First residents moving into 315 E. 10th St.

Jose Garcia noticed that the first tenants are moving into the freshly gut renovated 315 E. 10th St. today... the first listings for the former Education Alliance building hit the market two weeks ago, as we first noted.

As we always cut and paste previously reported, the city OK'd a one-floor rooftop addition here in January hours before the Landmarks Preservation Committee approved the East 10th Street Historic District.

And since then, the building has quickly been turned into residences... a three-bedroom unit is asking $4,895 ... there's also a four-bedroom apartment for $6,500, per Streeteasy.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A bid to protect the integrity of 315 E. 10th St.

Landmarks Preservation Commission expedites hearing on East 10th Street Historic District

Workers quickly start dismantling roof of historic 315 E. 10th St.

Updated: First listings appear for 315 E. 10th St., now a 'HOT elevator building'

[From late July, by Bobby Williams]

Well, you know the story of the circa-1847 building at 315 E. 10th St. that faces Tompkins Square Park. As you'll recall, the city OK'd a one-floor rooftop addition here in January hours before the Landmarks Preservation Committee approved the East 10th Street Historic District.

Last December, Ben Shaoul's Magnum Real Estate Group bought the building from The Educational Alliance. Renovations converted the building into residential use.

And yesterday, the first of the listings hit the market... According to Streeteasy:

This all new, fully gut renovated three bed has something for everyone... Three equal sized bedrooms that are queen sized +, a gleaming white extra large bathroom, laundry in unit, high end kitchen with dark ebony cabinets, stainless appliances w/ dishwasher and microwave and quartz counter tops, a large living/dining combo. If you want to catch some skyline views or rays take the elevator up to the shared roof deck and check out 360' unobstructed views of the city. You really will have it all here.

The price to have it all these days: $4,895

Let's take a look...

Meanwhile, earlier this morning, a tipster sent us a screengrab of the listing at MDNY...

Updated:

Oh, there's another listing... Per Streeteasy: "Four equal sized bedrooms that are queen sized +, two gleaming white extra large bathrooms, laundry in unit, high end kitchen with dark ebony cabinets, stainless appliances w/ dishwasher and microwave and quartz counter tops, a large living/dining combo and a HUGE private rear patio."

Price: $6,500

Here's a look...

Previously on EV Grieve:
A bid to protect the integrity of 315 E. 10th St.

Landmarks Preservation Commission expedites hearing on East 10th Street Historic District

Workers quickly start dismantling roof of historic 315 E. 10th St.

Reader report: Flood causes damage to under-renovation 315 E. 10th St.

Neighbors were buzzing about the under-renovation 315 E. 10th St. last week... Jose Garcia tells us about the following that neighbors said happened last Wednesday...

"Just as they were putting the finishing touches on 315, there was a flood that apparently did a good amount of water damage on multiple floors to several of their brand new apartments. There were all kinds of cleaning-service vans around ..."

No word from the workers on the extent of the flood damage.

As you'll recall, the city OK'd a one-floor rooftop addition here in January hours before the Landmarks Preservation Committee approved the East 10th Street Historic District.

Developer Ben Shaoul has been converting the building from nonprofit use to residential.

Previously.

[Photos by Bobby Williams]

Under-renovation 315 E. 10th St. in full view now, though how's that rooftop addition looking?

Work seems to be quickly taking place in the circa-1847 building at 315 E. 10th St. As you'll recall, the city OK'd a one-floor rooftop addition here in January hours before the Landmarks Preservation Committee approved the East 10th Street Historic District.

Last Wednesday, workers removed the sidewalk shed ...

And here's how it looks at the moment...

[Above photos by Bobby Williams]

Here's an after and before ...

Developer Ben Shaoul has been converting the building from nonprofit use to residential. Preservation groups and various neighbors had been concerned that the rooftop addition would change the aesthetic of the street. Plus, well, Shaoul and a few previous roof-top additions have caused plenty of controversy.

In early April, the addition was quite noticeable from various points in Tompkins Square Park across the street. (See this post for a look.) Particularly with the bulkhead for the elevator.

Now, with the trees filled in, it's not as easy to spot the addition from Avenue A and East 10th Street...

...though the bulkhead is visible still from several vantage points in Tompkins Square Park.

And how does it look up close? Our friend Jose Garcia sent us these... as you can see, the extra floor is currently painted an uninspired cellblock gray.

Given how it looks now, it's likely a good thing that we can't see it from the street level.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A bid to protect the integrity of 315 E. 10th St.

Landmarks Preservation Commission expedites hearing on East 10th Street Historic District

Workers quickly start dismantling roof of historic 315 E. 10th St.

The rooftop addition of 315 E. 10th St.

There's a lot of interest in the circa-1847 building at 315 E. 10th St. that faces Tompkins Square Park. As you'll recall, the city OK'd a one-floor rooftop addition here in January hours before the Landmarks Preservation Committee approved the East 10th Street Historic District.

Some nearby residents are curious how the new addition will fit in with the rest of the block. And we've heard from a few people who want to know just how tall that one-floor addition will be... Here's looking at the building from Tompkins Square Park... a few different angles...

There are two complaints on file with the DOB noting "ADDITIONAL STORY ADDED BEYOND THE SCOPE OF APPROPVED PLANS."

And it wouldn't be the first time that there has been controversy around developer Ben Shaoul, who owns 315 E. 10th St., and roof-top additions.

East 10th Street neighbor Jose Garcia heard the extra-floor rumors too. However, via the site manager: "It certainly looks like another floor, but because there is an elevator going in the bulkhead, the roof has to be tall enough to accommodate the elevator housing."

Diagrams on file with the DOB show that the residential conversion of the building, previously owned by The Educational Alliance, includes an elevator.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A bid to protect the integrity of 315 E. 10th St.

Landmarks Preservation Commission expedites hearing on East 10th Street Historic District

Workers quickly start dismantling roof of historic 315 E. 10th St.

Going through the roof at 315 E. 10th St.

We've been waiting for workers to go through the roof of the circa-1847 building at 315 E. 10th St. As you'll recall, the city OK'd a one-floor rooftop addition here in January hours before the Landmarks Preservation Committee approved the East 10th Street Historic District.

Meanwhile, this makeshift fence just appeared the other day on the roof ... and there is plenty of activity at the building...

[Bobby Williams from Saturday]

However, from this view via Jose Garcia ... you can see the new addition is well underway...

Jose also notes the arrival in mid-January of a note on letterhead from a company called "315 East 10th Street Owner, LLC." The letter was an announcement on the pending construction at 315. The letter was signed "Keith Holden Project Manager," but when nearby residents called the number, no one there had ever heard of a Keith Holden. The people in charge onsite at 315 were also unfamiliar with a Keith Holden.

Holden's name is also on the DOB permits for 315 E. 10th St.

Developer Benjamin Shaoul's Magnum Real Estate Group owns the property.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A bid to protect the integrity of 315 E. 10th St.

Landmarks Preservation Commission expedites hearing on East 10th Street Historic District

Workers quickly start dismantling roof of historic 315 E. 10th St.

Neighbors asked to be vigilant about construction at 315 E. 10th St.

As renovations continue at 315 E. 10th St. in the East 10th Street Historic District*, neighbors are being asked to be vigilant about how the work is being done... EVflip sends along photos of these signs spotted on East 10th Street today... (Technically, the sign asks for people to be "vigillent" ... we get it...)

Previously on EV Grieve:
A bid to protect the integrity of 315 E. 10th St.

Landmarks Preservation Commission expedites hearing on East 10th Street Historic District

Workers quickly start dismantling roof of historic 315 E. 10th St.

[Updated] Reader report: Renovations begin in earnest at 315 E. 10th St.

[Updated] Reader report: Renovations begin in earnest at 315 E. 10th St.

[Last week outside 315 E. 10th St., photo by Bobby Williams]

After beating the clock and getting the OK to add a rooftop addition to 315 E. 10th St. in the East 10th Street Historic District*, workers quickly dismantled the building's chimney, as nearby resident Jose Garcia noted.

And this is only the beginning as workers continue to convert the circa-1847 building from nonprofit to residential use.

Jose shared this with us last night:

so today was the first really bad day. up until now they've just been demolishing the chimneys. today they started drilling into the walls between the two buildings. now there is dust and concrete chipping off into our living rooms as the walls they are drilling (through?) are just a thin wall of very old bricks. this is going to be a long, long winter. when they start to seriously add another floor i predict our entire building will fall down.

Speaking of walls ... these came into the Garcia apartment during renovations this morning around 8...

Previously on EV Grieve:
A bid to protect the integrity of 315 E. 10th St.

Landmarks Preservation Commission expedites hearing on East 10th Street Historic District

Workers quickly start dismantling roof of historic 315 E. 10th St.

Workers quickly start dismantling roof of historic 315 E. 10th St.

So, as you probably know... yesterday, the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) unanimously voted to create the East 10th Street Historic District.

Preservation groups had urged the LPC to move quickly after learning that developer Ben Shaoul of Magnum Management was planning a rooftop addition to 315 E. 10th St., which would change the aesthetic of the street.

Anyway, as it turned out, the DOB OK'd the necessary permits for Shaoul hours before the LPC hearing.

Per Andrew Berman, executive director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, in a statement: "It's truly a shame that these city agencies could not coordinate their effort to prevent this from happening."

As the Post noted today:

EV Grieve reader Jose Garcia just passed along this photo showing workers dismantling the chimney...

As Jose said in a comment this morning:

They've certainly not wasted any time getting started. their crew was up there at 8:30 this morning demolishing the chimneys. a very nice wakeup call.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A bid to protect the integrity of 315 E. 10th St.

Landmarks Preservation Commission expedites hearing on East 10th Street Historic District

[Updated] Report: City approves East 10th Street Historic District; but Ben Shaoul's buzzer-beater gives him the OK to alter historic building

[Image via Curbed]

Curbed has news from this afternoon's public hearing at the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) regarding the East 10th Street Historic District.

"The LPC voted unanimously to create the East 10th Street Historic District."

The East 10th Street Historic District comprises 26 buildings on the north side of East 10th Street between Avenues A and B that reflect the 19th and 20th century history of the East Village.

The vote also effectively ends developer Ben Shaoul's plan to add a fifth floor to the existing four-floor building at 315 E. 10th St.

Updated:

Well, then. Curbed added this to their earlier post:

"While the LPC moved quickly to prevent Shaoul from altering the building, the good mood among preservationists after the LPC's affirmative vote dimmed when it was learned that the DOB issued the developer his construction permits this morning, just hours before the LPC hearing and vote."

Here's the paperwork from the DOB...

The city gave Shaoul the OK to convert the building from nonprofit use to residential — plus an addition floor to the circa 1847 building ... appropriately enough, on Friday the 13th.

Updated:

The Lo-Down has more on this story, including a statement from Elizabeth de Bourbon, the LPC’s director of communications.

[T]he lawyer for the owner contacted us to say his client plans to meet with us to discuss suggestions for the design of the one-story addition and is willing to work with LPC staff as they move ahead on their grandfathered permit.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A bid to protect the integrity of 315 E. 10th St.

Landmarks Preservation Commission expedites hearing on East 10th Street Historic District

Hearing tomorrow for the East 10th Street Historic District

From the EV Grieve inbox...via the East Village Community Coalition

Six months after Community Board 3 unanimously supported it, the City's Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) has scheduled a hearing for the East 10th Street Historic District. The proposed district runs along the north side of Tompkins Square Park between Avenue A and Avenue B.

Unfortunately, the LPC has yet to schedule a hearing date for the East Village/Lower East Side Historic District. As the LPC waits, we risk losing more historic buildings in our community.

Please join us Tuesday, January 17th to testify in support of this district and urge LPC to move forward with the East Village/Lower East Side Historic District:


1:30 PM
LPC Public Hearing Room 1
One Centre Street (at Chambers)
9th Floor
-Please bring photo ID to enter the building

If you cannot attend the hearing, please email testimony to: comments@lpc.nyc.gov and copy EVCC at director.evccnyc@gmail.com or mail/fax to:

NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission
One Centre Street, 9th Floor
New York, NY 10007
(f) 212-669-7960

Previously on EV Grieve:
A bid to protect the integrity of 315 E. 10th St.

Landmarks Preservation Commission expedites hearing on East 10th Street Historic District

Landmarks Preservation Commission expedites hearing on East 10th Street Historic District

Last Friday, we reported that Ben Shaoul's Magnum Real Estate Group bought 315 E. 10th St. from The Educational Alliance. Renovations continue to convert the building into residential use.

[Dave on 7th]

There is also a pending permit to add a fifth floor to the existing four-floor structure, which the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation believe dates to 1847.

The building is located within the calendared East 10th Street Historic District, though the Landmarks Preservation Commission had yet to schedule a date for a hearing.

However, last night, Lisi de Bourbon, the communications director at the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC), told us that the LPC is expediting the date for a public hearing on its proposal for the East 10th Street Historic District.

"The reason we're scheduling the date earlier than we expected is that DOB notified the Commission's staff this past Sunday that the owner of 315 East 10th Street had filed an application for a permit to construct a rooftop addition that could potentially affect the character of the proposed district," she said.

The Department of Buildings has a mandatory maximum of 40 days to review its permit applications. When owners of buildings that are calendared — meaning under formal consideration for designation by the commission — file for DOB permits, LPC has 40 days to vote whether to landmark it.

The proposed East 10th Street Historic District comprises 26 buildings on the north side of East 10th Street between Avenues A and B that reflect the 19th and 20th century history of the East Village. (Read more about the Ben Shaoul rooftop additions here via the GVSHP.)

According to de Bourbon, The LPC has notified property owners in the proposed district that a hearing on whether to designate the buildings a historic district will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 17 — the earliest date a hearing can be scheduled.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A bid to protect the integrity of 315 E. 10th St.

A bid to protect the integrity of 315 E. 10th St.

On Friday, we reported that Ben Shaoul's Magnum Real Estate Group bought 315 E. 10th St. from The Educational Alliance. Renovations are currently taking place to convert the building into residential use. There is also a pending permit to add an extra floor to the existing structure.

Area preservation groups had already been alerted to this possible development. Leaders from the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, the Historic Districts Council, the Lower East Side Preservation Initiative and the East Village Community Coalition sent a letter dated Dec. 6 to Robert Tierney, chair of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC). The letter reads, in part:

It has come to our attention that a permit application has been filed with the Department of Buildings to add a 5th floor to a 4-story building at 315 East 10th Street located within the calendared East 10th Street Historic District. We urge the Landmark Preservation Commission to intervene to ensure that these permits are not issued prior to designation.'

As you know, this block north of Tompkins Square Park was selected by the LPC as an historic district due to its high degree of intactness and distinctive architecture. This mid-block building is very much intact and such a modification would certainly negatively impact its character and the defining features of this building, which research completed by the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation indicates dates to 1847. The level of architectural integrity for this 160-year old building at 315 East 10th Street is incredible, with details including an ornate galvanized iron cornice, window hoods and doorway frieze and entablature still intact.

Per the GVSHP, because the proposed district has been calendared by the LPC, the city has the power to stop the permits from being issued if they act quickly enough.

So far, though, the LPC has seemingly been unsympathetic to East Village architecture. Witness the demolition of, among others:

• 326-328 E. Fourth St.

• 316 E. Third St.

• 35 Cooper Square

• 331 E. Sixth St.

Click here for a petition to help save 310 E. 10th St. from further development. And this about more than simply saving one building... this is about preserving the integrity of the entire north side of East 10th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B. If the city allows this addition, then there won't be much stopping any developers from doing the same to other buildings along here in the future...