Today is the 3rd anniversary of the deadly 2nd Avenue gas explosion

[Photo from Friday]

Here are a few of the key dates since March 26, 2015...

• February 2016 — Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance's office charges landlord Maria Hrynenko and four others with manslaughter and negligent homicide for their alleged role in the blast that killed two men and injured more than a dozen other people. There buildings — 119, 121 and 123 Second Ave. — were also destroyed.

Vance's office charged Hrynenko and her son, Michael Jr. Hrynenko, along with contractor Dilber Kukic and plumber Jerry Ioannidis with manslaughter in the second degree, criminally negligent homicide and assault in the second degree, among other charges. (The final defendant, licensed plumber Andrew Trombettas, was charged with offering a false instrument​,​ for allegedly lending his name and license number to paperwork.)

The five were accused of installing an illegal gas system, which they hid from inspectors, at 119 and 121 Second Ave. All five pleaded not guilty.

• September 2016 — 123 Second Ave. sells for $6.6 million.

• June 2017 — Hrynenko files a lawsuit, claiming that her management company was "careless and reckless" in its work. In the spring of 2015, as investigators focused on her actions, a lawyer for Hrynenko said that Con Edison bore responsibility for not shutting off the gas during the visit to the property earlier that day.

• June 2017 — Nexus pays $9.15 million for the empty lots at No. 119 and 121 between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place. Public records show that Maria Hrynenko's companies — MAH Realty and Kiev Realty — were the sellers.

• August 2017 — An obituary at the Pizzi Funeral Home website states that Michael Hrynenko Jr. died on Aug. 25. He was 31. A cause of death was not disclosed.

• October 2017 — City officials unveil the new street blades that co-name the northwest corner of Second Avenue and Seventh Street after Moises Locón, 27, and Nicholas Figueroa, 23, who died in the gas explosion.

• February 2018 — Nexus Building Development Group files plans to build a high-end condo at 119 Second Ave.

Postscript:

Hrynenko was expected to be back in court this past Friday. Records show that Hrynenko and the other accused have appeared in New York County Criminal Court 12 times since February 2016 with the same outcome — "adjourned/bail continued."

Baci e Vendetta has closed on Avenue A: 'it simply wasn't sustainable'

Baci e Vendetta has closed at 131 Avenue A after nearly 16 months in service.

Veteran restaurateur Paolo Secondo was set to take over the Italian cafe for a new concept. Secondo received the OK from CB3 last month for a new beer-wine license for the space here between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street.

However, Nic Ratner, a partner in Baci e Vendetta, told me that the deal with Secondo fell through ... "and as a result we shuttered Baci e Vendetta and returned the space to the landlord."

"We gave the beer and wine thing a go with a heavier emphasis on food and it simply wasn't sustainable," Ratner told me via email.

Ratner said that he and his business partner Robert Morgan, whose bars include Kingston Hall on Second Avenue, will focus on the return of the Ninth Ward at 180 Second Ave.

Baci e Vendetta opened after an extensive gut renovation in December 2016. This space was the 10 Degrees Bistro until the fall of 2015 ... and the Flea Market Cafe before that.

Expect a for lease sign here before too long.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Team behind Shoolbred's and Ninth Ward vying for 10 Degrees Bistro space on Avenue A

Restaurant in the works for former Golden Food Market on 1st Avenue and 7th Street

A restaurant appears to be the next tenant for the former Golden Food Market space (118 First Ave.) on the northeast corner of First Avenue and Seventh Street...



The restaurant owners have already affixed the CB3 notices on the front door to show they are on the April SLA committee docket for a full liquor license...



CB3 has not yet released the April schedule of meetings just yet.

Golden Food Market closed last July after 35 years in business. The staff had said that the lease was up for renewal and the new landlord wanted an increase that was more than they could manage.

An LLC with a West 11th Street address bought the building in the spring of 2017 for $5.8 million, according to public records.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Golden Food Market closes on 1st Avenue and 7th Street

Retail-restaurant-medical space available at 4 St. Mark's Place

A new for lease sign for retail-restaurant-medical space is up at the under-renovation 4 St. Mark's Place...



Here are the details via the listing:

Space/Size:
Parlor Level, 2,500 SF

Frontage:
Approx. 18 FT Ceiling Height: Approx. 13 FT

Possession:
September 2018

Term:
Negotiable

History:
The space was previously occupied by Trash and Vaudeville ... and has historically been an epicenter of counterculture, bohemia and rock-and-roll. This landmark building is now being gut renovated, modernized and fully restored.

Last month, it was reported that Wanyoo, a Shanghai-based cyber cafe chain, had signed a 20-year lease for the two-level retail space at this address between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

The new listing — via a different broker who was showing the space previously — is for the parlor level. Perhaps the cyber cafe is just taking the lower level? (I reached out to the brokers to learn more about the status of the space.)



The landmarked Hamilton-Holly House, built in 1831, was once owned by Alexander Hamilton’s son. The building changed hands for $10 million in the spring of 2016 for $10 million.

Trash & Vaudeville relocated to 96 E. Seventh St. in early 2016.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Exclusive: After 40 years, punk rock mainstay Trash and Vaudeville is leaving St. Mark's Place

4 St. Mark's Place is for sale

More residential units and a 5th-floor addition in the works for landmarked 4 St. Mark's Place

Club Cumming temporarily suspends live music

Back on Thursday, Page Six reported that Club Cumming on Sixth Street was under investigation by the State Liquor Authority for its live music programing ... which was happening without a live music permit.

This is part of what an SLA rep told Page Six: "The SLA opened an investigation after receiving complaints from the local Community Board that the licensee was not complying and charged the bar with failure to conform on February 23, 2018. Club Cumming can submit an application to change their method of operation to allow for live music/DJs."

In a statement to Page Six, CC partner Daniel Nardicio acknowledged the error, chalking it up to a "rookie mistake" on the SLA paperwork.

At the start of the weekend, the bar-cabaret between Avenue A and Avenue B announced it was temporarily suspending its live music and DJs until the issue was sorted out...

A post shared by Club Cumming (@clubcumming) on Mar 23, 2018 at 7:40pm PDT

The bar owners, including actor-author (and East Village resident) Alan Cumming, are currently collecting signatures in support of the updated license with the SLA.

Club Cumming opened last September in the former Eastern Bloc space. Since then, the CC's small curtained stage with a piano has hosted to a number of events, including a variety show featuring Amanda Lepore ... a piano night in which Paul McCartney and Emma Stone stopped by and sang a song from "The Little Mermaid" and a birthday tribute to Liza Minnelli...

@officiallizaminnelli and @alancummingsnaps would be proud! #Repost @lauren_elder with @get_repost ・・・ How we paid tribute to our Birthday Queen #lizaminelli last night at @clubcumming with @mattawhoisnoisy on the mic, @brianjnash on keys, @huntercanning on cake, and EVERYONE on bells! #clubcumming #happybirthday #ringthembells #singalong

A post shared by Club Cumming (@clubcumming) on Mar 13, 2018 at 7:58pm PDT

Report: Cherche Midi looks to be closing on the Bowery

[Image via Instagram]

Cherche Midi, Keith McNally's French brasserie on southwest corner of the Bowery and Houston, appears to be closing this summer.

Rumors were circulating earlier last week about the impending closure. On Friday, Patch reported that the restaurant had filed paperwork with the state about the matter:

The restaurant will close on June 11, according to a notice filed with the state. Under New York law, private employers must provide written notice if their business will close, suffer a mass layoff or relocate. The notice says that Cherche Midi will lay off 46 employees because of a "plant closing." The closing date is listed as June 11 on the notice. It lists the reason for the relocation as "economic."

The restaurant has not made any official comments yet about its fate.

McNally, who also runs the Odeon, Balthazar, Minetta Tavern and Augustine in the Beekman Hotel, opened Cherche Midi in the summer of 2014.

This replaced McNally's Pulino's Bar and Pizzeria, which apparently tripled nearby rents and caused men to urinate in the co-ed sink. Pulino's opened in March 2010.

This would mark the second high-profile restaurant to close on the Bowery and East Houston since last August. Daniel Boulud shut down DBGB Kitchen and Bar after eight years in the Avalon Bowery complex between First Street and Houston.

"In this location, it’s busy on weekends but erratic in the early part of the week," Boulud told The New York Times. And per Eater: "The neighborhood is changing," he said of his decision to close the "very good restaurant."

Both restaurants opened around the time of the start of the East Houston Reconstruction project, which is now just five years behind schedule.



The area in front of DBGB remains torn up, as workers are apparently grappling with underground utility issues...

Week in Grieview

[Photo from yesterday in Tompkins Square Park]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

After nearly 26 years, Three of Cups is closing on 1st Avenue; Emmy Squared arriving next? (Thursday)

Police searching for suspect in weekend attacks on Avenue B (Tuesday)

Report: Kushner Co. filed false paperwork with the city over number of rent-regulated tenants (Monday)

The Marshal takes possession of the Subway (sandwich shop) on 1st Avenue (Wednesday)

Goodbye Sudan (Tuesday)

Cocktail specialist looking to take over Double Wide on 12th Street (Monday)

EastVille Comedy Club space for rent on 4th Street (Tuesday)

Bookstore coming to the former St. Mark's Bookshop on 3rd Street (Wednesday)

A diner for the former Empire Biscuit space on Avenue A? (Tuesday)

The Brant Foundation's 6th Street outpost looks close to completion (Thursday)

Positive vibes: Aum Shanti on the move to larger space on 14th Street (Monday)

Vintage photobooth finds a new East Village home (Friday)

A few more details about the incoming Moxy East Village on 11th Street (Thursday)

Dim Sum Palace planned for 59 2nd Ave. (Monday)

Target is hiring on 14th Street and Avenue A (Monday)

24 2nd Ave. getting its limestone exoskeleton (Tuesday)

The former Sunshine Cinema will be demolished in 2 months (Thursday)

It snowed (Wednesday ... and here ... and here ... and here)


[Photo Wednesday by Derek Berg]

... and this past week workers removed a tree outside the former I-bar space on First Avenue between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place... apparently the tree was diseased and needed to come down...



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Sticky fingers: Stolen tablets and smartphones

The 9th Precinct tweeted this yesterday... the NYPD is looking for these guys who are suspects in a burglary at Atomic Wings on First Avenue between 11th Street and 12th Street...

The #NYPD is asking your assistance in identifying the persons pictured below #wanted for a burglary in the #EastVillage. On March 21 at 10:16AM one entered @AtomicWings on 1St Ave & removed 5 tablets. If you have any information we ask you to 📞 #800577TIPS pic.twitter.com/8f1wAvnnhS

— NYPD 9th Precinct (@NYPD9Pct) March 24, 2018

...and more sticky fingers...

Do you recognize this person with Sticky Fingers? On March 11 at 1:50AM she removed 2 phones from a victims purse while she was wearing it inside a bar on #Bowery. If you can ID her 📞 #800577TIPS #NYPD #EastVillage pic.twitter.com/6UrT0E0XJF

— NYPD 9th Precinct (@NYPD9Pct) March 23, 2018

Christo and Dora are pretty much doing it all the time now

Christo and Dora have been busy mating this past week (or so)... Steven, who shared these photos yesterday, and others saw the red-tailed hawks mate on their namesake building, the Christodora House on Avenue B... then an hour later in a tree in Tompkins Square Park.

Afterwards, they hung out together for 30 minutes...



Goggla figures that Dora is due to lay eggs very soon. Christo and Dora have to date raised 10 hawklets.

A morning scene in Tompkins Square Park

East side of the Park ... along the benches between the Seventh Street and Eighth Street entrances... a pool of blood, a blood-stained scarf and disposable gloves used by EMTs.

Via @greally

The Girls Club Comix Fest is happening NOW

Support Girls and Women Artists at our Girls Club Comix Fest Today 11am - 5pm. Workshops, panels, vendors and a special #comix #hackathon!!! Plus an exclusive #Girl made animation premiere!!! 👩🏿‍🎨💪🏾

A post shared by The Lower Eastside Girls Club (@girlsclubny) on Mar 24, 2018 at 6:11am PDT

Apologies for the very late notice... but if you are out and about today... until 5 p.m at the Girls Club, on Avenue D at Eighth Street.

This Saturday from 11AM to 5PM join us for the Third Annual Lower Eastside Girls Club Comix Fest!!! Hosted by Fly @fly_peops !!! Presentations by: Sabrina Jones @sabjones, Regine Sawyer @rslockettdown, Javier Cruz Winnik @thelearningcurv, Ray Felix @bronxheroes !!! Comix Market featuring member-created zines “The Big Storm Game” and “Our Time”. !!! Comix #Hackathon!!!Workshops!!! Premiere of our member created short animation: “The Wonders of the Lower Eastside” !!! Readings of girl-written spoken word poetry!!! 👩🏿‍🎨 All fun- All day! #comix #art #girlpower

A post shared by The Lower Eastside Girls Club (@girlsclubny) on Mar 21, 2018 at 11:29pm PDT

And how was your National Puppy Day?

Video from outside Third Street Music School Settlement on 11th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue...

Happy #nationalpuppyday! This pup really wanted to imagine the possibilities at Third Street #puppy #pupday #puppyday #pitsofinstagram

A post shared by Third Street Music School (@3rdstreetnyc) on Mar 23, 2018 at 12:36pm PDT