BTW: The fee for a missing Citi Bike runs $1,200 (plus tax).
Photo by Steven
Tuesday, August 31, 2021
Tuesday's parting shot
A time-lapse East Village sunset
In case you missed last evening's sunset... @jensenstidham22 shared this time-lapse clip...
A live look at the pedestrian passageway outside 3 St. Mark's Place
Read more about this ongoing game of barrier accordion outside this construction site right here.
Updated 3:45
Here's another view via Steven...
Bon voyage to The Baroness
This past Thursday evening, The Baroness welcomed some friends, customers and fellow local business owners into her shop for a farewell toast on its last day here on 13th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B.
EVG contributor Stacie Joy was there and shared these photos of the closing festivities...
6 Avenue B doesn't appear to be part of a new (and rumored) Houston Street development
There was some speculation that the long-vacant 6 Avenue B on the NW corner might be part of a new residential project.
A little digging in public records (courtesy of Upper West Sider — thank you!) reveals that work has been filed in recent months to upgrade antennas and add new FDNY access signs at No. 6. Seems doubtful, as Upper West Side noted, that AT&T would spend the money to upgrade the equipment if the building was about to be demolished.
As for No. 6 ... the liquor store in the retail space has been closed since the owner passed away in the fall of 2009 at age 89. (Chico created the tribute to her on the gate in February 2010.)
In January 2013, workers were spotted hauling out some junk from the building... in December 2014, bricks fell from the building, breaking the foot of a passerby, as the Lo-Down reported at the time. And an SUV took out part of the sidewalk bridge in November 2018. And that's about it.
And as previously noted, this is one of the abandoned buildings owned by the estate of the mysterious team of Arthur and Abraham Blasof, now both deceased.
Updated 10:30 a.m.
Thanks to the commenter who did a little digging in the archives. There was a question about the windowless lot line at 6 Avenue B. Here's a tax photo dated 1939-1941 showing a building identified as 2-4 Avenue B (with a Circulating Library storefront!) ... that corner structure was likely demolished when the city widened East Houston... and No. 6 became the new corner building...
... and the old NW corner... you can see No. 6 in the background...
Openings: Mochinut on 2nd Avenue, Little Rebel on 2nd Avenue
• Mochinut, 124 Second Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place
The quickly expanding company known for its mochi doughnuts and Korean-style hot dogs is up and running (H/T Steven). This is location No. 31 for the California-born chain with 90 more U.S. outposts in the works.
You can find the menu here. Mochinut opens daily at noon with a 10 p.m. close; 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
• Little Rebel, 219 Second Ave. between 13th Street and 14th Street
The two-level bar-restaurant, run by hospitality vets Dermont Lynch and Jarek Krukow, features a bar and booths on the first floor with "a Victorian-style room with high ceilings, crown molding, chandeliers and balcony" upstairs that's currently open on weekends and for brunch
The concept-y drinks menu via Brooke Smith of the Dead Rabbit includes the Charlie's Angel — a rum, Cointreau combo "topped with 'Angel Dust' glitter."
You can find the food-drinks menu here. Little Rebel opens daily at 11 a.m. with a midnight close Sunday and Monday; 2 a.m. Tuesday through Thursday; and 4 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
Report: Employee allegations made against Local 92 for underpaying staff, skimping on COVID protocols
In addition, the employees allege that Shai Zvibak, the former chef and co-owner of Local 92, "characterized Mexican staffers as thieves and referred to them as members of the 'mafia.'"
Assante denied the allegations of the former employees, claiming that three friends working at the restaurants fabricated the stories. "It's completely a lie," he told Eater. "It never happened."
The story also includes a list of alleged misdeeds at Local 92 from the early winter, including that outdoor gas heaters for sidewalk dining were moved inside the restaurant to heat its dining room. Assante also denied those claims, saying the restaurant followed all city- and state-mandated COVID requirements.
Unrelated, Assante had been looking to open a cafe-cinema at 44 Avenue A, the former home of the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater's East Village outpost, UCBeast, as well as the Pioneer Theater. He appeared in May and June before CB3's SLA committee.
Given the UCBeast bar's poor reputation and unanswered questions about Assante's business plan, CB3 said they'd only approve a full liquor license for drinks before and during a movie or event. Alcohol sales would not be allowed during other times — thus nixing a bar-cafe service when a film isn't playing.
Assante later said he would no longer pursue this venture for Avenue A, stating that alcohol sales before and during screenings weren't commercially viable given the rent.
Monday, August 30, 2021
Monday's parting archival shot
I took this on the second-to-last night of the old Odessa, 117 Avenue A between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place. This space dated to the mid-1960s.
The Odessa Restaurant next door (circa 1995) remained open until July 2020. Superiority Burger is taking over that space.
Here is the trailer for the Velvet Underground documentary
The doc debuts on Oct. 15 on Apple+. Here's more about it:
The film features in-depth interviews with the key players of that time combined with a treasure trove of never-before-seen performances and a rich collection of recordings, Warhol films, and other experimental art that creates an immersive experience into what founding member John Cale describes as the band's creative ethos: "how to be elegant and how to be brutal."Before Apple+, the film will play at the New York Film Festival on Sept. 30. (Tix on sale Sept. 7.)
The reviews were quite positive following its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.
Anyway, here's the trailer for the band whose birthplace is traced to the LES...
Top image via Apple+
Last few days for the Sullivan St. Bakery pop-up on 9th Street
Wednesday (Sept. 1) is the last day for the shop's East Village outpost. They are open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. for their focaccia, chocolate chip cookies, disco romano, croissants, fruit tarts and a selection of sandwiches.
Sullivan St. Bakery, which first opened in Soho in 1994, arrived here last fall... reportedly with an "indefinite" lease.
Management here told EVG regulars Vinny & O that they'd like to stay, but they'd want to fix up the space a bit and get a long-term lease. Unfortunately, the landlord is not offering a long-term rent that the bakery can afford.
Photo by Arthur Bovino via @nycbestpizza
This East Village business strip has been cleared out ahead of rumored new development
Here's a recap of the moves to date:
- Kapri Cleaners — the last day is tomorrow; moving to a new storefront in the renovated section of 250 E. Houston St.
- China Town — closed, possible move to Avenue C in the works.
- Subway (sandwich shop) — closed. No relocation notice.
- FedEx Office Print & Ship Center — moved to a new storefront in the renovated section of 250 E. Houston St.
- Dunkin'/Baskin-Robbins combo — closed. No relocation notice.
- Mattress Mart — closed.
So that is all the businesses in the portion of the strip to the east (where the new paint stops!)...
Multiple sources along this corridor have said a new residential building is in the works for this space. Four sources have told Stacie that the one-level row of storefronts is facing demolition. Nothing about a new building or demolition has shown up in DOB records.
And we'll find out in the weeks/months ahead if, perhaps (and purely speculative now), the long-empty 6 Avenue B at the NW corner might be part of a new development... [Updated: Likely NO]
The 13-floor residential building at 250 E. Houston St., the former Red Square, changed ownership in the fall of 2016 ... and underwent extensive renovations.
Previously on EV Grieve:
Astor Place Wegmans watch, work-permit edition
Based on the work plan, here are a few takeaways about the future Astor Place Wegmans courtesy of EVG regular Upper West Sider:
- Looks like the subway entrance is safe for now (the area is covered in the No Work in Area portion of the plan). Guess it's covered by landmarks protection.
- The first step in the process is demolition. Almost everything is being removed, including escalator railings, storefront window displays, bathrooms, flooring and wall coverings.
- Given that ceiling tiles and the 1990s furnishings are being removed, it seems like the goal is to restore the space to its previous grandeur.
Wegmans signed a 30-year lease last month for what will be the grocer's first Manhattan outpost. It is scheduled to open in the second half of 2023.
Kmart closed in this space after 25 years on July 11. Wegmans had agreed to buy out Kmart's lease to make this deal possible.
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