Now!
Over the weekend, Carol from East 5th Street told us that workers redid this section of sidewalk outside 100 Second Ave. ... there was even a guard on duty all day Saturday to keep the cement taggers away until things were dry...
Monday, February 13, 2023
A 2nd Avenue sidewalk now and then
On 2nd Avenue, historic Isaac T. Hopper House hits the market for the first time in 149 years
A historic East Village building is for sale for the first time since (checking notes) 1874.
There's a new listing for 110 Second Ave., aka the landmarked and currently vacant Isaac T. Hopper House between Sixth Street and Seventh Street.
Per the listing via Denham Wolf Real Estate Services: The property is vacant and provides a unique redevelopment opportunity. Asking price: $7.1 million. The building also has "+-4,628 ZFA potential excess development rights." (Any alterations to the landmarked building must go through the Landmarks Preservation Commission and other city agencies.)
The Women's Prison Association has owned it since 1874.
Here's some history of the address of No. 110, built circa 1837-1838, via Village Preservation:
This three-and-a-half-story Greek Revival structure is a rare surviving house from the period when this section of Second Avenue was one of the most elite addresses in Manhattan. Additionally, it is also a rare surviving nineteenth-century institutional presence in this ever-changing neighborhood.The house at 110 Second Avenue was constructed as one of four houses built for brothers Ralph, Staats, and Benjamin Mead and designed in the Greek Revival style. Although the only one remaining of the original four houses, 110 Second Ave. retains much of its original details characteristic of a Greek Revival row house. The façade is clad in machine-pressed red brick laid in stretcher bond, tall parlor-level windows with a cast iron balcony, a denticulated cornice, and a brownstone portico with ionic columns supporting an entablature.In 1839 David H. Robertson, a shipbroker and tradesman, bought the house for his widowed mother, Margaret. Three years later, however, he declared bankruptcy. The house was foreclosed, and in 1844 it was auctioned and transferred to Ralph Mead. Mead was the proprietor of Ralph Mead and Co., a wholesale grocery business. He and his second wife, Ann Eliza Van Wyck, lived at 110 Second Avenue (then No. 108) from 1845-1857. After that, they leased the house but retained ownership until 1870. It was sold in 1872 to George H. and Cornelia Ellery, who then sold it in 1874 to the Women's Prison Association ...
In 1992, the Hopper House was renovated and re-opened as a residential alternative to imprisonment for women. The residents and staff were displaced when the six-alarm fire destroyed Middle Collegiate Church next door in December 2020.
In January, the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to allow the demolition of the remains of the fire-damaged structure to allow Middle Collegiate to rebuild on the site.
Previously on EVG:
Openings: Union Square Travel Agency: A Cannabis Store
The dispensary will be known as Union Square Travel Agency: A Cannabis Store.
According to the press materials, the Doe Fund owns the dispensary, "a nonprofit that has served justice-involved individuals previously criminalized by cannabis prohibition." (Read more about the Doe Fund here.)
Initial operating hours (after today) will be 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday-Thursday, with an 11 p.m. close Friday and Saturday.
The Housing Works Cannabis Co. store — New York's first legal recreational marijuana market — opened to great fanfare in late December on Broadway at Eighth Street in a former Gap retail space. The second space debuted on Bleecker Street on Jan. 24. Another legal dispensary is expected to open on Third Street near the Bowery this spring.
Meanwhile, Mayor Adams and DA Bragg are cracking down on illegal storefront operations by targeting the landlords.
Baya Bar bringing the açai bowls to Union Square
The quick-serve brand, which started in Bay Ridge in 2016, specializes in açaí bowls, avocado toast, smoothies and cold-press juices. There are 20 BB outposts in the metropolitan area — with more on the way in 2023.
Baya Bar is in a chain-friendly corridor with Chipotle, Sticky's Finger Joint and a Subway (sandwich shop).
Sunday, February 12, 2023
Week In Grieview
• A timeline of events after the assault outside Ray's Candy Store (Tuesday) ... Cake and soup at Ray's Candy Store (Thursday)
• An appeal to help a longtime East Village resident (Wednesday)
• City's fight against unlicensed cannabis shops now targets landlords; 4 East Village shops busted (Thursday)
• Work on the multipurpose courts in Tompkins Square Park expected to start in September (Wednesday)
• Reconstruction of the Tompkins Square Park field house expected to start next month (Tuesday)
• La Mama officially unveils its refurbished new home (Thursday)
• The former Commodities space is now for rent on 1st Avenue (Monday)
• Sunny's Florist returns after winter break (Tuesday)
• 6 Avenue B, long-abandoned, has a new owner (Friday)
• About the 3rd & B'zaar Valentine's Market this weekend (Friday)
• Owner of the fire-damaged Gjelina seeking jobs for its staff (Monday)
• A leaning bench for Avenue C (Wednesday)
• A Korean-style pizzeria for 1st Avenue (Thursday)
• Offside Tavern shapes up on Avenue A and 6th Street (Friday)
• Retail options on the Bowery (Monday)
... and making room for Valentine's Day (or the Super Bowl?) yesterday on Third Avenue and 12th Street... photo by Jefferson Siegel...
-----
Suspects accused of assault outside Ray's Candy Store remain in jail
Luis Peroza, who allegedly struck owner Ray Alvarez and employee Gabe Thorne with a belt with a rock attached, remains at Riker's. His next court appearance is scheduled for March 2.
Peroza, who previously served five years in prison for assault, was charged with first- and second-degree assault, two counts of first-degree robbery, and two counts of first-degree attempted robbery.
His alleged accomplice, Gerald Barth, also remains at Riker's. His next court date is March 1.
Barth was charged with first-degree assault and two counts each of first-degree robbery and first-degree attempted robbery.
This post has more details on what has happened to date.
“Ray, do you want to post about it?”
— Ray's Candy Store (@RaysCandyStore) February 12, 2023
“No, no. I don’t want to put anything negative out there. Only positive.”
So, here’s one of our favorite photos of Ray.
Thank you to EVERYONE who has stopped into @RaysCandyStore to check on him. pic.twitter.com/XnRvSUD6jO
Saturday, February 11, 2023
Saturday's parting shot
Photo by N&Lon7th
The Guardian Angels today presented Ray with an award of friendship outside Ray's Candy Store at 113 Avenue A... more details via the Daily News.
Revealed! Avenue A ghost signage!
Photos by Stacie Joy
In the process, the workers uncovered ghost signage for a long-ago shop that sold carriages, strollers and toys...
... from the days when Avenue A had several like-minded shops along this corridor (like here) ...
Have you seen these banana roller skates?
Dearest neighbors, I’m an idiot and left my roller skates outside in a Citibike basket at the intersection of East 7th and Ave C. They are banana yellow with mermaid scale tips, purple stoppers and pinky gummy wheels. PERFECT in every way.Did you find them? If I found them I’d probably take them as my own or sell them, but maybe you’re one of the rare goodies that took them to try to find their forgetful owner. If so, please advise! I miss them so much!I won’t pay you a million dollars for them, come on they’re mine, but I’ll give you something for your trouble.
A tribute to Tom Verlaine on the Bowery
Not sure how long the note has been here.
Verlaine, guitarist, frontman and co-founder of Television, one of the most influential acts of the CBGB scene in the late 1970s, died on Jan. 28 at age 73.
Life in the hive puckered up my nightA kiss of death, the embrace of lifeOoh, there I stand neath the Marquee MoonBut I ain't waiting...
Friday, February 10, 2023
Ring in the new year
There's a new (great!) record out by R. Ring, a band featuring Kelley Deal (of the Breeders) and Mike Montgomery.
The video here is for "Def Sup."
6 Avenue B, long-abandoned, has a new owner
Photos yesterday by Stacie Joy
There's a new owner for 6 Avenue B, the 6-story building on the NW corner of Avenue B and Houston that has been empty/abandoned for years.
EVG contributor Stacie Joy spotted a notice on the front door noting the ownership change... 
The LLC is linked to Penn Capital South, whose portfolio includes multiple EV properties.
According to public records, the building changed hands for a mere $1.05 million. However, the new owners also had to pay $4.2 million in real property transfer and real estate transfer taxes.
As we've pointed out (here and here), the building is in dismal shape and will need significant work to bring it up to code. (The DOB has cited No. 6 for emergency repairs several times in recent years.)
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.)
The sidewalk bridge has been here since 2015.
Previously on EVG:
About the 3rd & B'zaar Valentine's Market this weekend
Photos by Stacie Joy
This weekend, 3rd & B'zaar is hosting a Valentine's Market here at 191 E. Third St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.
Curators Maegan Hayward, Delphine Le Goff and Sara Ann Rutherford (seen below) gave us a preview what to expect at the mixed-vendor market and event space ...
We have over 25 local small businesses participating and will be selling vintage, locally designed clothing and accessories, infused chocolates, art, cards and much more.Also, we are very excited to announce that we will be debuting our special collection of Fashion Brand Company clothing and accessories! We've been obsessed with their amazing creations for so long ... and are beyond happy to offer Fashion Brand Company in person in NYC!
The market is open from noon to 9 p.m. today (with a special sip and shop from 7-9 p.m.) and ... and noon to 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Offside Tavern shapes up on Avenue A and 6th Street
Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy
Renovations continue on the NE corner of Avenue A and Sixth Street, where a new outpost of Offside Tavern is expected to open in the months ahead here at 94 Avenue A. (First noted here. Comments from readers who had been to the original OT were positive.)
We spotted owner Nick Costa out front painting the exterior of the highly-tagged storefront...
This is a new iteration of Offside, which had a three-year run at 137 W. 14th St. until the pandemic-related PAUSE of March 2020.
During the NHL season, OT was a hockey bar — specifically for fans of the New York Islanders. The place made enough of an impression that when the Islanders opened UBS Arena in late 2021, the new venue included an Offside Tavern tribute bar located in Section 217.
Costa said that they hope to debut on A in a few months — as soon as the liquor license arrives... and they hire and train new staff.
Here's a look inside the space... where there are multiple rooms, including one for a bar and another area (along the Sixth Street side) with a communal table... not to mention multiple TV sets for watching the Islanders — or whatever happens to be in season...
August Laura had a brief run here, opening in October 2019 ... then a haphazard schedule during the pandemic before finally shutting down in December 2021.
August Laura took over the space from what some people considered an East Village institution — Sidewalk, the restaurant bar and live music venue (home of the Antifolk Festival) that closed in February 2019 after 34 years.
Pini Milstein, who retired, was the principal owner of the building and the operator of the Sidewalk. According to public records, Penn South Capital paid $9.6 million for the property in March 2019. The building's new owners added a one-floor extension here in 2020.
Thursday, February 9, 2023
Thursday's parting shots
William Klayer shared this photo from Ninth Street looking toward Avenue A...
... and from Seventh Street between Avenue A and First Avenue... via Jackflashnyc...
... and 14th Street by Pinch...
Cake and soup at Ray's Candy Store
Photos by Lola Sáenz
A lot of smiles today at Ray's Candy Store as Stella celebrated a birthday with the help of her sister, Mary.
Stella started working for Ray in 1977 — three years after the shop opened in 1974.
Meanwhile, Ray continues on the mend after the assault outside the shop early on Jan. 31.
With a dislocated jaw, Ray is on a liquid diet. Stella has been making him homemade soup, which she brings into the shop to blend for her longtime friend and boss...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)