Reader report: Pak Punjab Deli and Grocery back open

After being closed for nearly a month for some undisclosed renovations, Pak Punjab Deli and Grocery is back in business today on Second Avenue and East Third Street.

The storefront closed without any warning... or note indicating a temporary closure. Several readers noted, however, that the proprietors of the deli, which sells homemade Pakistani-Punjabi food, were just freshening up the interior.

H/T to Marjorie Ingall for the photo!

Property at 253 E. 7th St. now for sale; perfect for a 'dream custom mansion townhouse'

[Photo from November by Daniel Root]

At last look in November, the former four-story residence at 253 E. Seventh St. between Avenue C and Avenue D had been reduced to a pile of bricks.

An LLC with a Grand Street address bought the building in August 2014 for $4.3 million. The new owners had plans to put up a 6-story building with six residences on the property. However, the city has yet to approve those plans.

Now this empty property is for sale. It arrived on Streeteasy yesterday. Per the listing at the E Property Group:

Subject property is currently vacant land, & ready to go development site. Perfect for a:
• Boutique condo building
• Rental building,
• Your dream custom mansion townhouse

Prime Location:

Located on one of the east village’s most beautiful & serene tree-lined historic blocks. Preserved gardens to the west & north create a grand opportunity for lot-line & rear country like views. 1.5 blocks from Tomkins sq. park & just a few doors down from the magnificent flowerbox condos.

Pre-approved plans available for a high-end 6-unit condo building, EPA, & boring sample

The asking price is $6.25 million.

And here's a rendering of sorts that accompanies the listing...



Again, despite what the listing says, these plans haven't been approved by the city...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Options for this lovely East 7th Street townhouse include demolition

New building in the works for 253 E. 7th St.

The disappearing 253 E. 7th St.

253 E. 7th St. is now a pile of bricks


[Image from 2014 via Massey Knakal]

You can't park at the former Mobil station any longer

[Back in December]

As we noted back in the December, people were using the former Mobil station on East Houston and Avenue C as a parking lot.

No more though! As of last Thursday, workers erected a (rather flimsy TBH) fence around the property... and posted a "private property" sign...





The station closed in September 2014, and there are plans in the works for a 9 (or 10!) story retail-residential building here. However, the project appears to be in limbo. Nothing recent has happened with the application, which the DOB rejected in April 2014 for incomplete drawings, per city records. And there haven't been any demolition permits filed yet either to remove the structure left on the property.

Previously on EV Grieve:
You have a little longer to get gas on Avenue C

Plans filed for new 9-story building at site of Mobil station on East Houston and Avenue C

State seizes Mobil station on Avenue C and Houston for nonpayment of taxes

New residential building for former Mobil station lot will be 10 floors with 0 zero affordable units

A look inside the last East Village gas station

Check out the Bagel Belly on 3rd Avenue

Workers removed the plywood around the storefront at 114 Third Ave. near East 14th Street ... the incoming deli/cafe will go by Bagel Belly...



The proprietors, who also own Namu Deli & Grocery at 252 Third Ave. between 20th Street and 21st Street, were on CB3's SLA committee docket back in December for a beer-wine license. (This item was not heard during the committee meeting.)

The space was, until the fall, home to Robin Raj/Delicacity. The address was formerly the Grace and Hope Mission.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Updated: Bagel Belly coming to 3rd Avenue

A quick look inside the new Mamoun's on St. Mark's Place

[This photo is from January]

As previously noted, the 45-year-old Mamoun's is moving a few storefronts to the east (No. 22 to No. 30) on St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

EVG contributor Derek Berg took a look inside the space the other day to see how the renovations were going... as workers are de-Red & Gold Boil-ing the interior...



The larger space for the falafel restaurant is expected to open this spring.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Mamoun's Falafel is moving on St. Mark's Place

More about the Mamoun's Falafel move on St. Mark's Place

The storefronts for rent on the Bowery

Environment Furniture, which "creates timeless contemporary collections for the home that respect the planet," has been holding a going-out-of-business sale at its showroom on the Bowery between Great Jones and East Fourth Street. Now the storefront is for rent. (The listing isn't online at Ozymandius Realty.)

Meanwhile, there are plenty of other storefronts available nearby (in the few blocks between East Fourth and East Houston) on the Bowery ... such as the former Subway sandwich shop...



... and the spaces where PYT and SRO Pizza were...



...and Patricia Field's storefront... (Field is retiring from the boutique business after 50 years... the store's last day is Feb. 28.)



...and the now-closed Tatyana Boutique...



Also, just as an FYI...


[Photo by Margarita on Jan. 31]

Rock is either no longer dead... or it died... as the Rock is Dead? banner has been removed at the John Varvatos store...



Also, just as an FYI Part 2...

The newish Kenneth Cole shop on the Bowery at Bond was closed over the weekend after a pipe broke/burst...





...and the 7-Eleven at 351 Bowery between East Third Street and East Fourth Street was randomly closed yesterday for unspecified reasons...

The McSorley's Militia continue to adapt to our changing times

In honor of the 162nd (or 154th!) anniversary of McSorley's... members of its militia were present to perform a musket salute... just as soon as everyone figured how to pay for parking...



Photos by EVG Musket and Powder Horn correspondent Derek Berg

Today in clearance sales

EVG regular William Klayer spotted this in the window at the KHL check-cashing/loan shop on First Avenue between East 10th Street and East 11th Street...

Perhaps this spelling of hoverboard is to throw off the NYC hoverboard police... or this is some kind of Herbert Hoover-related Presidents Day sale.

Happy No. 162 McSorley's!

[EVG photo of McSorley's from the other night]

In one of our very first gazette dispatches here at EVG, we noted a new "old ale house" opening at 15 E. Seventh St. near Cooper Square.

At the time, it was not clear if founder John McSorley had appeared before CB3 or bothered collecting signatures of support or had proper permits for the big belly stove.

A few readers expressed displeasure. For example:

"I wish they'd keep their doors closed. I can hear the barkeep dropping nickels into the soup bowl from a block away."

And!

"Don't we already have enough establishments around here in which to drink ale and eat raw onions?"

And!

"Oh great, another place catering to the tanners, bricklayers and slaughter-house butchers."

And!

"I give it 6 months."

And!

"There goes the neighborhood."

Anyway, (I kid because I love), 162 years later, give or take eight years, McSorley's is celebrating today...



And as always when mentioning McSorley's and anniversaries... There are some doubters ("doubters gonna doubt!") about when McSorley's actually opened. Per New York: "Though McSorley’s claims it opened its doors in 1854, NYC historian Richard McDermott used public records to prove it really opened in 1862." Which means Lincoln never set foot in the place.

Still, Lincoln will likely make an appearance here today as in previous years...


[Photo from 2015 by TheDustyRebel via Facebook]

Maybe this year it will be the actor who starred in "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter."

Updated 2/16

A few photos from the day via Derek Berg... featuring the McSorley's militia...









Previously on EV Grieve:
Exclusive: Minnie McSorley's first interview

It was a cold day and also Valentine's Day

Photos by Derek Berg...

Week in Grieview

[Photo on 2nd Avenue yesterday by Derek Berg]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

Arrests in the Second Avenue explosion: landlord, three others charged with 2nd degree manslaughter (Thursday) Former residents talk about landlord Maria Hrynenko (Saturday)

City plans more penalties for serious construction-safety lapses; de Blasio makes announcement outside under-renovation building on East Eighth Street where undocumented worker died (Friday)

RIP John Farris (Friday)

New concept for Nevada Smiths includes record store paying homage to Thin Lizzy, plus a bar (Thursday)

Arrests made in East Ninth Street stabbing (Wednesday)

The Honey Fitz in the works for St. Mark's Place and Avenue A (Monday, 50 comments)

The Bowery Mission resource card (Saturday)

Management company sues Raphael Toledano for backing out of $130 million loan (Thursday)

Out and About with Kevin Cloutier (Wednesday)

Using graffiti to attract buyers for the million-dollar condos along Avenue A (Friday)

A list of bars-restaurants-cafes that have closed so far in 2016 (Wednesday, 49 comments)

The retail-wine bar possibilities for the former Chase space on Avenue A and East Second Street (Tuesday)

Rumors: Ethiopian to give way to high-end Japanese on East Third Street (Friday)

Lawyer for suspect in East Sixth Street slashing says his client is "a good guy" (Wednesday)

These charming East Sixth Street studios still have the bathtub in the living space (Wednesday)

Vegan pizzeria 00 + Co. is now open on Second Avenue (Friday)

A sign for Gnoccheria by Luzzo's on East Fourth Street (Monday)

The rent is due at DF Mavens (Thursday)

Annual Citi Bike membership will increase 4% in 2016 (Tuesday)

Reaching the top at 347 Bowery (Tuesday)

A for rent sign at the former Sounds space on St. Mark's Place (Monday)

Ravi DeRossi is turning his empire meat-free, starting with Mother of Pearl on Avenue A (Tuesday)

Boglioli brings its Italian tailoring to 10 Bond Street (Monday)

The former Tatyana Boutique space is for rent on the Bowery (Thursday)

...and The Mozfather in a new Supreme ad campaign along the plywood on East 14th Street outside the former Peter Stuyvesant post office...



Morrissey has already apologized and distanced himself from the ads and company.

Also, speaking of Morrissey and the Smiths... happy Valentine's Day!

[Updated] Love saved the day

The other day I noticed that someone added a heart and sign on the corner of Second Avenue and East 7th Street, where the three buildings came down following the March 26 gas explosion.

I thought it might be in memory of the two victims, Nicholas Figueroa and Moises Ismael Locón Yac.

But it's actually for the former business at 119 Second Ave. — Love Saves the Day...



...someone misses the store...



Updated 2/15

EVG reader Daniel shared these photos he took earlier in the month ... when Nicholas Figueroa's father Nixon and brother Neal placed Valentine's Day messages on the fence...

Sunday morning (today!)

Been awhile since I may have been the only person in Tompkins Square Park. The dog run was empty (at least when I walked through at 8:30 or so...) I did eventually see a Parks employee emerge from the office (he was singing, it was kind of nice) ...

Perhaps the windchill has something to do with the lack of Parkgoers...



Also, there is one hearty Greenmarket vendor setting up (the bread guy/person) along Avenue A...



Updated noon

Several more vendors have arrived, including the folks from Stannard Farm Vegetables...

This Valentine's Day, start thinking about what you're going to do on St. Patrick's Day

One idea courtesy of Planet Rose on Avenue A between East 13th Street and East 14th Street: Drink green beer and sing Irish drinking songs.

Don't settle for walking

An EVG repeat from September 2009 ... forgot about this Lou Reed ad for Honda scooters from 1985...

The Bowery Mission resource card

As temps. drop to extreme lows this weekend, encourage anyone you see on the streets to seek safe, warm shelter! pic.twitter.com/TOe9MUnz5n

— The Bowery Mission (@BoweryMission) February 12, 2016

Per The Bowery Mission website:

Sometimes it's hard to know how to help. But when you hand a resource card to a homeless neighbor, you show that you care and want that person to have second chance at life.

Print out these resource cards to give away to the homeless you encounter on the streets. Invite them to come to The Bowery Mission to get help. Click here to open a pdf file with four resource cards to print.