Photos by Stacie Joy
Recapping some of what we know (and have reported) about 6 Avenue B. The liquor store in the retail space closed when the owner passed away in 2009 at age 89. (Chico created the tribute to her in February 2010.)
And as previously noted, this is one of the abandoned buildings owned by the estate of the mysterious team of Arthur and Abraham Blasof, now both deceased.
In January 2013, workers were spotted hauling out some junk from the building... in December 2014, bricks fell from the building, breaking the foot of a passerby, as the Lo-Down reported at the time. And an SUV took out part of the sidewalk bridge in November 2018.
And that sidewalk bridge has been up for YEARS. (Six? Seven?)
However, there are newish work permits on file for the address, some related to the (AT&T?) antennas on the roof. Workers have been inside the building lately.
EVG contributor Stacie Joy looked inside the other day. In the photos below, you'll see the state of the place.
"The old parquet wood floors are beautiful and the tile work is amazing," Stacie said. "Doubtful it will be preserved but it was something to see."
Wow. Thanks,Stacie!
ReplyDeleteThe irony of some of the New Law apartment buildings that have never been renovated is that they keep a level of architectural fittings miles, miles ahead of all the Home Depot-ized rental specials landlords love to flip. This building will probably get torn down entirely, especially with the facade crumbling, but generally speaking I'd take this with a few coats of paint before most of the shoeboxes you see on Streeteasy. That stairwell looks just like my building (1915), as do the moldings. Shame somebody painted the hardwood floors and gave the bathroom a 1950s makeover, but otherwise...
ReplyDeleteBig same!
DeleteIn the mid 90s I worked as a fixer-upper, we' d go into old apartments and fix them up for new tenants. I remember the first floor, wasn't too bad a shape. But I enjoyed looking out at Ave B all day, got scary at night.
ReplyDeleteIf this building were to be cleaned up and rewired, it could house so many.
ReplyDeleteLovely pre-war details like the tile work; marble-clad walls in the stairwell. How I wish I had a window in my bathroom.
Someone could totally sell the mirror with red paint on it.
ReplyDeleteWow, looks like a nice place, just hidden under dirt. These old tenements have stood over a century, some with minimal maintenance, and are still inhabitable. Many of the new building are constructed so cheaply, they won't last half as long as these beauties.
ReplyDeleteWhen is the last time anyone lived here? Looks like is hasn't been inhabited in decades.
+1 on the janky gross monstrosity new buildings
DeleteA four foot square lilac colored mini-tub is not something you see everyday. Notice how the design sensibility shifts from very ornate turn of the century to bright colors post WW2 (let's get happy) to what it will wind up being: bland, though not unappealing, neutral minimalism the ground zero of which was late 70's Soho which, dare I say it, once it caught on spread like a virus around the world........
ReplyDeleteIt does make me oddly sad to think of someone removing all those lovely old touches without realizing what they have. Also, facades can be repaired too, that's what happens with all the similar age buildings in the area.
ReplyDeleteThe features are gorgeous, even the mid century bathroom with all of those soft colorful glazes on the tiles and fixtures. So much care used to go into creating these buildings. Now, everything is so grey and bland.
ReplyDeleteGreat report! Noticed the odd tub as well.
ReplyDeleteIt absolutely kills me that this building has been allowed to stay vacant like this for so long. The city should either force the owner to improve it and rent it or sell it to be torn down. It is unacceptable to allow buildings to stay vacant like this generally. We also need a law to make it PAINFUL to have scaffolding up for longer than a few months.
ReplyDeleteVery cool to finally see the inside. I have wondered for years. Thanks, Stacie!
Also, what is the deal with the apartment full of stuff? It looks too well maintained to just be a squatter.
ReplyDeleteThat's probably a $500 bike too.
Awesome, Stacie. Thanks for braving it for us.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Stacie!
ReplyDeleteThe city does not incentivize the owners to maintain the buildings.
ReplyDeleteif they renovate, they would be rent stabilized units.
so would make more economic sense to tear down and build new - unfortunately.
So we get less housing and the balance is even more expensive.
You can thank Harvey Epstein for killing condo and co-op conversions where the tenants become the owners.
That said, the owner should do something or sell to someone who will.
I passed the building last week and looked in the front door , but there were construction workers going in and out. I’m always so curious to see the older vacant buildings. Thank you for getting in and sharing your pictures! My latest obsession is the townhouse on 10 th west of university. It has heart shapes on the outside shutters. I think it’s #28. The dumpster looked pretty full though so I’m guessing the older features are probably in a landfill by now.
ReplyDeleteFyi the owner of the building is making some money, those cell phone towers on the roof pay between $10,000 to $30,000 a month each.
ReplyDelete@anon 2:00 pm
ReplyDelete>>
The city does not incentivize the owners to maintain the buildings.
if they renovate, they would be rent stabilized units.
<<
This is just wrong. If the owners renovate, the apartments would be market rate unless the owners voluntarily put them into the rent-stabilization program (which, incidentally *guarantees* the landlords a profit).