Skate ramps depart the multipurpose courts in Tompkins ahead of renovations

The dozen ramps, rails and bozes that the skating faithful use on the TF in Tompkins Square Park have been removed before the renovations here starting on Monday.

It's not immediately known who took the skate props — city workers... or perhaps some skaters stashed them for safekeeping or use elsewhere. (Both scenarios seem rather ambitious!)

As previously reported, the Parks Department will reconstruct the multipurpose courts along 10th Street and Avenue A, adding various amenities, including a two-lane seal-coated walking loop and new asphalt.

According to a landscape architect with the Parks Department (from a presentation in February), there's a lot of "asphalt structural damage," and it "needs to be replaced and repaired. And the only way to do that is to take all the asphalt down to the sub base and put new asphalt down." 

Posted signage states the work will occur between Oct. 16 and Dec. 1.

Previously on EV Grieve:

• Big changes are coming to the iconic skate spot in Tompkins Square Park 

The laundromat on 5th and C will remain a laundromat

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Renovations continue on the SW corner of Avenue C and Fifth Street, the longtime home of a laundromat. 

The Avenue C Laundromat was expected to close whenever the owner sold the property at 69 Avenue C. There was speculation that the two-story building would be demolished for some kind of new residential development. Who buys a laundromat and keeps it a laundromat!? 

Well, according to TradedNY this past July, Hildreth Real Estate Advisors bought the property from Gwangil Kim for $3.4 million. 

And the business will remain a laundromat — called My Sunny Laundry. 

Here's a look at the ongoing renovations from recent days ... including a new Pepsi machine... 

The Dolly Llama remains closed for renovations

Photos by Steven 

The Dolly Llama has been closed since the late summer at 137 First Ave. between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street. 

According to the gate signage, the ice cream and waffle shop, which opened in March, is "temporarily closed for remodeling and a refreshed look."

Dolly Llama Watchers (oh, there are some!) wondered why they might need a refreshed look after just six months. 

In any event, the EV location is no longer listed on the Dolly Llama website. And based on the mail and leaves inside the front doorway, no one has been inside of late. However, in an Instagram message, management said they didn't have a reopening date yet but hoped to soon.

The Dolly Llama started in Los Angeles in 2017, and there are multiple locations now in the United States. 

Wednesday's parting shot

By Lola Sáenz 

A moment on St. Mark's Place at Second Avenue today... a photo opp with a found portrait of Christopher Reeve... amidst a backdrop of a water main issue on the block between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. (Haven't heard the full story yet about what happened here...)

Meanwhile, on St. Mark's Place...

Photo by Cecil Scheib 

Everyone, let's please give a warm EV Grieve welcome to ... the ... Con Ed Dance Squad! 

As seen today on St. Mark's Place east of First Avenue...

Noted

Photo by Steven 

From this morning on Astor Place... when the Baby Trump balloon made a pitstop on Astor Place... the 19-foot-tall diaper-clad baby first appeared in the U.K. in July 2018, and made its NYC debut later that year... there are reportedly six replicas in circulation in the U.S. for various protests.

RIP Richard 'Pete' Peterson

EVG reader Annie Gosfield shares the sad news about the passing of Richard "Pete" Peterson, "a well-loved neighbor" who lived at 305 E. 12th St. since 1968. He was 83. 

His nephew said that Pete died during a brief stay in the hospital due to heart problems. 

He loved plants and shared his gardening skills with adjacent buildings between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

Here's a look at the renovated interior of the long-vacant 6 Avenue B

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Last week, EVG's Stacie Joy pointed out that workers had removed the scaffolding and construction netting from 6 Avenue B, the long-empty and currently under-renovation building on the NW corner of Avenue B.

Given this high-profile corner, there has been a lot of curiosity about the address and its fate (there were ultimately unfounded concerns at one point that this might be demolished for either a new building or part of a more extensive development).

The top photo shows you how the exterior is shaping up. Let's take a look inside the 6-floor building.

So far, the hallways and stairwells have retained some of their original charms — albeit buffed up — with the exposed brick, tiled floors, and classical staircase ironworks ...

The residential units are a different story... the pre-war details (take a look here) have been stripped away... in favor of designer-y desert-sand floors and cabinetry... 

... the oversized bedrooms have been chopped up into several small units...

Amenities look to include in-unit laundry and mini split air conditioners...

Some units include a view of Houston and Clinton (good for checking the weekend lines at Clinton St. Baking Company)...

... and a view of the foundation work for the 11-story building coming to 280 Houston St. ...

We have yet to see any listings for the refurbished units.

To recap some recent history here... an LLC linked to Penn Capital South, whose portfolio includes multiple EV properties, bought the building in February... but they didn't keep it long — it's back on the market. (The retail space is for lease, too... here's the listing.)

This was one of the abandoned buildings owned by the estate of the mysterious team of Arthur and Abraham Blasof, both long deceased. However, No. 6 has been generating some income with the cell-phone towers on the roof. 

The liquor store in the retail space closed when the owner passed away in the fall of 2009 at age 89. (Chico created the tribute to her on the gate in February 2010. Will it stay?)

As we've pointed out (here and here), the building was in dismal shape and needed significant work to bring it up to code. Before the renovations, the DOB had cited No. 6 for emergency repairs several times in recent years.

Previously on EVG: 

• Because you've always wanted to know what the inside of the long-empty 6 Avenue B looks like 

• Let's take another look at the eerie remains of the long-abandoned 6 Avenue B 

• Time passages: Check out the interior of the long-empty Mom's Liquor Store on Avenue B

Openings: Hello, Yam! on 9th Street and Avenue A

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Hello, Yam! made its soft-opening debut on Friday at 443 E. Ninth St. at Avenue A...

The small shop with a few outdoor tables offers dessert options with Japanese sweet potatoes ... as well as parfaits and coffee drinks...

Hours: 1-9 p.m. during the week, until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Closed on Tuesdays.

You can follow Hello, Yam! on Instagram here.

A New signage era for Big Arc Chicken

Multiple tipsters pointed out the changing of the signage at longtime reasonably-priced Middle-Eastern-halal-food spot Big Arc Chicken... now going as New Arc Chicken at 233 First Ave. between 13th Street and 14th Street.

Signage aside, we're not sure what else, if anything, has changed... might mean time for another visit ...

Tuesday's parting shot

A view of Midtown this afternoon...

Openings: Downtown Threads on Avenue A

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Downtown Threads is now in soft-open mode at 66 Avenue A between Fourth Street and Fifth Street. 

The shop is selling vintage/thrift clothes and used records. Operator Angel Ramirez, who's also behind Cafe Social 68 and the Halloween pop-up shop in the spaces next door, says Downtown Threads will have items for most budgets.

... here's manager Shaune Crawford...

Hours are Tuesday through Sunday from noon to 8 p.m. They just launched an Instagram account ... a website is in the works. 

This space served as a pop-up this past summer for Whim Golf. Before Whim, the storefront had been vacant since Lancelotti Housewares left in the fall of 2021 after 25 years in business.

What's going on at Connelly Theater Upstairs, the former home of the Metropolitan Playhouse

The Metropolitan Playhouse suspended production for the foreseeable future and left its home of 31 seasons this past summer at the Cornelia Connelly Center on Fourth Street between Avenue A and Avenue B. 

That 51-seat black box space is now part of the adjacent Connelly Theater and going as Connelly Theater Upstairs. Gabe Mollica's "Solo: A Show About Friendship" opens there tonight. 

About the production: 

Gabe dives deep into what it means to have friends in your 30s, his special relationship with Stephen Sondheim, working at a summer camp for children with chronic illnesses, and what happens when you break up with your best friend. 

Find tickets here. 

Meanwhile, also starting tonight, "Salesman之死" at the Connelly Theater ...

Openings: Babs Home and Pantry on Avenue A

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Babs Home and Pantry has debuted at 149 Avenue A between Ninth Street and 10th Street. 

The home goods and gift shop features "local artists, vintage glassware and whimsical decor."

This is the second outpost for owner-operator Anna "Babs" Budinger, who grew up in the East Village. She opened her first shop in Astoria. 

Hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

F45 Training next for this 13th Street retail space

Coming soon signage is up for an F45 Training space at 110 E. 13th St. between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue...

About them:

F45 Training is an Australian franchisor and operator of fitness centers based in Austin, Texas. It has over 2,000 studios in over 60 countries...

And! 

F45 Training merges three leading-edge fitness training styles into one 45-minute functional training class. 

There is no word on an opening date here.

INA NYC, the designer consignment store, was the last tenant in the storefront, closing in 2020. 

The former Bong World is for rent on 14th Street

Just closing the loop on the Bong World world... as the storefront is now for rent at 226 E. 14th St. between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. 

Bong World (March 2022-August 2023)

Key Food would like you to use a basket or cart

Photos by Stacie Joy 

If you've been in Key Food on Avenue A at Fourth Street in recent days, then you've likely noticed an abundance of signage asking patrons to please use the baskets and carts provided...

... and NOT your personal carry-on or reusable bags...

Key management says these new signs are to "passively deter shoplifting." And the signs are definitely more passive than this move to stop a shoplifter at Key.

Dedicating Frances Goldin Way

This past Thursday, the community came together to dedicate the stretch of Fourth Street between Cooper Square and Second Avenue as Frances Goldin Way...

Here's more about Goldin from the Cooper Square Committee: 

Frances Goldin was one of the Lower East Side's most noteworthy and accomplished activists, civic leaders, and advocates for affordable housing. She was a leader in the establishment of the Cooper Square Committee, its affiliates, and the Metropolitan Council on Housing while fighting tirelessly for more than 50 years for the racially just integration of the Seward Park Urban Renewal area. She was dedicated to gay rights and was once honored on the lead float in the annual Gay Pride Parade in NYC. She was also a distinguished literary agent and founded her own firm representing many Pulitzer Prize-winning authors.

The East Village resident died in 2020 at age 95. 

And here's the moment of the unveiling...

 

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A cannabis dispensary is the first tenant for this newly created retail space on 7th Street

Signage is up now for Buy Me Flowers, a cannabis dispensary, at 102 E. Seventh St. between Avenue A and First Avenue. 

This is the very first retail tenant for the space, which for decades served as a residence. 

This appears to be another unlicensed cannabis operation. (You can find a list of regulated, licensed dispensaries here.)

In August, the city put in place a new law to curb illegal stores: 

Introduction 1001-B, now known as Local Law 107 of 2023, prohibits owners of commercial spaces from knowingly leasing to unlicensed sellers of marijuana or tobacco products, imposing fines of up to $10,000 on landlords for violations. 

Steve Croman is the building's landlord. (A smoke shop is also on the way in one of his retail spaces on Avenue B.)

As previously noted, Anthony Pisano lived in this converted storefront full of antiques and whimsical curiosities for nearly 40 years. He died in 2018 at age 86. Check out some interior pics from his home here.