The plan to shutter the Mars Bar for two years is hardly a done deal... Meanwhile, I haven't talked to anyone yet who thinks this whole development is such a good thing ...
The "affordable housing" part of the equation is swaying some people... The city needs more afford housing... But looking at the news accounts (first reported by the Local East Village) of the plan.... the structures along Second Avenue will be combined and possibly have their height brought up to 12 stories. Curbed put it this way: "That's allowed under zoning because the developer will get bonuses for including affordable housing, which in this case will be 12 apartments (compared to 48 market-rate units). There are 9 low-income families currently in the buildings, so they'll get first dibs on the apartments."
So they'll be 12 affordable housing units in the new building... currently there are nine low-income families living in the buildings... so we'll get three extra units of affordable housing in return for demolishing a block, putting an end to an EV institution and adding MORE luxury housing?
Hmm. What am I missing here? In the end, the Mars Bar would get a spiffy new space here...
Anyway, CB3's Land Use, Zoning, Public & Private Housing Committee will discuss the plan tonight at 6:30 pm — Community Board 3 Office — 59 East 4th Street (2nd Ave & Bowery)
From a reader exchange last night:
Reader: "What is a Mars Bar in a renovated space that's 3X the size?"
Me: Another bar.
Previously on EV Grieve:
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no: Why the Mars Bar is closing (maybe)
[Top image PropertyShark via Curbed[
just awful. the "low income housing" thing is nothing but a SCAM to get around height limits on development. another similar scam is the "retail space that benefits the community." they will yes you to death to get their little free pass and then those thing NEVER come to fruition and the developers NEVER suffer any consequences from whoever is supposed to regulating these bastards.
ReplyDeletejust AWFUL.
Yes, they dangle the "low-income housing" out there as bait to get the OK to go ahead and bulldoze not only the physical structure, but the entire Mars/Bowery/EV culture as well. If closes, it won't come back - it can't.
ReplyDeleteThe more I think about it, the less sad I am and the more angry I become...
I don't understand? Is this part of the Cooper Square development? If it is then the deal was cut around eight years ago, which means that what ever goes there will be market rate. Its just a matter of which asshole gets the contract and how much damage will be done.
ReplyDeleteAccording to zoning they can add additional stories to a structure but then a certain percentage of the units have to be affordable.
Does anyone know if this is part of the Cooper Square development?
Where all the roaches and rats go. They will be gone never to come back. This is the end of Mars Hank will be dead without the bar. Without a place to sit out front or at the bar being a lone shark to all the drunks at 50% interest. What will he do.
ReplyDelete