Tuesday, January 3, 2012

12 things to watch for in the East Village during 2012

• 35 Cooper Square
We're still waiting for the Arun Bhatia Development Corporation, who specialize in dorms and luxury condos, to make public their plans for the parcel of land on Cooper Square at Sixth Street. But they were seemingly in a hurry to demolish the historic 35 Cooper Square last year.

[Photo by Bobby Williams]

• Will East 10th Street be spared from future development?
As we first reported, the Landmarks Preservation Commission has expedited a hearing on the East 10th Street Historic District... thanks to Ben Shaoul looking to add another floor during the conversion of 315 E. 10th St. from nonprofit to residential use. The hearing is set for Jan. 17.


• A lot of posts about Karl Fischer.
Dubbed "NY's most loathed architect" by the Post, Fischer currently has three projects working in the East Village ... 427 E. 12th Street ... 316-318 E. Third St. ... and 532 E. Fifth St. ...

[532 E. Fifth St.]

• A new look for the corner of Third Avenue and 12th Street.


• The rise of 11-17 Second Avenue.
The current address is a beam and brick away from existence. In 2012, we'll see the rise, then, of the 12-story apartment building that's taking over this space...

[Saturday at 11-17 Second Ave. by Bobby Williams]

November...


• The demolition continues at 51 Astor Place, where the Fumihiko Maki-designed 430,000-square-foot Death Star office building will live ...

[Bobby Williams]

• More fast food and chain stores?
Last year, we saw the arrival of a Subway on Avenue B, an IHOP on East 14th Street, a 7-Eleven on the Bowery and the start of a Starbucks on First Avenue at Third Street. Given what rents are these days, it only seems natural that more chains will invade. Which will lead to...

• The continued death of the mom-and-pop shop.
In the last week, we've seen two small restaurants close up — Itzocan CafĂ© and Polonia. Just not foody enough for the the foodies? But there will be plenty of that...

• More fodder for foodies.
Expect to see even more name restaurateur types pan for the East Village Gold Rush. Coming soon! Michael White opening a pizza place on Second Avenue at 10th Street ... the people behind the Breslin, John Dory and Spotted Pig taking over at Olivia on Houston and Allen ... wd~50 pastry chef Alex Stupak opening Empellon, "a fine-dining Mexican restaurant," at the former Counter on First Avenue ...

• More pedestrian usage of "Occupy" even after it went from clever to cliche about, oh, four months ago...


...and on the more positive side...

• Construction continues at the new home of the Lower Eastside Girls Club on Avenue D ...

[Bobby Williams]

• Renovations continue at St. Brigid's on Avenue B at Eighth Street...

[@dens]

There are more than 12, actually, but this is a good start...

2 comments:

Melanie said...

I guy walking on the wooden plank is a great shot, Bobby.

Anonymous said...

Don't forget the New Acme!: http://newyork.grubstreet.com/2011/12/artists-flock-to-acme.html?e=grubstreet--20111215