Tuesday, December 18, 2012

[Updated with correction] 8-lot parcel of East 14th Street primed for new development

After months of rumors about the future of East 14th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B, we finally have some answers.

Of the three rumors previously presented, turns out that we'll be looking at the doomsday scenario for most of the block:

All the space starting at the ABC Animal Hospital west to Avenue A will be developed into some type of housing-retail complex.

According to public records, in late November, eight parcels consisting of 222 Avenue A and 504 - 530 E. 14th St. were leased for a 99-year period by the respective owner to East Village 14 LLC.

(East Village 14 LLC is a Delaware Company that registered with the New York State Department of State in October 2012.)

Public records put the cost of this parcel at $35 million.

CORRECTION: Amended an earlier version of this aerial view. The deal does not include 520 E. 14th St., the 6-story apartment building that includes a Dunkin Donuts and the Royal Custom Tailors in the retail space.

And here are the parcels of land included in the deal:

[Click image to enlarge]

So we're looking at everything from where Stuyvesant Grocery and Pete's-a-Place were before the fire on May 12, 2010 at Avenue A east to, and including, the Animal Hospital. The lone exception: 520 E. 14th St. Presumably new development will happen on either side of this building.

And because people have asked before: The Blarney Cove is included in this land grab.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Conspiracies: What next for 14th Street and Avenue A?

Those ongoing rumors about the future of East 14th Street between Avenue A and B

Petland is moving away from East 14th Street, fueling more new development rumors

[A special thanks to the EVG reader who helped dig into the records]

33 comments:

Fashion By He said...

why is this a doomsday scenario? did you think this prime real estate would never be developed above 1 level?

Anonymous said...

Ya... I've got to agree with fashion.. And I bet we all live in a building that stands where a charming cottage once stood...

Anonymous said...

So Rainbow goes too? They did not open all that long ago, bet they are pissed.

Caleo said...

Fashion by he- Yeah, it's remained "undeveloped" up until now, so alot of us were hoping it would stay that way.

glamma said...

We need to replicate the USW no-chain ordinance in their zoning laws NOW.
I absolutely shudder to think.

Laura Goggin Photography said...

BLARNEY COVE!

I'm really, really sad. I've long suspected this would happen, but this really breaks my heart. It's one of the very few places left where people know your name and are happy to see you.

Dammit.

Fivepoint said...

I don't see why development on East 14th street would be bad. Between Stuy Town and the sheer size of the street itself, there isn't exactly a huge amount of history or character at stake here. As long as the new developments are of a reasonable scale, they should serve as an improvement to the community.

BabyDave said...

Because this stretch of 14th Street has consistently been, how to put it, "low-rent," it has enabled part of the neighborhood to maintain a low-key sensibility more attuned to a sense of community than a dread of monied invaders.
And to lose the Blarney Cove would be rotten.
By the way, does anybody know how thorough the fire investigation was?

Shawn said...

What Glamma said! What Goggla said!

Blarney Cove and Mars Bar gone within one year of each other!

The Mayans said the earth would end in 2012, it sure does feel that way!


Unknown said...

Those of us who live at 520 are a little skeptical that we are safe. All that needs to happen is the building be sold at the right price. This what we are all thinking.

Unknown said...

Those of us who reside at 520 are just waiting for them to buy our building also.

Anonymous said...

Just because it is inevitable doesn't mean it isn't depressing a hell!

Anonymous said...

Ideally, some affordable housing would be built here. But it won't.

Crazy Eddie said...

"THEY..TOOK..THE..BAR!

LvV said...

I'm going to miss Wash N' Clean on 14 most of all. I don't go to bars, so on weekends, which are officially terrible now, doing my laundry next to a bunch of regular folks and EV old-timers helped me keep sane. It was a little oasis of normalcy, like Blarney Cove is for you guys.

I'd say more, but it's too depressing. I admire you all who still have fighting spirits, but I give up.

EV Grieve said...

@ LvV

One resident on the block heard that Wash N'Clean will move down the street into the former La Isla space... hasn't been confirmed, but that is the rumor.

Anonymous said...

sorry i can't feel bad about these stores and bars getting pushed out

the fact is this block is pretty runned down and ugly

if there was some new buildings and perhaps a trader joes or whole foods

would this be a bad thing??

LvV said...

5:02, are you seriously SO lazy that you can't take 5 minutes to walk west on 14th to Union Square, where there is a Trader Joe's AND a Whole Foods? I can't do my laundry at Trader Joe's. Just hop the M14, lazybones!

Anonymous said...

Lot of retail history on that block, former home to Kossar's Bialys, John's Bargain Stores, FW Woolworth's, Jo-Jo's, Prince of Pizza, The Pioneer Supermarket and a great record store near Ave B where I bought my early rock and roll records. And there were others.

God Bless... life moves on.

Anonymous said...

I'm really dreading the construction noise and the dust. I'm going to have to keep all of my windows closed. Plus, it sucks that the places and people that have made this a neighborhood all these years will be leveled and displaced for high-priced eyesores.

Change is not always a good thing.

Gojira said...

@Anon 9;13 - Used to be a Chemical Bank on the block, too. But Pioneer was on the northeast corner of 13th and B, "Where the Elite Buy Their Meat"; the supermarket you are thinking of was actually called Red Apple.

Anonymous said...

I am not so lazy to walk to union square!
but the problem isn't the walk it is that long long lines in both stores obviously there is room for another trader joes or whole foods in this area.

an anchor store like trader joes on this block will improve the whole block

it is weird people complain about bar scene but having nice stores and new buildings in the area MIGHT improve the whole area.

as far as gentrification - the only people who have an actual claim to East Village are germans and they are long gone .

Anonymous said...

@ Anon 11:06 AM: Long gone? Wir sind immer noch hier und scheissen auf die Gentrifizierung! Wir scheissen auf seelenlose Bauloewen, denen das Wohlergehen unseres Viertel scheissegal ist solange sie nur Profit machen koennen.

LvV said...

11:06, my family were Dutch settlers, we've been in the tristate area for 12 generations now. I still need a place to do laundry, dude.

glamma said...

omg my dry cleaner!
I've been going to them for years even for 5 of which that I lived in Queens, yes I came all the way here to do my dry cleaning!
Please stay on the block!

BabyDave said...

Anon 9:13 p.m. -- Kossar's on 14th Street? I have my doubts (http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive/pdf?res=F40E11FD385B107B93C2AB1789D85F4C8585F9). Also, wasn't Jo-Jo's on First Avenue between 15th and 16th Streets, where the Stuyvesant Town leasing office is now?

Utherben said...

The bialy place wasn't Kossar's; it was Hot Bialys. I remember the sawdust on the floor.

Anonymous said...

Anyone here take the L at First Avenue during rush hour, where the MTA says trains are already running at maximum frequency? Now, depending on the scale of these new apartment buildings, let's add, say, another 1,000 commuters during that same hour. Yeah, this'll be great for everyone, alright...

Anonymous said...

Baby Dave -- yes it WAS Kossar's bialys. I loved that place. Going to Grand Street isn't the same as walking by and getting some on my way home.
As far as the L train, how about opening an entrance at Avenue A? That would make the redevelopment more popular!

Anonymous said...

my brother always called this block "sad street"... you knew this was coming eventually... surprised this didnt happen 15 years ago

Anonymous said...

There were tenaments on this stretch of land before this low level retail went up juts like between b and c.

Anonymous said...

Rite Aid manager says store is not closing.

Anonymous said...

residents of 520, if they are rent stabilized or rent controlled tenants have rights, even in the event of a sale. generally,pursuant to those leases, tenants have a right to renewal of their lease. sale of the building does not terminate those rights. so the stabilized and controlled tenants of that building may be able to hold out and keep their homes, or negotiate with the owner to relocate. given what kind of money would be changing hands if that building were to be sold to complete the mega development that seems to be on the way, buyout cash could be considerable. there are organizations in the neighborhood, like G.O.L.E.S on avenue B that can provide information about the rights of those tenants.