Tuesday, March 2, 2021
Meanwhile, on the 6 train
East River community group gets action on release of (heavily redacted) value engineering study
Turns out there is a value engineering study after all.
In January (first reported here), following a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request by advocacy group East River Park Action, NYC's Department of Design and Construction (DDC) stated that the city's value engineering report could not be sent because: "DDC's search of agency records revealed no responsive documents for [the FOIL] request."
The value engineering study is the oft-cited factor behind the city's change of plans in September 2018 to bury/elevate East River Park by eight feet as part of the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project.
According to an email from East River Park Action on Sunday, the group appealed their original FOIL request, and on Feb. 11, the DDC released the three-year-old report.
However, per East River Action: "the report is heavily redacted. Here's a good page. Note that the disadvantages outweigh the advantages..."
Back to the East River Park Action email:
We need to see an un-redacted report. We also strongly support the NYC Group of the Sierra Club, which "calls upon the City Council's Committees on Environmental Protection and the Council's Parks and Recreation Committee to hold a joint oversight hearing on the East River Coastal Resiliency Project or ESCR" to get to the bottom of the “secrecy, inadequacy, and sequence of events and information releases [that] have left many perplexed and disturbed.”
The 347-page Value Engineering Study for the Office of Management and Budget is available here. The 31-page Report of Findings is available here.
The city's current plan, which has been met with outrage by community members, will raze the 57.5-acre East River Park, bulldozing 1,000 mature trees and rebuilding the park atop eight feet of landfill meant to protect the Lower East Side and surrounding neighborhoods from a 100-year-flood event and sea-level rise.
In October 2019, the city announced that they would phase in the construction so only portions of the park are closed to the public at any given time. According to various reports, the city has committed to leaving a minimum of 42 percent of East River Park open to the public. It is projected to be complete in 2025.
The start of construction, which had been slated to commence this past fall, was delayed until this spring, according to a recent presentation the city made.
But after seeing the redacted report, East River Park has many outstanding questions for the city to answer.
Our many ACTIONeers have pored over the plans and have found fatal flaws that will damage our neighborhood's well being for years to come. We must have transparency, accountability, and community involvement in a revised plan.
What might be next for the NW corner of 2nd Avenue and St. Mark's Place?
3/3 update: See this update for the new tenant!
No word yet what might be in the works for the spot. (The workers were just there for the plywood; the work permits just mention interior renovations.) Tips welcome!
The for rent sign arrived here in August 2019 ... marking the first time in six years that this high-profile retail space was on the market.
Nobletree Coffee closed here in May 2019 after just five months in business. A sign on the door for Nobletree's "beloved customers" offered thanks ... along with a reason for the closure: "Because of the slow foot traffic at this location we were forced to close."
The listing at Winick noted that this is the "busiest intersection in the East Village."
Nobletree Coffee closed here in May 2019 after just five months in business. A sign on the door for Nobletree's "beloved customers" offered thanks ... along with a reason for the closure: "Because of the slow foot traffic at this location we were forced to close."
The listing at Winick noted that this is the "busiest intersection in the East Village."
This storefront previously sat empty for three years — ever since DF Mavens closed in January 2016 ... after a Dec. 26, 2014 debut. (It took the Mavenators 14 months to open the space.)
Other tenants in recent years include Eastside Bakery (.net?) and Roastown Coffee.
And the only business to last here in the past 30 years: the Gap, from 1988 to 2001... (photo by Barry Joseph!)
347 E. 4th St. sells; conversion to residential use is in the works
347 E. Fourth St. between Avenue C and Avenue D recently changed hands for a reported $2.385 million.
The three-story building had been used as a facility for Community Access, which provides housing and social services for people with mental health concerns.
The buyer, listed as Zannatul Ferdous, plans to convert No. 347 into a residence with three units, per work permits on file with the city.
According to LoopNet, the listing for the property first arrived in November 2017... and deactivated as of last week.
Construction watch: 799 Broadway
No. 799 was the former home of the historic St. Denis building, which opened as a hotel in 1853. Normandy Real Estate Partners bought the property for somewhere in the $100 million ballpark back in 2016... and tore it all down.
Monday, March 1, 2021
Free TV pitch (Martha Hanson edition)
This TV works!!!
Although it's not smart......
I did watch "The Americans" on it. (On FX.)
Felt bad for Martha, but she's on "Snowpiercer" now!
GFJ Martha!Thanks Jason Corey for the photo!
It's March!
787 Coffee opens an outpost on 14th Street
Friday was there first day in business here. (Thanks to Pinch for the tip and photos!)
This is the third East Village outpost for 787, which grows and roasts their coffee in Puerto Rico... overall, 787 has eight NYC stores and one in Puerto Rico...
787 Coffee debuted in October 2018 at 131 E. Seventh St. near Avenue A... and at 101 Second Ave. at Sixth Street in July 2019.
Mike's Cleaners is closing on Avenue A
The note on the gate blames the closure on the "current situation." 
The numbers seem higher here. By my count, 10 dry cleaners have closed in the East Village since the start of the pandemic... Dion Cleaners on 14th Street, Amy's aka C & C on Seventh Street, LT Baron's on 11th Street, Sun's Laundry on 14th Street, Best Ave. B Dry Cleaners on Avenue B, AAA Cleaners on Avenue A, Exquisite Cleaners on First Avenue, Sunrise Cleaners on Third Street and Danny Cleaner's on 10th Street (they merged with Lois Cleaners on the southeast corner of 10th Street and Third Avenue).
Across the country dry cleaners have been hard hit during the pandemic... as more people are working from home and not wearing business attire, and fewer people are going to events where they need to dress up. So no need to take things in to a dry cleaners.
According to the National Cleaners Association, one in six dry cleaners have closed or gone bankrupt in the United States during the pandemic.
Back on Thursday, local community groups gathered outside outside Michelle Dry Cleaners & Laundry on Avenue C to call on state legislators to support commercial rent relief for small businesses.
A new pizzeria for the former Muzzarella Pizza space on Avenue A
A new pizzeria is coming soon to 221 Avenue A between 13th Street and 14th Street. Signage arrived on Friday for Burrata Pizza
With Burrata's arrival, this officially marks the end of Muzzarella Pizza, which quietly closed early last summer.
Muzzarella, which opened here in 1991, had many fans who appreciated their low-key, unpretentious vibe and solid slices and menu offerings like the meatball hero.
New signage for the incoming Greenwich Marketplace on 4th Avenue
Liking the new version much better. You?
Openings: Mi Salsa Kitchen on Allen and Houston; Davidovich Bagels on Avenue A
Mi Salsa Kitchen opened back on Friday here on the southwest corner of Allen and Houston.
As previously reported, the restaurant serves Cuban cuisine via chef Mikel Presa ... and offers a modestly priced menu... with meat and chicken dishes, served with two sides and a salad, starting at $11.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Find them on Instagram here ... or at the other of a phone: (646) 649-4929.
Also... ICYMI from Friday ... Davidovich Bagels is now in soft-open mode at 36 Avenue A between Second Street and Third Street...
Sunday, February 28, 2021
When Charles the dog blasted Daft Punk on 2nd Avenue in a video directed by Spike Jonze
EVG reader David reminds us of the 1996 video for the band's "Da Funk" release ... Spike Jonze directed the 5-minute clip, titled "Big City Nights," which follows Charles, an anthropomorphic dog with a boombox (with a broken volume knob) playing Daft Punk's "Da Funk" as he hobbles along Second Avenue.
The video concludes outside the now-closed Nightengale Lounge on Second Avenue at 13th Street. You might spot a few more familiar locales along the way...
6 Posts from February
• City releases COVID-19 vaccine data by ZIP code; where do local neighborhoods rank? (Feb. 17)
• Local elected officials, NYCHA reps get a firsthand look at the problems at Mariana Bracetti Plaza (Feb. 9)
• City's first plant-based community fridge is up and running outside Overthrow on Bleecker Street (Feb. 8)
• Ray's 88th birthday at Ray's Candy Store goes global with virtual greetings (Feb. 6)
• About that rolled-up carpet in the crosswalk (Feb. 5)
• The Marshal seizes the Lower East Side Coffee Shop on 14th Street (Feb. 5)
Week in Grieview
Posts from the past week included ... (with a photo on Seventh Street by Derek Berg) ...
• East Village Neighbors offering help scheduling COVID-19 vaccination appointments (Tuesday)
• A grocery store is coming to the former Associated space on 14th Street (Wednesday)
• FlyeLyfe on the move to 1st Avenue (Monday)
• Sen. Hoylman honors local businesses for service during the pandemic, including Mikey Likes It (Wednesday)
• The March Hare debuts a Charity Chest on 9th Street for families in need (Tuesday)
• Barnyard Cheese Shop is closed until further notice on Avenue B (Monday)
• Davidovich Bakery softly rolls out the bagels on Avenue A (Friday)
• Hub Thai relocating to a larger space on Avenue A (Monday)
• This week's NY See finds a mask-wearing quandry in the middle of the woods (Thursday)
• Gallery Watch goes to Canada on Lispenard Street (Wedensday)
• Meyhane has closed on 2nd Avenue (Wedensday)
• Report: Someone stole the entire $300,000 inventory from Taste Wine Co. on 3rd Avenue (Thursday)
• NYC movie theaters to reopen at 25% capacity on March 5 (Tuesday)
• Invasion planned for Planet Taco (Wednesday)
• A touch of spring on 10th Street thanks to "Pose" (Tuesday)
• Ralph's returns after a winter break (Thursday)
• About Keith Forever (Sunday)
• Cycle of change on Astor Place with a new tenant for the Flywheel Sports studio (Thursday)
• A sweet-and-sour new business for 2nd Avenue (Wednesday)
• Four Four South Village bringing Taiwanese beef noodles (and curbside dining) to 7th Street (Monday)
... and @stoopingeastvillage is a new neighborhood Instagram account with this goal: "Sharing/re-sharing sidewalk finds you can actually run to!"
And my photo contribution ...
Mil Mundos Books will continue on at Essex Market
Photos by Stacie Joy
So we were pleasantly surprised to see the bookshop still up and running back on Friday...
The folks at Mil Mundos confirmed that they will be here "until further notice."
The bilingual bookstore, which "curates to celebrate Black, Latinx and Indigenous heritage," is open Friday through Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. Their stall is on the northwest entrance ... on Delancey at Essex. Follow them on Instagram here.
Citi Bike's EV expansion
Oh, and speaking of the new docking station on First Street... a reader asked about what happened here the other day...
It looks as if a vehicle smashed through a few docks and plowed into the fence at First Park... 
Friday, February 26, 2021
Friday's parting shot
Davidovich Bakery softly rolls out the bagels on Avenue A
The 23-year-old business opened its first non-Market space at 77 Clinton St. late last fall.
Until this past September, this storefront was home to Native Bean. The cafe was here since January 2015, having moved one block from 50 Avenue A.
EVG Etc.: Raising awareness against anti-Asian hate crimes; Putting Blondie in a graphic novel
• Chi Sum Ngai and Kaleena Teoh, who own Coffee Project on Fifth Street (and in other neighborhoods), launch a scholarship program for Black baristas (Daily Coffee News)
• How the pandemic has gutted the city's arts and entertainment business (Gothamist)
• The Emergency Eviction Act pause ends today — now what? (The City)
• What's happening with the NYPD's Collision Investigation Squad moving to the Department of Transportation? (Streetsblog)
• An interview with Leo Fitzpatrick about his gallery Public Access on St. Mark's Place (B+B ... previously on EVG)
• A look back at Jackie Curtis — "East Village Superstar" (Off the Grid)
• Blondie to receive the graphic novel treatment (Rolling Stone)
• Diversions: The "Avocado Guy" of NYC (Eater)
... and questions to ponder...
Does anyone else wonder why the ice cream truck is driving around the East village at 10:45 on a 40 degree night? @evgrieve
— theenemieslist19 (@theenemieslist1) February 26, 2021
Community groups and small businesses rally for commercial rent relief
Photos by Stacie Joy
The event took place outside Michelle Dry Cleaners & Laundry, 169 Avenue C between 10th Street and 11th Street... 
Organizers, which included the Cooper Square Committee, East Village Community Coalition, Village Preservation and the East Village Independent Merchants Association, said that they have been hearing from many business owners who continue to struggle to pay rent during the pandemic ... all in the face of drastic declines in their revenues.
In addition, according to the organizers, immigrant and business owners of color say they have been disappointed by the lack of outreach and assistance in securing working capital to stay afloat.
In turn, several of the small businesses were placing "Permanently Closed" signs on their storefronts to visualize their struggle and what is at stake if the state does not take action. They are asking state legislators to support Senate Bill 3349/Assembly Bill 3190, which would help cover the cost of rent for businesses and nonprofits who lost income due to COVID-19.
Under the bill, the commercial tenant, property owner and state government would share the burden of the rent shortfall. Certified COVID-19-affected commercial tenants would have to pay the lesser of 20 percent of their actual income or one-third of their rent, property owners would have to forgive 20 percent of the rent, and the state would pay the remainder.
Thursday, February 25, 2021
'FBI' alert for filming CBS series on Friday (tomorrow!)
The posted notices highlight the crew's footprint tomorrow, with parts of Seventh Street, Second Street and Third Street seeing some "FBI" action.
The fleet of fake NYPD cruisers is currently parked along Second Street between Avenue A and First Avenue...
"FBI" is the third TV show to film around here this year ... following "New Amsterdam" and "Pose" (and "Hawkeye" this past December).
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 and NYC ... and in the case of today's panel, Upstate New York...
Report: Someone stole the entire $300,000 inventory from Taste Wine Co. on 3rd Avenue
This apparent closure came just two months after the wine shop reopened under new ownership. By early February, the retail listing was online at RIPCO.
Per the story in the Post, which came from an anonymous police source, the owner was last inside the shop on Jan. 8, and he filed the police report this week.
The owner told police Tuesday night that when he was last at the Taste Wine Co. ... on Jan. 8 all of the inventory was in place.Prior to that date, the business had been closed for several months, he told authorities.Stolen were 1,000 bottles of wine, 1,000 bottles of liquor and 125 wine dispensers, machines designed to serve and preserve wines at the right temperatures, the source said.
The total value was estimated at $300,000.
Last spring, previous owner Gary Landsman was hoping to sell the 5-year-old business as he continued to help raise awareness of Canavan, the fatal genetic disease that his two young sons have.
He closed the shop in May ... he and his family were expected to travel to Dayton Children's Hospital in Ohio later in 2020.
It is not immediately known who took over the business.
Ralph's returns after a winter break
They'll be open daily for now from 2-10 p.m.
This location, the third in Manhattan, opened back in September.
As previously noted, the business dates to 1928 when Ralph Silvestro started selling Italian ice (or water ice) from his truck around Staten Island. The first retail store opened in 1949 on Port Richmond Avenue in Staten Island.
In recent years the company has franchised out, expanding to other parts of NYC as well as Long Island, New Jersey and Westchester County.
Photo yesterday by Steven
Cycle of change on Astor Place with a new tenant for the Flywheel Sports studio
Flywheel Sports, which featured a stadium-seating studio with more than 70 bikes, will not be reopening at 51 Astor Place/the IBM Watson Building/Death Star.
The cycling-studio brand is going through bankruptcy right now. However, the space won't be void of sweat for too long: the like-minded CycleBar has signed a lease here. (First reported by New York Business Journal.)
Flywheel opened here in March 2016.
H/T Upper West Sider!
Wednesday, February 24, 2021
Wednesday's parting shot
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