'Doppler' effect

We continue to highlight indie acts performing at this year's New Colossus Festival, which will take place in East Village and LES venues from March 4 to 9. 

On March 8, there's an all-day shoegaze showcase at Arlene's Grocery. On the bill: Washington, D.C.'s Skymender. The above video is for "Doppler," from the band's debut record. (Skymender is playing first in the afternoon session — $10 to see seven bands.)

Find Festival info here.

Report: Residents of the Jacob Riis Houses will vote on their funding future

EVG file photo

Interesting story about the future funding of the Jacob Riis Houses on Avenue D. 

City Limits has the story: 

NYCHA announced on Feb. 11 that residents at the Jacob Riis Houses in the East Village will head to the polls and decide on which funding model they feel can make for the best investment moving forward. But there's a twist. 

Unlike other developments where NYCHA has held votes in recent years, residents at the Jacob Riis Houses will choose between only two options: the Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) program and remaining in Section 9, the current federal program it’s funded under. The decision comes after TA leadership at the Jacob Riis Houses requested putting PACT as an option on the table to get repairs done, according to NYCHA. 

Residents can vote starting on Thursday. 

Jacob Riis Houses I and II have 1,769 units in total. The complex has "a combined capital repair need of $940 million," per City Limit. 

The Jacob Riis Houses were in the headlines in 2022 over news of arsenic in the water. Mayor Adams later said the positive test was a false alarm resulting from a lab error by a private testing company.

Thursday's parting shot

Avenue A between Fifth and Sixth in the light snow this evening...

A longtime East Village bar and restaurant owner turns 100: 'Life is beautiful'

Stanislawa "Anna" Sulkowska's family shared the following details... 

Stanislawa "Anna" Sulkowska's centennial celebration on Jan. 13, 2025, marked the culmination of a longstanding devotion to the East Village's dynamic bar and restaurant scene. 

Anna is a Polish immigrant who arrived in the United States in the early 1970s and was a fixture in the East Village restaurant/bar scene dating to 1977. She had previously owned The Baltyk, a Polish restaurant (pictured below) at the corner of First Avenue and First Street. Lucy (future owner of Lucy's on Avenue A) worked at the Baltyk upon her arrival in the United States from 1980 to 1982.

Anna opened Downtown Beirut (below) on First Avenue in 1982, which we still talk about today, and subsequently opened Downtown Beirut 2 on Houston Street in 1987.

Anna's final venture, Oasis Lounge, was located on St. Mark's Place just off Avenue A and closed in 1997. 

Anna's daughters, Bozena (known as Bridget) and Basia (known as Barbara), who bartended at Downtown Beirut, are doing well. All three still reside in the East Village. Anna also has four grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. 

Her favorite days are spent with her 4-year-old great-granddaughter.

Anna is a symbol of hard work. These successful restaurants and bars were spearheaded and run by Anna while she was in her 50s, 60s, and 70s. 

At 100, Anna still talks about dreams of opening another bar in the East Village. 

One of Anna's granddaughters shared this with EVG in an email...

My grandma speaks very fondly of her time running those businesses. She still remembers specific customers and employees. My grandma is unique, and she has a lot of qualities that make her so strong-willed and determined. She was never afraid of anything or anybody was very independent and held a strong belief that she (and we) could do anything. 

I heard stories of her going toe to toe with men who attempted to rob her cash registers or people with weapons in her bars, intimidating her or her customers. I think anybody who knows, has known, or has had the pleasure of meeting my grandma can gather that much about her — she is tough! 

She has always been purposeful in all her decisions. She has always intended to be successful and would never allow anyone to get in the way of that. Maybe that’s what made her such a successful businesswoman in the EV and a strong pillar of our family. 

My grandma has lived a very vibrant and remarkable life. Born in Poland in 1925 and 100 years later is settled in NYC. 

Every morning, she tells my mother or me, without missing a beat, that "life is beautiful." My grandma found a true home and history in the East Village.

Downtown Beirut photo by David Vega via Flaming Pablum.

Deadline is approaching to apply for a position on Community Board 3

You may have seen the notices on LinkNYC kiosks — "from brat summer to CB spring."

OK! We'll play along with the Charlie xcx reference. So, the deadline to apply to join your local Community Board (CB3 for residents of the East Village, Lower East Side, and Chinatown) is approaching. 

Here's more via Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine's office: 

Manhattan’s 12 community boards are composed of 50 volunteer members serving staggered two-year terms – thus, 25 members are appointed (or reappointed) each year.

Each board has a budget, a district manager and staff, and has three distinct responsibilities: 

Monitoring the delivery of city services such as sanitation and street maintenance 

Planning and reviewing land use applications including zoning changes 

Making recommendations for each year’s city budget. 

Community boards consider a wide range of issues, including distribution of liquor licenses, consideration of sidewalk café applications, and permits for street fairs and other outdoor events. They may also weigh in issues before the Landmarks Preservation Commission, the Board of Standards and Appeals (the city agency dedicated to land-use and zoning regulation), and provide input on proposals from city agencies. 

You can apply here. 

The deadline is 5 p.m. on Feb. 28. 

If you are interested, read this CB explainer by The City.

And now... with apologies to everyone.

"Downtown Rules" (Community Board Edition)

(Verse 1)
Late night zoning fight, maps all over the floor
Traffic jams, budget plans, public comment's a war
High-rises creeping up, but we push back
PowerPoint's loading slow—nah, we don’t slack

(Pre-Chorus)
Mic's on, deep breath, time to make my case
Five-hour meeting but we run this place
Rezoning? Nah, gotta set 'em straight
No sleep, no breaks—it's a CB fate

Thank you. Good night.

Signage alert: Shirokuro on 2nd Avenue

Photo by Derek Berg 

Signage arrived yesterday for Shirokuro on the NW corner of Second Avenue at Sixth Street.

Ownership applied for a beer-wine license here last summer. The questionnaire on file at the CB3 website stated they would serve "Japanese/Korean fusion." 

This is from the owners behind the now-closed Boka (RIP late 2024) at 9 St. Mark's Place and Noflex at 286 Fifth Ave.

The CB3 application (PDF here) includes a sample menu.

Mighty Quinn's had a 10-year run in this corner space until April 2023. Shirokuro is the first tenant since then.

Where the water will be shut off on Avenue A this coming Monday

Water main work continues along the west side of Avenue A between St. Mark's Place and 10th Street.

Yesterday, notices arrived at nearly every storefront and building entrance on A between Seventh Street and 10th Street. On Monday, the city is shutting down the water service from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. "to facilitate the replacement of a 12" water main pipe."

This is CONFIRMED, weather permitting...

Notice photo by Steven

Foundation in place for the new ABC No Rio building on the Lower East Side

Construction is moving along at 156 Rivington St., where workers last week finished the foundation for the new ABC No Rio building here between Stanton and Suffolk on the Lower East Side...

A ceremonial groundbreaking took place last summer. 

The environmentally friendly new structure, designed by architect Paul Castrucci, will include a computer lab, print shop, and a zine library, among other amenities. (Find more details here.) The city is contributing $21 million to the project through the Department of Cultural Affairs. 

ABC Rio's previous four-story building on this lot, which was said to be in disrepair, was demolished in the spring of 2017, putting ABC No Rio's programming into "exile" at other arts organizations around the city.

The first hardcore/punk matinee in several years occurs on March 23 in Ridgewood. 

According to a recent ABC No Rio Instagram post, the new building's estimated completion date is early summer of 2026.

ABC No Rio's longtime director, Steve Englander, passed away in December.

A bar dedicated to women's sports is opening on the Bowery

Wilka's Sports Bar is opening soon at 241 Bowery between Stanton and Rivington.

The bar will be dedicated to broadcasting women's sports...

According to its website, this will be "a bold and vibrant space where women's sports take the spotlight. Inspired by the strength and unity of a wolf pack — 'Wilk' means wolf in Polish — Wilka's embodies a fresh start and a sense of togetherness."

Two friends (Melissa and Lauren) from the hospitality business are behind the venture. They "believe in the incredible power of women's sports to inspire, empower, and bring people together."

You can follow Wilka's Instagram account for updates.

Reuters reported in December that "major gains in television viewing and attendance at women's sports in 2024 will give way to expansion in 2025 as start-ups and established leagues alike look to take advantage of the surging interest..."

As a result, bars dedicated exclusively to women's sports have been opening around the country. The reported first was The Sports Bra in Portland, Ore.,  debuting in April 2022. 

 

Wilka's will be one of the city's first for women's sports. Athena Keke's is in the works for Clinton Hill.

Spend an evening with Patti Smith at Cooper Union this March 5

Via the EVG inbox... 

This Women's History Month, join the legendary Patti Smith for a special event as part of The Cooper Union's Gardiner Foundation Great Hall Forum series. 

As a poet, singer, songwriter, fine artist, and New York Times bestselling author, Smith has produced a body of work with the kind of influence that reaches through generations, across disciplines, and around the world. 

Kit Nicholls, director of The Cooper Union Center for Writing and Learning, will be in conversation with Smith about her groundbreaking career. 

The event will be held on March 5 from 7 to 8 p.m. It is free, but you must register online here. 

Last week, Smith announced a fall tour that marks the 50th anniversary of her debut, Horses.

Pre-leasing for office space at 1 St. Mark's Place is underway

After a turbulent few years involving zoning battles, potential foreclosure, and a personal tragedy, the nine-story office building at St. Mark's Place and Third Avenue is finally ready to welcome prospective tenants at this gateway to the East Village.

As The Real Deal first reported, pre-leasing is underway here at 1 St. Mark's Place. 

Jones Lang LaSalle, which has the exclusive listings, notes:

Office tenants will have access to state-of-the-art amenity package, inclusive of a fitness center with locker rooms, meeting spaces, and a bike room. In addition, the offices are outfitted with high-end, residential style kitchens and bathrooms. 

The asking rents are $135 to $190 per square foot per TRD. 

The 1 Saint Marks Place website has more renderings and amenities (a few screengrabs follow). "Where Work Is Your Club" is one of several taglines for the development...

We've been documenting this story from day 1.

In November 2017, the commercial and residential real estate firm Real Estate Equities Corporation (REEC) picked up the 99-year leasehold for the assemblage on the NW corner of St. Mark's Place and Third Avenue for nearly $150 million. 

The Gabay family had owned the buildings for generations. (Other suitors also sought the property.) The previous buildings, which included retail tenants such as Korilla BBQ, the Continental, and McDonald's, were demolished in the summer of 2019.

The size of the building caused a lot of drama (flashback), and work was stopped for 10 months in 2021 when Madison Capital Realty tried foreclosing on the property.

Foundation work finally started in late August 2022 — after crews and equipment were assembled here in the summer of 2020. 

The developer, REEC's Brandon Miller, was found in his Hamptons home last July. Miller, who took his own life, was reported to be $34 million in debt. This new project was reportedly built on spec.

Now, the only question is who will call this address their business home.

The new old Lucy's sign returns on Avenue A

Sign photos Friday by Steven 

The familiar hand-painted Lucy's sign returned to the storefront on Friday at 135 Avenue A between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street (someone painted over it in early 2024).

The new (old) sign appears to be an exact replica of what was there before...

Under new ownership with Golden Age Hospitality, the bar has been getting renovated in recent months after a decades-long run with proprietor Ludwika "Lucy" Mickevicius. It is expected to reopen in the next week to 10 days.

The questionnaire on file with Community Board 3 for the new liquor license last year included a letter from Golden Age Hospitality CEO Jon Neidich to the local block association. The letter reads in part: 

While we are taking over the operation of the bar, our involvement is solely premised on preserving an East Village institution: Lucy herself will very much still be a part of this project (and will still be behind the bar!). We will not be changing the concept or design of the space (we will be adding some soundproofing in the ceiling and an ADA bathroom). 

The building at 135-137 sold for $19.1 million in January 2024. Many of the residential units are undergoing gut renovations, and a source told us that some of the construction materials spotted inside Lucy's in recent months were for the upstairs apartments. 

Here's a look inside the bar from late January (photos by Stacie Joy)...

Will the "Hurricane Streets" movie poster return to its longtime position behind the bar?

Lucy's has not been open since November 2023. 

The links below detail what has transpired here over the past year.

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• A few more details on the future of East Village classic bar Lucy's 

• Exclusive: Lucy discusses the future of her iconic East Village bar

Signage alert: HighLife Burgers on 1st Avenue

Photo by Steven

The hand-painted signage is up for HighLife, the new burger joint on First Avenue from the owners of Electric Burrito around the corner on St. Mark's Place.

HighLife is taking over part of the former Dan & John's storefront at 135 First Ave. (Dan & John's closed last April after failing to reach a new lease agreement with the landlord.)

The burger place, which will include a standing counter for dining inside, is expected to open on Feb. 26. You can follow them on Instagram for updates.

Sunday's parting shot

Photo by Francine Lange 

Steamy Sunday afternoon on Fourth Street...

HBD McSorley's

EVG photo from November

Tomorrow (Feb. 17), McSorley's will celebrate 171 years at 15 E. Seventh St. near Cooper Square, featuring live music beginning at noon.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by McSorley’s Old Ale House (@mcsorleysoldalehouse)

Relive some fake EVG-McSorley's history at the 2016 post.

Week in Grieview

Posts this past week included (with a snow-day photo from Tompkins by Derek Berg) 

• Bella's passing marks another sad chapter in East Village fire tragedy (Sunday) 

• Church to condo conversion underway on 4th Street (Monday) 

• RIP Walter Robinson (Monday) 

• New York Dolls co-founder David Johansen seeks support for cancer treatment (Tuesday) 

• School shuffle: La Salle Returning to 2nd Street as St. George seeks new tenants (Wednesday) 

• Do you have what it takes to be the coolest block in the neighborhood? (Thursday) 

• Checking in on the Hamilton Fish Park Library renovations (Thursday) 

• Willem Dafoe at the Anthology Film Archives (Tuesday)

• Openings: Alison on St. Mark's Place (Tuesday) ... Hatsu Omakase on 4th Street (Monday) 

• Bronx Brewery has closed on 2nd Avenue (Friday) ... Bluestone Lane on Astor Place (Wednesday) ... Hollywood Nail & Spa on 1st Street (Tuesday) 

• Signage alert: Dumpling Xi on 4th Avenue (Thursday) ... Meama on 2nd Avenue (Tuesday) ... Chocolate DIP for St. Mark's Place (Monday) 

• Game, set, match: Thirty Love arrives on 3rd and 13th (Monday) 

• Hey, the Heytea signage has arrived (Thursday)

Sunday's opening shot

Random Avenue A skyview... today's weather: Showers, rain and probaby more rain ... and mariners, take heed: A gale warning is in effect from 4 p.m. today to midnight Monday.

Saturday's parting shot

Early this evening in Tompkins Square Park...

Sundays at Bullet Space this month: zine swap tomorrow; 'Signs of Life' ongoing

Bullet Space is hosting a Zine Swap tomorrow (Sunday) from 3-6 p.m. 

Meanwhile, the current exhibit, "Signs of Life," remains on view on Sundays this month...

The urban artist collab is at 292 E. Third St. between Avenue C and Avenue D.

Bleecker Street Bar to host winter carnival benefiting former manager’s cancer battle

On Sunday (tomorrow), the Bleecker Street Bar hosts a Winter Carnival and fundraiser. Part of the proceeds will go to help ease the financial burden that Renee, the bar's former manager who has also worked at Coffee Shop and Han Dynasty, has incurred while battling stage 4 breast cancer. 

From 3 to 7 p.m., the bar will hold a raffle with various prizes. There will also be a vintage clothing pop-up. 

Bleecker Street Bar is at 648 Broadway between Bleecker and Bond.