Italian favorite Via Della Pace opens in new East Village home on 4th Street

Photos by Stacie Joy 

A new era begins for Giovanni Bartocci (above and below, left) and Marco Ventura at Via Della Pace. (The two also recently opened the small grocery Via Della Scrofa at 60 E. Fourth St.)

Last night, the restaurant had a soft opening in its new home at 87 E. Fourth St. between Second Avenue and the Bowery... after months of delays while waiting for approvals on various permits and licenses. 

As Bartocci told us at the start of the year: "We are close — very, very close to opening. Close to opening sounds funny, but we have been almost ready since the end of July, but nothing is playing on our side. We are stubborn, and we don’t give up!" 

EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by Via Della Pace for the opening last night...

Via Della Pace, which first opened in 2002, lost its home during the devastating fire on the southeast corner of Second Avenue and Seventh Street in December 2020. VDP had been closed since a previous fire on Feb. 10, 2020. 

At the time, the owners were unsure if they would ever reopen on Seventh Street. The Dec. 5 disaster took care of that, as workers had to demolish the five-floor building. 

You can follow Via Della Pace on Instagram for updates.

No. 87 had been vacant since Cucina di Pesce closed in September 2018. 

Previously on EV Grieve:

• The first look at the all-new Via Della Pace on 4th Street

PlantShed debuts on 2nd Avenue

The PlantShed outpost has opened at 193 Second Ave. on the NW corner of 12th Street. (Thanks to Steven for the top two photos.) 

As previously reported, this location of the family-owned business that dates to the 1950s will sell plants and flowers and offer café service (tea, coffee and pastries). There are a few sidewalk tables available.

EVG regular Lola Sáenz shared these photos from Friday...

The first PlantShed retail space opened on the Upper West Side in 1981... the café service arrived later.

There are now four PlantShed storefronts — two on the UWS, one on Prince Street at the Bowery and one that debuted in 2020 in Englewood, N.J. 

No. 193, a high-profile storefront, has been vacant since Pastel Spa & Nails closed in March 2018.

2 tenants for the renovated storefronts at 21-23 Avenue B

Photos by Stacie Joy

Friday saw the grand opening of a new business at 21-23 Avenue B — Gas on Deck (a Q Da Fool reference?).

Yoon Lee (below) is behind the recreational marijuana dispensary and accessories shop ...

Along with a partner, he has plans for an omakase restaurant for the space next door. This month he's on the CB3-SLA docket for a beer-wine license for the establishment, doing business as Domakase.

As previously reported, workers added two new floors and combined the two four-story structures here between Second Street and Third Street. 

H/T Salim!

P.F. Chang's makes it signage official on University Place

EVG reader Mark Cox shares this photo from the SE corner of 13th Street at University Place (113 University Place) ... where signage recently arrived for the new tenant — P.F. Chang's.

As previously noted, this will reportedly be the chain's first sit-down restaurant in NYC ... and a big one at 4,777 square feet of space across three floors. 

The company opened several P.F. Chang's To Go outposts during the pandemic. 

Italian restaurant brand Vapiano was previously in this University Place space. 

Sunday's parting shot

A moment today in Tompkins Square Park with Tilted Axes (an orchestra of guitarists and percussionists led by post-rock composer/performer Patrick Grant) ... photo by Derek Berg...

At the March Against Gun Violence

Photos by Stacie Joy

Dozens of local residents, community groups, faith-based leaders and members of the NYPD turned out yesterday on the Lower East Side for the March Against Gun Violence.

Neighborhood police precincts (the 7th, 9th and PSA 4) and several local community groups organized the event. 

"We're here for them, the community — and the community is here as you can see," 7th Precinct Commanding Officer Luis Barcia told ABC 7. "They're also doing their part and working with us to stop the violence." 

The march started at Delancey and Columbia on the Lower East Side ... and ended at P.S. 34 on 12th St. between Avenue C and Avenue D. EVG contributor Stacie Joy shared these photos...

According to ABC 7, there have been nearly 450 shootings this year — a 9% increase over the same period last year. 

"This is how serious this is to everyone, including the mayor," said NYPD Deputy Inspector Ralph Clement. 

Mayor Adams met with top NYPD leadership yesterday to discuss crime strategies in the wake of citywide violence, per NBC 4.

On Friday morning at 9, a 42-year-old man was shot dead on Fourth Street between Avenue B and Avenue C. Police have a person of interest in custody. 

Week in Grieview

Posts this past week included (with a photo outside FDNY Engine 28/Ladder 11 on 2nd Street by Stacie Joy)... 

• Man dead in shooting outside Mariana Bracetti Plaza on 4th Street (Friday)

• RIP Paul Adrian Davies (Thursday) 

• The Charlie Parker Jazz Festival returns to Tompkins Square Park for the 1st time since 2019 (Wednesday) 

• Proletariat and Cadence on the move to larger East Village spaces (Monday) 

• Luzzo's bringing the Neapolitan pizza to this corner of Avenue B (Tuesday) 

• Police release surveillance video of suspect in connection to stabbing on Avenue A (Monday) 

• City shrinks the size of the passive lawn in East River Park (Monday) 

• A break-in at Lucky on Avenue B (Thursday) 

• Coming soon: Rake Wine Bar on 3rd Street (Monday) 

• FULL reveal at 141 E. Houston St.; Yonah Schimmel can breathe again (Friday) 

• Openings: Little Myanmar brings Burmese cuisine to 2nd Street (Thursday) 

• About the "explosion" in Tompkins Square Park this morning (Wednesday)

• Workers removing the former Root & Bone curbside dining structure (Monday)

• Old-timer Rakka Cafe doesn't appear to be coming back on St. Mark's Place (Tuesday) 

• Your season 2 "Russian Doll" reader (Wednesday) 

• What you knead to know about Librae Bakery (Monday) 

• Good Heavens! A rebrand for 169 Avenue A (Tuesday) • Pouring Ribbons replacement 11 Tigers announces itself on Avenue B (Wednesday) 

• Openings: Lot Stop on 1st Avenue (Monday) 

• Strings Ramen shutters on 2nd Avenue (Wednesday) 

• Thai Direct looks closed now on Avenue A (Wednesday)

• Captain Cookie & the Milk Man will be taking orders soon on Astor Place (Thursday)

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Follow EVG on Instagram or Twitter for more frequent updates and pics.

Cleaning out the former businesses along Stuyvesant Street

Photos by Steven

This past week, workers continued to empty out the now-closed retail spaces along Stuyvesant Street, including Sunrise Mart and Panya.

Village Yokocho, Angel's Share, Sunrise Mart and Panya shuttered in recent weeks. Cooper Union, which leases the buildings from their owners and had subleased them to the Yoshida Restaurant Group for more than 25 years, said it was the tenants' decision to move on. (This post has more background.)

Workers removed half of the sidewalk dining structure here on April 21 (H/T MP!) and removed the rest of it in recent days... (not sure who used the outside space — Village Yokocho? Panya?) 

This is the second recently closed business that had someone remove the outdoor dining structure, joining Root & Bone on Third Street. 

Report: Workers at the Starbucks on Astor Place vote to unionize

The Starbucks on Astor Place became the second NYC outpost to unionize, according to press reports and several media advisories. 

The workers voted Friday in favor of a union by an 11-2 count. The Reserve Roastery in Chelsea voted to unionize in early April.

So not only a blowout win in NYC, but another downstate store filed today as well!! Welcome Farmingville!

Working at an understaffed SB next to a CityMD during a pandemic...uhhh, workers deserve better. #UnionStrong pic.twitter.com/zSc4XnEFSg

— SBWorkersUnited (@SBWorkersUnited) April 29, 2022

According to Nation's Restaurant News: 

In just four and a half months, Starbucks went from having zero union presence to employees voting to unionize at 32 stores around the country, with dozens of unionization elections occurring weekly.

And... 

Throughout this process, there has been growing tensions between the Starbucks corporation — which has made it clear that direct representation is preferable and that the unions have been disruptive — and union group SBWorkers United, which has accused its parent company of union-busting.

Saturday's parting shots

The Abracadabra bus made a stop along Tompkins Square Park on Avenue A late this afternoon... photos by Derek Berg...

6 posts from April

A mini month in review... 

• Farewells: Rev. Anne Sawyer has left St. Mark's Church-in-the-Bowery (April 19) 

• Closing day at Panya on Stuyvesant Street (April 18) 

• Suspect in Sunset Park subway shooting arrested in the East Village (April 13) 

• Remembering International Bar owner Molly Fitch (April 10) 

• Standoff on 9th Street (April 6) 

• A last look at the now-closed East Village institution Sunrise Mart (April 5)

Have a seat outside [plant-baked] on 7th Street

Photos by Stacie Joy

Earlier this month, [plant-baked] added two benches — made from some discarded plywood — outside the small to-go bakery at 117 E. Seventh St. between Avenue A and First Avenue... 

East Village residents Yunsu and Parker opened [plant-baked] in January 2021. (Read our interview with them here.)

Current hours: Wednesday-Thursday, 8 a.m. to noon; Friday-Saturday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.  

A 'March Against Gun Violence' today on the Lower East Side

Neighborhood police precincts (the 7th, 9th and PSA 4) and local community groups are coming together today (April 30) for a "March Against Gun Violence." 

Anyone who wants to take part can meet up at 10:45 a.m. at Delancey and Columbia on the Lower East Side. The march ends at P.S. 34, 730 E. 12th St. between Avenue C and Avenue D. 

The NYPD's crime statistics for March in NYC showed "an overall crime index increase of 36.5% compared to the same time last year, but a dip in homicides," NBC 4 reported. 

'Anti-glory' days

 

The debut album from the Chicago-based trio Horsegirl is due out on June 3 via Matador Records. The video here is for a single from the LP, "Anti-glory."

A look at 'Mush Arcana' at CLLCTV.NYC on 3rd Street

CLLCTV.NYC is hosting "Mush Arcana," an exhibit of new work by local artist-activist Andrea Acevedo, aka ButterflyMush. 

And this marks her first solo show... EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by the space for the opening last night...

"Mush Arcana" is up through the weekend at CLLCTV.NYC at 209 E. Third St. between Avenue B and Avenue C. Hours: today, 4 to 10 p.m. ... Saturday, noon to 8 p.m. ... Sunday, 4 to 8 p.m. with an artist Q&A at 5 p.m.

 Previously on EV Grieve: 

• A visit to CLLCTV.NYC

Man dead in shooting this morning outside Mariana Bracetti Plaza on 4th Street

Photos by Stacie Joy

Updated 4/30 11:30 a.m.

Police sources tell us that they have "a person of interest" in custody. More details to follow...

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Police are investigating a fatal shooting this morning outside the Mariana Bracetti Plaza public housing development on Fourth Street at Avenue C.

The victim, described by ABC 7 as a 42-year-old male, was shot twice on Fourth Street following an argument around 9 a.m., sources at the scene said.

EMTs transported him to Bellevue, where officials said he died. 

According to the Citizen app, the suspect fled westbound on Fourth Street on a bicycle.

There are also unconfirmed reports of gunfire last night at the Mariana Bracetti Plaza related to a "beef in the building."

Sources said that the victim, whose identity has not yet been released by police, pending family notification, used to live in Mariana Bracetti Plaza.

Updated:

CBS 2 identified the victim as Anthony Ramon.

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• Local elected officials, NYCHA reps get firsthand look at the problems at Mariana Bracetti Plaza 

• Residents say dangerous safety conditions at Mariana Bracetti Plaza lead to illegal and hazardous activities 

• Another look at conditions in and around the Mariana Bracetti Plaza public housing complex

This post's for you: The East Village connection behind Neil Young's new box set

Photo by Daniel Root

Today, Neil Young delivers Official Release Series #4 as a box set. 

And there's an East Village connection to this four-LP/CD collection of Young's music from the 1980s.

Gracing the cover is a photo of Young that East Village-based photographer Daniel Root shot in 1988 at the long-gone venue The World on Avenue C and Second Street. (Read more about The World in this article.) 

How did this selection happen? 

"Neil picked it from their files," Root told me. "I suggested alternatives, but they said once he picked it, that was it." 

I asked Root a few questions about all this, starting with the night he took the photos. 

What I remember about the night was the packed house and the decrepit state of the place. It looked like the balcony and/or the chandelier could come down at any minute. Don’t remember much about the music except for the taping horn section and Neil’s wonderfully unhinged solos, but that’s usual for me when I shoot live shows and music videos. I’m listening for the "form of the music" more than the music itself. When I say form I mean I listening for "here comes a solo, here comes the big finish, group interaction, last song of the encore is about done and get ready for the big group hug/wave/smile." 

And on the selection process... 

The amount of luck and happenstance that got all this together is somewhat amazing. Shot in 1988, the stock photo house that represented my music photos sent them to him. They sent back most of them but kept some. The Neil Young Archives found them in the drawer when they decided to put out a 1980s collection and he picked that one. 

Thankfully the slide was still stamped with my name and phone, and thankfully none of that had changed. They had to clean it because it was in a drawer for 35 years but they did a great job. 

The release date was pushed back three times over two years. I started thinking it wasn't going to happen.

Previously on EV Grieve:

• After the last call: East Village photographer captures bars at dawn