The fucking TD Bank branch is now open on Second Avenue

Hey, that TD Bank branch anchoring the Jupiter 21 building on Second Avenue at East First Street officially opened yesterday. We walked by and were greeted by no fewer than 14 TD employees on the sidewalk offering free coffee and pastries or something pastry like. They were friendly! (But we missed the TD mascot!)

Did anyone go in to be among the first 100 visitors to receive a free gift? If so, then please let us know what the gift was!

And, as you know, the corner space was home to the Mars Bar until 2011… And, well, what the hell…


[Photo from 2006 by Ixtayul Martinez]

Meanwhile, some WTF variation of the Mars Bar is returning to East First Street … in a cafe-restaurant-club combo that will feature a juice bar and quinoa bowls.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The former Mars Bar is becoming a fucking bank branch

So where's that fucking bank branch that's taking the former Mars Bar space?

The fucking TD Bank signage arrives at the former home of the Mars Bar

Will the new Mars Bar be another location of The Pink Elephant?

So you know that Mars Bar owner Hank Penza (along with a new group of partners) is returning to his former home at 11-17 Second Ave., now the luxury Jupiter 21 building.

The mysterious cafe-bar-club concept will be housed at 21 E. First St. adjacent to the Jupiter 21 residential entrance and the new TD Bank branch.

There's a notice on the front door about tonight's CB3/SLA committee meeting, where Penza and his new partners Alain Palinsky, a co-founder of Juice Press, Chris Reda, an owner of The Griffin in the Meatpacking District, and Robert Montwaid, an owner of the club The Pink Elephant, are on the agenda.



Here's a look at the inside … reportedly a 4,456 basement and ground floor space …



And we noticed some architectural plans on a table inside…





We'll flip the photo to make it easier to read… according to these plans, the place will be called The Pink Elephant.



This could just be a working title for the place. According to the paperwork on file with CB3, the proposed hours of this new venture are 6 a.m.-4 a.m. Monday through Friday; 8 a.m.-4 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The application also lists that there will be 15 tables good for 80 seats ... with one bar featuring eight seats. The new establishment will employ 15-20 people. And the "All Star Security Services will be providing security guards" — "3-4 nightly."

We don't know much, if anything, about The Pink Elephant, currently located in New York at 40 W. Eighth St. Here's how they describe themselves:

The Pink Elephant is a world renowned brand geared towards high energy entertainment and exuberance for life. With locations in the US, Brazil and Mexico, the brand has come to be a favorite of jet setters, celebrities, socialites and trendsetters alike because of the level of service, sophistication, and overall entertainment experience.

Meanwhile, it remains to be seen what this place will be like during the day … with the 6 a.m. opening times … and the Juice Press connection.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A few more details about Mars Bar 2.0, which doesn't sound very Mars Bar-ish at all

TD Bank branch opening next Friday on 2nd Avenue; party with free gift for the 1st 100 visitors!

Hey, that TD Bank branch anchoring the Jupiter 21 building on Second Avenue at East First Street is opening late next week.

The new neighborly neighbors placed welcome brochures on cars around the, uh, neighborhood with more details… the trees are coming! (And how many trees went into making these brochures???)





Any thoughts on what the gift might be? (Do banks still give out toasters? Or have they downsized to toaster mitts?)

Of course this Grand Opening Celebration will cause the new Mars Bar coming to a space somewhere in this building to ramp up their own First Day/Night Extravaganza.

'All uses considered' for former Mars Bar space at Jupiter 21

The retail listing — with fresh renderings — is now live for 21 Jupiter, the luxury building that took the place of 9-17 Second Ave. ... and, among other things, the former home of the Mars Bar.

Some details per the RKF listing:

SPACE
Ground Floor 1,400 SF
Lower Level 3,056 SF
Storage Space 1,252 SF

POSSESSION
Second Quarter 2013

TERM
20 years

And!

COMMENTS
Formerly “Mars Bar” location
All uses considered
New construction with premises being prepared for restaurant use
Located at the base of a luxury rental building
Existing 4am Liquor License in place

Any idea why Mars Bar is randomly in quotes? Oh, and does this mean Hank isn't reopening the bar here? (No snickering!)

And what happened to the BP station and other buildings?

Previously:

21 E. First St. now tall enough for floor numbers

Continuing to note the progress at 21 E. First St. at Second Avenue... this is from the East First Street side...

Numbers go to 8 ... and it looks as if the crew is starting on the 10th floor... on the the way to 12...

21 E. First St. rises

Every so often we'll check in on the progress at 21 E. First St. at Second Avenue...

Jan. 7.

June 23.





Coming soon. A 12-story apartment building. Previously.

21 E. First St. has its first floor! (Sort of...)

Let's take a look at Second Avenue and East First Street. It has a skyline now.

One floor down, 11 more to go before a bland-looking apartment building is in place...

Also, we'll start referring to it by its official project name... which is, I think, 21 East First Street...

Lumber lifting on East First Street

Over at the former 9-17 Second Ave., Bendy Thing has given way to a large, wood-toting crane...

As you know, you always take photos of a crane lifting lumber over East First Street...

Photos by Bobby Williams.

Previously.

A call to 'fuck this wall up'

Spotted on the plywood outside the incoming 12-story apartment building where 9-17 Second Ave. used to be...

11-17 Second Ave. breaks ground level

Was just a hole in the ground here at East First Street the other day... now, there's an elevation (of sorts) ...

Photos by Bobby Williams.

Coming soon. A 12-story apartment building. Previously.

How's the bendy thing doing at 11-17 Second Ave.?

For the past few weeks, we've been watching that bendy thing concrete pump fill the pit at 11-17 Second Ave.

And how is the pit looking these days? As of Friday...

Filling up. Next up, 12 floors.

Photos by Bobby Williams.

Lake Mars

Second Avenue and First Street this morning.

Leftover from the water used yesterday for the bendy thing working at 11-17 Second Ave.?

Bottom photos by Bobby Williams.

Feeding time for bendy thing at 11-17 Second Avenue

So that bendy thing (OK, concrete pump) has been at work at 11-17 Second Avenue...

[Bobby Williams]

And this photo via @bndo today shows the concrete armada invading trucks lining up to feed it...

11-17 Second Avenue is starting to rise from the bowels of the Mars Bar

Early last evening. Before you know it, a 12-story apartment building will be here. And then?

Bonus photos from yesterday of the bendy thing...

Bendy photos by Bobby Williams.

Going deeper and deeper at the big Second Avenue sandbox

Every so often we like to jump the fence here at the former 9-17 Second Avenue... to check in on the progress of the hole... (Has it really been one month since our last look?)

[Monday]

[Saturday]

[Saturday]

Making its way below street level... as you were.

Also, we heard this story that, when people were cleaning up the Mars Bar, someone found a series of old tunnels below the bar that dated to the Civil War... We asked a few people who may know these kinds of things, and they chalk this one up to an urban legend.

Previously.

Here's the hole in the ground where 9-17 Second Ave. was

...and on the plywood outside the construction site ...

Previously.