45 years of ABC No Rio

Photos by Stacie Joy

The "ABC No Rio 45 Years" exhibit is underway at the Emily Harvey Foundation. 

A quick overview of what to expect at this event celebrating the work of the collectively-run nonprofit arts organization founded in 1980: 

ABC No Rio 45 is an exhibition of the artists and activists who have contributed to ABC No Rio over the decades and built it into an iconic Lower East Side cultural center.

Find the full description and related events here. 

This past Thursday night marked the opening reception, and a crowd turned out...

The Emily Harvey Foundation is at 537 Broadway, 2nd Floor, between Prince and Spring..

Gallery hours: Tuesday to Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. or by appointment. Closed Sunday and Monday. The show ends on April 26.

Meanwhile, construction is progressing at ABC No Rio's new building, located on the site of its former headquarters at 156 Rivington St., between Clinton and Suffolk on the Lower East Side.

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

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

Wednesday's parting shot

Spring vibes along Second Street between the Bowery and Second Avenue... thanks to the EVG reader for the pic!

2 new stories and 8 residential units proposed for historic 7th Street church

There are proposed plans to convert and enlarge the historic church at 121 E. Seventh St. between Avenue A and First Avenue. 

As the property sits in the East Village/Lower East Side Historic District, the developer needs the approval of the Landmarks Preservation Commission. Tonight, Community Board 3's Landmarks Committee will hear about the proposal. (PDF here.) 

An overview: 

The project entails converting and enlarging the existing church to a mixed-use building. Proposed are 8 residential units within the existing structure, including a new two-story vertical enlargement above and a Community facility space at the cellar level. 

We are seeking support of a Certificate of Appropriateness for the vertical enlargement with proposed modifications to the entrance for the residences & community facility, windows at the street facade, restoration of masonry street facade & decorative arch trim at the window openings, stepped gable cornice replacement, cornice at the belltower roof, exterior lighting and modifications to the rear facade.

Last used by CityLight Church, the structure has been on the sales market. At the moment, we're unclear who owns the property. According to the CB3 website, the applicant is Garbo & Company, a real estate firm specializing in investing and operating real estate development. 

No. 121 started its life here as a house in 1843. 

Here's more history via Daytonian in Manhattan: 

...on May 10, 1902, The New York Times reported that the Hungarian Reformed Church had purchased the dwelling. The group hired architect and builder Frederick Ebeling to convert the structure to a church building. 

The building was consecrated in 1903. Within the next year, Ebeling extended church to the property line and incorporated a central bell tower characteristic of a Hungarian country church. The quaint little church had a comfortable overall charm. And yet there was little to hide the fact that this was a house-turned-church. 

In 1961, when St. Mary's American Orthodox Greek Catholic Church purchased the building, the congregation thought it a good idea to modernize the structure by encasing Ebeling's stone façade in "Naturestone," an artificial stone material.

It was not a good idea. 

Despite the offensive makeover, the little house-turned church retains its charm; a relic of a time when foreign-speaking immigrants drew together in a new land to worship together. 

And a look at it in the 1940s via the Museum of the City of New York ...

The Landmarks Committee meeting starts tonight at 6:30 at the Chinatown YMCA/Houston Street Center — 273 Bowery, classroom 1.

On Avenue A and Houston, plywood comes down to reveal Bar Bianchi

Workers yesterday removed the plywood from outside 5 Avenue A at Houston. 

The refurbished space will be home to Bar Bianchi, the latest Golden Age Hospitality property alongside Acme, Le Dive, Monsieur and Lucy's 2.0. (Golden Age is doing this in partnership with Darin Rubell of Paradise Projects.)

According to a job listing for the new establishment, Bar Bianchi is "an Italian-inspired wine bar serving natural wine, an aperitivo-style menu with a full bar specializing in spritzes and negroni variations."

Expect a late spring opening.

Boulton & Watt closed here last July after 11 years. At the time, there was a thought that another Paradise Hospitality (Mister Paradise, Wiggle Room, Pretty Ricky's) project would take over, given this Instagram post: "Stay tuned for some exciting news about a new project in this space; see you all very soon!" 

And because someone will post "Bring back Nice Guy Eddie's" in the comments... this space was previously Nice Guy Eddie's. The bar-restaurant with Chico's KISS mural closed in June 2011 after 16 years in service.

We know where Cookie Puss is at

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

An item was noticeably missing when we stopped by the just-opened Cinnabon/Carvel combo shop at 430 E. 14th St. in February.

An inventory of the cakes fridge revealed favorites such as Fudgie the Whale — but no Cookie Puss!

On a return visit, we were happy to see Tomas (above) with a handmade Cookie Puss, a beloved Carvel creation that dates to the 1970s. 

Per Carvel lore, this cake is a fictional space alien who hails from Planet Birthday, complete with cookie eyes and an ice cream cone for a nose. (Did you not drop acid as a 10 year old?)

The Cookie Puss, perfect for birthdays, retails for $37.99 in store and feeds approximately 10 people or one really stoned person.

The store manager, Pradip, says you can call to preorder or just come in and pick one up from the fridge.

"Cooky Puss" was also the debut single from the Beastie Boys in 1983, and the first release featuring Ad-Rock. The lyrics are all — don't sue! — satirical references to the other Cookie Puss. Listen here. (Yeah, those lyrics aren't really suitable for work.)

Fat Boys Burgers for 1st Avenue

Photo by Pinch 

An outpost of Fat Boys Burgers is coming soon to 231 First Ave. between 13th Street and 14th Street.

This will be he second location for the burger joint, first launched by two brothers and a cousin on Ninth Avenue in Hell's Kitchen. (All three were born and raised in that neighborhood, helping out at the family-owned A&A Deli, now Healthy Market.) 

Fat Boys offers a variety of burgers (including a meatless version), fries, chopped chicken fries (chopped fried chicken, cheese and gordo sauce served over fries), and shakes.

This First Avenue storefront was most recently Chick-N-Smash, which debuted in December 2023. Locals will recall this space was home for 18 years to Vinny Vincenz until the spring of 2021.

A licensed cannabis shop is opening at 15 Avenue B

Photos by Stacie Joy 

A licensed cannabis retail shop is the next tenant for the SE corner of Avenue B and Second Street.

Workers have been doing interior renovations in recent weeks...

Paperwork from last August states that this is a Conditional Adult-use Retail Dispensary (CAURD). Per the Office of Cannabis Management: "CAURD licensees are the first retail dispensaries to open for legal adult-use cannabis sales in New York State, establishing businesses owned by justice-involved individuals at the bedrock of New York's adult-use cannabis market." 

This corner space was most recently Luzzo's La Pizza Napoletana, which went dark in the fall of 2023. The Avenue B address was previously home to the Wafels & Dinges cafe (and corporate office) for nearly eight years. W&D, which still operates from kiosks and food trucks around the city, moved out in March 2021.

Tuesday's parting shot

Tats Cru created a new set of murals on the SE corner of Second Street and Avenue A (their usual spot) several weeks back.

We tried, without much success, to get a shot of new panels... so thanks to Salim for getting the job done today.

BTW, U.K.-based artist Nick Walker joined Tats Cru to do the panel on the far left.

April 15

Spotted today on 11th Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue — and complete with a palm leaf on top. 

However green it looks, the reader who shared the photo reported the tree was quite dry. Perhaps it has been colored?

So long — smell ya later!

This morning, we bid farewell to the porta-potties that bravely served Tompkins Square Park during the closure of the field house for renovations... they're off now to head to the second weekend of Coachella 2025...

You can read some of the past portable potty posts here. 

Thanks to our friends at DeColores Community Yard for the top pic and Joann Falkenburg for the second photo!

Tompkins Square Park Field House officially reopens after renovations (and you won't recognize the restrooms)

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

After more than 18 months of renovations, the field house and restrooms at Tompkins Square Park officially reopened yesterday afternoon with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on an actual spring-like day.

Susan Donoghue, NYC Department of Parks commissioner, along with other Parks officials, local elected officials, and Community Board reps, did the honors...

The reconstruction of the field house that serves the 10.5-acre park included a complete renovation of the building's interior and exterior, upgrading all mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. Accessibility improvements feature reconfigured layouts, new entryways, ADA-compliant ramps, and renovated restrooms and maintenance areas. The mayor's office funded the $5.6 million renovations.

The newly ADA-compliant bathrooms were spotless (for how long?). Each came stocked with amenities like — what? — soap and toilet paper...

Posted hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (There seemed to be confusion over the restroom hours — we received several different answers.)

While the ceremony was still wrapping up, neighborhood kids were already making themselves at home near the Slocum Memorial Fountain, and visitors wasted no time enjoying the newly accessible space.

Overall, the mood was upbeat and even celebratory. After a long stretch of construction and closed-off areas, residents seemed pleased to reclaim one of the East Village's most active public spaces.

And now, join us in a moment of silence... we appreciated your service...

Monday's parting shot

Photo by William Klayer 

The spring scene outside McSorley’s today on Seventh Street...

The Tompkins Square Park field house and restrooms are back in service

As mentioned earlier, the Tompkins Square Park field house has returned to service after nearly two years of upgrades. 

EVG's Stacie Joy was at this afternoon's ribbon-cutting ceremony... we'll post the photos and a recap in the morning.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially unveil the renovated Tompkins Square Park field house

Top photos from Saturday

After nearly two years of work, the Tompkins Square Park field house — now without the protective chain-link construction fence — has returned to service. (And farewell to the porta-potties!) 

To mark the occasion, there's a ribbon-cutting ceremony today (Monday!) at 3 p.m. featuring Susan Donoghue, NYC Department of Parks commissioner, and several local elected officials. The public is invited to the event on the Ninth Street transverse between Avenue A and Avenue B. (Look for the giant ceremonial scissors.) 

The reconstruction of the field house that serves the 10.5-acre park included a complete renovation of the building's interior and exterior, upgrading all mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. Accessibility improvements feature reconfigured layouts, new entryways, ADA-compliant ramps, and renovated restrooms and maintenance areas. 

The mayor's office funded the $5.6 million renovations, which were much needed because the field house rarely had heat or hot water, and the restrooms made a strong case for exorcism before plumbing.

The space, which includes the Slocum Memorial Fountain, has been closed to the public during renovations. 

Here's a look (through the gate) at the area behind the field house from last week ...

The Tompkins Square Park mini pool (yes, Tompkins has a pool) was also out of commission for two consecutive summers. However, the pool was not part of the renovation project, as you can see from this photo from last week...

Expect a new pool in the years ahead, though. Last August, Gov. Hochul announced nearly $150 million in capital grants to fund 37 projects as part of the New York Statewide Investment in More Swimming (NY SWIMS) initiative. 

Tompkins Square Park will receive $6.1 million for a new in-ground pool, which will double the current capacity of the above-ground model for children and their guardians. The project's start date has not been announced.

Another bubble tea option for St. Mark's Place

Signage is up for ChaHalo's first NYC outpost ... to be located in the lower level at 23 St. Mark's Place.

The brand has 1,000-plus locations worldwide selling a variety of teas, including bubble tea. 

Per their website:

ChaHalo is a tea culture-related brand based on Eastern culture and concentrate the poetic and leisurely atmosphere of Chang'An into a cup of Chinese tea, sharing the leisurely and magnificent Eastern culture with the world. 

The shop will be in a lower-level space in the retail strip between Second Avenue and Third Avenue...

The last tenant in the space, Mi Tea, "closed for renovations" in January 2020 and never reopened... and the storefront's entryway has been a crash pad for travelers in recent years.