Neapolitan Express comes to a halt for now on 2nd Avenue

The Neapolitan Express outpost on Second Avenue between First Street and Second Street has not been open in recent weeks during its advertised business hours...



There's nothing about a temporary or permanent closure on the Neapolitan Express website or social media properties. Calls to this restaurant go to a voicemail box that hasn't been set up... no one responded to an email about the pizzeria's status on Second Avenue.

Neapolitan Express opened here in February 2018. The company started its business life as a food truck. Per the Neapolitan website: "Originally launched in 2013 as the world’s first Eco Friendly Food Truck, Neapolitan Express was officially introduced by lead investors, energy innovators and business tycoons T. Boone Pickens of Clean Energy Fuels and Mayor Michael Bloomberg of Bloomberg L.P."

As for those trucks, at least three of them have been spotted outside the Second Avenue outpost during non-food-truck hours...

Black Iron Burger currently closed for renovations on 5th Street

In case a trip to Black Iron Burger at 540 E. Fifth St. near Avenue B was in your very near future... the quick-serve shop is currently closed for renovations...



... and it's an actual renovation and not code for we're closed forever...



The other three Black Iron NYC outposts are open in the meantime. The East Village location was the first, opening in 2008 (with new ownership taking over in 2013).

Last summer, TripAdvisor rated Black Iron as serving the best burger in New York State.

A night like this: See the Cure's 40th anniversary show Thursday at these East Village theaters

The Cure's 40th anniversary show is in theaters for a one-night-only event later this week ...



You can see "The Cure – Anniversary 1978-2018 Live in Hyde Park London" Thursday night at City Cinemas Village East, Second Avenue at 12th Street ... and the Regal Union Square on Broadway and 13th Street. Show time is 7 p.m. at both theaters.

Now enjoy this flashback to July 2, 1981, when the Cure played the Rock Werchter Festival. They were told to stop their set early to make way for Robert Palmer. So they ended with this 9-minute version of "A Forest"...

Petition to 'Save Tompkins Square asphalt!' closing in on 19,000 signatures

The petition opposing the city's plan to cover the concrete courtyard (aka TF) with synthetic turf in Tompkins Square Park has received overwhelming support in just one week.

As of this morning, nearly 19,000 people had signed their name to "Save Tompkins Square asphalt!"

As we reported last Tuesday, the city has plans — apparently only known to residents who may have attended a Community Board committee meeting in May — to cover the multipurpose courts in the northwest corner of Tompkins Square Park with synthetic turf, a move that surprised and upset a major user of that space since the 1980s — skateboarders.

"While this might look like some flat concrete to a lot of people, this place holds a really deep and sacred importance to thousands of skaters and young people who come together to use this park on a daily basis," East Village resident Adam Zhu, who started the petition, told NBC New York.

The turf project, happening at several area parks, is a result of the city's flood-protection plan that will close East River Park next March for 3.5-plus years. The city needs to find space for the sports teams and youth leagues who use the fields along East River Park.

Turfing the asphalt will also displace other groups here in the corner at Avenue A and 10th Street, including the 400 members of the BlackTop Street Hockey League who use the space on Sunday afternoons.

There is word of a meeting set for early this week between reps for the skateboarders and the Parks Department.

--

The story has also been picked up by Patch ... the Post ... and Fox 5.

You can find the petition here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Skateboarders upset over plan to add synthetic turf to the northwest corner of Tompkins Square Park

Sioné is the name of Samy Mahfar's residential building at 255 E. Houston St.

Here's a look at 255 E. Houston St./171 Suffolk St., the L-shaped parcel where work continues at developer Samy Mahfar's 14-floor residential building. (The condoplex on the corner of Houston and Stanton is part of a different project.)


[Entrance at 171 Suffolk St.]

Branding on the sidewalk bridge now reveals that the building is called Sioné ...



There's also a teaser site where prospects may sign up to be on a mailing list. The site describes Sioné this way — "A Limited Collection of Luxury Residences"...



The residences here range from studios to three bedrooms — all with or without terraces ...



There's a lot of backstory with this development. Quickly: In September 2016, Mahfar withdrew his application — after a five-year fight with Community Board 3 and local elected officials — for a commercial zoning change for this property and surrounding parcels. He wanted to put a restaurant or retail business on the ground floor. Under current zoning, only a community facility is allowed. (The new building has 6,258 square feet set aside for that usage.)

Mahfar, who has been accused of harassing rent-regulated tenants, had approval for a 10-floor building, which turned into 14 floors and 88 units.

As the Lo-Down reported in December 2017: "Mahfar had already received 421a tax breaks to build some affordable units, but he was also seeking a floor area bonus through the city’s inclusionary housing program." It's not immediately clear how many affordable units may be available in this complex.

No. 255 previously housed the day-care center Action for Progress, which was forced to evacuate in 2009 after construction on the condoplex next door destabilized the building...


[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

Café Social 68 coming to Avenue A

Signage arrived last week for Café Social 68, a new spot at 68 Avenue A between Fourth Street and Fifth Street.

This is the former Croissanteria space ... and the new venture is a like-minded concept with coffee, pastries (no croissants though!) and a lunch-dinner menu featuring sandwiches, salads and rice bowls. No word on an opening date, though we're told it should be fairly soon.

Croissanteria closed in the spring after seven years of service.

787 Coffee for 101 2nd Ave.

Looks like an outpost of 787 Coffee is coming to Second Avenue.

Signage is up on the former Block's Vision Care storefront here at Sixth Street (this new location is also confirmed via 787's Instagram account) ...



This will be the second East Village outpost for 787, which grows and roasts their coffee in Puerto Rico. The 787 opened on Seventh Street near Avenue A last October.

This is a coffee-rich zone already with several nearby choices, including the Coffee Project and Southern Cross on Fifth Street just off the Avenue... not to mention Cafe Mocha on Second Avenue and Seventh Street, the Bean on Second Avenue and Third Street, and Kona Coffee and Company on Second Avenue between Third Street and Fourth Street.

As for Block's Vision Care, they merged that business into Block Drugs next door back in the spring.

The Marshal seizes Chouchou on 4th Street

A bad sign at Chouchou, the Mediterranean-Moroccan bistro on Fourth Street between Avenue A and Avenue B... there's a posted notice stating that the restaurant is now in the legal possession of the landlord...



There's nothing at the Chouchou website about a closure. We reached out to ownership to learn more about the situation here.

Chouchou, from Mario Carta, who also runs Pardon My French at 103 Avenue B, opened in March 2017. The cuisine here had been awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand the past two years. Carta's other venture on this block, Nobody Is Perfect, closed last August.

A food delivery for the former/future Sidewalk Cafe

Work has progressed enough at the former Sidewalk Bar and Restaurant on Avenue A and Sixth Street that the new establishment is ready to accept food deliveries... this was spotted on Friday ...



Still no word what the new owners have in store for the space — other than a bar-restaurant. The new owners previously said that they might keep the Sidewalk name.

The Sidewalk closed in February after 32-plus years in business.

24 1st Ave. has been demolished

Workers have finished bringing down 24 First Ave. ... it now joins its property mate, 99-101 E. Second St., in demolition.

These buildings were leveled to make way for a 7-story, 22-unit residential building called The 101 Condominium.


[Rendering of the 1st Avenue side via Zproekt Architects]

24 First Ave.'s previous occupants included the cabaret Lucky Cheng's (1993-2012) and Club Baths, the first openly gay-owned bathhouse (1971-1983)... and Cave Canem and La Nouvelle Justine in between.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Building that housed Lucky Cheng's on 1st Avenue now on the auction block

Onetime home of Lucky Cheng's and adjacent property sell for $12 million

7-story residential building pending at the former Lucky Cheng's space

Demolition permits filed to bring down former Lucky Cheng's building on 1st Avenue

The 411 on the 101 Condominium

Week in Grieview

[Photo on St. Mark's Place by Derek Berg]

Posts this past week included...

Skateboarders upset over plan to add synthetic turf to the northwest corner of Tompkins Square Park (Tuesday)

At long last a taxi relief stand for East Houston and 1st Street outside Punjabi Grocery & Deli (Monday)

Reader reports: The NYPD forcibly stops a Citi Biker on Avenue A for his own safety (Friday)

St. Mark's Market is back open (Thursday)

Comptroller's office: Park bathrooms in the East Village and LES are the worst in the city (Monday)

M14 SBS routes debut today; 14th Street busway now on hold (Monday) The abandoned bus shelters of Avenue A (Tuesday)

Young artists from Central America are creating this mural outside Key Food (Thursday)

Mikey Likes It remains closed on Avenue A (Wednesday)

These 2 adjacent community gardens have merged on Avenue B (Tuesday)

This weeks NY See panel (Wednesday)

ICP now closed on the Bowery ahead of move to Essex Crossing (Monday)

NYPD looking for suspect in an attempted sexual assault in Stuy Town (Friday)

Report: Double-parked motorist arrested for striking 2 firefighters on 6th Street (Wednesday)

Desperately Seeking Bonnie (Thursday)

The last word, perhaps, about Nobletree Coffee's closure on 2nd Avenue and St. Mark's Place (Friday)


[His and his seats on 14th Street]

A new home for Three Kings Tattoo (Monday)

6 posts from June (Sunday)

A-Rod owns part of this building on Avenue D (Tuesday)

Avenue C Restaurant coming soon to Avenue C (Monday)

Ichabod's has closed on Irving Place (Wednesday)

Schmackary's debuts today on Cooper Square (Monday)

... and EVG regular Salim shared this photo of the new-look gate — via @ohmy.murals — at the Oda House on Fifth Street and Avenue B...



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Follow EVG on Instragram or Twitter.

Saturday's parting shot

A moment on Second Avenue today via Derek Berg...

Holiday weekend Saturday in Tompkins Square Park

Quiet day in Tompkins Square Park... and the heat index is in the mid-90s, which was also a pretty good movie.

Photo by Lola Saénz

Reader reports: The NYPD forcibly stops a Citi Biker on Avenue A for his own safety

[Photo by Dave from 7th Street]

Multiple reader reports are coming in from earlier this evening about an NYPD Interceptor SUV who cut off a Citi Bike rider on Avenue A between St. Mark's Place and Seventh Street.

Several witnesses say that the NYPD pursued the Citi Biker after ran a series of red lights starting on Second Avenue and St. Mark's Place.

The video clip below captures the officer explaining the NYPD's actions.

Per the office: "At this point you are being forcefully stopped because, essentially, you are driving recklessly and refusing to stop after multiple lawful orders that you looked and acknowledged so I am going to use whatever means necessary to stop you. And that’s for your safety."

#NYPD run over #nyc #bicycle to stop them from running a red light ton”prevent reckless driving.” pic.twitter.com/AITjqNwYiZ

— Garvey Rich (@Garvey_Rich) July 5, 2019

The officer saying that they "forcibly stopped" the Citi Bike rider for his safety drew laughter from onlookers.

The cyclist did not appear to suffer any injuries after being forced off the Avenue.

Wow pic.twitter.com/pfKUxbw3qy

— Liam Quigley (@_elkue) July 5, 2019

So far in 2019, 15 cyclists have died on NYC streets — five more than all of 2018. Earlier this week, Mayor de Blasio and the NYPD released details on a three-week initiative "aimed at reducing bike-related injuries and fatalities," per Gothamist.

The mayor had released this statement on Monday evening:

We are seeing a dangerous surge in cyclist deaths on our streets, and we are taking action. I have directed the NYPD to immediately launch a major enforcement action that will encompass every precinct and crack down on dangerous driving behavior like parking in bike lanes.

At the same time, I have charged the Department of Transportation with developing a new cyclist safety plan to make biking in our city safer. No loss of life on our streets is acceptable. Last year was the safest year on record — and we have to keep pushing the envelope and increasing our efforts until we achieve Vision Zero.

As one witness told us about this evening's police action: "The NYPD using their vehicle as a weapon on a bicycle adds another element to the unsafe conditions for cyclists in NYC."

Updated 7/6

The Post has part of a statement from the NYPD on the incident:

“When approached by officers, the individual jumped off his bike and it became wedged in between the police vehicle and a parked vehicle. Precinct leadership is reviewing the matter.”

Here’s what happened - Officers observed cyclist running through 2 red lights, wearing headphones while biking, & failing to comply w/ a lawful order. When approached by cops, cyclist jumped the bike & it became wedged between the police vehicle and a parked vehicle.

— NYPD DCPI (@NYPDDCPI) July 6, 2019

Breaking away

Jay Som — aka Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Melina Duterte — has her second record, Anak Ko, coming out on Aug. 23. The video here is for the recently released single "Superbike."

July 4 flashback

A few photos from last evening showing the 43rd Annual Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks® launch ... pics via the vantage Bobby Williams had last evening near Avenue C...

'Tomboy' screens for free tonight in Tompkins Square Park via Films on the Green

The 2019 Films on the Green series — focusing this year on female directors in French and Francophone cinema — comes to Tompkins Square Park tonight for a free screening.

The selection is Céline Sciamma's charming (and well-reviewed) drama from 2011 titled "Tomboy."

Quickie overview:

A family with two daughters, 10-year-old Laure and 6-year-old Jeanne, moves to a new suburban neighborhood during the summer holidays. With her Jean Seberg haircut and tomboy ways, Laure is immediately mistaken for a boy by the local kids, and decides to pass herself off as a boy.

And the trailer...



The film will start at dusk (give or take a few minutes).

And next week in TSP:

• July 12 — "Aya of Yop City" (Aya of Yogoupon) Directed by Marguerite Abouet & Clément Oubrerie, 2010, 1h 24, France-Ivory Coast

Films on the Green is produced annually in New York City parks by the French Embassy, FACE Foundation and NYC Parks.

NYPD looking for suspect in an attempted sexual assault in Stuy Town

🚨WANTED🚨for a SEXUAL ASSAULT in the vicinity of Stuyvesant Oval #Manhattan @NYPD13Pct on 6/29/19 @ 5:10 AM 💰Reward up to $2500👓Seen him? Know who he is?☎️Call 1-800-577-TIPS or DM us!📞Calls are CONFIDENTIAL! #YourCityYourCall @NYPDDetectives @NYPDSVU @ABC7NY @fox5ny @NY1 pic.twitter.com/0a0AOyTo8e

— NYPD Crime Stoppers (@NYPDTips) July 3, 2019

The NYPD is looking for a suspect who attacked a woman on the Stuy Town oval early last Saturday.

Town & Village has details:

The 20-year-old victim was walking near the M level exterior door of 7 Stuyvesant Oval around 5 a.m. when the suspect approached her from behind and grabbed her by the neck.

Police said that the victim resisted but she was knocked unconscious and fell to the ground when the suspect attempted to sexually assault her. Police said that another resident who was nearby came to the victim’s aid and called 911, after which the suspect fled on foot.

In response, ST-PCV has dispatched additional officers for patrol in both Stuy Town and Peter Cooper Village, per Town & Village.

The Perv Busters, part of the Guardian Angels, have also distributed flyers about the suspect... this one was spotted along 14th Street...

The last word, perhaps, about Nobletree Coffee's closure on 2nd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

The Nobletree Coffee closure saga continues here on Second Avenue and St. Mark's Place. After five-plus months in business, Nobletree Coffee abruptly closed on May 30.

According to a note from Nobletree, they were forced to close "because of the slow foot traffic at this location."

That reason didn't sit well with at least one person, who left this note on the door early last week:


[Photo by Todd O'Brien]

"Please don't blame the neighborhood for slow foot traffic. Maybe it was your mediocre coffee and bad service?

Sincerely,
East Village Residents

Well, that note didn't sit well with at least one other person, who then placed this note on the door...

East Village resident to note maker: Be real. The coffee was good. But the rents are too high!

To note maker. Please speak for yourself. Do not include the "EV residents" on your personal experience!!

Previously on EV Grieve:
East Village residents take exception with Nobletree Coffee's reason for closing

A July 4 moment at Gem Spa

Photo from Second Avenue and St. Mark's Place today by Derek Berg...

St. Mark's Market is back open

St. Mark's Market reopened this morning at 21 St. Mark's Place.

The 24/7 grocery-deli between Second Avenue and Third Avenue had been dark since Sunday...



Several readers said that they had closed for good. However, the manager at the Market this morning explained to EVG correspondent Steven that there were several issues. It started when a resident on the building's third floor complained about a gas leak. The fire department came on Sunday and shut the store down. The FDNY said they were leaking freon gas. The store’s technician disputed that finding, claiming that their refrigerator tanks were full.

Another issue: The manager pointed to a hole in the ceiling where a leak started from a residence upstairs...





For now, the perishable items have been removed...





Despite the loss of business in recent days, the manager said that they plan to do a major renovation to "look like a Whole Foods."

Young artists from Central America are creating this mural outside Key Food

Here's an in-progress look at the mural underway outside Key Food on Avenue A and Fourth Street.

Artolution — "a community-based public art organization that seeks to ignite positive social change through collaborative art making" — is behind this project.

View this post on Instagram

Here we go! After days of planning and developing their own characters, our young artists are diving in to the mural experience here in the East Village! Hailing from Central America, many have faced great struggles in their young lives, but their resilience is evident as they create an artistic monument for the whole city to experience. @artolution @kj3t @joelartista @theremustbemorelight @weareroyale @supportkind @styledwithsubstance #asylumseekers #immigrantart #muralart #communityart #youthempowerment #eastvillage #les #joelartista #youthpower #artolution #centroamerica

A post shared by Artolution (@artolution) on Jul 2, 2019 at 5:43am PDT

Desperately Seeking Bonnie

By now you've likely seen one of these flyers around — they're everywhere a la Guy Looking for a Girlfriend.

Anyway, if any budding Bonnies out there want to possibly be part of a "Bonnie and Clyde" remake. I do not know if this flyer, spotted on First Street, is legit. However, I feel obligated to pass this along – much like I did for Faye Dunaway many years earlier.

Wednesday's parting shot

Pre-Manhattanhenge action on Ninth Street this evening via Cecil Scheib ...

And the next chance for the actual Manhattanhenge is coming soon:

• Thursday, July 11 at 8:20 p.m. (full sun)
• Friday, July 12 at 8:21 p.m. EDT (half sun)

Report: Double-parked motorist arrested for striking 2 firefighters on 6th Street

The Post has a report on a double-parked motorist who hit two firefighters as she drove up on the curb to avoid their ladder truck.

Per the Post:

Victoria Sotomayor, 28, was double-parked near Avenue B and East 6th Street at about 2:30 p.m. [yesterday] when firefighters from a nearby firehouse parked at Avenue C and East 6th while responding to a call, sources said.

Sotomayor allegedly ran up to the firefighters and screamed at them, claiming they almost hit her car when they pulled into their parking spot, the sources said.

She then allegedly drove onto the curb to get around their ladder truck, but hit two firefighters in the process, injuring a 27-year-old smoke-eater’s hands, the sources said.

According to the Post, she drove off, and was caught be members of the NYPD and FDNY on Sixth Street at the FDR, where she was arrested. She was reportedly released with a desk appearance ticket for leaving the scene of an accident with injuries.

Grant Shaffer's NY See

Here's the latest NY See panel, East Village-based illustrator Grant Shaffer's observational sketch diary of things that he sees and hears around the neighborhood.

EVG Etc.: City finally vowing to (temporarily) do something about reckless drivers

[Ghost bike for East Village resident Chaim Joseph]

Now that 15 cyclists have been killed by cars or trucks on NYC streets already this year (up from 10 all of 2018), the NYPD yesterday announced that it is launching a citywide bicycle safety plan.

Per The Wall Street Journal:

Officers will step up enforcement of vehicles that speed, run red lights or fail to yield to pedestrians, NYPD officials said. They will also increase the ticketing of drivers who are texting or talking on their phone without a headset, the officials said.

NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill also said at an unrelated press conference Tuesday that officers will also make sure bike lanes are clear of vehicles, especially police cars. Officers caught using bike lanes illegally may face a variety of internal administrative consequences, such as a reprimand from a supervisor or a disciplinary letter, he said.

And...

“We absolutely have an emergency on our hands,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday night during a television interview.

The enforcement will run through July 21.

Reactions:

• NYPD announces plan to temporarily improve bike safety after slew of cyclist deaths (Daily News)

• NYPD Promises To Crack Down On Reckless Drivers For A Few Weeks (Gothamist)

• NYPD’s Reckless Driver ‘Crackdown’ is a Breezy Three-Week Affair (Streetsblog)

• DOT’s Forthcoming ‘Cycling Safety Plan’ Won’t Likely Break the Car Culture (Streetsblog)

The NYPD's MO has been to ticket cyclists instead of drivers in areas where a fatality occurred.

Meanwhile, coming up next week, Transportation Alternatives is staging a “die-in” in Washington Square Park ...

Three cyclists were killed last week. Drivers have killed 15 people on bikes this year — more than double the number killed this time last year. pic.twitter.com/VLYOSEaYJm

— Transportation Alternatives (@TransAlt) July 2, 2019

Chaim Joseph, a 72-year-old East Village resident, was one of the 15 cycling victims this year. He was struck by a private oil truck shortly before 6 a.m. on Feb. 4 while he was riding in the bike lane near the intersection of Eighth Avenue and West 45th Street.

The NYPD arrested 56-year-old Queens resident Kenneth Jackson, who worked for Brooklyn-based Approved Oil company. Jackson was charged with failure to yield and failure to exercise due care. He faces a maximum of 30 days in jail — although such sentences are rare, as Streetsblog noted.