The former DeRobertis building on 1st Avenue is now the Slater, where the penthouse is $15k

As previously reported, there have been ongoing renovations at 174-176 First Ave. between 10th Street and 11th Street.

The residential units above the storefronts (Black Seed bagels has been in the north space since October 2015) hit the rental market earlier this summer.

For starters, the building has a new name: the Slater.



And a few building blurbs via Streeteasy...

Each apartment in this newly gut renovated building is sprawling with natural light from both Eastern and Western exposures.

The state-of-the-art kitchen touts high-end stainless steel appliances consisting of a Whirlpool Microwave, Fisher and Paykel Stove and Oven, Liebherr Refrigerator, LG Dishwasher and a Summit Wine Cooler.

And...

Additional features guaranteed not to be found elsewhere include USB electrical outlets, HD video intercoms and Latch Keyless entry system on every apartment door.

The building’s expansive furnished communal roof deck will also have a pergola, bbq station and high top bar for entertaining with 360 degrees New York City skyline views.

Together, these renovations are one of a kind and guaranteed to be the envy of the neighborhood. At The Slater, you’ll find premium finishes and the best comforts.

The penthouse, featuring seven bedrooms and four bathrooms, has an asking price of $15,125. (The fine print: "The price advertised is the net effective rent with one month free on a 12 month lease.")

This building was owned for generations by the DeRobertis family. They closed DeRobertis Pasticceria and Caffe here after 110 years in business in December 2014. The economy, age and health reportedly compelled the four DeRobertis siblings to sell the building (for $9.9 million, per public records).

In May 2018, High Point Property Group reportedly bought the five-story walkup for $12.1 million. The seller was a joint venture between EBMG, LLC and AMJ Equities.

The current landlord has said they'll return a refurbished DeRobertis neon signage to the storefront above Black Seed.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Ugh: The 110-year-old DeRobertis Pasticceria and Caffe closes after Dec. 5

[Updated] 110-year-old DeRobertis Pasticceria and Caffe looks to be closing once the building is sold

174-176 First Ave., home of DeRobertis Pasticceria and Caffe, is for sale

Let's take a look at the DeRobertis in-house bakery

What happened to the DeRobertis neon sign on 1st Avenue?

[Updated] Report: Black Seed bagels opens Monday on 1st Avenue

[Photo yesterday by Steven]

Zagat is reporting that Black Seed bagels will be opening on Monday at 176 First Ave. between East 10th Street and East 11th Street...

Workers have been renovating the former DeRobertis space these past seven months. Zagat also has the first photos of the renovated interior...



Per Zagat: "[R]estored original details include the tin ceiling, penny tiled floor, neon sign and tile walls, accented with the same turquoise high-top chairs used at [Black Seed's] Elizabeth Street location."

Aside from a variety of bagel sandwiches, Black Seed will reportedly be selling sides like chilled borscht soup and wood-roasted potato salad. They will also be serving pastries such as rugalach and rainbow cookies.

No word yet on hours. The Elizabeth Street location is open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Updated 10-9

Eater has a preview here with lots more photos. They say that BS will be open in the middle of next week. And Grub Street has a preview here. (GS says they will be open on Monday.)

And here is the menu (PDF!) via GS…


[Click to go big]

Previously on EV Grieve:
Black Seed bringing bagels to the former DeRobertis space on 1st Avenue (43 comments)

Black Seed owners reiterate commitment to preserving the former DeRobertis space

Black Seed bagels about 2 weeks away from opening

In its Fall Restaurant Preview earlier this month, the Times listed that Black Seed bagels would be opening its new location at 176 First Ave. on Sept. 17.

Based on that info, there were a few people expecting to find bagels being served from the former DeRobertis bakery location yesterday.

That wasn't the case.

Black Seed cleared up any confusion via Twitter…

@NameCantBe @evgrieve @nytimes Two more weeks. Hope to see you soon on 1st Ave!

— Black Seed Bagels (@BlackSeedBagels) September 17, 2015

H/T @NameCantBe

Previously

First Flight Music closing at the end of the month

[Undated photo via the Voice]

First Flight Music, billed as the most complete music store in downtown Manhattan, is closing shop at the end of the month.

Owner Daniel Wollock confirmed the closure in an email to us yesterday.

"After 20 years we have to vacate this store by the end of September," he said. "We thought we had secured a new, albeit smaller location nearby, but it has not worked out."

The 1,500 square-feet of space one level up at 174 First Ave. includes soundproofed practice rooms for shoppers to test out the instruments as well an area for music lessons.

Wollock did not disclose the reason for the closure.

The building here between East 10th Street and East 11th Street was previously owned by the DeRobertis family, who sold it and closed their bakery-cafe last December after 110 years in business.

According to public records, an LLC that shares an address with Jonis Realty paid just under $10 million for the building. (It originally hit the market asking $12 million.)

As previously reported, Black Seed bagels is close to opening in the former DeRobertis space.

First Flight is the second music shop to close along the stretch of the East Village of late. A-1 Music shuttered at 186 First Ave. in early 2014.

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] 174-176 First Ave. is in contract

[Updated] Bagel Seed bagels watch: Oven edition

[Photo by a reader from East 14th Street]

EVG readers have sent along exterior photos today showing the progress at Black Seed bagels, which is opening this month on First Avenue between East 10th Street and East 11th...

This shot offers a view of the oven...


[Photo by Vinny & O]

Right there...



According to a recent preview at New York magazine, Robin Raisfeld and Rob Patronite noted that the third Black Seed location (first in the East Village) will offer salads, bagel sandwiches and pastries ... including rugalach and rainbow cookies to honor the storefront's predecessor, DeRobertis bakery, which closed last December after 110 years in business.

Previously

Updated 9-9

Apparently the Black Seed owners do not want any passersby to take interior photos of how the space is shaping up…



EVG reader Lola Sáenz walked by this afternoon… when she stopped to take a photo from the sidewalk, the workers told her no photos… the woman in the chair was also on the scene. Per Lola: "I talked to her she was nice and explained that it was the owners' idea. I asked her who hired her, and she said the construction company."

We're not sure how many people are stopping to take photos. We received three photos yesterday from three different readers … who said they were curious about the space and/or looking forward to Black Seed opening…

Because bagels

In a fall (!!!!) preview over at New York magazine, Robin Raisfeld and Rob Patronite have a piece titled "This Will Be the Year of the Bagel."

The article includes a few more details about Black Seed's soon-to-open First Avenue location ... including menu items other than bagels...

The third (and largest) branch of this growing concern has annexed the East Village’s historic De Robertis bakery, preserving that relic’s original penny-tile floor and tin ceiling while augmenting its own repertoire with more salads, more hot bagel sandwiches, and more pastries, from rugalach to rainbow cookies, in honor of its predecessor.

The magazine lists "September" as the opening date.

DeRobertis closed here on First Avenue between East 10th Street and East 11th Street last December after 110 years in business.

Because we haven't posted anything about the incoming Black Seed bagels in more than 2 months

Yes, it was back on May 13 when we last got a look inside 174-176 First Ave., where workers are renovating the retail space for Black Seed bagels.

EVG reader Lola Sáenz took this photo of the space yesterday here between East 10th Street and 11th Street … showing the progress…



We still haven't heard about any official opening date for Black Seed, which is leasing the space of the former DeRobertis Pasticceria and Caffe. Black Seed opened on Elizabeth Street in April 2014. This will be their second location.

You can head to Black Seed's Instagram account to see their Montreal-NYC hybrid bagels in action…

It's never too hot to eat lunch in the park. 📷: @mrs.munchies

A photo posted by Black Seed Bagels (@blackseedbagels) on Jul 20, 2015 at 10:28am PDT

Previously on EV Grieve:
Black Seed bringing bagels to the former DeRobertis space on 1st Avenue (43 comments)

Your weekly Black Seed bagels post

The sidewalk bridge went up yesterday outside 174-176 First Ave., where workers are rehabbing the space for the new tenant — Black Seed bagels...

And here's a look inside yesterday at the interior renovations of the former DeRobertis Pasticceria and Caffe space...



Thanks to EVG reader William Klayer for the shots!

Previously

Black Seed bagel plywood report

Several readers noted the arrival today of the plywood outside 176 First Ave., the future home of Black Seed bagels… as the renovations continue here between East 10th Street and East 11th Street…

No word just yet on an official opening date.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Black Seed bringing bagels to the former DeRobertis space on 1st Avenue (43 comments)

A last look at De Robertis before its conversion to Black Seed bagels

Black Seed bringing bagels to the former DeRobertis space on 1st Avenue

[EVG file photo]

After 110 years at 176 First Ave., DeRobertis Pasticceria and Caffe closed its doors this past Dec. 5.

And news broke yesterday who the next retail tenant will be here between East 10th Street and East 11th Street: Black Seed bagels.


[Image via Facebook]

Per Zagat:

The new outpost, designed by the hOmE group, will maintain many of the original details of the iconic bakery including the tiled floor and handcut tile walls. The new space also feature a wood-fired oven like the flagship as well as original tin ceilings. Expect expanded sandwich and coffee options although no word on what those items will be just yet.

A Black Seed opened on Elizabeth Street last April ... and there were soon insane lines out front.

Here's Gothamist with more on the Montreal-NYC hybrid bagels:

Black Seed's bagels are smaller than most of those currently on offer in the city, boasting a bigger hole and more crust-to-innards than their puffier NYC counterparts.

Anyone else want to weigh in on Black Seed's bagels?

The East Village Black Seed location is supposed to open in the late spring.

The economy, age and health concerns reportedly weighed on their De Robertis family's decision to sell the building.

While the next tenant is known, there isn't any word just yet who actually bought 174-176 First Ave. The building had a $12 million price tag.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Ugh: The 110-year-old DeRobertis Pasticceria and Caffe closes after Dec. 5 (43 comments)

[Updated] 110-year-old DeRobertis Pasticceria and Caffe looks to be closing once the building is sold

174-176 First Ave., home of DeRobertis Pasticceria and Caffe, is for sale

Let's take a look at the DeRobertis in-house bakery

Ugh: The 110-year-old DeRobertis Pasticceria and Caffe closes after Dec. 5

[EVG file photo]

Last week, we noted that 174-176 First Ave., home the past 110 years to DeRobertis Pasticceria and Caffe, was in contract.

The building arrived on the market in June 2013 with an asking price of $12 million. The DeRobertis family owns the building, so it seemed likely that the bakery would remain despite the sale... until a real-estate listing circulated in May showing that the retail spaces in the basement and first floor of No. 176 would be delivered vacant once the buildings sell. (However, workers there denied they were closing.)

Since last week's post, readers heard several different closing dates for the bakery — Nov. 25 and Dec. 6 among them. The family has now officially said they will close for good after Dec. 5.

The economy, age and health reportedly compelled the four De Robertis siblings to sell the building.

John De Robertis, one of the grandchildren, discusses the bakery's rich history in a post at Bedford + Bowery, who first noted the Dec. 5 close date.

Meanwhile, depression has set in...



Previously on EV Grieve:
174-176 First Ave. is in contract

[Updated] 110-year-old DeRobertis Pasticceria and Caffe looks to be closing once the building is sold

174-176 First Ave., home of DeRobertis Pasticceria and Caffe, is for sale

Let's take a look at the DeRobertis in-house bakery

[Updated] 174-176 First Ave. is in contract

174-176 First Ave. arrived on the market in June 2013 with an asking price of $12 million.

Since 1904, No. 176 has been home to DeRobertis Pasticceria and Caffe. The DeRobertis family owns the building, so it seemed likely that the bakery would remain despite the sale... until a real-estate listing circulated in May showing that the retail spaces in the basement and first floor of No. 176 would be delivered vacant once the buildings sell. (However, workers there have told us several times that they were not closing... and that the building wasn't even for sale.)

According to the listing at Corcoran, the building is now in contract.



Streeteasy notes that the building entered into contract on Oct. 31...



DeRobertis is one of our favorite places around. So we do hope that they will live on with the new owners.

One troubling sign, though — the DeRobertis website is no long active...



Updated: DeRobertis reportedly will close after Dec. 5.

[Updated] 110-year-old DeRobertis Pasticceria and Caffe looks to be closing once the building is sold

[EVG file photo]

Last June, we spotted a listing for 174-176 First Ave. At the time, the sale didn't mention anything about the status of longtime (since 1904) home of the great DeRobertis Pasticceria and Caffe at No. 176.

However, several EVG tipsters have forwarded updated real-estate listings … showing that the retail spaces in the basement and first floor of No. 176 will be delivered vacant once the buildings sell … (this may be news to the bakery, who say that they are not closing)



This listing, via a tipster, shows the current rent going for $4,000 a month for the bakery, with a projected monthly increase to $19,583.

DeRobertis has their in-house bakery in the basement.

The asking price is $12 million. (And at least one listing mentions that 4,162 square feet of air rights are available.)

City records show that the DeRobertis family has owned the buildings for 30-plus years.

Here's some history of the bakery via the DeRobertis website …

There are not many Pasticceria and Caffe's that can actually claim four continuous generations of friendly, family service. Our family tradition has survived through all types of conditions such as World War I, the Great Depression, World War II, the fabulous Fifties, the Vietnam War, the recession of the 70's, the boom of the 80's ... With hard work, a determination to provide the finest pastries, cakes and desserts and your patronage, we will continue into the 21st Century.

Read more about the history of DeRobertis on their website.

So this appears to be the family's decision to retire — they weren't pushed out. Regardless, go enjoy this East Village treasure while you still can.

[EVG file photo]

Updated: A DeRobertis family member said that closure was only "a rumor."

Previously on EV Grieve:
174-176 First Ave., home of DeRobertis Pasticceria and Caffe, is for sale

174-176 First Ave., home of DeRobertis Pasticceria and Caffe, is for sale

174-176 First Ave. is now on the market. The asking price for the two buildings between East 10th Street and East 11th Street: $12 million.

Here's the brief Corcoran listing:

This prime East Village asset is comprised of two adjoined mixed use walk-up apartment buildings, with a combined 35.5’ of frontage on First Avenue. The basement and first floors are occupied by 3 unique retail stores. The 176 First Ave building, has rail road style one bedroom apartments on the second, third and fourth floors with east and west exposure. The 174 First Ave building, has rail road style one bedroom apartments on the second and third floors with east and west exposure.

Nothing too alarming about that listing, like, Building will be delivered vacant ... or Plenty of air rights for an ugly condo!... 176 First Ave. is the longtime (since 1904) home of DeRobertis Pasticceria and Caffe, one of our favorite places around. It's our understanding, via city records, that the DeRobertis family still owns the buildings ... (DeRobertis has their in-house bakery in the basement...)

We're not sure at this point what a sale means long-term for the bakery. Regardless, the bakery has been through a lot since 1904 ... From their website:

There are not many Pasticceria and Caffe's that can actually claim four continuous generations of friendly, family service. Our family tradition has survived through all types of conditions such as World War I, the Great Depression, World War II, the fabulous Fifties, the Vietnam War, the recession of the 70's, the boom of the 80's ... With hard work, a determination to provide the finest pastries, cakes and desserts and your patronage, we will continue into the 21st Century.

Read more about the history of DeRobertis on their website.