New Vietnamese sandwich shop in the works for St. Mark's Place

Here at 96 St. Mark's Place just east of First Avenue... most recently the home of a massage place... Workers put up the signs yesterday... interior still has a way to go...

Habibi Lounge hasn't been open lately

Neighbors of this hookah bar on Avenue A between 12th Street and 13th Street haven't seen the place open in several weeks...

...and trash is collecting inside the entryway...

They still have an outgoing message on their answering machine... nothing to show that they have closed appears on the Habibi website...

Today in photos of bassoon players performing outside ice cream shops on Seventh Street

At the Big Gay Ice Cream Shop. Per their Twitter account: "I'm not sure why, but we've got two of NYC's best bassoonists (McCracken and Timmerman) playing outside the shop!"

And from Bride of 7th...

Nevada Smith's is closed, and here's what's next

Here's what we know.

• Nevada Smith's closed up last night at its current location at 74 Third Avenue.

• The soccer/football bar will eventually reopen at 100 Third Ave.

• Nevada Smith's goes before the CB3/SLA committee next month for a license at 100 Third Ave.

• The buildings at 74-76 Third Ave. will be demolished. The city has OK'd the permit for 76, the former home of Yummy House.

• The Manhattan Parking Group shut down its lot at 78-84 Third Ave. at 12th Street at the end of August ... a temporary lot is in its place.

• A mystery apartment building will take over this space. Per the announcement at Nevada Smith's website: "Our old home's almost done now with developers poised to demolish most of the block and replace our place, and yours, with a new luxury apartment block."

• NYU has NOTHING to do with the new development. James Devitt, deputy director for media relations at NYU, said the rumors of the school buying the space were "completely false" back in August.

Demolition work continues at 9-17 Second Avenue; is BFC Partners still involved?

Work continues to creep along at 9-17 Second Avenue... On Friday, workers started erecting the scaffolding for the construction netting needed for the continued demolition... we stopped by for updates ...

Friday!

Saturday!

Sunday!

Meanwhile, Bobby Williams passed along this "Corrected Public Notice" from the Daily News Saturday...

We have no idea what all this legalese is (we welcome your interpretation of this). It looks as if the new development here will include 13 affordable "cooperative dwelling units" and 51 "market rate rental dwelling units" and 6,350-feet of commercial space ... plus 1,677 square feet of open space.

Back during a CB3 Zoning Committee Meeting last December via BoweryBoogie, officials said that nine of the affordable units would be for returning families with the rest would be for new families via a lottery. At the time, officials were unsure if the market-rate units would be rentals or sales.

One noticeable absence in this "Corrected Public Notice" — Any mention of BFC Partners, builders of luxury properties such as 48 Bond on Bond Street and Toren in Brooklyn, who first introduced this idea in December. Something called Jupiter 21 LLC is listed here as the "sponsor." A New York State records search listed Jupiter 21 LLC (formed on Aug. 15) as having the same Myrtle Avenue address in Brooklyn as a high-end custom cabinetry company called Wells Woodwork. We're not sure about any connections between BFC Partners and Wells Woodwork.

Anyone know anything about this?

There's a public meeting on the development set for Dec. 6 at 10 a.m. at 22 Reade St.

Previously.

Joe's Bar still closed

After being closed for about a month earlier in the fall... one of our favorites, Joe's Bar on East Sixth Street, reopened on Nov. 16... A combination of Joe's health and the DOH knocked the bar out of action...

Unfortunately, as several readers pointed out, Joe's was closed again starting last Tuesday... and the bar remained closed during the holiday weekend...

We understand that Joe's health continues to be an issue.

Sidewalk shed at the Tom Cruise building on East 13th Street

A reader noted that a sidewalk shed went up last week outside the American Felt Building on East 13th Street ... where, for some reason, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes have a place or two. Anyway, nothing all that revealing at the DOB... something like "for installation of spacecraft landing pad." Per the DOB, in their ALL-CAP style:

ALTERATION TYPE 3 - CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT - SIDEWALK-SHED INSTALLATION OF HEAVY DUTY SIDEWALK SHED APPROXIMATELY 26 L.F AS PER PLAN AT 114 EAST 13 STREET. DURING REMEDIAL, WORK SHALL COMPLY WITH 2008 BUILDING CODE CHAPTER 33. NO CHANGE IN USE, EGRESS OR OCCUPANCY.

And, for making it this far, a bonus... Miss Holmes with a drink from Everyman Espresso down the street on Nov. 9.

[Photo by Bauer Griffin]

Thanksgiving leftovers

Were you away for the holiday? If so, then welcome back. Anyway, we posted a bunch of stuff the last few days... In case you missed it the first time around...:

• Your CB3/SLA booze and bar agenda for December.

• Thanksgiving at the Blarney Cove

• More about Puddin' on St. Mark's Place

• Looking at the Robin Raj holiday window display

• People lined up really early for Black Friday at the Union Square Best Buy

• Lingerie-clad model in a lamp post photo shoot

• You may now buy Christmas holiday trees

• Chico creates a new ad mural on Houston and Avenue B

M&M Variety Hardware space for rent on Avenue B

We don't know for sure when the M&M Variety Hardware closed on Avenue B near Houston... but we can't recall seeing it open anytime recently.

The space is now for rent — $9,000 per month. One reader who shopped here thought that a hardware store had been at this location since 1950.

...and this is the work of Goggla from last fall ... during happier times for the store...

Reciprocal Skateboards expands

Shawn Chittle passes along word that Reciprocal Skateboards has expanded into the previously vacant storefront next door on East 11th Street near First Avenue...

Chocolate Library owner trying to save his shop via Kickstarter

On Friday, we pointed out that the Chocolate Library on St. Mark's Place is now for rent... The shop closed rather quietly last month...

Owner Byron Bennett left a comment on that post... He is trying to raise money on Kickstarter to reopen the store... here's his comment:

FYI, I'm trying to see if I can raise enough money to reopen The Chocolate Library at 111 St. Mark's Place or somewhere else in the community. It's a long shot, but the store was well liked. And, the neighbors tell me that people are still coming by every day looking for it. The truth is that only my mistake for Valentine's Day through us off.

Here's the Kickstarter page.

Outside the Father's Heart Ministry Center tonight

On East 11th Street near Avenue B... for no reason... perhaps for the neon...

Photos by Bobby Williams.

Why you shouldn't be outraged at Kelly Donahue for refusing to give up her seat

EV Grieve reader Creature spotted this flyer on Avenue B at Fifth Street... then another one a few blocks away...

As you might expect, the sign is a fake... it's part of an ad campaign for a book out next month titled "I Hate You, Kelly Donahue."

Week in Grieview

[VIDEO] Inside Tompkins Square Bagels (Monday)

Is Ben Shaoul buying the Cabrini Nursing Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation on East Fifth Street? (Monday)

Why there's an Airstream trailer inside the new Lower Eastside Girls Club HQ (Tuesday)

Video circa early 1980s of the Hells Angels on East Third Street (Wednesday)

In which a film crew calls your wife a 'stupid bitch' on Avenue A (Wednesday, 50-plus comments)

Why living by IHOP stinks (Wednesday)

Welcome to the East Village, Standard (Monday)

Breaking: Last night for Nevada Smith's at 74 Third Ave.; and here comes more luxury apartments

As we first reported, Nevada Smith's is planning to move from its current home at 74 Third Ave. up the block to 100 Third Ave. ...

Nevada Smith's current home will be demolished, as we've pointed out here.

A message on Nevada Smith's website today officially announces the move...

Per the message: "Our old home's almost done now with developers poised to demolish most of the block and replace our place, and yours, with a new luxury apartment block."

The closing night party starts at 7.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Those persistent rumors about 74-76 Third Avenue and the future of Nevada Smith's

The East Village will lose a parking lot and gain an apartment building

Dumpster of the day

St. Mark's Place near Second Avenue.

Holiday tree hovel welcomed to the neighborhood

An addition to the holiday tree hovel a day after it arrived here outside St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery...

...and still no trees...

In and around Tompkins Square Park at various times today

By Bobby Williams.

The East Houston Street Mystery Lot is now for sale

Wanted to mention this news... we've long been curious about the Mystery Lot of East Houston Street ... the empty parcel on the south side of the street between Attorney and Ridge ... The Lo-Down had the scoop on Wednesday...

The lot is now on the market for $9.5 million ... it's part of the portfolio that belonged to reclusive real-estate baron William Gottlieb ...

The lot has been empty for seemingly eons ... According to the Lo-Down, Gottlieb acquired the property via public auction in 1999 for $300,000.

The mind reels with thoughts of what will show up here some day...

[Updated] Two Three more places to buy your Christmas tree(s)

We continue the East Village Christmas Holiday Tree Tour... Trees arrived yesterday on 14th Street and First Avenue... More should arrive soon, taking the stands past O'Hanlon's...

...and on Houston outside the Whole Foods (these seem to be the priciest around here...)

Meanwhile, we await the arrival of the trees outside St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery. But! One development here. The Holiday Hovel is in place.

We hear that this struture will remain after the holidays... hitting the market at $2,950 (no fee). Newly renovated featuring: bleached-plank hardwood floors, recessed lighting, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, cherry wood cabinets, crown and baseboard moldings, with marble bathrooms. Washer & dryer in unit. This hovel has never been lived in!! Hurry!! Won't last!!

Updated:

Ah! Forgot about the trees outside Rite-Aid on First Avenue at Fifth Street... Thanks to @JorgeO for this photo from last night...