Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Former Tu Casa Recording Studio space for lease on Avenue B


[EVG file photo from last June]

Last summer, Tu Casa left its longtime home of 40-plus years … the great mural that adorned the front of 95 Avenue B near East Sixth Street was also whited out

The "for lease" sign arrived on Monday…



The rendering looks something Zzzzzzzz like…



There's not much info, such as asking rent, on the listing:

Description: Rare opportunity to lease legal commercial loft-like ground floor and second floor in pre-war building. Floors can be connected by tenant via internal stairway. Available for rent separately. High visibility on busy avenue block, in a great residential neighborhood. Space is currently raw and vacant. Approx. 11 ft. high ceilings, great light; basement space of approximately 650 sf. Building undergoing gut renovations.

Tu Casa had been around since 1972. A lengthy list of musicians have played here through the years, including Butch Morris, Black Flag, the Bush Tetras, Dee Dee Ramone and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, to randomly name a few. There was talk that the studio would relocate to Brooklyn, but we never heard anything else about that move.

11 comments:

Unknown said...

Dang. Had alot of rehearsal time in that space.

Anonymous said...

I always like this building and am glad it is not getting demolished. The buildings scale and 1920's look is part of which is vanishing, glad to see it surviving for now. The low traffic Ave B bodes well for a private business and not a chain.

Anonymous said...

How dare they insult us by calling this a great neighborhood.

Anonymous said...

I'm saving that jpeg of the old Tucasa facade and mural. That place was a piece of my old New York, the way I want to remember it.

Anonymous said...

There's something we don't talk about much on EV Grieve: the end of these recording studios all over the neighborhood. I spent many hours rehearsing and recording at Tu Casa, Context Studios and Baby Monster. I'd always run into amazing bands and performers. I found out about events and concerts and usually made connections for gigs or just made new friends. Do any even still exist in the East Village?

bowboy said...

Just like book stores, aren't music studios just another retail operation that the digital revolution has rendered obsolete? It's too easy to record your own album now without requiring all the old equipment.

Anonymous said...

Bowboy, I'd say digital has marginalized the recording craft. Anyone can make basic recordings now but there is still much art and craft not to mention technical know-how that goes into making truly pro sounding records.* Also worth mentioning that it is rather hard to record drums or other loud instruments in a New York apartment. Or even quiet instruments without ambient street noise and sirens bleeding into the track.

*not that anyone really makes these anymore.

Anonymous said...

Very sad to see another recording studio go.

Yes, one can do great things with a home studio, but there is no comparison to working in a properly acoustically designed treated studio with a great engineer.

Scott said...

It's not a recording studio, per se, but I've used 6/8 Studios on 2nd Ave between 4th and 5th (I think) for rehearsals and some basic recording. Mrs. Barnes is really sweet and takes care of her bands.

Unknown said...

Too bummed to even comment....

Anonymous said...

we got banned at TuCasa!