cleanliness of Tompkins to be "unacceptable."

Thanks to Steven for the photos!

On the CB3-SLA docket tonight: applicants for the former Brazen Fox and Loverboy spaces

Tonight is the second of the two CB3 SLA committee meetings for April. 

Here's a look at a few of the items on the agenda:

• Entity to be Formed by Curt Heugel, 106 3rd Ave (op) 

Hospitality veteran Curt Heugel's Host Restaurants, whose portfolio includes concepts such as Bill's Townhouse, Campagnola and Printers Alley, is behind a new unnamed venture for 106 Third Ave. at 13th Street.

The questionnaire for the space shows proposed hours starting at 10 a.m. with a 4 a.m. close (the outdoor cafe portion would have an 11 p.m. curfew).

Heugel and his partners also operate Jackdaw on Second Avenue at 13th Street. 

This two-level corner space was home to the Brazen Fox, which closed during the pandemic. 

 • Entity to be Formed by Michael Perry, 127 Ave C (op)

A new venture called Two Perry's is in the works for 127 Avenue C at Eighth Street.

The space would be a cafe offering breakfast and lunch during the day with a bar-restaurant service in the evenings. According to the questionnaire on file at the CB3 website, the proposed hours are 7 a.m. to midnight, with a 2 a.m. close Thursday through Saturday.

Loverboy, specializing in pizza and slushy drinks, closed here during the pandemic after nearly three-plus in business.  Before Loverboy, the corner space was home to multiple establishments, a list that includes Lumé, the "Epicurean drinkery," ... Life — Kitchen and Bar … which had taken over for Verso. Other restaurants here in the past nine years include Caffe Pepe Rosso and Caffe Cotto. 

Items not heard at Committee 

• Sushi by M (Sushibym2 LLC), 300 E 5th St (wb) 

Sushi By M, which currently offers an omakase experience from a compact space on Fourth Street between Second Avenue and the Bowery, is moving to a more high-profile spot on the southeast corner of Second Avenue and Fifth Street (last occupied by Spiritea, and pictured above).

This larger space for Chef Tim would include six tables (seating 12 patrons) and a sushi counter for 16 guests. The daily hours are listed as noon to 11:30 p.m.

• Woman in Wine LLC, 413 E 12th St (wb)

Alessandro Trezza, whose establishments include Have & Meyer in Williamsburg, is opening a small plates/dessert and wine bar at 413 E. 12th St. between Avenue A and First Avenue. 

The questionnaire shows daily hours of 4 p.m. to midnight. The document includes a sample menu.

This mid-block space was previously Zadie's Oyster Room.

Tonight's meeting starts at 6:30. You can find the Zoom info here. 

Reopenings: Ukrainian East Village restaurant, Little Poland

In case you missed the posts (here and here) from last Friday afternoon...two East Village mainstays on Second Avenue reopened for the first time since March 2020... 

The National Ukrainian Home restaurant (aka Ukrainian East Village restaurant) at 140 Second Ave. between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street ... and Little Poland, 200 Second Ave. between 12th Street and 13th Street ...

And the hours...

Ukrainian East Village restaurant: noon to 11 p.m. daily 

Little Poland: 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily

Top photo by Steven