A bubble tea shop for this long-vacant storefront on 14th Street

Pila de Boba, offering bubble tea, macarons and ice cream, is a new tenant for 328 E. 14th St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

The shop was scheduled to open this past Friday, per its Instagram account.

This space — now divided into two storefronts — has been vacant since Artichoke Basille's Pizza relocated across the street in June 2017. Before the move, the pizzeria suffered damage during a two-alarm fire. The FDNY said the fire was accidental — "due to heat from the pizza oven flue."

Various brokers have been trying to lease this space since early 2018. 

Thanks to Steven for the photo, and Pinch for keeping a watchful eye on the space.

Week in Grieview

Posts this past week included ... (with a Midtown view from Friday)...

• After deadly shooting, fearful residents speak out about the drug activity on Avenue D & 3rd Street (Wednesday) 

• First look at the new residential building for 280 E. Houston St. (Tuesday) 

• New storefront and interior reveal at the fire-damaged Essex Card Shop on Avenue A (Tuesday) 

• A special night for Julia Cumming and Sunflower Bean at Webster Hall (Friday) ... Hello Mary takes the stage at Webster Hall (Tuesday) 

• The Alamo is free on Astor Place (though it's not ready to spin) (Tuesday) 

• Houston Village Farm has closed, the cats have been adopted, and here's what's next (Thursday) 

• A terrible way to try to kill rats (Tuesday) 

• Stuy Town ownership nixes plans for 2 heat and power plants (Monday) 

• Your chance to make your home feel a little like Key Food on Avenue A (Friday) 

• Davey's Ice Cream will reopen on 9th Street (Monday) 

• 'Townhouse-style duplexes' now for sale at the all-new 118 E. 1st St. (Thursday) 

• Calexico team trying Asian-Latin fusion with Big Cat on 2nd Avenue; a move for Keybar (Monday) 

• Moving day for the old Papaya Dog signage on 14th Street & 1st Avenue (Wednesday) 

• Can you Dig it? A new concept for a fast-casual chain on 4th Avenue & 13th Street (Wednesday) 

• Another smoke shop (Monday) 

Thank you to everyone who shared photos from this festive weekend, including D.R. Grimes for this DanceFest photo from yesterday...

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Week in Grieview

Posts from the past week include (with a shot of 1st Avenue at Houston) ...

• A visit to Le Phin, the new Vietnamese cafe on 10th Street (Wednesday) 

• Essex Card Shop is now in its reconstruction phase on Avenue A (Monday) 

• Help for an East Village teacher who lost everything in an apartment fire (Thursday) 

• Bike-lane upgrade underway on Houston (Monday) 

• Commemorating International Transgender Day of Visibility on 2nd Avenue and 2nd Street (Friday) 

• Everytable bringing its fast-casual concept to Avenue B (Tuesday) 

• El Rinconcito makes it signage official at new Avenue C home (Monday) 

• Farewell to Holyland Market on St. Mark's Place (Thursday) 

• Bracing for new construction at the former B Bar & Grill space on the Bowery (Monday) 

• Demolition grinds on at 38-48 2nd Ave. (Thursday) 

• A 1-day strike at Anthology Film Archives (Friday)

• A look at the just-finished mural 'Ukraine: A History in Solidarity' (Wednesday)

• Remembering Taylor Hawkins as Iggy Pop in the 'CBGB' movie (Sunday) 

• Bar Veloce looking to open an outpost on the Bowery (Monday) 

• Openings: Avenue A Deli and Grill (Thursday) 

• Venus Over Manhattan opening a gallery on Great Jones (Wednesday) 

• Coddiwomple makes closure permanent (Tuesday) 

• Former Eileen Fisher space for rent on 9th Street (Tuesday) 

• Discarding an oversized photo of yourself: A cautionary tale (Friday) 

... and always been intrigued by this building on 14th Street near Third Avenue... especially with the new tag on top... 

On the topic of tags... a reader shared this photo... showing that someone tagged the entrange to the luxury Steiner East Village on 12th Street at Avenue A...

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6 posts from January

A mini month in review... with a cold-morning photo from 14th Street. 

• Behold the 21-floor office building that's replacing the B Bar & Grill on the Bowery (Jan. 25) 

• RIP Billy the Artist (Jan. 23) 

• Officials: Police arrest teen accused of starting the fire that destroyed the Essex Card Shop (Jan. 20) 

• A visit to Via Della Scrofa (Jan. 20) 

• A look inside the new Empire Cannabis Clubs on the Lower East Side (Jan. 19) 

• The March Hare is closing so the owners can focus on health and family (Jan. 14)

Week in Grieview

Posts this past week included ... (with a photo of the thank you sign outside the fire-damaged Essex Card Shop on Avenue A by Stacie Joy) ... 

• Officials: Police arrest teen accused of starting fire that destroyed the Essex Card Shop (Thursday) 

• A visit to Via Della Scrofa (Thursday) ... The first look at the all-new Via Della Pace on 4th Street (Friday) 

• A Perfect Ending (Wednesday) 

• Workers finish demolition of the old retail spaces along 250 E. Houston St.; now what's next? (Tuesday)

• A look inside the new Empire Cannabis Clubs on the Lower East Side (Wednesday) 

• Panda Express pulling into this storefront on 14th Street and 1st Avenue (Wednesday) 

• Best wishes to Chef Ronny at Nón Lá Vietnamese Kitchen (Monday) 

• Kim's Video lives on with 'Staff Picks' at Metrograph (Friday) 

• 5 Napkin Burger closes on 3rd Avenue and 14th Street (Tuesday) ... Bonus flashback: Disco Donuts edition (Tuesday) 

• All-new 15 Avenue A REVEALED; Roberta's outpost slated for the retail space (Tuesday) 

• Roosting soon on 14th Street: Wingstop makes it signage official (Tuesday) 

• This block of 3rd Street gets a psychic with $10 specials; 'walk-ins welcome' (Friday) 

• The former Tatsu Ramen space is for lease (Wednesday) 

• Vegan Grill makes it signage official on St. Mark's Place (Wednesday) 

• For your convenience: NYC Convenience coming soon to 13th Street (Monday) 

... and answering the question, "When is an oven _ _ _"  

Above photo on First Avenue by Stacie Joy...

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EVG Etc.: Appreciating the photography of Alex Harsley; visiting a new Chinatown bookstore

Photo of a visiting Cooper's hawk in Tompkins Square Park by Steven 

• Staffing shortages temporarily shutter multiple CityMD sites, including the one on East 14th Street (The Associated Press)

• The latest on the rising number of positive COVID cases in NYC (NBC 4) 

• Teen who survived last Thursday's deadly fire in the Riis Houses recounts his journey to safety down the side of the building (Daily News ... previously on EVG) 

• Restaurant workers rally for better pay and benefits. It took place outside someplace that has done it right: La Palapa on St. Mark's Place, where owner Barbara Sibley pays a base salary of $15 an hour plus tips. "You can't put a value on morale," she told PIX 11. "Having a good morale and taking care of people is priceless." (PIX11 ... amNY) 

• An interview with Alex Harsley, the 83-year-old proprietor of 4th Street Photo Gallery (The Indypendent ... previously on EVG) 

• RIP Ed Higgins III, a longtime Ludlow Street resident and a founding member of the Rivington School collective (BoweryBoogie) 

• Remembering artist and curator Jenni Crain of the Gordon Robichaux gallery on Union Square West. She died from sudden complications related to COVID-19. She was 30. (Hyperallergic) 

• Yu and Me Books, a new bookstore in Chinatown at 44 Mulberry St., highlights works by immigrant authors (NPR) 

• An Amazon outage took out the Citi Bike system this morning (Gothamist) 

• Amelia and Christo keep busy in Tompkins Square Park (Laura Goggin Photography) 

• MANY people have asked if EVG knows what EV pizzeria is talking about in this Ryan Reynolds interview anecdote: "There's a pizza place in the East Village in New York that I've been going to for years. They believe I'm Ben Affleck and I've never corrected them." I have no idea! (NBC News)

Week in Grieview

Posts this past week included (with a photo from Union Square by Derek Berg) ...

• The in-person tree lighting ceremony returns to Tompkins Square Park; save the date for Dec. 12 (Wednesday) 

• Shoring up the fire-damaged Middle Collegiate Church on 2nd Avenue (Monday)

• Random Accessories celebrates 25 years (Thursday)

• Dress Shoppe II will close in early January (Tuesday) 

• Q&A with local band cumgirl8 (Thursday)

• Gallery Watch: 'If Death Ever Learn' at Someday Gallery (Wednesday) 

• Your chance to check out Jimmy Webb's collection of iconic music photography (Tuesday) 

• Someone painted 2 swastikas on the barrier surrounding the 6th Street sinkhole (Monday) 

• Sidewalk bridge arrives ahead of planned demo of former Red Square storefronts (Wednesday) 

• A visit to Howl! Arts/Howl! Archive on the Bowery (Friday) 

• Surf's up for Patagonia on the Bowery (Monday) 

• Jiang's Kitchen is in soft-open mode on St. Mark's Place (Monday) 

• The Irish breakfast makes a triumphant return to St. Dymphna's (Thursday) 

• Openings: Bar Lula on 1st Avenue (Thursday)

• The longest partial moon eclipse in 580 years as seen from 2nd Avenue (Friday)

• Boarding up Papaya Dog (Monday) 

• A tradition like no other returns this holiday season on 9th Street (Sunday) 

• Drunken Dumpling returns (Tuesday) 

• Beyond Sushi will not be reopening on 14th Street (Tuesday) 

• Sweet Village Marketplace opens on 1st Avenue (Sunday) 

• At Key Food: Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more (Monday) 

• Blank Street debuts on Avenue A today (Friday) 

• A new florist for Sunny & Annie's (Monday)

... and a new mural arrived the other day on the NE corner of Sixth Street and First Avenue (outside the Dunkin') ... "Rise by lifting others" by Aída Miró ... thanks to Goggla for the photo...

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Update: the alarm on the BMW outside Sophie’s at 507 E. 5th St. near Avenue A in the East Village is still going off — now 24 hours in. People egged the car, stole the NJ plates and left a passive-aggressive note. pic.twitter.com/wQcRY8oCAr

— evgrieve (@evgrieve) November 15, 2021

Week in Grieview

Posts this past week included (with a photo on St. Mark's Place by Derek Berg) ...

• Southern section of East River Park to mostly close on Nov. 21 as resiliency work begins (Monday) 

• A ghost bike for Borkot Ullah on Avenue B (Wednesday) 

• A campaign to co-name St. Mark's Place and 2nd Avenue 'Club 57 Way' (Wednesday) 

• At the 31st Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade (Tuesday) 

• Could drink and draws be the new neighborhood draw? (Thursday) 

• The latest future development clue from along 250 E. Houston St. (Monday)

• Gallery Watch: 'The Marble Mouth Oracle' at Below Grand (Wednesday)

• Caravan of Dreams turns 30 (Thursday) 

• A look at the menu for the incoming Sweet Village Marketplace, opening soon on 1st Avenue (Thursday) 

 • Vegan Grill coming soon to 58 St. Mark's Place (Thursday) 

• The all-new 21-23 Avenue B comes into view with 2 extra floors (Tuesday) 

• Signs of life (again) at the former Benny's Burritos on Avenue A (Tuesday) 

• Blank Street debuts on the Bowery (Monday) 

• 14th Street outpost of Bagel Boss likely closed through the end of the year (Wednesday)

• Taking a look at the NW corner of 14th Street and 1st Avenue (Tuesday) 

• Joey Bats Café offering a sneak preview outside new Avenue B home (Monday) 

• Openings: Beard Papa's on St. Mark's Place (Thursday) 

• La Colombe taking over the Allegro Coffee Roasters space at Whole Foods Market® Bowery (Thursday) 

• Report: Mermaid Inn to return to 2nd Avenue in 2022 (Wednesday) 

... and there was a report of a car fire on Fourth Street west of Avenue D early this morning (4-5) ... EVG reader Jonathan Calvenna shared this photo... no word on how it started... the FDNY was on the scene for close to an hour, we're told...

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Week in Grieview

Posts from this past week include (with a photo from Tompkins Square Park by Derek Berg) ... 

• First sign of the B Bar & Grill-replacing 21-story office building on the Bowery (Monday)

• Construction hell is consuming the intersection of 1st Avenue at 7th Street (Tuesday) 

• About Hi Noona, serving up unique Korean-influenced juices and smoothies on 12th Street (Wednesday) 

• La Plaza Cultural debuts two free lending libraries (Tuesday) 

• The two-story dining structure that almost was on 4th Street (Monday)

• Indoor masking recommend for vaccinated New Yorkers; local businesses change entry policies (Tuesday) 

• I Am a Rent-Stabilized Tenant (Thursday) 

• Ravi DeRossi is doubling down on Ladybird and Cadence on 7th Street (Thursday) 

• A stop by the newly reopened Pyramid Club on Avenue A (Friday) 

• A farewell, for now, as Pinc Louds hit the road (Tuesday) 

• Late night with Hello Mary (Thursday)

• Remembering Biz Markie (Monday) • Space jam: Planet Taco remains temporarily closed (Thursday) 

• Gutting the former Food Emporium on Union Square (Wednesday) 

• Wegmans makes it sign official on Astor Place, plus other thoughts on the grocer's arrival (Monday) 

• Here's what's coming to the former Brindle Room space on 10th Street (Wednesday) 

• Mug & Cup bringing coffee and juice to Avenue C (Wednesday) 

• Report of a fire at 94 St. Mark's Place (Wednesday) ... and a trash can fire at Nublu (Wednesday)

• Art+Ray debuts salon and gallery space on 9th Street (Friday) 

• Bagel Boss opens on 14th Street (Monday) 

• Gorillas will be in the mix at this 14th Street retail space (Monday) 

• Lucky Star signage arrives on St. Mark's Place (Wednesday) 

• New signage day for the NW corner of 2nd Avenue and St. Mark's Place (Tuesday) 

And thanks to Lola Sáenz (and a few other folks!) who pointed out this towering sunflower on the SW corner of 11th Street and First Avenue...

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Week in Grieview

Posts from this past week included ... (with a photo outside the recently reopened Nowhere on 14th Street)

• RIP Penny Rand (Wednesday) 

• Tenants: Pigeons have made empty apartment a health hazard in this Steve Croman-owned building on 7th Street (Tuesday) 

• You can own the shuttered Avenue A diner Odessa, now for sale on Craigslist (Friday) 

• Cinema Paradiso trying again with CB3 for Avenue A theater-cafe concept (Thursday) 

•  787 Coffee is opening a new location (and office) on 10th Street at 2nd Avenue (Wednesday) 

• Department of Buildings: 202 Avenue A does not have a "valid certificate of occupancy" (Tuesday) 

• Gaia Italian Cafe teases a return (Tuesday) 

• Think Coffee's brand-new curbside dining space catches fire on 4th Avenue (Thursday) 

• Uprooted tree in Tompkins Square Park (Friday) 

• Spiegel said to be returning to 1st Avenue (Wednesday) 

• Food Emporium has closed on Union Square (Monday) 

• Parks Department clears out the encampment from the Tompkins Square Park chess tables (Saturday) 

• Something to sing about: Planet Rose is reopening on Avenue A (Tuesday) 

• Rockwood Music Hall returns with live music (Thursday) 

• Gia signage arrives on the Bowery (Monday) 

• Marinara Pizza makes this corner of 10th Street and 2nd Avenue their own (Tuesday) 

• Stickett Inn bringing its cider to 1st Avenue (Thursday)

• Tony's Pizza debuts on 2nd Avenue (Thursday) 

• New alt.coffee concept vying for former Meatball Shop space on Stanton Street (Tuesday) 

... and yesterday, we're told that the 3CD Block Association planted flowers in the tree pits along Third Street between Avenue C and Avenue D ... said one resident: "An incredible effort on the part of people on the block."

H/T Bobby G!

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Week in Grieview

Posts from the past week included (with a photo in Tompkins Square Park by Derek Berg) ... 

• The EVAC, an arts venue, replaces FlyeLyfe on 1st Avenue after 1 day in business — why? (Wednesday)

• At the March to Save East River Park (Monday) 

• Concern for the main lawn in Tompkins Square Park (Monday) 

• Opening day at the new Bluestockings Cooperative on the Lower East Side (Saturday) 

• Happy Hatch Day for Amelia and Christo, the red-tailed hawks of Tompkins Square Park (Friday) 

• Spring forward with Al Diaz (Thursday) 

• Reopenings: Ukrainian East Village restaurant, Little Poland (Monday)

• A new era of small talk in this week's NY See (Thursday) 

• Live music returns to these 2 Avenue A venues (Thursday) 

• A print edition of the Village Voice is now out (Tuesday) 

• Report: Mermaid Inn plans to reopen, though the SLA isn't helping (Thursday) 

• Report of a trash fire outside Saifee Hardware (Sunday) 

• 145 2nd Ave. returns to view (Thursday) 

• A little of the old Coyote Ugly at the new Coyote Ugly on 14th Street (Tuesday)

• Signs of life at Sanshi Noodle House (Wednesday) 

• You can now stay out until midnight at a bar or restaurant (Monday) 

• On second thought, Chef Hans looks to be the new tenant for 120 1st Ave. (Wednesday) 

• Brazen Fox returning to the Brazen Fox space (Thursday)

... and another 4/20 is in the books... didn't get a chance to mention Lexi Bella's art in First Street Green Art Park...

And thank you to Spotted by Locals for naming EVG one of the 6 best blogs in NYC. Link here.

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Week in Grieview

Posts from the past week included... 

• East River community group gets action on the release of (heavily redacted) value engineering study (Tuesday) 

• Report of a fatal fire on 5th Street (Friday) 

• Meeting Chef Wayne from the Bowery Mission (Friday) 

• The Union Square Food Emporium looks to be closing at the end of May (Thursday) 

• Police make arrest in fatal punch on 1st Avenue and 11th Street (Tuesday) 

• Checking on in Meat + Bread on Allen Street (Wednesday) 

• Movies theaters prep for reopening (Thursday) 

• Hub Thai debuts new Avenue A space (Thursday) 

• A stroll by a Goya display in this week's NY See (Thursday) 

• Gallery Watch: 'Last Supper' at LatchKey Gallery (Wednesday) 

• This is the new tenant for the NW corner of 2nd Avenue and St. Mark's Place (Wednesday) 

• 787 Coffee opens an outpost on 14th Street (Monday) 

• Catch a wave at this incoming Asian restaurant on 6th Street (Thursday) 

• Report: The Knickerbocker Bar & Grill will be reopening soon on University Place (Wednesday) 

• Mike's Cleaners is closing on Avenue A (Monday) 

• A much-needed beach day for Kita the Wonder Dog of East 10th Street (Wednesday) 

• A new pizzeria for the former Muzzarella Pizza space on Avenue A (Monday)

• Openings: Mi Salsa Kitchen on Allen and Houston; Davidovich Bagels on Avenue A (Monday) 

• When Charles the dog blasted Daft Punk on 2nd Avenue in a video directed by Spike Jonze (Sunday)

• 347 E. 4th St. sells; conversion to residential use is in the works (Tuesday) 

• The first opossum sighting of 2021 in Tompkins Square Park (Wednesday) 

• About Nudibranch, bringing a pop-up tasting menu to 130 1st Ave. this month (Friday) 

• Leasing underway at Stella LES on Avenue C and Houston (Wednesday) 

• Construction watch: 799 Broadway (Tuesday) 

• New signage for the incoming Greenwich Marketplace on 4th Avenue (Monday)

... and I Know! I Know! This used to be such a nice, safe neighborhood... via the Citizen app...

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Reader report: A mini return of the former Stuyvesant Market on 14th Street and Avenue A?

Last month, we told you that a "deli & grocery" is in the works for the southwest corner of 14th Street and Avenue A. 

Turns out that you may spot some familiar faces here one day: A tipster tells us that employees from the former Stuyvesant Market that was on the southeast corner of 14th Street and Avenue A are behind this new venture. (They've been working at another deli these recent years, per the tipster.)

As you may recall, Stuyvesant Market, as well as several other businesses, burned down in May 2010. According to published reports, the fire started at Pete's-a-Pizza, where a welder was working on a fire-access door.

The shell of the storefronts remained empty... and eventually Extell's EVGB development arrived, where the Target sits in the corner space where the market once stood.

As for the under-renovation storefront (currently paused due to a Stop Work Order), Dion Cleaners held down this corner for 35 years ... until this past November.

H/T Michael Paul!

Week in Grieview

Posts from this past week included (with a photo from Union Square by Derek Berg) ...

• A 21-story office building planned for the former B Bar & Grill on the Bowery (Friday) 

 • Cafe Himalaya reopens, thanks community for support after family member dies from COVID-19 (Wednesday) 

• RIP Hanshi Wilfredo Roldan (Thursday)

• Concern again for the historic Merchant's House Museum on 4th Street (Wednesday) 

• A new era for Via Della Pace on 4th Street (Monday) 

•  The gas is back on at Tompkins Square Bagels on Avenue A (Monday) 

• This week's NY See panel (Wedensday) 

• Gallery Watch goes to the Home Alone Group Show at ATM Gallery (Wednesday) 

• [plant-baked] debuts on 7th Street (Friday) 

• A bar called Spike's is coming to 218 Avenue A (Wedensday) 

• 5 Napkin Burger Express gives way to Tamam Falafel on 14th Street (Friday) 

• Hope for Little Poland in 2021? (Tuesday) 

• Citing "restrictions, bans and curfews for the restaurant industry," the Dumpling Shop closes (Monday)

• Bibi Wine Bar takes a winter break (Tuesday)

• Gino Sorbillo now closed for renovations on the Bowery (Wednesday) 

•  2021 development watch: 124 E. 14th St. (Tuesday) 

• Van Leeuwen reopens post-fire on 7th Street (Tuesday) 

• Tio Pio debuts on 14th Street with quick-serve Latin cuisine (Tuesday)

• Local artists give kids something to smile about at new dental outpost on Avenue A (Tuesday) 

• The Boilery has closed on 3rd Avenue (Monday) 

• Sammy's Roumanian Steakhouse has closed for now on the Lower East Side (Sunday)

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Week in Grieview

Posts from this past week include... (and thanks to Derek Berg for the photo from Tompkins Square Park)

• The latest from the fire-damaged Middle Collegiate Church: the New York Liberty Bell survives (Monday)

• It snowed! (Thursday ... and Thursday) 

• Lovewild Design debuts on Avenue C (Friday) 

• Report of a small fire inside the empty P.S. 64 building on 9th Street (Thursday)

• NY AG: Madison Realty Capital to pay more than $1 million for victims of fraud and tenant harassment (Wednesday) 

• Celebrating 41 years of the Pyramid Club (Tuesday)

• Gallery Watch: In the Woods by Sally Saul at Rachel Uffner Gallery (Wednesday) 

• Theater in Quarantine presents a world premiere from an East Village closet (Monday) 

• East Village bars and restaurants temporarily close down again (Tuesday) 

• Restoring the Blondie mural on Bleecker and the Bowery (Monday) 

• A new look (and name!) for the East Village Neighbors Fridge (Friday) 

• Workers clear lot ahead of new-building construction on 6th Street and Avenue C (Wednesday) 

• A visit to Stoned Gourmet Cannabis Pizza (Friday) 

• New York Sal's Pizza bringing slices to 14th Street (Monday) 

• This week's NY See panel (Thursday) 

• Break ins at A break in at Kolkata Chai Cafe (Tuesday) and East Village Finest Deli (Wednesday)

• Rapid COVID-19 testing center opening on the Bowery (Monday)

• Steel structure for new Houston Street office building continues ascent (Monday) 

• Here then, the renovated 84 2nd Ave. (Tuesday) 

• Sanitation worker spares snowman's life on 7th Street! (Thursday) 

• Former Finnerty's space for rent on 2nd Avenue (Monday)

And remember...

... and this too! (Thanks Delphine for the photo!) ...

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EVG Etc.: Crowdfunding for B&H Dairy; Selling off Gem Spa

Photo by Derek Berg

 

• Two East Village businesses detail their retail struggles (ABC 7) 

• Jacqueline Lewis, senior minister at Middle Collegiate Church, which was destroyed by fire on Dec. 5, talks about celebrating Christmas in 2020 (WNYC ... previously on EVG)

• B&H Dairy on Second Avenue is in danger of closing again (GoFundMe) 

• The great Cozy Soup 'n' Burger on Broadway at Astor Place could use some business too (Official site)

• Gem Spa is auctioning off its sign, rolldown gate, etc. (Official site ... previously on EVG) 

• Investigation: NYPD used excessive force during George Floyd protests (Gothamist) 

• New York State doing its best to permanently shutter restaurants (NBC 4)

• Second-generation Chinese New Yorkers are trying to help businesses in Chinatown establish an online presence and adapt to the pandemic (Gothamist) 

• The future of independent theater (B&B)

• A food vendor on 14th Street — in 1904 (Ephemeral New York) 

• 10 punk Christmas songs (Alternative Press)

• Diversions: The Stooges and the legend of "Metallic KO" (Dangerous Minds)

• And I appreciate Alex keeping the blogging spirit alive in this era of Substack, etc. He always has interesting posts. Give him a visit. (Flaming Pablum) 

Reaching the top at Zero Irving (aka tech hub)

Here's what is turning out to be a monthly look at 124 E. 14th St., aka Zero Irving (and formerly the Union Square Tech Training Center and 14 @ Irving ... and tech hub for life!) ... workers are apparently up to the tippy top here at Irving Place...

The latest Zero Irving e-newsletter (14th @ Irving Construction Update #36, and, by the way, #2 is already a collector's item) states the following updates:

Superstructure Concrete
The project’s superstructure contractor will be completing the 23rd floor slab the week of 9/7. They will continue to place stairs at the top of house, in addition to mechanical pads, curbs and the buildings parapets. Upon completion of this miscellaneous concrete the contractor will begin demobilization. This will include cocoon removal, removal of shoring and decking material and other demobilization tasks.

Cellar
The project’s electrical contractor is finishing installation of Switchgear Room equipment and feeder conduits in coordination with Con Ed’s site visits. End line boxes will be completed, along with overhead conduits throughout the cellar. Con Ed is anticipated to complete their pulls and tie-ins to switch gear room. The project is expecting permanent power by October 2020.

General Site
The project’s mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection contractors continue work on site to install sleeves and layout embeds and all other materials being placed into the deck on the 23rd floor. 

The newsletter makes mention of the 23rd floor. The official press release about the project lists this as a 21-floor building. Other news stories mention 21 floors too. The work permit lists 22 floors. Perhaps this 23rd floor mentioned is bulkhead-related. 

The 21-23-story building, developed jointly by the city’s Economic Development Corp. and RAL Development Services, will feature 14 floors of market-rate office space as well as "a technology training center and incubator, co-working spaces and state-of-the-art event space ... on the seven floors beneath," per the Zero Irving announcement issued last October. Food-hall specialists Urban­Space officially signed the lease for 10,000 square feet on the ground level last month.

The new building — long contested by local preservationists and community groups (see links below) — sits on the former site of a P.C. Richard & Son on city-owned property.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• Behold Civic Hall, the high-tech future of Union Square — and NYC

• Speaking out against a 'Silicon Alley' in this neighborhood

• City Council unanimously approves tech hub; some disappointment in lack of zoning protections 

• The conversation continues on the now-approved tech hub for 14th Street

• P.C. Richard is gone on 14th Street; preservationists want answers about tech-hub commitments

Week in Grieview

[Tompkins Square Park this morning]

Posts this last week included...

• Body of dismembered, decapitated man found inside residence on Houston and Suffolk (Tuesday) Reports: Police arrest former personal assistant in murder of tech CEO (Friday)

• The final days at I Need More, the late Jimmy Webb's rock 'n' roll boutique on the LES (Saturday)

• Bali Kitchen closes on Aug. 1: "COVID-19 was too much for us" (Thursday)

• Gemini Rosemont buys third parcel on 2nd Avenue for future development (Friday)

• Odessa's longtime manager says the diner is closing for good; co-owner later says they're just closing for renovations (Monday)

• The Russian & Turkish Baths have NOT permanently closed on 10th Street (Monday)

• New community coalition helping keep Avenue B safe for cyclists and pedestrians (Monday)

• These East Village streets are now part of the expanded Open Restaurants initiative (Saturday)

• Veeray Da Dhaba bringing the "authentic roadside cuisine of Punjab" to 1st Avenue (Tuesday)

• This week's NY See panel (Thursday)

• Checking in on Pause Cafe (Thursday)

• Flashback Friday: Take a virtual tour of the Brant Foundation's Basquiat exhibit from 2019 (Friday)

• Report of a fire at 67 Avenue D (Wednesday)

• Retail space at 4 St. Mark's Place, onetime home of Trash & Vaudeville, is for rent again (Wednesday)

• Stranded Records is back open (Friday)

• INA NYC closes 13th Street outpost (Wednesday)

• On 2nd thought, C&B finishes its curbside seating with the help of the DOT (Tuesday)

• Mystery dig behind the St. Brigid School (Wednesday)

• Shell shock! Lost turtles return to La Plaza Cultural (Wednesday)

• Calling out a plant thief on 7th Street (Thursday)

• Oscar watch on 2nd Street (Monday)

• The new-look 151 Avenue A (Thursday)

• Formerly interesting new business closes on 1st Avenue and 14th Street (Monday)

• The Standard East Village sets reopening date (Monday)

... and as seen on Avenue B at East Houston...


[Photo by Vinny & O]

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Follow EVG on Instragram or Twitter for more frequent updates and pics.

New community coalition helping keep Avenue B safe for cyclists and pedestrians

[Via @loisaida_oscc]

You may have noticed a few changes along the Open Street of Avenue B... this is courtesy of the newly formed Loisaida Open Streets Community Coalition, described as "a community-led program providing safe, socially distanced recreation for our neighborhood."

For starters, volunteers have painted and repaired some of the barriers that are up along the Avenue from Sixth Street to 14th Street daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ...




[Top 2 photos by Stacie Joy]





The group has launched a Twitter and Instagram account...

As the newly formed Loisaida Open Streets Community Coalition, we believe this should be a community-led program providing safe, socially distanced recreation for our neighborhood. pic.twitter.com/RiCfc7yzG3

— Loisaida Open Streets Community Coalition (@Loisaida_OSCC) July 9, 2020

... where you can learn about upcoming events... and receive news alerts...

🚨Barrier protection alert!🚨 Strong winds today—please dismantle and set any barriers you see out today on Avenue B to the side, not blocking building entrances, with legs stacked behind crossbars to keep them from getting blown around. Safety first!

— Loisaida Open Streets Community Coalition (@Loisaida_OSCC) July 10, 2020

If you're interested in volunteering to be an Avenue B Open Streets Ambassador, you can find a sign-up sheet here.

The city announced the Open Street plan in late May to help residents safely get some fresh air while social distancing. As we've noted, people have hidden or vandalized the barricades or they've been clipped by motorists or the FDNY...





A related item of interest... tomorrow (Tuesday night!), CB3's Transportation, Public Safety, & Environment Committee will hear the following item — FDNY: Fire safety concerns regarding Avenue B Open Street.

Here's the meeting info:

Tuesday, July 14 at 6:30 p.m.
Online: https://zoom.us/j/97511826911
By Phone: +1 646 518 9805, +1 929 205 6099
Meeting ID: 975 1182 6911

Updated: Streetsblog has a post on this story here.