Boarding up the former Papaya King on St. Mark's Place

On Wednesday, workers boarded up the entrance to the former Papaya King on St. Mark's Place at Third Avenue...

Not sure why this happened ... perhaps to prep for the eventual demolition of this assemblage of buildings on the corner. (Background here.) There aren't any demo permits on file yet. Plus, the timeline isn't clear on when this corner will come down. The Continental around the corner announced that they would close after August 2018.

Or maybe the plywood went up to keep people from camping out inside the front entrance...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Papaya King closes on St. Mark's Place ahead of new development

The Continental says it will close late next summer

Space Mabi is open on 1st Avenue

Been meaning to note that Space Mabi opened (as of Nov. 3, after a few other announced dates) at 67 First Ave. at Fourth Street...

They open at 8:30 a.m. for coffee and cafe service with free Wi-Fi...

Dinner service starts at 5 p.m.

Here's more about them via Facebook:

Space Mabi is a new gastropub with cozy atmosphere in East Village that specializes in New Korean cuisine, plus creative Korean alcoholic beverages.

Under the sun, we operate as ‘Cafe Space Mabi,’ under the moon, we serve as ‘Restaurant Space Mabi’, and under the stars, we turn into ‘Bar Space Mabi’.

You can find their website with menus here.

Previously

Report: Claims of paid pro-dorm supporters are 'fake news' says developer Gregg Singer

On Sunday, the Daily News reported that some of the 30 participants who showed up at a City Hall rally to support turning the former P.S 64 and CHARAS/El Bohio community center into a dorm were paid extras.

The organizers — a group called East Village Cares — strongly denied that the extras received money ($50) for their time.

In a follow-up piece at the News yesterday, property owner Gregg Singer also denied that any of the supporters were paid to attend the rally on Nov. 17. Singer also blamed those opposing his dorm project.

"You ever heard fake news? I think the people that are against us are twisting it — it's probably the other side that paid the money!" Singer said.

In other Singer news, The Villager reported:

[A] judge ordered Singer to pay a settlement of more than $8 million to his investors, who have sued him for failing to develop the building while continuing to pay himself management fees of up to $30,000 a month.

Singer bought the property on Ninth Street between Avenue B and Avenue C from the city in 1998. He wants to turn the landmarked building into a dorm, and continues in a holding pattern while the DOB maintains a Stop Work Order on the building. As previously reported, there's deed restriction on the property, which can only be developed for "community facility use."

Crain's also has an article, published Wednesday, on Singer and the ongoing issues with the address.

Some excerpts:

Depending on whom you believe, owner Gregg Singer is either the victim of a decadeslong political conspiracy or he has squandered tens of millions of dollars and years of his life pursuing schemes to circumvent the deed restrictions and convert the building into a massive youth hostel.

And...

...P.S. 64 seems destined to remain a fossil from the old neighborhood, a shell petrified for posterity, of no use to the community or anybody else.

Kellogg's Union Square cafe closer to snapping, crackling and popping

Just noting that the signage went up this week for the Kellogg's NYC Café on the north side of Union Square. It's scheduled to open on Dec. 7. Menu items include unique combinations of cereal and Pop Tarts.

Previously.

Thanksgiving morning, Tompkins Square Park

[Updated] Potted palm mystery in Tompkins Square Park

[Photo yesterday by Bobby Williams]

A few people have asked about the dead potted palm tree surrounded by the barricades in the middle of Tompkins Square Park.

Not sure what this is about. In any event, the Parks Department has hired guards to keep a watchful eye on it...




[Guard photos by Derek Berg]

Unfortunately, without the overnight security detail, someone was able to navigate the barricades and knock the tree over...



Updated 11/24

The potted palm has lost its barricade status...



Updated 11/26

A reader shares this photo today... with the potted palm not quite able to fit inside the Big Belly...

Where the day takes you

Photo on First Avenue today by Grant Shaffer...

A quick check on fall

Photo in Tompkins Square Park this afternoon...

EV Grieve Etc.: Manhattan retail rents hit 17-year low; CB3 chair will step down

[Photo on Avenue A and 7th Street yesterday by Derek Berg]

Manhattan retail rents have slid into their deepest and longest slump in 17 years (The Post)

City's lead poisoning numbers in public housing may be misleading (WNYC)

As expected, Jamie Rogers to step down as Community Board 3 chair (The Lo-Down)

Mixed reaction over the pro-President Trump art at Cloister Cafe on Ninth Street (Patch)

High marks from Sietsema for Szechuan Mountain House on St. Mark's Place (Eater ... previously)

Dora goes on a hunt (Laura Goggin Photography)

A Revolutionary War hanging near the Bowery (Ephemeral New York)

An interactive map of every record store in the world (Dangerous Minds)

Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre leaving longtime Chelsea home; the UCB's East Village location staying put (Chelsea Now)

Hal Hartley's first feature, "The Unbelievable Truth," screens Saturday night (Metrograph)

A look at the new Ziegzeld theater in Midtown (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

The long history of 140-142 Second Ave. and the Ukrainian National Home (Off the Grid) And here's New Order playing here in 1981 ... (the show starts at the 3-minute mark)...



... and EdenB notes that the formerly roving horse head is now sleeping with a Buddha on Seventh Street...

[Updated] Sweet Generation's Thanksgiving

In case you need something last-minute and bakery-related tomorrow...Sweet Generation, 130 First Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place, will be open on Thanksgiving day starting at 8 a.m.

Several residents told me that they were happy to find the bakery open last Thanksgiving.

I asked owner Amy Chasan about working that day.

"We will be open until at least 3 p.m., and will have tons of pies, assorted brownie and cookie platters, cakes, and seasonal cupcakes. I work the counter with my fiancé all day so my team can be with their families and we can still serve the community," she said. "We have a lot of fun working that day and helping people with last-minute treats."

Sweet Generation, who turns 3 in January, partners with several nonprofit organizations and local high schools to create an internship program that teaches baking, food safety, customer service, work readiness, and entrepreneurship to teens and young adults from low-income communities.

Updated 2 p.m.

Speaking of pies ... Bakeri, 627 E. Sixth St. between Avenue B and Avenue C, is open tomorrow from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. ...

A post shared by Bakeri NYC (@bakerinyc) on Nov 20, 2017 at 7:45am PST

Thanksgiving at the Bowery Mission

The Bowery Mission shared this on social media yesterday...

In just 5 ovens, our kitchen team is preparing over 700 turkeys to serve delicious, traditional Thanksgiving meals to our hungry neighbors. The team started cooking on Sunday & will continue around the clock until Thursday.

The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. donated 450 turkeys — "and a mountain of potatoes." The Bowery Mission expects to serve more than 10,000 meals during Thanksgiving week.

[Updated] Swiss Institute revamp now in sidewalk bridge phase

[Photo Tuesday by Steven]

As previously reported, the Swiss Institute, a non-profit cultural center, is moving to the Icon Realty-owned 130 Second Ave. at St. Mark's Place.

Workers have been gutting the former Chase branch since August... on Tuesday, the sidewalk bridge went up ...




[Bottom 2 bridge pics from yesterday]

Hopefully this will help preserve the wheatpaste ads that seem to change every few hours on the plywood.

Inside, here's more about what to expect via the Institute's website:

In Spring 2018, Swiss Institute looks forward to relocating to a new long-term home in New York City’s East Village, moving into a building at the corner of St. Marks Place and Second Avenue. Swiss Institute has hired Selldorf Architects to oversee the transformation of the new building. The 7,500 square foot space features four levels – basement, ground floor, second floor and roof.

The design for the building will create spaces for exhibitions, projects and public programs, a library, a bookstore, and a rooftop garden. SI’s new home is located within half a mile of several prominent cultural and educational institutions including Anthology Film Archives, Cooper Union, Danspace Project, ICP, La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club, New Museum, New York University, The Poetry Project, and The Public Theater.

Updated 10:30 a.m.

The scaffolding and construction netting is going up now...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Swiss Institute moving into the former Chase branch on 2nd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

IBar signage arrives at the Coal Yard ahead of tomorrow's merger

[Photo by Scott McBride]

As noted here yesterday, the International Bar is closing after service tonight (early tomorrow morning) at 120 1/2 First Ave. Starting on Thanksgiving, sister bar the Coal Yard a block to the south near Sixth Street will be the home of the International.

Ahead of that, the International Bar lettering was added yesterday to the Coal Yard's front window.

The latest iteration of the iBar opened in June 2008. Word is that No. 120 1/2 landlord Steve Croman wasn't offering a lease renewal.

Former Caffe Bene space under renovation on St. Mark's Place

The former Caffe Bene space is getting the covered-window treatment on St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

Renovations are underway inside the space... the work permits don't reveal who the new tenant is here at No. 24.

Per the permit in the all-cap DOBguage: "PROPOSE TO PERFORM INTERIOR RENOVATION WORK ON THE FIRST FLOOR RETAIL SPACE AS SHOWN IN THE PLANS SUCH AS INSTALL NON LOAD BEARING WALLS, COUNTER, CABINETS, REPLACE SINK AND COSMETIC WORK OF PAINTING."

If you had to bet based on current neighborhood retail trends, then something involving desserts or noodles would be a safe wager.

The Caffe Bene outpost closed back in April after 17 months in business.

Before Caffe B, the address was a Pinkberry. The space was on the market for nearly six months before Caffe Bene signed a 10-year lease in August 2015, with a reported asking rent in the $240 per-square-foot territory.