Report: New owners of building that housed Lucky Cheng's looking to attract restaurant group

[Photo from last evening]

Plans are reportedly underway to convert the former Lucky Cheng's on First Avenue and its adjacent space on East Second Street.

Real Estate Weekly has the story:

Carmar Development, LLC, is in the throes of converting the former club and restaurant into which occupied two contiguous mixed-use properties totaling 14,000 s/f at 24 First Avenue and 99-101 East Second Street.

Uri Marrache, a principal at Carmar Development said, "As it stands, it seems like we’ll be dividing the East 2nd street property and the 1st Avenue property so I think ultimately we’ll see two retail tenants."

Noting that talks were "very, very far along," Marrache said, "The 1st avenue side is going to be a restaurant."

Marrache declined to name the tenant, noting only that it "will be the newest location of what is already an established restaurant group." He also said that the L-shaped property has 12,000 square feet of air rights.

Hayne Suthon, who owned and and operated Lucky Cheng's also lived in the building. She died of cancer at age 57 in June 2014.

She had been in a legal fight with the operators behind Pride and Joy BBQ, who were renting the space to open a 220-seat honky tonk featuring three bars and about 20 TV screen. (You can read more about this lawsuit here and here.)

The East Second Street space has been home to an array of short-lived concepts in recents years, including Bento Burger ... Marfa... and Waikiki Wally's...


[Photo from last evening]

Workers had gutted the space in late 2012-early 2013 to make way for BBQ chef Myron Mixon's restaurant/saloon. He later had a falling out with his partners, who decided to push forward with a BBQ restaurant here without Mixon. And the space was strangely gutted again.

Suthon had owned the property since 1986, paying $800,000, city documents show. According to public records, the address changed hands to Carmar Development in February 2015 for a little more than $9.6 million.

There are complaints on file with the DOB for work being done at 24 First Ave. and 99 E. Second St. without a permit. There is also an open violation from the city for work without a permit, per public records. The DOB doesn't currently list any active work permits for the properties.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Myron Mixon's Pride & Joy BBQ now in the works for the former Lucky Cheng's space

Fire reported at incoming Pride and Joy BBQ on East Second Street

Myron Mixon lawsuit puts opening of Pride and Joy BBQ in question at former Lucky Cheng's space

More alterations for the Pride and Joy space

Report: Pride and Joy BBQ partners suing landlord Hayne Suthon for $22 million

Pride and Joy's unpaid electric bill