The Lo-Down Magazine - June 2015 by The Lo-Down

News from the Lower East Side

LO-DOWN

THE

JUNE 2015

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LUXE LIVING

High-End Apartments Break a New Price Barrier

Also inside: Talking with Jim Gaffigan The Lo-Down | TheLoDownNY.com

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Magazine

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June 2015

David Klein Copy Editor Kim Sillen Art Director Alex Price Associate Designer/Photographer Alex M. Smith Contributing Photographer Evan Forsch Cartoonist

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Traven Rice Publisher/Arts Editor

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Ed Litvak Editor-in-Chief

THE

Claudia Barritt

LO-DOWN

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A Perfect Time to Sell

2 SUPER WEEKS OF

DANCE CAMP!

in this issue

letter from the Editor: We didn’t know exactly what to expect last month in launching our first crowdfunding campaign. The idea was to find out whether our community would be willing to back a robust journalism project on an important local topic. We still have a few days to go (see page 15 to find out how you can help). But it was obvious from the outset that the subject matter, smallbusiness survival, has touched a nerve. While it’s true we need financial backing to thoroughly report this story, there’s an equally important aspect of this initiative: community engagement. From the day we kicked off the campaign, our readers have responded with ideas, opinions and incredible passion for saving the Lower East Side’s mom-and-pops. We believe community news works best as a two-way conversation. We’re excited to tackle this project as a neighborhood-wide reporting effort every step of the way. In this month’s magazine, we take a look at the luxury real estate market, which is sure to transform the LES in the years to come, chat with local funnyman Jim Gaffigan and profile Luis Arce Mota, a longtime Lower East Side resident who recently opened an authentic Mexican restaurant on Norfolk Street. Enjoy the issue and the start of summer in New York City.

Cover Story

Luxury condos reach new heights

12 N YCHA’s New Plan

Private development coming to public housing

17 New Arrivals

Insomnia Cookies, Tracy Williams Gallery, Balanced Pilates, Chinatown Soup, The Unicorn

18 Calendar/Feat ured Events

LES Film Festival, Egg Rolls & Egg Creams, DayLife

20 Neighborhood News

Sunshine Cinema building for sale, Manhattan Bridge safety plan, Driver charged in Bowery fatal crash.

22 The Lo-Dine

Punjabi Deli, Barramundi, Tiengarden

24 Ar ts Watch

A conversation with Jim Gaffigan

26 My LES

La Contenta owner Luis Arce Mota

28 Car toon

LES Sideways by Evan Forsch

Ed Litvak

On the cover: "Rendering of 215 Chrystie St.,” a luxury hotel and condo tower designed by Herzog & de Meuron.

The Lo-Down | TheLoDownNY.com

4 June 2015

DayLife_SubwayPoster_051415.indd 1

5/14/15 4:31 PM

By Ed Litvak

o one’s likely to confuse the stretch of Delancey Street near the Williamsburg Bridge with Park Avenue. The defining characteristics of the area today are a series of nondescript commercial buildings, a highway-like thoroughfare and a random selection of bargain retail outlets. But by next year, pedestrians craning their necks will see something new: a shimmering residential tower cantilevering over the Solid Gold discount jewelry store on the northeast corner of Delancey and Norfolk streets. 6 June 2015

A lot of local residents thought the developers, Adam America Real Estate, the Naveh Shuster Group and the Horizon Group, had lost their minds when they announced the high-end project known as “100 Norfolk” a couple of years ago on the former site of a refrigeration facility used by the dearly departed Ratner’s Dairy Restaurant. They might be surprised to know that, just a few months after launching sales for the 38 condos in the ultra-modern

building, 85 percent are under contract. Last month, a three-bedroom unit on the ninth floor fetched $4.3 million, or $2,665 per square foot. It’s not the first time an apartment on the Lower East Side has broken the $2,000-per-square-foot barrier. But in recent months it’s happened with more frequency as several new luxury buildings came onto the market. As Andrew Barrocas of MNS brokerage told the trade magaThe Lo-Down | TheLoDownNY.com

50 Clinton St. Replacing buildings that housed acclaimed restaurant wd-50 as well as 60-year-old Rothstein’s Hardware (which moved to Ridge Street), this seven-story project seems to be having no trouble attracting buyers interested in snapping up undersized apartments starting at just under $1 million. Fredrik Eklund, a star on Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing, predicted there would be strong demand for smaller units his team is aiming at “entry level buyers and young professionals.” Even through the single-story commercial structures on the site haven’t been demol-

zine The Real Deal last month, “I think for a long time the demand wasn’t there for this type of product... [But now] we’re seeing numbers on par with other parts of the Downtown market.” In part, the sky-high prices are simply a reflection of Manhattan’s overheated residential market. But it’s also apparent that the $2,000 threshold represents a significant turning point for an historically low- and middle-income neighborhood. Luxury housing is, of course, not a new concept on the LES. It’s been eight years, after all, since the 17-story Blue Building opened on Norfolk Street, stirring controversy for both its unconventional architecture and multi-million-dollar apartment prices. But today, for the first time, multiple luxury projects are in the pipeline that are likely to reshape the Lower East Side’s residential market for years to come. Here’s a summary of some of what is in the works. 8 June 2015

100 Norfolk St. The marketing website set up by Douglas Elliman Real Estate calls this building a “new architectural masterpiece” from designer Eran Chen, featuring a “striking glass facade cantilevered over tree-lined streets like an elegantly lit chandelier.” Located in a section of the neighborhood rezoned in 2008, the development site was created by cobbling together air rights from several nearby lots. Multiple units have broken the $2,000-persquare-foot barrier, including a $7 million penthouse reportedly purchased by real estate investor and bar owner Emma Hsieh. Mr. Chen, of ODA architecture, apparently likes his creation so much he’s keeping a corner unit for himself as a downtown getaway from his main Upper West Side home.

ished yet, many of the 37 units are under contract at around $2,000 per square foot. Some are going for a little less, while others are actually pushing $3,000 per square foot. A 655-square-foot one-bedroom on the sixth floor is in contract for $1,375,000. Eklund boasted on his Instagram feed that a penthouse unit was recently claimed for $2,900 per square foot

215 Chrystie St. Forget luxury. How about super-luxury? These 11 full-floor and half-floor apartments on top of the new Public Hotel across from Sara D. Roosevelt Park are going for, on average, nearly $4,000 per square foot. Hotel developer Ian Schrager calls his latest project “tough luxe,” blending the best qualities of uptown chic and downtown grit. There are six units now listed on the New York real estate site StreetEasy, ranging in price from $7.1 million to an eye-popping $18.75 million for the penthouse. Last fall, the New York Observer noted that this 4,236-square-foot apartment was being eyed by a Park Avenue Photos Pages 6-7: 100 Norfolk interior by ODA architecture.. Facing page: Roof deck at 100 Norfolk St. This page: Cantilevered exterior of 100 Norfolk St.

couple “interested in using the place for the complementary purposes of art storage and entertaining—as a kind of interesting weekend getaway south of 14th Street.”

Exterior rendering of 204 Forsyth St. by Z Architecture

204 Forsyth St. On the site of the former Nativity Mission School, developer Charles Saulson is building 11 high-end two- and three-bedroom apartments, including a 1,500-square-foot unit for $3.3 million and an $8.5 million penthouse. Compared with other downtown neighborhoods, such as Soho and Tribeca, the Lower East Side still boasts a relatively small number of new condominium units entering the market. In the first quarter of 2015, MNS brokerage’s “New Development Report” found the median price on the LES was about $1,300 per square foot. But bro10 June 2015

kers who have been working in the neighborhood for the last few years believe there’s been a fundamental shift. In November 2012, Ariel Tirosh of Douglas Elliman sold a three-bedroom penthouse at 115 Norfolk St., a new condo building, for $3.8 million, just under $2,000 per square foot. At the time, it was the most expensive condo sale on the Lower East Side since the 2008 financial meltdown. Now he’s overseeing sales at 100 Norfolk St., and recently won the coveted contract for condominium sales in the high-profile Essex Crossing development project. In a recent interview, Tirosh said he thinks a “psychological barrier has been broken.” There was a time in the not-toodistant past, he explained, in which the location was a drawback for some buyers. “Now it’s a place that has a big upside,” he said. “It’s not as sterile [as some other neighborhoods], Tirosh added, “and it’s edgy and has promise for the future.” The Essex Crossing project, which will bring new apartments as well as a 14-screen movie theater, an expanded Essex Street Market and other local amenities to the area, is a big part of changing perceptions. He also mentioned the influx of high-profile restaurants and hotels in the past couple of years. “It’s all giving buyers reason to embrace the Lower East Side,” he said. It’s worth pointing out that these trends directly impact only a very small part of the Lower East Side housing market. Like New York City in general, most residents are renters. Based on the most recent statistics available, the homeownership rate in Community District 3, encompassing the LES, East Village and Chinatown, is scarcely higher than 12 percent. But times are definitely changing. New luxury developments are already under construction, or will be in a matter of weeks. In the first phase of Essex Crossing, for example, 55 condominium apartments will be created on a site at Ludlow and Broome streets (11 of those apartments are to be

set aside for middle-income families). In the Two Bridges Neighborhood, Extell Development is building a massive luxury condominium project alongside the Manhattan Bridge that will flood the Lower East Side market with 646 new high-end apartments. Neither developer has gone public with marketing materials for the projects, but it’s a safe assumption that the condo units will be priced above $1 million. In the past few years, the definition of “luxury” in Manhattan real estate has changed dramatically. In January, the penthouse at Extell’s One57 tower in Midtown sold for $100 million, a Manhattan record. Developers are forging ahead with numerous $20 million condos in the area around Central Park. In this environment, real estate pros have come up with a term—“affordable luxury”— to describe apartments in the $1–$3 million range. As ridiculous as it may seem, this is the “new normal” for apartment buyers. The meaning of the word "affordable" has become skewed,” Jonathan Miller of appraisal firm Miller Samuel told the Daily News earlier this year. “It’s gone from meaning subsidized housing to affordable to the middle class. Now it’s morphed into this, which is not really affordable for most people at all.” On the LES, the vast majority of apartments still available for sale are located in the Grand Street cooperatives, the former middle-class housing developments that only entered the free market in the past 15 years or so. Even in these mid-century towers, two-bedroom apartments are now selling for more than $800,000. Only

about a dozen units in the co-ops were listed for sale at the middle of last month. Throughout the city, there’s a serious shortage of apartments priced $1 million and less. Developers are now beginning to address the situation, building more projects in the “affordable luxury” category. This is why the Lower East Side is beginning to see high-end projects popping up,

Exterior rendering of 50 Clinton St. by Isaac & Stern Architects. largely aimed at affluent first-time buyers. How hot is the LES luxury market? At 100 Norfolk, half of the apartments were under contract last October, just one week after sales got under way, leading to industry chatter that the first units might actually have been priced too low. As of late last month, the cheapest apartment, a 647-square-foot one-bedroom, was listed for $1,150,000. n The Lo-Down | TheLoDownNY.com

Mayor Unveils New Plan to Develop NYCHA Property

The mayor announced his plan May 19 at a news conference in East Harlem. Photo: Mayoral Photography Office.

housing. De Blasio added, “I would say my colleagues here from the City Council were people who issued a lot of concerns about the previous plan. They’re standing here because it’s a very different plan based on their feedback.” While leaders in the City Council did offer their support, some Lower East Side activists are already expressing their doubts. Jonathan Gardenhire, the vice president of the Tenant Association at the Alfred E. Smith Houses, told City Limits, “I think

In the de Blasio plan, the new subsidized apartments would be affordable to low-income households earning no more than 60 percent of the area median income. One part of the proposal would give developers land in exchange for $200 million in fees over 10 years, to build 10,000 affordable apartments starting at three housing projects in Brooklyn and the Bronx. Other developments would be made available at a later time. Other aspects of the plan call for stepping up rent collections, which now stand at only 74 percent, and charging more for parkIn the de Blasio plan, the new subsidized ing. Right now, a space in a NYCHA lot costs about $300 per year. Current tenapartments would be affordable to lowincome households earning no more than ants, who will have first dibs on spaces, will be charged up to $150 a month. Any 60 percent of the area median income. unclaimed spots will then be offered to the public at market rates. NYCHA has an operating deficit of $98 milit’s important for whatever development they do to be integrated into the existing development, to lion, and its buildings require an infusion of promote the social and cultural sustainability of $16 billion. The previous NYCHA proposal targeted the these neighborhoods.” Gardenhire and Aixa Torres, president of Smith, Baruch, LaGuardia, Campos Plaza and Smith Houses, met privately with the mayor and Meltzer Houses on the Lower East Side. At Smith, NYCHA officials, but said not a lot of details were for example, the agency envisioned a new tower available. “I asked the mayor about the direction encompassing one million square feet on parking and shape these neighborhoods and communities lots and a baseball diamond. The Daily News will be taking,” Gardenhire told the newspaper. “He dubbed the plan a “Tale of Two Cities,” in reference didn’t really have much to say.” to the prospect of low- and high-income residents living side-by-side. n

By Ed Litvak Mayor de Blasio last month announced a new plan to stabilize the financially troubled New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA). It includes a new scheme to lease property alongside NYCHA buildings to private developers. A different version of the so-called “infill-housing” plan was advanced by Michael Bloomberg but abandoned in the face of strong opposition. “NextGeneration NYCHA” is a 10-year blueprint to eliminate NYCHA’s spiraling budget deficit and fund billions of dollars in critical maintenance projects. The most controversial part of the plan would allow private developers to build 17,000 apartments on NYCHA property. While most of those apartments would be designated as affordable 12 June 2015

housing, developers would be permitted to create 3,500 market-rate units. NYCHA would lease “high value land” for projects that would be 50 percent affordable and 50 percent market rate. The Bloomberg proposal called for leasing land at five NYCHA sites on the Lower East Side. The de Blasio administration has not revealed the locations being targeted. The new list will be released in August. NYCHA Chairwoman Shola Olatoye, de Blasio said during a news conference in Harlem, has led efforts “to figure out what would work for people, which is why you see a very different design than the one presented by the previous administration.” The Bloomberg proposal included 20 percent affordable housing and 80 percent market-rate

Public housing on the Lower East Side.

Photo by Joel Raskin, 2012.

The Lo-Down | TheLoDownNY.com

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SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS ON THE L.E.S.

We want to take a moment to update you to onexplore our Small Businessfaced Survival We’re launching a year-long reporting initiative the challenges by Campaign. If you read small businesseslast in our neighborhood to investigate best solutions for longthe magazine month or are a and regular reader ofthe our online edition, you probably already know term survival. The Lo-Down is launching a yearlong reporting project to investigate how to save the Lower East We’ll kick it off with a series of 8 in-depth stories, and follow-up with profiles of the Side’s endangered independent businesses. LES’s most loved businesses, a “Buy Local” Guide and comprehensive interviews with local leaders.

There are onlylaunching a few more days to go in our crowdfunding campaign support this important We’re a year-long reporting initiative to explore theto challenges faced by To make this project a reality and to assure The Lo-Down’s survival, we need your small businesses in our neighborhood and to investigate the best solutions for long- for initiative. We have been gratified by the strong support and feedback from our community help. term survival. this project, which will offer the kind of in-depth, sustained coverage you can’t get anywhere else. Your voluntary donation will make sure we can continue providing this magazine free

We’ll kick it off with a series of 8 in-depth stories, and follow-up with profiles of the

of charge. It will also help us fund a robust reporting project on an issue of critical But we’re not there justEast yet. As our fundraising campaign draws to a close on interviews June 11, we need importance to most the Lower Side. LES’s loved businesses, a “Buy Local” Guide and comprehensive with local leaders. your support. This project can only happen if we raise $24,000 by this deadline. When you back From May 11-June 8, The Lo-Down is running a crowdfunding campaign. There are all the project, not only supporting small business butRuss also& The Lo-Down’s community kinds of greatyou’re rewards available, gifts from Katz’s Deli, Daughters To make this project aincluding reality and to assure The Lo-Down’s survival, we need your and Melt Bakery. journalism. Let’s do this together! help. Please visit our website for more information: TheLoDownNY.com/SmallBusiness

To learnYour morevoluntary about our campaign donation will and make sure we can continue providing this magazine free It will also on an issue of critical to makeofa charge. contribution, visit:help us fund a robust reporting project Community Partners THANK YOU to FOR YOUR importance the Lower East SUPPORT! Side. www.thlodownny.com/smallbusiness

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(105 Henry St., near Allen Street, theunicornnyc. com) Longtime Lower East Side singer, songwriter and comedian Jessica Delfino has opened a music school, store and performance venue across from P.S. 2. Music lessons are offered for children and adults interested in playing such instruments as the guitar, ukulele, banjo, piano, autoharp, lute and even the dulcimer. Nightly performance events will be scheduled on a regular basis. Lesson prices start at $45 for a 30-minute private appointment with discounts offered for bulk purchases. The Unicorn is open Monday–Wednesday 10 a.m.–8 p.m., Thursday– Saturday 10 a.m.–10 p.m. and Sundays by appointment.

CHINATOWN SOUP (16 Orchard St., near

Canal, chinatownsoup.nyc) Four friends who became disenchanted with the “growing sense of alienation and top-down development in their city” opened this gallery, shop and studio on lower Orchard Street. They’re aiming to create a space for everyone from “Lower East Side underground taggers to the Upper East Side Koons collectors—to participate in a new subculture of the art community that exists outside of ‘the art world.’”

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(55 Hester St., near Essex Street, tracywilliamsltd. com) The established gallery, which was founded in the West Village 11 years ago, opened up a new space on the Lower East Side this spring. Williams takes over the subterranean headquarters of Lu Magnus, an unconventional gallery that decided to give up a brick-and-mortar outpost earlier this year. The inaugural exhibition, on display through July 10, features sculpture and works on paper by Richard Dupont. The gallery is open Wednesday–Saturday 11 a.m.– 6 p.m.; Sunday noon– 6 p.m.

THE UNICORN

balancedpilatesnyc.com) A Pilates studio with an established location in Harlem opened a second storefront on the Lower East Side last month. Catherine DeLuce, the studio manager, says they’re aiming to cater to a wide audience—everyone from dancers and athletes to seniors. Group and private sessions are available. Initial hours will be Monday–Friday 7 a.m.–11 p.m. and weekends 8 a.m.– 4 p.m. n

The Lo-Down | TheLoDownNY.com

calendar

what to do in

Sun.

Thurs.

Visit our CALENDAR online at www.thelodownny.com/calendar for more details and to add your own events.

Edited by Traven Rice

Egg Rolls, Egg Creams & Empanadas Festival at the Museum at Eldridge: Celebrate the additions of the Puerto Rican community to this fun cultural street corner collision. Where else can you experience performances of klezmer, bomba, plena, Peking opera, cantorial music, demos of kreplach, empanadas, dumplings, pickling and a Chinese tea ceremony? Not to mention mini Yiddish, Mandarin, and Spanish language lessons all in one place? Noon to 4 p.m., 12 Eldridge St. bet. Canal and Division, free, eldridgestreet.org.

JUNE

Sun.

Featured

EVENT

LES FILM FESTIVAL Kick off the fifth anniversary of this intimate film festival that occurs over ten nights in different, and often surprising, venues throughout the LES (including a popular rooftop “dive-in” pool party at the hotel 60 LES). The opening night film is Life In Color, a debut dramedy from Katharine Emmer, with Josh McDermitt (The Walking Dead) and Jim O’Heir (Parks and Recreation). With the focus on great creative filmmaking made on a dime, the lineup is thoughtfully curated — maintaining a fun screening experience for both audience and filmmakers alike. This year’s lineup includes eleven New York premieres, four world premieres, two North American premieres and three U.S. premieres — plus a lasagna night! Events run each night through June 21. 7:30 p.m., 143 E Houston St. at Eldridge, $12.50, showtimes at other venues vary, visit lesfilmfestival.com for more.

Kulturfest at Abrons Arts Center: Commemorate the

National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene’s centennial at KulturfestNYC, the first-ever international festival of Jewish performing arts. Celebrating the global impact of Jewish culture, weeklong festivities include theatre, music, dance, film, cuisine, street performances, family programs, panels and lectures at venues throughout NYC. Through June 21. 466 Grand St. at Pitt, showtimes and ticket prices vary, kulturfestnyc.org.

Wed.

Sat.

DayLife on Orchard Street: Stroll through this street festival that takes over Sun. Orchard Street between East Houston and Delancey Streets each summer, enlivening the block with the best in LES food, fashion, a full range of music, activities, live art demos, noshes and a whole lot more. Noon to 5 p.m., Orchard Street between Delancey and Houston streets, free, lowereastsideny.org.

The Steve Nash Foundation Showdown: Cheer on the NBA MVP and his friends in a fast-paced, competitive 8-a-side soccer match featuring NBA and professional soccer players, joining forces to support the Steve Nash Foundation’s work to benefit underserved children. Among this year’s featured players is Alessandro Del Piero, widely recognized as one of the greatest players of his generation, and as one of the best Italian players of all time. 4 p.m., Sara D. Roosevelt Park (Chrystie at Stanton), free or by donation, stevenash.org.

Wed.

Tenth Annual Jazz Age Lawn Party on Governors Island: Put on your flapper gear and brush up your “Great Gatsby” impressions for this Prohibition-era soiree founded by Michael Arenella and His Dreamland Orchestra. The beloved lawn party—a dream of the 1920s—inspires New Yorkers to don a seriously classy vintage wardrobe in a tribute to “hot jazz, stiff cocktails and loose morals.” Also Sunday, June 14 and August 15,16. Catch the ferry to Governors Island at the Battery Maritime Building, 10 South St. at FDR Drive,11 a.m. to 5 p.m., ticket prices start at $30 (children under 12 free), dreamlandorchestra.com.

18 June 2015

The Lo-Down | TheLoDownNY.com

Russ & Daughters Herring Pairing at Astor Center: Be part of an evening celebrating the wonders of herring, including the prized New Catch Holland Herring (Hollandse Nieuwe) at the peak of its season. In addition to Russ & Daughters’ delectable array of herring preparations, Chef Jonathan Wu of Fung Tu restaurant will be the guest chef at this year’s celebration. Enjoy expertly selected sparkling wine and spirits that pair with the herring. 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m., corner of Lafayette Street and E. 4th Street, directly above Astor Wine & Spirits, $79, russanddaughters.com.

Sat.

27 Hamilton Fish Park Swimming Pool Opening Day: Jump in this historic Olympic-size pool to celebrate the official start of summer (for the kids, that is). Sign up for the popular Adult Lap Swim, offered both mornings and evenings from 7–8:30. If you swim 30 miles or more over the summer you’ll receive a free T-shirt, and prizes are awarded to the top three male and female distance swimmers at each pool program. Open through Labor Day, Open Swim is from 11 a.m.–7 p.m. with a break for pool cleaning between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. 128 Pitt St., (bet. Stanton and Houston), free, nycgovparks.org.

The Lo-Down | TheLoDownNY.com

neighborhood news edited by Ed Litvak

crime

A 24-year-old driver has been charged with second-degree manslaughter after a man was killed in front of the Bowery Mission last November. Police said Danny Lin, who was behind the wheel of a BMW, was traveling at speeds in excess of 50 m.p.h. Robert Perry, a 57-year-old frequent resident of the mission, was struck and killed as he attempted to cross Bowery at Rivington Street. “Miraculously,” said D.A. Cy Vance, “no one else was hurt when the car [Lin] was driving crashed into a hydrant on a sidewalk filled with other pedestrians. City streets are no place for this kind of reckless driving and Robert Perry dangerous speed.”

The Sunshine Cinema building at 139143 East Houston St. is reportedly being shopped around as a development site. According to a report in the Real Deal, the historic structure is on the market for “north of $35 million.” The art house cinema, in an 1898 building, was opened in 2001 by the nationwide Landmark Theatres chain. The lease runs until 2018, and Landmark reportedly pays about $200,000 per year. The property includes about 56,000 buildable square feet, with a bonus for affordable housing. Portions of the structure reportedly date to 1838, when the German evangelical mission was based there. It then became the Houston Athletic Center (1908) and the Houston Hippodrome (1909). Landmark Theatres spent $12 million on the 2001 restoration. The property is owned by Steven Goldman. It is not a city landmark. transportation

The city’s Department of Transportation plans to make pedestrian safety improvements around the Manhattan Bridge later this summer. During a meeting of Community Board 3 last month, traffic engineers called the number of accidents on streets such as Canal and Bowery “astronomically high.” There has been one fatality since 2009, as well as 16 pedestrian injuries, 8 bicycle injuries and 157 injuries involving the occupants of vehicles. The city decided to make the changes after looking over the data and receiving complaints from the local community and City Council member Margaret Chin. A DOT study found road crossings in the area are very long, traffic patterns are confusing and that there are numerous conflicts between cars and pedestrians. The plan calls for making the lower roadway to the Manhattan Bridge a Manhattan-bound ramp at all times, ending a practice of reversing direction during certain hours. A traffic signal will be added and the crosswalk redesigned at Bowery Slip, an area in front of the Fung Wah Bus office. The city also plans to eliminate left turns from the Manhattan Bridge upper roadway onto Canal Street and to create a larger pedestrian refuge at Bowery and Canal. The plan should be implemented in July and August. 20

June 2015

144-150 Ludlow Street real estate

A Swedish firm, Akelius Real Estate Management, has purchased 144-150 Ludlow St. for $24 million. The 52-unit affordable housing complex near Stanton Street was sold by Marolda Properties. Marolda purchased the combined buildings for just shy of $12 million a couple of years ago. The new owner wants to keep the property for about a decade. Executive Kunal Chothani told the Real Deal, “We’re going to do everything we can to be good property managers.” It’s the company’s first Manhattan acquisition. Marolda faces a state investigation for allegedly forcing rent-regulated tenants out of their Chinatown apartments, but the Ludlow Street property was not part of the investigation. nonprofits

Grand Street Settlement last month announced the appointment of Robert Cordero as its new executive director. He comes to the large social service organization from BOOM!Health, a Bronx-based nonprofit that provides health services in low-income communities. In February, Margarita Rosa decided to step down after leading the settlement house for 20 years. She stayed on while a search took place for her replacement. Cordero will be responsible for all of the organization’s programs on the Lower East Side, as well as throughout the city. Grand Street has 270 employees, a $15 million annual budget and offers early-childhood, adult and senior programs to 10,000 New Yorkers every year. A press release noted that Cordero will also oversee the organization’s involvement in Essex Crossing. Grand Street is the lead community partner in the large development project coming to the former Seward Park urban renewal area. Cordero will be on the job by June 22.

in memoriam

A section of Rutgers Street, between South Street and Cherry Street, has been conamed in memory of community leader Frank Modica. The former board chairman of the Two Bridges Neighborhood Council and head of Hamilton Madison House died in 2013. A ceremony was held last month in the Two Bridges section of the Lower East Side to officially create “Frank Modica Way.” Members of his family were there, along with leaders of the organizations Modica helped shape over the years, as well as neighborhood residents and political representatives. Speakers remembered Modica as a dedicated public servant who always focused on helping lowincome and elderly residents access affordable housing and critical social services. n The Lo-Down | TheLoDownNY.com

THE

LO-DINE

closed Tiengarden

fighting city hall

170 Allen St.

Punjabi Deli

114 East 1st St. Hours: 24 hours, Monday–Sunday

Photo by Cynthia Lamb.

changing hands

Barramundi + 2nd Floor on Clinton 67 Clinton St.

The six-story building at 67 Clinton St., home to neighborhood bar Barramundi and cocktail lounge 2nd Floor on Clinton, has been sold. Last year, the property was listed for $7 million. Owner Tony Powe said he and the new owner are in the process of looking for operators to take over the two establishments. Barramundi is a Lower East Side institution, having started on Ludlow Street, and is one of the last “regular bars” on the LES. The clubby 2nd Floor on Clinton opened in 2010 and is now managed by Powe’s partners, Art & Spirit Mixology. Powe emphasized that the venues would definitely be transitioning to new owners rather than closing. He decided to sell the businesses now to spend more time overseeing the ZipCard discount program, which he launched several years ago, Barramundi and 2nd Floor will be open for business under the current ownership until the end of June.

22 June 2015

The beloved but beleaguered cheap-eats destination at 114 East 1st St. won a round in its battle for a permanent taxi stand last month. Community Board 3 voted to support the application, but there’s a catch. The city says a decision on an exact location must wait until the end of the summer, when a long-delayed construction project on East Houston Street is expected to be completed. In the meantime, the city’s Department of Transportation has agreed to set up a temporary taxi stand on the west side of Avenue A, just above East Houston. Last summer, a petition drive was started to persuade the Taxi & Limousine Commission that a cabbie stand was needed in front of Punjabi Deli, which has lost much of its business since construction began. Owners Satnam and Jason Singh have faced many frustrations navigating the city bureaucracy. During a May 12 meeting, a city official promised to expedite the application once the road works ends in August. A resolution approved by the community board noted that the East Houston Street project is three years behind the original schedule. It stated that preserving mom-andpops on the Lower East Side is a top priority of the board.

After two decades on the Lower East Side, the Asian-accented vegetarian restaurant made the decision to close its doors last month. Management said declining foot traffic and a rent hike forced the decision. In a message to customers, they said, “We lost our lease!... We would like to thank you for your continued support and patronage during our time here. We will miss you but still love you!”

now open

NatureEs

21 East 1st St. | website tba

A juice bar and “wellness recreation center” has taken over a 5,000-square-foot space in the luxury residential building that replaced the Mars Bar, the legendary East Village night spot. The shop, which will also feature healthy food and organic beers and wine, is the brainchild of “Juice Press” founder Alain Palinsky. He and his partners are still working on a basement-level bar that will be open until 4 a.m.

honoring a local institution Yonah Schimmel

137 East Houston St. | knishery.com Sunday–Thursday 9 a.m.–7:30 p.,m.; Friday–Saturday 9 a.m.–11 p.m.

A nonprofit group, The Street Vendor Project of the Urban Justice Center, has honored historic Lower East Side business Yonah Schimmel with its first-ever Stepladder Award. At a spring fundraising event, the organization recognized the 100-year-old business as “a successful company that used street vending as a launch pad for larger ventures.” The award was presented by Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer. Yonah Schimmel’s knishes started from a pushcart in 1890 before a brick-and-mortar store was established in 1910. Owner Ellen Anistratov recently told The Lo-Down she plans to keep the business going for a very long time, debunking rumors that circulated on the Internet earlier this year about Yonah Schimmel’s demise.

The Lo-Down | TheLoDownNY.com

arts watch

Talking “Real” New York with Jim Gaffigan by Traven Rice A still from The Jim Gaffigan Show. Photo courtesy of TV Land.

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We checked in with funnyman Jim Gaffigan while he was shooting a scene from his new series, The Jim Gaffigan Show, on location at the Bowery Ballroom this spring. The show, co-written and executive produced with his wife, Jeannie Gaffigan, doesn’t stray far from home; it’s about a stand-up comedian living in New York City with his wife and raising five children in a two-bedroom apartment. As is true of his standup, there are plenty of jokes about his insatiable appetite and his Catholicism. Gaffigan “& Co.” have lived downtown, first in Little Italy and then on the Lower East Side, for years. “I moved here for the neighborhoods. I like the charm of a neighborhood and I like the convenience,” he said. Gaffigan moved to Mott Street in 1990. “It was crack whores along Houston, and that was it,” he explained. “And that’s when they first started the construction on Houston,” he joked. It seems like it’s been under construction ever since. The tale of how Jim and Jeannie met couldn’t be more of a New York story: “I lived across from St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral and my wife lived down the block, she lived on Mott, and we met at our bodega,” Gaffigan said. New York City is definitely a character in The Jim Gaffigan Show. They have been shooting in numerous locations around the neighborhood, including Katz’s Deli, Veselka, Babycakes and the Church of the Most Precious Blood on Mullberry Street. “Some of the places we chose 24 June 2015

is because they [represent] ‘real New York,’” he said. Another “real New York” establishment Gaffigan misses is the old Bowery Poetry Club, where he used to practice stand-up during his early years in NYC. “I feel like even as a comedian there wasn’t always a certain kind of open mic place for oddballs. The Bowery Poetry Club was the last of it,” he says. “There was something so comforting about that place.” Of Katz’s—one of the most famous spots in the area, Gaffigan says, “There’s the cliche from Harry Met Sally, but the personality of that place is so strong and it’s such a great location — even the people who work at Katz’s—they’re so ‘real.’ I’m not a big food tourist guy, but I love the fact that there’s a picture of me and my son on the wall at Katz’s next to five other people I’ve never heard of, you know? There’s an authenticity there that people attempt to recreate everywhere else.” “I was invited to their 100th anniversary seder,” he said, laughing. “Never has a bigger goy been invited to a seder like that.” n You can watch a preview episode from The Jim Gaffigan Show on jimgaffigan.com throughout the month of June. Ashley Williams (How I Met Your Mother) plays Jim’s wife, Adam Goldberg (Fargo) plays his best friend, and Michael Ian Black (Ed) co-stars as his wife’s busybody confidante. Guest stars include numerous other comedians like Chris Rock and Jon Stewart playing themselves. The full first season debuts on TV Land on July 15.

212.964.0611 | www.altagraciaunisex.com 245 East Broadway, New York, NY

get centered.

Fitness education health Kids & teens loWer east side BasKetBall seniors arts & culture launchpad coMMunity noW open

Manny cantor center MannyCantor.org

@MannyCantorNYC 197 East Broadway at Jefferson Street

MCC3506_5.5x3.875.indd 1

2/20/14 3:22 PM

The Lo-Down | TheLoDownNY.com

Luis Arce

MOTA

a microcosm of the diversity of the LES. You really feel a sense of community when you visit Manny Cantor. Besides the gym, they’ve had some great art exhibits, rooftop happy-hour get-togethers and excellent panel discussions. Favorite cheap eats? I love Pho Grand, a great Vietnamese spot on Grand Street near the Grand Street subway station. I also love the coffee and muffins at 12 Corners on East Broadway. Prices there are very reasonable and the quality is excellent. Favorite place for a special night? Actually, my wife and I really like spending time together in our apartment. I’ll cook some lobster and king crab legs for us, and serve with a good bottle of champagne and a nice French baguette for a great romantic evening!

Photo: Alex Price

Photo by Alex M. Smith For our regular feature spotlighting the people who live and work on the Lower East Side, we talked with longtime resident and local chef Luis Arce Mota.

How long have you lived on the LES? I moved here from Mazatlán, Mexico (where I was born and raised) in 1992, and have been living here ever since. Why did you move here? I met my wife, Lisa (who has owned a co-op in Seward Park since the mid-1980s), back in 1990 when she was traveling in Mexico. It was a Sunday morning and she was walking on the malecón in Mazatlán. I yelled out to her, “¡Hola, güera! ¿Cómo estás?” and she answered in perfect Spanish and…yada yada…the rest is history! What do you do? I am the chef and owner of La Contenta located at 102 Norfolk Street. I’ve been working in the res26 June 2015

taurant industry more than 20 years now. I started as a dishwasher in an Italian restaurant and slowly worked my way up the ladder while gaining professional culinary education at the Cordon Bleu in Paris and the Culinary Institute of America. Eventually I opened two restaurants in the West Village and now La Contenta in the Lower East Side. Tell us about your apartment—the good, the bad and the ugly. I live in the Seward Park co-ops. I love the location and the reasonable maintenance. Unfortunately, the walls are thin and you can hear your neighbors—which means they can hear you too! What’s your favorite spot on the LES and why? Hands down, my favorite spot on the LES is the new Manny Cantor Center. This is the best thing to happen to the neighborhood in a very long time. It brings together people from all walks of life and is

How have you seen the neighborhood change? When I lived in Mexico, I used to read a lot about New York City, including a lot of graphic novels, and I had really high expectations and was expecting a much more orderly city. When I moved here in 1992, it was shocking to see so much trash in the street and rats even bigger than those in my home town of Mazatlán! Also, walking on Allen Street and Delancey Street and seeing prostitutes and people shooting up was really surprising because it was in broad daylight. This was the time when Joel Rifkin, the serial killer, was active. Now the hipsters have come in and taken over, and big development corporations are putting up multi-million-dollar high-rises. Once Essex Crossing is finished, the neighborhood will have been completely transformed and gentrified. What do you miss from the old LES? I miss the old movie theater on Grand Street [Essex Theatre], where people never actually went to watch a movie. Some were talking throughout, while others were fighting with the characters on the screen. Going to the movies was really an experience! I also miss the cheap electronic stores on Canal and Division Street selling their 220-volt products, and the heavy bargaining. I also miss the One-Stop bodega on Grand and Suffolk Street. Now, unfortunately, we have 7-Eleven. Is there a new arrival you love? I love all the new art galleries which are sprouting up throughout the neighborhood.

What drives you crazy about the neighborhood? The traffic on Grand Street is getting crazy and it’s only going to get worse. Also, the large amount of drunk people on the weekends in the so-called Hell Square really annoys me. Who’s the best neighborhood character you’ve met and why? There’s a street cleaner I always see around on Delancey Street who literally never stops talking and seems to know about everything going on in the neighborhood. Tell us your best LES memory. I remember going to Ratner’s with my wife back in 1994. The waiter—short, fat, with an apron with a big tomato stain—came to our table and threw the menus at us. He brought us water and gruffly asked us, “Whaddaya want?” We ordered, but he ended up bringing what he thought would be better options for us. At the time, I thought he was really rude. Now I realize that’s just the way things rolled on the Lower East Side. At least we still have Katz’s! n

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The Lo-Down is the Lower East Sideâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s essential community news source. Founded in 2009, Lo-Down Productions LLC produces this monthly magazine as well as a website, thelodownny.com, which is updated daily with neighborhood news, arts coverage, restaurant information and more. The primary editorial coverage area is bounded by East Houston Street on the north and Bowery on the west, although some stories range above Houston Street, as far uptown as East 14th Street. The print magazine is published 10 times each year, with double issues in July/August and December/January. Each month, 12,000 copies are distributed throughout the Lower East Side. The Lo-Down is not affâ&#x20AC;&#x160; iliated with any other company or organization. This independent publication relies solely on advertising revenue and does not receive funding from any outside sources other than the various advertisers who are displayed in print and online. Our sponsors sustain this publication as a vital outlet for community journalism and engagement. A variety of advertising opportunities are available in the magazine and on the website. Inquire by email at ads@thelodownny.com or by phone at 646-861-1805. Story tips, article submissions and letters to the editor are welcome via email at tips@thelodownny.com.

May 2015

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