14th & C development watch: The beast of 'The East'

Here's our first look in several months at 644 14th St., the imposing ("The Beast," according to an EVG reader) 24-story residential building on the southwest corner of Avenue C. 

Workers are nearly finished with placing the façade of terracotta panels and staggered floor-to-ceiling windows. 

The building that now dominates the eastern skyline also has a new name: The East (formerly 14+C).

According to the building's website, the units are scheduled to be available this fall. You can sign up for more info here. 

The branding goes like this: 

Relaxed, Refined Living from an Eastside Perspective

Reside where quiet meets cool in Manhattan's East Village. Panoramic river and skyline views converge with well-composed interiors for a refreshed take on city life.

The 234-foot-tall building, developed by Madison Realty Capital, will feature 197 residential units, a fitness room, a yoga studio, and a rooftop deck. Information about the number of "affordable" units here, one of the stipulations for being allowed to build a more extensive (by nine floors) building, has not been made public. There will also be ground-floor retail.

There have also been no updates on the status of the residents of the neighboring 5-story building at 642 E. 14th St., many of whom were in rent-stabilized units. The building was abruptly vacated in November 2023 after foundation work next door reportedly caused it to become unstable. 

The full demolition order from 642's landlord remains on hold, as per DOB records, from last summer.

Los Tacos No. 1 coming to Union Square

Fans of Los Tacos No. 1 will have another nearby outpost to visit.

EVG reader Seth Treiman noted that the Los Tacos website now features a "coming soon" message for a location on Park Avenue South at 17th Street, at the northern end of Union Square.

The closest branch of the popular taqueria is on Lafayette near Bleecker. This will mark the ninth Manhattan location for the brand, which first launched here 10 years ago.

Luckin Coffee, China-based powerhouse and Starbucks challenger, opening an outpost on Broadway and 8th Street

Luckin Coffee, a Beijing-based coffee brand with 22,000 locations worldwide, is opening an outpost on Eighth Street and Broadway. (Thanks to the EVG reader for the photo and tip!) 

According to Forbes, the brand "opened an extraordinary 6,066 net new stores in China last year to reach 22,284 outlets, 65% of which are company operated. Luckin also opened 21 net new stores in Singapore to reach 51 locations and launched in Hong Kong with five outlets, while it opened its first store in Malaysia in January." 

In the United States, they're here to take on Starbucks, according to The Financial Times, with drinks initially priced at $2 to $3, in "cities with larger Chinese student and tourist populations, to gain a foothold." 

Luckin was founded in 2017, "and quickly outpaced Starbucks to hold more locations in its Chinese market, then went public on the Nasdaq. Only a few short years later, in 2020, Luckin admitted that it had inflated its sales — a confession that resulted in its removal from the Nasdaq and the agreement to pay a $180 million penalty." 

Here's more from RetailDive: 

Luckin Coffee filed for Chapter 15 bankruptcy and exited administration in 2022, minus the executive team that had overseen the accounting fraud. Since then, the coffee chain has surpassed Starbucks to be China's largest coffee retailer in terms of sales. 

Here's the brand's warm-and-fuzzy background story, perhaps written by a bot:

Luckin Coffee is a pioneer of a technology-driven new retail model that offers coffee and other F&B products of high quality, high affordability and high convenience to our customers. 

Our vision is to build a world-class coffee brand and become part of everyone's daily life. 

Technology is at the core of our business. Our technology runs across every aspect of our business, from customer engagement and storefront operations to supply chain management. We leverage our ever-evolving big data analytics and AI to analyze the huge volume of data generated from our operations and continuously optimize our systems. Our focus on technology has enabled us to efficiently elevate customer experience and to grow rapidly with uncompromised quality control. 

The storefront on Broadway and Eighth was previously a Sunglass Hut.

Why Mimi Cheng's is temporarily closed

A story we didn't get to mention this past week... Mimi Cheng's is temporarily closed here at 179 Second Ave. between 11th Street and 12th Street.

Door signage for patrons points to a "building issue."

There are more details in an Instagram post, which cites a gas outage in the building ("looking at you, Con Ed 👀").

The Taiwanese dumpling shop operated by sisters Hannah and Marian Cheng opened in July 2014.

Last fall, a frozen variety of the dumplings became available at tri-state Whole Foods.

In Tompkins Square Park, a creative pushback against tech's reach

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Yesterday afternoon, a coalition of NYC-based groups gathered in Tompkins Square Park to question the growing influence of technology on daily life.

The event combined performance, protest, and community activities, with participants wearing gnome hats inspired by the Orange Alternative and Kabouters. Highlights included a Luddite tribunal, a cellphone "hours wasted" vigil, a cardboard iPhone display, open soapbox speeches, and chalk art, all aimed at pushing back against Big Tech's dominance in politics, culture, and personal life.

Some scenes from the afternoon...

According to the organizers: "As New York City continues to evolve as a hub for innovation and tech development, the event serves as a timely opportunity to critically examine the implications of technology on the daily lives of its residents." 

"This isn't a one-off protest — it's part of a larger movement in New York City demanding accountability and alternatives," Bucky Baldwin, a coalition organizer, said in a statement shared before the event. "As residents feel increasingly alienated by algorithmic systems, automated decision-making, and corporate surveillance, these groups are coming together to imagine a more human, more just city."

Week in Grieview

Posts this past week included (with a photo from the Seventh Street side of Tompkins Square Park)...

• Flood gate demo offers a glimpse of future protection along the East River (Monday) 

• Check out the updates coming to the Key Food on Avenue A (Tuesday)

• A look inside the former Fireboat House in East River Park as it faces an uncertain future (Wednesday)

• New photo book explores the punk heart of Tompkins Square Park (Thursday) 

• Black Seed Bagels is closing its East Village location (but don't count out a return someday) (Friday)

• This is when the Whole Foods Market Daily Shop will debut in the East Village next month (Thursday)

• Dig this: 1st Avenue pit stop (Monday) 

• Openings: Sky High Club on Avenue C (Tuesday) 

• Videos: 4 minutes on St. Mark's Place in the 1980s (Saturday) 

 • Wisteria watch '25 (Friday) 

• Misoya closes Sunday on 2nd Avenue (Friday) 

• Unapologetic Foods has moved on from 82 2nd Ave. for its kebab house concept (Wednesday)

• Signage alert: The Hood Spot Convenience on Avenue D (Wednesday) 

• Signage alert: Revival Dog Training on 7th Street (Tuesday)

• On Avenue D, Food City Market closes (Monday) 

• Another former East Village 7-Eleven hits the rental market (Thursday) 

• Signage alert: Bar Bianchi on Avenue A at Houston (Monday) 

... and a bonus photo from Chinatown — Division at Eldridge from Thursday...

Karma Bookshop has closed for now in the East Village

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Karma Bookstore, an offshoot of the Karma gallery on Second Street, closed yesterday at 136 E. Third St. between Avenue A and First Avenue. 

After seven years here, the shop specializing in books on contemporary art, as well as rare and special editions, is moving on. 

I stopped by yesterday and talked with Karma's Matt Shuster and Madison Shopene.

.

"We loved being in the East Village, and we hope to be back soon," they said. 

Currently, Karma does not have a new storefront lined up. 

Here's a look at the last day here...

Karma was a welcomed addition to the neighborhood, taking over the storefront that housed the last iteration of St. Mark's Bookshop. Here's hoping they return somewhere nearby.

Where were you when the storm broke?

A few photos from before/after the downpour this evening...

Videos: 4 minutes on St. Mark's Place in the 1980s

The Kinolibrary Archive Film Collections uploaded a clip to YouTube this past week titled "1980s Summer in East Village, New York." (Thanks to the tipster for the link!) 

We don’t know much about the four-minute clip — who filmed it or who the people are. It opens with a group of friends on First Avenue at St. Mark's Place, a carefree bunch sporting a yo-yo, a boa, and a portable cassette player. They eventually wander along St. Mark’s Place past Second Avenue, where the slice of life comes to an end.

Spring Awakening takes a rain check

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Due to the risk of severe thunderstorms today, organizers are postponing some outdoor events, including the annual Spring Awakening hosted by Loisaida United Neighborhood Gardens (LUNGS) to celebrate the neighborhood’s community gardens. 

The 2025 Spring Awakening has been rescheduled from today to May 10.  

Also, as far as we know, the city's annual Car-Free Earth Day is still ago. There are activities set for Avenue B between Seventh Street and Ninth Street, and Fourth Street between Second Avenue and the Bowery.

Crossing 'Delancey'

 

Um, Jennifer?, your new favorite "trans slut rock" duo (Eli Scarpati and Fig Regan), releases its debut record, Um Comma Jennifer Question Mark, today. 

The video here for the insanely catchy "Delancey" includes cameos from Tompkins Square Park.

Tonight's record release show at Night Club 101 on Avenue A is sold out. Um, Jennifer? will also play the Mercury Lounge on May 25. 

Flowery prose alert: Wisteria watch '25

Just checking in on the world-famous wisteria — thriving, blooming, and showing off this spring outside 35 Stuyvesant St. at 10th Street...

Neighbor Harold Appel checked in with this through-the-screen view...

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• This photogenic East Village wisteria now has its own jigsaw puzzle

Black Seed Bagels is closing its East Village location (but don't count out a return some day)

After 10-plus years at 176 First Ave., Black Seed Bagels will close up shop here between 10th Street and 11th Street after the business day on Sunday, May 4. 

As co-owner Matt Kliegman explained in a phone call with EVG yesterday, the lease was up, and the company no longer needed such a large space. The First Avenue shop is twice the size of the brand's other storefronts outside the commissary in Bushwick. 

When it opened in October 2015, the space served as Black Seed's commissary for five years, where they prepared their salads and spreads and operated the catering office. In 2020, they relocated that part of the business to a Bushwich location with more functional space.

"If you open businesses like this, you have to be comfortable closing them at some point. Kind of the nature of the beast, but it's always a bummer," said Kliegman, who attended NYU and later lived in the East Village for 13 years. 

He reported that all of the East Village staff will be retained and employed at Black Seed's nine other locations throughout the city, including the latest outpost set to open next month in Long Island City.

Black Seed, which specializes in hand-rolled, hand-boiled, and wood-fired bagels, took over the storefront from DeRobertis Pasticceria and Caffè, which had been in operation for 110 years until December 2014. The economy, age and health reportedly compelled the four DeRobertis siblings to sell the building.

Kliegman and the Black Seed team got to know the DeRobertis family and even attended the opening of their new bakery in Clifton, N.J. 

"The vibes were good," said Kliegman, who is a history buff and prefers older buildings with character for his businesses. (By the way, the iconic DeRobertis neon sign is preserved on the residential roof deck of 176 First Ave.) 

An EVG reader who tipped us off to the closing called this "a real loss." The reader, a longtime EV resident, continued: "Black Seed was a place to grab a good sandwich and a seat. They played decent '90s music as well. A real go-to for me and many others." 

The original Black Seed on Elizabeth Street remains open for business. And in talking with Kliegman, don't rule out an EV return someday. 

"I love the area. And you know, I wouldn't be surprised if at some point we just find a smaller format store in maybe a different part of the neighborhood," Kliegman said. "It's a neighborhood that has welcomed us into their arms. There's a great school across the street with terrific teachers and parents ... but we'll be back. I feel pretty good about that."

Misoya closes Sunday on 2nd Avenue

The East Village outpost of Misoya shuts down after service on Sunday, ownership announced in an Instagram post. (Thanks to the EVG reader for the initial tip.)

No word as to why the seemingly homey and popular miso ramen shop, which opened in the fall of 2011, is closing at at 129 Second Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place. (We reached out for comment.) 

The West Village location at 535 Hudson St., which opened a few years back, remains in service.

 

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Thursday's parting shot

Crossing Second Avenue at Second Street this evening...

New photo book explores the punk heart of Tompkins Square Park

Photos and Q&A by Stacie Joy 

On any given weekend during the free punk shows in Tompkins Square Park, you likely spotted photographer and artist Andreas Troeger — camera in hand — capturing a scene that is as raw as it is resilient. 

His new photo book, "Our Fucking Park," is an unfiltered portrait series that documents the energy, emotion, and edge of the East Village punk and hardcore shows from 2019 to 2024. 

During a recent interview in Tompkins Square Park, the longtime neighborhood resident discussed the park, the people, and the East Village ethos that fuels his creative work. 

How did the idea of the "Our Fucking Park' book come about? What drew you to capture punk shows in Tompkins as the subject? 

I've always been drawn to extremes — life, love, music, art. Anything less does't hold my attention. 

The punk shows at Tompkins Square Park represent one of the last remaining raw and unfiltered spaces for expression in NYC. It's live punk in its purest form, still defiant, still free. That energy needed to be documented — a living chapter of East Village history shaped by activists, outsiders and relentless spirit.

You both live and work in the East Village. How has that informed and affected your artistic choices? 

I've been living in the EV for 32 years — fighting with landlords over ridiculous issues and surviving 9/11, the financial crisis in 2008-2009, and staying alive during Covid-19, losing lifelong friends and collaborators. Overall, the local community has been very inspiring. 

I tailor my artistic expressions to local issues, as they serve as inspiration for my work. I arrived in the EV as a special student at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts in Film and Television Production where I had the chance to work with some visionary artists. 

One of my earliest collaborations was with Nam June Paik, known as the father of video art. His experimental approach influenced how I started thinking about images. Around the same time, I connected with political activists Paul Garrin and Chris Flash, whose forward-thinking ideas pushed my understanding of art's role in activism.

I also began working with Iara Lee, a filmmaker focused on environmental and social issues, whose passion for meaningful stories helped shape my own work in documentary film. I later began developing video projects with avant-garde performance artist Rachel Cohen (RaCoCo). That partnership not only led to a series of experimental video pieces but also to the editing of my first book in the Anti Biography series. 

I continued exploring the space between movement and visual storytelling. After 2000, I started working with the artist Olek on several fine-art videos. These pieces were shown in galleries around the world and eventually led to a commission from the Goethe-Institute. They asked me to create a three-part video series about Alexander Kluge, the German filmmaker, thinker, and writer. That project brought together many of the themes that continue to be in my work — art, politics, memory, and identity. 

What's next for you? Any interesting projects on the horizon? 

I'm teaming up with RaCoCo Productions again to shoot their new avant-garde dance piece Assembly #2 — a mix of video art and photography. At the same time, I'm still documenting the raw energy of the Tompkins Square music scene. Next up: collages and large-format prints pulled from those moments. Street meets studio. Movement meets memory.

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Copies of the book are available locally at Exit9, 51 Avenue A (Troeger with owner Charles Branstool) and Village Works, 12 St. Mark's Place. (The books are also on Amazon. A family-friendly version is also available.)

Chris Flash will have them available on The Shadow table at the first Shows in Tompkins Square Park this Saturday afternoon. Updated: The April 26 concert has been canceled due to the expected rain. The book will be at upcoming shows.

This is when the Whole Foods Market Daily Shop will debut in the East Village next month

Photos by Stacie Joy

The Whole Foods Market Daily Shop is now on the calendar for its grand opening at 409 E. 14th St. — May 14 at 8 a.m. 

The smaller-format store (10,000 square feet!) will offer more grab-and-go items and the usual WF merchandise.

The StuyTown location will include a Juice & Java venue, offering coffee, tea, juices, smoothies, sandwiches and various desserts.

Whole Foods Market's first Daily Shop location opened last September on the Upper East Side. Another one opens in Hell's Kitchen on June 4.

This space between Avenue A and First Avenue was an Associated Supermarket until December 2019. 

You can revisit an earlier EVG post about all this... and here's the media alert that Whole Foods sent out about the grand opening (in case you're interested in learning about the free tote bags).