A worker at the scene said that this was going to be a broadcast production facility, but had no other information. And we don't know if this is accurate. Update: It's not. A place of assembly permit was recently created for an "eating and drinking establishment." (H/T Upper West Sider!)
According to approved DOB permits from January 2020, workers are here for a "general renovation of existing cabaret" with "no change to use, egress or occupancy."
Anyway, cutting-and-pasting from previous posts... this marks a new era for the old (circa 1912) building that has been on redevelopment/demolition watch these past six-plus years.
As you may recall, longtime owners Elsa and Dunnie Lai unveiled plans several years ago — amid neighborhood opposition — to enlarge and convert the property into a 38-unit residential building with a 12-story addition atop the existing bank structure.
Those plans never materialized (the DOB did approve the building permits) ... and by July 2018, the building went on the market for $20 million as a "prime development opportunity," as BoweryBoogie reported at the time. No. 225 never sold, however.
In the past 25 years, a string of clubs and concepts have come and gone here. The space served as a studio for Jasper Johns in the 1970s.
Previously on EV Grieve:
• New renderings for the luxury building that will hang out over the Mercury Lounge
• Then and now: The Provident Loan Society of New York
In the past 25 years, a string of clubs and concepts have come and gone here. The space served as a studio for Jasper Johns in the 1970s.
Previously on EV Grieve:
• New renderings for the luxury building that will hang out over the Mercury Lounge
• Then and now: The Provident Loan Society of New York
let me take the opportunity to reminisce fondly about when it was called the bank, and you could dance in the vault at 3 am while snow sifted in through an open skylight! also notable: i saw a guy there one night with the map of narnia painted in wite-out on his floor-length leather coat.
ReplyDeleteahhh The Bank… at the time I was living at the newly opened Red Square building and went to The Bank often. one crazy night i found myself dancing with a very… ahem… “enthusiastic” Goldie Hawn in the vault among many fond memories. it was a fantastic club for a very brief period
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