Thursday, June 7, 2012

The last days of the Mystery Lot

Oh, lordy, that headline is a little dramatic.

Still, the Mystery Lot here between 14th Street and 13th Street east of Third Avenue won't be with us for too much longer... As you know, the space will become an 82-unit, eight-story development some day. The work permits, which are still pending city approval, say that the space will include 86,409 square feet for residential and 5,275 square feet for retail. (According to the DOB, inspectors disapproved the plans again on Tuesday.)

Anyway, all this will soon be as lifeless as any other generic apartment housing complex in, say, Murray Hill... the rocks, weeds and graffiti will give way to glassy luxury.

Before it's all a cinderblock prison with $3,800 studios, we're taking photos whenever we can... like these three shots from the past week...







And we'd like you to be part of this too... If you see something interesting along here, then please take a photo and send it our way... when the trucks, dumpsters and bendy things arrive in good time, we'll have a post sharing everyone's Mystery Lot shots... You can send them via the EV Grieve email

P.S.

A few examples of Mystery Lot shots from the EVG Archives ...



[Via James and Karla Murray]

14 comments:

iagowasframed said...

I know we all hate people who move in and have money...but are we really mourning vacant lots now? Seems a tad silly....

Adam K said...

Not trying to give you a hard time, Grieve, but why are you sure the building will be lifeless and generic? And even if it is, would that really be worse than a garbage-, rubble-, and dog-crap-filled eyesore?

EV Grieve said...

I'm sure the new building will be very nice — BKSK Architects are the uh, architects of record ... their projects include 25 Bond Street and the Artisan Lofts on Chambers Street.

And we're not mourning the Mystery Lot — we're celebrating the Mystery Lot!

Anonymous said...

I heart the mystery lot!!!!

THE NOTORIOUS L.I.B.E.R.A.T.I.O.N. said...

I could never live in this building because the ground is probably haunted. A few years back a dead body was dumped in the lot. A lady, stuffed in a trunk if I remember correctly.

Anonymous said...

i don't think it's an eyesore; i think it's beautiful! i wish i could buy it and live there in a shack with chickens. long live the mystery lot!

Marty Wombacher said...

Love that photo of E.T! Cheers to the Mystery Lot!

THE NOTORIOUS L.I.B.E.R.A.T.I.O.N. said...

E.T.? I thought that was Queen Latifah!

Laura Goggin Photography said...

@Anon 10:13 - lol. If things keep going the way they are, several of us may join you.

Jeremiah Moss said...

a vacant lot is a more interesting space than another shiny condo box. the mystery lot is so called because it is mysterious. there is nothing mysterious about a condo with a Subway and a 7-11 on the ground floor.

and so it's worth mourning.

also, empty lots allow for a sense of openness, sky and light. goodbye to that--and hello to the Awfuls who will be moving in here.

Anonymous said...

@ T.N.L.
you know, one of the cool things about downtown NYC is that every single step you take while walking around has had a dead body laying underfoot at one time or another.
That said; I still can't walk down 11th st. yet after that recent suicide.

BabyDave said...

Jeremiah @4:17: Very nicely put. Couldn't agree more.

Anonymous said...

I'm down with the chickens! Although I was planning 2 claim that lot 4 myself with a couch and a B&W television.......

Anonymous said...

@Goggla: ha ha, i will make sure to add on extra rooms and coops! @10:28 good idea, i hope the tv is tuned mainly to static and m*a*s*h reruns!