A new era for indoor dining in the East Village

[Hearth]

Photos by Stacie Joy

Wednesday marked the beginning of indoor dining at the state-mandated 25-percent capacity... about 175 days after the PAUSE order went into effect in March.

EVG contributor Stacie Joy visited 14 East Village restaurants early in the evening as the dinner hour was getting underway to see how places were creatively using their spaces to provide safe service for both patrons and their staffs.

Being such a nice fall night out on Wednesday, many diners stayed in the comforts of the curbside or sidewalk spaces. Other loyal and intrepid diners went right inside. Not everyone is ready for indoor dining. And not every restaurant is ready to resume service inside. 

Some observations from Stacie: Air purifiers were everywhere. Temp checks at the door. Contact tracing for every table (or every diner, depending on where you went). Some places had a handheld scanner for temps, others had ones mounted on the wall. 

Here's a look... (the names and info for each restaurant is at the end of the post...)

[Lavagna]

[Il Posto Accanto]

[Mary at Mary O's]

[Veselka]

[Pangea]

[John's of 12th Street]

[Mokyo]

[Jack at Takahachi]

[Nowon]

[Tuome]

[Lucien]

[Divya's Kitchen]

[Bin 141]

Here's the list of restaurants — in alphabetical order — that Stacie visited:

→ Bin 141, 43 Avenue A

→ Divya’s Kitchen, 25 First Ave. 

→ Hearth, 403 East 12th St. 

→ Il Posto Accanto, 190 E. Second St. 

→ John’s of 12^th Street, 302 East 12^th St.

→ Lavagna, 545 East Fifth St.

→ Lucien, 14 First Ave.

→ Mary O’s, 32 Avenue A 

→ Mokyo, 109 St. Mark’s Place 

→ Nowon, 507 East Sixth St. 

→ Pangea, 178 Second Ave. 

→ Takahachi, 85 Avenue A 

→ Tuome, 536 East Fifth St.

→ Veselka, 144 Second Ave. 

Said Stacie: "I was grateful to every owner who let me in and allowed me to take pics. Every place I went to was accommodating and unfailingly polite. The hospitality was nice."

New York Sports Clubs permanently shutters Avenue A location 2 days after reopening

That was fast. After a grand reopening on Monday, the New York Sports Clubs at 28 Avenue A between Second Street and Third Street has permanently closed.

Multiple readers shared an email from NYSC about the closure.

On behalf of NYSC, we have made the difficult decision to permanently close the Avenue A location on September 30th. 

This decision was a difficult one, but all isn’t lost. Effective immediately, your membership has been upgraded to our Elite Membership level at your current rate which gives you access to our entire network of clubs. By having an Elite Membership, you’ll be able to work out in all of our over 160 locations — from DC and Maryland to New York, Boston, Florida, California and yes, even Puerto Rico.

Meanwhile, the sign on the door points to a temporary closure...

Town Sports filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Sept. 14 due to coronavirus-related closures. They had reportedly worked out a deal with a group of lenders and a private-equity firm to serve as the lead bidder for the assets. 

On Wednesday, AG Letitia James filed a lawsuit against Town Sports for allegedly illegally charged customers their membership fees during the COVID-19 closure and then failed to issue reimbursements.

This NYSC outpost opened in March 2015 in the newly gut-renovated building... what tenant might want to take arguably the neighborhood's ugliest building?

Previously on EV Grieve:
• New York Sports Club in the works for Avenue A

• New York Sports Club says hello on Avenue A

• Familiar Burger-Klein sign has disappeared from Avenue A

• Here is the New York Sports Club building on Avenue A

Thursday's parting shot

 

A moment along Second Avenue via EVG reader Megan Finsaas ...

About Correspondences on Astor Place

No, this isn't a low-budget remake of "Dune." Or Gov. Cuomo's idea of a return to indoor dining with limited capacity. (Thanks Eden for the photo!)

Today through Sunday, a performance called Correspondences will take place on Astor Place.

Here are some details via the Village Alliance:

With Correspondences, multidisciplinary artist duo Ximena Garnica and Shige Moriya offer multiple entry points for spectators to engage with questions of being, interdependence, and coexistence. The human body (performer and observer), machines, natural elements, and the urban square mingle in an entangled poetic microcosm while opening inquiries into animate life and environmental ethics.

In the inaugural presentation of this multi-borough project, audiences can safely engage in Astor Place installation over conversation, and bear witness to daily activation periods performed by members of the LEIMAY Ensemble.

Single bodies are enclosed inside transparent chambers partially filled with sand. Bodies are donned with gas masks as they try, time and again, to rise to standing. At intervals, machines attached to the chambers trigger a blast of sand causing the performers to lose their footing, sinking them back down into the ground. This seemingly perpetual eruption repeats throughout daily performance activation periods of Correspondences, both with and without performers.

The first performance is tonight at 8... with additional shows tomorrow through Sunday at noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and so on... 

[Photo by Lola Sáenz]

... and here's another view via Steven today ... an undress rehearsal...

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 NYC ... as well as political observations on current events...

The East Village storefront art of Delphine le Goff

During the pandemic, East Village-based artist-designer Delphine le Goff started illustrating storefronts from around the neighborhood... here's a sampling of her work via Instagram ...

If you like her whimsical work, then you can check it out in person... this evening from 6-8 she'll be at Lucky, 168 Avenue B between 10th Street and 11th Street, selling prints, postcards and her 2021 EV storefront calendars... Or you can browse her Etsy shop here.

Public Access debuts on St. Mark's Place with show by legendary skateboarder Mark Gonzalez

Leo Fitzpatrick, a local resident and former director at the now-closed Marlborough Gallery, is now running Public Access at 8 St. Mark's Place... the community art space just east of Third Avenue debuted last week with Custom Boards, which features work by pioneering skateboarder (and artist) Mark Gonzales that will be up through Oct. 25.

Public Access is open Thursday through Sunday from 3-8 p.m. You can schedule an appointment via this link.

The gallery opened in January as JUICE before Fitzpatrick took over in the aftermath of the COVID-19 PAUSE. 

Pado is closing on 2nd Avenue

After nearly two years at at 199 Second Ave., the Japanese restaurant Pado has closed here between 12th Street and 13th Street ... though the owners vow to find another location.

In announcing their closure in an Instagram post, the owners cite a familiar foe — the landlord.

The restaurant industry during this pandemic has experienced unprecedented challenges and all of us had to fight hard to save our business and jobs. Since March, Pado team has been working tirelessly to remain in business. As much as we wanted to remain open, we unfortunately could not find an agreement with our current landlord at 199 2nd Ave. ⁣

⁣Pado emerged between compassionate and like-minded foodies with big dreams to make it in NYC. Our passion still remains intact and we will not let this pandemic change that. It pains us to announce our closure for 10/1, but we will strive to find a new place and we will share this information as soon as it is available for you.⁣
⁣
We want to thank all of our customers for your love and support. The pandemic did really bring out the best in people, and your kind words and support have been the biggest driving factor for us.⁣
⁣
We will see you again, we promise.⁣

H/T Vinny & O

A new front window era at Le Fournil

On May 30, during a vandalism spree along Second Avenue, someone smashed the front window at Le Fournil, the French bakery at 115 Second Ave. at Seventh Street.

And yesterday, after four months of plywood-induced darkness inside the shop, Le Fournil introduced a new window... and thanked patrons for their support this summer in an Instagram post...

C & C Dry Cleaning closes on 7th Street

From the EVG tipline... the longtime dry cleaners at 178 E. Seventh St. just west of Avenue B – Amy's aka C & C — has closed... 

Dry cleaners have been hard hit nationwide during the pandemic: more people are working from home, and fewer people are going to events where they need to dress up ...

6 posts from September

A mini month in review...

• Cults classic: East Village-based duo on the release of their fourth record Host (Sept. 24) 

• Native Bean wraps up 20 years on Avenue A (Sept. 21) 

 • Jules Bistro will not be reopening on St. Mark's Place (Sept. 17) 

• After 46 years, the Ukrainian Sports Club has left the East Village (Sept. 16)

• Scenes from Save Tompkins Day (Sept. 9) 

• An end-of-summer appreciation: Pinc Louds (Sept. 4)

Photo from outside the Gene Frankel Theatre on Bond Street

Late afternoon on 1st Street

A view this afternoon of Abetta Boiler & Welding Service at 66 First St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue... been here since 1949, and their sign still features an old NYC telephone exchange — GR 3-2390...

Sophie's, Josie's and Mona's will reopen this week

After sitting out the past six-and-a-half months, sister bars Sophie's, Josie's and Mona's will reopen later today with a 25-percent capacity.

The owners are renting small electric ovens and will be offering pizza (as well as a few smaller items) to meet Gov. Cuomo's meal-with-a-drink mandate.... and in keeping with the reopening guidelines, there is only table service. So no sitting at the bar. And masks are mandatory. 

The pool tables at the three bars, which closed at the start of PAUSE in mid-March, have also been removed to allow for more socially distant spacing for the handful of tables.

Of the three bars, only Mona's on Avenue B might have a few outdoor tables. (Owners said they thought outdoor seating on the side streets where Sophie's and Josie's are located might be too disruptive to nearby residents.)

The three are expected to be open from 3-11 p.m., though that is subject to change.

• Josie's (seen below yesterday), 520 E. Sixth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B. (646) 590-0044
• Mona's, 224 Avenue B between 13th Street and 14th Street (212) 353-3780
• Sophie's (seen above last night), 507 E. Fifth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B. (212) 228-5680

Black & White is closing, with plans to relocate in 2021

After more than 20 years at 86 E. 10th St. between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue, Black & White is moving on at the end of October.

Management (Johnny T of Niagara and Bowery Electric is an owner) says they will eventually relocate. Per an Instagram post last evening: 

Hey everyone, we’re moving locations. We will be at 86 East 10th Street until the end of October so come get your last drinks here while you can and we’ll see you in our new location in 2021! We will be doing very limited indoor seating for the next month so dm us here if you want to make a reservation. Hope to see you all! Cheers!

Black & White reopened in early May for take-home drinks then limited curbside seating later. 

EVG file photo

2nd Avenue closings: Spiritea, Dia and Atlas Cafe

Some more permanent closings on Second Avenue to note (joining Thailand Cafe and Mermaid Inn along here)...

• Spiritea, 300 E. Fifth St. at Second Avenue

The fruit-and-milk tea shop, which debuted here in May 2019, will not be reopening. Management confirmed the closing. Their locations in Vancouver and Irvine, Calif., remain open.

The space went under a drastic renovation early last year ... it had been vacant since 100% Healthy  Blend (or maybe just Healthy Blend) closed after three months in November 2016. Previous tenants include the Mexican restaurants Dahlia's and Mary Ann's.

• Dia, 58 Second Ave. between Third Street and Fourth Street

The restaurant specializing in Roman-style pizza and coastal Italian seafood has closed. The Did website is offline and their phone has been disconnected. Open Table lists them as permanently closed.

The restaurant debuted in the fall of 2018.

• Atlas Cafe, 73 Second Ave. between Fourth Street and Fifth Street.

After a renovation earlier in the summer, Atlas briefly reopened in late August... only to go dark again in September. Multiple sources confirmed that they will not return. (H/T Derek Berg!) 

The restaurant, which served reliable vegan (and non-vegan) menu items with a Moroccan vibe, first opened in 1999. 

Multiple readers have pointed out that the block here on the west side of the Avenue between Fourth and Fifth has become quite seedy... mounds of discarded items have been stacked up outside 75 Second Ave. — home of the now-closed Nostro Italian restaurant... 

Someone moved the pile to the vacant storefront to the north, but it always seems to return... an owner of a store nearby describes it as a "drunken junkyard" ... and so far, calls to the city (311) haven't yielded any results ... the store owner says all this has been bad for business...

A few details about tomorrow's video shoot on Avenue A

Back on Saturday we noted the arrival of the neighborhood's first film shoot notices in six-plus months... Now here's some reader intel about the video production taking place along Avenue A between Houston and Second Street.

The newly posted sign (above!) shows that Freenjoy, the Los Angeles-based production company, is behind this shoot... company founder Nathan Scherrer has worked with an A-list group of performers, including Lizzo, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Harry Styles, Justin Timberlake, Katy Perry, Ariana Grande and the Weeknd, among many others.

And it appears the shoot will be taking place tomorrow at the currently (since mid-March) closed Double Down Saloon ... signage says they are working on a video titled "CLJ" ... we'll see who shows up tomorrow... 

New hours for the city's free meal pick up

With the start of in-person elementary school classes today, the city has changed the hours for its community meals pick up. Those hours are now 3-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Local schools offering grab-and-go meals include:

• P.S. 19 Asher Levy, 185 First Ave. between 11th Street and 12th Street

• P.S. 64/Tompkins Square Middle School 600 E. Sixth St. at Avenue B

Visit GetFoodNYC to find locations that offer free food (food pantries and Grab & Go meals at NYC schools).

The meal features an assortment of sandwiches or wraps, a vegetable, a piece of fruit and milk. (There's a daily menu here.) Multiple meals can be picked up at once. There is no need to prove residency or bring any other form of ID.

The city launched the community-meal program back in April while schools were closed.

Previously on EV Grieve:

Where residents can get a free meal during the week

Photo from April by Stacie Joy

Construction watch: 11 Avenue C

After nearly four years of construction ... here's a look at how the 10-story 11 Avenue C (aka 350 E. Houston St.) is shaping up...

BLDG Management is the developer behind the project, which will feature 46 residential units and ground-floor retail. No word on pricing yet.

Foundation work began in December 2016 here on this lot that housed the neighborhood's last gas station. 

The well-worn plywood rendering lists a March 2018 completion date...

Architect of record Rotwein+Blake previously stated that "the narrow triangular site presented numerous challenges from its odd shape to zoning constraints."

Previously on EV Grieve:
• Workers officially reach the top at 11 Avenue C, where a 10-floor building sits on the neighborhood's last gas station

A return for Tokio7?

We've fielded a few questions about Tokio7, the longtime consignment shop on Seventh Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue. Back in late July, the store was only open for people to pick up items that they had been trying to sell. By Aug. 22, the shop had closed.

However, the closing seems to be temporary. Tokio7's last Instagram post mentions "starting a new leaf."

They also recently left a comment stating they'd (hopefully) be back later this fall...

In early June, Tokio7 was one of the many East Village businesses that was broken into and looted. (The  8-foot, 900-pound Predator statue out front did nothing to thwart the break in.) 

Tokio7, which sold second-hand designer and vintage clothing, shoes and accessories, debuted on the other side of Seventh Street in 1996 ... before moving to this location in 2010.

Photo from Steven in August.

Today in freebies on 6th Street

As seen on Sixth Street between Avenue A and Avenue B... and hurry! Someone already took the Boys II Men CD!

Thanks to Cara Alwill for the photo!

A belated happy birthday to Pedro A. Campos

ICYMI: There's a new mural (as of mid-September) on the southwest corner of Avenue C at 12th Street ... Marthalicia Matarrita created this work of Pedro Albizu Campos (1891-1965),  father of the Puerto Rican Independence Movement. 

The mural helped mark the birthday (Sept. 12) of Campos, after whom Campos Plaza across the street is named. 

Thanks to the reader for the above photo... and here's another angle that includes the Puerto Rican flag...

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Galinsky (@galinskyplace) on Sep 13, 2020 at 4:27pm PDT

[Updated] New York Sports Clubs is reopening today on Avenue A

Updated 10/1: That was fast: NYSC announced that this location was permanently closed as of 9/30.

The New York Sports Clubs outpost reopens today on Avenue A between Second Street and Third Street...

This reopening comes less than two weeks since owner Town Sports International Holdings Inc. said in a bankruptcy-court hearing on Sept. 16 that it is working out a deal with a group of lenders and private-equity firm Tacit Capital LLC for them to serve as the lead bidder for the assets. 

Some background via The Wall Street Journal:

Town Sports filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy [on Sept. 14] after facing debt coming due this fall as well as reduced cash flow and liquidity due to coronavirus-related closures.

Company executives need access to capital “so they can reopen the gyms with appropriate health and safety improvements, and comply with relevant consumer protection laws and obligations,” said Nicole Greenblatt, a lawyer representing Town Sports, during the court hearing.

And!

After its bankruptcy filing, Town Sports sought to reassure its roughly 600,000 members that it wasn’t going out of business through postings on its gym brands’ websites. 

The company has requested to give back 22 location leases to its landlords and potentially reject 13 more locations, depending on lease negotiations. 

This past spring, NYSC members were angry that the club was still charging them membership fees despite the COVID-19 closure. Town Sports did eventually offer refunds. 

Gov. Cuomo allowed gyms to reopen with limited capacity in the city on Aug. 24.

Meanwhile, the ground-floor retail space here at 28 Avenue A has been vacant since Gracefully closed in November 2014. No word on the rent ask. What is wrong with this storefront? 

P.S.

In other local gym news, Ludlow Fitness on Delancey will not be reopening. 

45 E. 7th St. now with its perforated cornice parapet

The perforated cornice parapet arrived this past week at 45 E. Seventh St., the 7-story, 21-unit condoplex on the northwest corner of Second Avenue... it was a prominently missing detail at this high-profile project...

As noted previously, this condoplex is on two of the three lots destroyed during the deadly gas explosion here on March 26, 2015. 

And sales are now underway for units in the Morris Adjmi-designed building. Prices will range from $1.35 million for a one-bedroomer and $1.995 million to $4 million for two and three bedrooms ... with the penthouse asking more than $8 million.

There will also be ground-floor retail. 

A sidewalk bridge remains surrounding the building on the corner, a spot frequented by people setting up makeshift shelters the past few years, which has drawn the ire of the New York Post. 

You can find all the background about this project and its history at this EVG link.

Kyuramen bringing ramen to 210 E. 14th St.

Kyuramen, a Taiwan-based ramen chain with 120 locations worldwide, is the new tenant for 210 E. 14th St. between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. (First reported by the Commercial Observer.)

This marks only the second U.S. Kyuramen outpost, joining the one in Flushing.

This arrival also marks the third ramen chain to set up shop in the East Village this year, joining Strings Ramen on Second Avenue at 12th Street and Sanpoutei Gyoza & Ramen, which remains closed for now on Second Avenue near Fifth Street.

Chickpea was the last tenant at 210 E. 14th St., closing in April 2018.

H/T Upper West Sider!