The Lo-Down Magazine: October 2015 by The Lo-Down

News from the Lower East Side

2015

LO-DOWN

THE

OCT.

www.thelodownny.com

Also inside:

Special Series Small-Business Survival

CAUTION: Construction Ahead! The Lower East Sideâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Development Boom

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in this issue

letter from the Editor: Covering government at any level can be a

trying experience. Even in the most functional legislative bodies (if such a thing exists), a bill does not become a law overnight. In New York, of course, democracy is an especially messy business. We were reminded of this while preparing the second part of our Small-Business Survival series, which appears in this month’s magazine. Whether at the community board or the city and state levels, no one seems to be in a huge hurry to enact legislation to help struggling mom-and-pops. But if there’s one thing we have learned in our years covering local elected officials, it’s that they respond when constituents make their voices heard. It’s in this spirit that we encourage you to read the story and, if any of the ideas strike a chord, to make sure your City Council member, state senator or assemblyman knows how you feel. We’re not in the business of telling our readers what to think. But we’re absolutely comfortable making the case that the survival of small businesses is crucial to the Lower East Side community. If you agree, please make sure your representatives in government know you consider it a high priority. We hope you enjoy this month’s issue. As always, we welcome your feedback at: tips@thelodownny.com.

Cover Story

An update on construction projects throughout the neighborhood

Small-Business Surv ival 12 In Part 2 of our series, potential solutions to the problem of escalating rents

ts Watch 18 Ar 100 Gates Project 19 New Arrivals

James Cohan Gallery, Vapeya, Killion, Anthom, Koneko Cat Cafe, The Hunt

20 Calendar/Feat ured Events

Basil Twist at Abrons, LES Pickle Day, Lowline Lab

22 Neighborhood News

Community members killed in car accident, remembering Adam Purple, Clinton Street bike lane

The Lo-Dine 24 Prosperity Dumpling shuttered,

Puebla Mexican Food at the Essex Street Market, Kossar’s closes for renovation

26 My LES

Coss Marte of ConBody

28 Car toon Ed Litvak

LES Sideways by Evan Forsch

On the cover: Crews demolish 400 Grand St., the last remaining building on the Essex Crossing development site. essexstreetmarket.com #essexstreetmarket

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y St.

Montgomer

Cherry S

way East Broad

Clinton St.

seniors. Over the summer, New York University’s Langone Medical Center announced plans to open a 40,000-square-foot facility there. The announcement turned out to be premature, since lease details between NYU and Essex Crossing have not been finalized. Also in the weeks ahead, developers plan to begin construction on a Ludlow Street parcel, the future home to 55 condominium apartments and an unnamed cultural facility. The Andy Warhol Museum previously backed out of a plan to open an annex on the site, and developers say

Madison St.

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Henry St.

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MAP KEY:

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Division St.

Above: Site 5, where two tenements recently stood at 400 Grand St., temporarily gives view to a large swath of unobstructed sky.

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October 2015

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Rutgers St.

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The demolition phase of the large development project in the former Seward Park Urban Renewal Area concluded last month. Now crews are focusing on digging the foundations for residential/ commercial buildings on two parcels. They made quick work of 400-402 Grand St., two tenements just to the west of Clinton Street. Earlier, the old Broome Street firehouse and the southernmost Essex Street Market building were taken down. Isaac Henderson, project manager, told members of Community Board 3 in August that foundation

rid

1. Essex Crossing

work on the former Essex market site was proceeding at a good clip. Crews reached the cellar level and expect to complete the foundation in about 10 months. Work will then begin on the superstructure for a 24-story tower to include 195 apartments, a new Essex Street Market and a 14-screen movie theater. On site 5, where the Grand Street tenements once stood, crews are beginning to dig the foundation for a 15-story building to include 211 apartments, a grocery store and other retail tenants. Delancey Street Associates, the development consortium, announced that Planet Fitness, a discount health club chain, is taking 22,000 square feet in the building. The firm told Crain’s that Trader Joe’s is one potential tenant for the site. The first phase of construction, slated for completion in 2018, covers four of nine Seward Park sites. Work will begin later in the fall on a parcel bordering Clinton and Attorney streets that will eventually include 99 apartments for low-income

B an att

On the Lower East Sider these days, you practically need a hard hat just to walk to the train station or to the grocery store. We’re living in a construction zone. More than at any time in recent memory, major development projects are underway, or will be soon, from one end of the neighborhood to the other. Here’s a snapshot of some of the projects we’re tracking.

ste rS

Photos, left: Heavy equipment is brought in as crews begin to dig the foundation for Essex Crossing.

1a/1b: Essex Crossing sites 2: Extell Development's One Manhattan Square project at 250 South St., on the former site of the Cherry Street. Pathmark 3: Joie de Vivre Hotel at 50 Bowery 4: A condo project with ground-floor retail space at 201-203 East Broadway, on the former site of the headquarters of the United Hebrew Community of New York 5: 228 East Broadway, the site of the former Bialystoker Nursing Home, where future plan details have yet to be revealed but likely include a residential conversion.

nh Ma

Photo: Alex Price

Market St.

by Ed Litvak

lan

Pike St.

Projects Big and Small Transform THE Lower East Side

No rfo lk S

Living in a construction zone

Bro

2 RIVE FDR D

they’re still looking for a replacement.

2. One ManhattaN Square/ 250 South St. Extell Development is finishing up the noisiest phase of its massive project on the former Cherry Street Pathmark site. Pile driving for the foundation was expected to wrap up early this month. The superstructure will begin to rise by the end of the year, according to Anthony Abbruzzese, Extell’s senior vice president of construction. He and other executives briefed neighbors during the summer, but declined to reveal the exact height of their tower. The most recent Buildings Department filings put it at a whopping 72 stories, but the reported height has varied wildly in recent months. Peppered with questions, Raizy Haas, an Extell executive overseeing the project, answered, “This is a construction meeting and we are not here to address [the height of the building], but you’re still wanting an answer.” She continued, “We’re buildThe Lo-Down | TheLoDownNY.com

1. dential conversion will almost certainly be in the works while new construction is anticipated on the other parcels. Rothenberg said he’s now focusing on cleaning up the property, which had fallen into disrepair. Overgrown vegetation was removed from the park, while scrubbing or painting of the facade is likely to occur sometime soon. Rothenberg added that conversations with former board members of the nursing home are taking place to make sure memorial plaques from the building’s synagogue receive a new home.

ing two buildings, a fair-market and an affordable building, and the number of stories is still a work in progress… When we are ready to do that, we are more than happy to come back and share it with you.” Residents living in the neighboring building at 82 Rutgers Slip complained about damage in their apartments from the construction project, buckling sidewalks and constant vibrations from the pile driving. Construction managers said they were committed to fixing all of the damage caused by the project.

3. Joie de vivre Hotel/ 50 Bowery

The 22-story hotel project alongside the landmark-protected Citizens Savings Bank in Chinatown was recently topped off. When completed next summer, the 229-room property will include a cellar lounge and an outdoor bar on the 19th floor. Joie de Vivre, a division of Commune Hotels and Resorts, is a California-based brand that plans to make a big splash next year with its first three New York openings. The developer is Alex Chu, whose family has controlled this and other properties in Chinatown for many decades. The glassy exterior is now being filled in under the supervision of architect Peter Poon.

4. 201-203 East Broadway Demolition will soon begin on two buildings that once served as the headquarters of the United Hebrew Community of New York. An entity known as 201 EB Development LLC purchased the properties for $8.5 million in a deal that went through in August. Daniel Wise, a local music 8

October 2015

producer with a Delancey Street address, is listed as a partner in the corporation. Sources say the new owners are planning an upscale condo project with ground-floor retail. United Hebrew Community, originally called Adath Israel, is a Jewish burial society established on East Broadway in 1901. The organization relocated to Woodmere, New York. The original buildings date to 1837. According to the National Historic Register, they were threeand-a-half-story federal buildings constructed in the Greek Revival style. Around 1900, the buildings received rooftop additions. In 2014, marketing materials from brokers indicated the property is zoned for 28,000 square feet. Presently the buildings encompass 15,000 square feet.

5. Former Bialystoker Nursing Home Building/ 228 East Broadway The Bialystoker Nursing Home shut down in 2011, but only now are we learning the first meager details of what the future holds for the 1931 Art Deco tower. Last month, documents were filed with the city finance department showing that the property, along with an office building at 232 East Broadway and a parcel where the Dora Cohen Memorial Park sits, was sold in July for $17,960,000. The partners are remaining anonymous, with the exception of Neil Rothenberg, a lifelong Lower East Side resident. Rothenberg told The Lo-Down that it could take up to a year for the owners to solidify their plans for the property. The nursing home building itself was declared a city landmark in 2013 following an advocacy campaign by the Friends of the Lower East Side, a preservation group. A resi-

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A DV ERTIS EMEN T

Modeling Service from the Inside Out at Manny Cantor Center

GET INVOLVED More Hands More Hearts

to volunteer their time at an agency where they already work? Mickey Bronstein is a teacher at Educational Alliance Preschool at Manny Cantor Center, and she is also a first-time mentor in the College Prep Mentoring program at the Edgies Teen Center. This means every Tuesday night from now until February 2016 (and once a month from March-June), she’ll be mentoring a high school senior throughout their college application process, providing one-on-one support they otherwise would not receive—a time commitment of over 40 hours. Mickey had this to say about her time commitment to mentoring: “I wanted to deepen my own relationship to this community...The time commitment is quite minuscule compared to the lifelong impact a mentor can have on someone. Some of the most important lessons from my life came from those I viewed as my mentors, both in

What compels people to volunteer? At Manny Cantor Center, we’ve been asking ourselves this question since the beginning of 2015. HERE’S WHY: Last January, Manny Cantor Center received a generous grant from the UJA-Federation to pilot a new service and volunteerism initiative, which focuses on securing committed and skilled volunteers to support our programmatic efforts. This initiative, called More Hands, More Hearts, changes the conversation on volunteerism and seeks a new kind of volunteer—someone who uses their skills to make a positive impact through strategic, mission-aligned efforts. Where do we find these new volunteers? Since we began work on More Hands, More Hearts in winter 2015, we have experienced an outpouring of interest from within Manny Cantor Center programs and the local community. Many are stepping forward to share their time and talents, from our fitness members to older adults in Educational Alliance Weinberg Center for Balanced Living. A whopping 100+ people have reached out about volunteer opportunities since the beginning of this new initiative. THE KICKER: Some of these volunteers actually come from within agency staff! We wondered, what compels these individuals 10

October 2015

school and outside…I am humbled at the opportunity to be a mentor, and it is a commitment I value.” Mickey said that she hopes the student she works with will gain confidence from the experience and understand that they “are smart and worthwhile, and that they have something important to say.” We also asked Chris Angelosanto, another staff member and 5-year veteran mentor of the College Prep program if he had any advice to pass on from his college days. Chris shared both fun and pragmatic tips: “Fun advice: If you carry a sticker name tag and Sharpie on you at all times, you can sneak your way into 85-90% of events with free food on campus. Real advice: Read at least one non-school book a month, take as many classes outside of your major as possible, and call home at least three times a week for at least 15 minutes.”

As we continue to recruit volunteers for More Hands, More Hearts, Manny Cantor Center is exploring ways to model service from the inside out. New, committed volunteers like Mickey, and veterans like Chris, provide powerful examples of service, while also keeping us concretely tied to the dayto-day interactions that create a base for positive change.

"Some of the most important lessons from my life came from those I viewed as my mentors... I am humbled at the opportunity to be a mentor, and it is a commitment I value.”

If you would like to learn more about volunteer opportunities at Manny Cantor Center, please join us for our official launch of this program: More Hands, More Hearts: A Celebration of Service, October 22nd from 6-9pm. You can also reach out to Volunteer and Community Engagement Manager, Deb Scher, at 646-395-4184 or dscher@mannycantor.org. www.MannyCantor.org/ Volunteer

(Continued on next page)

VOLUNTEER MENTORS

MICKEY & CHRIS

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Government

Gridlock

Stymies Small-Business Solutions

By Ed Litvak

avid Owens Vintage is a survivor of the Lower East Side’s rocky retail landscape. Fourteen years ago, when Owens first set up shop at 154 Orchard St., there were two dozen or so vintage stores in the immediate area. Most of them are long gone. Owens could have suffered a similar fate earlier this year when his landlord delivered an unwelcome surprise: a bill for more than $40,000 to cover a portion of the past decade’s property taxes. Saddled with a new financial burden on top of rising monthly rent payments, the determined clothing retailer did not fold. Instead he found a cheaper, smaller space a few blocks away on Rivington Street. While continuing to make payments to his previous landlord, Owens made the move a few weeks ago and is now starting over. As his wife told us, “We will start, once again, the process of carving out a retail operation among the ruins of local culture... I see us independents as a dying part of retail culture.” Across the city, small businesses are being crushed by rapidly increasing rents and other fees many landlords pass on to their commercial tenants. Last month, in Part 1 of our special series on smallbusiness survival, we heard from business owners as well as landlords about the vexing issue of rent escalation. This month, in Part 2, we take a closer look

October 2015

Photo: Alex M. Smith

About this Project

This is the second of an eight-part series focused on the survival of the Lower East Side’s independent businesses. From now through the spring of next year, The Lo-Down will be investigating the issues impacting mom-and-pops and evaluating potential solutions for preserving all of the neighborhood’s distinctive businesses. Throughout the project, we’ll be looking at the challenges posed by rapidly escalating commercial rents, government bureaucracy, competition from chain stores and online shopping. You will find coverage of this important topic in the pages of The Lo-Down Magazine, as well as weekly reporting online at thelodownny.com. There will be profiles of local businesses, daily coverage of small business-related topics, a local shopping guide published in December and a town hall-style meeting next year. This initiative was partially funded by a crowdfunding campaign conducted earlier this year. We would like to thank our readers, community partners and the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation for their generous support.

at some possible solutions, including property tax relief, special zoning districts and proposals giving commercial tenants negotiation rights during lease renewals. These are remedies that have all been proposed in the halls of government—in some cases year after year—without much forward progress. But they present, at least, a starting point for addressing the problem of small-business extinction

Solution: Establish a Property Tax Credit Status: Resolution awaits a vote in the City Council Oftentimes greedy landlords are blamed when a longtime local business shutters. On an almost weekly basis, we hear about mom-and-pop stores being forced to close when their rents are doubled or tripled. It was big news earlier this year when Pearl River Mart, the beloved Chinese department store, revealed its closure when the Soho institution’s monthly rent quintupled to $500,000. Price gouging is, no doubt, a real problem. But as local property owner Michael Forrest argued in our first story, the economics of running many small tenement buildings on the Lower East Side are pretty complicated. Keeping rent-regulated residential tenants in place, as well as mom-and-pops in groundfloor commercial spaces and covering ever-increasing property tax bills, can be challenging. Sometimes,

retail rents rise, he said, because the building owner has no other place to turn for revenue. Tim Laughlin, executive director of the Lower East Side Business Improvement District, floated the idea of property tax relief. “We would like the city to look at potentially setting a tax rate for small tenement buildings that is different from their larger counterparts,” he said in our initial story. “If owners agree to preserve rent-stabilized apartments and to maintain affordable rents for mom-and-pop stores, they’d be eligible for the lower rate.” We asked several business owners how their building’s property taxes are impacting them. The taxes are passed on to both residential and commercial tenants in the form of higher rents. But many commercial leases also require small businesses to pay a percentage of property tax increases. Those provisions are individually negotiated and can vary widely from building to building. In the case of David Owens, he said his landlord repeatedly told him “not to worry” about the payments, but then sprung a huge bill on the small business covering several Photos, left: A now-closed Judaica store on Essex Street evokes a bygone era on the Lower East Side, when small specialty shops lining almost every block was the norm. Right: David Owens of David Owens Vintage in his new store at 161 Rivington St. The Lo-Down | TheLoDownNY.com

years. Elsewhere in the neighborhood, specialty food shop Malt & Mold pays 10 percent of the increase at 221 East Broadway, a property with several retail tenants. Most businesses are reluctant to talk on the record about their deals. The owners of a bar located in a small tenement with two commercial spaces said they paid 40 percent of the increase. In one year, that translated to a $50,000 bill in addition to their already substantial rent payments. While there’s widespread agreement that property taxes are imperiling small business, few concrete solutions have been offered. In the City Council, there is a proposed resolution urging the State Legislature to create a property tax credit for building owners who “voluntarily limit the amount of rent increases to small business tenants upon lease renewal.” The resolution cites examples of businesses that have been forced out of their spaces due to rent hikes, including legendary Lower East Side spots such as the 2nd Avenue Deli and CBGB. But even this modest proposal (resolutions carry no legislative weight) is going nowhere. The legislation has been languishing in the Council’s finance committee since being introduced in February. For decades, New York’s outdated property tax system has been described as overly complex and inequitable. Last year, Mayor de Blasio called it a "big, sprawling area of concern" and pledged reform. The council allocated $400,000 for a commission to study the issue, but Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito has yet to create it. Heading into a tough re-election campaign, no one has much confidence that de Blasio will have an appetite for pushing the issue in Albany, where his relationship with Gov. Cuomo has gone from bad to worse. State Sen. Daniel Squadron, who represents the Lower East Side, took a look at the City Council legislation. During a recent interview, he expressed misgivings: “We don’t want to give away incentives” without making sure that they are having the intended effect (in this case providing rent relief for mom-and-pop

Solution: Create a Special Zoning District Status: Community Board 3 Status: Community Board 3 is drafting a proposal is drafting a proposal 14 October 2015

Legendary rock club CBGB closed on the Bowery in 2006. Photo by Adam Di Carlo businesses). Perhaps more to the point, Squadron voiced serious doubts about the chances of pushing a small-business tax break through the Republicancontrolled Senate, noting its dubious track record of enacting “thoughtful, well-balanced legislation related to the real estate industry.” A better tactic, he argued, is to look at creating a special district in support of small-scale retail. “The zoning code,” he said, is the right place for solutions. It happened on the Upper West Side. It’s happened in other cities, including San Francisco.” In 2012, then City Council member Gale Brewer (now Manhattan borough president) pushed through new zoning on Amsterdam and Columbus avenues limiting the width of storefronts to 40 feet. Banks along those commercial corridors and on Broadway were held to 25 feet. In explaining the rationale for the change back then, Brewer said, “The mom-andpops get squeezed because the banks come in. The banks are dead space...The small mom-and-pops are the heart and soul of the neighborhood.” San Francisco has probably done more than any major American city to protect mom-and pops from the chain store onslaught. In 2006, a city law was enacted requiring businesses with 11 or more stores nationwide to win approval from the Planning Commission before locating in neighborhood commercial districts. In recent months, Community Board 3’s economic development committee has been trying to shape a proposal for a special-purpose district to protect the neighborhood’s distinctive retail character. The goal is to curtail chain stores and nightlife establishments through a variety of restrictions. Al-

though committee members haven’t made any firm decisions, limits on stores with multiple locations, store size, types of uses and operating hours are all on the table. Community Board 3 includes the East Village, Lower East Side and most of Chinatown. The committee has struggled to define the boundaries of the proposed district, in part, because each section of the neighborhood carries its own set of unique challenges. Addressing all of them is a tall order. The area above East Houston Street, for example, is littered with chain stores. According to an annual report from the Center for an Urban Future, there were 164 chain store locations above East Houston Street in 2014, more than any Manhattan neighborhood besides the Garment District. On the Lower East Side and Chinatown, meanwhile, there were 47. Community Board members recently discussed the zoning initiative with local City Council representatives Margaret Chin and Rosie Mendez. According to the CB3 representatives, they offered general support, but wanted to make sure the proposal is specifically focused in terms of boundaries. At the moment, the committee has drawn a rough map bounded by East 13th Street on the north, Avenue D on the east, 2nd Avenue on the west and Grand Street on the south. Major commercial strips—14th Street, East Houston Street, Delancey

Another longtime Lower East Side business, Modern Decor, abandoned its Grand St. showroom in 2014, making the move to Brooklyn.

Street, Allen Street—would likely be excluded. This past month, Committee Chairman Bill LoSasso shared the preliminary plan with the board’s land-use committee. A range of problems, including vanishing independent businesses, long-term vacancies and an erosion of local services such as dry cleaners and tailors, are “getting worse by the day,” he said. But it quickly became apparent during the meeting that, even within the community board, achieving consensus will be difficult. Cathy Deng, a Chinatown activist, telegraphed a potential border battle. Advocating for expanded boundaries, she noted that people are increasingly worried about small-business survival on East Broadway, Essex Street and other commercial stretches below Grand Street. Damaris Reyes, executive director of the community organization Good Old Lower East Side (GOLES), voiced another concern. Her organization is part of an effort to revitalize the Clinton Street shopping corridor, and, she said, GOLES cares about supporting longtime local businesses. But Reyes said she’s worried about Community Board 3 taking on a new rezoning campaign. Right now the committee is trying to convince the city to adopt another zoning initiative advanced by a coalition known as the Chinatown Working Group. “I don’t want to jeopardize existing plans,” she said. Even if the community board settles on a unified proposal, it’s uncertain whether the city will support a special-purpose district on the Lower East Side. In running for mayor in 2013, Bill de Blasio said, “We can use zoning laws and tax policy over time to support family-owned businesses.” He even called the Upper West Side zoning plan a model for other neighborhoods. In initial overtures to the Department of City Planning, officials have kept the door open. At the moment, however, they are preoccupied with outer borough rezonings in support of the mayor’s signature initiative to create and preserve affordable housing. It is by no means clear that the board will have the bandwidth to champion a small-business initiative on the LES. In the past year, the idea that has grabbed the most media attention is the Small Business Jobs Survival Act (SBJSA), city legislation reintroduced in June 2014 by Bronx Council member Annabel Palma. The proposal would change the way lease The Lo-Down | TheLoDownNY.com

tion of private property,” Steven Spinola, the organization’s former president, told Gotham Gazette. But council member Palma, the bill’s sponsor, disagrees. In an interview last month, she said, “That’s the cover Status: City Council hearings some folks like to hide behind. Many lawyers have looked at it. The Council’s legal department has vetted have not yet been scheduled it in the past and the Speaker [Melissa Mark-Viverito] supported it [before ascending to her leadership posirenewals are handled, requiring mediation and, if tion].” necessary, arbitration between landlords and tenFour months ago, The Villager newspaper quesants. Versions of the bill have been floating around tioned Mark-Viverito about the legislation during a the City Council since the mid-1980s. City Council public appearance in the East Village. “The bill gets member Margaret Chin, who represents the Lower introduced once the [council] staff do their due diliEast Side and Chinatown, previously sponsored the gence,” she said. “Then there are hearings to hear from SBJSA in 2012. all sides. And then we figure out what the next steps The grassroots advocacy organizations Take Back will be—because sometimes options are being exNYC and Save NYC have vigorously championed the plored that legally we don’t have the ability to implelegislation, lobbying every member of the council to ment as a city or as a legislative council.” co-sponsor the bill. (At press time, 23 had signed on.) As the seasons changed from spring to summer Take Back NYC argues that “any legislation proposed and now to fall, Palma continued to hold out hopes to help small businesses that does not address exorbifor a hearing. She has not been briefed by council staff tant rent increases, unfair month to month lease regarding any legal concerns and has received no terms and extortion of immigrant business owners is word regarding a hearing schedule. Meanwhile, a aDirty non-starter.” French is one of the high-end restaurants drawn to Orchard Street by the upscale hotels in spokesman for Brewer said late last month that her March of this year, Manhattan Borough PresitheIn neighborhood. alternative lease-renewal proposal is in “the bill credent Gale Brewer came out with a proposal of her ation phase” at the City Council and has not yet been own. Along with Robert Cornegy, chairman of the published. council’s small-business committee, Brewer is advoAs for the Lower East Side’s own council represencating a more modest lease renewal program. The legtative, Margaret Chin is still a co-sponsor of the Small islation would require property owners to give comBusiness Jobs Survival Act. She also supports the mercial tenants six months’ notice before long-term pending resolution to enact a property tax credit in leases expire. It would also institute non-binding meAlbany. In a statement, she called for a comprehendiation and one-year lease extensions to give tenants sive approach. “We cannot stand back,” she said, “and time to find new storefronts when negotiations fail. watch as more and more of our small businesses disBut there would be no mandatory arbitration. Take Back NYC is sharply critical of the Brewer plan, saying it is no solution to the city’s small-business crisis, but merely a way “of maintaining business as usual.” But the longtime elected official, who has always seen herself as a champion of mom-and-pops, believes the time has come for a dose of reality. This past spring, Brewer told The Lo-Down, “I’m pushing a workable plan that will make a difference for both existing and new small-business owners, rather than rallying around a bill that’s spent decades collecting dust.” The Real Estate Board of New York has repeatedly called the SBJSA illegal. “The legislation represents an Malt & Mold opened in 2012 at unconstitutional intrusion on the use and disposi221East Broadway. 16

October 2015

Photo by: Demetrius Freeman, NYC Mayor’s Office

Solution: Give Businesses Lease-Renegotiation Rights

Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito looks on during a bill signing by Mayor de Blasio.

How to Voice Your Opinion:

City Council member Margaret Chin: chin@council.nyc.gov State Sen. Daniel Squadron: squadron@nysenate.gov State Assemblyman Sheldon Silver: silver@assembly.state.ny.us Community Board 3: info@cb3manhattan.org appear, taking with them the unique character, vital services, and bustling street life that our neighborhoods desperately need.” She added, “I remain committed to pursuing multiple legislative and community-based solutions to address the affordability crisis for small business owners.” At the moment, however, legislative proposals at every level are stuck in neutral or, at best, proceeding at a painfully slow rate. There is no shortage of angst when a beloved business is forced to close. But only

recently have New Yorkers concerned about the loss of authentic local institutions mobilized to lobby their elected officials and to demand action. Whether these advocacy efforts are a blip or a sustainable political movement remains to be seen. Many people believe the best solutions for smallbusiness survival will come not from government but from local communities. Next month, we’ll be looking at the most promising ideas for stabilizing independent business on the Lower East Side.

The Lo-Down | TheLoDownNY.com

new arrivals

arts watch

edited by Traven Rice

100 Gates Project Beautifies Local Storefronts by Traven Rice If you’ve noticed some colorful additions to neighborhood storefronts after hours, they are probably part of the “100 GATES” project that has been taking shape all summer. The mural installation project connects artists with opportunities for public art on the roll-down security gates belonging to businesses in the Lower East Side. Local artist and pro skateboarder Billy Rohan came up with the idea to paint these “metallic murals,” legally, in 2014. After he teamed up with the Lower East Side Business Improvement District earlier this year, the project was awarded funding from the NYC Department of Small Business Services' Neighborhood Challenge competition. The hope is that this initiative will reduce illegal graffiti by beautifying the neighborhood and creating an “outdoor gallery” throughout the L.E.S.

Touting its success, project manager Natalie Raben says they received hundreds of applications from both interested artists and businesses in the area. She spent the majority of the summer playing matchmaker between artists and businesses, and the paint keeps on rolling. “As of now, we are at gate No. 60, with another 10 matches currently in the planning process,” she said. The artists involved include well-known graffiti artists, international muralists and even local students. Along with Billy Rohan’s own creations, the likes of HEKTAD, Claw Money, Mr. Stash, Shantell Martin, Chamberlin Newsome and many more have painted masterpieces on rolldown gates. Take an early-morning or evening walking tour to see the completed work on the gates, or visit 100gates.nyc to see more photos. n

Mr. Stash in front of Avant Garde at 319 Grand Street. 18

October 2015

Photo by Nina LoSchiavo

JAMES COHAN GALLERY (291 Grand

St., at Eldridge Street., jamescohan.com) Prominent gallery owner James Cohan is opening up a downtown outpost of his eponymous Chelsea gallery, joining 47 Canal (an outpost of Gavin Brown’s Enterprise) and the Nathalie Karg Gallery in the same building. The gallery plans to open on Oct. 31 with an exhibition of Robert Smithson’s rarely seen Pop works from 1961 to 1964. Mr. Cohan told The New York Times, “The Lower East Side is associated with showing younger artists, and here’s an exhibition of an artist when he was in his mid-20s who then went on to make landmark sculpture.”

VAPEYA (166

Orchard St., below Stanton, vapeya.com) Continuing the trend in new vape shops on the L.E.S., former music-industry executive Jordy Trachtenberg opened this latest “cultural lounge” for smokers “looking to be liberated from the world of big tobacco” in a welcoming environment. The retro-futuristic lounge has LED lighting throughout, a DJ booth and a projector. E-liquid nicotine sampling is complimentary.

THE HUNT (27 Canal St., between Essex and Ludlow, thehuntnyc.com) After spending a few years in the back room of The Great Frog, skateboarders turned artists Jake Lamagno, Dylan Rieder and Steven Ditchkus are moving their shop full of Americana curiosities, found oddities, antiques and handcrafted furnishings to their very own space on Canal Street.

KONEKO CAT CAFE (26 Clinton

St., between Stanton and Houston, konekonyc.com) New York City’s second cat cafe comes to Clinton Street touting a two-story space and the world’s first outdoor cat garden. Founder Benjamin Kalb has teamed up with Anjellicle Cats Rescue, who provide the at-risk cats with forever homes. Koneko, which means “kitten” in Japanese, is inspired by the hundreds of cat cafes in Japan. Patrons can make reservations to sample house-made Japanese bar snacks, Stumptown coffee, beer, wine, and sake with cats that are up for adoption for $15 per person per hour.

ANTHOM (9 Clinton St., just below Houston, shopanthom. com) A rarity among all the urban wear for men appearing in the neighborhood lately, Anthom offers modern clothing for women. Branching out from its flagship store in Chelsea, their second brick-and-mortar location combines “affordable items with investment pieces intended to last a lifetime.” You’ll find clothing, shoes and accessories by under-the-radar designers and independent labels from around the world.

KILLION (145 Orchard St., above Rivington, killionest.com) Orchard Street is quickly becoming a serious destination for trendy urban menswear. This west coast line (it has shops in L.A. and Seattle) offers clothing direct to consumers at its newest “concept store.” Items are sold strictly in limited quantities, and the team promises no additional markups, mass production or distribution to retailers. The Lo-Down | TheLoDownNY.com

calendar

what to do in

Edited by Traven Rice

Sun.

Tues.

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

Wed.

Nightmare Horror Show at Clemente Soto Velez: Psycho Clan, the artistic team behind Night-

mare Haunted House, will

forgo designing its unique brand of theatrical haunted house for a twelfth season and present the inaugural

CMJ Music Marathon 2015: This below-the-radar festival is celebrating 35 years of live shows featuring new music. Each fall, thousands of artists, music fans and industry insiders descend on the city for live shows, exclusive parties, conference events, seminars and mixers, all in the hopes of being discovered and discovering new music. Many LES venues are participating; see individual websites for specific show schedules and cover charges. Through Oct. 17, cmj.com/marathon.

Sat.

13th Annual Open House New York Weekend: America’s largest architec-

Nightmare Horror Show: New York’s Most Terrifying Theater Festival, featuring eight

new mini-horror productions. Children under 10 are not admitted, and parents are strongly cautioned about bringing children under 16. Through Oct. 31, 107 Suffolk St., $25, nightmarenyc.com.

Sat.

The Lowline Lab Exhibition Opening at Essex Market: The Lowline team is show-

casing the proposed design and technology they hope to use to build an underground park in an abandoned trolley station below Delancey Street. Solar technology installed on the roof of the building will create a live green space supported by remotely directed natural sunlight. Programming for the lab includes weekend tours, student activities and a monthly speaking series featuring inspiring thinkers and doers who are using science technology to improve the world. 140 Essex St., public hours vary, free, thelowline.org.

Thurs.

Featured

EVENT

Basil Twist—

Sisters’ Follies: Between Two Worlds

at Abrons Arts Center Acclaimed director and puppeteer Basil Twist celebrates the Abrons Playhouse Centennial with a commissioned ghost story featuring downtown icons Joey Arias (Arias With a Twist, Lincoln Center's American Songbook) and Julie Atlas Muz (Beauty and the Beast). The “spooktacular musical extravaganza” revives the founders of the Playhouse, Alice and Irene Lewisohn, and their legacy of producing avant-garde performances and dance from 1915–28, as they return to haunt the theater 100 years later. Through Oct. 31 at 466 Grand St., 8 p.m. / 5 p.m. on Sundays, preview week October 1–7, $45, Weekdays $55, Week-

Lower East Side Pickle Day: The annual fun-filled day of pickle mania returns, including more than 20 picklers, over 30 local food and fashion vendors, a home pickling contest, DJs and live music, plus the first-ever Pickle Pooch Parade. The festival is part of the DayLife neighborhood event series hosted by the Lower East Side Business Improvement District. Orchard Street, from Delancey to East Houston, noon to 5 p.m., free, pickleday.nyc.

OCTOBER

October 2015

ture and design event offers free tours of some of the city’s most intriguing spaces that you might not ordinarily be able to access. Highlights in the neighborhood include tours of the Henry Street Settlement’s historic headquarters, the Eldridge Street Synagogue and highly designed private residences curated by Interior Design magazine. Also Sunday, Oct. 18, free, but some sites require reservations, visit ohny.org for details.

ends $65, abronsartscenter.org.

Andy Statman Trio at the Museum at Eldridge Street: Dubbed “a musician’s musician” by The New York Times, premier clarinetist (and mandolinist) Andy Statman and his longtime partners, Larry Eagle (percussion) and Jim Whitney (bass), perform their trademark blend of American roots, personal prayerful Hasidic music, klezmer and avant-garde jazz at the museum. 12 Eldridge St., 7 p.m., $30 advance / $45 door, eldridgestreet.org.com

Thurs.

Sat.

25th Annual Tompkins Square Park Halloween Dog Parade: Dress up the pooch and enter to win over $4,000 worth of prizes, including an iPad Mini for Best in Show, in this all-out event that has come to rival the official Village Halloween parade. Grateful Greyhounds, Bideawee, Friends of Animal Rescue and the Mayor's Alliance for NYC’s Animals will also be on hand with canines that need loving homes. Runway competition begins at noon.Tompkins Square Park, noon to 3 p.m., free, tompkinssquaredogrun.com. The Lo-Down | TheLoDownNY.com

neighborhood news

edited by Ed Litvak

crime

Police are asking for help in finding two suspects in the robbery and slashing of a customer at the Stop One Deli at 201 Madison St. It happened August 29 at around 2 a.m. One of the suspects began arguing with the victim, a man in his 30s, and then sliced him on the neck and face with a box cutter. The attack continued outside when the second suspect joined in, punching the victim. They then stole his backpack and ran off. The victim was treated for injuries at Bellevue Hospital and released. Police released video surveillance from the store. One of the suspects has a tattoo under his left eye. If you can help solve this crime, call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS.

fatal accident

transportation

The Department of Transportation last month installed a new two-way protected bike path on Clinton Street between Grand Street and East Broadway. The change was part of a larger bike and pedestrian safety initiative on Clinton below Delancey Street, extending to the East River. The idea was to narrow the vehicle lanes as a traffic-calming measure and to create separation between cars and bicycles. While the city initially declined a community request to add a mid-block crosswalk near the Fine Fare Supermarket, it relented Sept. 22. DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg made the announcement during a news event to celebrate the installation of one thousand miles of bike lanes in New York City. The decision came following an incident earlier in the month in which the driver of an out-of-control ice cream truck smashed up six cars and a motorcycle and wrecked the fence at the Seward Park co-op. At press time, cops were still looking for the driver. Local residents complained to Trottenberg that the bike lane actually makes the area less safe. She promised to talk with the NYPD about stepped-up enforcement.

A well-known member of the Lower East Side community, along with his wife and daughter’s fiancé, were killed in a traffic accident in the Catskllls Sept. 6. Morris Faitelewicz, 58, Beth Faitelewicz, 54, and Yehuda Bayme, 31, died when their SUV flipped over several times alongside Route 17 in Sullivan County. Morris Faitelewicz, the driver, reportedly lost control of the vehicle after a failed passing attempt. The couple’s grown children, Yaakov, Avi and Shani, were hospitalized following the crash, but later released. Morris was a former auxiliary police officer, a member of the Hatzolah volunteer ambulance organization and a member of Community Board 3. Beth was a nurse at Beth Israel Hospital. It was standing room only at the Bialystoker Synagogue, where the couple Beth and Morris Faitelewicz was remembered as dedicated community servants and devoted parents. Photo: Jacob Goldman. Shani remained hospitalized at the time of the funeral, but a letter she wrote was read during the ceremony. Her brothers both spoke, remembering their parents as exemplary role models. In a statement to the Daily News, Assemblyman Sheldon Silver said, “I knew (Morris) probably 40 years… He moved in around the corner. We went to the same synagogue. He spent most of his life in the community. He was dedicated to making sure that life in the community was as good as can be.” 22

October 2015

Havery Wang's iconic 1982 photo depicts Adam Purple and the Garden of Eden. remembrance

Urban gardening pioneer and environmental activist Adam Purple died Sept. 14 while bicycling across the Williamsburg Bridge. He was 84. Purple, whose real name was David Wilkie, was a fixture on the Lower East Side since the 1970s. The man with the long white beard and colorful clothing moved into a tenement on Forsyth Street and created a spectacular garden on several abandoned lots near the building. The “Garden of Eden” was pictured in numerous national publications, making a powerful statement against urban decay. In 1986, the city bulldozed the garden to make way for housing, a move that was denounced and challenged in court by a wide variety of environmentalists, architects and academics. Purple’s Forsyth Street apartment, abandoned by its owner, was emptied by the city in the early 1980s, but he refused to move. Finally, in 1999, he was forced out. During the past three years, Purple had been living in Brooklyn. The environmental organization Time’s Up allowed him to use a space connected to its offices as a makeshift apartment. Purple collapsed on the bridge and was later discovered by passersby. He died of an apparent heart attack. arts

Alexander Olch, the high-end Orchard Street tie designer, has come forward with a few details about his new art house cinema. Located at 7 Ludlow St., the two-screen venue is scheduled to open early next year. There will also be a restaurant, lounge and bookstore. The larger theater will have a balcony and 175 seats. The other theater will have 50 chairs made from wood salvaged from the Domino Sugar Factory. Olch, who dabbles as a filmmaker, boasts that his cinema will feature, “world-class independent, international, repertory films and exclusive premieres.” Jacob Perlin (programmerat-large at the Film Society of Lincoln Center) and Aliza Ma (formerly of the Museum of the Moving Image) will be handling programming. The building, now under construction, is owned by Thomas Sung, a Chinatown banker who also owns the abandoned Loew’s Canal Theatre, located across Ludlow Street. The cinema will be called Metrograph. The Lo-Down | TheLoDownNY.com

THE

LO-DINE

Prosperity Dumpling, one of the city’s most popular “cheap eats” spots, was closed by the health department last month. The closure happened after Gothamist published photos that showed a rat in a back alley that was being used for food preparation. Following the blog’s story on the restaurant at 46 Eldridge St., a health inspector visited the storefront August 27 and ordered it shut down. The owners’ daughter promised Prosperity Dumpling would reopen. “We care about all of our customers,” she told Gothamist. “We always try to make the best dumplings and the freshest dumplings for everyone, but anyway, we made a mistake and we’re trying to fix it. We will keep the inside of the store clean and the outside clean.” At press time, the restaurant remained closed, but another branch of Prosperity Dumpling on Clinton Street continued to operate. Puebla Mexican Food completed its comeback last month, finally opening a stall in the Essex Street Market. Owner Irma Marin was forced to close her 1st Avenue location after 25 years due to a rent increase. Puebla Mexican Food is located in the former Brooklyn Taco stall, near the north end of the market. The menu is still a work in progress, but you can expect many of the same affordable offerings (burritos, tortas, enchiladas, chimichangas, etc.) that made the little restaurant a beloved spot in the East Village for so many years. Recently, the city extended market hours until 8 p.m. on Fridays. Other nights of the week it’s open until 7 p.m. 24

October 2015

The Essex Street Market has experienced a sharp downturn in business in the past couple of years. Several merchants have closed as a result, including the ice cream shop Luca & Bosco, which gave up its pushcart location last month. 120 Essex St., pueblamexicanfood.com.

Street artist and club owner Andre Saraiva has opened a Parisian-style cafe on Forsyth Street. Cafe Henrie is meant to be a low-key spot for the neighborhood’s creative types and other locals to hang out during the daytime hours. Saraiva told Vogue, “I bought an apartment on Forsyth, and I didn’t have any place to go in the morning to have my coffee and sit down and read my paper, so I said I should find a little place and bring a bit of my habits I have normally in Paris to New York.” There’s Counter Culture coffee, smoothies and fresh juices, as well as a light breakfast/ lunch food menu. 110 Forsyth St., near Broome St., hours 7 a.m.–7 p.m.

The Sapphire Lounge on Eldridge Street, one of the Lower East Side’s oldest dance venues, has gotten a high-end makeover. After hosting private Fashion Week parties, the Rumpus Room recently opened to the public. The decor, according to Women’s Wear Daily, includes bamboo and burnt wood walls, vintage wallpaper and a copper

bar. Partner Gabriel Levy said they’re striving for a diverse crowd; “Black, white, straight, gay, rich, poor, celebrity, plebian—once you’re in the room and you’re up against each other, you’re all in and you’re all playing nice and having a great time.” 249 Eldridge St., near East Houston St., rumpusroomnyc.com.

The splashiest nightlife debut of the fall/early winter season will be Mr. Purple, a 9,000square-foot cocktail bar on the 15th floor of the Hotel Indigo. The 290-room property from the Intercontinental Hotel Group will, no doubt, make a big impact on upper Orchard and Ludlow streets when it opens in November. Mr. Purple is a project from the Gerber Group, which operates several hotel bars, including the Irvington in the W Hotel on Park Avenue South. There are two terraces and a swimming pool. Drinks will include farm-fresh ingredients from the Union Square Greenmarket, and snacks are to be provided by Katz’s Deli and Russ & Daughters. 180 Orchard St., near East Houston Street, mrpurplenyc.com.

After numerous delays, the owners of Suffolk Arms promise they’ll finally be opening their cocktail bar on the southeast corner of East Houston and Suffolk streets this fall. It’s the first solo project from Giuseppe Gonzalez, whom you might remember from PKNY, the defunct Essex Street tiki bar. At the new spot, you can expect an emphasis on vodka-based cocktails in addition to special creations drawn from Gonzalez’ previous bartending exploits. 269 East Houston St., at Suffolk Street, suffolkarms.com.

On September 23, Kossar’s Bialys temporarily shut its doors for a sixweek renovation project. In The Wall Street Journal, owners Evan Giniger and David Zablocki revealed plans for the store’s $500,000 face-lift. The 79-yearold shop will add a sandwich counter and grill. Plumbing and electrical equipment will also be replaced. Giniger said, “Most people are going to buy a business to earn a living. We bought a business to almost restore a bit of history in New York City and then desire to expand that throughout the city, throughout the country and even throughout the world.” To that end, a new store will be opened on the Upper West Side, and the fledgling entrepreneurs are hoping to debut “a line of partially baked and frozen bagels and bialys.” They have hired a PR firm to raise the bialy’s profile. Giniger and Zablocki bought the bakery in 2013. A third partner, Marc Halprin, is no longer part of the company.

football. without the idiots.

(212) 477-6555 129 Orchard between Delancey and Rivington

luckyjacksnyc.com Downstairs lounge available for private parties The Lo-Down | TheLoDownNY.com

Coss

MARTE

Favorite place for a special night? I'm not really much of a splurger anymore but I like Forgtmenot on Division Street. The service is always hospitable and the Greek dishes are amazing. I also love it when there's a soccer game on; it gets pretty crazy!

Is there a new arrival you love? There's a lot of new places that are awesome, but the place that I currently love is Mikey Likes It Ice Cream on Avenue A. They have throwback ice cream themes like Foxy Brown (chocolate ice cream), Nutty Professor or Vanilla Ice—my favorite: vanilla ice cream!

How have you seen the neighborhood change? The changes are good in a way. Back in the ’80s and ’90s it was a bit dangerous, but there was way more of a community. I remember being 5 years old and going grocery shopping for my family on my own. Now it’s way safer, but less of a community. All you see is five-year-old cute puppies running around and beautiful galleries.

What drives you crazy about the neighborhood? I can't complain since I want to live here for the rest of my life.

What do you miss from the old LES? I miss so many things about the old LES! Playing basketball in the 7-foot rim before the soccer field took over the Sara D. Roosevelt Park, hearing people screaming and hustling me down Orchard Street to buy leather jackets. Most of all I miss opening up the fire hydrants on Forsyth Street to drench ourselves with water and make money off cleaning cars as kids. I prefer the old LES though, when things were a bit more reckless and a lot more fun.

What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever seen on the LES? I would have to say the strangest thing I’ve ever seen was when my friends and I rented a horse and carriage from Central Park to ride to McDonald’s on Delancey Street about 10 years ago. It was not that strange, but people looked at us like we were. Who’s the best neighborhood character you’ve met and why? I would say it had to be Adam Purple, who died a couple weeks ago at the head of the Williamsburg Bridge. I remember watching him riding his bike with his long white Santa Claus beard. He would wave at us as kids and paint the streets with green footsteps that we would once follow till we got tired.

Photo: Alex M. Smith

For our regular feature spotlighting the people who live and work on the Lower East Side, we talked with LES resident Coss Marte, who started the ConBody fitness program after serving five years in prison for a drug dealing conviction.

How long have you lived on the LES? I've lived here for 30 years and grew up on Rivington, Broome, Spring and Eldridge Street. I pretty much haven't left a five-block radius. Why did you move here, or (if you were born here) why did you stay? I was born here and stayed because I love the community. I love the fact that it's so convenient and I don't have to travel far to get to my favorite spots in the city. What do you do? I'm the CEO and founder of ConBody, a fitness studio on Delancey Street, which I came up with after serving a prison sentence. In my 9-foot-by-6-foot prison cell I developed a unique and effective exercise program without the need for any equipment. The program utilizes military boot camp techniques, along with some additional secrets that I developed inside. 26

October 2015

Committing myself to this program, I was able to lose 70 pounds in just six months. Now I give others second chances by hiring formerly incarcerated individuals to teach our prison-style boot camp classes. We're actually moving to a new storefront location in the LES and raising money through Kickstarter to build a community space that will not only educate/train people in health but help formerly incarcerated individuals adapt back to society by teaching them the technical skills they need to become employed. Tell us about your apartment—the good, the bad and the ugly. Well, my apartment, aka my shoebox, is the perfect oasis to rest in. The only thing I dislike about it is the price. Rent has gotten ridiculous around the neighborhood if you don't have rent control. What’s your favorite spot on the LES and why? I would have to say my favorite spot is Cup & Saucer. I've been going there since I was a kid, and that delicious Greek diner has the same taste I remember as a kid. Favorite cheap eats? Don Juan’s bodega on 110 Forsyth St. The steak sandwiches are five bucks and always do the job.

2015

FALL

FLOORING SEASON

The new fall lineup and hottest trends are HERE! Get the high-quality hardwood, bamboo or laminate floor you always dreamed of, at a low price you deserve. Get to your local store, and get inspired with all the latest trends! 95 Delancey St New York, NY (347) 286-7552

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32-32 49th St Long Island City, NY (347) 527-7664

The Lo-Down | TheLoDownNY.com

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.

October 2015

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