Photo by Derek Berg
I Know What You Did Last Winter.
Seventh Street between Avenue A and First Avenue.
Wednesday, January 17, 2024
A look at the under-renovation Ben's Deli on Avenue B
Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy
Interior renovations are progressing at Ben's Deli, 32 Avenue B, between Second Street and Third Street.
The market temporarily closed in September for the work... an expected move after longtime owner and Avenue B folk hero Ben Gibran sold the business earlier last year to a cousin, Sammy Ksem.
Here's a look ... upgrades include new shelving and light fixtures...
Ben's Deli, which played a pivotal role in season one of "Russian Doll" on Netflix, is expected to be back open in another month (or so).
Even with the renovations, Ben's regulars can still be found outside the shop, commiserating on the day's events. And despite his retirement, Ben still pops by a few times a week. We've spotted him watching lions of the Serengeti videos on an iPad from his office, aka his Astro van parked on B.
This past fall, before the renovations really kicked in, the gang used the space in the evening to play dominos ... and to finish drinking the leftover Bud and Coors Light from the cold but denuded store shelves...
Openings: Tina's Cuban Cuisine on 14th Street
Photo by Pinch from August
As we previously mentioned, this is the fourth NYC location for the quick-serve restaurant offering — as the name suggests! — authentic Cuban cuisine.
The arrival of Tina's marks the end of two consecutive bagel shops at the address.
Bagel Market opened last February before the gate stayed down three months later. In an Instagram message, the owners of the chainlet said there was a leak from the unit above the kitchen, "and it destroyed our oven." They were looking to reopen here.
The previous tenant didn't have much better luck here. The Bagel Boss chainlet opened a location in July 2021, and they closed several months later in October 2021 for, per management, "gas and electric problems" in the building. Bagel Boss never reopened here.
What's coming to the former Mochinut space on 2nd Avenue
Photos by Steven
Renovations continue at 124 Second Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place, where we're told an udon noodle restaurant is opening soon.
The operators are also behind Okiboru House of Tsukemen on Orchard Street.
The new establishment takes over the space from Mochinut, the quickly expanding California-born chain known for its mochi doughnuts and Korean-style hot dogs. The business opened here in August 2021 and closed the following year.
H/T Stacie Joy
Signage alert: Kaliiva, a cannabis dispensary for Avenue B
Photo by Salim
Signage arrived late last week for Kaliiva at 11 Avenue B between Houston and Second Street, the latest (currently unlicensed) cannabis dispensary for the neighborhood. (We mentioned this pending arrival on Dec. 19.)
This will be the first NYC shop for the Washington, D.C.-based business offering "premium edibles, flower, vapes and pre-rolls."
Kaliiva takes over the storefront in this Steve Croman-owned building after the departure of Raul's Barber Shop, which held forth for six decades. Raul Velez Sr. decided to retire in 2022 at age 81 (and after a rent hike). His nephews opened a new spot at 256 E. Third St. between Avenue B and Avenue C.
Tuesday, January 16, 2024
Tuesday's parting shot
Thanks to EVG reader Bob Smith for this photo today from Tompkins Square Park
Observations on the growing humanitarian crisis with asylum seekers in the East Village
Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy
The faces of the asylum seekers have been blurred
A humanitarian crisis continues to unfold with no signs of letting up on this corner of the East Village.
Since October, the former St. Brigid School has operated as a Reticketing Center overseen by the NYC Emergency Management (formerly the Office of Emergency Management or OEM) on Seventh Street and Avenue B.
The lines have grown in recent weeks, stretching from Seventh Street, around the corner to Avenue B, and back down Eighth Street. Here, the people fleeing hardship in their home countries and seeking asylum await help. A majority of the asylum seekers here are from West African countries like Mauritania, Senegal, and the Gambia and are Muslim.
We've been writing about and observing what has occurred here since late May when St. Brigid served as a respite center. The situation has only gotten worse, exacerbated by the frigid winter temperatures.
What follows is an overview of the crisis.
The Challenges
As Vox pointed out, the crisis has deep roots. "The United States' immigration system has long been broken, amplifying an international humanitarian crisis, and the movement of migrants from the southern border into cities has highlighted and tested the system's many fault lines."
In NYC, a report from the Mayor's Office blamed a host of factors for the current crisis, including the lack of comprehensive federal immigration reform, Trump administration policies and overwhelmed immigration courts.
More than 100,000 migrants have arrived in the city over the last year.
The Asylum Seekers
There are thousands of people maneuvering for a cot assignment or shelter location, with more arriving every day.
After the Mayor’s 30-day and 60-day eviction notices went into effect late last year, more and more people have been pouring into the St Brigid's reticketing agency. (The city put the 30- and 60-day limits in place to free up shelter space, though some critics have said the policy is only causing more chaos.)
Women, children, and families are prioritized, so you will see mostly men at this center, although some women are in the line. This site, open only during the day (that is, no one can stay overnight, doors close at 7 p.m., and the site is locked up by 9 p.m.), process those looking for one of the few spaces available.
Some people return daily until a space opens up for them at a shelter or humanitarian relief center. People can also accept a free one-way ticket almost anywhere in the world. Right now, there are White House restrictions on Venezuela, but almost anywhere else is fair game. However, very few people select this option.
If there's space, people can be sent to large sites like the cargo warehouse (Building 197) at JFK lined with cots or wait for a shelter or hotel space to become available. Since there are so few spaces, most people go to Bathgate in the Bronx, where they can sleep on the floor overnight. If there is a Code Blue weather emergency, the former Police Academy center on 20th Street in Gramercy Park will open, and people can stay in chairs overnight.
People are hungry and need more clothing and supplies. The city does provide meals, or at least food, but often, as we have seen, the food is moldy, expired, or not in accordance with Halal dietary restrictions.
On Saturday, those at the site received a plastic container with a hardboiled egg, a piece of bread with butter/jelly, and an orange.
And there is never enough food. Mutual Aid groups like East Village Loves NYC have been working hard to provide hot and healthy meals to people. Still, they have been waiting for promised funding from the NYC Emergency Management. However, none has arrived.
After being strung along for months, EV Loves NYC cannot provide the meals needed. They depend on community contributions and are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. We encourage residents to donate to groups like this that feed all people in need, as they are boots on the ground and have the volunteers, resources, and know-how to continue to provide support on a shoestring budget.
The Site
The former St. Brigid School, which closed in the spring of 2019, is overflowing with people and operating way above capacity. Thousands of people are processed here, and the building's infrastructure and staff can't handle the influx.
Staff from NYC Emergency Management, teams from MedRite and security companies like Arrow and Mulligan, have difficulties every day with fights (cutting the line is a significant problem), sick individuals, and the endless flow of paperwork, translation services, and trying to cope with clearly desperate people who don't have any housing, food, clothing, personal care items or other necessary resources.
Getting work papers is almost impossible, so people work off the books or depend on governmental or community support. Site staff also have to deal with law enforcement and community members who are angry/upset and trying to help.
The site cannot legally accept assistance from the community due to restrictions and risk-assessment issues like bedbugs, space, and the possibility of contaminated food.
City Services, Including the Parks Department and Sanitation
The additional work with the influx of people waiting in the park has caused stress. Workloads have trebled, and mitigating the trash and keeping the park clean has been tremendously difficult.
Law Enforcement
Police officials are fielding calls every day from angry residents about the asylum seekers. Complaints range from line-jumping fights (a daily, often hourly occurrence) to residents upset about men hanging out in or near the playgrounds along Avenue B in Tompkins Square Park.
There have been incidents of violence reported inside the school and in the surrounding areas. New 9th Precinct Commanding Office Pam Jeronimo has made a concerted effort to have officers fluent in Wolof, Pulaar, and Arabic (as well as Spanish) on-site to assist in communication efforts.
The Church
St Brigid-St. Emeric on Avenue B at Eighth Street is part of the Archdiocese of New York.
The Archdiocese leases the space at the school to the city for the reticketing site (formerly a HERRC). Rentals are usually on a six- or nine-month time frame. The church administrator, Father Seán Connolly, has no authority or oversight over the city's use of the space and has also expressed frustration with being unable to do more. He has participated in distributions and opened his doors for clothing drives.
Ultimately, he says, he's "a steward of the space."
Interfaith Coalition
The neighborhood has an interfaith coalition of organizations, including representatives from Trinity Lower East Side, Middle Church, Graffiti Church, Hope Church and St. Brigid's/Most Holy Redeemer. They often participate in distributions and the sorting and storing of supplies. The community fridge outside Trinity on the corner of Ninth Street and Avenue B is a good spot for wrapped, labeled food donations for anyone needing a meal.
Local Restaurants
Multiple local businesses, including C&B Cafe, Spice Brothers, 7th Street Burger, Café Mogador, Veselka, Cafe Chrystie, and others, have provided food, meals, snacks, and supplies for asylum seekers. Some work directly with kind-hearted and dedicated neighbors who hand out the food; others work with mutual aid groups like EV Loves NYC to provide bulk supplies (such as Halal meat).
Local Elected Officials
State Assemblymember Harvey Epstein has attempted to distribute coats the office on the SE corner of Seventh Street and Avenue B received during recent drives but has been stymied by the number of people and the mob scene that ensues.
Because there isn't an organized way to provide coats to the thousand-plus people waiting, these supplies have been going out in smaller, discreet distributions when someone is spotted without proper cold-weather clothing. All coat drive initiatives at this location have been paused.
The City of New York
There is a lack of leadership, money, and any clear path forward from the mayor and his office on down. It is clear that Federal funding is needed, and the city is at a breaking point in trying to manage the massive influx of refugees.
During a town hall in September, Mayor Adams issued a dire warning: "Never in my life have I had a problem that I did not see an ending to. I don't see an ending to this. I don't see an ending to this. This issue will destroy New York City."
At the same time, there isn't any open communication channel with the Mayor's Office, and talks with NYC Emergency Management have remained ongoing and friendly but ultimately empty, as help has yet to arrive.
Community Members
Many residents have asked us how they can help. We see neighbors bring peanut butter and jelly sandwiches daily, collect money, and buy pizzas to serve, one slice at a time. Pooling cash among friends and relatives to bulk-order items in constant need.
We also see people mobbed by hungry asylum seekers when too many people chase too few goods. It can be scary, and there have been situations that include assault and forcible touching.
Safety concerns exist when one person is doing a distribution, and hundreds of people swarm to receive supplies. There's no easy answer here as cooperation with the site, the city, law enforcement, and the church regarding food and supplies distribution is complicated and time-consuming.
One way people have been having some success is to leave open totes of sweaters, coats, socks, etc., clearly labeled with signs saying Free, Gratis, Gratuit and allowing the asylum seekers to browse for needed items. (It's best to not put the items in garbage bags as they give the appearance of being trash.)
There are very few women in the line, so the overwhelming need is for men's clothing.
Bulk items needed right now include gloves, socks, underwear, scarves and hats. These can be ordered in large numbers, and these items are always needed. They are small, easy to distribute, and less expensive than ordering thousands of winter coats.
There are new people at the site every day. Some people return several days in a row waiting for a new cot assignment, but the need for supplies and food is ongoing. If you are uncomfortable handing out supplies alone, you can do one side-by-side with other distributions.
EV Loves NYC will donate your new bulk-ordered items like gloves, hats, rain ponchos, and underwear. They cannot accept coats and oversized items right now. They are also overwhelmed and have an all-volunteer staff and request patience.
You can watch their Instagram for planned dates and times going forward. They also work with other aid groups like NYC Migrant Solidarity and have a planned distribution at the Sixth Street Community Center between Avenue B and Avenue C every Sunday.
[Spanish for "immigration is not easy"]
Postscript
This is a humanitarian crisis with a lot of moving parts. Things are subject to change without advance notice, and often, no one is informed of the new rules until they are underway.
There is a delicate dance of diplomacy and negotiation to get help to the needy without causing further difficulties for staff, residents, and officials — or for the volunteers and asylum seekers themselves.
A lot of frustration is expressed, and people always ask why this issue isn't being addressed. Ultimately, the mayor and the city need a plan going forward, and since there is no end in sight to the flow of refugees being sent here from the southern border, every day brings challenges.
Watching the community come together to help those in need has been heartwarming. Every day, we see asylum seekers using translator apps to express gratitude.
Find the EVG archives with more posts about the asylum seekers here.
ICYMI: After 26 years, Gregg Singer sells the former P.S. 64 for $57.1 million
In a transaction filed on Jan. 9, an entity going as 605 East 9th Community Holdings LLC bought the property from longtime owner Gregg Singer for $57,267,453, per public records.
The LLC reportedly (per The Real Deal) has ties to Aaron Sosnick, a billionaire hedge fund manager who lives next door in the Christodora House.
Denham Wolf Real Estate Services issued a statement saying that "a philanthropic entity with the purpose of returning the property to community use." (Denham Wolf Real Estate Services did not respond to an email seeking more information.
The bankruptcy auction in early November for the property was canceled. The Real Deal reported that "the property failed to solicit any bids outside of a $55 million credit bid from its lender." Madison Realty Capital sold the loan secured by the property to 605 East 9th Community Holdings LLC.
Through the years, Singer, who bought the building from the city during an auction in 1998 for $3.1 million, wanted to turn the one-time P.S. 64 into a dorm, though those plans never materialized, and the building has sat in disrepair. The 135,000-square-foot landmarked building is zoned for “community facility use,” and any conversion to a condoplex or residential housing would require a zoning variance.
As previously noted, some residents want to see the space used again as a community center, as it was during its time as Charas/El Bohio Community Center. Singer evicted the group on Dec. 27, 2001.
Given Denham Wolf's statement, it appears that may happen someday, though the building needs a tremendous amount of work. Revisit our exclusive walk-through of the space here.
Monday, January 15, 2024
Remembering when it snowed (part 2)
Up early with a giant statue of Kid Cudi on the East River
Photos by William Klayer
In recent days, a giant statue of Kid Cudi has been spotted along the East River... on a barge being pulled by a tugboat.
EVG regular William Klayer made the first sighting this morning at 6 ... as the promotion for Kid Cudi's forthcoming record, Insano, made its way from 14th Street down toward the Williamsburg Bridge...
Per the Laughing Squid, the statue has also appeared in Paris and Long Beach, Calif.
Sunday, January 14, 2024
Week in Grieview
• Documenting the demolition of Middle Collegiate Church (Monday)
• From the EVG archives: Asylum seekers at the former St. Brigid School (Sunday)
• East Houston Street Wine & Liquor is headed to a new larger space across East Houston (Wednesday)
• Wonder bringing its 'fast fine' delivery and food-hall concept to Stuyvesant Street (Thursday)
• Classic East Village lunch counter B&H Dairy looking good with new awning, storefront and neon signage (Friday)
• The J. Crew men's concept store on the Bowery has closed (Monday)
• ICP teams up with the Nuyorican Poets Café for open mic series (Thursday)
• G's Cheesesteaks will be the first retail tenant in 15 years at 6 Avenue B (Monday)
• Sadie's Ward officially takes over from the Whiskey Ward (Tuesday)
• High-end East Village sushi favorite Cagen has closed on 9th Street (Monday)
• A look at Area 140 First on 1st Avenue (Thursday)
• Openings: Crazy Burger on Avenue C (Thursday)
• The porta potties are MIA in Tompkins Square Park (Tuesday) ... New mats for the outdoor fitness area at Tompkins Square Park (Wednesday)
• Reports: Kushner sells 6-building East Village portfolio for $57 million (Tuesday)
• Trek officially closes on the Bowery (Monday)
• Mr. Kim quickly leaves St. Mark's Place (Tuesday)
... and now turning to sports, Lazio secured a Coppa Italia semi-final place with a 1-0 victory over AS Roma on Wednesday... and the reaction outside by Giovanni and Co. outside Via Della Pace on Fourth Street (photo by Derek Berg)...
From the EVG archives: Asylum seekers at the former St. Brigid School
Photo last week by Stacie Joy
Today, we're starting with the ongoing coverage of asylum seekers at the former St. Brigid School on Seventh Street at Avenue B.
On May 30 (link here), we were the first media outlet in the city to cover the school's use as a respite center (and, as far as we know, the only outlet with photos from inside the facility).
Subsequent coverage includes (complete list here):
Unfortunately, the situation here is only getting worse, as more and more asylum seekers are reaching their 30-day limits at shelters across New York City, and they line up in the cold outside St. Brigid so they can be placed back into new shelters.
One way to help is to donate to East Village Loves NYC, the volunteer-run nonprofit that has helped feed people in need throughout the city since the early days of the pandemic. More details here.
Peter Hujar will get his 'Day' in upcoming film
A biopic of the late East Village-based artist-photographer Peter Hujar is in the works... Deadline first reported that Ben Whishaw has the lead in the film directed by director Ira Sachs (the two worked together in the 2023 release "Passages.")Ben Whishaw to star in Ira Sachs’ new biopic of photographer Peter Hujar https://t.co/yYANYWazrW pic.twitter.com/vkzsQ58dCB
— Dazed (@Dazed) January 11, 2024
Per Dazed:
"Peter Hujar's Day" – which had apparently been scheduled to begin shooting in November 2023 but was delayed due to last year's strikes – will... be an "intimate" film about the renowned photographer. Hujar’s story promises to make a compelling film. He lived as he worked – unflinching, unsqueamish and uncompromising, equally drawn to the stark beauty of the human condition as he was to the danger of the abandoned West Side Hudson River piers (a notorious cruising location).
Hujar lived and worked above the Louis N. Jaffe Art Theater (today, the Village East by Angelika) on Second Avenue at 12th Street. Read more about the space where Jackie Curtis and David Wojnarowicz lived before and after Hujar right here.
And you're interested in more on the subject... "Peter Hujar's Day" is also a book that contains a transcript of a conversation between Hujar and Linda Rosenkrantz. Per the description: Rosenkrantz asked Hujar to write down everything he did one day on Dec. 18, 1974.
A highly recommended book.
Saturday, January 13, 2024
Saturday's parting shot
Protection for 2 young trees on 14th Street
Remembering when it snowed
Friday, January 12, 2024
Friday's parting shot
Photo by Steven
Hey, it's Christo... one of the resident red-tailed hawks on the hunt in Tompkins Square Park this afternoon...
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