EVG regular Peter Brownscombe shared this from the corner of Seventh Street and Avenue A by the Samuel S. Cox statue...
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
Noted
EVG regular Peter Brownscombe shared this from the corner of Seventh Street and Avenue A by the Samuel S. Cox statue...
This is the story of how Geoffrey Weglarz died on 12th Street, and why it took a week to find him
[Photo on Aug. 31 by Blair Hopkins]
On Aug. 31, police found the body of a man in a car on 12th Street just west of Avenue B ... and steps away from Joseph C. Sauer Park.
Michael Wilson at the Times files a lengthy piece on 61-year-old Geoffrey Corbis, who changed his surname from Weglarz, a software engineer who took his life in the car by ingesting a vial of poison. His body remained in the car for a week.
The chain of events serves as a stark reminder that even in 2018 Manhattan, a city that lives beneath the nonstop gaze of countless surveillance cameras, one that for years has urged its citizens, if they see something suspicious, to say something, it is still possible for a dead man in a parked car on a busy block to go unnoticed for days.
The events leading up to and following that August day also unspool a story about a distressed man’s plan to raise some fast cash, thwarted by circumstance, and his grim resolve in his final hours to end his life, detailed in farewell text messages to his loved ones.
What's especially striking and heartbreaking is that his family asked the police for help in finding him, but they were met with resistance — and bureaucracy.
You can read the article to learn more about how the Connecticut resident ended up in the East Village. (It's a lot to summarize.)
Weglarz lived in NYC for many years, and worked at the software company Hyperion with Yale, Harvard and Brown among the schools who were his clients. As the article noted, he was married and had a son, and later lived in a 19th-century house in Fairfield, Conn. Following a series of mergers in the software industry, he ended up at Dell, but eventually grew tired of the travel. Now in his 50s, he struggled to find work, having applied for nearly 500 jobs. He was divorced earlier, and shared custody of his son.
Weglarz, who had been growing despondent over job prospects and financial difficulties, apparently drank the vial of poison used for euthanasia in his car on 12th Street on Aug. 24. (Earlier he told his sister that he bought the vial on the dark web.)
On that day, he texted Sal Biagini, a friend in New York. Concerned by the tone of the texts, Biagini called 911. The NYPD traced Weglarz’s phone to the closest address, 520 E. 12th St. However, they didn't take notice of the car parked nearby. Other neighbors and city employees also overlooked the man slumped behind the wheel.
Traffic officers who write parking tickets most likely passed by him at least twice, on days that his car was parked illegally. Officers looking for violators on street-cleaning days — on East 12th Street, those days were Tuesday and Friday — routinely ignore vehicles when the driver is sitting inside. Mr. Weglarz’s vehicle received no tickets on the Tuesday or Friday when it was parked illegally, suggesting an officer might have seen him and assumed he was just another idle driver.
A week passed before he was discovered.
The episode left Mr. Weglarz’s family furious with the police. They don’t believe the chances were high that their brother could have been rescued after ingesting the poison, but they said he should not have been left there for a week.
The police spokesman, J. Peter Donald, said officers did what they could with the information they had, including canvassing city hospitals. “Unfortunately, those efforts did not locate Mr. Corbis,” he said.
Mr. Weglarz was cremated in September. His sister plans to scatter his ashes in Manhattan, home to many successes in his acting years and where he began his computer career, long before the day he parked his car on the street and never left.
Previously on EV Grieve:
Reader report: Body found in car on 12th Street near Avenue B
News roundup: At the SBJSA hearing Monday
[Image via Facebook]
As you may have read, the Small Business Jobs Survival Act (SBJSA), which seeks to protect small businesses against massive rent hikes, had its public hearing before City Council on Monday.
Per Vanishing New York: The SBJSA gives existing commercial tenants several basic rights, including: 1. the right to renew the lease, 2. a minimum 10-year extension, and 3. equal rights to negotiate a fair rent, with third-party arbitration if an agreement between tenant and landlord cannot be reached.
In 1986, then-City Council member Ruth Messinger first introduced a version of SBJSA, though it never came to a vote. In 2009, the bill came up for discussion at the City Council committee level, but then-speaker Christine Quinn declined to bring it to a full vote, as Curbed noted.
City Councilmember Ydanis Rodriguez introduced the latest SBJSA.
Here's a rundown of coverage on the eight-hour hearing:
• SBJSA Hearing (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)
• John Banks Clashes With Corey Johnson Over Commercial Rent Bill at Marathon Hearing (The Real Deal)
• Small Business 'Survival' Bill Debated at City Council Hearing (amNewYork)
• What Can NYC Do To Stop Small Businesses From Dying Out? (Gothamist)
• De Blasio Administration Opposes Commercial Rent Control Bill (The Post)
• Commercial Rent Bill Not ‘Silver Bullet’: Council Speaker (Commercial Observer)
• City Council Debates Small-Biz Bill at Heated Hearing (Curbed)
• Landlords, Activists Clash as City Council Mulls Small Business Jobs Survival Act (Bedford & Bowery)
• Speak to Speaker Johnson (The Brian Lehrer Show)
• What Restaurants Need to Know About the Bill Trying to Save Mom-and-Pops from Rent Hikes (Eater)
• NYC Council Hearing Exposes Opposition to Commercial Tenants’ Rights, Impacting Artists and Galleries (Hyperallergic)
And Jeremiah Moss talks more about the SBJSA in this EVG podcast from the summer.
210 1st Ave. is for sale; and a visit to Gena's Grill
A listing arrived earlier this month for 210 First Ave., a 6-story residential building between 12th Street and 13th Street.
There's not much posted with the listing at Douglas Elliman: "Great Building With 20 Rental Units, Two Stores ... 7 Free Market Apts And 13 Rent Stabilized."
The asking price: $17 million.
Coincidentally (or not), on Oct. 3, the Marshal seized one of the two retail businesses here — Papa John's.
And it doesn't appear that this outpost of the pizza chain will reopen... the space has been gutted...
[Photo by Steven]
Old-timer Gena's Grill is the other business at the address.
Hopefully a sale here won't impact Gena's.
Last week, Robert Sietsema highlighted Gena's in his "Cheap Eats" feature at Eater. Here's part of his lunchtime post:
Behind the counter are steam-table tubs containing the café’s daily dishes. There’s no printed menu, so check the chalkboard outside before you walk in. The other day the offerings included stewed pig’s feet, paprika roast chickens, and a codfish casserole. Available every day, though, is the roast pork leg or shoulder called pernil.
I chowed down on the braised pork ribs, the meaty bones cooked with onion, green pepper, and garlic. It came with a mountain of yellow rice and black beans, but I could have picked white rice and red beans. The full plate set me back $8.70 — indeed, all the luncheon size plates cost less than $10 ...
Gena's is open daily from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. Check out their menu at this link.
Previously on EV Grieve:
Gena's Grill is back open, and that is a good thing
The Marshal seizes Papa John's on 1st Avenue
Court papers served at Shinbashi Sushi
As we noted in late August, Shinbashi Sushi hadn't shown any signs of life over at 85 First Ave. between Fifth Street and Sixth Street.
A comeback for the restaurant seemed unlikely (it never looked all that busy to begin with) ... yesterday, EVG reader Jonathan Michael Fung spotted some legal documents taped to the front door of the still-closed restaurant showing the owners owe nearly $29,000 in back rent. (And this is the second round of legal documents spotted at the address, as Eden B. noted last month.)
Shinbashi Sushi opened in the spring of 2016 ... and we've never heard anything about the place. The Yelp reviews range from "Excellent excellent excellent excellent!!!" to "WHATEVER YOU DO...DO NOT EAT HERE!"
Tuesday, October 23, 2018
Noted
The city has unveiled its new #KeepNYCTrashFree campaign on Avenue A at St. Mark's Place...
Not sure at the moment who's responsible for this street art ... (and thanks to Christine Champagne for the photo!)
Updated
Thanks to the readers who shared the artist's name...
Updated 9 p.m.
That didn't last long, as Christine noted...
NYPD light tower back in illuminating action on 2nd Avenue and 7th Street
[Photo by Nick Solares]
On Sunday night, some kind of malfunction KO'd the police lights that were set up last week on the northwest corner of Second Avenue and Seventh Street...
However, after one night off, the lights were back on last night...
The light tower arrived last Wednesday night after increased complaints over unruly travelers/crusties gathered on the corner.
Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: It's 'Crusty vs. Postie' on 2nd Avenue
NYPD installs patrol tower in the middle of Tompkins Square Park (149 comments)
NYPD installs light tower on 2nd Avenue and 7th Street
Boys' Club fast tracks sale of East Village clubhouse as final bids are due Oct. 30
Officials at the Boys' Club of New York (BCNY) are expediting the sales process of the Harriman Clubhouse on 10th Street and Avenue A.
A listing for the 7-story building arrived on the Cushman & Wakefield website earlier this month, with a $32 million asking price.
Now, the listing notes an Oct. 30 bid deadline for the property, which opened in 1901...
The terms are all cash...
The building is being pitched as either "an ideal conversion opportunity or continued educational/recreational use by an end user." The accompanying materials highlight the recent luxury condo developments that have cropped up nearby, including Steiner East Village and Ben Shaoul's 100 Avenue A.
Local elected officials — including Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, State Sen. Brad Hoylman, Assemblymember Harvey Epstein, and City Councilmember Carlina Rivera — have urged the BCNY board to postpone the sale until they consult with the community in "good faith." However, the BCNY has declined to meet with the elected leaders, and continue with plans to vacate the building in June 2019.
Executive Director Stephen Tosh has said the BCNY will look to rent space elsewhere on the Lower East Side to continue with programming for Harriman members after the closure next summer. He also stated that the sale of the East Village building would allow BCNY the opportunity to start new programs in a neighborhood such as Brownsville or East New York.
Community activists and parents have said that a compelling need remains in this neighborhood for the kind of activities that the Boys' Club offers.
Previously on EV Grieve:
Local elected officials urge Boys' Club officials to postpone sale of the Harriman Clubhouse
Boys' Club of New York selling East Village building; will remain open through June 2019
During noon rally today, local elected officials will seek postponement of Boys' Club building sale
[Updated] Exclusive: The Boys' Club of New York puts the Harriman Clubhouse on the sales market for $32 million
Cocoa Grinder bringing coffee and all-day breakfast to 1st Street
Cocoa Grinder, a cafe chainlet with multiple locations in Brooklyn, is opening an outpost here on First Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue...
Some background via the Cocoa Grinder website:
Started by Abdul Elenani in his college years during 2013, Cocoa Grinder is more than a coffee shop. It’s an idea that for the hardworking individual of today, convenience is everything: why shouldn’t you have your specialty cup o’joe and healthy meal in the same place? Perfect for the person on the go, or the busy individual seeking to get some work done, Cocoa Grinder offers the perfect environment to enhance your daily grind or take a well-deserving break from it.
Unlike most coffee shops, we roast our own coffee to ensure quality and flavor so that a better brew ends up in your cup. We support local farmers overseas by sourcing the beans directly from their regions. In a small farm in Chiapas, Mexico, we grow some of the best decaf you’ll ever taste. From bean to cup, we make every effort to ensure our coffee exceeds standards.
They feature a menu of all-day breakfast, burgers, protein shakes, and freshly squeezed juices. Prices range from $4 for a to-go egg-and-cheese wrap to $12 for the "Poachy Poach," an ensemble of poached eggs and gravlax salmon on an English muffin with a side of tater tots and greens.
No word on an opening date. Here's a current look inside the space...
This address previously housed the bar-restaurant Joe and Misses Doe at No. 45.
So long St. Dymphna's
[Photo yesterday by Rob Mastrianni via Instagram]
Last call came and went late Saturday night/early Sunday morning at St. Dymphna's, bringing an end to the tavern's 24-year run at 118 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue.
The remaining signs came down yesterday morning ... and later (thanks to Steven for these photos)...
No official word why St. Dymphna's closed (aside from unsubstantiated claims of a pending rent increase).
The owners, Eric Baker and sisters Patrícia and Raquel Sanguedo (Baker and Patrícia Sanguedo are married), left this message about the bar on Instagram:
Our shelves are now empty and our hearts are hurting but full of the love she gave us over the 24 years. She is way more than the four walls that held us all together. Those walls will be holding us all together for the rest of our lives even though we will no longer be inside them. Patrícia, Raquel and I and our families would like to thank all of you for making our bar and our lives a better more beautiful place to be. Thank you to you all and all the love we have is yours.
The same message is all now taped to the front gate...
The three also own Taberna 97, currently used for special events, across St. Mark's Place. At least one of the St. Dymphna's signs will live on there, per various Instagram comments.
Previously on EV Grieve:
St. Dymphna's is closing this weekend after 24 years on St. Mark's Place
Construction watch: 255 E. Houston St.
Last Monday we noted the full reveal at 287 E. Houston St. ... now here's an in-progress look at another new residential building along the corridor one block to the west — 255 E. Houston between Suffolk and Norfolk...
Been a long time coming for this one, a project embroiled in controversy via developer Samy Mahfar.
A little of the history: In September 2016, Mahfar withdrew his application — after a five-year fight — for a commercial zoning change for this property and surrounding parcels.
He had approval for a 10-floor building. Then it was 13 floors. Then 14. The Commercial Observer reported last Dec. 20 that Mahfar scored a $39.5 million construction loan from Bank of the Ozarks for the 14-floor, 88-unit apartment building. (It's not clear if any of the units will be designated as affordable housing.)
In any event, workers are on the 14th floor now...
No. 255 previously housed the day-care center Action For Progress.
[EVG photo of No. 255 from 2012]
Previously on EV Grieve:
Next for 255 E. Houston St.: Community facility/school/medical building?
10-story building now in the works for 255 E. Houston St.
Debate over commercial overlay for 255 E. Houston St. and surrounding blocks continues
Report: Samy Mahfar drops bid for commercial overlay on East Houston and parts of the LES
[Updated] NuNoodle signage arrives on 1st Avenue
[Photo by Steven]
Updated 10/27: NuNoodle is now open!
The Nu/new signage arrived at 130 First Ave. near St. Mark's Place late last week.
As previously reported, the owners of Nunoodle Noodle + Bar on Queens Boulevard in Elmhurst are opening an outpost at this spot.
They were OK'd for a beer-wine license this past summer. According to the application on the CB3 website (PDF here), the restaurant will feature seven tables seating 20 guests with daily hours of 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Find their menu here.
This storefront, which has been undergoing renovations in recent months, was previously Rainbow Music.
Previously on EV Grieve:
Former Rainbow Music shop will be a Chinese restaurant
Incoming: Gala on 3rd Avenue, Nunoodle Noodle + Bar on 1st Avenue
Monday, October 22, 2018
Local elected officials continue to press city for alternatives to parking garbage trucks on 10th Street; muggings now a concern
[EVG photo from Oct. 15]
Local elected officials are continuing to urge the city to quickly come up with solutions for parking its fleet of garbage trucks on 10th Street at First Avenue.
As I first reported on Sept. 18, the DSNY is now using part of 10th Street for up to seven trucks. The DSNY no longer has use of their garage at 606 W. 30th St., and are relocating their trucks elsewhere, including Pier 36.
This move — apparently done without much, if any, consultation with Community Board 3 — has sparked numerous complaints from residents and merchants alike who have called out the problems with the smell, noise and negative impact on business.
Nearly a month has passed since Mayor de Blasio promised to “relieve the immediate pressure” on 10th Street. “Do we want garbage trucks parking on residential streets? Of course not,” said de Blasio, as CBS 2 reported. “What we’re trying to do every day is figure out the kind of facilities that will help avoid that in the future.”
Here's part of a letter to Kathryn Garcia, the city’s Department of Sanitation commissioner, that Sen. Brad Hoylman's office shared with me on Friday:
Presently, the vehicles parked on East 10th Street between First and Second Avenues have created significant quality of life, public safety, and traffic related issues for residents and businesses. As a result, my office has received numerous complaints.
I understand that the owner of the Manhattan 6 garage located at 606 West 30 Street has declined to renew the lease for the DSNY vehicles. However, the city should not force residents and small businesses in the East Village into shouldering DSNY’s burden. My constituents are justifiably concerned about the lack of notice, as well as the decline in their quality of life due to the unwelcome odor, the lack of available parking, and the overbearing appearance of the vehicles.
Furthermore, this situation presents multiple public safety issues as the bike lane now overlaps with the vehicle traffic lane, thereby endangering cyclists. The vehicles also block curb ramps. This, of course, disproportionately impacts seniors and residents with disabilities, which, as I am sure you are aware, could create a potential liability for the City.
My constituents and I find this situation unacceptable. I implore you to find a more suitable location for these vehicles and I am happy to work with your office to achieve this.
Meanwhile, District 2 City Councilmember Carlina Rivera asked the mayor to take action as well in a letter from last week. That letter reads in part:
I am writing to urge full cooperation from your office and all relevant city agencies in relocating sanitation vehicles parked on East 10th Street between First and Second Avenues in Manhattan. The situation on the block has become untenable. Seniors and people with disabilities are unable to safely access transportation directly on the street, small businesses have verifiably seen their sales decrease, and public safety concerns are rising as the large vehicles block visibility to and from the street.
In addition to these concerns, the accident in Crown Heights on October 11 that saw a pedestrian fatally struck by a Department of Sanitation truck has heightened residents’ sensitivity about this issue. They note that this highly-trafficked part of the East Village, which sees pedestrian activity late into the evening due to a robust nightlife culture, is primed for a similar tragedy.
We need to work together to relieve the burden on these constituents and move the sanitation vehicles off of this narrow side street. At recent meetings, Community Board 3 and my office suggested alternative sites. Therefore, I look forward to continuing our conversations to find a quick solution that has less impact on commerce and safety.
The Post reported yesterday about a new concern with the parked trucks: muggings. Early in the morning on Oct. 11, a sanitation worker was threatened at knifepoint in front of Pinks at 242 E. 10th St. According to the Post, a 22-year-old Bronx man was charged with menacing and criminal possession of a weapon.
Per the article:
With the hulking trucks lined up like elephants at the curb, blocking the view of cops in patrol cars, pedestrians are at risk, residents complained to the Post.
“There is no visibility from the street. You could rob someone, mug someone or push someone into their building,” warned Michelle Lang, 48, who lives in the 16-story New Theatre condo on E. 10th Street. “There are parents with strollers.”
The threat against the garbage man is an example of “what we have feared all along,” she added.
DSNY spokesperson Dina Montes recently told The Villager that "The department is working to evaluate alternative parking options as provided by elected officials and the community board. Other city agencies, such as [the Department of Transportation], may need to be involved in evaluating any alternate spaces as well."
Interestingly enough, during the "Trash Bash" protest at Pinks on the evening of Oct. 11, there weren't any garbage trucks parked outside the bar, preventing a photo opp for a CBS 2 news crew ... only a private hauler zipped by during the festivities ...
[Photo on Oct. 11 by Stacie Joy]
Previously on EV Grieve:
Questions and concerns as the sanitation department begins using 10th Street to park garbage trucks
More trash talk about those garbage trucks parked on 10th Street
Preliminary demolition work at 99-101 E. 2nd St. is — surprise — in the asbestos-removal phase
The two-level 99-101 E. Second St. at First Avenue will be demolished in the weeks/months ahead... but not before workers remove the asbestos from the space.
That operation is apparently underway...
One EVG reader thought this set-up looked a little casual given the potential severity of the work... The reader also noted the lack of notice, which has prompted concerns among a few neighbors who learned of this activity via a sign on the dumpster...
As previously reported, developer Sergey Rybak has submitted plans for a 7-story, 22-unit residential building on the property of the current 24 First Ave. and 99-101 E. Second St.
And as a reminder, here's a rendering for the space via the Rybak website...
According to the site, the residences will be condos (building name for now — 101E2). The ground-floor space is designated for retail use.
Previously on EV Grieve:
Onetime home of Lucky Cheng's and adjacent property sell for $12 million
Demolition permits filed to bring down former Lucky Cheng's building on 1st Avenue
Demolition permits filed for 99-101 E. 2nd St.; first look at the condoplex to come
Demolishing the fire-damaged back extension at Uogashi, which appears to be permanently closed
EVG regular Lola Sáenz shared this photo from Saturday ... showing workers removing the fire-damaged structure occupied by Uogashi, the Japanese restaurant at 188 First Ave. between 11th Street and 12th Street.
Thankfully only the back extension needed to come down in the aftermath of the six-alarm fire in the early-morning hours of Oct. 3. DOB officials said that the rest of the five-story building was structurally sound.
The Uogashi website now lists "permanently closed" under their hours of operation. The Tree Bistro next door is still temporarily out of commission as well due to damage to their rear garden.
Officials said they believe the fire, which injured 17 people, including 14 firefighters, began in the restaurant. An exact cause has not been made public just yet.
Previously on EV Grieve:
A look at the fire-damaged Uogashi; plus video of when the fire started at 188 1st Ave.
Post-fire updates on 1st Avenue
Watch this drone footage of the fire at 188 1st Ave.
[Updating] Post fire, 1 lane of northbound traffic returns to 1st Avenue
[Updating] Report of injuries during major fire at 188 1st Ave.
Report: 188 1st Ave. survives fire; back extension must be demolished
[Updated] Mexican restaurant opening on 2nd Avenue called Savor Por Favor
Updated 10/26 — the restaurant is now open.
The signage is in the window at 157 Second Ave. for the new Mexican restaurant opening in this space between Ninth Street and 10th Street ... welcome Savor Por Favor...
In May, applicants from Butter Midtown — doing business as E&Y Hospitality LLC — received CB3's OK for a new liquor license at the address.
While interior renovations continue at No. 157 ... the owners have set up a Facebook account...
... and Instagram...
So Savor Por Favor is in the works... as for the past, Yuan shut down in July after a year in business. As noted in previous posts on No. 157, this has been a challenging space to make work for any length of time. Biang! — the sit-down Chinese restaurant via Xi'an Famous Foods owner Jason Wang — closed in March 2017 after 15 months in business. The previous tenant, Wylie Dufresne's bistro Alder, called it quits after two-and-a-half years at the end of August 2015. Other recent restaurants here (before 2013) included Plum and Cafe Brama.
Updated 10/26
Savor Por Favor is now open...
[Photo by Steven]
Previously on EV Grieve:
Yuan Noodle may be yielding to a Mexican restaurant on 2nd Avenue
Mi Tea now serving up the cheese tea on St. Mark's Place
That Mi Tea location on 19-23 St. Mark's Place that I mentioned back on Aug. 14 is now up and running... EVG Bubble Tea District Correspondent Steven shared these photos here between Second Avenue and Third Avenue yesterday...
This is the fifth U.S. branch (there's one in Flushing) for the Hangzhou, China-based chain with 1,000 locations worldwide. Their speciality: Himalayan pink salted cheese tea drinks.
And in other bubble-tea opening news, the Möge Tee outpost is now open around the corner at 69 Cooper Square.
Previously on EV Grieve:
More bubble tea for the Bubble Tea District (aka St. Mark's Place)
[The address in June 2008]
Pado in soft-open sushi mode on 2nd Avenue
Pado is now in soft-open mode (as of this past Friday) at 199 Second Ave.
The Japanese restaurant's Instagram account notes that they feature "unconventional tapas style plates. We craft every dish with luxury ingredients and attention to detail."
This space between 12th Street and 13th Street was previously Oishi Village Sushi, which closed in late December after nine months in business.
Thanks to Nick Solares for this photo and tip!
Previously on EV Grieve:
Pado bringing 'Modern Japanese Cuisine' to 2nd Avenue
Gym moves: IG-Fit replaces Synergy on 14th Street
The Synergy Fitness Club at 244 E. 14th St. near Second Avenue has closed (members — was there any warning?) ... and signage is now up for its replacement — IG-Fit.
IG-Fit looks to be offering an array of services, including infrared sauna and cryotherapy. Although they bill themselves as NYC's No. 1 health club, we can't find any web or social-media presence (not even Instagram!) for them. So no word on rates, etc.
Hopefully it will be an upgrade from Synergy. Through the years, several EVG readers noted sketchy practices and unreliable hours of operation at this Synergy branch.
And as seen outside the gym a few years back...
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