Retail moves at 250 East Houston

A few business switcheroos to mention over at the 250 East Houston compound, where both the H&R Block and Kapri Cleaners are relocating to retail spaces closer to Avenue B....










The 13-floor residential building at 250 E. Houston St., the former Red Square here between Avenue A and Avenue B, changed ownership in the fall of 2016.

No. 250 has been undergoing interior and exterior renovations. Several new businesses have been added to the strip: the Y7 Studio and an upscale barber shop recently debuted in the retail spaces.

Meanwhile, several storefronts remain on the market. Other current tenants here include the Dunkin'/Baskin-Robbins combo, Subway (sandwich shop), Sleepy's/Mattress Firm, China Town Chinese restaurant, the FedEx Office Print & Ship Center, a doctor's office and East Houston Wine & Liquor.



Previously on EV Grieve:
Rumors: Red Square has been sold

New ownership makes it official at the former Red Square on East Houston

Apartment listings at 250 E. Houston look to offer a glimpse of former Red Square's future

Long-vacant retail space hits the rental market at 250 E. Houston St.

Former Red Square lobby gets the plywood treatment on East Houston

The French connection: Salon Chérie Chéri opening soon on Avenue B

Salon Chérie Chéri is ready to open here at 105 Avenue B between Sixth Street and Seventh Street.

Per the Chérie Chéri website: "The salon is a space for clients to explore what is possible with their look from a chic French perspective." (And right next door to the bistro Pardon My French.)

This space had been vacant since the cafe Paradiso closed in April after nine years in service.

Tuesday's parting shot

In the Tompkins Square Park dog run today ... photo by Derek Berg

This Christmas Day, time to think about mulching the tree in your living room

The city is not wasting any time spreading the word on its annual MulchFest... Steven spotted signs up today at the Ninth Street/Avenue A entrance to Tompkins Square Park.

People can start bidding their trees fir-well* and dropping them off on Jan. 4 for the two-day MulchFest that will take place in Tompkins Square Park on Jan. 12-13.

Of course some people can't wait to discard their trees... this one was spotted this morning... inconspicuously hanging out by the benches in the Park...



Anyway, don't feel compelled to get rid of your tree at the city's urging. There's another 11 months or so left to enjoy their company.

* the fir-well line is courtesy of the Parks Dept.

Holidays on 5th Street

Here's the festive-looking 327 E. Fifth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue done up as always for the holiday season ...



Thanks to EastVillage Siren for the video clip!

Engineering the return of CBGB in this model train set at Grand Central Terminal

[Image via New York Transit Museum]

The New York Transit Museum is hosting its 17th Annual Holiday Train Show at the Museum's Grand Central Gallery Annex & Store (it started on Nov. 15 and runs through Feb. 24).

An EVG reader shared this photo below ... showing a replica CBGB outpost — next to a Santa's Corner Workshop — in this “O” gauge model train layout... not sure if this is an annual part of the show, or if the CBGB is new to this train town...



No sign, however, of a TRGT outpost.

H/T Mary!

The unknown future of the Sidewalk

As I first reported on Dec. 10, the 33-year-old Sidewalk Bar & Restaurant on Avenue A and Sixth Street has new ownership

The new owners will be hospitality vets Laura Saniuk-Heinig and Alyssa Sartor. (Saniuk-Heinig is the general manager at the Bar Room on East 60th Street; Sartor co-owned August Laura in Carroll Gardens.)

There are a lot of unknowns about what's next. In an email exchange earlier this month, Saniuk-Heinig told me that they will keep the Sidewalk's longstanding live-music tradition alive, though she was not sure yet what type of music they'll feature. She also said that no decision had been made yet on the name of the establishment (perhaps Sidewalk will continue).

In a piece posted last night at The Daily Beast, Anthony Haden-Guest writes that it was "a shock but no surprise to learn" about the change in owners.

So why no surprise? Because in our Wealth Gap period, gentrification has become a seemingly unstoppable force.

Saniuk-Heinig told the Daily Beast that they'd know more details on what's to come next month.

The DB article also looks at the history of the venue's open-mic nights — the most active one in NYC.

Andrew Kirell, a Daily Beast senior editor and accomplished musician, has played there. “What makes Sidewalk so charming is that it has the feel of the type of DIY venue that Manhattan now sorely lacks,” he said. “There’s a sense of community in just being there, because it feels like a haven for underdogs, rabble-rousers, and anyone who just wants to express themselves.”

Previously on EV Grieve:
New owners set to take over the 33-year-old Sidewalk Bar & Restaurant on Avenue A

Report of a fire at 647 E. 11th St.

There was a report of a fire last night at 647 E. 11th St. at Avenue C.

The FDNY Twitter feed ID'd the fire in the ground-floor restaurant, which is Fiaschetteria Pistoia.

MAN ALL HANDS 647 E 11 ST, MIXED OCCUPANCY FIRE ON 1ST FLR RESTAURANT,

— FDNYalerts (@FDNYAlerts) December 24, 2018

EVG regular Jose Garcia shared the photos in this post at 10:30 p.m.

The FDNY declared the situation under control at 11:30...

MAN ALL HANDS 647 E 11 ST, MIXED OCCUPANCY FIRE ON 1ST FLR RESTAURANT, UNDER CONTROL

— FDNYalerts (@FDNYAlerts) December 24, 2018

Jose reported a heavy FDNY response to the scene, which you can see in this aerial view...

Something is happening on Avenue C.@evgrieve #EastVillage pic.twitter.com/MVXWEvmz3m

— Evan Kapitansky (@evan_kapitansky) December 24, 2018

There isn't any word at the moment regarding injuries or the extent of the damage or the cause of the fire.

Updated 12/24

A sign on the door notes a January return...


[Photo by Stacie Joy]

Christmas Eve Eve, ruined

The lights remain off on the Tompkins Square Park holiday tree...

In a search for answers, Lola Sāenz points to this mysterious hole near the tree...







There's no immediate explanation for the hole, and whether it is natural — or supernatural.

Week in Grieview

[Photo on Avenue B by Derek Berg]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

Affordable housing planned for city-owned buildings at 204 Avenue A and 535 E. 12th St. (Wednesday)

The makeshift memorials at the 2nd Avenue gas explosion site have been removed (Thursday)

Nicoletta Pizzeria closes 2nd Avenue dining room, plans move to a new delivery-only location (Friday)

You'll be back: Look at the renovated Hamilton-Holly House on St. Mark's Place (Monday)

City continues 14th Street prep work ahead of the L-train closure (Thursday)

More about Treetops, the name of the condoplex coming to 14 2nd Ave. (Monday)

Hardware store-replacing hardware store now open on 4th Avenue (Thursday)

Korean food coming to the former Dinah Hookah Lounge space on 2nd Avenue (Wednesday)

Christmas miracle on the Bowery (Saturday)

Signs of new businesses on 3rd Avenue, and an H Mart update (Wednesday)

New signage arrives for Paquito's on 1st Avenue (Friday)

Scrooged: Tompkins Square Park holiday tree remains dark (Saturday)

A sushi counter for 4th Street (Thursday)

JR's neglected 'Gun Chronicles' on the Bowery Mural Wall (Friday)

Ravagh Persian Grill currently closed for renovations (Monday)

The 6th Annual Wendigo Holiday Group Art Show opens (Wednesday)

Fashion Pickle has closed (Friday)

Full FULL reveal at 287 E. Houston St. (Monday)

Report: Thirteen East + West on the auction block (Thursday)

1 more post about this corner of Avenue B and 3rd Street (Monday)

For these 14th Street buildings, there's now renovations inside to match the noise outside (Tuesday)

Hanoi Soup Shop's on for 115 St. Mark's Place (Friday)

... and EVG reader OrangeHOWELL shared this from yesterday... Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels was doing a photo opp on 12th Street at Avenue A ... under the Run DMC mural...



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The future of the Etna Tool & Die Corporation building on Bond Street

[EVG file photo]

The Post reports today that James Galuppo, the owner of the now-closed Etna Tool & Die Corporation at 42 Bond St., recently passed away. He was 100.

So will the 7-floor No. 42 hit the sales market for a luxury condo conversion?

According to the Post, Mr. Galuppo left the building here between the Bowery and Lafayette to his daughter Flavia Galuppo as part of a $12.5 million estate. And she has no plans to unload the property, valued at $6.3 million.

"My parents’ real concern was that their tenants who have invested their livelihoods in our building would have to vacate, and that really bothered them. My father asked me if it was feasible to try and stick it out . . . I intend to honor his wishes."

After 70 years, Etna Tool & Die Corporation closed last year. (See this August 2017 feature at Gothamist for more on what was one of the last tool and die shops in the city.)

And who's in the building now?

A modeling agency, public relations firm and tech company rent space in the building now, along with three residential tenants.

Flavia, an art director in the film industry, said she will likely seek a new tenant for the ground level to replace the factory.

Mr. Galuppo, who was born on the LES in 1918, opened the shop in 1946. He bought the building in the 1970s.

"He would say, ‘I never thought I would see the neighborhood go in this direction,’ ” Flavia said of her dad. “People were warning him, ‘What, are you crazy to buy here?’ But he really believed in the beauty of the neighborhood."

Big Belly ache

Two of the rat-proof Big Belly trash receptacles on Avenue A remain out of commission...like this one on the southeast corner at Seventh Street...



... and the northwest corner at 10th Street...



The solar-powered trash cans arrived in July 2017 as part of the mayor's $32-million plan to combat vermin in rat-popular neighborhoods, like this one. The Daily News reported at the time that each can costs $7,000.

Previously on EV Grieve:
8 more solar-powered, rat-proof trash cans arrive in Tompkins Square Park

Looking at the Big Belly 1.0 and 2.0 in and around Tompkins Square Park

City ready to attack rats in Tompkins Square Park (and elsewhere) (again)