Saying goodbye to Dante and Diego as they leave 12th Street

Updated 12/2
The dogs were adopted together by a couple in Brooklyn!

Back on Saturday, we noted the sad news that Chile, a longtime resident of 12th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B, passed away. His two dogs, Diego and Dante, were left in care of a neighbor.

Yesterday, reps for Animal Haven, a nonprofit animal shelter, picked up the pair to find them a new home.

The folks at Animal Haven shared the above photo and this message on Instagram:

SENIOR LABS IN NEED: A few days ago, a beloved resident of the East Village passed away leaving two dogs without a home. 🙏🙏🙏🙏 Chile was one of those kind individuals who knew everyone on East 12th Street and, in turn, the neighborhood also cared for his beloved senior dogs, Dante and Diego. The threesome would sit together on a local bench welcoming neighbors home from a long workday. Together, they were unique characters that made the East Village welcoming and a true neighborhood. So it's no surprise that everyone came together soon after Chile's passing to make sure the dogs were safe and a call was made to Animal Haven for help.

When our community outreach team arrived yesterday to pick up the dogs, they were met by a handful of residents and friends of Chile. 💙💙💙 A group of eight friends walked the dogs to the transport car where photos were taken, hugs were given, and tears were shed.

Dante and Diego, who are now safe at Animal Haven, are sweet and soulful Labs who were clearly loved by Chile and everyone they met on East 12th Street. While they are no longer young dogs, both have a lot of love to give and a lot of life to live. Animal Haven can't wait to find them a home together. Please come to 200 Centre Street in NYC Tuesday-Sunday between 12 and 6pm to meet them.

Updated 12/5
Read an update here!

A Tompkins Square Park tree lighting reminder

The tree lighting — the 27th annual — is coming up on Sunday, Dec. 9 from 4 to 5 p.m. ... and here's the official flyer about the festivities...



Previously

Actual renovation work continues at the long-dormant 32 Avenue C

[EVG photo from March 2012]

As you may have noticed this fall (going back to September), there's actual renovation work going on over at 32 Avenue C, the three-level building on the southeast corner at Third Street... these next two photos are from the weekend...





The building has sat in disrepair, surrounded by a sidewalk bridge for the past six-plus years. A full-vacate order has been in place since August 2012. To paraphrase the DOB, the building is leaning/sagging.

At one point, there were plans for this corner... with the filing of permits with the city in July 2005 for a new 6-floor residential building here. The city disapproved the plans in May 2006, and nothing more happened with the project.

Some 32 Avenue C watchers (you just missed our Cyber Monday sale) felt as if the owner — listed as Fairfax Management — would let the property rot away to the point demolition was the only option.

However, the landlords filed a permit last fall with the DOB to "rebuild exterior walls; replace windows and sistering of floor joists to address" the various violations on file.

No word yet on what the plans are for the renovated retail-residential space.

Previously on EV Grieve:
There's activity at the long-dormant corner of Avenue C and East 3rd Street

Concern for 32 Avenue C


[Via Google in 2010]

Retail space for lease now at 131 1st Ave., which has a new owner

[Photo by Steven]

The for-lease signage arrived yesterday at 131 First Ave., the former Foot Gear Plus space at St. Mark's Place.

The property had been on the sales market since the 38-year-old shop closed last July. Here's how the Meridian Investment Sales team was pitching the prime lot:

Owned by the same family for 54 years, this single story building, located on the southwest corner of St. Marks Place and First Avenue, presents a distinct opportunity for an investor or end-user to establish a retail or food and beverage presence.

The property is currently constructed as a single story, 1,350 square foot building with a large usable basement. Investors have a unique value-add opportunity to either reposition the retail or monetize 4,150 square feet of air rights in the future.

According to a filing that hit public records last week, the property changed hands for $3.85 million. The buyer is an LLC that shares an address with HUBB NYC Properties LLC, a real-estate operating company.

So given the rental signage here (the listing isn't online yet), the new landlord is looking to reposition the retail as opposed to tearing down the structure for a new residential building — for now, at least.

Previously on EV Grieve:
After nearly 40 years, Foot Gear Plus is closing on 1st Avenue and St. Mark's Place

What's next for 131 1st Ave., the former Foot Gear Plus space?

In the West Village, Integral Yoga Natural Foods is closing after 45 years

[Image via Manhattan Sideways]

Heading outside the neighborhood for this report... several EVG readers shared that news that Integral Yoga Natural Foods, the one-of-a-kind market at 229 W. 13th St. between Seventh Avenue and Greenwich Avenue, is closing later next month after 45 years in business.

Here's part of the message:

The retail climate has changed and is filled with overwhelming competition and challenges. Small local stores keep losing ground to big corporate chains.

We should all be proud of the trailblazing, ground breaking and revolutionary role that the food store played in the launching of the natural foods movement. Now organic and plant-based natural foods are everywhere.

The space will be made available for rent.

The last day will be on or before Dec. 23.



However, the Integral Yoga Institute next door will continue on.

Tuesday's parting shot

The holiday lights are up (inside and out) at 7B/the Horseshoe Bar/Vazac's on the corner of Seventh and B...

The Tompkins Square Library hosts the 2nd annual East Village Arts Festival starting Saturday

The Tompkins Square Library branch is hosting its second annual East Village Arts Festival starting on Saturday.

Here are a few details via the EVG inbox...

We will have 36 public programs for all ages, including performances, lectures, workshops, author readings, and films, as well as tables from local organizations, and art installations by 15 local artists and groups.

In addition, we are also working with local galleries and organizations on our first ever Gallery Walk. Stop by the library to pick up a Gallery Walk flyer, which you can have stamped at each gallery you visit. Visit at least four of the participating galleries between Dec. 1 and 15, and you can enter a library raffle for some fabulous prizes!

This link has more info about the Gallery Walk. This link has all the different programs each day through Dec. 15.

The branch is located at 331 E. 10th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

202 Avenue A has been gutted on its way to doubling in size to become the Topanga

[Photo yesterday by Steven]

Work continues at 202 Avenue A, the four-story building on the east side between 12th Street and 13th Street.

The custom stereo shop Bright Audio had been in this storefront for five years, before relocating across the Avenue last December.

I heard that the space was being renovated. Well, that's an understatement, as this interior photo via Steven shows... oh!



As you can see, there's a lot more going on than a simple storefront conversion.

According to the approved work permits on file with the city, there's a horizontal and vertical enlargement of the existing structure. The current total square footage is 5,334; the additions will bring the total to 10,920. The work permits show that the new retail space will be roughly 2,000 square feet.

There will be 10 residences here, including a duplex penthouse with a private terrace, per the work permits.

Here's a look at the rendering of the all-new 202 — called the Topanga — via Lenart Architecture ...



Highpoint Property Group bought No. 202 in a deal that closed last December for $6.75 million, according to public records.

View this post on Instagram

We're excited to share renderings of a recent LA project - the Topanga. Catch a glimpse of this upcoming mixed-use building in New York's East Village. __________ 📷: Highpoint Property Group __________ #lenartarchitecture #highpointpropertygroup #hpg #topanga #nineties #eastvillage #newyorkplaces #development #realestatedevelopment #renderings #3drenderings #nyapartments #mixeduse #mixedusedevelopment #nyc_instagram #architecture #arquitectura #archdaily #architectwatch #architecturewatch #architecturephotography #nyneighborhoods #dailyinspo #architecture_view #nyarchitecture

A post shared by Lenart Architecture (@lenartarchitecture) on Oct 24, 2018 at 12:04pm PDT

Last call at the Continental now set for Dec. 15

The Continental, the last of the businesses on the northeast corner of Third Avenue and St. Mark's Place, is now set to close on Dec. 15.

The 27-year-old bar had received several extensions in the past year at 23 Third Ave., first in July then October. Trigger, the bar's owner, had most recently hoped to stay open until May 2019.

However, he told me that business has been slow.

"I think that most people think we’ve already closed," he said via a Facebook message. "It’s just my emotions and sentimental attachment that’s been keep me from leaving. All my neighbors have left. It’s time!"

Now, though, as Page Six reports, the date is Dec. 15, with the closing night hosted by Jessie Malin.

A boutique office building with ground-floor retail is looming for the corner. Real Estate Equities Corporation picked up the 99-year leasehold for the properties here for nearly $150 million in November 2017. The corner assemblage is owned by the Gabay family.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Shake Shack effect? McDonald's on 3rd Avenue at St. Mark's Place has closed after 20 years

Report: Northeast corner of St. Mark's Place and 3rd Ave. fetching $50 million for development site

Report: NE corner of St. Mark's Place and 3rd Avenue will yield to a 7-story office building

Demolition permits filed for northeast corner of 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

End is nearing for the businesses on the northeast corner of 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

The Continental gets a 3-month reprieve

New building plans revealed for 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

Your chance to talk up at the the Office of Nightlife listening tour

Tomorrow evening, the Office of Nightlife (night mayor!) is hosting the fifth stop — the Manhattan leg — of a five-borough listening tour "to hear comments, concerns, and ideas for strengthening New York’s distinctive nightlife."

It takes place at the Town Hall on West 43rd Street from 5:30 to 8 p.m. (RSVP at this link.)

Here's more from a press advisory via the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment yesterday morning:

Established earlier this year within the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, the Office of Nightlife serves as a central point of contact between City agencies, nightlife business owners, residents, employees, and patrons, promoting a safe and vibrant nightlife scene beneficial to businesses and communities across the five boroughs.

Led by the Office of Nightlife’s senior executive director Ariel Palitz, this listening session is designed to inform the Office of Nightlife as it pursues policy recommendations and long-term solutions to ensure the vitality of New York’s nightlife. The Office of Nightlife welcomes all New Yorkers to share feedback on topics such as quality of life, safety, regulations, enforcement, and the role nightlife plays in fostering creativity and social cohesion.

Aside from Palitz, attendees will include Julie Menin, commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, Gale Brewer, Manhattan Borough President, and other local elected officials.

Neighborhoods United, a coalition of citywide block associations, is helping spread the word about the session. Nora Breen, a rep for the group, says that to date, there hasn't been adequate advance notice about the listening sessions, especially within Community Board 3, where there are multiple quality-of-life issues related to nightlife and liquor-license saturation. (CB3's district manager, Susan Stetzer, is also one of the 14 members of NYC's first-ever Nightlife Advisory Board, appointed back in July by the mayor.)

"The Nightlife Mayor's Listening Tours in Bronx, Queens, Staten Island and Brooklyn have been poorly publicized and stocked with nightlife industry insiders," Breen said. "So far, the voices overwhelmingly weighing in are from developers, bar/hotel/club operators, lobbyists, liquor lawyers and nightlife insiders."

In its coverage of the Brooklyn stop last month, Bedford & Bowery reported that Palitz was "truly surprised" how few "residents" came out to speak.

And leading up to tomorrow night's event, Neighborhoods United distributed these flyers...





The Town Hall is at 123 W. 43rd St. between Sixth Avenue and Broadway.

Previously

Monday's parting shot

Someone added a "Vote Trump 2020" to the "This Town Reeks of Kale" message that arrived earlier this month in the payphone on Avenue A near Third Street...

A tenant town hall this Wednesday night on the future of rent regulation in NYC

Via the EVG inbox...

Please join New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer and State Senator Brad Hoylman for a discussion on the future of rent regulation in New York City, featuring Delsenia Glover of Tenants and Neighbors, Sheila Garcia of CASA and Aaron Carr of Housing Rights Initiative.

Our speakers will discuss how loopholes and fraud contribute to the ongoing weakening of New York’s rent regulation laws, and how communities across New York City can advocate to repeal Vacancy Decontrol, the Preferential Rent, and the 20 percent Vacancy Bonus in the State Legislature.

The deck is stacked against tenants, and it’s time to fight back!

When: Nov. 28, 2018
6 p.m. — Doors Open
6:30 p.m. — Event begins

Where: Celeste Auditorium
New York Public Library
476 Fifth Avenue

Find more info on the Facebook Events page.