Grant Shaffer's NY See

Here's the latest installment — panel No. 40 — of NY See, East Village-based illustrator Grant Shaffer's comic series — an observational sketch diary of things that he sees and hears around the neighborhood — and NYC.

There's not much left of the former St. Denis Hotel on Broadway

[Photo by Dave on 7th]

Workers have been slowing bringing down the historic St. Denis building, 799 Broadway at 11th Street.

The above photo via Dave on 7th shows what's left. Workers started the demo prep work back in September.

Normandy Real Estate Partners bought the property for somewhere in the $100 million ballpark back in 2016.

On March 14, the city OK'd permits for the 12-story, "loft-style building" taking the place of the St. Denis. According to a news release about the address: "799 Broadway will feature floor-to-ceiling glass, private terraces, and 15 foot high ceilings. This combination of highly desirable location and state-of-the-art design will appeal to New York’s most progressive and creative companies."

And a rendering of the new building...


[Binyan Studios]

The nearly demolished structure, which was 165 years old, was noteworthy for many reasons. It opened in 1853 as the St. Denis Hotel, which is where Ulysses S. Grant wrote his post-Civil War memoirs and Alexander Graham Bell provided the first demonstration of the telephone to New Yorkers.



However, the building was not landmarked... and it was not in a Historic District.

For more history, Jeremiah Moss, who once worked in the St. Denis, wrote this feature titled "The Death and Life of a Great American Building" for The New York Review of Books in March 2018.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: Maps show that Midtown South does NOT include the East Village/Astor Place

Report: Former St. Denis Hotel selling for $100 million


[Image via Wikipedia Commons]

The Asian Taste awning has arrived on 3rd and B; China Wok redux?

[Photo by Salim]

On Saturday, EVG regular Salim reported that workers put in place the new awning for Asian Taste (hello Choc font!), coming soon to the space on the northwest corner of Avenue B and Third Street.

There is an unconfirmed reader report that Asian Taste is from the same family who ran the previous establishment here, the quick-serve China Wok that closed in early December. (A reader also spotted one of the former China Wok cooks helping with the sign.)

Upon its closure in December, there were rumors that the business was Cromanated via landlord Steve Croman. The for-rent sign arrived in mid-December.

Whatever the case, the family felt good enough to return to this corner.


[Photo Saturday evening by Harold Chester]

Timna announces April 14 closing date on St. Mark's Place

Timna, the Israeli-Mediterranean restaurant at 109 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue, is closing after service on April 14.

Chef Nir Mesika shared the news on the restaurant's Instagram page Friday:

Four years ago, I‘ve had an idea to cook modern Israeli food, to open a small place with a small but dedicated staff.

We have invested all our energy in cooking and hospitality, bringing the Israeli essence and character to the plate, here in NYC. Timna was created out of thin air, built with our own hands. We’ve always kept our modesty and our feet on the ground. I promised myself and my clients that everything will be at the highest standards, to best of my ability (and budget), whether it's the food, our attitude toward the customers, and the employees who work with us.

Unfortunately, after four amazing but undoubtfully challenging years, we are forced to close Timna.

The restaurant will remain open until April 14th — so come and celebrate with us the years that we’ve had, and those that still await all of us.

This is undeniably a very difficult decision, which I did not really want to make but was really forced to make. Financial issues and all sort of disagreements have led me to deal with running the restaurant without support, to such extent that it can no longer be sustained.

I know that many people will miss Timna, I certainly will, but I choose to remember all the good things, embrace and learn from the bad, and realize that there is no choice but to move on to the next big thing.

I would like to thank my beloved staff who accompanied me all these years, each of you have added character and color to this place called Timna, and of course a huge thanks to our customers, coming from afar or from across the street. Each and every one of you who walked into the restaurant in these past four years would make me excited every day that you’ve chosen to dine at Timna.

Timna opened in April 2015 in space that was formerly an outpost of the mini-chain of Hummus Place restaurants.

H/T Vinny & O!

Japanese cafe pops up on 4th Street

Yon Chome is now open at 233 E. Fourth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B...



The pop-up cafe — here for at least a month — is serving matcha lattes, sencha tea and other Japanese-style drinks and snacks...



Until last September, this small space was home to Matcha Cafe Wabi for three years.

Croissanteria is closing on Avenue A

Croissanteria, the bakery and cafe offering coffee and a croissant-centric menu, is wrapping up nearly seven years at 68 Avenue A between Fourth Street and Fifth Street.

On Friday, an EVG reader noted a sign on the door saying the shop was closing in the next few days. On Saturday, that sign was gone, replaced by a notice of an auction ("everything for sale"), which takes place April 1 at 1 p.m.

The last day is said to be Wednesday. [Updated 3/28: As of today, the shop was still open.]

The cafe opened in October 2012.

H/T Steven and SB

After bankruptcy auction, 113 E. 2nd St. returns to market for $1.1 million more

A for-sale sign has been posted outside the townhouse at 113 E. Second St. between Avenue A and First Avenue.

Just last month, as The Real Deal reported, an entity called 180 Source Realty LLC bought the property for $7.4 million in a bankruptcy auction.

Apparently 180 Source Realty LLC — property records list its manager as Michael Lavian — isn't keeping the five-story, two-family home: it hit the market last week for $8.4 million.

Here's a bit of the listing via Leslie J. Garfield:

Number 113 is currently configured as a two-family with a former performance space in the garden floor. This stately red brick townhome features incredible ceiling heights throughout, a spacious garden, and an open layout chef’s kitchen. The upper quadruplex features 7 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms and the parlor floor unit is a charming 1 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment. With no buildings obstructing light on either side of the house, light flows through both the front and rear facades.

The townhouse was once home to Phil Hartman and Doris Kornish, the founders of the Two Boots empire, and had been the center of a protracted divorce battle, as the Post reported in October 2017. At that time, the asking price was $10.5 million.

The home has a little less shade these days: the tree outside the property was recently cut down...

Moroccan arts and crafts for this 9th Street storefront

[Photos by Steven]

Newspaper has covered the windows of the storefront at 428 E. Ninth St. between Avenue A and First Avenue of late ... and now, as this photo via Steven shows, a coming soon sign is up for the next business — Moroccan arts and crafts (not sure if that is the actual name of the shop or just what they'll sell — or both!) ...



A vegan cafe called V ❤️ U was set to open here in 2018, though those plans never materialized.

Until late 2017, this retail spot was home to Mr. Throwback. The seller of 1990s-era sports apparel, retro sneakers, video games and toys moved across the street to a new space.

Remembering the victims of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire 108 years later

Tomorrow marks the 108th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire ... ahead of that, volunteers were out today taking part in the chalking project (organized by Street Pictures), writing the name and age of the victims in front of the buildings where they lived on the Lower East Side.


[EVG reader photo from 2nd Avenue]

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York City on March 25, 1911, was the largest industrial disaster in the city's history ... causing the death of 146 garment workers (mostly young women) who either died from the fire or jumped to their deaths.

The Triangle Waist Company was located on the northwest corner of Greene Street and Washington Place just east of Washington Square Park.

Find more information on ceremonies tomorrow at The Remember the Triangle Fire Coalition website.

At the start of the 3 Blind Mice alley cat for Aurilla Lawrence

Friends of cyclist Aurilla Lawrence held a 3 Blind Mice alley cat in her honor yesterday. The ride also served as a benefit for Lawrence (aka Aurilla Gorilla), a 25-year-old bicycle messenger who was fatally struck by a hit-and-run truck driver in Williamsburg on Feb. 28. (Read more about her here.)

Derek Berg shared these photos at the start of the race in Tompkins Square Park yesterday afternoon...











Lawrence's friends are also planning to adopt a bench in her name in Tompkins Square Park.