Signage recently arrived for Bites of Xi'an on 10th Street between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue (in the retail space below Turntable Lab)...
According to the restaurant's website, ownership also runs Xifu Foods in Brooklyn, Foody's Dumpling on Ninth Avenue and KungFu12 Szechuan in Clarksville, Md.
Once open, Bites of Xi'an will offer a variety of homemade noodles, dumplings and rougamo, a hamburger-like meat sandwich from Xi’an, the capital of China’s Shaanxi province.
This subterranean storefront has been vacant since Ramen Zundo-Ya closed in December 2018.
In case you're wondering about the helicopters and large NYPD presence this evening around 8.
According to media accounts, plainclothes officers had conducted a traffic stop on Houston and Avenue D/Pitt Street. ABC 7 reported that the suspect reversed his vehicle, pinning one of the officers against the police car.
The officer, from Police Service Area 4 on Avenue C and Eighth Street, reportedly suffered a leg injury and was taken up First Avenue to Bellevue.
The suspect drove off was arrested a short distance away, per the Citizen app. Charges are pending.
Updated:
CBS 2 has a different (and correct) version of what happened. According to the station, "an out-of-control van hit the officer's parked unmarked car from the back." The Post's account corraberates this version of the incident.
Police caught the driver of the mini-van nearby on Delancey and Columbia streets, per these two reports.
Updated 1/22
The Daily Newsreports that the driver of the mini-van was allegedly drunk:
Franklin Liz, 45, is now facing drunk driving, vehicular assault and reckless endangerment charges for starting a chain reaction on Tuesday evening that left a 39-year-old police officer in the hospital with a compound fracture to his right leg, cops said.
The now-former home of Bait & Hook is for lease on the northwest corner of 14th Street and Second Avenue.
EVG reader Jimmy reports that a "closed for renovations" sign arrived last week...
... followed by the arrival of the for rent sign on Friday. (And H/T Shiv and Pinch!)
Bait & Hook opened as an alleged seafood restaurant in September 2012.
Per the press release at the time:
Bait & Hook offers a laid-back, relaxed atmosphere where seafood is the star. Diners can enjoy a reasonably priced meal without compromising high-end, quality cuisine and service. Bait & Hook provides the perfect destination for a quick bite, affordable date or a group gathering, with something on the menu to please everyone in your party.
"We wanted to open a place that offered New Yorkers an affordable, casual dining experience, with the feel of a seafood shack but the taste of an ocean-side eatery," said Executive Chef Joe Bachman.
The space soon earned the nickname Bait & Switch via a few neighbors when the place became a sports bar (an Eagles gathering spot during the NFL season) and SantaCon stop.
There were signs on trouble early last year when the "closed for renovations" signs arrived along with a three-day rent demand from the landlord.
A recap from the gas-explosion trial in case you were away this past holiday weekend. The sentencing took place on Friday...
• Trio responsible for the deadly 2nd Avenue gas explosion sentenced to 4 to 12 years in prison (Friday)
• Convicted gas explosion landlord Maria Hrynenko out on bail; contractor, plumber remain behind bars (Saturday)
Meanwhile, here's a look from Sunday at the new building going up on Second Avenue and Seventh on two of the three lots destroyed on March 26, 2015...
Workers have been quickly erecting the Morris Adjmi-designed building at 119 Second Ave. — officially 45 E. Seventh St. — that will feature 21 condo units and ground-floor retail. The new building will include a commemorative plaque that honors victims Nicholas Figueroa and Moises Locón.
We expect the construction tarp to come down soon, revealing ...
In a transaction from late 2016, Ezra Wibowo paid $6 million for the adjacent property at 123 Second Ave. that was owned by a different landlord who had no role in the explosion. There isn't any development planned there for now, according to previous reports.
Chase, the newish tenant on the southwest corner of West 16th Street and Union Square West, has erected its new vertical sign on the building — a bland attempt at replicating the familiar neon that was here for 60-plus years.
A little history. The Coffee Shop, the Brazilian-American diner run by former Wilhelmina models, closed here in October 2018 after 28 years in business. The Chase branch opened on Dec. 17 ... along with Chase-partnered Joe Coffee. (There's also another vegan quick-serve outpost of by CHLOE on the 16th Street side.)
During the renovations, workers removed the 1950s-era Coffee Shop neon sign — which belonged to the cafe (called Chase, oddly enough) that predated the Coffee Shop by several businesses.
There was some hope that the old sign would return after a cleaning/refurbishment. Obviously that isn't happening.
Foundation work continues for the 9-story office building coming to 143 E. Houston St. between Eldridge and Forsyth ... at night, the site looks like the bombed-out ruins of a building...
The property was home for 17 years to the five-screen Landmark Sunshine Theater. The Sunshine closed two years ago today — Jan. 21, 2018.
Almost one year ago to the day, Citi Bike announced citywide expansion plans for its fleet, a plan that included two new docking stations in the East Village — First Avenue at Fifth Street and 12th Street at Avenue C.
The First Avenue docking station arrived the middle of last month. And now last week, the docking station showed up on 12th Street and Avenue C...
This new Citi station features 41 docks for bikes.
There has been activity in recent weeks inside the vacant storefront at 139 E. 12th St. at Third Avenue... and late last week the sign arrived for the new tenant — the iSouvlaki Greek Grill, which looks to fall into the "fast casual" category.
The owners are said to be from Merakia on West 21st Street, the same proprietors who were behind the previous venture here — Greekito, which featured Greek tacos, beer and wine, and coffee.
On this Martin Luther King Jr. Day... a look at what's left of the World Peace mural (circa 2010-2011) that includes his image on 12th Street between Avenue B and Avenue C...
Unfortunately, parts of this wall that faces the Children’s Workshop School have chipped away in recent years ... enough of the mural remains, though, to convey a message.
You may have noticed the flowers outside the former Bar Virage on the northeast corner (we were justtalking about this space) of Second Avenue and Seventh Street this morning...
Baji Baji debuts today at 145 First Ave. between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street. They are open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. ... and after a break, 5 to 11 p.m.
As we've been noting, owner Jay Yang decided to revamp China Star here... and the renovations — and subsequent inspections by the FDNY and Con Ed — took longer than expected...
[Photo by Lola Saénz]
The quick-serve restaurant recently launched an Instagram account if you want to take a look at their dishes (Yang said previously that despite the name change, the menu will mostly remain unchanged) ...
While doing some research on another topic, I came across this article from The New York Times in July 1998 on the Immaculate Conception Church on 14th Street at First Avenue.
Some history...
Across from the stark red-brick boxes of Stuyvesant Town, the 1896 Immaculate Conception Church at 414 East 14th Street looks like a little French village.
The Gothic-style complex is only half of what was originally built, but the parish has taken good care of its second-hand assemblage ...
Immaculate Conception was built as Grace Chapel, an Episcopal mission established by Grace Church, at 10th and Broadway, one of New York's richest and most influential parishes in the 19th century. Begun in 1894, the chapel, seating 800, was the focal point of a large complex including a parish house, clubhouse, clergy house and infirmary. It was built to serve the poor Protestants in the area.
Immaculate Conception Church was originally across the street at 505 E. 14th St. However, the church was demolished when the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company began developing the Stuyvesant Town housing complex.
So in 1943, Immaculate Conception bought the old Grace Chapel complex.
• Trio responsible for the deadly 2nd Avenue gas explosion sentenced to 4 to 12 years in prison (Friday) ... Convicted gas explosion landlord Maria Hrynenko out on bail; hired help remains behind bars (Saturday)
• RIP Matthew Maher, longtime owner of McSorley's (Monday)
• About those detailed East Village drawings at the new Trader Joe's on 14th Street (Wednesday)
• Updated: NYPD investigating report of man shot with a pellet gun on Avenue C (Thursday)
• Performance Space New York introduces the Keith Haring Theatre on 1st Avenue (Thursday)
• Farmwich pops up with speciality sandwiches at Ben's Deli on Avenue B (Monday)
• Police searching for 2 suspects in knifepoint robbery at Anwar Grocery on Avenue B (Wednesday)
• THIS is actually the new home for the Half Gallery on 4th Street and Avenue B (Thursday)
• Police searching for suspect in early morning stabbing in East River Park this past Dec. 24 (Tuesday)
• Latest Post "exclusive" is a story EVG reported on 11 months ago (Wednesday)
And it marked the first snowfall of the year, of the decade... it eventually turned to sleet... before then, a few familiar snowy scenes from around the neighborhood...
... and here are two street scenes via Vinny & O...
... and Salim shared this from outside Josie's on Sixth Street...
However, per published reports, their lawyers said they planned to appeal and were trying to get their clients out on bail.
According to public records, landlord Maria Hrynenko made bail yesterday as she awaits an appeal of the case ...
The other two who were sentenced, contractor Dilber Kukic and unlicensed plumber Jerry Ioannidis, remain at the Manhattan Detention Center...
Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Michael Obus handed down prison sentences of between four and 12 years each — depending on their behavior behind bars — in state prison. The defendants faced a maximum of 5 to 15 years each.
“What the defendants did, in a matter of speaking, was roll the dice with the lives of many people,” Obus told the courtroom. “The results, as we know, are catastrophic.”
However, Obus said that he was giving the defendants a break on their prison time because they were older and “did not intend to blow up the building,” as the Post reported.
“It’s not enough. It’s a joke,” Nixon Figeuroa, whose son Nicholas died in the explosion along with Moises Locon, told reporters. “What kind of justice did you give us? You didn’t give us no justice. It’s a slap in my son’s face.”
Kukic was the only defendant to speak to the court yesterday, according to CBS 2.
“He said that he would gladly give up his own life for the lives of the people who lost their lives,” Kukic’s lawyer Marc Agnifilo said.
Here is a breakdown of the convictions via the DA's office:
MARIA HRYNENKO, D.O.B. 11/26/1959
Rockland, N.Y.
Convicted:
Manslaughter in the Second Degree, a class C felony, 2 counts
Assault in the Second Degree, a class D felony, 9 counts
Assault in the Third Degree, a class A misdemeanor, 4 counts
Reckless Endangerment in the Second Degree, a class A misdemeanor, 1 count
Manslaughter in the Second Degree, a class C felony, 2 counts
Assault in the Second Degree, a class D felony, 9 count
Assault in the Third Degree, a class A misdemeanor, 4 counts
Reckless Endangerment in the Second Degree, a class A misdemeanor, 1 count
Falsifying Business Records in the Second Degree, a class A misdemeanor, 2 counts
Sentenced:
4-to-12 years in prison
DILBER KUKIC, D.O.B. 6/9/1975
Bronx
Convicted:
Manslaughter in the Second Degree, a class C felony, 2 counts
Assault in the Second Degree, a class D felony, 9 count
Assault in the Third Degree, a class A misdemeanor, 4 counts
Reckless Endangerment in the Second Degree, a class A misdemeanor, 1 count
• In NYC, 404 people considered homeless died between July 2018 and June 2019, which is 39 percent more than the previous time period (Gothamist)
• A suspect slashed his wrists in a Seventh Street apartment yesterday morning before police executed a warrant for his arrest (The Post)
• Approximately half of the luxury-condo units that have come onto the market in Manhattan in the past five years are still unsold (The Atlantic)
• Nest-building time in Tompkins Square Park for red-tailed hawks Amelia and Christo (Laura Goggin Photography)
• The International Center of Photography will officially open its new 40,000-square-foot museum and educational center on the Lower East Side next Saturday, Jan. 25 (The Lo-Down)
• RIP John “Butch” Purcell, known to many in the community as the mayor of Stuyvesant Town (Town & Village)
• How did Gov. Cuomo come up with the L-train repairs coming in $76 million below expected costs? (WNYC)
• "The Naked Fog," a long-lost sexploitation film by Joe Sarno from 1966, screens tonight and tomorrow night at 7:30 at the Anthology Film Archives (I saw it last night!) Read more about it here. It's part of the Anthology's "Beyond Cassavetes" series.
• The Village East on Second Avenue and 12th Street is playing several Oscar-nominated films, including additional screenings of Best Picture nominee "JoJo Rabbit" ... they're also showing the Oscar-snubbed "Uncut Gems" (Official site) ... You could also support Cinema Village on 12th Street between University and Fifth, which is screening "Joker" and "Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood" (Official site)
• Here's the lineup for the second-annual New Colossus Festival happening in March at several EV and LES venues (Official site)
• Alex recalls a night out with Rush, and RIP Neil Peart (Flaming Pablum)
The three people found guilty in the deadly Second Avenue gas explosion will spend between four and 12 years — depending on their behavior behind bars — in state prison, The New York Timesreports.
The sentencing was handed down this morning in State Supreme Court.
This past Nov. 15, a jury found landlord Maria Hrynenko, contractor Dilber Kukic and unlicensed plumber Jerry Ioannidis guilty of manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and related offenses for their role in the March 2015 Second Avenue gas explosion that killed two men.
In addition, they were also found guilty of assault charges for injuries to 13 people in the blast that destroyed the buildings at 119, 121 and 123 Second Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place.
Prosecutors said that an illegally installed gas line triggered the explosion.
From the Times:
"What was it that made these three defendants circumvent all the rules they were aware of?" the lead prosecutor, Rachana Pathak, said in her closing remarks. "Money, money, money."
This greed — as the prosecution put it — was responsible for the deaths of Moises Locón, 27 ...
More details from the Post. Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Michael Obus handed down the prison time.
“What the defendants did, in a matter of speaking, was roll the dice with the lives of many people,” Obus told a packed courtroom. “The results, as we know, are catastrophic.”
And...
Still, Obus said he was giving the defendants a break on their prison time because they were older and “did not intend to blow up the building.”
Many people (read the comments) felt as if the sentence was too light, Nixon Figeuroa, Nicholas Figueroa’s father had this to say, via CBS 2:
“It’s not enough. It’s a joke. What kind of justice did you give us? You didn’t give us no justice. It’s a slap in my son’s face.”
Below you'll find a selection of EVG headlines about the explosion from the past five years...
Here's a look at two long-vacant corner storefronts along Seventh Street ... starting with the northeast corner at First Avenue...
118 First Ave. has been vacant since Golden Food Market closed here in the summer of 2017 after 35 years in business. Before their lease wasn't renewed, an LLC with a West 11th Street address bought the building in the spring of 2017 for $5.8 million, per public records.
... and here's the northeast corner at Second Avenue...
118 Second Ave. has been tenant-free since Bar Virage shut down in December 2018. Ravi DeRossi had designs on a vegan-diner concept here, but CB3 denied him a full liquor license even though Bar Virage had that same license. So he decided to look elsewhere.
Both prime corner spots remain on the rental market.
You may have seen these pink gumball machines fastened to light poles along Avenue A... there are at least two — one at 13th Street and one at Seventh Street...
As far as anyone can recall, they showed up some time between Saturday night and Tuesday morning, though no one seems to know for sure.
And the machines accept quarters (thank you Jason Charles for lending me a quarter!) ... and for that price, the machine dispenses one pink gumball (I remember when these were a nickel!) ...
[Gumball or palm not actual size]
Not immediately trusting of mysterious pink gumball machines dispensing pink gumballs, a careful analysis was conducted of the sphere...
Preliminary results show that this is, indeed, a ball of chewing gum in a candied shell.
No word just at the moment who might have placed these here... and, more important, why.
Updated 1/18
Thanks to tbar in the comments... turns this is a promo related to Machinegum, a new side project from Fab Moretti of the Strokes. (It's a good record BTW.)
Pink gumball machines have been distributed throughout the city hung on lampposts, the color and multiplicity of which will symbolize the saccharine, lustful quality of commercialism. A single machine is also included in an unceremonious corner of a Sotheby's gallery during an exhibit of old master paintings. The machines dispense either bubblegum or clear capsules carrying pink painted quarters, depending on the luck of the draw. These capsules will also include a QR code that when scanned will direct the user to a security footage webpage that will give them exclusive content from machinegum.
There's also an art opening related to all this on Jan. 28.
