A look at the former P.S. 64

The former P.S 64 and CHARAS/El Bohio community center on Ninth Street between Avenue B and Avenue C is back in the news after Mayor de Blasio said that his administration would take steps to reacquire the building.

This surprise announcement came during the District 2 Town Hall last Thursday night at P.S. 188, the Island School.

De Blasio didn't expound on the topic any further that night. His spokesperson didn't offer any specifics to follow-up queries from DNAinfo.

A spokesperson for owner Gregg Singer, who bought the property from the city in 1998, said that he has no plans to sell the building. The spokesperson, who said that the city is being a bully, told DNAinfo the appraised value of the property is $60 million, and that Singer "has already poured $80 million into upkeep."

Singer, who wants to turn the landmarked property into a dorm called University Square, continues in a holding pattern while the DOB has a Stop Work Order on the building.

Here are some photos of the building from this past weekend... starting with the 10th Street side...









... and the Ninth Street side...









The wheat-paste posters are nearly 8-inches thick on the plywood...





Preservationist groups and other residents have been opposed to Singer's plans, and want to see a return of the landmarked building to use as a cultural and community center.

As seen on the fence at La Plaza Cultural down on Ninth and C...



The DNAinfo piece also quotes East Village resident Jorge de Yarza, who co-owns the cafe Donostia on Avenue B between Ninth Street and 10th Street. Accordonig to DNAinfo, "he helped gather roughly 900 signatures from locals living within a mile of it in support of the dorm plan, asking the city to allow it to move forward."

"We think this is a completely personal issue with a very vocal minority in my community and we have proved that the vast majority of the immediate community is in favor of this building permit going through as a dorm for Adelphi, because bottom line is it's a 100,000-square-foot eyesore that has been there forever for no reason."

According to the Lo-Down, de Yarza helped Singer support candidates running against Carlina Rivera in District 2’s City Council race last month. Rivera, who won the race, is an ally of outgoing Councilmember Rosie Mendez, who has long opposed the dorm plan.

In an interview with the Lo-Down, Singer's attorney, David Schwartz, "alluded to the possibility of a lawsuit to force the city to sign off on the dorm plan, but expressed hopes that Mendez’s successor will 'do what’s right for the community.'"

In a comment on the previous EVG post on this topic, someone wrote, "To find out the truth regarding 605 E. 9th street see: www.oldps64.com" and signed it Gregg Singer. That website has background on the building, at least from Singer's perspective.

Previously on EV Grieve:
During Town Hall, Mayor announces city's interest in re-acquiring former P.S. 64

Renovations proposed for mysterious 84 2nd Ave.

Renovations are in the works for the mysterious 84 Second Ave. between Fifth Street and Fourth Street.

This address is on Community Board 3's Landmarks Committee docket tonight. (No. 84 falls within the East Village/Lower East Side Historic District. Owners of buildings located within a designated New York City historic district must receive a permit from the Landmarks Preservation Commission before performing any type of work.)

The agenda item reads as follows:

• Certificate of Appropriateness, 84 Second Ave: Exterior work includes façade restoration; storefront alteration; installation of new dormer at roof; elevator, stair and mechanical additions; and rear-yard additions

Betty Sopolsky, the longtime owner, moved away in 2016, around the same time as an LLC with a Hempstead, N.Y., address bought the building for $5.125 million, per public records.

The new landlord, listed on the CB3 paperwork as EA Development Partners, is looking to make some upgrades to the building and long-empty storefront, which is on the rental market ... There are diagrams galore for the proposed work. (Find the PDF here.)


[Click on image for more detail]

The owners are seeking a Certificate of Appropriateness, and this type of permit requires a public hearing at the local community board and LPC offices.

As previously noted, the address has a dark past. This is from The New York Times, dated Jan. 18, 1974:

The nude body of a 40-year-old woman propiretor of a tailor shop that rents tuxedos on the Lower East Side was found bludgeoned to death. The victim was Helen Sopolsky of 84 Second Avenue, near fifth Street, whose shop is one flight up at that address. The motive of the attack was not determined immediately....

As far as some longtime residents can remember, the storefront has remained empty since Helen's death. (Helen was Betty's sister.)

For years (decades?), you could see a plastic-covered dinner jacket in the second-story window with the neon sign that reads "DRESS SUITS TO HIRE." Previous posts have more on this residence ... here and here and here.

The Landmarks Committee meets tonight at 6:30, JASA/Green Residence, 200 E. Fifth St. at the Bowery.

Hotel Tortuga, under new management, will reopen soon still as Hotel Tortuga

One EVG reader confirmed what another reader left in the comments: Hotel Tortuga is currently closed.

However, a reader yesterday said that the Mexican restaurant (with plentiful vegetarian options) on 14th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue will return. Signs on the door say that the space is under new management, and they will reopen soon as Hotel Tortuga.

David and Jean LaPointe opened this Hotel in 2010. They also ran Curly's Vegetarian Lunch one block to the east on 14th Street until the end of 2011 when their lease expired. As Dave LaPointe, a founder of Burritoville, wrote at the time: "[T]he new lease terms proved just too much for a little vegetarian place..."

Oct. 16

EVG reader V.H. McKenzie spotted this Winter Wonderland just-needs-a-good-home (and some water) tree outside the neighborhood on Fifth Avenue and 12th Street tonight... still, it's noteworthy given how easily it would have been for someone to just keep this tree another two-plus months until Dec. 25.

Today's fish-head-on-sidewalk contribution

Spotted on Second Avenue at 11th Street.

Previous contributions are here and here and here.

H/T Bagel Guy!

A morning scene in Tompkins Square Park

Photo today by Derek Berg...

Cafe Orlin signs off

[Photo from yesterday]

As previously reported, Cafe Orlin closed last night after service, wrapping up a 36-year run on St. Mark's Place.

Grub Street reported last month that the Cafe Orlin owner is also the building's landlord, "and a new restaurant will open in its place" here between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

So far, the restaurant hasn't posted any messages on the Cafe's social media properties abut the closure or what might be next.

The chalkboard outside thanks patrons...





There were a handful of thank-yous and goodbyes on social media...

We enjoyed one last dinner at Café Orlin, which closes tonight after 36 years in business. We will miss this place. #nyc #eastvillage pic.twitter.com/bmuggFs5bB

— Christine Champagne (@itsthechampagne) October 15, 2017

After 36 years. Good night. Good bye Cafe Orlin. The last night at the East Village gem and special St. Marks Place institution. So sorry to see it close. NYC. October 2017. @evgrieve @cafeorlin

A post shared by Dan Scheffey (@dan.scheffey) on Oct 15, 2017 at 8:43pm PDT

Previously on EV Grieve:
Cafe Orlin will close next month after 36 years in business (34 comments)

Reports of shots fired on Avenue C and 11th Street

[Photo via @_elkue]

Several EVG readers reported hearing 8-12 gunshots around midnight on Avenue C between 11th Street and 12th Street.

According to Christopher J. Ryan, who shared the below photos, the shots came from the east side of Avenue C outside Avenue C Pharmacy, with bullets hitting a building across the Avenue as well as the bus shelter.





One person was reportedly shot and transferred to Bellevue. It was not known if he/she was the intended target. Police are apparently searching for three suspects one suspect.

Will update the story when more information becomes available.

Updated 8 a.m.

The Post reports that a 29-year-old man was shot multiple times as he was riding a bike along Avenue C.

The cyclist, who was struck once in the torso and once in the arm, managed to flee and took himself to Bellevue Hospital, where he is in serious but stable condition.

Police are looking for one suspect. The Post reports that the victim is cooperating with the NYPD. The article does not say if the man was the intended target.

Updated 10:15 a.m.

Per DNAinfo: "The shooter wore a black hoodie, according to a police source. A black hoodie and a black ski mask were recovered near the site of the shooting, the source said."

--

Here's surveillance video from when the shots were fired on the east side of Avenue C...

Never a dull moment. Here’s a shooting last night outside my house. ( white flashes above the white car )

A post shared by Chris (@chrisryanaction) on Oct 16, 2017 at 12:10am PDT

Unique 4th Street church on the market for development

The three-story building — aka the San Isidoro y San Leandro Western Orthodox Catholic Church of the Hispanic Mozarabic Rite — on Fourth Street between Avenue C and Avenue D is for sale.

The listing for the address describes it as a "religious building" and "former religious assembly space" with potential use as either a single-family home or multiple units. There are unused air rights too.

Here's more about the sale via Cushman & Wakefield:

[T]he building sits on a 24’ x 96’ lot and contains approximately 4,502 SF above grade or 6,810 SF with usable lower level. 345 East 4th Street is in an R8B zone which allows for a total BSF of 9,232 (approximately 4,730 SF of unused air rights are intact).

A new development (of 9,232 SF) could be residential single family/multi-family or Community Facility. The building was formerly used as a religious assembly space and will be delivered vacant upon sale.

It is currently configured with a step-down usable lower level, a former religious assembly space with soaring ceiling height on the first floor which includes mezzanine space, and an owner’s apartment on the top floor. The lower level previously housed building mechanicals but is now used for general storage and can be accessed directly from the street or from the first floor. Lower level and first floor are built full on the lot while the top floor is approximately 51’ deep.

The former religious assembly space benefits from tremendous ceiling heights (20+’) and therefore lends itself well to a user looking for interesting space. The owner’s unit has four rooms plus a kitchen, full bathroom and outdoor roof space. Due to the impending vacancy, the property presents an exceptionally unique opportunity for a developer and/or end user.

Price: $6 million.

According to New York City Songlines, the San Isidoro y San Leandro Western Orthodox Catholic Church of the Hispanic Mozarabic Rite is "named for brothers who were successive bishops in Seville, circa 600 AD. Originally a Russian Orthodox Church, built circa 1895." I do not know when the church last held any type of mass here.

Here are two photos of the interior that I took in 2011 during one of the many weekend rummage sales held here...





... and here's an interior shot via the Cushman & Wakefield marketing materials...



According to public records, Patricio Cubillos Murillo (there are several variations of this name) is the building's owner, with a deed dating to September 1975.

The document on file with the city shows that this building changed hands for $6,000 that year. Here's the first page...


[Click on image for more detail]

29B opening soon on Avenue B

29B, a cafe-retail combo space, is shaping up on Avenue B between Second Street and Third Street.

Here's more about the owners and mission via their website:

Stefen Ramirez and Shin Won Yoon created Tea Dealers with the aim to introduce the highest quality pure, non-blended teas to America. Our tea catalog is a distinctive selection of exceptional teas that focus on cultivation, the artistry of the producer, and the cultural heritage of each origin.

We import teas from India, Japan, Korea, China, and Taiwan and source them directly from the farmers. All of the selections use traditional agriculture methods that do not use pesticides and only natural fertilizers when needed.

In June 2015, they opened a retail outlet in Williamsburg ... followed by a summertime pop-up shop on Canal Street this year.

Aside from serving tea and a food menu, the Avenue B location will sell tea pots, cups, flower vases, etc., and offer tea-related workshops and tastings.

The storefront in the middle of Brunch Row was previously home for seven years to Sigmund Pretzel Shop, which closed last fall.

Corner space at 118 1st Ave. for rent

The owner of the building on the northeast corner of First Avenue and Seventh Street has put up a for rent sign in the corner space ... which has already drawn some commentary...



... to coincide with the commentary that has been on the front door since the previous tenant, Golden Food Market, closed at the end of July after 35 years in business...



The storefront listing isn't online. So there isn't any word of the asking rent.

An LLC with a West 11th Street address bought the building at 118 First Ave. back in the spring for $5.8 million, according to public records.

The Golden Food Market staff said that the lease was up for renewal and the new landlord wanted an increase that was more than they could manage.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Golden Food Market closes on 1st Avenue and 7th Street

Pouring one out for the former Pourhouse!

[Photo Wedensday via @edwardzick]

Back on Wednesday, workers removed the Village Pourhouse neon signage on Third Avenue ... the sports bar closed in April after 10 years of hosting every neighborhood pub crawl...



Workers, for now, did leave some remnants of the Pourhouse on the 11th Street side...



In July, CB3 OK'd a new liquor license for the owners behind the Ainsworth, the upscale sports-bar chainlet with three NYC locations as well as one in Hoboken, N.J., and Las Vegas. No word on an opening date for the Ainsworth East Village.

And someone has kept the memory alive of the tenant that never was — E.Vil, the rock-and-roll bar with big plans and an active Instagram account.


[Photo from early October by Shawn Chittle]

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Village Pourhouse still looks like the Village Pourhouse outside, but E.Vil is on the way

Village Pourhouse is closing on 3rd Avenue; E.Vil is coming soon

An outpost of the Ainsworth vying for former Pourhouse space; E.Vil is not coming

Sunday's parting shot

Becoming zombies on Avenue B via Derek Berg...

Week in Grieview

[Photo in Tompkins Square Park by Derek Berg]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

RIP Bonnie DeWitt (Wednesday)

DA: Man sentenced to 40 years in prison for November 2015 rape in East River Park (Tuesday)

During Town Hall, Mayor announces city's interest in re-acquiring former P.S. 64 (Friday)

The latest installment of I Am a Rent-Stabilized Tenant (Friday)

Dedicating Moises Locón Way and Nicholas Figueroa Way on 2nd Avenue at 7th Street (Saturday)

Ben Shaoul's Bloom 62 going condo on Avenue B (Monday)

First sign of upcoming renovations at the former Webster Hall (Tuesday)

Report: Actress arrested for allegedly trying to push stranger onto Union Square subway tracks (Tuesday)

Space that was 5 restaurants in 1 year now for rent (Friday)

A wedding in Tompkins Square Park (Thursday)

Pop-up Mr. Bing has its grand opening on St. Mark's Place (Friday)

165 Avenue B back on the market, again (Monday)

343 E. 6th St. enlightened by new tenant (Friday)

East Village resident writes and performs "The Bench," opening today (Thursday)

A barber shop coming to 4th Street (Monday)

About the scaffolding at 125 2nd Ave. (Saturday)

The Dessert Kitchen opens on St. Mark's Place (Wednesday)

Work on disaster protection for Haven Plaza underway (Tuesday)

Report: No charges for Sudanese diplomat who allegedly groped woman at Bar None (Monday)

A 12th Street Steiner East Village reveal (Monday)

Shake Shack's Death Star branch opens (Tuesday)

On Tuesday, I noted a partial reveal at 421 E. Sixth St., the building that Peter Brant is converting into an exhibition space. Since Tuesday, construction workers have removed the rest of the scaffolding here between Avenue A and First Avenue...





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Follow EVG on Instragram and/or Twitter for more updates

A short-lived sidewalk-bridge-free section of Avenue C

[Photo from Oct. 6]

In a links roundup on Oct. 7, I posted the above photo noting that workers removed the remaining sidewalk bridge and scaffolding on the west side of Avenue C between Seventh Street and Sixth Street ... in front of the NYCHA-owned buildings.

Per an EVG reader: "I've been living on C for 6 years now and can't remember a day when it wasn't a fixture of the buildings along that stretch of sidewalk."

Anyway, the sidewalk freedom was short-lived... another sidewalk bridge returned this past week...





The DOB webiste doesn't offer much about what's exactly happening with the address (99-103 Avenue C), other than "INSTALLATION OF TEMPORARY SIDEWALK SHED AS PER PLANS."

On the Sixth Street side, the temporary boilers that arrived after Sandy will be celebrating their 5-year anniversary on Oct. 29.

Zombie FYI

The 11th annual NYC Zombie Crawl takes place today... Per the flyer, zombies are congregating starting at 4 p.m. at three neighboring Avenue B establishments — Maiden Lane, Dream Baby and Lucky. Following a zombie crawl, participants will meet at the Continental on Third Avenue before the Zombie Afterparty at Bowery Electric.

More info here.

Dedicating Moises Locón Way and Nicholas Figueroa Way on 2nd Avenue at 7th Street

City officials this morning unveiled the new street blades that co-name the northwest corner of Second Avenue and Seventh Street after Moises Locón, 27, and Nicholas Figueroa, 23, who died in the gas explosion here on March 26, 2015.

Ana and Nixon, parents of Nicholas Figueroa, and Alfredo Locón, brother of Moises Locón, were at the dedication as well as several local elected officials and first responders at the time of the explosion.

This was a healing moment for all. #eastvillage Photo: Cora Cofield pic.twitter.com/rmpHCitVr5

— Rosie Mendez (@RosieMendez) October 14, 2017

Officials say that illegal gas tampering caused the explosion.

Photos by Steven

Previously on EV Grieve:
RIP Nicholas Figueroa

RIP Moises Ismael Locón Yac

A proposal to co-name part of 2nd Avenue and 7th Street after the victims of the 2015 gas explosion

Street co-naming ceremony Saturday for the 2 victims of the 2nd Avenue gas explosion

Kamala lost the viola his father gave him more than 50 years ago

These flyers are up outside the Ottendorfer branch of the New York Public Library on Second Avenue near St. Mark's Place.

On Thursday, Kamala last the viola his father gave him before he turned 17. Kamala is now 70. He lost the viola, which is in a khaki canvas case, either at the Ottendorfer branch or the Sirovich Center on 12th Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

The viola has "purely sentimental value." Kamala is offering a $100 reward for its return. You can leave your contact info at the library or the front office at the Sirovich Center.

EV Grieve Etc.: The films of Stephen King; the end of Noho Star

[Photo on 2nd Avenue Tuesday by Derek Berg]

There's a benefit concert for Puerto Rico in East River Park on Oct. 22 (The Lo-Down)

"Why dirty diplomats can literally get away with murder" (The Post ... previously)

Remembering Bowery Village, a "struggling farming community" (Ephemeral New York)

Stephen King films galore! (Metrograph)

Jimmy Webb's rock 'n' roll boutique now open on the LES (official site ... read my interview with Webb here)

Gettin' Wet with Miss Guy: The Photography of Guy Furrow at Art on A through Nov. 2 (Facebook) ... and scenes from the Mike Diana closing party (Slum Goddess)

Natasha Lyonne checks out a condo above the congregation Adas Yisroel Anshe Meseritz on Sixth Street (6sqft)

The New Museum expanding on the Bowery (BoweryBoogie)

Another look at Club Cumming on Sixth Street (The New York Times)

Spotlight on Estonian Cinema (Anthology Film Archives)

East Village landlords Icon Realty close to securing $425 million loan to build two UES condo towers (The Real Deal)

The Noho Star looks to be closing (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

A "no tipping" lawsuit involves Danny Meyer and David Chang (Eater)

[Updated] Honk if you like...

The 2017 HONK NYC Festival wraps up tomorrow afternoon at multiple East Village/LES locations, starting at the Children's Magical Garden on Stanton Street and ending at La Plaza Cultural on Ninth Street and Avenue C, with a parade along Avenue C in between [Updated: The parade on C is no longer happening] ... it's part of the HONK for MORE Gardens! Procession.

Here's the lineup via Facebook:

Everyone is welcome to join the day's events starting at Children's Magical Garden at 129 Stanton St. near Essex at noon, where we'll have craft & prop-making time accompanied by music from Damas de Ferro of Rio de Janeiro.

• At 2 pm our procession steps off on Stanton to Pitt Street, and we march/dance up Avenue C, ending at La Plaza Cultural Community Garden at approximately 2:45 pm. This is a permitted street parade.
• At 3 pm Liberation Drum Circles will lead a one-hour workshop, free to all, at La Plaza.
• At 4:15 pm Batala New York returns for a performance of Northern Brazilian samba reggae drum rhythms, at La Plaza.
• At 5 pm all welcome to join the procession from La Plaza to DROM on Ave A, for the HONK NYC Closing Party.

Find more details here.

Foiled again

This morning on the Stuy Town side of 14th Street near Avenue A...





Not sure what this was about or if the foil interfered with Qualcomm's Vive 802.11ac Wave 2 4x4 chipsets in the nearby LinkNYC portals.

'Horse' sense

For no particular reason. Q Lazzarus with "Goodbye Horses" from 1988. (The Jame Gumb-Black Stallion mashup video is here.)

[Updated] During Town Hall, Mayor announces city's interest in re-acquiring former P.S. 64

Mayor de Blasio and outgoing City Councilmember Rosie Mendez co-hosted a Town Hall last night at P.S. 188, The Island School, on East Houston Street.

EVG regular Peter Brownscombe shared these photos and this one item of particular interest:

During the proceedings, de Blasio said that a mistake had been made in the past and his administration would take steps to reacquire the former P.S 64 and CHARAS/El Bohio community center on Ninth Street between Avenue B and Avenue C.

The Lo-Down was there, and here is the full P.S. 64 quote:

…the decision made a long time ago by the Giuliani administration was a mistake. For the Giuliani administration to put that building into private hands failed miserably, and we’ve seen the negative effect that has had on the community. So I’m announcing tonight, the city’s interest in re-acquiring that building. We are ready to right the wrongs of the past and will work with Council member Mendez and her successor (almost certainly Carlina Rivera) to get that done.

The mayor did not expound on this.

Some background on this ongoing story. Developer Gregg Singer, who bought the property from the city in 1998, had reportedly been pushing de Blasio's administration to remove a stop-work order that has been in place since 2015.

According to public records, Singer is continuing to retain lobbyist Jim Capalino, a former de Blasio ally, for the remainder of 2017.



Among Capalino's lobbying targets: the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development and the Office of the First Deputy Mayor. Capalino, according to a New York Daily News story in March 2016, steered $50,000 to de Blasio after pushing the city to lift the deed restriction at the Rivington House. (The mayor said in August 2016 that he has cut off contact with the lobbyist in the wake of multiple investigations into his administration, per Politico.)

It was previously reported that Singer has a signed lease with Adelphi University, with hopes of having students move in by the fall of 2018. That move-in no longer seems plausible given the current state of the building.

Preservationist groups and other residents have been opposed to Singer's plans, and want to see a return of the landmarked building to use as a cultural and community center.

Updated 6:30 p.m.

DNAinfo has a comment from Singer's spokesperson.

...Singer has no intention of selling the building, according to his spokeswoman, who said the property is appraised at $60 million and that the owner has already poured $80 million into upkeep.

"Singer has absolutely no plans to give the 'building' back," spokeswoman Nicole Epstein wrote in an email. "The city is trying to be a bully here."

... and you can watch the full 3-hour Town Hall here...



Previously on EV Grieve:
'Misinformation' cited as DOB issues Stop Work Order at the former PS 64; community meeting set for Sunday afternoon

At the rally for the former PS 64 today at City Hall