Luring potential East Village condo buyers with a DJ and fine art raffle — not to mention an open bar and Katz's

The folks at Prudential Douglas Elliman are throwing a big party (hot!) Tuesday evening to introduce "2 hot new developments" — the Copper Building at 215 Avenue B at 13th Street ... and the no-fancy-name 525 E. 12th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B. As you can see in the disco-ball decorated flier above, potential condo buyers and various crashers will be treated to an open bar and food from Katz's. ("Send a salami to a condo buyer in...")



So, you know about Upper Avenue B's out-of-place Copper... But how about 525, which is real close to "THE ONLY REAL FRAT HOUSE AT NYU!" According to the listings for one of the seven available homes:

525 East 12th Street is one of the latest and finest new boutique condominium developments of the East Village. Superiorly located, this unique floor through lofts project, is facing the serene, beautifully landscaped Sauer Park. The building offers private keyed elevator that opens into each apartments, T.V. intercom system, 10 Years tax abatement, low C.C. and much more. This garden duplex is one of the most unique properties in downtown. Townhouse living: Gracious entry leads into an extraordinary double height living room with walls of windows overlooking your own private landscaped garden. The enormous chic Italian SCIC chef's kitchen is open through a Caesar stone quartz bar and equipped with a Subzero fridge, Wolf Range, A Zepher exterior vent that removes all cooking odors, Miele… D/W and Marvel dual zone wine cellar. The upper floor occupies the south facing bedrooms that give onto Sauer Park, the master bathroom with double sink and Neptune bath and the second bathroom that's furnished with green glass tiles and natural stone. Family room/ mezzanine includes the Washer and Dryer and its own WIC. Each zone has its own self controlled HVAC unit.

Prices at 525 range from $1.2 to $1.8 million.

What a view!

An ad for the Top of the Rock Observation Deck on 12th Street and Avenue B...

Sure, it may just look like a hole in the ground now...

This abandoned hole-in-the-ground project at 427 E. 12th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue has been on the market...



At one point five residential floors were going to be added to the existing storefront. Dunno what happened to those plans. Here's the listing:

East Village residential rental development opportunity, with FOUNDATION already in place. The foundation was poured prior to the June 2008 421-a deadline, enabling the full property tax exemption benefits. This site has plans for a six story (plus cellar and roof), 12 unit, rental building, w/ a total of 12,952 gross SF (10,741 SF above grade, 2,211 SF below grade). A Condo plan is also available. Another option is to file an “alt plan”and develop the property to custom specifications while still maintaining the 421-a tax benefits. This is a unique project for a developer or user and is ready to go. Priced at $178 per gross buildable square foot, this is an opportunity not to be missed.

Here's what it could look like!

Noted

On 12th Street near Avenue B.

Now you can own "THE ONLY REAL FRAT HOUSE AT NYU!"

Cool! The already legendary home of the Delta Phi House/East 12th Party Crew is for sale! You may recall some of the Greek-life hijinks from last month here between Avenue A and Avenue B.

Anyway! As the Massey Knakal site notes:

Each unit contains designer bathrooms & chef kitchens, featuring GE stainless steel appliances, black granite counter tops & floors. The 32,870 SF new construction building consists of (13) studio apartments, (7) one bedroom apartments, (5) two bedroom two bath apartments, (1) three bedroom three bath apartment with rooftop terrace and 7 community facility units. Located in the heart of the East Village, just 3 blocks from the subway.

What? No mention of the multiple pong and flip cup tables?

Oh, and it's $17.3 million. For the building.

Posts that I never got around to posting: Midtown Express

About 10 tickets on the windshield of this Midtown Express truck on 12th Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue... Express?

Dumpster of the day

On 12th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue.

Car plows into ConEd gates on Avenue D

Just after 5 this evening, a car crashed into the ConEd fence at the dead end of Avenue D at 12th Street.




There were several accounts of what happened. One tipster noted that the car had been driving north on Avenue D with its hazards on before crashing into the fence. On the scene, one witness thought the car had clipped a van before coming to a halt at the fence. Yet someone else thought the driver simply made a mistake and kept going straight at the dead end.



In any event, nothing really sinister afoot here. The woman driving the car was in a great deal of discomfort. She was simply visiting her mother who lives nearby.

Motorino show

Motorino, the much-discussed pizzeria from Williamsburg, opened its EV location today at 5...around 7, the place was surprisingly only half-full... maybe it's the no booze thing (a license is on the way...) S'Mac next door was noticeably more crowded...but it was earlyish and Monday and stuff...



And the pizza part of the menu...

"The Motorino sign is up!"

I was standing out front of Motorino, the new pizza place opening tomorrow on 12th Street just west of First Avenue...pretending not to be taking photos...



...and a woman walked by and exclaimed to her friend, "The Motorino sign is up!"



I'm not much of a pizza gourmet -- the two slices for $2 variety works fine for me. But some people seem really excited that Mathieu Palombino, who owns the Williamsburg Motorino, is opening a Manhattan outpost. Another reason to go stand in line! According to the Times:

His seven styles of pizzas will include some with seasonal toppings — brussels-sprout leaves in October, shaved porcini later in the fall and black truffle and taleggio cheese in the winter. There will be antipasti, like slabs of mortadella browned in the oven and vegetables roasted with pecorino. And there will be soft-serve ice cream.

It’s a playful variety of toppings and dishes that will be familiar to Motorino regulars. The simplicity of pizzeria fare has been a departure, though, for Mr. Palombino.

Trained in the most haute of French traditions, Mr. Palombino worked in Europe before moving to New York. He was chef de cuisine at BLT Fish when it was given three stars in The New York Times by Frank Bruni in 2005. (Motorino’s small wine list will be chosen by Fred Dexheimer, who worked with Mr. Palombino at BLT Fish.)

Delta Phi offers an apology; but are they sincere? "If not, the wrath of 12th Street will be a good college lesson for any young man"

Jill has an update on the story she has been covering at Blah Blog Blah. She spoke with members of the Delta Phi fraternity on 12th Street. According to her post just now:

[T]he fraternity has said that they've made attempts to reach out to as many of their neighbors as they could to apologize for the disturbance their party caused.

In response to an email that I sent to both them and NYU, they have assured me that they will take great pains in the future to ensure that their parties will not attract as many people by limiting the number of invites distributed. They said that the turnout was unprecedented and unexpected, unlike any of the previous parties they had on Avenue C and that they do not have big parties every week, and plan only one more next semester, but they say it will definitely not be as big a party, and they will post notices around the block so that we will have advance warning.

Currently four people are living full time in the frathouse apartment. I recommended that they volunteer their services in the garden across the street from their house, which might go a long way toward a mutual understanding and respect for the community, the block and the East Village. I also think they will learn a thing or two about drinking.

Some other blogs have picked up this story and it is making the rounds around NYU also, so either they are on notice to be on their best possible behavior, or the news will make them more popular than ever and cater to that pent up frathouse demand that NYU's been missing all these years. Only time will tell if they are sincere about making amends. I for one certainly hope they are and keep to their word, as I will be holding them to it personally and I have their phone number. If not, the wrath of 12th Street will be a good college lesson for any young man.

Previously.

Those guys playing beer pong in 1E may be the next J.P. Morgan Jr. or John Jacob Astor III some day

Just following up on Jill's post yesterday that NYU's Delta Phi fraternity is now calling 531 E. 12th St. home. Since we're going to be neighbors, I thought we should get to know the brothers (bros?) of Delta Phi ... Some history!

Delta Phi has remained an exclusive fraternity. Rather than engaging in the wholesale expansion policies that have marked the operation of other greek letter fraternities, the brothers of Delta Phi choose to establish chapters only at the finest schools and usually with proximity to other chapters. It grants its chapters a substantial degree of local autonomy - allowing them to develop their own traditions and policies within the scope of a larger institution.

Members of Delta Phi have come from every walk of life; social and economic. It’s members have reached the pinnacles of business, politics, education and service. Our fraternity is an organization where names such as J.P. Morgan, Jr., John Jacob Astor and James Roosevelt and are but the start of a long and distinguished list.

And at NYU:

The Gamma chapter was established on Tuesday, June 1, 1841 and is the second oldest social fraternity at New York University and the oldest continuous chapter of our National Fraternity. Among Gamma chapter’s alumni are many distinguished men and the namesakes of several buildings at NYU. The men of Gamma greatly value the traditions of brotherhood in Delta Phi and continue to preserve fraternal life as an integral part of the college experience in a large metropolitan area.

Distinguished Alumni

Howard Crosby - Initiated 1841
William H. Nichols - Initiated 1869
Ernest Howard Crosby - Initiated 1872
Henry Pomeroy Davison - Initiated 1901

Notable former Delta Phi members from other university's include John Jacob Astor III, Charles Scribner and George Will.

Astor photo via.

Previously on EV Grieve:
East 12th Street now home to "THE ONLY REAL FRAT HOUSE AT NYU!"

East 12th Street now home to "THE ONLY REAL FRAT HOUSE AT NYU!"

In case you missed this (And I did — found the link via Curbed first), Jill has a post on NYU's Delta Phi House opening up shop at 531 E. 12th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

Here's the description via Facebook:

531 East 12th Party Crew (Apt 1E)
Category:
Entertainment & Arts - Nightlife
Description:
There are lots of places to party in New York, but few can match the insanity of 531 East 12th Street. If you are tired of going out to bars, come to an apartment with a massive common room filled with multiple pong and flip cup tables.

Here is an article by the New York Observer written about the parties we throw:

You belong in this group if any of the following apply:

1) Came to NYU and within 2 days, missed having house parties.

2) Think beer pong should be in the 2012 Olympics

3) Forgot your keys, wallet, and name at one of our parties.

4) Hooked up on one of the couches in the common room in the dark, thinking that nobody could see you.

5) Bought St. Ides malt liquor from the deli below our old apt (40 Avenue C).

6) Couldn't find your way back to Weinstein, Hayden, or even the front door after partying.

7) Gone to the website and seen a picture of yourself, trashed, on the front page.

8) You fell down the two flights of stairs walking home from our old house (40 Avenue C).

9) You have taken a picture next to our suit of armor in the common room.

10) You and your friends want to come to some of the sickest parties in New York.

Don't miss our welcome week blowouts...there's a reason why the NY Observer called them "legendary".

THE ONLY REAL FRAT HOUSE AT NYU!

Jill writes:

On Saturday night it was reported that hundreds of people were streaming in and out of that building and the police came by at least 5 times, to no avail. At around 3am one resident heard something outside her ground floor window and opened it to find a young man pissing in her flowers. She yelled at him and he ran down the street with his dick hanging out.

Now I am officially freaking out. Frat bars are one thing, an actual frat house is beyond anything I can put into words. Let the phone calls of protest begin.

Here's a piece Curbed had on the new building back in March 2007.

Photo via.

16 hours on 12th Street

Just taking one last look at yesterday's NYU move in on 12th Street...the site of the former St. Ann's church....



Best moment maybe ever: An SUV pulls up, the man behind the wheel next to his daughter yells to an NYU security guard on the sidewalk, "Excuse me, do you speak English?!"



Anyway, at least the neighbors were prepped...



Previously on EV Grieve:
NYU students are REALLY moving in! NYU students are REALLY moving in!

NYU students are moving in! NYU students are moving in!

Dog shit days of summer

One of these days I'll post some urban etiquette signs on my Flickr page...when I do, I'll include this one from 12th Street near Avenue B.



I appreciate people being direct...

Spirit of America

In front of Stand on East 12th Street near University Place.

NYU de-dorms 200 Water St.; preps the 12th Street residence hall

As we noted yesterday, NYU plans on expanding into parts of New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Ohio. Well, there are plans for developing up to 6 million square feet of additional space by 2031 in the area around Washington Square Park.

Meanwhile, what else is happening in the NYU dorm world? First, 200 Water St. in the the Financial District is getting de-dormed. Since 1998, NYU has housed some 1,200 students in these 32 floors. As the Times reported on April 3, 1998, the building went up in 1971 as an office tower for the securities and insurance industry. It was converted from office space to residential space for NYU by the Rockrose Development Corporation.

The decision to lease the Water Street building comes as part of the university's drive to provide housing for a student body that includes fewer New York residents than ever before.

"Ten years ago, half of a typical freshman class was from New York," said John Beckman, a spokesman for NYU. "Now that is about 20 percent."

According to the Water Street home page, "Our theme for the 2008 – 2009 year is "Leave your Watermark" inspired by Water Street’s last year as an NYU residence hall." What's going in this space? Not sure! (According to a commenter here, Rockrose is converting the units to rentals.) But at least they have that new Duane Reade anchoring Fulton and Water. So the students will be moved to other dorms closer to campus.




In recent weeks, all the old dorm mattresses -- hope the students didn't leave their watermarks here! -- were stacked up in the lobby at 200 Water St. and carted off to...




... I don't know, perhaps the new eyesore called the 12th Street dorm that sort of, but not really incorporated the façade of St. Ann's into the residence hall's entrance. This 26-floor dorm between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue will house 700 freshman starting this August.



Here are a few of the articles The Villager has done on the 12th Street dorm in recent years.

See you at the Village Pourhouse in August kids!

12th Street's field of barbed wire

Speaking of NYU's 12th Street Residence Hall... Have you noticed all the barbed wire on the fence that protects the parking lot just to the west of the dorm? What is this, Sing Sing?




However, when the dorm went up, most of the rest of the barbed wire was removed... easy enough now to jump over the fence... making what remains look rather ridiculous.



Though, for the record, I do like barbed wire. And Barb Wire. And you pretty much knew that I was going to do this.

Posts that I never got around to posting: This truck on 12th Street

An anniversary and a four corners update

Blogger and faithful EV Grieve reader/commenter Jill celebrated her three-year-and-one-day anniversary over at Blah Blog Blah this week. Here's to another three years and one day! On this occassion, we all chipped in to get her a gift certificate to Kool Blue! Meanwhile, she has an update on the four corners at 12th Street and Avenue A -- specifically, the southwest corner where a diner-y looking place called Table 12 has revealed its signage.