Tuesday, December 9, 2014

More about the world's smallest screening room coming to Two Boots on Avenue A



This past weekend, we noted that Two Boots was ending its 18-year run renting movies.

Two Boots Video closed in the fall of 2008, with a much smaller rental collection merging next door in the pizzeria. (And their great Pioneer Theater RIP'd in November 2008. The video space and Pioneer Theater are now part of the Upright Citizens Brigade.)

Meanwhile, as the posters on the pizzeria's doors on Avenue A and East Third Street promise, the Pioneer Jr. is on the way … dubbed as "The world's smallest screening room."

We reached out to Two Boots owner Phil Hartman for more details.

"We had 18 great years at Two Boots Video and stubbornly kept the little nook going way longer than we ever envisioned — even though barely anyone rents DVDs anymore," Hartman told us via email.

Now it's time to transition to something else.

"We're putting a big screen in that little space, with a cool table made from a refurbished Two Boots sign, and probably about seven stools, so that folks can screen films while eating pizza and drinking pitchers of beer," said Hartman, who added that they're putting in a beer tap on the counter. "It will be a mini-tribute to The Pioneer Theater and a way for us to keep our love of movies alive."

He hopes that the Pioneer Jr. will be up and running before Dec. 25.

In other Two Boots movie-related news, the Saint Nic pizza makes its annual appearance starting on Dec. 19.

As Hartman said, it's a tribute to Nicolas Cage, "the saint of overheated movie acting."

Previously on EV Grieve:
Two Boots is getting out of the video rental business on Avenue A

Support Tompkins Trees


[Click on map for a better view]

Michael Natale, a longtime LES resident, has been keeping tabs on the trees in Tompkins Square Park for the past three years.

Back in the summer, he unveiled an updated map (above) of the Park's trees. (You can find more info at his Tompkins Trees site.)

He's now looking for some financial help to keep the project going ... and he offers an explanation in a post:

I’ve brought the map to a point where I feel it needs to be printed. But doing a professional print run is absurdly expensive. I am asking for donations from the community to support The Tompkins Trees Project. I am hoping to get enough support to be able to finance a large enough print run to make future printed maps affordable to the public.

There are more details in this video...

Bendy thing action at a suddenly taller 185-193 Avenue B

[Photo yesterday by Bobby Williams]

Work has really picked up in recent weeks over at 185-193 Avenue B ... where it looks as if the crew is near the top of the 7-story mixed-used residential building going up at the corner here at East 12th Street.

In total, the building will have 41 dwelling units ... as well as house the Elim Pentecostal Church.

Bendy thing and the workers were still at it last night around 6...


The site has been a source of aggravation for neighbors since demolition started in July 2012... and even before, dating back to the fire that nearly destroyed the building in October 2006.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Inside the Charles

Former landmark countercultural theater now for rent on Avenue B

7-story building in the works to replace former countercultural theater/church on Avenue B

Construction site at 185 Avenue B remains shut down for now

[Updated] The 'insane' noise and pounding are back at 185 Avenue B

The Marshal seizes Wechsler's Currywurst and Bratwurst on 1st Avenue


Yesterday, the Marshall seized Wechsler's Currywurst and Bratwurst at 120 First Ave. near East Seventh Street.

A listing for the space arrived on the market back in the April. The rent was listed as $9,004.07 per month … and with a "motivated seller," per the ad.

Wechsler's opened in April 2009.

BARA debuts on East 1st Street

BARA, a French/Japanese restaurant, opened last night at 58 E. First St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

As we first reported last month, BARA's menu is from Momofuku vet Ian Alvarez.

You can hit their Twitter account for more info. (They just have a placeholder website for now.)

Prima closed in August after nearly three years in this location. In a refreshingly honest assessment, Prima's owners said that they closed because they just weren't busy enough.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Momofuku-French Louie vets opening BARA on East 1st Street

Monday, December 8, 2014

Noted

Tweets arriving now ahead of the blessed event this Saturday...





Details on the SantaCon 2014 destination will be released Friday.

A 14-screen Regal Cinemas theater with electronic reclining seats coming to the LES



Crain's has the story on the first tenant for Essex Crossing:

The theater chain, owned by Regal Entertainment Group, will take 65,000 square feet in the base of a 315-foot-tall rental apartment building to be built at 115 Delancey St., on the southeast corner of Essex Street. Construction is expected to begin in the spring and be completed by late 2017 or 2018.

The lease, which stretches for 15 years, is the first signed for the 1.9 million-square-foot development known as the Seward Park mixed-use development project.

The multiplex will stand at the corner that long housed the Olympic Restaurant and Jade Fountain liquor store.

[EVG file photo]

The Lo-Down got a copy of the official Regal news release. Among the theater amenities:

• Recliners for every guest to provide more room, comfort and true luxury.
• Each recliner has an electric control for multiple positions and features padded footrests.
• Digital projection in every auditorium to provide a crystal-clear picture.
• Real D 3D projection systems available for 3D enhanced presentations.
• Stadium seating provides each moviegoer a clear view of the screen.

Seafood market in the works for the International Bar space on 1st Avenue



Back in September, we reported that the International Bar was hoping to move next door from its current home on First Avenue to the former South Brooklyn Pizza space.

Preparations to move the bar and add a pizzeria with slices to go here between East Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place are underway.

Meanwhile, there are also plans to turn the soon-to-be-former International space into a seafood market.

International owner Molly Fitch, who along with Shawn Dahl, reopened the bar in June 2008, said that the new venture at 120 1/2 First Ave. will be called The Liquor Seafood Market + Bar.

With time left on the current lease, Fitch said that she wanted to "open a much-needed place to get fresh fish in the neighborhood."

During the day, the space will operate as a traditional retail outlet for fresh seafood… and in the evening, the market will give way to a more traditional bar-restaurant environment with a 2 a.m. closing time. (Amended this last sentence to add the restaurant part and closing time!)

Fitch shared part of a sample menu with us.



Helping Fitch with the market is Sebastian Jaramillo, a former chef with Porsena on East Seventh Street.

CB3's SLA committee will hear plans for this alteration during tonight's monthly meeting.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The International eyeing move next door to the former South Brooklyn Pizza space

Maybe 67 Avenue C will eventually look like this random building some day



As we've pointed out, a residential building is rising from part of the former Kingdom Hall that was owned by the Jehovah's Witnesses at 67 Avenue C.

According to DOB permits, we're looking at a 7-story, 7-unit residential building with a ground-floor retail space here next to the laundromat at East Fifth Street. The building will be topped off by a duplex penthouse.

To date, we hadn't seen a rendering. And then this appeared on No. 67's plywood last week…



Looks nice like a nice building, wherever it is supposed to be. Wrong address, size, neighborhood, etc.

Previously on EV Grieve:
First sign of the new 7-floor condo rising above the Jehovah's Witnesses on Avenue C

The former Gracefully space is for rent



Gracefully closed for good at 28 Avenue A back on Nov. 18.

We didn't hear any official reason for the closure. One worker claimed that it was because of the New York Sports Club opening soon in the building's upper floors.

However, it doesn't appear that Gracefully closed because the gym needs the former market. Signs are up now noting the storefront is for rent. (We haven't spotted any listings online with rent details.)

As previously noted, there is a Gracefully on First Avenue in Stuy Town … and one remains under construction on East 23rd Street.

Plus! Bill the Libertarian Anarchist confirmed that a Gracefully is on the way to Eighth Street at Fifth Avenue…



Previously on EV Grieve:
Gracefully is closing on Avenue A

Sidewalk bridge arrives on Houston and Avenue B



Last Tuesday evening, debris from atop the corner building on Avenue B at East Houston fell, reportedly breaking the foot of a 57-year-old man passing by on the sidewalk.

On Friday, workers arrived to erect a protective sidewalk bridge.



The FDNY promptly ordered a structural stability inspection and logged a complaint with the Department of Buildings. There aren't any work permits on file yet on this long-vacant building.

Given that mostly nothing has happened here the past few years, we imagine that the sidewalk bridge will be up for some time… perhaps even breaking an EV record in the process.

H/T EVG reader Magic Brian

Previously on EV Grieve:
Cleaning out the long-closed liquor store on Avenue B and East Houston

Is something finally happening to the long-vacant, mysterious 6 Avenue B?

Something new for the old fortress of East 7th Street



Korzo Haus, the deep-fried burger place on East Seventh Street just west of Avenue B, closed at the end of October.

On Saturday, EVG regular Dave on 7th spotted workers, uh, working on the exterior.

According to one of the workers, here's what's next: "Coffee place, take out. American cuisine."

Whatever the place will be, it appears that the new owners have apparently opted not to keep Korzo's fortress look.

Extra Place now graffiti free (for the moment)



On Friday, someone painted over all the tags in Extra Place…



the seven-years-in the-making-and-failing-so-far pedestrian mall behind the former alley behind CBGB…



Not sure why the tags were painted over. Because someone deemed them unsightly? Too make way for some new art project? Patrons of the recently opened Momofuku Ko didn't like looking at them?

Dunno!

As for the Momofuku Ko here that took the place of the restaurants Heidi and Extra Place… Per Eater:

Momofuku Ko... has raised the price of dinner to $175, an increase of $50 over the old menu. With that higher cost come more indulgences: the two-Michelin-starred restaurant has lengthened the menu to 17-courses.

So what does this all mean for your wallet? A meal for two at Ko, after tax and tip, will cost $451, a 40 percent hike over the old cost of $322. Add on beverage pairings at $155, and a dinner date will run you $851.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A look inside the incoming Momofuko Ko on Extra Place

With new restaurant opening, will Extra Place finally become a dining destination?

Extra Place now officially a Dead End

Extra Place and Heidi currently 'closed for renovation' in Extra Place

Espoleta now serving tapas and stuff on the Bowery



Forcella Bowery recently closed … and it didn't take long for a new tenant to revamp the space at 334 Bowery.

Espoleta is now open and serving tapas and the like … here's the menu…



Urban Daddy got the first look at the interior and dishes if you're interested in seeing more.

Forcella's take-out Slice of Naples remains open next door, as BoweryBoogie reported.

Previously on EV Grieve:
On the Bowery, Forcella pizza shows a sign, Twitter account

Sunday, December 7, 2014

Week in Grieview



A night of protests over the grand jury decision not to indict the NYPD officer involved in the Eric Garner chokehold case (Thursday … and later)

City deems East Village Bed & Coffee an illegal hotel on Avenue C (Tuesday)

Simone Martini Bar closed for good (Monday)

Farewell De Robertis (Friday)

Discussing that explosion/bang/boom (Friday, 35 comments)

Out and About with Arthur Nersesian (Wednesday)

Movement underway to reoccupy the Yippie Museum (Thursday)

Two dessert closures on Second Avenue (Thursday)

Fresh & Co. coming to former Pie Face space on Fourth Avenue (Monday)

Decking the halls at 7B (Tuesday)

A new laundromat for Avenue B (Tuesday)

Dee Dee Ramone exhibit opens next week (Wednesday)

Fire at 251 E. Houston St. temporarily closes Gaia Cafe (Monday)

The ABCs of a new mural on Avenue C (Tuesday)

S & P Liquor & Wine back in business on East 5th Street (Thursday)

More about the End of Avenue A Block Association (Friday)

A bar called Matty's in the works for Idle Hands on Avenue B (Wednesday)

176 E. 3rd St. changes hands for the third time in seven years (Friday)

d.b.a is temporarily closed for renovations (Thursday)

Checkers check (Friday)

Don't dress up as Santa for this happy hour special (Monday)

and on Tuesday morning, the Keith Haring sculpture arrived outside 51 Astor Place… it was still a little dark out, so our photos, well — they sucked… these are a little better…





… and we do enjoy the rotating monthly murals at Mikey Likes It on Avenue A… This month's Flavor of the Month is Home Alone.

[Updated] Maharlika is closed for now



Several readers have pointed out that Maharlika, the well-regarded Filipino restaurant on First Avenue at East Seventh Street, has been closed the past few days.

A sign on the door states: "Due to building complications, the Maharlika kitchen is not able to operate."



Would-be diners are directed to Jeepney, Maharlika's other restaurant a few blocks up First Avenue.

The sign coincides with a DOH closure dated Thursday…



According to the DOH, there were 41 violation points, including for evidence of various critters.

Updated: Maharlika reopened on Dec. 11.

E-xciting news from Gem Spa


[Photo by Derek Berg]

Yesterday morning, a worker arrived at Gem Spa, one of our favorite places… to finally fix the E in the Gem here on Second Avenue and St. Mark's Place…

And now!





And then there was 1 floor



The Salvation Army's former East Village Residence on the Bowery at East Third Street is nearly gone… Goggla's photo from Friday shows the remains of the ground floor.

Workers are demolishing the building to make way for a 13-floor, 30,000 square-foot mixed-use residential development.

Saturday, December 6, 2014

Two Boots is getting out of the video rental business on Avenue A



The pizzeria has been selling off its DVD collection from the Two Boots Video Nook the past few days.

Probably not a shocker. Does anyone rent movies anymore?



Anywhere, we hear that the DVDs are going for $1, Blu-Ray and new releases $5, and Criterion Collection films $10.

But! The sign outside the pizzeria on Avenue A and East Third Street promises something new...



The Pioneer Jr. "The world's smallest screening room." OK!

Two Boots Video closed in the fall of 2008, with a much smaller rental collection merging next door in the pizzeria. (The video space and Pioneer Theater are now part of the Upright Citizens Brigade.)

Thank you to @geofffree for the tip!

Clinton Street Baking Company expansion underway



EVG reader Magic Brian passed along these photos yesterday… showing workers plywooding up the southeast corner of East Houston and Clinton Street.



As BoweryBoogie first reported back in June, pancake-line-waiting hotspot Clinton Street Baking Company will expand into the space last held by Min's Market.

Co-owner DeDe Lahman shared this with Gothamist Thursday:

The new space will boast 55 seats — up from 32 in the old space — which should help ease some of the brunch time congestion. Lahman says the old space will also stay open, eventually transitioning into more of a take out spot for coffee, baked goods and pickup orders. "The rest of the plans for that spot will take shape as we open the new space and suss out what will work for us and our guests," she explains.

And the space today…

If you like songs, caroling and storytelling



Several East Village residents are among the talented collection of singers who are taking part in this tonight…

An evening of song, caroling and storytelling
7:30 pm
Gustavus Adolphus Church
155 E. 22nd St.
FREE

The church is between Third Avenue and Lexington…

Friday, December 5, 2014

Thank you and good night



EVG reader William Klayer was outside De Robertis around 8 p.m. when the family closed the gate for business for the last time at 176 First Ave. The last words were a simple, "That's all she wrote."

Previously on EV Grieve:
Ugh: The 110-year-old DeRobertis Pasticceria and Caffe closes after Dec. 5 (43 comments)

Search continues for missing Stuy Town resident



We were asked to repost this information from the Town & Village Blog:

Police are looking for Andreas Robbins, a 25-year-old resident of Stuyvesant Town who was last seen on Monday leaving his apartment at 521 East 14th Street.

He is described as being 6’1” tall and thin, weighing 200 pounds. He has brown eyes and black hair. He also has a prominent birthmark on the right side of his nose and tattoos on both shoulders and his right wrist. Robbins’ family said he may be wearing a grey herringbone dresscoat and a scarf.

Robbins’s parents Elsa Stamatopoulou and Bruce Robbins have also requested that anyone with information contact them at (212) 431-5872 or (917) 318-9707. Fliers have been posted at places Robbins frequents.

Anyone with information that could help in the investigation is also asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). You may also submit tips online.

Over the 'Rainbow'



Helmet led by former EV resident Page Hamilton is performing its 1994 release "Betty" in its entirety on Feb. 21 at the Bowery Ballroom. The show is already sold out... but maybe there'll be another one...

Here's a track from that record — "Wilma's Rainbow."

4:24 p.m., 176 First Ave., Dec. 5



So much for De Robertis closing at 3 today… the crowds keep coming in… not much product left, though.

A Fox 5 crew left just before 4.

Photo via EVG reader Robert F.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Ugh: The 110-year-old DeRobertis Pasticceria and Caffe closes after Dec. 5 (43 comments)

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning Edition


[Photo along the East River Monday by EVG reader Barret Swatek]

Photos from last night's Eric Garner protests (Gothamist)

Here's the rendering for 190 Bowery, now on the market (BoweryBoogie)

Lypsinka back in the East Village (New York Post, ticket info. here)

Owners of Terroir and Hearth are parting ways after 11 years (Eater)

Inside one of the luxury residences at the former Hungarian synagogue on East Seventh Street (New York Post)

Q-and-A with Julie Cohen, director of "The Sturgeon Queens," a documentary about Russ & Daughters (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

Marky Ramone on life in the East Village (Bedford + Bowery)

Ho-ho-ho: Sen. Hoylman pushes booze-free SantaCon (The Villager)

New exhibit provides a portal between the Lower East Side and Tehran, Iran (DNAinfo)

LGBTQ history on Cooper Square and the Bowery (Off the Grid)

Demolition prep work for Essex Crossing (The Lo-Down)

Holiday shopping in the city 100 years ago (Ephemeral New York)

Vincent D’Onofrio's has a spoken word punk project (The AV Club)

Watch some rare Raymond Pettibon home movies (Dangerous Minds)

Goodbye De Robertis


[Photo from June 2012 by Gudrun Georges]

After 110 years at 176 First Ave., DeRobertis Pasticceria and Caffe will close its doors for good this afternoon at 3.

The economy, age and health concerns reportedly weighed on their De Robertis family's decision to sell the building.

Meanwhile, leading up to today, there have been a number of tributes to the bakery.

It Was Her New York has a 2-part series ... here and here.

The Daily Beast stops by too.

It is one of those city relics New Yorkers gush about without ever darkening its door — or only go when they learn it’s shutting down. “I’ve passed this place a thousand times but never came in,” says Ranesh, who grew up in Staten Island and has lived in Park Slope for 20 years. “You take it for granted and think it will always be here.”


[Photo from June 2012 by Gudrun Georges]

Previously on EV Grieve:
174-176 First Ave. is in contract

[Updated] 110-year-old DeRobertis Pasticceria and Caffe looks to be closing once the building is sold

174-176 First Ave., home of DeRobertis Pasticceria and Caffe, is for sale

Let's take a look at the DeRobertis in-house bakery

Ugh: The 110-year-old DeRobertis Pasticceria and Caffe closes after Dec. 5 (43 comments)

What was that?



We went to bed early… and woke up to a whole lot of emails/tweets about an explosion/boom last night after 11 that most everyone from Avenue D to Third Avenue seemed to hear… at this point, we haven't heard any plausible explanations.

And we have power. And not the first time there have been unexplained booms/explosions/jet landings.

Updated 10:04 a.m.

An EVG Facebook friend points us to this Newsweek article ... which notes: "Protesters on Twitter claimed police deployed LRAD 'sound cannons' to control crowds" during last night's Eric Garner rallies.

176 E. 3rd St. changes hands for the 3rd time in 7 years


[Via Stone Street Properties]

Catching up to some news from last week. A package of buildings dubbed "The East Side Elevator Portfolio" has sold for a reported $126.3 million.

The portfolio features four Upper East Side properties as well as 176 E. Third St., a 48-unit building between Avenue A and Avenue B. According to the Commercial Observer, investors Nader and Lisa Shalom bought the East Third Street building. The asking price had been $38.5 million.

The Shaloms become the third landlord in seven years here. Icon Realty paid $14 million for No. 176 in August 2007, according to public records. Accusations of harassment and buyout offers followed in the year ahead. Here's a passage on the situation from an article in the Post from September 2008:

“They want to buy people out and renovate the apartment, and then they want to flip the building,” said Heather Gradowski, who pays less than $700 a month for her one-bedroom apartment.

Icon flipped the building a few years later. You can read a little more about the building's recent history in the link below.

There's no word on what No. 176 fetched this time around.

Previously on EV Grieve:
176 E. Third St. hits the market for $38.5 million

More about the End of Avenue A Block Association


[Photo via RyanAvenueA]

Earlier in the week, we noted the arrival of a newly formed (and apocalyptically named) End of Avenue A Block Association.

At the time we thought this was the work of residents. Turns out it is a group of bar/restaurant owners on the block between East Second Street and East Houston.

Jaime Felber, an owner of Boulton & Watt, offered some background via email.

"I approached all the bars on our block to join us, and was happy that Yerba Buena, 2A, the Library and Ella chose to join in," Felber said. "While this was set up by the managers and owners of the bars on our block, we obviously welcome the inclusion of anyone within our community."

There was a small turnout for the meeting. (He said that Boulton & Watt had flyers promoting the meeting up in their windows in recent weeks. He promised to share meeting info with EVG in advance of the next meeting.)

"A few issues regarding sidewalk congestion, noise and consideration of garbage were brought to our attention, and we worked out a basic course of action to hopefully mitigate these problems as best we can."

Felber said that he and one of his Boulton & Watt partners within a few blocks of here.

"So we consider ourselves part of the neighborhood as residents as much as bar operators, and look forward to further conversations." (Residents can use this email for any correspondence with the group.)

Oh, and how about the name — the End of Avenue A Block Association?

"The rather ominous-sounding name we chose for our block association was also pointed out at [the] meeting," Felber said. "Of course we didn't have that intention, but now it's out there, it seems almost a shame to change it."