What to expect (on paper) when the partial L-train shutdown begins April 26

The partial L-train shutdown begins in less than 10 days... and the MTA is finally starting to dribble out a few details for commuters who depend on the line to get around.

Per the MTA:

Service During the L Project

With the revised approach [closing one tube at a time between Manhattan and Brooklyn], the L will continue as normal during peak and midday weekday times. Service on the L will be reduced nights and weekends. We’ll be enhancing M, G, 7, and bus service to provide alternatives in addition to the L. This service plan will be in effect on nights and weekends, starting at 8 p.m. on Friday, April 26, through summer 2020.

And...

With the revised approach, L customers will have normal service during the highest ridership times.

Weeknights: 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. L trains run every 20 minutes between Brooklyn and Manhattan and every 10 minutes within Brooklyn. Service will ramp down starting at 8 p.m. to make room for work trains. Overnight, between 1:30 a.m. and 5 a.m., the service runs at its normal frequency, with L trains running every 20 minutes.

Weekends: 8 p.m. Friday until 5 a.m. Monday, L trains run 20 minutes between Brooklyn and Manhattan, and every 10 minutes within Brooklyn. Overnight, between 1:30 a.m and 5 a.m., service runs at its normal frequency, with L trains running every 20 minutes.

Enhanced M14A regular bus service

We’re planning additional M14A bus service to connect customers to the subway lines where we are enhancing service.

The extra M14A route service will extend to connect with Delancey/Essex St FJM Station. On weekends the M14A/D buses, combined, run every 3 to 5 minutes for the majority of the day along 14 St.

On weeknights, buses will run every 4 to 5 minutes between 8 p.m. and midnight, in both directions across 14th Street for connection to the M train at 6th Avenue, or to the 6 train at Union Square for transfer to the M train at the Broadway-Lafayette station. The M14A will connect to the Delancey-Essex J/M Station every 7 to 10 minutes (as compared to every 12 to 20 minutes currently).

Sounds like a well-oiled machine? Heh. There are important details to be worked out, as amNY reported last evening:

There still is not an official timeline for the new project. The MTA continues to hammer out the new contract with the companies doing the work: Judlau and TC Electric. Janno Lieber, the MTA’s construction chief, said that the new project will take between 15 and 18 months, and she expects it to be less expensive than the $477 million contract for the original, full 15-month closure.

Meanwhile, the MTA is playing cute with all this...


[Via Ohhleary]

For more on the latest with the L train ... Christoper Robbins filed a post at Gothamist ... and Curbed has an explainer here. And at amNY, Vincent Barone talks with some anxious L-train regulars about what might happen starting April 26.

There isn't any mention in the media reports or on the MTA site about the stations at First Avenue and Third Avenue being reconfigured to exit-only on weekends. (That idea was mentioned as a possibility back in January courtesy of some leaked MTA documents.)

Also in L-train news: Overnight L-train service has been suspended weeknights starting this past Monday.

Per media reports, there aren't any trains from Manhattan to Lorimer Street in Brooklyn operating from 10:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. This will take place every weeknight until April 26.

And in case you've been away this year... back on Jan. 3, Gov. Cuomo made a surprise announcement with news that the L-train wouldn't be completely shut down between Brooklyn and Manhattan for Sandy-related repairs after all.

Previously on EV Grieve:
To L and back: Reactions and questions over Gov. Cuomo's surprise subway announcement

Report: MTA commits to a shorter work day for the 14th Street L-train rehab

Details about this East Village Sample Co-Op Sale tomorrow through Saturday

Over the next few days, several local shops/brands are joining forces for an East Village Co-Op Sample Sale in the ballroom of the Ukrainian National Home on Second Avenue.

Cindy Hahn, who owns the lingerie, swimwear and clothing boutique Azaleas at 140 Second Ave., came up with the idea.

"We honestly needed to just do some spring cleaning [and] have been speaking with some other local brands and shop owners who are in a similar situation," she told me in an email.

So Hahn secured the second-floor ballroom (where New Order played in 1981!) from her landlord, the Ukrainian National Home, for the event.

The vendors include Azaleas, Meg, Hengst, H. Fredriksson and Toasty Time.

"There will be children's clothes, women's clothes, lingerie, swimwear and some accessories," Hahn said. "Many of the items are brand new items sold below wholesale pricing."

The sale is tomorrow (Thursday), Friday and Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. on the second floor of 140 Second Ave. between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street. (You can follow @ev.coop for updates and more details.)

"If this event turns out successful, we definitely hope to make this an annual thing and may grow it into a bigger community," Hahn said.

The Moxy East Village opens this fall

The Moxy East Village, the 13-story, 285-room hotel from the Marriott brand, is expected to open this October.

This info comes via the Marriott website...



The hotel here on 11th Street between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue — across the street from the all-new Webster Hall — doesn't appear to be accepting reservations just yet.

The Marriott offers this info:

The bright and open lobby layout is paired with contemporary furniture. The "Plug and Meet" gathering areas provide modern ergonomic seating, large writing walls and 56-inch televisions for presentation projection. The lobby also boasts a state-of-the art video wall and 24/7 Food & Beverage offering a wide selection of snacks and drinks. Other hotel amenities include healthy continental breakfast, an evening bar featuring wines by the glass and local brews. All bedrooms are equipped with 42-inch flat-screen televisions, build in USB ports and free Wifi.

As previously reported, Tao Group is the food and beverage operator and the Lightstone Group's partner at the Moxy East Village. Plans include a 2,600-square-foot rooftop bar and a restaurant-lounge in the sub-cellar called MEV, short (apparently!) for Moxy East Village.

The foundation work got underway here in August 2017. Workers demolished the five residential buildings that stood here in the fall of 2016.

The photos on this post show the hotel as of this past Sunday...



Previously on EV Grieve:
At the rally outside 112-120 E. 11th St.

6-building complex on East 10th Street and East 11th Street sells for $127 million

Preservationists say city ignored pitch to designate part of 11th Street as a historic district

Permits filed to demolish 5 buildings on 11th Street to make way for new hotel (58 comments)

New building permits filed for 13-story Moxy Hotel on East 11th Street across from Webster Hall

Tuesday's parting shot

A spring scene on 7th and A via riachung00 ...

Spring comes alive on Avenue C

On Sunday afternoon, Loisaida United Neighborhood Gardens (LUNGS) hosted its sixth Spring Awakening in honor of the neighborhood's community gardens.

EVG contributor Stacie Joy took these photos along Avenue C, where there were activities for kids (pony rides!) as well as live music, puppet shows and other garden-related events...

Q&A with Dan Efram, photographer behind this book of 'Curiosities'

[All photos by Dan Efram]

"Curiosities" is a new book of photos by local photographer Dan Efram. (His work has appeared on EVG, such as here ... here ... and here.) There's a book launch tomorrow night at Howl! Happening (details below). Ahead of that, I asked Efram a few questions about his work...

How did your passion for photography come about?

Succinctly, it helped me get through the illnesses and eventual deaths of my parents.

Growing up my dad was always documenting via snapshot, so a camera was constantly nearby. Though I was interested early, I was a fan of the camera as a gadget. In fact, I still own my dad’s Praktica camera with its manual winding — it had lots of cool buttons and a really loud shutter, which I was fascinated with.

My first career was as an artist manager in the music business, and luckily was constantly around creative types and photographers specifically. Often, I feel like some of the photo smarts of my crew rubbed off on me. In essence, I’ve been searching for the perfect album cover my whole life, now I’m just actually making the pictures as well.

What does it take to catch your eye? What do you look for on the street?

I love weird, dark and emotive. Arbus, Weegee, Brassaï, Winnogrand and Frank are staples for a lot of street photographers and these are definitely some of my faves as well.

Recently, I’ve been fascinated by Richard Sandler’s amazing book “The Eyes of the City,” to which I highly recommend. His work is mind-blowingly great! But, I digress. First off and this may seem obvious, but if I’m not in the correct frame of mind, nothing happens. But I’m generally looking for something that either is completely unusual that’s happening or something completely normal that allows me to focus in on a personality.





Your book features characters from Spain, Portugal, France, Cuba and the United States. Closer to home, what kind of canvas does the East Village provide for your photography?

There are a number of photos from the East Village in my book that I love for their grittiness. It’s my home and where I feel most comfortable, so walking these streets in my neighborhood allows me to shoot without trepidation.

It's also inspiring, because once you’ve been somewhere this long, in my case 25 years, my history is implanted in the miles I’ve walked in these neighborhoods. But comfort isn’t always the best thing for art and I very much enjoy getting out the comfort zone as often as possible. A challenge is exciting! And I’m looking to do a lot more of this in the future.


[A self-portrait]

---

An Evening with Daniel Efram’s "Curiosities"
Wednesday, April 17, 7 p.m.
Howl! Happening, 6 E. First St. between Second Avenue and the Bowery.

Per the invite:

Efram’s "Curiosities" are augmented by neo-noir experimental soundscapes from Jim Coleman (This Wilderness, Gain Control, Cop Shoot Cop) and Sarah Register (War Bubble, Talk Normal). Reading from her own work and a collection of other sources, Nicole Blackman (Golden Palominos, Recoil, KMFDM) and actor/screenwriter Tony Drazan (director of "Hurlyburly" and "Zebrahead") give voice to the anonymous pedestrians, street vendors, nightcrawlers, and characters ... Jubilant drum corps Nossos Tambores opens the evening.

Plywood treatment for the former Foot Gear Plus on 1st Avenue as storefront renovation looms

Last Wednesday, workers surrounded 131 First Ave. with plywood...


[Top photos by Steven]

We received several queries about what was happening to this single-level storefront at St. Mark's Place that was home to Foot Gear Plus for 40-plus years until July 2018.

According to the work permit on file with the city, in the DOB's ALL-CAP STYLE: "THIS JOB IS IN HUB SELF-SERVICE AND CANNOT BE VIEWED UNTIL ACCEPTED." (Boo!)


[Reader-submitted photo from last Wednesday]

The property had been on the sales market, with a pitch mentioning 4,150 square feet of air rights.

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

Late last November, the retail-for-rent signage went up on the corner space.

The listing with Meridian Capital shows that the storefront can be divided up into three smaller spaces ... with a "brand new build out."





Presumably the plywood represents the start of this new build out for retail use... and not a demolition for use as a residential spot.

Meanwhile, as EVG reader Elissa notes, the plywood has been tagged and wheatpasted...



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?

Jebon Sushi & Noodle has closed on St. Mark's Place

That's all for Jebon Sushi & Noodle at 15 St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue... the restaurant wrapped up 10 years in business at the beginning of the month, as these photos via EVG correspondent Steven show.



Workers have (mostly) emptied the space...



This closing doesn't come as a complete surprise. Owner Wayne Yip recently opened Wara, a Japanese izakaya restaurant, at 67 First Ave. and Fourth Street. The Batsu theater, a Japanese-style variety show, moved there from Jebron in early February.

---

And 15 St. Mark's Place was previously home to Coney Island High, the live music venue that closed back in 1999... the building was demolished to make way for the current condoplex now minus a retail tenant.

The Starbucks on 2nd Avenue at 9th Street has closed (a day early)

[Photo yesterday by Steven]

As previously reported, the Starbucks outpost on Second Avenue at Ninth Street was set to close yesterday.

However, the closing came a day early... the April 15 was changed to an April 14...



There wasn't any official word why this location closed.

This retail space remains on the rental market — the rent is "negotiable."

At Milk Bar, a new name for the Crack Pie

[Image via Milk Bar]

The East Village-based dessert spot Milk Bar has changed the name of its most-popular item.

Founder Christina Tosi made the announcement yesterday:

We’ve made the decision to stop using the name Crack Pie. Starting today, it will be known as Milk Bar Pie. Below, I’m sharing the note I sent to the Milk Bar team. The fact of the matter is, anyone who visits this website or our stores or our social media is our family too, and we listen to what you have to say.

While change is never easy, we feel this is the right decision. Not everything will happen at once - the next few weeks and months will be a transition period. Your support means everything to us and if you have feelings or questions about it, we’re always here.

The name switcheroo comes less than a month after Boston Globe food scribe Devra First wrote a column titled "There’s nothing cute about crack pie" following the opening of a Milk Bar in Cambridge, Mass.

As she wrote about the tone-deaf name:

If it seemed funny a decade ago to name a dessert after an addictive drug, the joke was one of privilege. The crack epidemic of the 1980s hurt largely poor, largely black communities, not the people who were heading to the East Village to spend $5 on a slice of pie (the price has since gone up to $6).

Chris Crowley at Grub Street made a similar case back in December about the use of "crack" to describe foods.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Food for thought: Milk Bar's Crack Pie is not a cute name, critic says

Monday's parting rainbow shots

Five views from early this evening... top shot from 14th Street near Avenue C by Durk Snowden.

Derek Berg shared this from Second Avenue and Fifth Street...



... Deborah Auer, devoted St. Mark's Place resident, took this on Third Avenue at the entrance to St. Mark's Place...



... Carol from East Fifth Street caught the rainbow on Astor Place...



...and Caz Lulu captured the double-rainbow action on Second Street...

Grant Shaffer's NY See

Here's the new 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.

Lift off: Jay-Z will headline the first show at the all-new Webster Hall

There have been rumors that a big-name act (the National! the Strokes! the Yeah Yeah Yeahs!) would christen the all-new Webster Hall when it reopened this month.

Webster Hall made the big announcement this morning...

JAY-Z is opening Webster Hall with ‘B-Sides 2’ on Friday, April 26 for Day 1 fans. AMEX Card Members can get tickets on 4/18 at 10am ET before the public onsale on 4/19 at 11am ET. pic.twitter.com/WFU9FNkD7B

— Webster Hall (@WebsterHall) April 15, 2019

Per a Webster Hall press release:

JAY-Z will officially re-open the iconic Webster Hall on Friday, April 26m following the completion of a comprehensive renovation to modernize the historic concert venue. The ‘B-Sides 2’ show is billed for Day 1 fans and will be JAY-Z’s first time playing the legendary venue ...

A limited number of tickets will be made available for purchase to American Express® Card Members beginning Thursday, April 18 at 10 a.m. through 10 p.m. The general public on sale begins Friday, April 19 at 11 a.m. and tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com.

As previously reported, Webster Hall is now owned by BSE Global and The Bowery Presents, who's booking the acts at the venue.

Previously on EV Grieve:
More details emerge about the revamped Webster Hall, returning this spring with Patti Smith, Sharon Van Etten and Royal Trux

Making the case for 2-way bike lanes on Avenue B

A movement is underway to secure two-way bike lanes on Avenue B, an increasingly congested 14-block corridor currently without any marked paths for cyclists such as on Avenue A and Avenue C.

The awareness campaign commenced along the Avenue this past Friday...

Big day today! We’re kicking off our campaign for a protected #bikeNYC lane on Avenue B! Can’t wait to make this street safer for all the schools and commuters in the East Village! @TransAlt pic.twitter.com/5RiyA4XQLD

— Sam Bleiberg (@SamBleiberg) April 12, 2019

The idea came about via parents who bike their children to area schools — including the East Village Community School, the Children's Workshop School, Tompkins Square Middle School, the Earth School and East Side Community High School.

After presenting the idea to, and receiving support from, the East Village Community School Parent Association, East Village resident and parent Choresh Wald approached Transportation Alternatives, who has endorsed the proposal and is helping spread the word via #BikeAveB on social media.

East Village knows that #bikeNYC is here, and lanes are coming! 🌸 #BikeAveB kickoff this morning was a huge success. Thanks @TransAlt volunteers @TA_Ambassadors for promoting our May 20th #bikemonth ride-to-school ✏️ 👨🏾‍🏫🚲 on Ave B! Sign the petition: https://t.co/QDwhiv6G2X pic.twitter.com/7Uvdi3Wwub

— Chelsea Skye (@pekochel) April 12, 2019

There's now a petition in circulation, which you can find here.

Per the petition, which is signed by Wald:

A historical source of Alphabet City's fight for tenants rights and neighborhood empowerment, Avenue B today is a vibrant 14-block stretch in the East Village that is lined with schools, cultural institutions and community gardens. Tompkins Square Park, the adjacent libraries and burgeoning night life combine to make Avenue B an increasingly busy corridor for people on foot and on two wheels.

Despite being a narrow avenue, Avenue B allows two-way travel for cars, but has no dedicated lanes for anybody who wants to ride a bicycle. Yet parents and neighbors alike are already choosing to ride down this unsafe corridor.

To make the problem worse, trucks and commercial vehicles have no curbside loading zones. Every day we see them double-parking in order to make deliveries to the dozens of small businesses along Avenue B.


[EVG photo]

We need a safe, two-way protected bike lane on Avenue B, complete with pedestrian safety improvements!

The closure of the East River bike path as part of the upcoming East River Coastal Resiliency plan adds real urgency to the situation. The loss of the East River Greenway park facilities for several years will increase demand to transform Avenue B into a street that can be safer for all users.

By local law, our youngest New Yorkers are allowed to ride on the sidewalk until they are 14 years old. But some of us can't afford to allow them to bike independently given the current conditions of our streets. Community Board 3, we need your help! When our daughters and sons turn 14 years old they will need a safe place to bike on Avenue B.

We've heard from several residents in recent months about an increase in traffic from commercial vehicles in part due to the arrival of Target last summer on 14th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B (at least one other big-box store is expected in the retail space below the newish residential building EVGB) ...


[EVG photo from February]

... and the ongoing presence of the private trash-truck operators making the early-morning rounds...





Wald and other parents plan to meet with City Councilmember Carlina Rivera's office in the next few weeks to share their proposal. Wald also hopes to present the plan to Community Board 3 early this summer.