The restaurant was the last tenant (retail or residential) in the six buildings at 50-64 along Third Avenue between 10th Street and 11th Street.
As PincusCo. first reported in May 2023, Kinsmen Property Group — a joint venture between State Building Group and another Toronto company, Madison Group — bought the walk-up buildings over several years, paying more than $60 million for the parcel.
We saw some demolition prep work late last year (64 Third Ave., where the Ainsworth was, looks hollowed out), though the work has tapered off this year.
Last August, according to Straus News, which publishes several local weekly newspapers and associated websites, including Our Town — Eastsider, a spokesperson for the DOB said "that outstanding objections" have interrupted the developer's plans.
While various demolition permits are on file with the Department of Buildings, there is still no sign of paperwork for the new development.
A rendering of the new building appeared on the State Building Group's website last September. It is listed under the company's "residential" portfolio.
At first glance, the building looks more commercial/office.
Here's the information included with the listing:
50-64 3rd Avenue is a 6-building assemblage located at the nexus of the East Village, Greenwich Village and Astor Place. The site allows for 160,000 sq. ft. of new construction and has a land area of 16,500 sq. ft.
Only one building will remain on the block after the demolition—48 Third Ave., the four-story property owned by Isfahany Realty Corp. on the northwest corner of 10th Street, which has Healthy Greens Gourmet in the retail space.
Meanwhile, Kinsmen Property Group owns a stalled development on the west side of the Bowery between Delancey and Kenmare.
New building permits dating to 2022 are on file for a 72,441-square-foot mixed-use commercial building via Real Estate Equities Corporation (REEC) at 156-166 Bowery.
However, this project will likely remain stalled after the death of REEC's Brandon Miller.
Here's a rendering of the new Bowery building via Perkins&Will Architects ...
The Villager Smoke Shop at 445 E. Ninth St. at Avenue A was also busted (next two photos via Steven)...
And there have been others, as local City Councilmember Carlina Rivera noted in an X post this past Thursday...
Unlicensed dispensaries do not comply with regulations meant to protect health + life, and some have been found to sell to minors and host other illegal activity. More locations in our community have been closed, and we encourage you to continue reporting locations to our office. pic.twitter.com/he5tF0aBCQ
— NYC Council Member Carlina Rivera (@CMCarlinaRivera) August 8, 2024
Still, despite the efforts of local law enforcement (under the New York City Sheriff's Joint Compliance Task Force), the fines, the restraining orders, etc., some places find a way to return.
For instance, the Grab & Go Convenience at 23 Avenue B, which was shut down in May, returned as Camino.
Apparently they won their court case, bringing them back from the dead. This is the first time that we've seen a smoke shop come back from a sealed, multiagency court order.
So: Open smoke shop. Bust. Reopen. Bust again. And again. Court-order seal. Slap a new business name on the space and reopen. Rinse. Repeat.
If you want to relive a favorite middle/high school lunch, we have a food truck for you.
An EVG reader reviewed a favorite item from the Slopey Joe's truck stationed this summer on 14th Street just east of Avenue A.
"I love a good sloppy Joe sandwich — it was my favorite school lunch meal. But you rarely see them on menus," said Julie Manis, who shared the above photo. "And this is far and away the best I've ever had. Sauce with just a slight kick. A slice of melty cheese. Kind of a barbecue flavor. They make other things, too, but why have anything else when you can get a sloppy Joe?"
Slopey Joe also offers several burgers, chicken sandwiches and hot dogs. (There are vegetarian options too.) You can find a menu here. And you can follow them on Instagram.
Signage is up for the new restaurant coming to 202 Avenue A between 12th Street and 13th Street.
The owners of Gazab on Essex Street (just south of Houston) are opening an Indian restaurant here. Previous news reports about this arrival stated that the name would be Jhakaas.
However, the signage — as well as the questionnaire online at the CB3 website for a liquor license — lists the name as Ishq...
Ishq is currently hiring ...
According to the Commercial Observer, Gazab Executive Chef and founder Vamshi Adi would also run Jhakaas.
The 3,000-square-foot space was previously Kōbo by Nai, which quietly closed in the spring after arriving in late 2022.
• TLK by Tigerlily Kitchen closing as demolition looms on 3rd Avenue (Saturday)
• 2 members of Team USA are featured in this local band's new music video (Tuesday)
• About the Show Brain Festival 2024 in Tompkins Square Park (Friday)
• Have you been to the new location of Sammy's Roumanian Steak House? (Thursday)
• Elisa's Love Bites closes its 9th Street storefront (Wednesday)
• The summer of stolen plaques continues with thefts at New York Marble Cemetery, the former Club 57 (Tuesday) ... The plague of plaque thefts (Thursday)
• Manhattan's first medicinal marijuana dispensary is now for lease on 14th Street (Monday)
• Coming attractions: Korean rice bowls for 309 E. Houston St. (Tuesday)
• Grand openings: G's Cheesesteaks on Avenue B at Houston (Monday)
• 14th Street's twinkling lights tree returns to its roots (Tuesday)
• Sidewalk bridge removal reveals a business closure on 1st Avenue (Monday)
... and the National Night Out Against Crime took place this past Tuesday. Here are a few scenes from the annual community-building campaign at the 9th Precinct on Fifth Street (photos by Stacie Joy).
The closing arrives as demolition looms for six buildings on the west side of the avenue between 10th Street and 11th Street.
Despite being on a desolate-looking stretch of Third Avenue with neighboring boarded-up retail spaces, TLK cheerfully remained in service this year mid-block, offering solid, veggie-friendly cuisine.
Owner Michelle Morgan's menu draws inspiration from her mother, who was born in Hong Kong, and her travels throughout Asia.
In announcing the closing date on Instagram, TLK also reported that they will continue with delivery and catering along with a pop-up dinner residency this fall on the Lower East Side (you can follow their Instagram account for updates)...
TLK opens today and tomorrow at 2 p.m. (Reservations here.)
As we first reported, a residential complex is expected to rise along this parcel — 50-64 Third Ave.
Only one building will remain on the block after the demolition — 48 Third Ave., the 5-story property owned by Isfahany Realty Corp. on the northwest corner of 10th Street with Healthy Greens Gourmet in the retail space.
Downed tree this afternoon on First Avenue between Second Street and Third Street — photo via EVG reader Danimal... was it a victim of today's high winds ... or a car/truck...?
Photo from last week on 14th Street looking west from Avenue A
Mayor Adams yesterday unveiled the 14th Street Community Improvement Coalition, a multi-city-agency approach to address the quality-of-life issues along the problematic corridor between Avenue A and First Avenue and surrounding streets.
A centerpiece of the plan includes the previously announced $1 million investment in a new Mobile Command Center, which will soon arrive on 14th Street. (The mayor said the command center will not be permanent.)
Adams made the announcement while flanked by a host of city administrators representing the NYPD, the FDNY, the Department of Sanitation (DSNY), the Department of Homeless Services (DHS), and the Department of Mental Health and Hygiene (DOHMH), and local elected officials. (You can watch the entire press conference below.)
"When we came into office, we had a clear mission: protect public safety, rebuild our economy, and make our city more affordable and livable, and the '14th Street Community Improvement Coalition' precisely addresses these concerns — enhancing quality of life and making the East Village safer," Adams said at a press conference inside the 14th Street Y. "Our administration does not and will not tolerate an atmosphere where anything goes."
Since the stabbings, the NYPD has been a regular presence on the block, both on foot patrols and in patrol cars.
The NYPD also installed three light towers south of 14th Street between A and First. Residents have said they've seen improvements along the block.
Per Adams, the city formed the multi-agency coalition to tackle the complicated convergence of public safety issues, including illegal vending, retail theft, substance use and sales, the mental health crisis, and unlicensed cannabis shops.
In recent weeks, teams from various city agencies have conducted walkthroughs to observe these issues firsthand and engage with local community members and businesses. They have also identified individuals needing services, such as housing or medical care, and referred them to the appropriate city agencies.
To further enhance communication, the 9th and 13th Precincts have launched a WhatsApp chat with business owners along the East 14th Street corridor. The chat allows for real-time identification and resolution of concerns.
Adams outlined the following actions:
Conducting weekly NYPD operations to address homeless encampments, vendors, and persons needing assistance.
Assigning a dedicated NYPD foot post to address quality-of-life issues and maintain a visible presence along the commercial corridor of 14th
Affixing mobile light fixtures to sustain visibility.
Servicing litter baskets daily on all three DSNY shifts and addressing homeless encampments.
Deploying DSNY graffiti clean-up crews to remove graffiti on private property.
Ensuring availability of mental health units and homeless services outreach teams to support people in need of mental health support through DOHMH and DHS.
"This is not a problem that's going to come back to this area," Adams said emphatically. "What we saw here is not acceptable. This is not the city that we deserve. We deserve better, we're going to get better, but we're clear on the complexities of the problems that we're facing."
During the Q&A period with reporters, District 2 City Councilmember Carlina Rivera fielded a question about the weekend flea market at Immaculate Conception on 14th Street at First Avenue, which some residents said contributes to the quality-of-life issues.
The flea market moved to 14th Street in the fall of 2012 when the Mary Help of Christians property on Avenue A between 11th Street and 12th Street turned into luxury housing courtesy of Douglas Steiner.
As Rivera explained, the market wasn't a good fit for the space that Immaculate Conception had available.
"It was already too large for this space, so that market spilled onto the street, and people started attaching themselves to [it], saying they were affiliated with it when they were not. So it quickly did get out of control," she said.
Rivera said officials have talked with church leaders and the Archdiocese of New York, though no action has been taken on their behalf.
"They are relying on the revenue from that market to help sustain them," Rivera said. "So while the flea market continues, we are looking toward maybe suspending it, finding a different location, or using other means for the church to [generate] revenue. Because it's not working.
"We brought in the Street Vendor Project to try to organize the vendors. That has not worked. We've brought in faith-based institutions and clergy to speak to people," she continued. "So we've tried so many different approaches and perspectives, but really ... the corridor is just way too busy and there are too many things happening on it for us to have that market continue in the capacity that it is."
The press portion of yesterday's presentation begins at the 37-minute mark...
H/T Edmund John Dunn!
Previously on EV Grieve:
• A look at 14th Street this morning after the triple stabbing and homicide (June 24)
• NYPD light tower arrives on a cleaned-up SE corner of 14th Street and 1st Avenue (June 27)
• A look at 14th Street and 1st Avenue — 'a New York Block No One Can Fix' (July 10)
• From the archives: A documentary short about the intersection of 14th Street and 1st Avenue (July 11)
Ruby/Dakota debuted late last month at 155 E. Second St., just east of Avenue A.
Hannah Studnick operates the gallery and performance space.
"It has been a lifelong dream of mine to open a gallery in Alphabet City, the neighborhood my maternal grandfather was born in, the same place where my first cousin returned many years later and founded C-Squat," Studnick told EVG. "After my twin sister Emma's untimely passing in 2018, my whole world broke open. I slowly started moving toward this physical and emotional space of 'Gallerist.'"
The retail space, whose tenants have included the previous home of School for the Dogs, was the lone storefront that Studnick saw on her EV retail tour.
"In the end, the gallery found me. It was the only space I looked at," she said. "I knew from the moment I walked in this was Ruby/Dakota, a name that manifested from a distant memory — the names my mother would have given us if she had chosen more wisely."
Featured works include "East Village Date Night" by Lee Smith...
Other artists in the show include Kate Awalt-Conley ...
... Sacha Alexandra ...
... and Julia Justo ...
Ruby/Dakota is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays and Mondays are by appointment. The gallery's website has contact information and details on other events in the space. (If you're on Instagram, you can find updates here.)
"I do this for my twin sister Emma, my family, myself, and most importantly, the living artists of New York City, who do deserve our support, who make this place alive, and the greatest city on earth, naturally," Studnick said. "Through this room of my own, I am able to tell the truth as I see it and allow so many wonderful artists to share theirs, too. It is an honor and a privilege. I am so grateful to be here. "
We've always appreciated the no-frills, old-school dining experience at Little Poland, located at 200 Second Ave. between 12th Street and 13th Street.
Little Poland, around since 1985, is the last of its kind in this neighborhood. Its longevity is a testament to its quality and reliability. (Remedy Diner is fine, but it's no Little Poland.)
We stopped by between the lunch and dinner shifts on a recent summer day. There were a few people at tables by the front windows (and eventually, two brave souls sat outside in the heat).
There's quick and efficient table service, decent prices and breakfast specials until noon (well, 11:59 a.m.) And, per the menu: "The food we serve is as good, as music of Chopin." (We know that extra comma.)
Next year marks the diner's 40th anniversary. We need more places like Little Poland, and we hope that it can celebrate many more anniversaries here.
Little Poland is open daily from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Get them a call: (212) 777-9728.
However, since opening at its new home, 112 Stanton St., between Essex and Ludlow, we haven't heard too much (where are the reader reports?) about the NYC institution that spent 47 years through the start of the pandemic serving up ice-encased vodka, smeared pitchers of schmaltz and enormous platters of meat from the lower level at 151 Chrystie St.
Sammy's announced its closure in January 2021, vowing to return to the neighborhood.
In June, Matthew Schneier, chief restaurant critic at New York Magazine,wrote that "things are as they ever were."
These photos are from before Sammy's opened for service for the evening—even before the bottles of schmaltz were placed on all the tables and Dani Luv fired up the keyboards.
It's hard to replicate a classic, as Schneier noted.
All is not identical. Sammy's now finds itself at street level, though it approximates the cave quality of the original by covering its front windows. The room is long, narrow, and black, like a high-school black-box theater, albeit with some of the worst acoustics I have ever experienced in a restaurant. It was so hard to hear that everyone at my table spent the entire meal screaming in vain at one another, in the great Jewish tradition.
Still: "Forty-nine years after its founding, Sammy's is a tradition unto itself."
Sammy's expanded the hours of service earlier in the summer.
The listed hours are Sunday, Wednesday, and Thursday: 4-11 p.m., with an 11:30 p.m. close on Fridays and Saturdays.
Sammy's does reservations (recommended) the old-fashioned way: 1-646-410-2427 or sammys157@yahoo.com
As PincusCo. first reported in May 2023, Kinsmen Property Group — a joint venture between State Building Group and another Toronto company, Madison Group — bought the walk-up buildings over several years, paying more than $60 million for the parcel. 
