A look inside the soon-to-be demolished Church of the Nativity on 2nd Avenue

Interview by Stacie Joy 

Photos by Idan Cohen 

You may remember beekeeper Idan Cohen from our A Visit To Made Up There Farms. He recently was able to walk through the remains of the deconsecrated and now-closed (as of July 2015) Church of the Nativity at 44 Second Ave. between Second Street and Third Street and is sharing his photos and observations. 

As previously reported, Gemini Rosemont Development has plans for an 11-story mixed-use building for a newly created parcel consisting of three buildings on this block.

I spoke to Idan about what he saw, how he feels about the pending demolition and the new development.

How did you come to photograph the site of the former church? 

I’ve been curious to see the inside in its current state. The other week, when I was walking by, they assembled scaffolding and left the gate open, allowing me to step in and roam around. 

What was your impression of being inside? 

Kind of sad. To think that just a few years ago, this was a gathering space for our community and now it’s standing empty and in ruins. 

Your images show a lot of water on the ground and at least some demolition work. What was the state of the property when you were there?

It’s very dilapidated, and there are holes in the ceiling, which allow water to pour in; it smells like mold and standing water. Some furniture is left, but it is wholly piled up and broken up. 

Did you see anything that surprised you? 

Well, the beauty of those stained glass windows was breathtaking. The way the light pours in, from both the painted glass and the ceiling holes, and the contrast between the destruction on the ground and the rays from the sky. It was all still reminiscent of what a scared space should feel like. 

Had you been familiar with the church when it was still in use before it was deconsecrated? Had you ever visited before this trip? 

I live a block away from the church and have always admired its brutalist and modern architecture. Through the last 10 years, I’ve seen it morph from an active church to a closed church, to a sidewalk shelter for the homeless and now a demolition and construction site. 

Do you have any thoughts about the proposed 11-story mixed-use building slated for this space? 

I support new construction — as long as it is not ugly. I hope larger apartments are built to attract families and children to our neighborhood. I was hoping that structure could be reused as a beautiful art gallery. It would have been an excellent addition to the East Village, similar to The Brant Foundation on Sixth Street.

You can find some prior coverage and history of the church here. And can follow Idan on Instagram.

LES Convenience is coming soon for your convenience on Avenue A

The proliferation of smoke-snack shops continues. 

Signage for LES Convenience arrived late last week at 105 Avenue A between Sixth Street and Seventh Street. The signage promises an ATM, snacks, drinks, hookah and more. 

No. 105 was previously home to Hub Thai, which moved to 50 Avenue A this past March. 

LES Convenience will mark the third deli-snack-smoke establishment to open on the west side of Avenue A within three blocks. A more-upscale looking deli-market is coming to 93 Avenue A ... while a mystery deli-market is said to be in the works for 123 Avenue A. 

Meanwhile, I would have been happy if East Village Farms had never vanished at 100 Avenue A.

A Visit to Made Up There Farms

Text and photos by Stacie Joy

I’m carrying an EpiPen to visit beekeeper Idan Cohen on East Third Street near Second Avenue. I’m hoping the bees won’t be able to tell I’m allergic. However, it’s all worth it to see the hives, bees and honey Idan tends on the rooftop of his building. 

After some “getting to know you time” with the bees and rooftop garden, I head downstairs to watch Idan’s wife and kids sell the fall 2021 harvested honey to passersby and neighbors and learn more from the apiarist about the process of local honey-making.

How did you come to tend bees on the rooftop of your building?

I love cooking. It’s a passion that always leads me in search of local and fresh produce. That search brought me to build a rooftop farm on our building in the East Village eight years ago, producing most of the vegetables and herbs we consume in the summer. 

A natural addition to the farm was beehives. I wanted to not only produce honey but also have my daughters learn about bees and how to care for them. Nothing would make me happier than to watch them gardening and beekeeping as adults. 

What’s the beekeeping process like? How did you start, and how is this season’s harvest going? 

The season starts in the spring when temperatures rise over 60 degrees, and the bees become more active. A lot of our work as beekeepers has to do with making sure the bees are happy and thriving and free of disease. That requires opening the hive every two weeks and making sure the queen is laying eggs, the workers are producing honey, and that the bees are pest and disease-free. If you help them stay healthy, they will do the rest. 

You, your wife and your kids sell the honey on Third Street near Second Avenue from time to time. Aside from that, where can neighbors go to purchase the honey? 

My daughters, Ellie (age 7) and Eve (4), wanted to share the honey with our neighborhood, so they decided to open a farmstand on sunny days and call it Made Up There Farms. 

For those who missed us, you can reach out through my Instagram account or through my wine and cider project at wipwines.com, and we can set up a pickup. 

Any expansion plans? 

We plan to add a third hive next spring and make natural mead — honey wine. I like the idea of drinking a hyperlocal wine made in the East Village from East Village flowers.

Foxface introduces new offerings, including the Foxface Farm Stand

Text and photos by Stacie Joy

In recent weeks during the COVID-19 crisis, Ori Kushnir and Sivan Lahat, the owners of Foxface, have stopped making their signature sandwiches from the shop inside Theater 80 on St. Mark's Place.



Instead, the East Village residents have introduced several new offerings, including Provisions, a pantry of sorts, and the Foxface Farm Stand, where you can order farm-fresh items such as eggs, dairy, meats and honey. In addition, there's the Bread Stand, where fresh baked bread is available.

Sivan walked me through how it works.

For starters, visit their website at this link to place an order for pick up at Foxface, 80 St. Mark's Place just west of First Avenue, Friday through Sunday noon to 4 p.m.



Provisions features pantry items, canned foods and their homemade pastrami, among other items, that are available to order any time before the weekend pick up.

The deadline for the Bread Stand is 10 a.m. on Wednesdays for pick up on Friday.

The order deadline for the Farm Stand, which will soon feature fresh produce, is 9 a.m. on Tuesdays.

Ori and Sivan test and curate everything they sell.

"We guarantee top quality and freshness," Sivan told me. "The farms we use are all nice small family operations less than 100 miles away."

Here are the eggs that I purchased and picked up on Saturday...



You can find more details and see photos of their offerings via the Foxface Instagram account here.

Farmwich pops up with speciality sandwiches at Ben's Deli on Avenue B

Farmwich, serving sandwiches "sourced entirely from local regenerative agriculture farms," is now open through Feb. 4 at Ben's Deli, 32 Avenue B between Second Street and Third Street.

As EVG contributor Stacie Joy reports, Farmwich will offer one speciality sandwich a day during their limited hours of noon to 2:30 p.m. Sunday through Tuesday. All sandwiches are $9, which includes tax and tip.

And some Farmwich details via their website:

All our food is “vegan, organic, local, and fair trade” but we don’t call it that. Rather than focus on the imitation or absence of animal products, we celebrate the rich flavors of seasonal vegetables grown in polyculture soils. The season writes our menu anew each day. It is possible that we never serve the same sandwich twice.

We source almost all our produce from Lani’s Farm (Bordentown, NJ), extra-virgin sunflower oil from Hudson Valley Cold-Pressed Oils (Poughkeepsie, NY), sourdough bread from Hawthorne Valley Farm & Bakery (which grows and mills almost all its own grain on-site; Ghent, NY), heirloom beans from GrowNYC (mostly Caledonia, NY), pumpkin seeds from Stony Brook Wholehearted Foods (Geneva, NY), and fruits from Wilkow Orchards (Highland, NY).

With the exception of a few dry spices from the East Village’s Dual Specialties, we buy all ingredients directly from our farmers without a middleman or distributor.

They also offer a sample menu from a recent preview dinner:

#1: Sunchokes crisped in sunflower flour, mache greens, gremolata, pickled root vegetables (carrot, parsnip, rutabaga, beet)

#2: Honeynut squash, squash seed and Lani’s miso puree, pickled cabbage, mixed baby greens (mustards, kales, sorrel, tatsoi, arugula)

#3: Japanese sweet potato mash, caramelized shallot jam, sautéed broccoli rabe, Tokyo bekana, radish, cumin-coriander vinaigrette

Here are a few scenes from opening day yesterday ...





... and here's the opening day sandwich — "A Massion in Addis," Berbere sautéed red kale, sweet potato pomme frites, garlic sunflower aioli and root pickles root pickles...

Vendors at the Tompkins Square Park Greenmarket this winter

[EVG file photo]

Just as a reminder ... here's who you can expect most Sundays this winter at the Tompkins Square Park Greenmarket along Avenue A between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place...

• Bread Alone, Boiceville, N.Y.: organic baked goods
• East Branch Farms, Roxbury, N.Y.: Farmstead kimchi, probiotics
• Flying Pig Farm, Shusan, N.Y.: all things pork
• Ronnybrook Dairy Farm, Pine Plains, N.Y.: bottled milk, yogurt, drinkable yogurt, butter, creme fraiche, live cultures
• Meredith's Bakery, Kingston, N.Y.: baked goods with gluten-free options
• Pura Vida Fisheries: Fresh seafood
• Stannard Farm, South Cambridge, N.Y.: 20-plus years of growing for the East Village Greenmarket. Storage vegetables, pears, apples, cider, donuts, beef, pork and eggs.

In addition, there's GrowNYC's Food Scrap Composting from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and GrowNYC's Clothing Collection from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Thanks to Madalyn Warren, one of the Sunday vendors, who helped compile this list...

A last (maybe) look at 100 Avenue A

Construction wrapped up in recent weeks at 100 Avenue A, Ben Shaoul's condoplex between Sixth Street and Seventh Street. The entrance (above) was ready for entry action the week of Thanksgiving.

To date, we haven't actually seen anyone moving into the 32-unit building... this past weekend, someone left all the lights on...



As previously noted, residences at the 6-story 8-story building started at $1.3 million. The website for broker Nestseekers shows that just two units are currently available. (Hey, nudity sells!)

The Blink Fitness Center in the retail space opened on Oct. 25, and it appears to be doing decent business. And if you're looking for an investment, the retail portion of the building is for sale for just a little less than $24 million.

Shaoul bought the former theater-turned market at 100 Avenue A in the spring of 2013 for $15.5 million. The demolition started in November 2013.

---

And a look back to 2009, when the one-time movie theater was East Village Farms...



Previously on EV Grieve:
A little bit of Hollywood on Avenue A

Inside the abandoned theater at East Village Farms on Avenue A

Reader reports: Village Farms closing Jan. 31; building will be demolished

Asbestos abatement continues at 98 Avenue A, Ben Shaoul's latest East Village trophy

Wooing the condo crowd with naked women motif on Avenue A

The retail space at Ben Shaoul's 100 Avenue A is available for $24.5 million; plus, naked model marketing clarification!

Trying to figure out what is going on at 98-100 Avenue A

Part of the former Alphabets storefront will serve as sales office for Ben Shaoul's 100 Avenue A

Someone threw black paint bombs at the naked women condo ad along 100 Avenue A

Take a look at the inside of Ben Shaoul's condos at 100 Avenue A

100 Avenue A announces its incoming sales office with familiar naked, graffitied person motif

Full reveal at 100 Avenue A

On Monday afternoon, workers started removing the construction netting and scaffolding from 100 Avenue A ... eventually offering a full reveal of developer Ben Shaoul's condoplex between Sixth Street and Seventh Street...

And by late yesterday afternoon...



Per the marketing copy, "100 Avenue A is a vibrant new style of premium condominium living not yet seen on Tompkins Square Park."

As previously noted, residences (32 in all) at the 6-story 8-story building start at $1.3 million. (A construction worker told EVG correspondent Steven that new residents could likely start moving in as early as next month.) A Blink Fitness Center, with prices starting at $25 a month, will occupy the retail space.

Anyway, the 7-days-a-week work paid off... this is 100 Avenue A in July 2015...



... and a look back to 2009, when the one-time movie theater was East Village Farms...



Previously on EV Grieve:
A little bit of Hollywood on Avenue A

East Village Farms is closing; renovations coming to 100 Avenue A

Inside the abandoned theater at East Village Farms on Avenue A

Reader reports: Village Farms closing Jan. 31; building will be demolished

Asbestos abatement continues at 98 Avenue A, Ben Shaoul's latest East Village trophy

Take a look at the inside of Ben Shaoul's condos at 100 Avenue A

Rendering Reveal Week continues... as a new website for Ben Shaoul's condoplex at 100 Avenue A between East Sixth Street and East Seventh Street has been unleashed (h/t Curbed!).

As previously reported, the residences at the 6-story 8-story building start at $1.3 million.



Let's enter the lobby...



... and head on up to one of the residences...









Per the 100 Avenue A website:

100 Avenue A has 32 units, ranging from one to three Bedroom residences with four Penthouse units. Whichever you choose, your home will have stunning floor plans, light-filled layouts, and expansive windows for taking in the view outside. When your friends and family come over, they might even ask to move in.

• Bianco Dolimiti Honed Marble Bathroom Tile

• Waterworks Polished Nickel Bathroom Fixtures

• Kitchen Design by Effeti

• Sabia White Oak Herringbone Kitchen Floors

• Statuary White Marble Kitchen Countertops

• Calacatta Honed Marble Herringbone Backsplash

• Miele Refrigerator, Oven and Cooktop, Dishwasher, Washer/Dryer in all units

And what else can new residents expect in the building? Back to the website!

100 Avenue A has a private landscaped roof deck.

Things that it’s good for:

• Sunbathing and picnic-ing
• Looking up at the night sky
• Thinking happy thoughts about your apartment below
• Lounging and laughing with friends

Things that it’s not good for:

• Being inside

The building also has another roof garden on the second floor, so you can experience all these benefits twice over

And if you are still breathing, the newly launched site also offers insights into its naked-person marketing motif ...

When we began building 100 Avenue A, we wanted to create a place for people who strive to make their mark on the city. Working with the gifted architect Ramy Issac of Issac and Stern, we believe that we’ve realized that vision. The building stands proudly in the center of the East Village, a neighborhood with a storied past of iconoclasts.

Today, a new generation of residents are reanimating and updating the area’s transgressive traditions with their creativity and vitality. 100 Avenue A is the embodiment of the East Village’s ever-evolving identity. It’s for the brave and the bold: people who want the finest that New York has to offer, and who aren’t afraid to break conventions.

Developer Ben Shaoul bought the former theater-turned market at 100 Avenue A in the spring of 2013 for $15.5 million.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A little bit of Hollywood on Avenue A

Inside the abandoned theater at East Village Farms on Avenue A

New Facebook group is advocating for a Trader Joe's on Avenue A

Workers back demolishing what's left of 98-100 Avenue A

Rest assured, there isn't a fire in the hole at 98-100 Avenue A

Continued dewatering at Ben Shaoul's 98-100 Avenue A prompts visit by the FDNY

Ben Shaoul's 98-100 Avenue A emerging from the dewatering hole

Life next to 98-100 Avenue A

Condos at Ben Shaoul's 98-100 Avenue A will start at $1.3 million; high-end gym eyed for retail space

The retail space at Ben Shaoul's 100 Avenue A is available for $24.5 million; plus, naked model marketing clarification!

Trying to figure out what is going on at 98-100 Avenue A

Someone threw black paint bombs at the naked women condo ad along 100 Avenue A

Trying to figure out what is going on at 98-100 Avenue A

Ben Shaoul's new building going up at 98-100 Avenue A between East Sixth Street and East Seventh Street continues to intrigue and confuse local zoning enthusiasts.

We've gone through the various DOB permits and have come away generally confused.

EVG reader something structural shares our curiosity and confusion... so we took another step-by-step look here to see if we can figure out what is going on, mainly how many stories will this thing end up?

1. A new building permit was filed for and issued for a total floor area of 27,693 sf and a total FAR of 3.41. The description is "APPLICATION BEING FILED TO CONSTRUCT A NEW 6 STORY BUILDING." That suggests a pretty standard filing in R7A. Maximum FAR of 3.45 inclusive of commercial. OK!

2. A complaint was filed "NB UNDER CONSTRUCTION EXCEDS THE BULK AND HEIGHT OF THE PROPOSED 6 STY BLDG" on 9/28/15. A cursory look at the accepted ZD-1 confirms it looks nothing like what's out there. With us so far, right?

3. DOB (BEST Squad High Rise unit) stopped by 9/30/15 and issued a partial Stop Work Order. There's no indication if this was for zoning, or one of the other 8-10 violations they received for safety, protection of adjacent properties, etc.

4. Two weeks later, on 10/14/15 their Architect of Record filed a new PAA. The documents haven't been scanned yet, but:
- The PW1 now says "APPLICATION BEING FILED TO CONSTRUCT A NEW 8-STORY BUILDING."
- The residential floor area went to 30,399 sf with an additional 6,775 sf for commercial. Total FAR is 6.60, up from 3.41.
- The comments on the filing? "FILING PAA HEREWITH TO AMEND PW1: FLOOR RANGE, JOB DESCRIPTION, ZONING CHARACT ERISTICS, BUILDING CHARACTERISTICS, SCHEDULE A AND REVISE PLANS." AKA: filing for a different building. And the city approved this amended plan exam just yesterday, per DOB records.

Meanwhile, the structure was topped out before they even filed the amendment. So there you go. Plenty for zoning enthusiasts to mull over.

The new building's Schedule A shows 38 units ... and retail stores on the ground floor. Last month, it was announced that the building will house 33 condos, ranging in price from $1.3 million to $2.3 million. In addition, as previously noted, the retail space will house a 12,000-square foot Blink Fitness center.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A little bit of Hollywood on Avenue A

Inside the abandoned theater at East Village Farms on Avenue A

New Facebook group is advocating for a Trader Joe's on Avenue A

Workers back demolishing what's left of 98-100 Avenue A

Rest assured, there isn't a fire in the hole at 98-100 Avenue A

Ben Shaoul's 98-100 Avenue A emerging from the dewatering hole

Life next to 98-100 Avenue A

Condos at Ben Shaoul's 98-100 Avenue A will start at $1.3 million; high-end gym eyed for retail space

Blink, and there will soon be a gym at 98-100 Avenue A

[EVG photo from Friday evening]

The gym rumor for 98-100 Avenue A is true: Blink Fitness is opening a 12,000-square-foot facility here between East Sixth Street and East Seventh Street later next year, DNAinfo first reported last week.

Here's part of Blink's news release (H/T BoweryBoogie) about what will be their 11th Manhattan location:

Blink saw an opportunity to provide the area with an affordable, premium-quality fitness option for local residents. At 12,000 sq. ft., guests can expect to find top-of-the-line cardio and strength equipment and full service locker rooms, along with a crew of knowledgeable and friendly staff and personal trainers.

The club’s primary goal is to create a unique member experience through its Feel Good Experience™. This includes respectful and friendly staff, a bright and open gym using colors that are scientifically proven to enhance mood, an everybody cleans philosophy that ensures a spotless facility, and music to motivate members! Memberships in NYC are only $25 per month.

Blink, the no-frills sibling in the Equinox family, opened its first location around here in 2012 on the second floor of the former Tower Records. (The Blink entrance is on East Fourth Street between Broadway and Lafayette.)

Equinox already reportedly inked a deal to lease two floors of 98-100 landlord Ben Shaoul's incoming development on East Houston and Orchard.

As for 98-100 Avenue A, the crew seems to be working double time of late. The condo residences (33 in total) are up to the seventh floor. There are DOB permits showing a 6-floor and 8-floor building while the rendering shows seven floors.



So maybe it will end up at 9 floors.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A little bit of Hollywood on Avenue A

Inside the abandoned theater at East Village Farms on Avenue A

New Facebook group is advocating for a Trader Joe's on Avenue A

Workers back demolishing what's left of 98-100 Avenue A

Rest assured, there isn't a fire in the hole at 98-100 Avenue A

Ben Shaoul's 98-100 Avenue A emerging from the dewatering hole

Life next to 98-100 Avenue A

Condos at Ben Shaoul's 98-100 Avenue A will start at $1.3 million; high-end gym eyed for retail space

Condos at Ben Shaoul's 98-100 Avenue A will start at $1.3 million; high-end gym eyed for retail space

[EVG photo of 98-100 Avenue A from yesterday]

Turns out that Ben Shaoul's incoming residential building on Avenue A will house condos and not rentals as previously thought.

According to The Real Deal, one-bedroom units will start at just under $1.3 million while penthouses will go for $2.3 million. Per broker Ryan Serhant, prices will range from the high $1,000s per square foot to north of $2,000 per square foot.

Amenities for the 33-unit (we originally heard 29 units) building will include a — ding! ding! — roof deck as well as some private outdoor spaces for several of the residences here between East Seventh Street and East Sixth Street.

Meanwhile, The Real Deal also hears that the ground-floor retail space will house a high-end gym. Equinox already reportedly inked a deal to lease two floors of Shaoul's incoming development on East Houston and Orchard. So maybe look for a high-end gym other than Equinox for the space that last housed East Village Farms. (And this might just finally dash those hopes for a Trader Joe's.)

The residences here are expected to be ready by the late spring or early summer of 2074 2016.

Updated 6:22 p.m.

An EVG reader shared a view from behind the building...



Per the reader: "Here is the backside of the construction. No idea why they left that large area open. Gads."

Previously on EV Grieve:
A little bit of Hollywood on Avenue A

Inside the abandoned theater at East Village Farms on Avenue A

New Facebook group is advocating for a Trader Joe's on Avenue A

Workers back demolishing what's left of 98-100 Avenue A

Rest assured, there isn't a fire in the hole at 98-100 Avenue A

Ben Shaoul's 98-100 Avenue A emerging from the dewatering hole

Life next to 98-100 Avenue A

Ben Shaoul's 98-100 Avenue A emerging from the dewatering hole

By late afternoon yesterday, Ben Shaoul's incoming retail-residential building between East Seventh Street and East Sixth Street made its first appearance above the plywood, as these photos by EVG contributor Steven show…





Last time we checked in on the address here on Avenue A, a report of smoke from the construction pit prompted a visit by the FDNY. Earlier in the summer a sign appeared on the plywood noting that — "We are currently performing dewatering on this construction site. This is condensation (water vapor) coming up through the pipes."

Not sure where workers are with the dewatering. We didn't notice any smoke water vapor when we walked by yesterday.

Anyway, you know the rest… the building will one day look something like this…



Previously on EV Grieve:
A little bit of Hollywood on Avenue A

Inside the abandoned theater at East Village Farms on Avenue A

Workers back demolishing what's left of 98-100 Avenue A

Rest assured, there isn't a fire in the hole at 98-100 Avenue A