Former Neapolitan Express space for rent on 2nd Avenue; or buy the whole the whole building

Officially closing the book on Neapolitan Express.

The pizzeria on Second Avenue between First Street and Second Street went dark back in the early summer... however, it looked as if the food-truck portion of the business was still using the space for something.

Now, though, a for rent sign arrived on the storefront last week.

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."

The food trucks are still in operation around the city ... as are two locations — one in Midtown and one in the Financial District.

Aside from the retail space being for rent, the building recently arrived on the sales market. The four-story, four-unit 29 Second Ave. has an ask of $8.5 million. Per the listing: "The building is by far the most flawlessly renovated walk-up building in the East Village."

Previously on EV Grieve:
Neapolitan Express comes to a halt for now on 2nd Avenue

Looking at the new-look 29 Second Ave.

As the Bean moves on Broadway

A brief Bean update.

The Bean on Broadway at 12th Street (above) closed after service on Nov. 9 ... as the coffee shop relocates to a larger location three blocks to the south at 771 Broadway and Ninth Street...



This outpost, a former Starbucks (and moment of silence for Silver Spurs), is expected to be open at the end of the month.

In total the Bean has five locations, four around here and one in Williamsburg.

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] The Bean is taking over the former Starbucks space on 9th and Broadway

Rolling out the unwelcome wagon on Houston

Foundation work continues for the 9-story office building coming to East Houston between Forsyth and Eldridge at the site of the former Landmark Sunshine Theater.

And the rendering on the plywood continues to attract commentary...



Now someone has scrawled "Go away!" and "Unwelcome here" on the rendering...



Previously on EV Grieve:
The return of 'yuppie scum' at the former home of the Sunshine Cinema

Holiday pop-up bar season underway with arrival of Miracle on Ninth Street

Miracle on Ninth Street — the Christmas inspired pop-up bar — opens tonight for the season at 649 E. Ninth St. at Avenue C. (Thanks to Vinny & O for the photos.)



This is the sixth year for Miracle on Ninth Street, which "embraces the Christmas spirit with holiday inspired cocktails created by Nicolas de Soto. The winter wonderland experience is complete with an abundance of garlands, Christmas lights, ribbons, candles and tinsel and Christmas Carols galore," per Facebook.

Before the holidays, this space is the Cabinet Bar, the latest entry in the Cocktail Kingdom kingdom, which includes Mace and Boilermaker.

Mace moved from here to a larger space at 505 E. 12th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B earlier this year. This former Double Wide space will gave its own holiday pop up starting next week.

Week in Grieview

[Fall in Tompkins Square Park via Vinny & O]

Posts this last week included...

Guilty verdicts for defendants in 2nd Avenue gas explosion trial (Friday)

A visit to the new Tompkins Square Playground featuring equipment for kids with special needs (Thursday)

At the opening day of Book Club on 3rd Street (Tuesday)

Groundbreaking today on 14-story affordable housing project on 2nd Street (Friday)

Report: Man attacked for his iPhone on 5th Street dies from his injuries (Saturday)

This unique bird made a migration pit stop on 7th Street the other day (Sunday)

The MTA closes the 2 Brooklyn-bound L-train entrances for upgrades on 14th Street at 1st Avenue (Monday)

A Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen for 1st Avenue? (Tuesday)

This week's NY See (Friday)

When the 'Fifth Street Boys' came home (Monday)

11 Avenue C now with bricks and glass (Monday)

Foxface now selling sandwiches 6 days a week with addition of Tuesday service (Tuesday)

Today's transit of Mercury from 2nd Avenue (Monday)

Odd Eye closing 5th Street shop; going online (Monday)

Very Thai has not been open lately on Avenue B (Tuesday)

2nd Street bringing second-hand clothes to Broadway (Thursday)

Nowon unveils retro signage on 6th Street (Thursday)


[Car-free Broadway yesterday ahead of a street fair]

A look at the northwest corner of 14th Street and 1st Avenue (Monday)

Yes, the Tang has closed, but something else is on the way (Wednesday)

The 4th retail space in the former Chase space on Avenue A has a new tenant (Friday)

45 E. 1st St. vacant again (Tuesday)

Renovations knock Blockheads out of commission for a few weeks on 3rd Avenue (Friday)

Former Percy's storefront gets a fresh coat of paint (Tuesday)

... and thanks to EVG reader Aaron G. for sharing this photo of a juvenile red-tailed hawk hanging out yesterday at First Park and Houston...



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EVG Etc.: the plentiful tea at Physical Graffitea; the Smoking Fox at Foxface

[Stencil art on St. Mark's Place]

• Police searching for woman who sucker punched 72-year-old woman in face near Russ & Daughters on Houston (1010 WINS)

• A feature on Physical Graffitea, Ilana Malka's shop on St. Mark's Place (Fortune)

• Upscale CBD shop coming to Orchard near Houston (Commercial Observer)

• Sietsema praises the Smoking Fox at Foxface on St. Mark's Place (Eater)

• Shocker: Real estate industry and Mayor de Blasio oppose commercial rent control proposal (Gothamist)

• How the Green New Deal For Public Housing Act might impact the NYCHA (Curbed)

• About the war memorial on 7th Street (Ephemeral New York)

• Breaking down what the Times had to say about Essex Crossing (The Lo-Down)

• The David Lynch exhibit of new work, "Squeaky Flies in the Mud," continues through Dec. 21 at Sperone Westwater on the Bowery (Official site)

• A revival run of "Equation to an Unknown" — "long-lost masterpiece of hardcore gay erotic cinema" — now playing at the Anthology Film Archives on Second Street (Official site)

• Coming Nov. 21 for one-night only — the documentary "Depeche Mode: Spirits in the Forest" in the big auditorium at City Cinemas Village East (Official site)

• Thoughts on the new Konk retrospective (Resident Advisor)

• And Alex's thoughts on "New Rock City" (Flaming Pablum)

• A new music video via Nick Zedd (Dangerous Minds)

• Mapping where Alexander Calder spent his time in NYC, including several neighborhood addresses (Hyperallergic)

... and the Double Down Saloon's monthly rummage sale is today from 2-7 p.m. at 14 Avenue A between Houston and Second Street...

Today: Middle Collegiate Church hosts their 3rd annual Children's Multicultural Book Fair

Via the EVG inbox...

Today (Nov. 17), Middle Collegiate Church hosts their third annual Children's Multicultural Book Fair from 1 - 3:30 p.m. More than 70 titles of books for children and youth (grades 0 - 8) that engage the diverse cultures of our city across faith, ethnicity, race, gender, and identity will be available for purchase.

Authors Isreba Wheeler ("I Love My Hoodie") and Chana Ginelle Ewing ("An ABC of Equality") will be reading and signing their books and a reader from the Islamic Center at NYU, Arif Choudhury, will read "The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family".

There will be stations for children and youth to engage in art, movement, card making, and raffle prizes. Titles will also be available from Archie Bongiovanni, Hena Khan, bell hooks, Jamia Wilson, Jacqueline Woodson and numerous others. This is a free event.

Middle Collegiate Church is on Second Avenue between Sixth Street and Seventh Street. Entrance to the event is at 50 E. Seventh St.

Report: Man attacked for his iPhone on 5th Street dies from his injuries

A Staten Island man who was beaten during a robbery on Oct. 20 on Fifth Street has died from his injuries. Police are reportedly treating the attack as a homicide.

Giovanni Destafano, 27, was jumped outside the Lower East Side II Houses at 632 E. Fifth St. between Avenue B and Avenue C around 10 p.m.

Here are details via SILive:

Upon arrival, officers saw that Destefano had swelling, bruising and lacerations to his head and around his mouth. EMS responded to the location and transported him to Bellevue, police said.

The police investigation determined that Destefano was approached from behind in front of the location by an unknown individual.

The suspect proceeded to punch Destefano several times in the head and face, causing the victim’s injuries, police said.

The culprit then allegedly stole the victim’s iPhone 7 from a pocket of his pants.

A former neighbor of Destafano's described him as "a very good dad." Destafano had two children.

No arrests have been made. (And I haven't seen any information to date about a possible suspect.)

Last day for the Butch Judy's pop up at Performance Space 122

Butch Judy's wraps up its six-week residency today outside Performance Space 122 on First Avenue at Ninth Street.

Owners Katie Zanin and Cassidy Gardner are behind this Brooklyn-based Queer-owned bar concept serving a variety of beer and wine (and French fries).

They'll be open this afternoon though 9 p.m. or so. (There's also an app release party for @lex.app from 5-9.)

Previously on EV Grieve:
Butch Judy's pops up behind Performance Space 122 on 1st Avenue

Your chance to tell a story with the 8 Ball Community

The 8 Ball Community, a volunteer-run art and media collective, has moved into the East Village.

Tomorrow (Saturday, Nov. 16), they're taking part in The Creative Time Summit X with an installation called "People's Newsroom." The installation is open to the public, no prior registration needed. Here's a rundown via the EVG inbox...

Calling all East Village & Downtown NYC neighbors, street vendors, gardeners, activists, poets, writers, organizers, performers, artists, librarians, food cart vendors, informal antique collectors, thrift shop owners, workers, psychics, dojo & theater managers, etc., to come thru and tell a story of their own choosing at "People's Newsroom," a one-off new show produced by 8 Ball TV as part of Creative Time Summit X.

-Where: 8 Ball HQ, 59 E. 4th St. (between Second Avenue and the Bowery), 7th Floor, buzzer 14
-When: Saturday Nov. 16, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

No prep needed. Just bring your story, as intimate or universal as you wish, vent-off, advertise your craft or small business, deliver a PSA, read a poem, share a recipe, give us a micro oral history piece, tell us about your community garden or how your neighborhood changed.

Surf and turf

Jayomi, described as "Seattle’s friendliest indie surf rock quartet," recently released their debut record. The video here is for the track "Tropical Wasteland."

Guilty verdicts for defendants in 2nd Avenue gas explosion trial

The owner of a New York building and 2 others were found guilty in a 2015 gas explosion that killed 2 people and leveled half of an East Village block https://t.co/QpOEYfohlx

— The New York Times (@nytimes) November 15, 2019

Per the Times:

After more than two months of testimony, a jury in Supreme Court in Manhattan on Friday found [Maria] Hrynenko, a general contractor and an unlicensed plumber guilty of manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and related offenses when they installed an illegal gas line, causing the explosion.

Sentencing takes place on Jan. 10.

We will post much more on this case in the days ahead.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Updated: 2nd Ave. explosion — landlord, 3 others charged with 2nd degree manslaughter; showed 'a blatant and callous disregard for human life'

RIP Nicholas Figueroa

RIP Moises Ismael Locón Yac

A family continues to feel the loss on 2nd Avenue

Exclusive: 2nd Avenue explosion sites have a new owner

Dedicating Moises Locón Way and Nicholas Figueroa Way on 2nd Avenue at 7th Street

Jury selection starts for defendants in 2nd Avenue gas explosion that killed 2 men

Day 1 recap of the 2nd Avenue gas explosion trial; opening statements and emotional testimony from Nicholas Figueroa's father