A free market and Tompkins Square Park cleanup on Friday

On Friday, the volunteers behind East Village Mutual Aid are hosting a Free Market and Park Cleanup on Ninth Street at Avenue A. 

From noon to 4 p.m., there will be tables providing pantry items, to-go food, toiletries and literature, among other items. 

And then, from 3 to 4 p.m., the group will be doing a cleanup of Tompkins Square Park. Anyone interested in helping with this may just show up at 3 p.m. 

Questions? evillagemutualaid@gmail.com

You will be able to sit at a bar again on Monday; food-with-drinks rule may be suspended

Gov. Cuomo announced today that, starting on Monday, seating at bars will be allowed in New York City — for the first time in nearly 14 months.

In addition, the midnight food and beverage service curfew will be lifted for outdoor dining areas beginning May 17 and for indoor dining areas beginning May 31.

Per a Cuomo press release: "Lifting these restrictions for restaurants, bars and catering companies will allow these businesses that have been devastated by the pandemic to begin to recover as we return to a new normal in a post-pandemic world."

Per Eater:

The move follows months of pushback from restaurant and bar owners across the city, who have been calling on elected officials to lift the state's midnight curfew. Industry trade groups and local politicians have also spoken out against the curfew, calling it an unfair, "arbitrary" restriction that hampers the ability of restaurateurs to bring in revenue due to earlier cutoff times.

Meanwhile, New York lawmakers are prepping to suspend the food-with-drink rule at bars as soon as this week, per The New York Times. Cuomo enacted the directive for "substantive" meals at bars last July as a way to keep patrons seated at tables.

Some bars, already under a financial strain and working with skeleton crews, needed to create a menu (Hello bags of Funyuns!) and whip up a kitchen or be forced to close — even if they never served food before the COVID-19 PAUSE. 

Last summer, Abby Ehmann, the owner of Lucky at 168 Avenue B, launched a petition asking Cuomo to roll back his mandate. Several days later, the SLA suspended her license and issued a fine after agents saw that she was not serving food with drinks.

More fallout from Saturday's hardcore show in Tompkins Square Park, and an exclusive look at the event application

Reporting by Stacie Joy

The fallout from Saturday's hardcore matinee in Tompkins Square Park continues. 

Gothamist reported yesterday that the Parks Department has revoked permits for seven upcoming events that were organized by East Village resident Chris Flash, who had applied for the permit for the Saturday show. (Two of the events had already received city approval.) 

According to PIX11 and Gothamist, reps from the Parks Department said that Saturday's free all-ages show was billed as a "September 11 Memorial" on the permit application, a point that made headlines at both outlets and drew outrage from readers for its brazenness. Each outlet said that the Parks Department had provided them with a copy of the permit.

In an interview with EVG's Stacie Joy on Monday, Flash, who has organized concerts in Tompkins Square Park since 2006, said that the permit he filed for on April 24 did not mention 9/11.

"Nowhere did it say anything about September 11. We did apply for a September 11 memorial event, but it was for September," Flash said. "Why would we apply for a September 11 memorial in April?" 

As proof, he shared a copy of the approved permit (submitted last Nov. 2 and OK'd on March 23 — we blocked out his address and contact information) that the Parks Department had previously shared with him for the date.

The permit shows the event name titled "rally/concert." (click on the image for more details) ...

It's not immediately clear why the approved permit Flash received from the city differs from the ones the Parks Department is sharing with media outlets.

"I think the spokesperson entered my name and all the permits came up — there are eight of them, seven left — and she gave them one random application," Flash told Stacie last night. "I wanted May Day — it has social and political implications. They refused to give us May Day. They offered us April 24, which I accepted."

He also has concerns about the Parks Department "violating his confidentiality" by releasing the permits to reporters.

"And in addition to violating my confidentiality, [the Parks Department] gave out the wrong information," Flash said. 

Elsewhere on the permit, there's a mention of "amplified sound from 2-6 p.m. with proper sound device permit from NYPD." 

The attendance is listed on the permit as 100, and estimates put Saturday's crowd size at 2,000 during the late-afternoon sets by bands with large followings — Bloodclot, Murphy's Law and Madball. 

At the time of this filing this past November, Flash said they didn't know who was going to play on that date. The show, which also served as a fundraiser for the New York Firefighters Burn Center Foundation, was first announced by Black N' Blue Productions on April 8. 

According to Gothamist, "the alleged misrepresentations" on the permit along with the crowd size (outdoor events in New York are capped at 500) and the lack of masks and social distancing prompted the Parks Department to revoke the permits for Flash for the remainder of the year. (Flash previously said that they followed the city's three pages of COVID-related requirements.)

The large number of maskless attendees during a pandemic drew the ire of people on social media as well as some residents who were in the park on Saturday afternoon. Local Assemblymember Harvey Epstein referred to the show as a "super spreader event" in a tweet.

In a message with Stacie yesterday, he wrote: "I was in the park on Saturday and saw the overwhelming crowd. They violated their permit, and [the Parks Department] withdrew all future permits. I agree with that decision. It was not safe."

Meanwhile, Flash said that he has not heard from anyone at the Parks Department. 

"All I know so far is that the Parks Department said they are going to review everything. I applied for eight shows, so seven are coming up," he said. "It remains to be seen what their next move is. They have no legitimate grounds to refuse us permits for any future events. I do not know the requirements for a rescinded permit, but I have not been contacted."

And...

"Regardless of what happens, I will be discussing this with my lawyer. I have a 15-year clean track record of being conscientious and following all the rules and regulations. Wouldn't it be more appropriate to issue a warning?"

Flash described this all as "a momentary media frenzy." 

"They will move on and find something new to have a frenzy over," he said. "In short, I am not worried in the least. I welcome a good fight."

Updated 2 p.m.

Flash confirmed the following: "The Parks Department emailed us a two-page letter informing us of their intention to revoke all subsequent permits in TSP." No word on the next steps.

El Carnaval coming soon to the former Fonda space on Avenue B

Updated: El Carnaval opened on May 9!

Coming soon signage arrived Monday at 40 Avenue B between Third Street and Fourth Street for El Carnaval, a Panamanian restaurant and bar. 

We're told the new venture is from the folks who run KC Gourmet Empanadas right next door...

... that space looks to become a to-go outpost for El Carnaval...

Fonda, the previous tenant at 40 Avenue B, closed last summer. The Mexican restaurant'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.

Thanks to Stacie Joy for the photos and Vinny & O for the tip!

Tuesday's parting shots

Christo, one of the red-tailed hawks in Tompkins Square Park, took a nest break yesterday ... and visited some children... or was his mind elsewhere?

Per jackflashnyc, who shared these pics: "He seemed curious of the kids, though moments later we found a mortally wounded rat at our feet that may have been his real focus."

Meanwhile, in the dog run...

From yesterday: Why not come dancing? ...

Thanks to Barb Feinberg for the photo...

[Updated] Questions arise after packed hardcore matinee Saturday in Tompkins Square Park

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Tompkins Square Park played host to a hardcore matinee on Saturday afternoon, and now the Parks Department is reportedly investigating the permit application.

The all-ages show featured five bands: the Capturers, Wisdom in Chains, Bloodclot, Murphy's Law and Madball. Organizer Black N' Blue Productions collected donations to cover expenses, with a portion designated for the New York Firefighters Burn Center Foundation. 

The combination of the bands' large followings, ideal spring weather, and lack of live shows over the past year helped draw a large crowd on a day where a lot of people were already in the Park for the usual Saturday festivities on the lawn as well as an organized youth event on the basketball courts. 

While there isn't an official attendance tally, some estimates put the crowd size for the concert at more than 2,000 at its peak late in the afternoon. According to New York State, the maximum number of people attending outdoor events is currently capped at 500.

Photos from the show circulating on social media have drawn the ire of people who pointed out the limited mask-wearing and social distancing (particularly difficult in a moshpit). 

Some residents passing through also expressed concern about the size of the show and the lack of masks. In a tweet, local Assemblymember Harvey Epstein questioned why permits were issued while the city remains in recovery mode from COVID-19...

To ⁦@NYCMayor⁩ and ⁦@NYCMayorsOffice⁩ ⁦@NYCParks⁩ . Why would you issue a permit to have hundreds of maskless people listen to music in tompkins square park? We are trying to recover from #covid not have a super spreader event! pic.twitter.com/Yxi3vr8GpO

— Harvey Epstein 哈維 D. 艾普斯汀(男) (@HarveyforNY) April 24, 2021

Not all local elected officials immediately questioned the decision. City Councilmember Keith Powers was in attendance... tweeting out a mask-wearing selfie...

I’m in Tompkins Square Park seeing a live concert for the first time in a year. New York City, forever. 🎶 pic.twitter.com/Um1XCCkLVm

— Keith Powers (@KeithPowersNYC) April 24, 2021

"We're all excited about supporting our music scene, but we still need to remember that we're in a pandemic," Powers told Gothamist yesterday. 

And:

Asked about the safety of the event, he went on to reference a Gorilla Biscuits song: "I have reached out to organizers to remind them to 'start today' with better social distancing protocols."

However, it may be potentially too late. A Parks Department spokesperson told Gothamist: "This matter is actively being investigated as the permit application filed and agreement appear to have been violated — future permits are in jeopardy."

PIX 11 followed up, reporting that the event was "misrepresented" on the application.

The Parks Department was led to believe the event was a political rally with about 100 people expected to attend — not the estimated 2,000-person crowd that showed up for a hardcore concert, according to the spokesperson.

A copy of the permit obtained by PIX11 shows the name of the event was listed as "September 11 Memorial" and the description was a "political rally with music and speakers."

According to PIX 11, the Parks Department "moved to revoke all permits by the organizers," including the A7 "Back To The NYHC Roots" New York Hardcore Compilation Record Release show scheduled for May 8.

[Updated 5 p.m. Parks Department spokesperson Crystal Howard told Gothamist today, "We are moving to revoke all permits for this organizer and related future events." That equals seven total events.]

Chris Flash, the publisher of The Shadow, who has organized concerts in Tompkins Square Park since 2006, disputes PIX 11's coverage. He told EVG contributor Stacie Joy that he applied for the permit for a "rally/concert" for April 24. 

"Nowhere did it say anything about September 11. We did apply for a September 11 memorial event, but it was for September," Flash said. "Why would we apply for a September 11 memorial in April?"

Stacie viewed the permit, which was submitted to the city on Nov. 2, 2020. It does not mention a 9/11 memorial. The event name is titled "rally/concert." 

"We were given a 3-page list of things the Parks Department wanted us to comply with — we complied with all of the stipulations," Flash said. "We were required to provide gloves, masks, sanitizer and a clipboard if someone wanted to voluntarily provide contact tracing. We provided two tables with all the necessary supplies. We cannot enforce rules, we can't — we're not the police. Even the police said they can't enforce."

According to Flash, the application asked how many people were estimated to attend. 

"We put down 100-plus. The application is put in 6 to 12 months ahead of time," he said. "At the time we filed, we didn't know who was going to play.

"We have the total and utmost reverence for our beloved Tompkins Square Park," Flash said. "It is the last bastion against creeping gentrification. We fought for it: in the media, in the streets and in the courts. We will never trash the park, and we will do everything right and everything in compliance. We have a track record going back to 2006 — every show is without incident."

Meanwhile, Stacie was there Saturday and shared these photos...

Lois will yield to Accidental Bar on Avenue C

Lois, the wine bar at 98 Avenue C between Sixth Street and Seventh Street, closed last fall with plans to return this spring.

 

During the break, though, owners Nora O'Malley and Phoebe Connell decided to pursue other opportunities. 

"It is not, however, the typical COVID closure story," O'Malley told me via email. "The good news is that our dear friend Austin Power — yes, for real — will be taking over the space."

With an official June 1 opening date, Power will debut Accidental Bar, dedicated to sake.

Per a media release on the new space:

Similar to Lois, Accidental Bar will offer a revolving beverage list of sake, along with a curated selection of wines and beers on tap.  Power will offer limited release seasonal sake sourced directly from Japan along with exclusive experimental sake brewed by the renowned Brooklyn Kura, some of which will be on tap. Power will also offer a seasonal menu of small plates inspired by his home and his husband's home — South Carolina and Kyoto, respectively — to complement the experience. 

Ali Sahin, the owner of C&B on Seventh Street, introduced Power to the Lois owners several years ago.

"[A]nd so began my love of visiting Austin, first at Sake Bar Satsko just down the block and later at Tokyo Record Bar, learning about what I liked in sake and hearing the new things he was excited about that week," Connell said.

Accidental Bar will be open six days a week: Monday and Wednesday-Saturday from 5 to 11 p.m., with a 10 p.m. close on Sundays. 

Image via @accidentalbarnyc 

Brought to life: Electric Burrito signage arrives on St. Mark's Place

The neon signage for Electric Burrito arrived back on Friday at 81 St. Mark's Place just west of First Avenue.

This is the Southern California-style burrito shop that started as a pop-up concept at Mister Paradise around the corner on First Avenue. Mister Paradise co-founder Will Wyatt and bar GM Alex Thaboua are behind this to-go venture that expects to open on the week of May 17.

The menu includes burritos inspired by Thaboua's upbringing in San Diego and house-made sodas.

You can check out the Electric Burrito Instagram account for some burrito pics.

Until March 2020, this space was an outpost of Xi'an Famous Foods.

Photo by Steven

Glass acts: Zero Irving gets its rooftop Sky Lounge

Here's our first look at 124 E. 14th St., aka Zero Irving (and formerly the Union Square Tech Training Center and 14 @ Irving ... and tech hub) since the start of the year.

EVG regular Pinch pointed out that the 21-story building is all glassed up these days. And it looks like that tenant-only rooftop Sky Lounge is coming together. 

Here's what the latest Zero Irving e-newsletter has to say: "Bulkhead permanent roofing installation for the roofing membrane work is ongoing. Layout for drilling for connections and installation of perforated steel panels is ongoing."

Roofing membrane!

A February article in Fortune included Zero Irving in a piece on "what the COVID-safe skyscraper will look like." Per the article:

The building is equipped with state-of-the-art touchless technology that will allow tenants to enter the building using an app on their phones. The app will open the building’s electric revolving doors, get tenants through security turnstiles automatically, and arrive at their floor through elevators equipped with destination dispatch — all without touching a thing.

Zero Irving is expected to open later this year.

And some of the background on the project...

The building, developed jointly by the city’s Economic Development Corp. and RAL Development Services, will feature 14 floors of market-rate office space as well as "a technology training center and incubator, co-working spaces and state-of-the-art event space ... on the seven floors beneath," per the Zero Irving announcement issued last October. Food-hall specialists Urban­Space officially signed the lease for 10,000 square feet on the ground level late last summer.

The new building — long contested by local preservationists and community groups (see links below) — sits on the former site of a P.C. Richard & Son on city-owned property.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• Behold Civic Hall, the high-tech future of Union Square — and NYC

• Speaking out against a 'Silicon Alley' in this neighborhood

• City Council unanimously approves tech hub; some disappointment in lack of zoning protections 

• The conversation continues on the now-approved tech hub for 14th Street

Full reveal at the 101 Condominium's 1st Avenue side

A quick update: Workers recently removed the sidewalk bridge from outside the all-new 24 First Ave. — aka the 101 Condominium, Rybeck Development's 7-story, 23-unit condoplex ... 

The Second Street side of the development is still under wraps... as you will recall, two addresses — 24 First Ave. and its property mate 99-101 E. Second St. — were demolished to make room for the 101...

Our previous post has the 411 on the 101.

Previously on EV Grieve:

• Onetime home of Lucky Cheng's and adjacent property sell for $12 million

• Demolition permits filed to bring down former Lucky Cheng's building on 1st Avenue

• The 411 on the 101 Condominium

Sunday's parting shot

An EVG reader shared this photo from today... showing a car door squeezed in among the deliveries in this East Village lobby...