Images and stories 2017, Part 1

Here's a sampling of the stories and photos from the past year... January through June... thanks to everyone who contributed during 2017!

January

A snow shot above Avenue A via jdx ...



Ray celebrates No. 84 ... via Stacie Joy...



A presidential piñata on Fourth Avenue ... via Derek Berg...



At the Women's March on NYC ... by Derek Berg

February

A Monday morning ... via Bobby Williams...



M2M closes on 3rd Avenue ...



Valentine's night at Sunny's ... via @EdenBrower



At the rally for the former PS 64 at City Hall ... via Peter Brownscombe ...



No roundup is complete without an abandoned mannequin photo... via Steven...

March

Snowfall on Avenue A ... via Grant Shaffer...



After 40-plus years of serving vegetarian cuisine in the East Village, Angelica Kitchen announces its closure...



The snow car of Fourth Avenue via Derek Berg



Fire jumping at La Plaza ... via Ryan John Lee...

April

Cyclist Kelly Hurley dies after being struck by a box truck making an illegal turn on First Avenue at Ninth Street...



The Tompkins Square Park Art Bar... photo by Daniel...



Good Friday on Third Street ... via Stacie Joy...



A spring scene in Tompkins Square Park... via Bobby Williams...

May

Love and shrooms for Gregg Allman outside the former Fillmore East on Second Avenue ...



At the DanceFest in Tompkins Square Park ... via Stacie Joy...



News arrives that the Sunshine Cinema on East Houston will close in January ...



Feeding time in Tompkins Square Park with Dora and her latest red-tailed hawk offspring... photo by Bobby Williams



Report of an early-morning fire at 328 E. 14th St., home of Artichoke Basille’s Pizza ...



The Sean Spicer lawn ornament in Tompkins Square Park... via Steven...



East Village tenants pay landlord Raphael Toledano a visit at his Upper West Side home...

June

At the 2017 Drag March... via Stacie Joy...



A two-alarm fire on Broadway at Eighth Street as seen from Astor Place... photo by Grant Shaffer...



San Loco closes on Second Avenue...



Ranger Rob brings a new red-tailed hawk to Tompkins Square Park ... via Goggla ...



Lenin returns.... via Steven...



McDonald's on Third Avenue at St. Mark's Place closes after 20 years ... via MP...



A morning scene at Houston and Avenue A... via Aaron...



Summer rain in Tompkins Square Park... via Bobby Williams...

Year-end closures: The Grassroots, Paquito's, Noho Star and Republic

[20 St. Mark's Place the other morning]

The Grassroots Tavern
The 42-year-old bar at 20 St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue is closing after service on New Year's Eve. The owner of the bar was also the owner of the building and apparently sold the business without getting a favorable rent, according to some insiders. A "rent increase" is the official reason for the closure. The owner of the Ginger Man on 36th Street is taking over the space in 2018.



Paquito's
The 25-year-old Mexican restaurant at 143 First Ave. near Ninth Street shuts down tomorrow. However, Paquito's will maintain a to-go counter and delivery service in the space next door to the restaurant. The owners didn't provide a reason for the closure.

Noho Star (and the Temple Bar)
Both establishments on Lafayette Street will close after service on Sunday, as Jeremiah Moss first reported. There weren't any official reasons given for the closures of Noho Star (opened 1985) or the Temple Bar (1989).

Republic
The 20-year-old noodle shop is closing this weekend on Union Square. A steep rent increase is reportedly behind this shutter. As Eater noted about Republic and soon-to-close Blue Water Grill, "these restaurants contribute to the neighborhood increasing in value, which in turn causes landlords to raise rents to unsustainable highs once a lease is up."

Thursday's parting (moon) shot

Photo tonight via Grant Shaffer...

Noted

Free Christmas Tree Therapy on Lafayette at Houston. Get it before it's mulched. Photo today by Derek Berg.

The opossum of Tompkins Square Park — now on video

[Photo from Dec. 20 by Cheyenne]

Here's your weekly report on Nicodemus Punch Sugarpop, the opossum who recently (and mysteriously!) showed up in Tompkins Square Park.

Goggla has some photos and videos of the opossum, interacting with some squirrels, a rat and Christo, the red-tailed hawk. Head on over here for all the opossum action.

Meanwhile, here's one of the videos showing some dining action...

So mulch for your tree: TreeCycling to happen Jan. 6-7

If you are one of those people who don't like to wait until October to toss your Christmas tree, then this info is for you.

The city is holding its annual MulchFest/TreeCycle on Jan. 6 and 7 (2018!) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tompkins Square Park is once again serving as a chipping location. Workers will chip your tree, and give you your very own bag of mulch for your protein pancakes.

The drop-off pen should be up in the Park for early discarding. Find more details here.

Residential conversion underway at 180 2nd Ave.; the Ninth Ward expected to return

Gut renovations continue at 180 Second Avenue between 11th Street and 12th Street...



According to the previously approved work permits on file with the city, workers are converting the building to residential use and adding two floors in the process. Permits show that there will be one residential unit on each floor. (Condos?)

As for the ground-floor retail space, the Ninth Ward was the previous tenant. That New Orleans-themed bar closed in February 2016. Earlier this year, co-owner Robert Morgan told me via email that the Ninth Ward would be returning to this space after the gut renovations.

"We recently opened a updated version of Ninth Ward in London and it’s doing fantastic across the pond. We’ll be bringing that incarnation of Ninth Ward back to 180 Second Ave.," he said in June. In the meantime, the Ninth Ward's wooden beams and original bar are "resting peacefully in a barn in Massachusetts."

The Chicago-based Polish National Alliance was the previous owner of No. 180. The building housed the Józef Pilsudski Institute of America, which is the largest Polish-American research institution specializing in the recent history of Poland and Central Eastern Europe. (They found a new home in Greenpoint.) An LLC bought the building for $6.75 million in June 2014, per public records.

Previously on EV Grieve:
2nd Avenue bar Ninth Ward is closing for good on Feb. 14; building rumored to be demolished


[No. 180 from August]

Report: 9th Street resident battling with Kushner Cos. to clean up black mold infestation

The Daily News has an update on Uta Winkler's ongoing legal fight with Kushner Cos. to clean up a black mold infestation in her Ninth Street apartment. (DNAinfo previously reported on her legal battle in December 2016.)

Winkler, a rent-stabilized tenant, said in court papers that her kitchen was destroyed several days before Thanksgiving in 2013 by construction workers renovating an unoccupied unit above her apartment.

To the News:

During the past year she has been locked in a legal fight in Manhattan housing court to get [Jared] Kushner’s real estate firm, Kushner Cos., to remediate the mold.

Even though an inspector she hired detected the spores in March, Winkler said she had to go to court several times before Kushner Cos. agreed to conduct its own mold test in the fall.

It took more court dates to get Kushner to agree to pick a remediator who will actually get rid of the mold — which has been shown to cause respiratory problems and to inflame allergies.

It’s still unclear when the remediator will actually make the fix, Winkler said.

“It’s harassment to get me out,” she said. Kushner Cos. did not respond to requests for comment.

Winkler had to endure more mayhem when she came home in late 2013 to find that a construction worker carrying dirty water and debris on the floor above hers had crashed through her bedroom ceiling, landing on her bed, court document said.

The fall destroyed her bed and other furniture, but Kushner's management firm, Westminster, refused to reimburse her for the damage or even return her calls, court papers said.

Without a response, Winkler withheld her monthly rent, which reportedly prompted Kushner to sue her for the unpaid rent in 2015 in Manhattan Housing Court. DNAinfo previously reported that the company also sued tenants in two other units, include new market-rate residents, in the building for also withholding rent because of the disruptions from construction. (Those two other tenants then each filed counter-suits against Kushner.)

Winkler's "suffering with Kushner" reportedly started shortly after Kushner bought the five-building parcel on Ninth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue in 2013.

The Kushner Cos. now own some 30-plus apartment buildings in the East Village

Per the News:

Tenants in several of these buildings have accused Kushner Cos. in court records of trying to drive them out through harassment, construction and dilapidated conditions.

State records also show that, in the past five years, the agency that oversees rent-stabilized and rent-controlled apartments has penalized Kushner Cos. in at least 11 instances over diminished services or poor conditions at one of its buildings in the city.

In those cases, the state Division of Housing and Community Renewal has ordered the monthly rent reduced for one or multiple rent-regulated units in the building until the problems were fixed.

Now even the lawyers Kushner worked with are taking the company to court. Several weeks ago, the News reported that Cornicello, Tendler & Baumel-Cornicello, a law firm that represented Kushner Cos. in dozens of eviction and housing court cases, is now suing Kushner for unpaid bills totaling more than $100,000.

As for Winkler: "For four years, they’re dragging me around, wasting money. I’m paying my lawyer constantly. It just makes no sense and it is so obnoxious."

Previously on EV Grieve:
Tenants claim: Kushner and Westminster want to destroy this building's beautiful garden

Reports outline how Kushner Companies is aggressively trying to empty 170-174 E. 2nd St.

Local politicos join residents of 2 Jared Kushner-owned buildings to speak out about poor living conditions, alleged harassment

Jared Kushner's residents at 118 E. 4th St. would like gas for cooking and some heat

Jared Kushner's East Village tenants wish he'd resolve issues closer to home

Today in epic poems discarded on 2nd Avenue

Derek Berg spotted a copy of "Hermann and Dorothea" up for grabs on Second Avenue... hard to read the inscription, dated 1883, because of the lack of emojis...

Out and About in the East Village 2017 recap and news about 2018

On Aug. 1, 2012, we introduced a new feature by East Village-based photographer James Maher called Out and About in The East Village. The feature, which provided a snapshot of someone who lives and/or works in the East Village, is going on hiatus. Here's more from James:

Thanks everyone for helping create this nearly five-and-a-half-year Out and About project. I'm going to have to step back from it for awhile as my wife is due soon with our first child, which we're really excited about.

It's been an incredible experience that has taught me so much more about the spirit of this neighborhood. I can't imagine there are many other places where I could run outside for 30 minutes or an hour and come across such inspiring and interesting people, week in and week out, so willing and enthusiastic to stop and chat about their lives and the neighborhood.

There were many weeks where I was overworked or tired and not feeling like standing on a street corner, and those were always the times where I came back having shared a small moment with the most incredible people. I would often walk back feeling so much more inspired and energetic than when I had walked out the door.

Thanks to everyone who has stopped for an interview and opened up to a complete stranger. I hope I did you all justice — I definitely tried my best. Thanks to everyone's comments each week, of which I read every one of them. And thanks to Grieve for the sharp editing and advice. It's been a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

And now, here's the 2017 recap...



Jan. 11 — Ali Sahin

Jan. 18 — Eric Rignall

Feb. 1 — Lola Sáenz

Feb. 8 — Lola Sáenz, Part 2

Feb. 15 — Delphine Blue

Feb. 22 — Delphine Blue, Part 2

March 1 — Mark Seamon

March 8 — Merle Ratner

March 22 — Jennifer Brodsky

April 5 — Terry and Harmony

April 12 — Elizabeth Atnafu

April 19 — James, the Leather Man

May 3 — anonymous

May 18 — Gustavo Roldan

May 24 — Jerry Shea

June 1 — Roberta Bayley (and Stella)

June 14 and June 21 — Miss Joan Marie Moossy

June 28 — Sierra Gilboe Zamarripa (and Cecilia)

July 12 — Grace Kang

July 19 — Brian Breger (and Molly)

Aug. 9 — Puma Perl

Aug. 16 — Heidi

Aug. 23 — Felix Velazquez

Aug. 30 — David Anderson

Sept. 20 — Pepe Flores

Sept. 27 and Oct. 4 — Nancy Blum

Oct. 18 — Jay Yang

Oct. 25 and Nov. 2 — Siobhan Meow

Nov. 8 — Margie Segal

Nov. 15 — Ronald Rayford

Dec. 6 — Holly DeRito and Tulip

And previous recaps by year:

• 2012 here

• 2013 here

• 2014 here

• 2015 here

• 2016 here

Neapolitan Express pulling into 29 2nd Ave.

Late last month we noted that a pizzeria was coming to the empty retail space at 29 Second Ave.

Reps for Neapolitan Express are on CB3's SLA committee docket in January for a beer-wine license for the space between First Street and Second Street. As of now, only the application, which doesn't provide as many operational details as the questionnaire, is on the CB3 website.

Neapolitan Express, a growing chain that started as a food truck in 2013, is also opening an outpost adjacent to the Ed Sullivan Theater in Midtown. Their other locations are in East Harlem and on Wall Street.

A post shared by Neapolitan Express NY (@neaexpress) on Dec 21, 2017 at 9:19am PST

Here's more about them via the Neapolitan website:

Originally launched in 2013 as the world’s first Eco Friendly Food Truck, Neapolitan Express was officially introduced by lead investors, energy innovators and business tycoons T. Boone Pickens of Clean Energy Fuels. Powered entirely by alternative energies, the Neapolitan Express pizza truck reduces greenhouse gases by up to 99%. Our patent-pending fueling technology fully powers truck operations, while simultaneously cuts down pollutants to a fraction.

The Cock moved moved a few blocks north from No. 29 in December 2015.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Pizza in the mix for former Cock space on 2nd Avenue

Classic Man Barber Lounge coming to 9th Street

A small sign is up for Classic Man Barber Lounge on one of the renovated storefronts at 445 E. Ninth St.

Here's more about them via their Facebook page: "A premium barber shop offering New York's professional and progressive gentlemen excellence glooming services in a therapeutic and multicultural environment." The shop's website points to an early 2018 opening.

This will be the fourth business to take up occupancy in Icon Realty's renovated storefronts here along Ninth Street at Avenue A ... joining Poke N' Roll, Beetlebug and Mahalo New York Bakery. GelARTo anchors the corner slot.

As for Classic Man, they will provide another option in a fairly crowded nearby hair-cutting market, including Neighborhood Barbers a few doors away at 439 E. Ninth St. Bonefade Barbers recently opened at 115 Avenue A between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place. Also nearby: Three Seat Espresso & Barber at 137 Avenue A between St. Mark's and Ninth Street and Ben's Barbers at 217 Avenue A between 13th Street and 14th Street. There are three barbers/salons on Seventh Street between Avenue A and First Avenue as well as Ace of Cuts on Sixth Street between Avenue A and Avenue B.

Thanks to Steven for the photo!

Crunch time at the Kellogg's NYC Café on Union Square

The Kellogg's NYC Café has been up and running on the northern section of Union Square since Dec. 14.

The space on the second level of 31 E. 17th St. (above the AT&T store) offers bowls of cereal (there's a a DIY cereal-creation station) as well as Pop Tarts and a variety of coffees and teas.

EVG reader Harry Weiner stopped in for a quick look...





Harry said that the cafe wasn't crowded ... other observations: "actually an inefficient use of space in terms of seating... and merchandise for sale. I wasn’t tempted to eat anything. I can’t imagine that sales will cover the rent."

Here are the current specialty bowls of cereal via the Kellogg's NYC Café website...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Oh Gr-r-reat! Kellogg's cafe opening slightly delayed on Union Square

Pizza Rollio bringing its skinny slices to 9th Street

[Photo via Steven]

Pizza Rollio is opening an outpost on Ninth Street between Avenue A and First Avenue, where it will sell its super-thin, arugula-topped pizza served in long strips that patrons can roll up.

The pizzeria is owned by Miyuki Talwar and her family, who run similar establishments in the Philippines.

This will be the third Pizza Rollio in the city, joining the Plaza Hotel Food Hall and on West 18th Street.

Here's more about their pizza from the Daily News in 2016:

In a city with pizzerias on almost every corner, Pizza Rollio serves the seemingly impossible: a totally unique pie. Its rectangular creations are light and delicate — built on paper-thin sheets of dough that are baked and sliced into wide ribbons perfect for wrapping around peppery bites of alfalfa sprouts and arugula, the salad-y condiment served with every order.

(God)mother knows best! Try "The Godmother" today, made with fresh figs, blue cheese, and mozzarella. Double tap if you'd like to try a roll! #pizza #nycpizza #theplazafoodhall #theplazahotel #igfood #pizzarollio #🍕

A post shared by Pizza Rollio (@pizzarollio) on Aug 23, 2015 at 10:02am PDT

And via DNAinfo when Pizza Rollio opened an outpost on West 18th Street early this year:

In addition to its classic margherita pie, Pizza Rollio serves specials like “The Godmother" topped with fig, gorgonzola and mozzarella; the “Eggs Benedict” topped with Canadian bacon, fresh egg, chives and hollandaise sauce; and the “Mushroom Truffle Madness,” with mushrooms, truffle oil and mozzarella.

This storefront on Ninth Street was previously the longtime home of the salon Crops for Girls.

Malcriada morphing into Bar Taco on Avenue C

Malcriada, a self-described "Latino Gastropub," is closed for now at 185 Avenue C near 12th Street.

There's signage up for a new venture called Bar Taco. Not sure if the same operators are behind the next iteration of this space.

Malcriada opened on Super Bowl Sunday, replacing Kaz, which closed after nearly seven months in December 2016. Before that, Cafecito operated for 14 years. The Cuban-specialty restaurant closed at the end of January 2016.

Report: The SBS15 has the worst on-time arrival in the MTA fleet

[Old EVG photo]

Comptroller Scott Stringer’s office released details back on Friday on the city's slowest and most chronically late bus routes.

A familiar route is atop one of the lists. As the Post reported, the analysis tagged the SBS15, which goes between East Harlem and South Ferry via First or Second Avenue, with the worst on-time performance: 34 percent.

You can read Stringer's full report here.

Former Wall 88 space for rent on 2nd Avenue

The for lease sign arrived late last week at 104 Second Ave. at Sixth Street, where Wall 88 last conducted bar-restaurant business.

This officially brings an end to Wall 88, whose gates closed for good in late October. However, there was never any official closing announcement ... and the agency Wall 88's owners hired to do their social media apparently never got the news... generic happy hour and brunch messages continue to populate Wall 88's Facebook...



The restaurant serving pub fare opened back in March. There was a quick turnaround here after Lions BeerStore closed following 16 months in operation.

P.S.

Bring back Bamboo House to this corner (because someone always brings this up)!


[Photo via Jeremiah Moss]

Window watch at 32 E. 1st St.

Here's an end of the year look at 32 E. First St. (aka 24 Second Ave.), the 10-story 31-unit condoplex at the site of a former BP station... the windows are (mostly) all in... soon enough, we'll see that advertised limestone exoskeleton ...



Sales started in September, with homes ranging from $1.175 million to $8.7 million. There will be ground-floor retail too.


[Via CityReality]

Previously on EV Grieve:
Check out the new 10-story building for the former 2nd Avenue BP station

2nd Avenue residential complex now complete with renderings on the plywood

Out East remains closed on 6th Street

As noted back on Thursday, Out East has been dark in recent nights during announced business hours here on Sixth Street between Avenue A and Avenue B.

The closure continued through the weekend ... and still without any note to patrons on the door or the restaurant's website and social media platforms. Meanwhile, OpenTable shows that reservations aren't available at Out East until Jan. 13.

As Eater noted: "It hasn’t been the easiest eight months for the restaurant, with at least two head chef shuffles already occurring."

Free scarves along the East River Promenade

EVG reader Bill Buchen spotted these today along the East River Promenade (in the high teens)... there are Ziplock bags filled with scarves made by students at the United Nations International School... a note on the bags say that the scarves are free for "people in need" ...



Per Bill: "A wonderful seasonal thought ..."

The remains of the Union Square Holiday Market

The Union Square Holiday Market ended its 6-week run last night at 8 ... and as these photos by EVG reader Harry Weiner show, the place was quickly torn apart for the season ...

Sunday's parting shot

Fifth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue...

From the archives: Giuseppi Logan in Tompkins Square Park

This photo of Giuseppi Logan is from December 2013.

I have not seen (or heard) him play his saxophone in Tompkins Square Park in more than three years. (You can read more about the jazz artist in this feature at the Times.)

Back in the fall, I learned via Facebook that Logan, now 82, is living in a senior residence in Far Rockaway. Matt Lavelle, a jazz musician, has been to visit Logan ... he also bought Logan a new flute.

Week in Grieview

[Someone tossed a P from Stomp on St. Mark’s Place]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

AG's office: Steve Croman agrees to pay $8 million to the tenants he harassed (Thursday)

Workers remove the sculpture fence and prep lot at 89 1st Ave. (Wednesday)

Paquito's Restaurant closing after 25 years on 1st Avenue; take out and delivery will remain (Tuesday)

Neighbor: East Village Cheese, closed now for 2 weeks, is starting to smell (Thursday) ... and a co-owner spotted clearing out the space (Friday)

Santa delivers sacks of coal to Madison Realty Capital, Rafael Toledano's lenders (Friday)

Hotel Tortuga, now with morning espresso service on 14th Street (Wednesday)

Partial vacate order and violations for sidewalk-collapse building on 4th Street (Monday)

Presenting Mercury East Presents, which brings together several local music venues (Tuesday)

How many East Village properties do the Kushner Cos. actually own? (Wednesday)

Pinky's Space bringing quick-serve food options to 1st Street (Monday)

Opossum action (Friday ... Wednesday)

GG's closes on Fifth Street (Friday)

The Ainsworth East Village debuts on 3rd Avenue (Tuesday)

Icon's 9th Street townhouse now available for $17 million (Tuesday)

Out East has not been open the last few days (Thursday)

Viking Waffles signage arrives on Avenue C (Monday)

Reader report: Beware the Amazon Fire TV Stick (Monday)

Westside Market opening in the former Met Foods space on 3rd Avenue and 17th Street (Tuesday)

Some Steiner East Village retail speculation (Monday)

... and several readers noted this bike-lock job on 10th Street and Third Avenue...


[Photo via EVG reader Doug]

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Saturday's parting shot

Avenue A today via Derek Berg...

From the archives (again): 'Blast of Silence' for the holidays

Reposting this repost this from Dec. 23, 2011…

I've written about "Blast of Silence," Alan Baron's New York (slightly hokey) indie noir from 1961.

Will repeat some of it now... the movie is about a contract killer in New York for a job during the Dec. 25 holiday season ...



Of interest hereabouts... the main character, "Baby Boy" Frankie Bono, stays at the Valencia on St. Mark's Place... which is the St. Mark's Hotel today...


[Via]

In the background, you can see the former Saint Marks Russian and Turkish Baths ... which became the New St. Marks Baths ... then Mondo Kim's ... and eventually BarCade.

DOH temporarily closes Papa John's

Several EVG readers pointed out that the DOH closed the Papa John's outpost on First Avenue between 12th Street and 13th Street after a failed inspection on Tuesday.

During a follow-up on Thursday, public records show that inspectors found at least one critical area to keep the shop closed. (That being "Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.")

Immaculate Conception flea market will return on Jan. 13

In case you had plans for last-minute holiday shopping at the Church of the Immaculate Conception flea market ... no flea marketing again here on 14th Street at First Avenue until Jan. 13...



The flea market moved here from Mary Help of Christians in the fall of 2012.

Report of a manhole explosion on 2nd Avenue

Manhole explodes and catches fire in the East Village https://t.co/M3VX42WmdZ pic.twitter.com/nyQVaSkiBI

— Eyewitness News (@ABC7NY) December 22, 2017

It reportedly happened around 8 p.m. on Second Avenue just below Third Street.

Per ABC 7:

Con Edison responded to the scene and they say that no one was injured and there are no outages as a result of the explosion.

They are now making repairs.

So far, it's not yet known what led to the explosion.

EdenB has some video here.

'Foo' fighting

This is "Yuk Foo" from Visions Of A Life, the second record from the UK's Wolf Alice.

The opossum has pretty much made Tompkins Square Park her/his home now

Nicodemus Punch Sugarpop (OK — that's not really working as a name), the opossum of Tompkins Square Park, is apparently feeling more comfortable now roaming around.

EVG reader Mark Cyr shared these photos from today... showing Parachute ChingChing Yanoonoo enjoying some discarded takeout (where is the mayor with the opossum-proof trash cans????).

Mark also noted that the squirrels would run away from Rasta Jenny Ju...









Per Mark: "We better name him soon — he looks like he is moving in."