Monday, January 10, 2022

Abandoned curbside dining structures attracting more attention on the NE corner of 6th and A

The abandoned curbside dining structures on the NE corner of Sixth Street at Avenue A continue to attract attention... both from residents who want to see them removed and from people looking for a space to shelter...
Several handmade signs noting "Waiting on DOT for removal" now adorn the exterior walls ...
As previously mentioned, several readers-residents have complained about the lengthy structure on the Sixth Street side. The bar-restaurant August Laura closed in the corner space here in early December, and up to 10 people were said to move into the structure the night workers cleared out the restaurant. Another reader said that it has become "a 24-hour shooting gallery."

In late December, reps for the Department of Homeless Services posted notices for a cleanup on the Sixth Street structure. According to a resident who lives nearby, that action saw the removal of some mattresses and several abandoned household items.

In October, then-Mayor de Blasio ordered the Department of Transportation to remove unused dining sheds erected as part of the Open Restaurants program. City workers have reportedly taken down dozens to date.

We're told that residents have contacted 311, the DOT and local City Councilmember Carlina Rivera's office about these structures.

While the retail space is for lease, 94-96 Avenue A is also set for auction on Jan. 31 with an opening bid of $4.8 million. Penn South Capital paid $9.6 million for the property in March 2019. The building's new owners added a one-floor extension here in 2020.

Sunday, January 9, 2022

Week in Grieview

Posts this past weekend included (with a playful snowball fight on 7th Street — pic by Derek Berg) ... 

• Reports: Theatre 80, the crown jewel of St. Mark's Place, enters bankruptcy, hopes to refinance loan (Tuesday)

• East River Park greenway now closing up to 10th Street (Monday) ... Tree sitters take to East River Park (Wednesday)

• About Hekate CafĂ© & Elixir Lounge, opening soon on Avenue B (Thursday

• An SUV collision on 1st Avenue at 5th Street (Monday)

• Cops searching for a dapper gun-toting suspect who robbed the Villager Smoke Shop (Tuesday

• An end of the ride: Busy Bee Bikes closes on 6th Street (Monday

• Tamam Falafel has closed on 14th Street; new location in the works (Wednesday

• 2022 corner watch: St. Mark's Place and 3rd Avenue (Thursday

• FIRST SNOW OF 2022 (Friday — here and here and here

• Dim Sum Go Go makes it sign official on 1st Avenue (Tuesday

• Kurt Russell to the rescue at Metrograph (Wednesday

• Check out the new video by local faves Hello Mary (Friday)

• The 'High Line East vibes' of 799 Broadway (Monday

• 58 1st St. awaits another restaurant (Tuesday

• A look at the corner market coming to 6th and A (Tuesday

• Boilermaker is closing on 1st and 1st (Wednesday

• To the Tompkins Square Park tree stump art with love (Thursday

• Christo, badass (Tuesday)

... speaking of Christo, here's another shot from this past week of our resident red-tailed hawks high atop 10th Street and Avenue A ... photo by Steven...
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Sunday's opening shot

A mulch mound courtesy of the chipping weekend in Tompkins Square Park... residents can come by and grab some fresh mulch for tree beds, gardens, etc.

Saturday, January 8, 2022

Saturday's parting shot

A discarded balancing act on 10th Street ... thanks to Steven for the pic...

Please be mine

 

A special edition of the weekly Fridays at 5 feature... Remembering David Bowie on what would have been his 75th birthday... this is the video for "Be My Wife," from Low, which was almost released 45 years to the date.

David Robert Jones was born on Jan. 8, 1947, in Brixton, London. He died on Jan. 10, 2016. He made his home nearby on Lafayette Street just south of Houston.

Hot chip: Scenes from MulchFest Day 1

Day 1 of Chipping Weekend, the grand finale of the MulchFest season, is in the books here in Tompkins Square Park. 

Steven braved the low double-digit wind chill for these shots...
Back at it tomorrow (Sunday) for Day 2 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

So if you have a Christmas tree to dispose of, you still have time to take it to the park. Better, save it for discarding until, say, August, so we will have a Christmas in August post to look forward to... 

#Mulchfest

'Gifts of the Magi' — and Chesney the camel! — at St. Mark's Church-in-the-Bowery

Thursday afternoon saw a production of "Gifts of the Magi" at St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery in 10th Street at Second Avenue ... sponsored by the Henry Street Settlement and Trinity Church Wall Street... 
EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by the church before the performance was underway (the festivities began with a parade here from Haven Plaza on 11th Street and Avenue C) ...
Cast member Chesney, a 5-year-old camel from Pennsylvania (here with his trainer Jason Martin of Home School Camels), attracted the most attention... as Stacie said: "Everybody loved Chesney."

MulchFest '22: Everything you need to know about Chipping Weekend, happening THIS weekend

Photo earlier this week by Steven 

When: The two-day chipping event, the grand finale of the MulchFest season, takes place today and tomorrow (Saturday and Sunday) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

Where: Tompkins Square Park 

Where Exactly: Follow the sound of the wood chipper to the middle of the park. 

What Else?: Tompkins is also a chipping site, which means residents can take home a nourishing bag of fresh mulch to put down on gardens and tree beds and to spice up boring omelets. 

Why Should I Care?: It's eco-friendly and more than 29,000 trees were treecycled last year. Per the Parks Department website: "Help us top this number!" 

How Is It Possible That the Parks Department Can Get Such a Precise Number (29,000) Over Dozens of Chipping Sites in the Five Boroughs and We Can't Get Toilet Paper in the Restrooms in Tompkins?: Yes. 

What If I'm a Social Media Influencer?: Use #Mulchfest to share your mulching memories with friends, family and clingy exes.

Friday, January 7, 2022

Friday's parting shot

Photo from Tompkins Square Park today by Derek Berg...

Alone together again


This week, local faves Hello Mary released a video for the pandemic-related single "Evicted" ... you can check it out ☝️ ... find their music on Bandcamp here... a new interview with them at this link ... and check out this EVG feature on the band here.

Because we haven't posted any Snow... snow... SNOW photos in several hours

Sharing a few more reader pics from today, which marked the first snowfall of Jan. 7 — not to mention 2022. (Click on the images for a better view!)

Goggla captured the top shot in New York City Marble Cemetery on Second Street... while Vinny & O took this in Tompkins Square Park...
Meanwhile, an EVG reader took this aerial shot looking into the Park along 10th Street...

East Village Loves NYC offering free COVID-19 PCR testing once again this Sunday

For the third consecutive Sunday, East Village Loves NYC is collaborating with a mobile clinic to provide free COVID-19 PCR testing at the Sixth Street Community Center between Avenue B and Avenue C. 

The testing takes place this Sunday (Jan. 9) from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. You need to sign up in advance — no walk-ins. You can find the link here. 

Results from this past Sunday were returned in 24 hours. Testing is done by Alaine Diagnostics in Saddlebrook, N.J. People who signed up reported a quick and efficient system here.

East Village Loves NYC was formed in the spring of 2020 to feed people in need during the pandemic. In year one,  the volunteers — 400 strong — cooked more than 100,000 meals for New Yorkers during the pandemic ... not to mention donated 325,000-plus pounds of groceries and 7,000-plus pantry bags.

Snow... snow... SNOW!

Here's an early morning look at the snowfall (3-4 inches?????) as seen in Tompkins Square Park...
... and, randonly, Avenue B at Seventh Street...
A winter weather advisory remains in effect until noon today. 

And don't let the National Weather Service scare you with the purple-highlighted blob outlines! (And EV Arrow is for hire!)

Snow... snow... SNOW! 2

EVG reader Bradford Carter shared a few photos from an early morning walk/commute along 10th Street...
... and Lafayette...

Thursday, January 6, 2022

To the Tompkins Square Park tree stump art with love

Just noting the latest installation at the Seventh and B entrance to Tompkins Square Park. 

As we've noted, someone has been creating installations atop the stump of the English Elm that came down in August 2020 during Tropical Storm Isaias. 

Obviously, the new work is a statement on the duality of human existence. 

Thanks to Steven for the photo!

About Hekate Café & Elixir Lounge, opening soon on Avenue B

Photo from early November

Text and photo by Stacie Joy

Lucky Bar owner Abby Ehmann and Brooklyn Roasting Company founder Jim Munson are opening Hekate CafĂ© and Elixir Lounge in the weeks ahead at 167 Avenue B between 10th Street and 11th Street.

In a storefront that previously housed a dry cleaners, the new business is across the street from Lucky, the bar Ehmann opened in September 2016.

Here, Ehmann talks about the concept behind Hekate CafĂ© and the challenges of operating and opening a business during the pandemic.

What is the concept behind the new venture?

Hekate Café and Elixir Lounge will be a warm space infused with feminine energy, serving coffee and espresso drinks, specialty teas, and magical elixirs. There will also be interesting merchandise for sale with an emphasis on the mystical.

What prompted you to open a second business?

I have had new business ideas percolating — heh — for years; I honestly cannot help myself! Every empty storefront I walk past sparks an idea — what would be good for each space, what I would do with it. I was working on opening a bar/coffee shop/restaurant on the Lower East Side with a couple partners back before the pandemic hit, which obviously put the kibosh on our plans. During the lockdown, I was still thinking about how and where the Hekate concept could become a reality. 

When things started opening up, I looked at several spaces and simply didn’t move fast enough to grab them. Then I would be at work, staring across the street at the FOR RENT BY OWNER sign, and think, could THAT work? I consulted with Jim Munson, my “coffee guy” and chief dreamer at Brooklyn Roasting Co., wondering if we could make a little cafĂ© work, and we decided to give it a shot! 

The reasonable rent was really the driving factor for this space. I sure wish more landlords would be willing to work with new businesses, as we have so many empty storefronts, which is a disservice to the neighborhood. I have been very fortunate with generous and understanding landlords, both here at my new location and at Lucky.

How did you come up with the concept for the witchcraft-themed spot?

I honestly can’t recall how the concept came to me! It has gone through many iterations, always coming back to, basically, creating magic. I believe people really crave hope and magic in their lives right now, which has been amplified due to the pandemic. People want to believe and be optimistic, which is difficult in times with so much overwhelmingly bad news. I felt compelled to create something with hope and magic. 

And once I decided upon Hekate as the “personality” of the business plan, wonderful things just started happening. People have been seeking me out to collaborate, which I believe is a true necessity to make any business work these days.

How does proximity to Lucky Bar factor into the new location?

Opening a new business right across the street will make it convenient since commuting between locations will only take seconds. Friends who are already coming to Lucky will easily be able to check out Hekate. And my regulars are excited to grab a coffee before or after they’ve had a drink. However, ideally, Hekate will attract an entirely different audience. 

What are some of the challenges and rewards of opening a new business during the pandemic?

Government agencies are always a challenge; for instance, learning that 95% of the awnings you see are illegal and working with the awning company to be compliant while also competitive — well, as competitive as an awning can be. They really don’t make it easy to run a business in this city. 

The pandemic has inspired a whole new level of regulations and even more regulators. I can’t say what the rewards of opening a new business in a pandemic are yet. I am hoping that, as I’ve said, the desire for a little magic in people’s lives, and our ability to offer some of that, will prove to be very rewarding! I know that providing a haven for weirdos, and my customers’ appreciation of that with Lucky, has been extremely gratifying.

You can keep up with the new business and their opening plans here.

2022 corner watch: St. Mark's Place and 3rd Avenue

All remains quiet on the eastern front.

In recent months, we haven't seen much, if any, activity at the development site on the northeast corner of Third Avenue and St. Mark's Place.
In early October, workers removed the barriers from around the work site... allowing pedestrians to use the sidewalks again — for the first time since the barricades arrived in June 2020.

This past August, The Real Deal reported that Madison Realty Capital was moving to foreclose on Real Estate Equities Corp.'s (REEC) leasehold interest at 3 St. Mark's Place.

Some numbers and background from TRD's report:
Madison has owned the $48 million loan package backed by REEC's East Village property since 2019. The real-estate private equity firm acquired the debt from South Korean financial services firm Hana Financial group, which provided REEC $79.1 million of debt and sold the $48 million portion to Madison Realty Capital.
Madison filed a complaint with the state Supreme Court in Manhattan, alleging that REEC defaulted on the $48 million mortgage, which combines an acquisition loan and construction loans.
A REEC spokesperson said that they "are working on a recapitalization plan and are optimistic that this will be resolved soon." We don't know where this stands now. The rendering has been removed from the plywood, and there aren't any posted work permits. 

As you may recall, a 10-story office building had been in the works here. The partially approved work permits dated May 2020 show that the building is now 9 floors — 45,207 square feet in total, with 3,400 square feet designated for a commercial facility.

In October 2020, the City Council's Zoning Subcommittee voted down REEC's application to transfer air rights from the landmarked 4 St. Marks Place to the new building across the street.

With the air-rights transfer, REEC would have been allowed to build 8,386 square feet larger than the current zoning allows here.

REEC picked up the 99-year leasehold for the corner properties for nearly $150 million in November 2017. The previous buildings here, including retail tenants such as Korilla BBQ, the Continental and McDonald's, were demolished in 2019.

For the time being, this gateway to the East Village is prime wheatpaste ad space (Rowing Blazers! Siren Basics!) ... and a corner to watch in 2022.

Delivery app biz Getir gets home at 97 2nd Ave.

The Istanbul-based Getir, the "ultrafast grocery delivery company," has set up a distribution outpost at 97 Second Ave. between Fifth Street and Sixth Street. (Thanks to Steven for the pic!

Getir launched its NYC app service last month and plans to expand to more neighborhoods in the year ahead. 

Here's some blah-blah info about them via their arrival missive:
The company revolutionized last-mile delivery to customers with its 10-minute grocery delivery proposition, offering approximately 2,000 everyday items from chocolate to soft drinks, dairy to cleaning materials, and chips to pet food. Getir was founded in 2015 as the world's first ultrafast grocery delivery service in Istanbul and has grown rapidly in recent years. 
Getir joins Gorillas and Buyk in using EV space as outposts... and there are others in NYC, like 1520, Fridge No More and JOKR. 

In November, The New York Times reported on this app-based speedy delivery world. 
Superfast grocery companies have their fans. Nick O'Keefe, a construction project manager who lives in the East Village of Manhattan, signed up for JOKR and Fridge No More in August and now says he may never go back to the supermarket. "The convenience of it far outweighs anything else," he said. "It's the future." 

But the new services have drawn criticism. One concern is that they could siphon business away from local stores in a city where running to the corner bodega when you run out of orange juice or milk has long been a part of daily life. Some people also worry that online grocers will send more deliverers onto streets already crowded with food app workers racing to deliver takeout orders while they are still hot, or at least warm. 
And!
[Now-former Manhattan Borough President] Gale Brewer questioned whether companies were pushing the need for speed too far. "Who the hell needs an apple in 15 minutes?" she said. "If you want something in 15 minutes, go to the store."
Getir might not necessarily be in this space long-term. The six-story buildingnotable for being the source of a legal tussle between Raphael "I will bury you" Toledano and developer Michael Shah, has been on the sales market for nearly three years. The storefront previously housed some hot pot.

Wednesday, January 5, 2022

Kurt Russell to the rescue at Metrograph

Metrograph, the two-screen cinema down on Ludlow Street just north of Canal, is paying tribute to Kurt Russell in an 11-film retrospective that unspools starting tomorrow (and running through Jan. 19).

Kurt Russell is the platonic ideal of a macho American movie star: lantern jaw, dimpled chin, heroic bouffant… the works. The pleasure of Russell’s filmography is that he doesn’t shy away from this fact, but embraces it, goofs around with it. 
Sure. But!
Bottom line: Kurt Russell is the greatest and everybody basically knows this, so we’re running a bunch of Kurt Russell movies. It’s just that simple. 
"Kurt Russell: It's All in the Reflexes" includes some underrated gems ("Used Cars" and "Breakdown") ... some cheesy guilty pleasures ("Executive Decision" and "Tango & Cash") ... the cultyish ("Big Trouble in Little China") ... and the KR classics ("Escape From New York" and "The Thing.")

Find showtimes here

And it will be good to see this again on a big screen...

 

Boilermaker is closing on 1st and 1st

Boilermaker, the retro cocktail bar, is closing after service on Thursday night after seven years on the NW corner of First Avenue and First Street. 

The bar made the announcement on its website and social media platforms yesterday.
In an Instagram post, Greg Boehm, owner of Cocktail Kingdom, whose properties include Boilermaker, the Cabinet, Mace and the Miracle Christmas and Sippin' Santa pop-ups, wrote, in part: 
It is with a heavy heart that we are closing Boilermaker. So many amazing memories, late nights, great cocktails, fantastic burgers and wings ... Thank you to all of the staff! Thank you to the bartenders for all of the good times.
Boilermaker opened in the fall of 2014... taking over the space from Golden Cadillac, a similar retro bar from the same ownership that packed it in after eight months

No word if Cocktail Kingdom will try a new concept here or vacate the space.

Boca Chica, the well-liked Latin American restaurant, was in this space from 1989 to 2013.

Images via @BoilermakerNYC