Monday, December 5, 2022

First Avenue Laundry Center is closed for now

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

The First Avenue Laundry Center is now closed at 33 First Ave. at Second Street.

As previously reported, the longtime laundromat was to shut down for renovations this fall. 

Anne DeVita, the 88-year-old manager who has worked here for 40 years, confirmed the closure. (There aren't any signs indicating any type of closure — temporary or permanent.)

Anne told EVG contributor Stacie Joy that she doesn't know what is happening with the space, just that the owners told her not to come in right now. 

Inside the laundromat, the light is on but there isn't any evidence of work taking place. 

There has been speculation that this corner is ripe for development... with the long-vacant single-level storefront next door...
Public records list R.M.H. Estates as the landlord of both properties ... with ownership of No. 33 and 35 dating to 1984... they also own 37 First Ave., home of the New Double Dragon...
... which, BTW, has a great sign...
... and an unfussy interior...
We're hopeful that First Avenue Laundry Center will reopen ... and Anne will have her seat back inside the front door. (Photo below from September by Stacie Joy.)
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9 comments:

  1. AnonymousDecember 5, 2022 at 5:38 AM

    what the living F kind of person tells an 88-year-old woman who gave 40 years of her life to their laundromat "not to come in right now"? bring this gem back to her proper setting please!

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousDecember 5, 2022 at 9:01 AM

    When owners of property on the LES smell development dollars, nothing is safe.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousDecember 5, 2022 at 10:37 AM

    Those are two buildings that are good-as-gone. Amazing they stayed around this long.
    Big glass abomination coming to a corner lot near you!

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousDecember 5, 2022 at 1:09 PM

    I love New Double Dragon - reliably tasty, reasonably priced and always fast and friendly.

    ReplyDelete
  5. XeoDecember 5, 2022 at 1:30 PM

    New Double dragon became my go to chinese takeout place... I really hope nothing happens to that building!

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousDecember 5, 2022 at 1:32 PM

    Agree with new dragon. Better than expected and the people are hard working new Yorkers

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousDecember 5, 2022 at 8:22 PM

    [C]OOL

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousDecember 6, 2022 at 4:30 PM

    how long has new double dragon been around. i noticed it a few weeks back and looked in. it has a worn in look to it. i thought it was a movie set! places like that exist in chinatown, but in the east village!?!!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnonymousDecember 7, 2022 at 1:39 PM

    They've been there a long time, but got revamped pre Covid but still good old Chinese American grubs

    ReplyDelete

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