Real Estate Equities Corp. plans on 53,000 square feet of office space and some 7,700 square feet for retail here at 1 St. Mark's Place.
Monday, July 10, 2023
The steel base of 1 St. Mark's Place makes first above-ground appearance
At long last the grand opening date is revealed for Panda Express on 14th Street and 1st Avenue
This pre-grand opening has been a lengthy process. We were the first outlet to report that Panda Express was coming to this corner in January 2022. In April, a PE rep said that the projected opening date was around June 5.
As noted late last summer, there were issues with permits — as in waiting for the city, Con Ed, etc., to approve them. (One tipster told us that management here was very late in completing the necessary paperwork for the various licenses, etc.)
Panda Express launched in California in 1983 ... with more than 2,000 locations today, including a handful around NYC.
As previously noted... posts about PE's arrival have brought out comments of support for the delicious and affordable Mee Noodle Shop & Grill down the block at 223 First Ave. (between 13th Street and 14th Street). It was Allen Ginsberg's favorite restaurant (when it was at the former location at 219 First Ave.). You can find their menu via all the online delivery platforms. (212) 260-7838.
On 13th and 3rd, the Ugly Duckling becomes blue bird
This multi-level space has been closed in recent weeks... as management for Dream Hospitality Group revamped their previous concept here, the Ugly Duckling... which had taken over for the Brazen Fox in late 2021. (The Brazen Fox closed during the pandemic in 2020 after seven years in brunch and happy hour service.)
As for now, blue bird remains in "coming soon" status. You can tabs on an opening date on the bar-restaurant's new website.
Sunday, July 9, 2023
Week in Grieview
• Tuesday is the last day for East Village mainstay Ink on Avenue A (Sunday)
• East Village staple New Double Dragon has closed (Tuesday)
• The Upright Citizens Brigade is returning to NYC — and the East Village — with a new theater (Monday)
• The East Village Fine Wine & Champagne's sign has a new home (Wednesday)
• High Vibe looking for some help to continue spreading the love (Monday)
• Chrissy's Pizza announces itself on 9th Street (Thursday)
• Angelina Jolie is creating a collaborative space for designers and artisans in Basquiat's former studio on Great Jones Street (Saturday)
• Openings: Rosemary Home on 9th Street (Friday)
• After 20-plus years on 13th Street, Keybar is relocating to Bushwick (Thursday)
• Coming attractions: Cabin on 9th (Thursday)
• When the lights flickered on Wednesday night (Thursday)
• Mystery solved? Avenue A residents track down source of the incessant 'loud mechanical sound' (Wednesday)
• Eros is still 'temporarily closed,' and now fully empty (Monday)
• Full reveal: 699 E. 6th St. (Thursday)
... and the latest via Optimo at the Bowery Mural Wall... which has been on "pause" from officially sanctioned murals since May 2022...
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Tuesday is the last day for East Village mainstay Ink on Avenue A
Photos by Stacie Joy
Tuesday will be the last day in business for Ink, the decades-old newsstand on Avenue A between Fourth Street and Fifth Street.
Owner Ben "Benny" Dahud told us last night that everything is going on sale ahead of the closing.
As we first reported here and here, Benny has been in a legal tussle with the private equity firm that bought the block-long building last fall for $64 million.
Despite what has happened, Benny seems at peace with the development ... as the Marshal is expected to padlock the storefront on Wednesday.
"There is an end to everything," he said. "I’m happy, [it's] just not easy."
Benny reiterated how grateful he is for all the support at the shop through the years.
Ink's hours are 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Sunday's opening shot
This will be the second EV Popeyes: an outpost opened in October 2020 at 39 First Ave. between Second Street and Third Street.
And while we don't have any photographic evidence of this, there was a Popeyes on First Avenue between 13th Street and 14th Street at some point like 15+ years ago.
Saturday, July 8, 2023
Saturday's parting shot
Photo by Derek Berg
A moment with Wolfspeak today on Astor Place... performing during the annual WitchsFest USA.
Angelina Jolie is creating a collaborative space for designers and artisans in Basquiat's former studio on Great Jones Street
The two-level building was once owned by Andy Warhol ... and Jean-Michel Basquiat was living and working in the second-floor studio at the time of his death in 1988.
Jolie made the announcement on Instagram last night...
Atelier Jolie will serve as a workshop for under-represented tailors and designers who will then be able to showcase their work from 57 Great Jones.
Here's a more detail description of the business via the Atelier Jolie website:
I am building a place for creative people to collaborate with a skilled and diverse family of expert tailors, pattern makers and artisans from around the world. A place to have fun. To create your own designs with freedom. To discover yourself.We will use only leftover, quality vintage material and deadstock. You will be able to repair or upcycle pieces from your closet you wish to revive, perfecting fit, breathing new life into what could have been thrown away, and creating quality heirloom garments with personal meaning.We hope to create a community of creativity and inspiration, regardless of socio-economic background. We will spotlight the people who play a part in each creation. We will bring together a diverse team, including apprenticeships for refugees and other talented, underappreciated groups, with positions of dignity based on skill. And as we work with global artisans and creators, we hope to help share the richness of their cultural heritage and support the development of their own businesses.It's all new, and I'm more of an artist than a businesswoman. I hope to see you there, and to be one of the many creating with you within our new creative collective.
Jolie's social media and website note the building's history: "A privilege to be in this space. We will do our best to respect and honor its artist legacy with community and creativity."
In February 2022, workers painted over all the tributes... though, the various wheatepastes and tags eventually made a comeback, as the top photo from this morning shows. Jolie will reportedly leave the building's exterior as is.
You can read this post at Village Preservation for more history of the building, which once served as the HQ for Five Points Gang ringleader Paul Kelly.
A Summer Celebration today at the 11th Street Community Garden
Expect some live music and other activities from 3-7 p.m. ...
Friday, July 7, 2023
A trip 'Wire'
Bush Tetras, the influential post-punk/no-wave band that got its start on the Lower East Side in the late 1970s, just released a new video for their single "Bird on a Wire."
The video, featuring singer Cynthia Sley in front of EV storefronts that housed some iconic businesses, also includes a supporting role from East Village-based photographer GODLIS.
The track is from the band's new LP, They Live in My Head, out on July 28.
And catch Bush Tetras — with new members bassist Cait "Rocky" O'Riordan and drummer Steve Shelley joining original guitarist Pat Place — on Sept. 15 at Le Poisson Rouge on Bleecker Street.
Art that speaks the 'Language' of sanitation
All Street Gallery has an interesting-sounding new show starting tomorrow that features the work of interdisciplinary artist sTo Len, who was the 2021-2022 Public Artist in Residence for the NYC Department of Sanitation. (This CBS feature has more about his work with the DSNY.)
Here's what to expect at the show, titled "Sign Language" ...
During his residency, Len started the Office of In Visibility, an art project that bears witness to the unseen labor of sanitation and its extensive role in New Yorkers' lives. He has been using this as a platform to research and re-contextualize the department's archival material from film and video to printmaking and photography.For this exhibition, Len focuses on his work revitalizing an old sanitation screen printing shop in Woodside, Queens, that housed hand-printed street signs, trucks, and posters dating from the 1960s.
Reusing the old equipment and leftover designs, Len has created a series of mono prints on paper, aluminum, and wood that remix old DSNY slogans and symbols with his own marbling techniques. The results are bold, messy, and psychedelic updates to the originals with messages that remain relevant and speak to on-going sanitation issues such as illegal dumping and littering.
The opening reception is tomorrow (Saturday!) evening from 6-9 at the gallery, 77 E. Third St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue (in the former HA HQ).
City removes the curbside dining space outside Theatre 80 on St. Mark's Place
On April 7, the Department of Transportation issued a "Termination" notice for the curbside space — just two days after a court-appointed bankruptcy trustee locked the longtime owners out of the premises.
The owners of Foxface, current residents and former commercial tenants of the building housing Theatre 80, were reportedly the high bidders for 78-80 St. Mark's Place during its bankruptcy auction on May 9.
Their new venture, Foxface Natural, debuted in May at 189 Avenue A between 11th Street and 12th Street.
Updated:
Thanks to Steven for this photo...
The East Village Zine Fair is taking place this weekend
Printed Matter/St. Mark's and 8-Ball Community are organizing this third annual Zine Fair that serves as "a celebration of NYC’s zine-makers, independent publishers, and the East Village’s history of DIY culture past and present."
Hours:
• Saturday, July 8 — 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.*
• Sunday, July 9 — 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
* According to organizers: "Saturday will begin with two mask-mandatory hours and a reduced visitor capacity to ensure that those who are immunocompromised and/or disabled have a chance to browse the Fair. To ensure entry during this time, register via this link."
Last chance for food from New Double Dragon
Photo Tuesday by Stacie Joy
New Double Dragon was able to get another few days in business at 37 First Ave. between Second Street and Third Street.
Tuesday was to be the last day... but owner Shawn Lin will be open through today (Friday, July 7)... and serving a limited selection of menu items. You can call (212) 598-0730 or simply stop by.
As previously reported, 33-37 First Ave. will be demolished to make way for some unspecified new development.
Photo: East Village-based musician Cheri Leone, who ran the rehearsal space, dubbed HaveAHeart Studio, below New Double Dragon, with Shawn Lin.
Openings: Rosemary Home on 9th Street
Photos by Stacie Joy
Like its website, the pop-up shop offers "a carefully curated selection of vintage objet and homewares focused on design and quality."
The shop is open daily from noon to 7 p.m. Closed on Tuesdays.
If you're on Instagram, you can follow Rosemary Home here.
Thursday, July 6, 2023
Thursday's parting shots
Photos by Steven
As seen outside 128 Second Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place... ground level by the front door — tile art showing a former tenant, Stage Restaurant (RIP March 30, 2015)
As for 128 Second Ave., Tony's Pizza, went dark earlier this year after a June 2021 debut. Seasoned Vegan is next for the space.
When the lights flickered last night
Some of the residents also reported hearing a pop, or as the Citizen app described it, an explosion...
The lights also flickered for a second, and cable boxes rebooted.
Most of the people we heard from live in proximity to Avenue A... with the furthest report coming from 14th Street between Avenue B and Avenue C.
This morning, a Con Ed crew was working in a manhole on the east side of Avenue A at Sixth Street... just outside the ConEd substation.
We reached out to Con Ed for more about what happened last night... likely related to the summer heat and excess power usage.
Chrissy's Pizza announces itself on 9th Street
Photo by Steven
Hand-painted signage is up for Chrissy's Pizza now at 430 E. Ninth St. between Avenue A and First Avenue.
As first mentioned here, the Instagram sensation (circa Bushwick late 2021) operated by Chris Hansell is opening its first storefront in the former Superiority Burger (now on A!) space.
For now, the pre-orders for 16-inch pies are apparently sold out for July... though the pizzeria will allegedly be open for normal walk-up ordering later this summer.
In the meantime, you can pre-order a Chrissy's T-shirt.
Coming attractions: Cabin on 9th
Per the cafe's Instagram account: "your cozy coffee getaway coming soon to the East Village."
The owners, Cerina Shao and Judy Zhu, opened outposts of Sippy Café in Greenpoint and Brooklyn Heights in 2021 ... offering items with an Asian twist.
Per Greenpointers:
"Many of Sippy Café's teas and specialty drinks are based on Asian flavors, like a black sesame latte and an ube latte. Japanese curry sandwiches and a cooked tuna sandwich inspired by a spicy tuna roll also keep the concept."
At Cabin on 9th, the two said they'll be a more expansive menu with additional food and housemade pastries.
If you're on Instagram, you can follow Cabin on 9th here.
Hours on Saturday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
This retail space became available after Meg, the locally made, independent clothing line, relocated its flagship store to Mott Street last year.
H/T Steven!
Full reveal: 699 E. 6th St.
As previously reported, the residential building will include 11 units, a storefront and space for an unspecified community facility on this long-vacant corner. (A gas station was the last tenant here in the 1980s.)
One reader likened it to "an old-West prison." 
No sign of any listings just yet.
Previously on EV Grieve:
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