Taxi Parts Inc. now open on 1st Avenue

Didn't really see this one coming … a small auto parts shop primarily (presumably?) serving cab drivers just opened at 45 First Ave. (Suite 1C, per the awning) between East Second Street and East Third Street…



This shop moved here from Tenth Avenue and 35th Street after 25 years on the ground floor of a tenement building that is being demolished to make way for more Hudson Yards.

The First Avenue space was previously home to the barber shop that also bought gold.

Bago now serving food to-go on 1st Avenue

A new to-go restaurant called Bago (quietly) opened Saturday in the former Hibachi Dumpling Express space, which (quietly) closed on First Avenue between East 13th Street and East 14th Street.

A quick glance at the menu inside (they weren't yet open for the day — their hours are 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.) revealed a handful of Thai/Chinese Filipino offerings, such as a ginger broth with either chicken, pork or tofu ($6.95), pan-sauteed noodles with either chorizo, chicken or tofu ($6.95) and grilled soy-glazed thin pork chops or chicken ($7.95).

Hibachi Dumpling Express opened last August… taking over from the 2 Bros. Pizza outpost.

Updated 6-25

A reader let us now the proprietor here is the daughter of the owner of Elvie's Turo-Turo, which closed back in 2009 across First Avenue.

Temporary closures: Unidentified Flying Chickens on 3rd Ave.; Spice on 1st Avenue

[Photo from June 7]

Over at 60 Third Ave. near East 11th Street, Unidentified Flying Chickens has been closed the past 10 days or so… the sign points to a ceiling repair, which appears to be happening inside…



The East Village outpost of the Jackson Heights-based Korean fried chicken restaurant opened last July. However, they won't be in this space too much longer: The address will be home soon to another location of Blockheads, the San Francisco-style Mexican restaurant from the folks who launched Benny's Burritos.

---

Meanwhile, Spice, which only recently opened at 71 First Ave. between East Fourth Street and East Fifth Street, is out of commission for the moment… the sign says Spice is upgrading its gas lines…


[Photo from June 7]

The Spice on Second Avenue and East Sixth Street is now closed… so if you want your Spice fix you'll have to get it at the East 13th Street and University Place location for now.

No. 71 here was previously home to Pukk, the 11-year-old vegetarian/vegan Thai place that closed in March.

A letter from the editor

Hello, my name is John Elsasser and I have been running this website for the past eight years or so.

There are a few people involved with EV Grieve — some of them are anonymous, some of them are not. Regardless, I oversee everything.

I've been thinking about using my name on the site for several years. However, I resisted. It's not a personal website, and the blog isn't about me or what I had for dinner last night or what I did this past weekend. It's a news site about the neighborhood, for the neighborhood. Everyone has a voice and the opportunity to share a story, photo or tip, discuss a liquor license application or the latest Citi Bike seats. At least that's how I see it.

But I've dragged my feet with the announcement. I was waiting for a good moment. A blog anniversary maybe? Or when I retired the site. And the years passed. However, it seems easier now to make this disclosure, helped in part that a news site has designs on publishing a "Who is EVG?" article in the days/weeks ahead. After much prodding from the reporter, I eventually agreed to answer some questions via email for the story, but only once I felt convinced that the outlet wasn't trying to out me. I was ultimately wrong.

In the EVG story, you may learn more about me, such as that I grew up in Ohio, and served as the editor of my high school and college newspapers. I also spent a few years working as a reporter after graduation. Today I edit publications for a nonprofit association.

I started this blog in December 2007 after reading in Page Six that Mona’s and Sophie’s, two bars that I spent some time in, were for sale. For some reason, I got the idea to maybe document the end of days at the bars via a blog.

Anyway, before much more happened, with both the blog and the bars, we learned in early 2008 that Mona’s and Sophie’s would remain open.

And that was that. I wrote in a post that the bars were safe, and the site was going away. However, for some reason, Jeremiah Moss of Vanishing New York found the blog. He encouraged me to continue, to focus on other closings and activities in the neighborhood. So I did, changing the name of the site to EV Grieve.

I've always loved this neighborhood, for better or worse, and I probably always will. That sounds corny, but it's true. That drives me more than anything.

I'm not sure really what's next for the site. We'll see how this goes. [Updated: I'm not planning on shutting down the site right this moment ... I'll keep posting for the time being...]

I apologize to my friends, acquaintances and neighbors as well as various bartenders who were unaware that I was behind the site, especially when you asked me "Did you see this at EVG...?" I wanted to say, "Funny you should mention that…" but it always seemed so awkward. (Having had to do this several times, it was.)

Thank you to everyone who takes the time to visit the site, to leave a comment, pass along a tip. And thank you to all the people who have been contributing on a regular basis through the years (Derek Berg, Dave on 7th, Michael Sean Edwards, Stacie Joy, James Maher and Bobby Williams, among many others).

See you around, though hopefully not while I'm carrying my FroYo in a hoof.

Week in Grieview

[Avenue A sinkhole photo via Lola Sáenz]

Birthday wishes for Nicholas Figueroa on 2nd Avenue (Wednesday)

East Village Cheese makes move to Seventh Street official (Sunday)

Excel Art and Framing Store relocating nearby on Third Avenue (Monday)

Rallying for stronger rent regulations in NYC (Wednesday)

Rumors and sales at New York Central Art Supply (Tuesday)

Out and About with Sharon Jane Smith (Wednesday)

Dog walker reportedly traded Sugar for PCP (Sunday)

Work underway on the new residential conversion on East Seventh Street (Friday)

Babu Ji now open on Avenue B (Tuesday)

Residents launch petition to oppose method of operation for Albert Trummer's new cocktail bar on Avenue C (Thursday)

Major changes coming to University Place and East 13th Street (Friday)

Former Mary Help of Christians lot now ready for 82 market-rate condos (Monday)

A mini-pitch for East 12th Street (Tuesday)

Harry & Ida’s Meat and Supply Company now open on Avenue A (Wednesday)

16 affordable apartments now available at the incoming 331 E. Houston St. (Tuesday)

Action in the pits and new renderings along East 14th Street (Monday)

A piano for Astor Place (Monday)

Have you tried the Gnocco-Cafe Pick Me Up combo? (Tuesday)

Cleaning up 444 E. 13th St. (Wednesday)

Construction watch: 321 E. Third St. (Thursday)

Tink's has closed on East Seventh Street (Monday)

Former Luca Bar space for rent on St. Mark's Place (Monday)

At 37 Avenue B, residents want their Credit Union retail tenant to pay more rent (Wednesday)

Fasta closes on St. Mark's Place (Tuesday)

Check out the new butt-friendly Citi Bike seats (Monday)

Drilling at the former Second Avenue BP station (Friday)

Looking good on East 14th Street

Spotted outside the Immaculate Conception Church flea market on East 14th Street at First Avenue this morning… if you are interested in these items, then please see the hot dog vendor inside.

Large tree branch down in Tompkins Square Park

Thanks to EVG reader Colleen Egan for sharing these photos this morning … of a large branch that, at least from the top photo, looks as if it came down nearly on top of Temperance Fountain…



The tree (is this an elm?) branch looked rotted out on the inside.

Updated 10:11 a.m.

Here are more photos via EVG reader bonatron9000…







… and via EVG reader Bayou…

I want to believe

EVG regular Spike noticed what could be a UFO... or maybe swamp gas ... over the neighborhood this evening.

Perhaps there are other theories...

The 2nd Avenue Festival is today (on 2nd Avenue)

Today's street festival is brought to you by the Cooper Square Committee.

Technically, yes, it is a Street Fair! But there are some local businesses involved, aside from the usual stuff (tube socks, fried calamari in a hoof, etc.).

As for local businesses, B&H Dairy owners Fawzy and Ola Abdelwahed will be selling T-shirts, as they did during the Second Avenue Street Fair back on May 9...


[Photo from May 9 by Derek Berg]

B&H has yet to reopen after the deadly gas explosion on March 26.

The festival is from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. today… from East 14th Street to East Sixth Street.

The first Zeppoles-Funnel Cake-Leomonade-Fruit Punch truck was just setting up when we were touring the Festival grounds walked by this morning …



… here are two shots of vendors setting up via Derek Berg…





Updated 1:57 p.m.


[Photo by Vinny & O]

Closing time at the Odessa for the night

Earlier this morning at the Odessa, 119 Avenue A. Photo by Michael Sean Edwards

Noted

@evgrieve Mace comes in such cute packaging now. pic.twitter.com/fNoGX9GRx4

— EdenBrower (@edenbrower) June 12, 2015

Demon drop

"Boys," the latest record from Crocodiles, came out on May 12. Slightly underwhelmed by the effort to date, though this track, "Crybaby Demon," grew on us.

The wait for the Fuku fried chicken sandwich

[The line on East 10th Street around noon today]

EVG reader Chad Solomon stopped by the hyped-up Fuku, the new quick-serve fried chicken sandwich place from Momofuku's David Chang that opened Wednesday at 163 First Ave. just north of East 10th Street.

Here's what he had to say:

"Line was around the corner — took us about 35 minutes to get inside to order but then another 45 to wait for the food, so an hour and 20 minutes total. But my God was it worth it — crispy and flavorful on the outside, nice and juicy inside."

Fuku is currently only open Wednesday-Sunday for lunch from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

EV Grieve Etc.: A change in leadership at Cooper Union; a gallery show for Christo & Dora

[Photo outside Gem Spa via Derek Berg]

Cooper Union president resigns amid tuition controversy (DNAInfo)

Drilling underway at former Streit’s Matzo Factory on Rivington (BoweryBoogie)

Leather boutique The Cast closes for now on Orchard Street (The Lo-Down)

Marcha Cocina opens on Avenue C (Bedford + Bowery)

A visit to Bar 169 on East Broadway (Gothamist)

Screening tonight: "Rumble Fish," "Never Too Young to Rock" and Stephanie Gray's Super 8MMs (Anthology Film Archives)

Swans fans take note (Flaming Pablum)

Inside "The Wolfpack" (ABC News)

A visit to the Merchant's House on East Fourth Street (The Villager)

Will the 90-year-old Palm Restaurant return? (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

"New York City turns out to be just a massive cesspool of hazardous waste" (Curbed)

Record executive on why he didn't sign the Clash (Dangerous Minds)

... and in the past few years, you've likely seen some of Goggla's photos of red-tailed hawk parents Christo and Dora (and their numerous offspring) ... now there's an exhibit of her work titled "Christo and Dora: Recent Photographs by Laura Goggin." There's a reception tomorrow from 4-7 p.m. at the Crony Gallery, 437 E. 12th St. #26, between First Avenue and Avenue A (it is a fifth-floor walkup). Find more info here.


[Photo by Goggla]

Major changes coming to University Place and East 13th Street

Last October, a tipster who lives on East 13th Street and University Place said that the whole corner would be demolished — from University Place Gourmet on the corner to Bennie Louie Chinese Laundry a storefront away on the side street. At the time, we didn't get any other confirmation that anything was imminent.

Until now.



The signs went up last week noting that Bennie Louie Chinese Laundry is closing for good after today… (Jeremiah Moss first noted this last week.)





And yesterday, several EVG readers told us that University Place Gourmet has closed after 30 years of the current ownership (47 years in business total).



The owners left a heartfelt goodbye…



Back to the tipster in the fall.

Apparently the buildings that house University Place Gourmet, the doggy day care and Benny Louie Laundry have all been sold to one person and will be coming down. I was in Benny Louie this morning and was told the new owner came by and advised that they have about 6 months before they will need to get out.

To date though, nothing has shown up yet in public records to note a sale… or impending demolition.

There's a lot of new luxury development along this corridor. Bowlmor Lanes, University Place Gourmet's former neighbor, closed last July … and is being replaced by a 23-story residential building. There are other condos projects in the works along this corridor, so might as have one more.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Building that houses Bowlmor Lanes will convert to condos, like everywhere else around here

76-year-old Bowlmor Lanes closes for good today

Bowlmor says goodbye

[Updated] Work underway on the new residential conversion on East 7th Street

[October 2011]

It was all the way back in October 2011 when we first heard about Villa Capri, a new residential building coming to 222 E. Seventh St. just west of Avenue C.

The sign eventually disappeared, as did any chatter about the project. However, in December 2013, the city signed off on the application for the new building. Plans show that the current single-family residence will nearly double in size… with an additional two floors on the way. The plans show eight dwelling units in total.

And the point of all this is to say work has started at No. 222, which looks rather hallowed out now…



No word just yet if the development is still going by Villa Capri, which sounds like a resort in St. Lucia or something.

As we pointed out previously, the address was the onetime studio of famed sculpturist Louise Nevelson.

Updated 10:10 a.m.

Oh! Somehow we missed the rendering on the plywood... here's what's to come... (thanks Dave on 7th!)



Previously on EV Grieve:
Villa Capri condos coming to Seventh Street

Drilling at the former 2nd Avenue BP station

We've been waiting for something construction-y to happen at the former BP station on Second Avenue at East First Street. Workers removed the iconic pumps and underground tanks in December.

The Deal Deal reported back in the fall that a new development with 50,000 square feet of condominiums and 7,000 square feet of retail is on the way. However, permits for a new building are not on file yet with the Department of Buildings. (The most recent permit is for the construction fence! Woo!)

But there is a some sort of drilling rig contraception (or is this a quinzhee?) … drilling and soil testing at the site now.

Also, is anyone going to see that Morrissey-Blondie show June 27 at the Garden?



Previously on EV Grieve:
RUMOR: Gas station going, boutique hotel coming on Second Avenue? (31 comments)

BP station on 2nd Avenue closes this month

The 2nd Avenue BP station has closed

Report: 50,000 square feet of condos coming to the former 2nd Avenue BP station

Permits filed to demolish former 2nd Avenue BP station

It was so hot today that East 9th Street started melting

[Photo by William Klayer]

Well, OK but there is a sinkhole forming just west of Second Avenue. So take extra care then when crossing the street here without looking in either direction.

Problems finding an apartment?

From the Post:

Almost 99 percent of Manhattan rentals are currently occupied, according to a new market report.

The vacancy rate is now 1.07 percent, the lowest it has been in three years, Citi Habitats reports.

Last year at this time, Manhattan vacancies were at 1.17 percent.

Read the whole article here.

Thursday's best

Photo on Second Avenue today via Derek Berg

Here's the new-look 137 Avenue C

[Old-look No. 137 from April 2014]

After nearly a year of building-wide renovations that saw the addition of an extra floor at 137 Avenue C, workers this week removed the construction netting from the new-look structure, as EVG regular Dave on 7th tells us …

And now!



… and some views from East Ninth Street and La Plaza…





For awhile the site seemed to be some kind of construction miracle, with the remains of the building — just the north wall and some joists — held up by some scaffolding and not much else.

Thoughts on the new building? (The old version did have a bit of a lean to it.)

Approved DOB permits show one residential unit (condo?) on each floor… with a ground-floor retail tenant. The DOB lists Ramy Issac, no stranger to the East Village, as the architect of record.

As for the retail space, we understand that a bar-restaurant of some sort is in the works. (The applicant withdrew from the November 2014 CB3/SLA licensing meeting.) The building's ground-floor was home to drunker-brunch hotspot Sunburnt Cow until April 2014.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Renovations in store for 137 Avenue C, home to the Sunburnt Cow

The Sunburnt Cow closes for good at the end of this month

137 Avenue C, hollow on the inside

137 Avenue C — still standing!

137 Avenue C getting its extra floor

Residents launch petition to oppose method of operation for Albert Trummer's new cocktail bar on Avenue C

[Image via Buchbinder & Warren]

On Monday night, CB3's SLA committee gave the OK to mixologist Albert Trummer to open a cocktail lounge/tapas bar at 16 Avenue C (aka 262 E. Second St.).

Despite the committee's thumbs up for Trummer — who made headlines for his flaming concoctions at the Prohibition-era styled Apothéke in Chinatown — members of the tenants association at 262 E. Second St. are circulating a petition to oppose part of the unnamed bar's plans, such as the DJ and hours of operation, approved at 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.

According to the petition:

The Community Board approved because the SLA (State Liquor Association) would approve the license and that if the board actually denied it (which they were inclined to do) it would have meant that the SLA would grant the license and the establishment could stay open until 4am. A motion was passed and the establishment can be open 7-days a week from 5pm-2am. Apparently this falls under the 500-foot rule. Since there are only 2 other establishments within 500 feet of 14 Avenue C holding full liquor licenses it makes it very easy for 14 Avenue C to secure a new license.

Albert Trummer, the new owner, is proposing to serve $1,600 bottles of champagne and there was bottle service listed on the menu that he submitted to the board – including $375 bottles of vodka and a single cocktail priced at $300. Mr. Trummer wants to have a DJ for “background music” and serve "tapas" style food, though there is no kitchen (except a "prep kitchen" which consists of a countertop). 

We support the #SAVENYC mission and understand that this is a small business that wants to open. However, this particular business is completely incongruous to the neighborhood and we fear the collateral damage it could inflict on the other small businesses on the block...

Neighbors include Barrier Free Living, a shelter for homeless men and women with mobility impairments and/or severe medical problems.



The petition mentions that Trummer was arrested when he ran Apothéke. According to published reports, FDNY investigators arrested Trummer in 2010 after setting alcohol aflame on the bartop at Apothéke on Doyers Street. He was charged with reckless endangerment and criminal nuisance, both misdemeanors. After the arrest, he told the Times: "My intention was not to hurt anybody. I'm an artist. I'm a mixologoist. I'm a cook. But I'm not a pyrotechnic maniac."

Anyone interested in signing the petition can contact the tenants association via email here

14 Avenue C was previously home to Adinah's Farm, the market that closed for good last June.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Mixologoist Albert Trummer looking to bring a cocktail bar to Avenue C

Construction watch: 321 E. 3rd St.

Here's how 321 E. Third St. is looking … where a 6-floor, 30-unit apartment building is on the rise between Avenue C and Avenue D.

The rendering showing a cinder-block box isn't much to look at…



We don't know too much about this project other than that Queens-based Venetian Management LLC is listed as the owner on DOB records. Gerald J. Caliendo is listed at the architect of record.

Approved permits show that the building is residential-only (meaning no retail), with a bicycle storage room in the basement and a "recreation space" on the roof.

The property sits across the street from another newish building — The Robyn.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Another parcel of East Village land ready for development

Plywood arrives at East 3rd Street lot, site of incoming 6-floor apartment building