Wednesday's parting shot

Photo by Stacie Joy

Today in Tompkins Square Park, these artists were raising funds via art and zines for families affected by ICE raids.

About that 'White Plains' shoot in the East Village

Crews for an ABC production called "White Plains" have been filming around the neighborhood this week. 

This is code for Ryan Murphy's 2026 series "American Love Story," which will chronicle the lives of JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy. (H/T Gracie!)

For the second time in less than a week, Panna II on First Avenue is serving as a location ("Daredevil" was here this past Friday)...

She reportedly lived in the East Village when she first moved to NYC in 1989. 

As for the fake production name, Bessette Kennedy was born in White Plains. 

Meanwhile, early promotional photos have reportedly left fans unimpressed with the dull styling and wardrobe of the leads.

A look at the all-new 356 E. 8th St.

We've been curious about the status of 356 E. Eighth St., a long-vacant four-story townhouse that has been undergoing extensive renovations in recent months, mostly behind heavy construction netting and plywood. 

Work permits show a horizontal enlargement featuring seven residential units (plus a penthouse) and one retail space here between Avenue C and Avenue D.

The property sold as a development site to an LLC in Bayside, N.Y., for $2 million in March 2024, according to public records. 

The building arrived on the market two years earlier with a $3 million ask, with a listing: "Property is a teardown. Existing structure is unsafe." DOB records indicate a partial demolition, and permits were issued to address existing on-site safety concerns. 

No. 356 previously sat vacant for nearly nine years. On Dec. 24, 2015, a worker — 33-year-old Luis Alberto Pomboza — fell three floors to his death inside the building undergoing renovations for a previous owner. 

The death of Pomboza, a father of five, prompted then-Mayor de Blasio and Department of Buildings Commissioner Rick Chandler to announce in February 2016 that they were going to quadruple the penalties for serious construction safety lapses, conduct a wave of more than 1,500 enforcement sweeps, and require new supervision at construction sites citywide to protect workers and the public amid the building boom. 

No. 356 had been on and off the market for years (here and here). The listings pitched the space for "high-end apartments or a luxury home."

In the fall of 2015, work permits were approved, indicating that the building would receive two new floors and a mezzanine. 

After Pomboza's death, the DOB issued a stop work order and a full vacate order on the site. Ten different violations were reportedly uncovered at the worksite, including "failure to safeguard all persons and property affected by construction operations." A construction superintendent was to be present at 356 E. Eighth St. at the time of Pomboza's fall, but there wasn't one on site. 

We have not spotted any listings for the new units here just yet. 

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• A tribute to the construction worker who died at 356 E. 8th St.

Construction watch: Pumping out the concrete at 88 E. 2nd St.

Photos by Stacie Joy 

The concrete pump truck (bendy thing!) continues, um, pumping concrete into the foundation on the NW corner of First Avenue and Second Street... where the structure is nearly to the sidewalk level...

The incoming residential building — officially 88 E. Second St. — will include ground-floor retail and 22 rentals. 

Refresh your memory of the new place via this rendering reveal. The completion date is scheduled for the fall of 2026. 

Read our previous posts for more about the project and prior businesses at 33-37 First Ave.

Carnitas Ramírez celebrating 1 year in the East Village on Sunday

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Carnitas Ramírez is celebrating its 1st EV anniversary on Sunday. 

The sibling to Taqueria Ramírez, the celebrated Greenpoint establishment, has built an enthusiastic fan base here at 210 E. Third St., just east of Avenue B. 

The restaurant received "Critic's Pick" status with a two-star review last fall in The New York Times ... and the paper later named it one of the city's best 100 restaurants. 

I recently checked in with co-owners (from left) Yvon de Tassigny, Giovanni Cervantes and Tania Apolinar...

I came back later to catch the fourth owner, Kari Boden...

I asked what these 12 months have meant to them... they chalked this quote up to the whole team, as it's a group effort: 

This past year has been a joyful experience; we have created a new family from the people we work with and a new home in the East Village, which has welcomed us with open arms since the beginning. ... With gratitude, we can say that we have done some of the work to bring the best Mexican food to NYC, but there's still a lot to do! And we feel excited about that. It's been a wonderful year, and we are looking forward to many more! 

The anniversary afternoon begins at 2 p.m. with a special menu and music...

Tuesday's parting Instagram post

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A post shared by Ramones (@ramones)

Meeting brings East Village and LES bar owners together to talk noise, nightlife issues

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

A recent (June 11) meeting billed as a forum for addressing noise complaints drew a full house of bar, restaurant, and club owners from the East Village, Lower East Side and Chinatown. 

Held at the rooftop lounge at Mr. Purple in the Hotel Indigo on Orchard Street, the session offered local business operators the chance to hear directly from city agencies about best practices, regulations and resources related to nightlife noise management.

Representatives from the 7th and 9th Precincts, Community Board 3, the Department of Environmental Protection's Economic Development and Environmental Compliance team, the State Liquor Authority, and the NYC Office of Nightlife participated in the event. (The 5th Precinct was unable to attend due to scheduling conflicts.)

The bulk of the discussion focused on noise concerns — from loud music and bass vibrations to lines and street noise outside establishments. A slideshow presented during the session cited 2,500 bar and restaurant-related noise complaints filed in the area last year after duplicate and anonymous 311 complaints were filtered out.

Topics covered included enforcement protocols, current fine structures for noise violations ($2,000 for a first offense, $4,000 for a second, and $6,000 for a third), and available mitigation programs such as MEND NYC, which offers free mediation between businesses and residents, and CURE, which supports coordinated conflict resolution among establishments.

Officials shared several updates and reminders, including a ban on speakers in outdoor dining spaces and insurance coverage requirements for roadside dining. The State Liquor Authority also discussed its enforcement and disciplinary approach, which it described as aimed at fostering "temperance." 

A brief Q&A followed, with business owners from spots including Pianos, JoyFace, the Wiggle Room and Donnybrook weighing in on line management, use of stanchions and barricades, OATH hearings, and police support in handling disorderly patrons. 

Some attendees expressed frustration with bureaucratic hurdles and conflicting guidance from various city agencies. One recurring question — whether bar owners could find out who was reporting them to 311 — was quickly answered: No.

Pedestrian bottlenecks caused by ID checks and patron screening outside busy venues were also raised, though no clear solutions emerged. 

Extra time was given to questions about mitigating noise and managing lines. "We don't say 'no lines' to be mean," said CB3 District Manager Susan Stetzer. "This is a residential community — you have to respect your neighbors." 

Attendees were encouraged to contact 911 when necessary and to make a visible effort to resolve issues. "Try to be a good neighbor," said one rep. "Residents will be more forgiving if you make an attempt."

After the session, reactions were mixed. Some business owners said they found the meeting useful, while others said it offered little in the way of new information or practical solutions. 

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• What's the 311? How East Village residents can effectively file complaints

RIP John Garbarini

Photo via @internationalbarnyc 

The crew at the International Bar on First Avenue have paid tribute to a longtime regular and friend to many people there (and elsewhere in the neighborhood) in a recent Instagram post... 

RIP John Garbarini, 

A regular hero 

A master engineer 

A talented photographer, 

Jack of all trades and mastered them all. 

Our beloved friend, family, and regular. An irreplaceable hole in our hearts. 

He passed away on June 11 after complications of heart failure. He was 72. There's a lovely feature obituary here, with details on his playing basketball at St. Nicholas of Tolentine Catholic High School in the Bronx to his later career as a photographer and contractor. 

The longtime resident of the East Village and Little Italy "appreciated New York City's quirks and color."

Monday's parting 10-day weather forecast

For anyone grumbling about unseasonably cooler temps in recent days... take a look ahead to Tuesday, June 24, with a high of 102 expected...

Live from Tompkins Square Park with Um, Jennifer? and Vial

Photos by Stacie Joy 

We caught two of the bands on Saturday afternoon during the Show Brain-sponsored free concert in Tompkins Square Park. 

Despite the intermittent showers, Show Brain founder Ozzie and his volunteers had tents and tarps for the bands, and the show went on to an appreciative crowd.

We saw another playful set from endearing locals Um, Jennifer? ... (below) Eli, Fig, Carmen and Grayson...

And afterward (with Show Brain's Ozzie on the left)...

Then there was the headliner Vial, an indie punk trio from Minneapolis making a Tompkins tour stop...

You can sign up for a Show Brain mailing list here for news on upcoming shows in Tompkins and elsewhere. Previously on EV Grieve:

• A band to know: Um, Jennifer?

Former 9th Street garage demolished to make way for luxury residences

Photos by Steven 

After more than two months, workers have completed the demolition of the former Little Man Parking garage (aka LaSalle Parking) on Ninth Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

The DOB permits list a "partial demolition" of the existing 5-story structure. We don't see much left of anything.

Per previous reports, the new 6-floor building will include 31,231 square feet of residential space, including 18 units and likely condos. Amenities include a rear yard and parking for 10 vehicles. Colberg Architecture is the architect of record. The plywood rendering lists a completion date of Winter 2026. 

According to public records and the TradedNY account, Arcus Development, operating through Astor Nine LLC, is the new owner of the vacant property. 

The garage closed in April 2023 after the Department of Buildings issued a vacate order on the property following the deadly collapse at the Little Man garage on Ann Street in the Financial District.

Curbside comeback: Tree beds revived along this section of 2nd Avenue

Photos by Stacie Joy 

The rather barren stretch along the east side of Second Avenue between Third Street and First Street is looking a little better these days. (H/T csw!)

Last week, The Sidewalk Gardeners, who specialize in sidewalk tree bed revitalization, did just that along this corridor...

Here's more via an Instagram post about the project: 

Sponsored by a nearby condo resident, we are on a mission to rehabbing forgotten tree beds between 1st and 3rd St. Full of trash, waste and even a dead bird, if not properly cared for, many of these spaces can carry diseases and attract rodents and pests.

Previously on EV Grieve:

• On 2nd Avenue and 2nd Street, an empty lot and lots of questions about what's next

High hopes: Licensed dispensary planned for this 9th Street storefront

A licensed adult-use retail dispensary is in the works for 331 E. Ninth St., located between First Avenue and Second Avenue, in the former Pride Smokes space. 

Tonight, CB3's Cannabis Control Task Force will hear more about the business, which will operate under the name Bellanova, with proposed hours of 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. (1 a.m. on weekends). Find the Bellanova questionnaire here. 

There was also an item on an adult-use retail dispensary for 24 St. Mark's Place (below) between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. However, the application was withdrawn ahead of this meeting.

This storefront was previously the short-lived Nosh Up market. 

The Cannabis Control Task Force meets tonight at 6, Community Board 3 Office, 59 E. Fourth St. between Second Avenue and the Bowery. 

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• A primer on Community Board 3's role in the permit process for legal cannabis shops

Pedestrian ramp upgrades slated for 7th Street this week

Photo by Stacie Joy 

Crews are expected to begin upgrading pedestrian ramps along East Seventh Street this week, according to posted signage. 

Work is scheduled to take place over the next few days at the corners of Seventh Street and Avenues D, B, A, and First Avenue. Temporary parking restrictions will be in effect during the project; sidewalk access may also be limited. 

Per the DOT website: "New and upgraded pedestrian ramps include a red (or white in special districts) detectable warning surface to help guide people with visual disabilities." 

This interactive DOT map shows you the progress on corner ramps.

Signage alert: Ops on 2nd Avenue

The awning arrived Friday for Ops, the incoming pizzeria at 176 Second Ave. between 11th Street and 12th Street. (Thanks for the tip, William Klayer!) 

As we first reported last September, the ownership behind Bushwick's Ops (and sister pizzeria Leo in Williamsburg), is opening a Neopolitan-style joint here. 

Grub Street has more on Ops here, which in 2016 became a "destination for its sourdough, Neapolitan-ish pizza. The pies are wood-fried and ornamented with broccoli rabe and ricotta salata." 

The EV Ops is expected to open in the coming week. What to expect inside? Per Grub Street: 

The dining room is mostly recessed, with a street-level section up front that has a banquette for ten and overlooks the rest of the space. There are more deep-red banquettes down the ramp, a custom-made stainless-steel bar, and wineglasses printed with a cute drawing (by Tribouilloy) of mortadella. 

No. 176 previously housed Numero 28 Pizzeria Napoletana, which went dark in late 2023 after a 2009 debut.

Week in Grieview

Posts this past week included (with a photo by Stacie Joy of ATM hijinks on 2nd Avenue)... 

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 • East Village tenants call for nonprofit ownership amid years of housing instability (Monday, June 9)

• RIP Billy Jones (Tuesday, June 10) 

• About the East Village Music Festival, taking place on June 22 at La Plaza Cultural (Wednesday, June 11) 

• A belated farewell to a familiar fixture of St. Mark’s Place (Monday, June 9) 

 • Early voting is underway (Saturday, June 14) • A band to know: Um, Jennifer? (Friday, June 13) 

• Titi’s Empanadas opens today (Friday the 13th!) on 7th Street (Friday, June 13) 

• The Merchant's House Museum remains open during exterior restoration work (Tuesday, June 11)

• East Village artist reimagines where and how we see art, starting with exhibit at corner market (Friday, June 13) 

• 'Placeholders' highlights businesses located in HDFC storefronts (Thursday, June 12)

• Keys to the city: The Sing for Hope piano has arrived in Tompkins Square Park (Tuesday, June 10) 

• The 4th annual LUNGS Theater Festival takes place this weekend (Thursday, June 12) 

• Changes brewing at Associated on Avenue C and 8th Street (Thursday, June 12) 

• Sip + Co. closing on 9th Street (Wednesday, June 11) 

• What happened to the blue mail collection box outside the Tompkins Square Post Office? (Friday, June 13) 

• On the clock: Lower East Side Lidl Watch (Thursday, June 12)

• 'Daredevil' season 2 at Panna II (Saturday, June 14) 

• Duane Reade is not sleeping on this Rite Aid closing-soon situation (Wednesday, June 11) 

• Signage alert: Crêpes le Bon on Avenue A (Tuesday, June 11) 

• New chapter in healing: Spear PT to open in former dispensary space on 14th Street (Monday, June 9) 

• From around the blogosphere: The history of 106 Avenue C (Wednesday, June 11)

Art meets aisles at Village Gourmet Grocery

Photos by Stacie Joy 

On Friday night, local artist Maria De Victoria launched her series of gallery shows at unexpected spaces in the East Village, starting with the Village Gourmet Grocery on the SE corner of Second Avenue and Sixth Street.

The inaugural exhibit is "EN EL KIOSKO," a presentation of new paintings by Juan Jose Heredia (below with De Victoria).

On view through June 29, the work is displayed alongside the everyday corner market items sold at Village Gourmet Grocery.

Aside from gallery-goers, the usual Friday evening stopped by to pick up a few items. 

De Victoria shared more about her new vision for her Desnivel Gallery: 

I moved Desnivel from the basement of my home to the storefronts of the East Village — the neighborhood I’ve lived in for the past 15 years — to highlight the financial challenges of establishing and running an art space, and to make art more accessible to viewers who may not have the opportunity to engage with it otherwise. 

Desnivel aims to increase visibility and accessibility, allowing the artwork to be seen and experienced at various times of the day, in a way that is convenient for visitors and hopefully leaves a lasting impact.