Asbestos abatement for the long-abandoned 6 Avenue B

Photos yesterday by Stacie Joy 

The first steps in the gut renovation of 6 Avenue B are underway. Workers have started the asbestos abatement here on the NW corner of Avenue B and Houston ...

Contractors here confirmed they will renovate the building — not tearing it down, as a few readers suspected.

Last Friday, we had the scoop about the new owner of the long empty/abandoned building.

The owner is an LLC linked to Penn Capital South, whose portfolio includes multiple EV properties.

According to public records, the building changed hands for just $1.05 million. However, the new owners also had to pay $4.2 million in real property transfer and real estate transfer taxes.

As we've pointed out (here and here), the building is in dismal shape and will need significant work to bring it up to code. (The DOB has cited No. 6 for emergency repairs several times in recent years.)

This was one of the abandoned buildings owned by the estate of the mysterious team of Arthur and Abraham Blasof, both long deceased. However, No. 6 has been generating some income with the cell-phone towers on the roof.  

Stay tuned for more news about the building next week...

Preliminary demolition work at 99-101 E. 2nd St. is — surprise — in the asbestos-removal phase

The two-level 99-101 E. Second St. at First Avenue will be demolished in the weeks/months ahead... but not before workers remove the asbestos from the space.

That operation is apparently underway...



One EVG reader thought this set-up looked a little casual given the potential severity of the work... The reader also noted the lack of notice, which has prompted concerns among a few neighbors who learned of this activity via a sign on the dumpster...



As previously reported, developer Sergey Rybak has submitted plans for a 7-story, 22-unit residential building on the property of the current 24 First Ave. and 99-101 E. Second St.



And as a reminder, here's a rendering for the space via the Rybak website...



According to the site, the residences will be condos (building name for now — 101E2). The ground-floor space is designated for retail use.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Onetime home of Lucky Cheng's and adjacent property sell for $12 million

Demolition permits filed to bring down former Lucky Cheng's building on 1st Avenue

Demolition permits filed for 99-101 E. 2nd St.; first look at the condoplex to come

Protest reminder about 112-120 E. 11th St.; plus concerns over asbestos removal

[Photo of 120 E. 11th St. from yesterday]

As previously reported, the five residential buildings at 112-120 E. 11th St. between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue are slated to be demolished to make way for a new hotel from the Marriott family.

Last week, workers began prepping No. 120 for asbestos removal... reps for the Greenwich Village Society For Historic Preservation (GVSHP), who have been monitoring the situation here, noted the poorly sealed windows late last week... (the windows were boarded up by the end of the day Saturday...)



The posted notice points to asbestos in the window caulking...



In addition, the GVSHP notes that the company landlord the Lightstone Group hired for the asbestos removal — the Queens-based New York Insulation Inc. — has a suspect past. The company is currently barred from bidding on public contracts. (The 11th Street work is not a public contract.)



In May 2012, the company pleaded guilty to failing to pay six employees more than $30,000 they were owed, according to published reports. The case involved rooftop work at Wheatley High School in Old Westbury, Long Island.

Per the Long Island Business News: "Along with the fines, New York Insulation and its principal, Anthony Cardinale, are prevented from bidding upon or being awarded any public work projects in the state of New York for five years."

New York Insulation Inc. appears on the New York State Department of Labor's "List of Employers Ineligible to Bid on or Be Awarded Any Public Work Contract." They are eligible again for public contracts starting in May 2020.

As a reminder, the GVSHP is holding a rally/protest outside 112-120 E. 11th St. In case you missed the invite notice from Friday:

Are you as angry as we are that the City is allowing five "landmark-eligible" 19th century buildings at 112-120 East 11th Street, which formerly contained long-term tenants and affordable housing, to be demolished to make way for a 300-room hotel geared towards globe-trotting millennials?

Are you as appalled as we are at the hypocrisy of the administration for refusing to save these buildings, which are being developed by a donor to and political appointee of the Mayor?

Are you disgusted by what this will mean for this block and this neighborhood?

Then join us on Monday, August 22 at 12:30 in front of 112-120 East 11th Street (3rd/4th Avenues) to protest the development and the City’s negligence and hypocrisy...

Updated 8:30 p.m.

Find rally coverage here

Asbestos abatement to begin at former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office

Signs arrived Friday at the former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office noting the start of asbestos removal from the building at 432-438 E. 14th St.



This Post Office branch just west of Avenue A closed for good in February. (The USPS is leasing the former Duane Reade at 333 E. 14th St. for retail services.)

Initially, word was that the USPS was unable to come to terms on a new lease with the building's owner. However, a rep for the owner, Benenson Capital Partners, told the Town & Village blog and the Save the Post Office blog that it was actually the USPS's decision to leave because of a desire to downsize.

Last fall, the Stuyvesant Stationery shop next door to the post office lost its lease and closed. In July, the 99-Cent Discount Center to the east closed, making for three consecutive, single-level storefronts sitting vacant.

To date, there's nothing on file with the DOB to suggest any demolition or new development here.


[EVG file photo]

Asbestos abatement is often the first step before a demolition. Or, perhaps this is just for a conversion of the space to suit a retailer. Or, perhaps the landlord just wants to be proactive and clean up the place. Or, as several EVG readers believe, the three buildings will be taken down to make way for a retail-residential complex similar to what's coming to 500 and 538 E. 14th St.

Previously on EV Grieve:
UPDATED: Did you hear the rumor about the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office branch closing?

Report: Closure of the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office is pretty much a done deal

First sign of more development on East 14th Street?

[Updated] Asbestos concern at the Neighborhood School

We've heard from some parents over at The Neighborhood School/PS 63 on East Third Street between Avenue A and First Avenue...

As we understand it, officials from the New York City School Construction Authority (SCA) announced last week that they will begin removing asbestos from the building this fall ahead of a 2- to 3-year school renovation... the removal will occur after school hours starting at 4, which will disrupt a fair number of programs

From an email from a parent that is in circulation:

[Last] week my fellow parents and I were alarmed to find out that the scaffolding surrounding our school is there to take out asbestos and remove lead paint. I was even more upset to discover that no work was done over the summer and that the contractor wants to start now when school is session. We cannot allow this to happen!!! Asbestos and lead that are airborne due to construction pose serious health threats.

There's a meeting this morning with school officials to begin to address these issues (available parents are encouraged to show support outside the school, per the above flyer) ... there will be also be a Neighborhood School community meeting on Thursday morning at 8:40 with SCA reps.

The parents hope to postpone the work until next summer ...

Updated 9 a.m.
Serena Solomon has more details on this story over at DNAinfo.

Asbestos removal starting at St. Brigid's

And Mrs. Grieve thought it would be funny to take my picture while I was taking a picture...