Fonda permanently closes on Avenue B

[Photo by Stacie Joy]

Fonda is the latest East Village restaurant to close amid the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. The Mexican bar-restaurant at 40 Avenue B between Third Street and Fourth Street shut down after service on Sunday.

A Fonda rep shared this message with us:

Unfortunately, we are closed for good. Just like many other people in our business this crisis left us with no options! It was a very hard decision to make — especially because of our fantastic and incredible staff. We had a good 8-year run in the East Village and we are very thankful to the neighborhood.

Fonda's other locations in Chelsea and Park Slope remain open. This outpost opened in February 2012, stopping the revolving door of restaurants to come and go here.

91 3rd Ave. is for rent

For lease signs recently arrived at 91 Third Ave., the large storefront on the northeast corner of 12th Street.

Per the Newmark Knight Frank listing: "3,500sf on ground floor and an additional 1,800 sf in basement. Vented food uses accepted. Expansive corner space in the East Village surrounded by restaurants, bars, cosmetic and service tenants. Bustling neighborhood, steps from Union Square."

Rental rate available by request!

As previously reported, housewares shop Basics Plus was set to close in this storefront in the spring of spring 2019. However, the housewares shop that opened here in August 2014 ended up consolidating the space, and making do with a smaller footprint in the building.

Surprise! Surprise! was the previous housewares tenant, closing in April 2014 after 25 years in business.

Tuesday's parting shot

A post-Isaias walk in Tompkins Square Park... photo by Derek Berg...

Storm damage: Pedestrian injured by falling debris on Avenue A and 3rd Street

More damage from tropical storm Isaias along Avenue A at Third Street. A broken branch crashed down on the sidewalk bridge early this afternoon, sending some of the plywood to the street level where a man was struck in the head by the debris. He was bloodied, but conscious. EMTs took him to a hospital.

EVG contributor Stacie Joy shared these photos showing the aftermath here along the storefronts at Ageloff Towers ...



Local merchants, including Leti, the owner of Downtown Yarns, Frank from Two Boots and workers from the Essex Card Shop, helped secure the area with caution tape...





... which Oscar from Supper on Second Street generously provided...

[Updated] Tropical storm Isaias brings down tree limbs in Tompkins Square Park

[Photo by Steven]

Updated 4 p.m.: City workers have closed the Park for now. Updated 7 p.m. Most entrances were back open.

The heavy rains and winds from tropical storm Isaias brought down a number of limbs in Tompkins Square Park early this afternoon... most notably from the grand Elm near the entrance on Seventh Street and Avenue B...






[Top two photos by Steven]

... and a look at other areas of the Park...







... there were multiple other reports of downed branches around the neighbor, including behind this building on Avenue A at Fifth Street...



... and at the East River Park running track ... (thanks Wendy Rubin for this photo!)



There's also a report of a sidewalk bridge collapse with injuries on Avenue A and Third Street. Will update when more information is available.

CM Carlina Rivera calls for Parks Dept. to review fate of Cox statue in Tompkins Square Park

Local City Councilmember Carlina Rivera is calling on the Parks Department to address the future of the Samuel S. Cox statue in Tompkins Square Park.

In a letter dated Thursday, Rivera asks Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver to address the community about the plans for the statue, created in 1891 and standing at this location since 1924.



Per the letter:

Historians and numerous New Yorkers have highlighted that Cox’s history — beyond his work regarding pro-labor policies at the United States Postal Service — includes very disturbing examples of white supremacy, particularly as it relates to emancipation and Black civic participation in the mid-1800s.

Today’s demands for social justice that are being raised across this country must be met with a holistic review of the (mostly) men whom we honor with place names and statues in our public spaces.

I am sure most New Yorkers would agree that these landmarks should not remain as a public reminder to many of our neighbors that, for much of United States history, they were not considered nor treated as equals to white Americans. As many historians have suggested, such statuary is better situated in non-public settings, such as museums, where they can remain as an educational tool for future generations choosing – operative word — to view and understand our nation’s racist legacy. Encountering the Cox statue while visiting Tompkins Square Park is not a choice.

I hope that you will consider speaking with the local community immediately, specifically Black residents of the Lower East Side, to consult with them on the Cox statue’s fate.

The Cox statue has been under 24/7 NYPD supervision since July 25. It was tagged overnight with ACAB and "black power" on July 16-17. One of the officers in the Park told us that they will be on duty outside the Cox statue "for the foreseeable future." It is unclear if there was a threat against the statue to prompt police protection.

Cox (1824–1889) was a longtime member of Congress who spearheaded legislation that led to paid benefits and a 40-hour workweek for postal employees.

In a post titled "Why Is New York City Still Celebrating Statues of Racists?" from 2014 for the History News Network, Alan Singer, a historian and professor at Hofstra, wrote about Cox's history: "[He] fancied himself a champion of the United States Constitution but somehow his interpretation of the Constitution always seemed to deny rights to Blacks. On June 2, 1862, a year after the Civil War had begun but six months before the Emancipation Proclamation, Cox argued in Congress that the United States was made for white men only."

Earlier this summer, the city announced it was removing the statue of Theodore Roosevelt — long considered a racist symbol — from the American Museum of Natural History's entrance.

The death of George Floyd has led to the removal — by protesters in some cases and city leaders in others — of statues across the country because of the racist ideals they represent.

204 Avenue A disappears; the all-new 202 Avenue appears

[The former 204 Avenue A]

Workers have completed the demolition of the long-empty 4-story building at 204 Avenue A between 12th Street and 13th Street...



As previously reported, this city-owned property, along with the one at 535 E. 12th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B, will make way for affordable housing.

When the new construction is complete, No. 204 will rise to seven stories, yielding 10 co-operative units for fixed-income housing. (There are 11 one-bedroom rental units planned for the 6-story No. 535.)

No. 204 and 535, part of the HPD’s Tenant Interim Lease Program, have been vacant since 2008. "Due to deteriorating structural conditions," tenants from both buildings were relocated at that time. The former tenants of each building will be able to purchase the co-op units in the newly constructed building at No. 204, which will include ground-floor retail.

Meanwhile, the scaffolding and construction netting was removed yesterday right next door at 202 Avenue A (H/T dwg!)...



Workers added a horizontal and vertical enlargement of the existing 4-floor structure, doubling the total square footage from 5,334 to 10,920.

There will be 10 residences here, including a duplex penthouse with a private terrace.

Here's a look at the rendering of the all-new 202 — called the Topanga — via Lenart Architecture ...



Highpoint Property Group bought No. 202 in a deal that closed in late 2017 for $6.75 million, according to public records.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• Affordable housing planned for city-owned buildings at 204 Avenue A and 535 E. 12th St.

• 202 Avenue A has been gutted on its way to doubling in size to become the Topanga

Lucy's will reopen next month

[Photos yesterday by Steven]

Blanche’s Lucy’s Tavern — aka Lucy’s — will be closed now until later next month here at 135 Avenue A between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street.

A sign on her front door notes a September return (and we're not sure if this means Sept. 20 or maybe September 2020 in general)...



Lucy's reopened back on May 30 after the PAUSE for take-home drinks ... before going on hiatus again until late June.

Proprietor Ludwika "Lucy" Mickevicius, who has worked here for nearly 40 years, typically closes up late in the summer to visit her native Poland. (We're not sure if this is the case again this year.)

We look forward to seeing her again. Like many other businesses, Lucy's has struggled to stay afloat in recent months. Upon returning in late May, she told Bedford + Bowery that she already owed $50,000 for rent and water, though her landlord had offered to only charge her half of June's rent.

Fish ahoy! The Chippery debuts on 1st Avenue

The Chippery, which specializes in fish and chips, debuted over the weekend at 85 First Ave. between Fifth Street and Sixth Street.

As noted back in January, this is the first Manhattan outpost for the New Jersey-based chainlet, which currently has four locations in the Garden State.

The quick-serve establishment offers a variety of fried seafood platters and sandwiches. You can find their menu here.

Last evening Goggla tried the house speciality (fish and chips!) and a side of jalapeño poppers ... and gave both dishes high marks...



Thanks to everyone who pointed out the opening, including Jonathan Michael Fung!

Monday's parting shot

A moment in time on First Avenue and Sixth Street today via Derek Berg...

Make a splash: Hamilton Fish Pool reopens Wednesday

[EVG photo at Hamilton Fish Pool]

This summer, the city is only reopening 15 public pools via a phased-in schedule. On Wednesday, Hamilton Fish Pool — the only one servicing this area — will open for a limited month-long run over on Pitt and East Houston.

Here are details via the Parks Department website:

• Pool hours will remain the same: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., and 4 p.m. - 7 p.m. Sessions may be split further at the discretion of the pool managers to accommodate more patrons.

• All pool patrons will be required to wear a face covering to enter the pool facility. Face coverings must be worn in locker rooms, bathrooms, and on the pool deck. They are not to be worn in the water.

• Please maintain at least six feet of social distance, except between members of the same household. If a pool reaches capacity, we may provide patrons with a time of day to return to the line.

• During general swim hours, aquatic programs including Lap Swim, Learn to Swim, Senior Splash & Swim, and Water Exercise classes have been cancelled for the summer.

The pool closes for the season on Sept. 7.

The Dry Dock Pool on 10th Street and Avenue D and the Tompkins Square Park mini pool will not open this summer.

Tompkins Square Library reopens today for grab-and-go service

The Tompkins Square Library on 10th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B is one of 22 NYPL branches reopening today for grab-and-go service. (This follows eight city branches returning on July 13.)

What does grand-and-go entail? Per the NYPL website:

Our new grab-and-go service allows you to pick up items you've reserved and return materials you currently have checked out, all while safely maintaining distance from others.

What's new: The pickup process is contactless. Once the items you've reserved are ready for pickup, they will immediately be checked out to your account. This way, all you have to do when you get to the library is grab your items from the holds shelf — then go! There will be no need to stop by the circulation desk for checkout. The same goes for returns — rather than visiting the desk, there will be a designated bin where you can return any items you currently have.

Note: The process of reserving an item is the same as always. You can place a hold on an item online or over the phone, which will put your request into a queue until a copy becomes available. The wait time will vary depending on how many others have reserved the item and how many copies we have. Once your item is read, you will be notified via email, and then you can head to the branch to pick up your item. Learn more here about how to reserve items and what to expect when visiting one of our grab-and-go branches.

And the branch's hours:

Monday, Tuesday and Thursday: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Wednesday: Noon to 7 p.m.
Friday and Saturday: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Masks are required for entry.

Meanwhile, the Tompkins Square Branch will continue to offer their online programming.

The Seward Park Branch on East Broadway also reopens today.