[Photo from December by Steven]
Looks as if the former Chase branch on Second Avenue at St. Mark's Place won't be torn down after all.
Back in February, landlord Icon Realty filed demolition permits for the address, 130 Second Ave.
At the time, there apparently weren't any takers for the space, which had been on the market since last summer with an asking price of $72,000 a month, per the listing. The address was being marketed for use as retail, a restaurants/bar, office space or a gym.
Now comes word that the Swiss Institute, a non-profit cultural center currently located on Wooster Street, has signed a lease for the space. Here is part of the news release:
Swiss Institute (SI) announced that it will be relocating to a new long-term home in New York City’s East Village, moving into a building at the corner of St. Marks Place and Second Avenue. The organization has selected Selldorf Architects to design the renovation of the 7,500 square foot building, due to open in the Spring of 2017.
Swiss Institute has hired Selldorf Architects to oversee the transformation of its new building. The 7,500 square foot space features four levels – basement, ground, second floor, and roof. The design for the building will create spaces for exhibitions, projects and public programs, a library, a bookstore, and a usable rooftop.
SI’s new home is located within half a mile of several prominent cultural and educational institutions including Anthology Film Archives, Cooper Union, Danspace Project, ICP, La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club, New Museum, New York University, The Poetry Project, and The Public Theater.
“This new building offers tremendous opportunities to expand upon our mission and serve a growing audience, to whom we will continue to offer forward-looking exhibitions and public programs, always free of charge”, said Swiss Institute Director Simon Castets. “We look forward to joining and contributing to the diverse community of cultural organizations and artists that have called the East Village home for many years.”
SI had lost their home in Soho to Jeffrey Deitch, per ARTnews.
As for the Chase branch, which merged with the one two blocks to the north, there were rumors galore about what Icon Realty was going to do to the space. Leasing to an arts organization was not among the predictions. In reporting on this move, ARTnews floated the following:
A rumor going around was that there would be a biergarten up top, which would befit a Swiss art concern, but at this time that tidbit is unconfirmed...
Previously on EV Grieve:
Chase space on 2nd Avenue and St. Mark's Place is for rent
2 East Village Chase Bank branches are closing for good on Nov. 12
Chase branch on 2nd Avenue at St. Mark's Place has the potential to get 4x larger with new owner
The East Village is down 2 Chase branches
Icon wraps former Chase branch at St. Mark's Place with retail ribbon
'Good riddance' Chase, and — a development to watch in 2016
23 comments:
Is this, maybe, the end to the lux boom and a return to normalcy?
Can they wrestle this corner away from the crusties?
I can see how a Swiss culture center serves as a bridge between bank chain land and normalcy... still a long way to go. Lets hope that asking monthly rent didn't stick.
Welcome change.
Forget the real estate angle (for a moment) -- this could be a great addition to the neighborhood.
I've always liked that little building.
Wunderbar! Willkommen im Ostdorf!
What a relief.
This is great news. I am glad a cultural organization is moving in. As for them wrestling control of that corner from the crusties, the crusties are mostly gone now. The ones that are college students slumming it for the summer disappeared right around back to school time, surprise! The diehards who aren't in college linger on St. Mark's but there aren't many of them now.
Awesome!
I love this!
I'm kind of stunned that for once, a building gets a better tenant and use than before
So I/con Realty was shamed into doing the right thing? After all the bad press, putting 100s if not 1000s of tenants lives in upheaval, and being named to the 10 worst slumlord list, their latest move to further exploit the neighborhood ie ripping down a great piece of architecture and turning it into "luxury" dorms, I mean apartments, met with opposition, they are finally doing something decent.
Going to be absolutely nauseating to hear I/con spin doctor Chris Coffey use this particular building in his spin. He even leaves comments in bad press on I/con they are so desperate to get off the 10 worse slumlords list. Applaud them for this move, ok, but don't forget, they and their cohorts Toledano, Kushner etc are still doing their same old evil developer tactics in buildings that do not get this kind of press all over NYC, including now, in Brooklyn.
Beware so called "developers" like I/con. Not developers or landlords, in it for the money speculators only. Look at how hard they worked to drive out one of the last of the affordable restaurants, Stage Restaurant right next door and all the tenants in that building. Bet part of this deal is because they were worried about tenant coalition and politician backlash if they proceeded with tearing down both buildings and developing the corner.
They may have also found they couldn't get the money they wanted for that corner and they may have needed to get a tenant in.
This is great news!
For once a cultural center replaces a bank, instead of vice versa.
Welcome to the neighborhood.
- East Villager
Why is it that even a non profit needs to sell alcohol? mind-boggling. Just Mind-boggling. But for the most part this is terrific news.
I approve. My Grandfather's side of the family was Swiss, so I look forward to seminars on cuckoo clock manufacturing techniques and the fine art of making the perfect chocolate fondue.
And epic read-alongs of "Heidi," ja?
Sounds good to me. Are they raiding all those Swiss bank accounts to pay the rent?
Great News! hopefully this will mark the beginning of the end to the Jersey Board walking of Second Ave. and the nabe in general, sanity prevailed maybe Ghandi is right after all
I paraphrase
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been Starbucks and VChain Stores, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.”
So let me get this straight, everyone calls for a boycott of Kati roll for doing business with Icon, yet supports this place that is going to bring even more tourists to the hood. Those who stay at illegal air BB rooms and eat and drink in all the trendy places we all complain about. Another tourist attraction to drive up rents, resulting in further displacement of residents, oh but it is for the sake of art so okay! Shame on them.
No, it's that no one gave a damn about the Chase Bank branch in there, but we all loved Stage and Roman. There's a big difference between a large corporation in an Icon building voluntarily closing because they have 2 bank branches in 2 blocks, and a beloved small neighborhood businessman in an Icon building who still had years left on his lease being driven out of business through the use of lies and harassment. And if you can't see the difference, then shame on YOU.
@12:04PM So let me get this even straighter: If people around her like something, people like you complain. If people around here don't like something, people like you complain. If people don't complain about a cultural institution that will bring in more art and culture to the neighborhood, then people like you complain. You know what? Stop complaining! 😀
BOYCOTT any and all who rent from Icon!!!!!
BOYCOTT BOYCOTT BOYCOTT
This is not Icon "doing the right thing". They are landlords and the Institute is the tenant. Icon Realty are still a bunch of greedy pigs
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