Since our last look, workers have expanded the construction perimeter around the northeast corner of Third Avenue and St. Mark's Place... the unofficial entry from the west into the East Village.
The sidewalk on Third Avenue was previously blocked off... now the same goes for the St. Mark's Place side... with the sidewalk now part of a barricaded street with a narrower roadway for the M8 bus (and every other vehicle) that uses this route...
Still no activity on the actual lot where the 10-story office building will eventually rise, per a view into the blogger portals...
The City Planning Commission will cast their vote at a later date as part of the city’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure. They are expected to approve the plan to transfer air rights from the landmarked 4 St. Mark's Place to the new development across the street at 3 St. Mark's Place. In issues such as this, City Council usually follows the lead of the local Councilmember. (Carlina Rivera spoke out against the transfer plan in in early March.)
With the air-rights transfer, developer Real Estate Equities Corporation (REEC) would be allowed to build 8,386 square feet larger than the current zoning allows.
Regardless of an extra 8,000 square feet, construction will still happen. As Gothamist reported in early March, the project's architect, Morris Adjmi, emphasized a building of a similar height size would be built as-of-right.
[A rendering of 3 St. Mark's Place]
REEC picked up the 99-year leasehold for the properties here for nearly $150 million in November 2017. The corner lot is owned by the Gabay family.
Previously on EV Grieve:
• Demolition permits filed for northeast corner of 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place
• End is nearing for the businesses on the northeast corner of 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place
• New building plans revealed for 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place
• Concern over potential air-rights transfer for new office building on St. Mark's Place and 3rd Avenue
It would be nice if the city would set up a fund and make construction companies pay into it for the eradication / long-term blocking of sidewalks; each project could have a dedicated sub-fund, and once it was built the money in that sub-fund could be used to make improvements in the affected neighborhood. But I guess that would do something good for the average Joe and impact the bottom line of developers, so nah it won't happen.
ReplyDeleteThere is a huge family of rats here - its hilarious - check it out on St Marks tonite after dark - dozens of squirrel sized rats zooming out from under the fence to raid the garbage bags.
ReplyDeleteoh. it’s so hideous :’(
ReplyDeleteNot sure why construction work gets a free pass to take up not only parking lane space, but actual driving lane(s) for YEARS on end, with no consideration of access for pedestrians (esp. those who need a cane, walker, crutches, or mobility scooters/wheelchairs) or bus routes or anything else!
ReplyDeleteIf NYC charged construction companies a fixed $$$ amount monthly per square foot for all the sidewalk + street space they take up, we might see construction work NOT sprawl (esp. when they're NOT actually DOING anything at a construction site), and maybe construction companies would re-think how much space they really "need". And we'd get some much-needed money into the city's coffers.
this project has been a mess since it's inception and will continue until it manifests as the beacon of greed that it is, totally unnecessary office space for the work at home generation i predict it will disrupt the area for the 4-6 years it will take to complete
ReplyDeleteAir rights from a building that is landmarked at it's height thus it not allowing any air above it to be built on it doesn't deserve to have those rights to be sold to someone else
The covid rat situation is fucking scary and going to be worse with reopening and summer heat
They need to do something about the person living inside the black tarp in the 3rd picture
ReplyDeleteHow is it legal for them to take up this much space? Ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteDisgusting how Real Estate gets away with anything in this city, abetted by the DOT which gives gives out street and sidewalk closures like candy. Why should some private company be allowed to destroy the quality of life on this iconic block so they can make some bucks? people over profits!
ReplyDeleteSure miss the Gringo pic
ReplyDeleteRidiculous, Just like Tech Hub blocking 14th street, Capaliano getting council member to be quiet on both of these
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteConstruction at this site (Bowery and St. Marks Pl.) has been suspended for months. Who can tell me why? How long before they resume the noisy construction?