Workers cleaning out McSorley's basement this morning; plus, Minnie McSorley comments

A crew was out early today, hauling some lumber and other items from the basement of McSorley's on Seventh Street near Cooper Square.

As we first reported on Thursday, the DOH temporarily closed McSorley's following an inspection on Wednesday.

The bar, which may or may not have been established in 1854, has had A grades from the DOH in previous years. This time around, though, inspectors found evidence of rats/mice in the basement, according to the inspection report.

Owner Matthew Maher blamed the never-ending Cooper Square reconstruction for the presence of the critters. (A construction storage area nearby on the street was a rat hotspot as anyone who ever walked by noted.)

Per DNAinfo:

"There was a whole load of building equipment here, when the city opened up the pipes and all that, and they just took that away a couple of weeks ago, and that was a haven for rats," he said, noting he had seen the rodents scurrying around near the site during the restoration project from the city's Department of Design and Construction, which included tearing up the pavement in the plaza to install a new gas main.

When a health inspector came by unannounced on Wednesday afternoon, rat droppings were found throughout the basement, said Maher, who suspected the vermin got in when workers installing a new heating system weeks prior failed to shut the basement door on the sidewalk.

And!

But rats are just a part of city living, said Maher — unpleasant, but not uncommon, especially near construction sites.

"Can you imagine New York City anywhere there isn't a rat? Are you kidding me?" he exclaimed.

Maher will appear at the city's Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings on Monday, and hopes to be able to reopen after that.

Meanwhile! Former house cat Minnie McSorley — banished by the DOH — offered her take on the matter on Facebook Thursday (h/t Daily News): "Good thing the health department made me move out, huh?"

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

Tompkins Square Park status reinstated on Google Maps

[Back in August]

Back in August, EVG reader Mike W. noticed that Tompkins Square Park didn't show up on Google Maps for whatever reasons.

Despite not appearing on the map, it was still actually there, as we exclusively can reveal.

Anyway! Mike W. just let us know that the Park is back on Google Maps...



And a closer look...

Good morning, here is a photo of the moon last night

Photo from Earth by Grant Shaffer.

Reader report: An election comment, then an assault

An EVG reader reported being assaulted last night around 10:15 on Eighth Street between Avenue B and Avenue C. Here's what he shared with us:

I am a 54-year-old white straight male. A youngish man walked beside me and said, "Sucks about the election, huh?" I responded "yup." And then ... my hat was knocked off my head, and three other young men appeared. All wearing hooded sweatshirts. Someone pushed me. Someone shouted "fucking faggot!" And someone spit on me. Someone took a punch at me, but hit my jacket. I screamed for help...but no one was on the street. They ran."

The reader reported the incident to the NYPD.

I couldn't describe them. But they were white. Young. And I think they all wore hoodies. I am okay. But incredibly shaken...the cops were kind of helpful, but without details, were not sure they could help more, other than to "look out for more incidents in the area."

Heavy trash

Brooklyn's Surfbort opens for Thee Oh Sees tonight at a sold-out Bowery Ballroom. (They're also on a bill Nov. 21 at Baby's All Right.)

The above video is for "Trash."

Rendering (and porta-potty) watch: 75 1st Ave.

Just a quick follow-up post about 75 First Ave., where an 8-story condoplex featuring 22 residences will rise here between Fifth Street and Fourth Street.

Renderings are up on the plywood... not a lot of detail, but you get the idea...




The building, designed by HTO-Architect, looks to be a cantilever ... taking up some space over the Rite Aid next door...



The big porta-potty is also off the Avenue (as seen in the top pic) ... though cyclists still need to veer into traffic to pass the site...





Since I took the top photos, workers have added a warning sign about construction in the bike lane.

Previously

Worrying about Healthfully

Several EVG readers have expressed concern in recent weeks over the longterm health of Healthfully Organic Market, 98 E. Fourth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

Per one reader: "The shelves are looking sparse ... and they seem to be posting their hours weekly."

As of this week, the shop has been closed during posted business hours. There's no word for patrons about a temporary closure on the door or elsewhere. (Healthfully's Facebook page has not been updated since 2012.)

And yesterday, a reader noted that there's a 40 percent off everything inventory sale going on...



At the end of the summer of 2011, Kim Kardashian, her sister Kourtney and 50 photographers discretely shopped at Healthfully.


[Photo by Zinno Park]

Live above the (soon-to-depart) Citibank at 50 Avenue A

[Photo from 2014]

As noted last month, the Citibank at 50 Avenue A is closing for good in January. Several readers commented that the building housing the bank branch is rather unattractive.

I never thought much about it. There is a residence in the building for sale. Perhaps it's much better from the inside. Here's a look at the listing via Streeteasy:

This beautifully renovated apartment, one of the loveliest two bedroom, two full bathrooms currently on the market in the east village, is spacious, serene, and light-filled. Three blocks from Tompkins Square Park, four from the F train, and a five minute walk to SoHo, it's location puts you in one of the most convenient and authentic spots from which to experience our magical city.

The new renovation includes sanded oak floors, a raised ceiling with painted beams, exposed brick in every room, open kitchen, mosaic tiles in the bathroom, and custom made, rustic fixtures and furniture, which can come with the apartment. Rustic wood wraps the roaring fireplace, there is washer/ drier setup in unit, stainless steel oven, microwave, dishwasher, air con units and a powerful heating system under the individual apartment's control. There is a ton of storage space in the apartment and additional small, medium and large storage units available in the basement.

Located in a super safe (a new camera intercom is going in this month), conveniently located building on Ave A and third, you are steps from a 24 hour grocery store with plenty of organic produce, one block from the newest and largest New York Sports Clubs, within two blocks of a 24 hour Duane Reade, Union Market, bookstores, art galleries, restaurants, community gardens bars, nightlife, theaters and so much more.

And two pics...





Asking price: $1.25 million. And there's an open house tomorrow afternoon from 2:30-4:30.

This post still has nothing to do with the East Village, except for the part about 2 Boots Pizza

As I first noted back on Sept. 16, renovations for a Two Boots on Nassau Street in the Financial District turned up ghost signage for onetime tenant Loft's Candies...

It was unknown if Two Boots would keep the neon or have it removed...

Now East Village-based photographers James and Karla Murray report via Instagram that 2 Boots will be restoring the sign.

Per James and Karla: "Instead of just removing the signage, the good news is that Two Boots will be restoring the sign ... We love when we hear that a new tenant appreciates the history of a store and its signage. In this case, the Loft's sign features the candy store's mid century logotype."

The work on the sign started earlier this week...



Two Boots, which got its start on Avenue A (different location than its current home) in 1987, now has 17 locations in six states.

Previously on EV Grieve:
This post has nothing to do with the East Village, except for the part about 2 Boots Pizza

On Avenue A, Soothsayer is now Chao Chao

The family-owned Soothsayer, a contemporary Vietnamese restaurant at 171 Avenue A between 10th Street and 11th Street, is now going by Chao Chao.

Here's more about the new venture via its website:

Chao Chao means a number of things in Vietnamese, depending on various accent marks and their placement. All meanings are food and hospitality related: a welcoming “hello”, a warming “soup”, delicious “meatballs”, or “shrimp balls” a sizzling “wok”, and, the accentuation used for the restaurant’s name, tangy “fermented tofu”.

Chao Chao is the brainchild of Stuy-Town native, Stephan Brezinsky. The concept is based in his life experience, growing up around Alphabet City in the 90s, listening to the Beastie Boys, and going home to feast on his mother’s Vietnamese home cooking.

Here's a look at the menu...


[Click for more detail]

Soothsayer closed without any notice to patrons at the end of September. They were on CB3's SLA October docket for an upgrade to a full liquor license. (CB3 issued a denial on the license.) Soothsayer opened in January.

As for No. 171, it was the former home of 171A, a studio used by the Beastie Boys, Bad Brains and Reagan Youth, among other bands.

Thursday's parting shot

A view atop St. Nicholas of Myra Orthodox Church on Avenue A at 10th Street via Steven...

EV Grieve Etc.: Anti-Trump protests continue; the 'effortlessly cool' LES

[Subway art on 7th Street via Derek Berg]

Trump demonstrations in NYC (Gothamist ... B+B ... with more on the way)

After Trump's win, no clear answers for New York City's undocumented immigrants (Politico)

Yuh-Line Niou elected to State Assembly (The Lo-Down)

Arts and Election Day in the East Village (The New Yorker)

71-year-old man robbed twice in two weeks in the Wald Houses (Daily News)

A walk through the shops and galleries of the "effortlessly cool" Lower East Side (The New York Times)

A visit to Thursday Kitchen on East Ninth Street (The New York Time ...previously)

The elusive Cooper's hawk in Tompkins Square Park (Laura Goggin Photography)

A look at menu item at the new Nordic restaurant n’eat on Second Avenue (Grub Street)

Sales of air rights falling in NYC (The Real Deal)

"Anguish," an "undeservedly obscure, offbeat thriller" from 1987, plays Saturday afternoon at 4:45 (Anthology Film Archives)

Lou Reed’s “Walk On The Wild Side” 44 years later (Off the Grid)

...and over at Academy Record on 12th Street between First Avenue and Avenue A...

Putting out about 100+ punk singles at the 12th street shop. Here's some of them. #punk #uk82 #ushc #anarchyinyourbedroom

A photo posted by Academy Records NYC (@academyrecords) on Nov 9, 2016 at 1:53pm PST

Lucy remains missing

An East Village resident's apartment was burglarized late Saturday night. Upon his return home on Sunday afternoon, the person/people who did this left his window open... and both of his cats were gone. He found one in a courtyard... Lucy, pictured above, is still missing. (And she's not the same cat found the other night on Third Street and Avenue B.)

Lucy was last spotted in the schoolyard behind Fourth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

[Updated] DOH temporarily closes McSorley's

The DOH temporarily closed McSorley's yesterday on Seventh Street near Cooper Square, as these photos by EVG reader Russell Kohn show...



The city has not yet posted yesterday's inspection online.

In 2011, the city made McSorley's dust off the bar's famous wishbones, placed there some 100 years ago by doughboys headed off to war...(McSorley's also had to remove bar cat Minnie McSorely.)

Given the bar's ample presidential paraphernalia, an inspection the day after Election Night seems curious.

Updated 4 p.m.

The inspection report still isn't online. (They had an A, with only two minuscule violation points following the last inspection in May.)

According to Gothamist, The Health Department's inspection yesterday "revealed several critical health hazards, including evidence of rat activity, food held at the wrong temperature, and conditions conducive to vermin and pest activity."

Bar owner Matthew Maher blamed the ongoing Cooper Square reconstruction for the rat mess.

Per DNAinfo:

"There was a whole load of building equipment here, when the city opened up the pipes and all that, and they just took that away a couple of weeks ago, and that was a haven for rats," he said, noting he had seen the rodents scurrying around near the site during the restoration project from the city's Department of Design and Construction, which included tearing up the pavement in the plaza to install a new gas main.

When a health inspector came by unannounced on Wednesday afternoon, rat droppings were found throughout the basement, said Maher, who suspected the vermin got in when workers installing a new heating system weeks prior failed to shut the basement door on the sidewalk.

Updated 11/11

The report is now online.

There were 42 violation points. The main three violations:

1) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
2) Evidence of rats or live rats present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
3) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.

In the past two years, they've only had two violations points total.

Turntable Lab latest business to vacate 7th Street between Avenue A and 1st Avenue

[Image via Turntable Lab]

Along with a new website, the folks at Turntable Lab, providing one-step shopping for DJs, have announced that they "will be moving to a larger, more central East Village location." The Google Map link takes visitors to 10th Street between Fourth Avenue and Third Avenue. (Perhaps the space above Black & White that Wiz Kid Management vacated.)

Anyway, the owners of the 17-year-old Turntable Lab said that they will be providing more information on the new storefront soon.

This departure marks the latest business to either close or move away from the block. For instance, at No. 111, the wine bar Virgola and vintage clothing shop Village Style left earlier in the fall. Meanwhile, Porchetta is closed for now ahead of a move... and the owners of paint shop/boutique Verdigreen ceased operations in September.

H/T DrBop

I voted

[Photo by @chwhat]

Among the East Village residents voting today at the Theater for the New City on First Avenue — 105-year-old Tekla Husiak. Photographer Christina Holmes (find more of her work here) said that Husiak was out to cast her vote for Hillary Clinton.

Election Day tip

There are reports of long lines to vote this morning... such as seen in the reader-submitted photo here at Theater for the New City on First Avenue, where the line stretches back and around the corner on Ninth Street.

EVG reader Mel shared this:

The long lines at polling places are queues of folks who need to look up their Assembly and District numbers in order to sign in to vote.

To shorten the process, look up your Assembly and District numbers before heading to the polls here.

I knew my numbers, so it took me 7 minutes, start to finish, to vote.

Polls in New York State are open until 9 tonight.

Updated 10:30

EVG reader Terry Howell just voted at the Theater for the New City... he noted the long lines as well and added, "But if you know your Election District and/or Assembly District number, find a poll worker. They are canvassing the line frequently, and tell them you know your voting districts. They will take you inside and direct you to your table where the line is minimal.

The poll workers are very organized, friendly and helpful. TFNC being cramped as always and the crowd being large, they are doing an excellent job at keeping it moving. Let them guide you. The voters crowd is in a pleasant mood — happy to have it finally done!

A photo this morning from Manhattan School For Career Development on Fourth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue via Derek Berg...

About the Alamo spinning again without barricades on Astor Place

Today is the 1-week anniversary of the refurbished Alamo's return to Astor Place.

The fencing has remained up around the cube, prompting some questions, like, What's up with that barricade?

Sandwich board signage arrived yesterday with an explanation...



The sign notes that "there remains a final phase of onsite restoration needed." Then! "Once complete, the barricades will be removed."

This will also allow city officials more time to find the REAL cube.

Porchetta has closed on 7th Street; owners searching for new location

[Photo by the Bride of 7th]

Porchetta has not been open of late on Seventh Street... a note on the door points to repairs here between Avenue A and First Avenue. A tipster told us that business has been slow.

I reached out to co-owners Sara Jenkins and Matt Lindemulder to see what was happening.

Lindemulder confirmed that the Seventh Street location of Porchetta has now officially closed.

"We are not permanently shut just moving. We have not yet found the right location yet but we are exploring a couple of options and are looking forward to getting up and running as soon as possible," he said via email. "One of those options is in the East Village but nothing concrete has materialized."

The quick-serve restaurant, which specializes in Italian-style roast pork sandwiches and platters, opened in 2008. There are plenty of fans. New York magazine called Porchetta’s porchetta "drop-dead delicious, abundantly juicy, aggressively seasoned."

Jenkins also runs Porsena and Extra Bar on Seventh Street between Second Avenue and Cooper Square.

A look at the 12-floor retail-residential building coming to 79 Avenue D

The foundation work continues at 79 Avenue D, where a 12-story retail-residential building will rise here between Sixth Street and Seventh Street...



Last week, Real Estate Weekly offered a few more details on the project from L + M Development Partners.

The building ... is expected to have 110 apartment units, 22 of which will be permanently affordable. It will also have amenities such as a fitness center, landscaped roof deck, an outdoor terrace and a function room. The retail space on the ground floor has been pre-leased to drug store Rite Aid.

This past summer, workers demolished several one-level storefronts, including Rite Aid and Shady's pizza. In January, the Rite Aid relocated one block north to the vacant retail space in the Arabella 101 building. So it will be returning.

To date, we hadn't seen any renderings for the new building. GF55 Partners, whose area work includes Jupiter 21 and 48 Bond, are the architects of record.

In case you're curious, this is what No. 79 looks like via the rendering on the plywood...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: Space that houses Rite Aid on Avenue D hits market for $22.5 million

Report: New 12-story, mixed-use building in the works for Avenue D

Permit pre-filed for new 12-floor building at 79-89 Avenue D

Election Day, and Night

[On the plywood on 2nd Street at Avenue C]

As you may have heard, today is Election Day.

DNAinfo put together a voter's guide featuring a list of the local candidates and races on the ballot. You can find that here.

Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Go here to find your polling location. (Curbed assembled a few other helpful things to know about Election Day here.)

Grub Street listed a few bars (not East Village specific) around the city to watch the election results. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to call around and ask about Election Day specials at bars here. (One I know of: Iggy's Keltic Lounge on Ludlow between Stanton and Rivington is having an Election Evening party with some free food. Tips from the evening are going to First Descents, an organization that works with young adults impacted by cancer.)

Also, here's another way to spend part of the day...

Luxury rental building sells for $10 million on 5th Street

The newish luxury rental at 532 E. Fifth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B arrived on the sales market in July 2015 with an asking pricing of $12.5 million.

The Real Deal reports that Forest City Ratner Companies is the new owner, buying the six-story, 10-unit building for $10.4 million. Rents range from $3,950 for a one-bedroom apartment to $8,900 for a three bedroom.

The Cushman & Wakefield listing mentioned that No. 532 was "an excellent opportunity for an investor to purchase a high cash flowing, low maintenance asset, or an immediate condo conversion project."

Forest City Ratner has not revealed their plans for the building yet.

Now! A return trip to the EVG archives to when the demolition started on the previous building here in November 2008…



Previously on EV Grieve:
Beaming up on Fifth Street

Demolition on East Fifth Street

On the way: A five-story apartment building for Fifth Street

532 E. Fifth St. ready for renting

Why yes — you can rent an apartment on East Fifth Street between A and B for $13,500 a month now

A look inside the Kati Roll Company on 2nd Avenue

The plywood came down yesterday at 128 Second Ave. between St. Mark's Place and Seventh Street... providing a look at the new Kati Roll Company... EVG correspondent Derek Berg looked inside, where some workers were celebrating the near-completion of the space...









Kati Roll Company is expected to be open next week. This will be the fourth location in the city.


[EVG photo]

The Stage, the 35-year-old lunch counter, closed here on March 30, 2015. Stage owner Roman Diakun had been involved in an ongoing legal/eviction battle with landlord Icon Realty. (You can read that background here.)

Previously on EV Grieve:
A few more details about the Kati Roll Company coming to 2nd Avenue

Cat found on 3rd and B

An EVG reader writes in:

We found this sweet cat on 3rd Street near Avenue B tonight at around 7. Took her to the vet to see if she has a microchip — doesn't have one. She definitely seems like someone's pet because she is clean and so friendly (loves belly rubs). I hope we can find her owner.

Let us know if you know her owner ... via the EV Grieve email

Reported: Man sentenced to 14 years for 3 sexual assaults in the East Village

Estranged cousin of actress Rosario Dawson gets 14 years in prison for East Village sexual assaults https://t.co/Rjar8ioB8c pic.twitter.com/iMqjObDWhY

— New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) November 8, 2016

Juan Scott was sentenced today to 14 years in prison for three assaults that took place in 2014, the Daily News reported.

In October 2014, police arrested Scott for the attempted rape of a 20-year-old woman in an elevator at 600 E. 14th St. in Stuy Town. Scott was later linked to two other attacks, one on East 11th Street and one on East 13th Street.

One of the victims was a woman Scott had been dating. He reportedly held the woman captive for five hours in her apartment.

At his sentencing today, the victim recalled the attack, "and also blasted the NYPD, specifically disgraced Manhattan Special Victims Division Lukasz Skorzewski who was accused of groping a woman whose alleged rape he was investigating."

She said Skorzewski belittled the heinous crime she reported and told her Scott was "not going to jail for this."

It was previously reported that Scott is an estranged cousin of Rosario Dawson. Her mother and father and other relatives lived at the now under-renovation 544 E. 13th St., where police arrested Scott.

CB3 will hear HPD presentation on HDFC regulatory agreement this Wednesday night

An EVG reader notes that the city is pushing a new regulatory agreement for HDFC buildings under the guise of helping the approximately 25 percent of those buildings that are in financial trouble.

This Wednesday evening, CB3's Land Use, Zoning, Public & Private Housing Committee hosts a presentation on proposed HDFC regulatory agreements.

The meeting is Nov. 9 at 6:30 in the Great Hall at Cooper Union, 7 E. Seventh St. at Cooper Square.

Find more background at the CB3 website here and at the the HDFC Coalition website here.

The Redhead closes for good in January

The staff at the Redhead is telling patrons that the unassuming, Southern-flavored restaurant on 13th Street is closing for good in January.

For starters, the 10-year lease at the Redhead between First Avenue and Second Avenue is up (and there is a rent increase)... plus, the partners have apparently been living out of state. (Chef/founding partner Meg Grace Larcom is now in Colorado.)

In August 2009, Frank Bruni, in his last review for the Times, gave the place high marks:

"[The Redhead] sharply reflects a few of the most prominent and rewarding developments in Manhattan dining over the years during which I’ve had the privilege of serving as The Times’s restaurant critic.

Now more than ever, diners find principled, distinctive cooking in places where they wouldn’t have expected it before: dessert trucks, baseball stadiums, postage-stamp storefronts, wine bars, taverns and cocktail lounges. In fact the Redhead...exemplified the possibility of terrific eating with untraditional trappings and captured the sense of gastronomic serendipity that defines this culinary moment.

There isn't a set closing date just yet. The Redhead will be open for a New Year's Eve service/celebration.

Wowfulls bringing Hong Kong egg waffles to East Houston Street

A coming soon sign has arrived in the now-closed East Houston location of Gem Pawnbrokers (27 locations in NYC/Long Island!).

The space here between Clinton and Attorney will be the first permanent storefront for Wowfulls...



Here's more about them via the Wowfulls website:

We serve 1950’s-style Hong Kong egg waffles also known as Gai Dàn Jai. The taste and texture of our Gai Dàn Jai — crispy on the outside, soft and sweet on the inside, was once only found in the streets of Hong Kong.

The proprietors of Wowfulls have been vending at the various Smorgasburgs this past year.

A photo posted by W O W F U L L S (@wowfulls) on Oct 14, 2016 at 11:17am PDT