•
The reopening of St. Brigid's on Avenue B
[
From October]
The restoration/renovation of the historic Avenue B church is winding down after several years... last we heard from a St. Brigid's watcher, the church is expected to reopen in the first few months of this year... and we can't wait to see the inside... Bonus question: Will neighbors ever
get used to the bells?
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•
Filling in the Mystery Lot
Ah, our old friend the Mystery Lot...
[
Some time ago]
...will soon look like this on East 14th Street/13th Street east of Third Avenue...
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•
The end (and new beginning) of Astor Place
Workers are quickly erecting the 430,000-square-foot office complex at 51 Astor Place ... which will shape up this year to look like...
Building aside, the city is also expected to dramatically reconfigure streets, parks and traffic islands around Astor Place and Cooper Union ...
leaving us with that Midtown feeling...
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•
84 Third Ave. grows taller
We learned last month that the Karl Fischer-designed building rising at 84 Third Avenue at East 12th Street will be 12 stories, not nine as originally expected. Of any of the area's new development, this just
may look like the most out-of-place project. And that's saying something.
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•
A dorm for 35 Cooper Square
The former 35 Cooper Square was demolished
18 months ago here at East Sixth Street. Perhaps soon in the New Year we will learn more about developer Arun Bhatia's
plans for a 9-story dorm, which are currently on file with the DOB.
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•
Something for 100 Avenue A
[
A scene outside 100 Avenue A yesterday by Bobby Williams]
Not much
seems to be happening at 100 Avenue A, where East Village Farms
closed in February 2012.
The city disapproved the first round of plans to renovate the space, including adding a "dwelling unit" and roof garden on the upper floors.
The sidewalk outside the storefront has mostly been used to accommodate
some people in need of a place to sleep this past year.
However, in one small bit of progress, the DOB did approve the foundation work here back on Nov. 9,
per city records. Will we finally see work start on the renovations in 2013?
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•
Development for the former Mary Help of Christians school, church and lot
Staying on Avenue A ... the saga of the Mary Help of Christians Catholic Church enters its fifth year... The Catholic Archdiocese sold the church property, which includes the Don Bosco Salesians rectory adjacent to the church and the church's former school on East 11th Street,
for a reported $41 million. Douglas Steiner, owner of the Brooklyn Navy Yard's Steiner Studios, is the new owner, and he has plans for in the works for an 80/20 residential development.
...and this promises to be an enormous development ...
[
Via Off the Grid]
Will the church be demolished to make way for the new housing? (The Landmarks Preservation Commission has already turned down requests to landmark the circa-1917 church.) Or will at least part of the church be incorporated into the design of the new building, much like NYU did by
sort of including the façade of St. Ann's into the entrance of the 12th Street dorm?
Meanwhile, nothing will
likely happen with the new development until workers have shored up the eastern wall
at the East Side Community School on East 12th Street.
Tomorrow: East Village stories to watch in 2013 (Part 2)
