Mono + Mono coming soon — again!

[Photo from last week]

Last week a reader tipped us off to the fact that a flower shop was in bloom operating out of the former Mono + Mono space at 116 E. Fourth St.

A recap of what happened to the restaurant that specialized in Korean fried chicken (and with a collection of jazz records): In April 2013, a two-alarm fire swept through the single-level building. Through the years the owners provided multiple updates that they'd return to the space between First Avenue and Second Avenue. That never happened. And then when the signs arrived for the florist, it seemed as if the Mono + Mono return plans were kaput.

But! There is an amendment to the signage... that Mono + Mono is still in the works...



The last update of the M+M Facebook page is from October 2014 (and it's for the Food Network New York City Wine and Food Festival). The M+M website site is currently down. The GoDaddy notice says it expired on July 15, and is "pending renewal or deletion." The M+M phone number is no longer in service.

Meanwhile, we have yet to see anyone inside the shop. And the number goes to a generic voice-mail box.

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] Early-morning fire at 116 E. Fourth St., home of Mono + Mono

(Kind of) An update on Mono + Mono

What is happening with the Mono + Mono space?

Report: Mono + Mono plans fall reopening

With new building OK'd, corner of 4th Avenue and 10th Street finally ready for razing

Workers prepped the southeast corner of 10th Street and Fourth Avenue late last week for demolition. (H/T to a reader for alerting us to this on Friday.) This comes about nine months after the permits were filed.

The parcel includes the four-story, turn-of-the-century townhouse at 82 E. 10th St.



Last Monday, the city OK'd the plans for a 10-story building here. The approved permit shows retail on the ground floor and 12 dwelling units above. The residential portion encompasses more than 24,000 square feet, so those units will presumably be condos. Floors 2-5 will each have two units while 6-8 will each have one unit while a two-level duplex to top things off.

The plans also show a rooftop "recreation space" ... with more outdoor space on the ground level. Residential perks include a media room, an exercise room and storage for seven bikes, according to the permits.

SBLM Architects are listed as the architects of record. We didn't spot a rendering at their website ... but there is this diagram on file with the DOB...



It has been a long time coming for this — or any — development here. The previous tenants, including the Green East deli and St. Marx Music (and previously the Atlas Barber School), were cleared out in early 2007. There were once plans to build a 13-story hotel, though the city never OK'd that proposal, Curbed reported in 2009.

The plans for the 10-story building were filed last summer, as New York Yimby first reported. The layout has been amended somewhat. The plans from last summer showed just eight residences. Folks living here will just have to make due with a little less space.

82 E. 10th St. was thought to have housed the Hilda Carmel Gallery in the late 1950s and early 1960s, where the likes of Pollock, Rothko and de Kooning showed their work.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: Demo permits filed to raze southeast corner of 4th Avenue and 10th Street

The 'tremendous retail potential' of East 10th Street and 4th Avenue

10 stories of condos in the works for the long-vacant corner of 4th Avenue and East 10th Street

[Updated] Another deli/market looks to be replacing Poppy's on 12th and A

In the shadows of Steiner East Village, the renovations continue at the former Poppy's Gourmet Corner on Avenue A and 12th Street.

There are detailed plans on the plywood... helpfully pointing out where the various items will be inside the incoming deli/market...



Among other things, the plans show a counter, a back counter, coffee, ice cream, a fryer, grill and juice bar.

And now, courtesy of EVG regular Greg Masters, an exclusive look at the market's new refrigeration units...







Poppy's closed at the end of January. Owner Mike Attal told Poppy's regular Shawn Chittle that a rent increase made it too challenging (Kushnered) to stay in business.

Updated 8/2

The coming-soon sign is now up for NY Grill & Deli...

Drunken Dumpling coming soon to 1st Avenue

We have a signage reveal at 137 First Ave., where Drunken Dumpling is opening soon between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street...



The Drunken Dumpling proprietors are seeking a beer-wine license, and are on this month's CB3 SLA docket (that meeting notice has not been posted at the CB3 website as of this morning)...



This space was last home to Le Marécage, a nice little place that could only hang on for 10 months.

First strike

Here's a scene from Tompkins Square Park this afternoon... as one of the red-tailed hawk youngsters apparently made its first solo pigeon strike... EVG reader Peter Shapiro shared these photos... as he noted, "freshly picked pigeon feathers were gently falling toward the crowd of onlookers."






... and a few hawk shots from earlier today via Bobby Williams...

Week in Grieview

[Sunrise the other day]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

The L train shutdown countdown clock is on (Tuesday)

Police searching for suspect who groped, then punched woman several times on First Avenue (Wednesday)

At long last, 76 E. Houston St. reveals itself (Monday)

Cops looking for suspect who tied up woman after robbery on 13th Street and Avenue B (Thursday)

Esperanto opening a 2nd East Village location (Tuesday)

Q-&-A with Susan Seidelman, director of 'Smithereens' and 'Desperately Seeking Susan' (Friday)

Workers demolish the former Puck Fair and BP on Houston and Lafayette (Tuesday)

Man steals security camera that caught him breaking into an East 14th Street apartment (Tuesday)

Looking at some East Village gym options (Thursday)

Out and About with Creaux (Wednesday)

Small-format Target coming to 14th Street and Avenue A (Friday, 40 comments)

Hells Angel arrested for waving gun, chasing man down Third Street with a baseball bat (Wednesday)

Last splash: The Deep End Club closes on First Avenue (Thursday)

Astor Place reconstruction now slated for a fall completion (Tuesday)

Moonstruck Eatery closes on Avenue A (Wednesday)

The charming 65 E. Second St. is for sale (Monday)

Rentals underway at the Hub on Avenue B (Wednesday)

The 's is back at Ray's (Monday)

Blackout at the Houston/Bowery Mural Wall (Wednesday)

Rainbow! (Monday)

Empire Biscuit appears to be toast on Avenue A (Thursday)

... and just admiring the new awning at Fineline Tattoo, 21 First Ave. ...

Trash can in the trash can

A reader shares this from Third Street and Avenue B... where someone is clearly flouting the city's ban on household trash in street trash cans ... by dumping an entire household trash can ...

Gem Spa hat trick

Photo outside Gem Spa on Second Avenue and St. Mark's Place via Derek Berg

Happy holidays, and watch out for the sinkhole

Someone has combined creating a sinkhole warning with offering holiday wishes on Third Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue...

Thanks to the ever-vigilant @salim for the photo!

Last day for Inutilious Retailer on Ludlow Street

Photos and text by Nick McManus

This Saturday marks the closing for Ludlow Street's art-concept-store Inutilious Retailer. (Word is the new building's owner at 151 Ludlow St. won't renew the lease.)

Opened last September by artist Adrian Miller, it has become a hub for local artists Cash4 SMELLS, Brandon Sines and Hek Tad to name a few. Over the course of the year, he has invited painters of all kinds to do work in his back yard in addition to featuring a different artist every week with on top of his basement stairs.


[The rooftop of Inutilious Retailer's building looking north]


[The backyard of Inutiliuos Retailer last week]


[Bike messenger Gary McKnight in front of Inutilious Retailer featuring a Frank Ape painting by Brandon Sine last March]

The cost of giving stuff away has gone up

Avenue A near Third Street. Unfortunately, all the "stuff" was gone. [Sad-face emoji here]

'Lupine' howl

Thee Oh Sees are playing at the Bowery Ballroom on Nov. 11, and that show is already sold out. They're at the Warsaw then on Nov. 13. (Maybe they'll play a show somewhere here on the 12th.)

Anyway, here's the San Francisco-based band from 2013 with "Lupine Dominus" from the Putrifiers II LP. It's a different TOS lineup these days — only founder/singer John Dwyer remains. And they employ two drummers now.

Breaking (pretty much!): Target is coming to 14th Street and Avenue A

Extell Development has signed its first retail tenant for the new complex rising at 500 East 14th St. at Avenue A.

The Real Deal has the scoop:

Big-box retailer Target inked a deal to open a small-format store... Target signed a 30-year lease at 500 East 14th Street on the corner of Avenue A, according to a memorandum of lease that hit property records Friday. Terms of the lease include a 10-year option to extend the lease.

What is a small-format store?

Here's one explanation:

In an effort to increase market penetration (and comply with local zoning regs), the No. 2 discount chain is focusing on a smaller-footprint store format that can squeeze into strip malls and city streets where its gargantuan big-box flagships can’t.

Trader Joe's had been floated here as a possibility.

Extell Development's has two, 7-floor retail-residential buildings coming: 500 E. 14th St. will have 106 residential units … while, further to the east, 524 E. 14th St. will house 44 residential units.

More on all this later...

Previously on EV Grieve:
The disappearing storefronts of East 14th Street

[Updated with correction] 8-lot parcel of East 14th Street primed for new development

New 7-floor buildings for East 14th Street include 150 residential units

So long to Mascot Studio on 9th Street

[Photo by Steven]

As we noted a few weeks ago, Mascot Studio is leaving the East Village after 35 years on East Ninth Street.

Proprietor Peter McCaffrey is relocating to Chelsea in collaboration with Pratzon Art Restoration, 122 W. 26th St. It is not a retail space, though.



Here's what McCaffrey told us earlier this month about the relocation.

"It has been difficult the last few years. Many of my old clientele have moved on and the influx of a more transitory population has affected my custom framing business. Selling art is another challenge, but I think the mindset of 'inexpensive and disposable' has become the norm as new residents come and go."

Anyway, this is the last weekend for the custom frame and fine art shop at 328 E. Ninth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue. There are sales on prints and frames... and opportunities to offer best wishes to Peter on his move to Chelsea.