Reader report: Duane Reade expanding on Avenue B

"Expansion" is the word coming out of the Duane Reade on Avenue B at East Second Street, per a tipster... Employees say that the drug store will expand next door into the spaces previously occupied by Zaitzeff ... and the long-dead High Chai Tea Room.

In addition, Duane Reade will add a second level, digging into the basement space where the Dolphin Gym was before closing back in February 2010.

Seems fitting to have a gargantuan Duane Reade here. This is the reality of the neighborhood ... Previously, this space was home to a gas station... shooting gallery ... and then, for a 10-year run, The Gas Station, aka Art Gallery Space 2B. Alex at Flaming Pablum wrote about the space here.

Per the Times:

For 10 years, the Gas Station, with its towering sculpture built from discards ranging from a 1970 Plymouth Valiant to department store mannequins to television sets, has been a symbol of the Lower East Side's Bohemian ways and artistic resolve.

The space was cleared out in 1996...

[Via Flaming Pablum]

And now, a lot of photos of St. Brigid's with steps and sidewalks

On Saturday, a crew continued work on the sidewalk and steps in front of the under-renovation St. Brigid's on Avenue B...

...and as the front looked at the end of the work day...

[Bobby Williams]

[BW]

And last week, crews finished up the sidewalk on the church's Eighth Street side...

...and a bonus aerial view courtesy of Dave on 7th...

...and a night shot...

Last we heard, the church was still on target for a fall opening...

Previously.

[Updated] East Third Street lot cleared of pesky trees, garden

Back in January, we reported that a parcel of land at 321 E. Third St., just west of Avenue D, hit the market for $6 million ... the space, long the subject of a tug-of-war between various factions, was officially sold in June to the vague 321 E. Third Street Realty LLC.

[Streeteasy]

EVG reader Steven Matthews noted late last week that workers started clearing out the space, chopping down trees, uprooting bushes, etc.

[Steven Matthews]

And now.

There's nothing on file with the DOB. So, this is a site to keep an eye on for future development.

Meanwhile, directly behind this lot on East Fourth Street... the Orchard Alley community garden remains closed. It shut down in the middle of July... and here is the reason why...

In recent weeks, there has been some activity at No. 27, including new plywood....

But not much else appears to be happening inside the barren lot.

Ah, via the comments, we learned that NY1 has been on the story ... you may watch their report here.

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

Foundation set at 84 Third Ave.

Despite the convenient blogging portals at 84 Third Ave., we still can't see exactly what's going on behind the plywood here at East 12th Street. Other than some digging.

However, this aerial shot via @AndrewPettit shows that the foundation is set and ready for nine stories of luxurious housing bliss...

L'Apicio marks its territory at Avalon Bowery Place

Over on East First Street in the Shoppes at Avalon Bowery Place... signage is up for the restaurant that is taking the Bowery Wine Company space...

Back in June, Grub Street reported that the name of this new place will be called L'Apicio. According to Eater: "Chef Gabe Thompson, of L'Artusi and Dell'Anima, will create an 'Italian inspired' menu, and Joe Campanale will be in charge of the wine and cocktails."

As we've noted in our previous posts about the space ... Not familiar with Dell'Anima? (Like us!) Here's a summary via New York magazine:

This is what happens when a former Babbo sommelier and an ex–Del Posto kitchen whiz get together and open an unassuming little trattoria: mobs of salivating foodies and goggle-eyed scenesters clamoring to get in.

Meanwhile, this tree obscures the signage over what appears to be the main entrance...

Let's hope that the tree doesn't meet with any accidents...

Previously on EV Grieve:
August Cardona buying Bowery Wine Company, expanding next door

Bowery Wine Company has closed

At the Bowery Wine Co. protest Friday night — in pictures

Fu Sushi has closed on Avenue B

[Photo via Yelp]

EVG reader Faces brings word that Fu Sushi has closed on Avenue B... Saturday was their last night in business here between East 11th Street and East 12th Street.

In June 2011, the DOH temporarily closed Fu Sushi ... and there were reports that the restaurant stayed open on a weekend despite the closure... (inexplicably) prompting three damning articles by the Post, who, after all that, never bothered to note that Fu Sushi had reopened.

zpizza opening on First Avenue, finally

A branch of the zpizza franchise is opening here on First Avenue at East Second Street ... BoweryBoogie noted this impending arrival back on Dec. 23, 2010... but there was never much more activity in this former Cafe Rama space...

This will be the Laguna Beach, Calif.-based company's second NYC location... right there with Terminal 4 at JFK...

New to zpizza (like us!)? Here's some info via a zpizza blog:

Our dough is made from certified organic wheat flour prepared fresh every day, hand-thrown and fire-baked until uniquely crisp. We combine select ingredients such as certified organic tomato sauce, part-skim rBGH-free cheese from grass-fed cows, MSG-free pepperoni, and additive-free sausage. Even our fresh produce sets us apart. Exotic delights like Cremini and Shiitaki mushrooms, roasted eggplant, pili pili and truffle oil, pine nuts, artichoke hearts, roasted bell peppers and caramelized onions assure you'll never experience a boring pizza. The same holds true for our gourmet salads and sandwiches. That said we hope you enjoy our unique and authentic recipes as much as we enjoy making them for you.

Glaze is now open on Fourth Avenue

Back in March, we reported that a second outpost of the Glaze Teriyaki Grill is opening here on Fourth Avenue near 13th Street... (the flagship location is at Lexington near 54th Street...) The website describes the food as "Seattle-Style Teriyaki."

Anyway, it opened Friday. We hear good things about the food. Gothamist has more on the menu and stuff here.

...and Glaze kept the iconic "walk ins welcome" lettering on the front out of homage to the previous tenant, Ibiza Salon... (OK, OK — it's not iconic... but i thought it was funny...)

Anyway, here's a time-lapse video of the renovation...

At the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival

A few photos from the afternoon at Tompkins Square Park from Blue Glass...

... and a few shots via Bobby Williams...

From the EV Grieve lost and found

Shawn Chittle spotted this at East 13th Street at First Avenue. Let me know if this stuff belongs to you. I actually took all the pills and am watching the Shirley Temple films. And I'm wearing the glove. And the lipstick. So. Maybe later.

Lauren Edmond at FringeNYC on Fourth

You still have until 8 p.m. to check out FringeNYC on Fourth today... Pictured is East Village-based painter Lauren Edmond, one of the locals in a group show at Alex Harsley's 4th Street Photo Gallery...

More info here.

Photo by Bobby Williams.

Week in Grieview

[FringeNYC on Fourth yesterday. Photo by Bobby Williams]

Dorm blockbuster for 35 Cooper Square (Tuesday)

Irritating mystery noise on East Ninth Street (Friday)

Josie's opens on East Sixth Street (Friday)

Are the crusties more violent this summer? (Wednesday)

Joe Strummer at 60 (Tuesday)

Why the sandbox has been closed in the Tompkins Square Park Playground (Wednesday)

Bento Burger closed (Monday)

Looking at a charmingly shabby East 10th Street townhouse (Thursday)

Nicoletta unleashes its sidewalk cafe (Monday)

Bar on A closed (Thursday)

We lost another tree in Tompkins Square Park (Tuesday)

Joey Pepperoni now serving $1 slices on First Avenue (Thursday)

Photo of a bridesmaid climbing a fence at First Park (Monday)

Two more floors for 205 Avenue A (Friday)

One year ago today: Waiting for Hurricane Irene

While parts of the South brace for Hurricane Isaac... I'm reminded that it was one year ago today when New York started prepping for the arrival of Hurricane Irene...

And have you noticed how many East Village windows still have tape on them to protect from flying glass and stuff...? (Or maybe this pre-dates Irene... and to ward off UFOs...)

You may relive revisit all of our Irene posts here.

The Charlie Parker Jazz Festival in Tompkins Square Park today

Here's a reminder that the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival comes to Tompkins Square Park today at 3. The lineup: the Ernestine Anderson Quartet, Gregory Porter, Andy Milne & Dapp Theory, and Sullivan Fortner.

You can read more about the musicians here.

Admission is free. Free jazz. (Heh.)

Updated: Dave on 7th passes along this shot of workers setting up the stage ... it went up around 8:30...

Woo, Beer Marathon

Photos via Dave on 7th.

Star lives, and may be available for adoption

Star, the dog that the NYPD shot on East 14th Street on Aug. 13, is OK and may soon be available for adoption, according to Gothamist.

As of last night, Star is now in the custody of Animal Care & Control. Said Richard Gentles of the AC&C: "Her owner had until that day and time to reclaim her but since he didn’t ownership was legally transferred to AC&C."

According to Gentles, Star's medical bills, "which have already amounted to nearly $10,000, will be paid for through donations to AC&C’s Special Treatment and Recovery (S.T.A.R.) Fund."

And per Gothamist:

"It's expected she'll be put up for adoption—but Gentles says no one has expressed interest in being her human (yet)!"

Serena Solomon at DNAinfo has more on the story here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] Report: NYPD shoots dog on 14th Street and Second Avenue (Warning: Post includes graphic image of the dog after the shooting)

[Image courtesy of AC&C via Gothamist]

Trash and a dead rat at the Tompkins Square Park Playground this morning

A reader this morning noted an unusually dirty playground in Tompkins Square Park on East Ninth Street and Avenue A ... newspapers, half-eaten containers of food, etc. ...

But... per the reader, "The icing on the cake was the dead rat, which was still pulsating, chilling in a swarm of flies by the still broken-down sandbox."

In the summer of 2010, New York magazine named this one of the city's best playgrounds.

How do we feel about a Tim Hortons opening on East Houston?

As you may have noticed in recent weeks... hanging in the vacant space next to Katz's on East Houston...

EVG reader Chris F. sent along the above photo. BoweryBoogie and The Lo-Down both recently noted the arrival of Tim Hortons, launched by the former NHL star who spent some 20 years in the league.

Per the website:

The Tim Hortons chain was founded in 1964 in Hamilton, Ontario. The chain's focus on top quality, always fresh product, value, great service and community leadership has allowed it to grow into the largest quick service restaurant chain in Canada specializing in always fresh coffee, baked goods and homestyle lunches.

And...

Sadly, Tim did not live to witness the chain's great success. He was traveling back to Buffalo from a game at Maple Leaf Gardens when he was killed in an automobile accident on February 21, 1974. The Buffalo Sabres retired his Number 2 sweater as a tribute to his memory. At the time of Tim's death, there were 40 Tim Hortons restaurants.

There are now 3,000 locations in the United States and Canada ... including 11 in the city. (This will make No. 12.)

I'm not at-all familiar with the chain (except what I posted above) ... though I'm not sure I like the sound of "Timbits"...