The most colorful building in the East Village isn’t permanently turning white

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Some neighbors have expressed concern about the sudden disappearance of the familiar colors at the southeast corner of Avenue B and Fourth Street. 

Not to worry: The white exterior is only primer. Antonio Echeverri, who has owned the building at 246 E. Fourth St. since 1992, told us that a new color scheme is on the way: red, gold and two shades of burgundy. The lavender and purple around the ground-floor entrance and grates will remain.

He refreshes the building about every five years. Painting is expected to begin soon and take about three weeks.

Echeverri, whose son, Michael, also lives in the building, has long selected — and sometimes mixed — the colors himself. 

He said the palette reflects the colorful buildings he remembers from his native Colombia. The building previously featured a violet exterior with red trim, along with touches of blue and gold. 

As The Village Voice reported in a 2016 profile, Echeverri bought the property when it was close to being condemned and gradually restored it, working apartment by apartment with a small crew and often doing the renovations himself. 

So, no, the white era isn’t permanent. Stay tuned for the next coat.