How's life by 326-328 E. Fourth St. these days?

Speaking of 326-328 E. Fourth St. Icon EV, the new rentals here between Avenue C and Avenue D, were available for move in starting Sept. 1. Units are priced between $3,500 for two bedrooms and up to $8,000 for six bedrooms. The building's design is described in the listings as "a Classic New York Atmosphere." (To accomplish this, workers gutted the 170-year-old buildings and added two additional floors.)

Anyway, they seem to be popular enough — a good number of the units have already been rented. According to Streeteasy, seven units have been rented at No. 326 and five at No. 328.

And what do the neighbors think so far? Via the comments the other day:

Our building on 3rd Street faces the back of this atrocity. We used to see blue jays and cardinals in the old tree at the edge of this property, but that was the first thing they cut down (it never would have gotten in the way of construction). Now in the same spot overcharged renters have access to an ugly concrete patio, and what looks and sounds like frat boys [who] sit and drink beer and smoke cigarettes and talk too loudly till way past midnight. Shame.

Icon EV now renting on East Fourth Street; anyone in the market for a 6-bedroom apartment?

[Bobby Williams]

The gut-renovated buildings at 326-328 E. Fourth St. between Avenue C and Avenue D have a name — Icon EV. And the first units from developer Terrence Lowenberg and penthouse-making architect Ramy Issac are are now available for rent starting Sept. 1.

Here's the listing for the buildings over at Icon Realty:

Icon EV is a Brand New Boutique Rental Building located on East 4th street surrounded by a wide array of unique shops, restaurants, bars, and live music venues in New York City's famous East Village.

Distinctive architectural features such as black and white tiled hallways, oak paneled walls and elegant lighting were incorporated into the building's design to create a Classic New York Atmosphere. Residents can unwind, entertain and enjoy unobstructed views of the Manhattan skyline from the building's Roof Top Sun Deck.

Apartments Feature:
• Open Gourmet Kitchens with carrera marble countertops, and stainless steel appliances

• Recessed lighting, crown and baseboard molding, and exposed brick walls

• Oversized windows which provide sun filled living spaces

• Wide plank ebony hardwood floors Marble bathrooms with wengay vanities

• Marble bathrooms with wengay vanities

• Premium Bosch Washer and Dryers

• Access to Roof top Sun Deck

Here's how the apartments look...

We found listings for a three-bedroom apartment priced at $4,250 and a two-bedroom unit for $3,500 at No. 326.

No. 328 seems to be the dormier of the pair. There's a six-bedroom apartment listed at Streeteasy for $8,000 ... and a more modest four-bedroom home for $6,000.

As the Times noted in September 2010, the 170-year-old buildings here (now with two extra floors) were an artists’ collective and burial society called the Uranian Phalanstery and First New York Gnostic Lyceum Temple ... started in the East Village in the late 1950s by the artists Richard Oviet Tyler and Dorothea Tyler.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Historic East Fourth Street artists' collective soon to be condos

Two side-by-side townhouses on East Fourth Street await your renovation

City doesn't give a shit about these historic East Village townhouses

Almost working around the clock on developing 326-328 E. Fourth St.

Shades of gray

On Monday, we pointed out the new buildings that arose from the grave of 326-328 E. Fourth St. ... At the time, the building were gray. But! EV Grieve reader Steven notes that perhaps the gray was just a primer... or some kind of undercoating ... Workers yesterday were putting on a coat of white...

Former burial society home rises from the dead on East Fourth Street

Nearly two years ago, we wrote about a new listing that appeared for two townhouses at 326-328 E. Fourth St. between Avenue C and Avenue D... 12 bedrooms in the two homes... and both buildings were going for $4.6 million.


As the Times reported in September 2010, this is was home to "an artists’ collective and burial society called the Uranian Phalanstery and First New York Gnostic Lyceum Temple, was started in the East Village in the late 1950s by the artists Richard Oviet Tyler and Dorothea Tyler."

Later, preservation groups fought a losing battle to landmark the 170-year-old buildings. The Landmarks Preservation Commission said the buildings didn’t merit landmarking status, giving developer Terrence Lowenberg and penthouse-making architect Ramy Issac the green light to add two stories to the top.

Anyway! Thanks to Dave on 7th for pointing out that workers have removed the construction netting on the new buildings...

...and a view from the rear...

...and a now-and-then of sorts...

The new 326-328 looks similar to Lowenberg's other East Village rehab — 147 First Avenue...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Historic East Fourth Street artists' collective soon to be condos

Two side-by-side townhouses on East Fourth Street await your renovation

City doesn't give a shit about these historic East Village townhouses

Almost working around the clock on developing 326-328 E. Fourth St.

Almost working around the clock on developing 326-328 E. Fourth St.

An EV Grieve reader who lives near the formerly historic townhouses at 326-328 E. Fourth St. between Avenue C and Avenue D reports that work is happening here at a rather frantic pace... including during evenings and Saturdays and Sundays...

The reader/resident is finding all this weekend work annoying. We walked by ourselves yesterday morning around 10 ... complete with a newspaper for authentication purposes...



Regardless, all the required After Hours Variance Permits are on file with the DOB...

More upscale housing is coming here with two new floors courtesy of developer Terrence Lowenberg and Ramy Issac, the controversial penthouse king of the East Village.

Here's how it's shaping up ... with a view from East Third Street...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Historic East Fourth Street artists' collective soon to be condos

Two side-by-side townhouses on East Fourth Street await your renovation

City doesn't give a shit about these historic East Village townhouses

Stop work order at 328 E. Fourth St.

On Friday, the city issued a partial stop-work order here at the formerly historic townhouses at 326-328 E. Fourth St. ... photographed on Saturday...

According to the DOB, there was a complaint that the debris on the new top floor wasn't secured... thanks to a tipster for passing along this photo...

More upscale housing is coming here with two new floors courtesy of developer Terrence Lowenberg and Ramy Issac, the penthouse king of the East Village.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Historic East Fourth Street artists' collective soon to be condos

Two side-by-side townhouses on East Fourth Street await your renovation

City doesn't give a shit about these historic East Village townhouses

Historic East Fourth Street townhouses now just brick and bones

Every few months we'll check in on the formerly historic townhouses at 326-328 E. Fourth St. ... and every time we look, there's less and less of the original buildings remaining...

The houses are now essentially just the brick and some bones.

Soon, though, the building will rise again as something completely different, and with two new floors courtesy of developer Terrence Lowenberg and Ramy Issac, the sausage penthouse king of the East Village.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Historic East Fourth Street artists' collective soon to be condos

Two side-by-side townhouses on East Fourth Street await your renovation

City doesn't give a shit about these historic East Village townhouses

Former East Village Burial Society Now a Hole in the Ground

I'm doing a little guestwriting over at Curbed today and tomorrow... I posted this earlier...

When we last checked in on 326 and 328 East Fourth Street in November, preservation groups were fighting a losing battle to landmark the former Uranian Phalanstery and First New York Gnostic Lyceum Temple, an artists’ collective and burial society.

The Landmarks Preservation Commission said the buildings didn’t merit landmarking status, giving developer Terrence Lowenberg and penthouse-making architect Ramy Issac the green light to add two stories to the top here between Avenue C and D.

The 170-year-old buildings have been undergoing a gut renovation in recent months. We caught a glimpse behind the plywood, and didn’t see much of the guts left.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Historic East Fourth Street artists' collective soon to be condos

Two side-by-side townhouses on East Fourth Street await your renovation

City doesn't give a shit about these historic East Village townhouses

326-328 E. Fourth St. now a shell of its former self

Not much left of the addresses here between Avenue C and Avenue D.... You can see right through 328 to the buildings on Third Street...

As the Times noted back September, the houses date to around 1840 ... "That these houses have remained virtually unchanged in the past 170 years is miraculous and noteworthy..."

Previously on EV Grieve:
Historic East Fourth Street artists' collective soon to be condos

Two side-by-side townhouses on East Fourth Street await your renovation

City doesn't give a shit about these historic East Village townhouses

East Fourth Street's new luxury row

We've been focusing our attention of late on the preservation efforts at 35 Cooper Square... Meanwhile, we haven't checked in at the scene of another battle — 326-328 E. Fourth St. — in several weeks.

Despite a lot of outreach and awareness by a variety of local politicians and preservations groups, the historic townhouses here between Avenue C and Avenue D continue their journey toward the luxury condo apartment afterlife with the addition of two new floors.

Since we last looked, workers erected the sidewalk sheds...

And you can see right through now... not much is left inside. Workers have removed the guts.

However, the work on this block isn't limited to 326-328. There's also a sidewalk shed in front of 322.

According to a newly renewed work permit:

Interior renovation of existing apartments, including addition of one floor and penthouse; including structural, plumbing and mechanical work.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Historic East Fourth Street artists' collective soon to be condos

Two side-by-side townhouses on East Fourth Street await your renovation

City doesn't give a shit about these historic East Village townhouses

326-328 E. Fourth St. quickly gutted

And work continues at 326-328 E. Fourth St. ...



Got a quick look inside yesterday.... the space is already gutted... not much left...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Historic East Fourth Street artists' collective soon to be condos

Two side-by-side townhouses on East Fourth Street await your renovation

City doesn't give a shit about these historic East Village townhouses

Workers arrive to chop down trees at 326-328 E. Fourth St.

EV Grieve reader Ileana sends along these photos, noting the activity in front of 326-328 E. Fourth St. ... which is being prepped to become luxury housing...



"Tree service company came today to start cutting down the townhouse trees. As of this afternoon, they had not yet gotten to the mulberry trees in front that are growing out of the steps and provide East 4th street residents with delicious berries in June."



Previously on EV Grieve:
Historic East Fourth Street artists' collective soon to be condos

Two side-by-side townhouses on East Fourth Street await your renovation

City doesn't give a shit about these historic East Village townhouses

Sign marks start of renovations at 326-328 E. Fourth St.

Despite a lot of outreach and awareness by a variety of local politicians and preservations groups, the historic townhouses at 326-328 E. Fourth St. between Avenue C and Avenue D continue their journey toward the luxury condo afterlife... EV Grieve reader Steve sends along photos of new signs up on the property...



The DOB issued work permits here back on Nov. 16 — the same day that the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (GVSHP), the East Village Community Coalition (EVCC), Councilmember Rosie Mendez, State Senator Daniel Squadron, Assemblymember Brian Kavanagh, the Historic Districts Council, and the Lower East Side Jewish Conservancy held a rally and press conference to try to preserve these buildings...

As the standard sign reads, this project "will improve the quality of life for all New Yorkers." And later... "Here on 326-328 E. 4th Street a new apartment building is being built that will contribute to the lively community."



Two floors will be added here to create more luxury housing... Will this addition "contribute to the lively community"?

Previously on EV Grieve:
Historic East Fourth Street artists' collective soon to be condos

Two side-by-side townhouses on East Fourth Street await your renovation

City doesn't give a shit about these historic East Village townhouses

Read more abou tthe preservation efforts here.

The future of 326 and 328 E. Fourth St.

On Friday, the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (GVSHP) noted that he city had already issued permits to develop the historic townhouses at 326 and 328 E. Fourth St.



Here's a look at the approved work plans...




The plans show that two floors will be added to the existing structure. The architect is Ramy Issacs, who New York magazine dubbed "The controversial penthouse king of the East Village." DOB records show that Terrence Lowenberg owns the buildings. Lowenberg is also behind the renovations at 147 First Avenue, as Curbed reported.

Per the GVSHP: "This was a tragic mistake by the city, allowing these wonderful pieces of the East Village and the city’s history to be destroyed, especially given the very poor track record of the architect in this case."

They continue: "In spite of this tragic loss, GVSHP is moving forward with our project to thoroughly document the history of every building in the East Village as part of a broader effort to push for expanded landmark protections in this historic, under-protected neighborhood."

The Times has more on the history of the buildings here back in September ...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Historic East Fourth Street artists' collective soon to be condos

Two side-by-side townhouses on East Fourth Street await your renovation

City doesn't give a shit about these historic East Village townhouses

On Tuesday, the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (GVSHP) and other groups... not to mention various politicos ... rallied to help save the historic townhouses at 326 and 328 E. Fourth St. The GVSHP doesn't have good news to report:

Unfortunately, as we gathered in front of the houses on Tuesday to make this last appeal to the city to consider landmark designation, the city was issuing permits to the developer to allow the houses' destruction, effectively foreclosing the possibility of landmark designation.

At the rally to save 326 and 328 E. Fourth St.

Today at noon, the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (GVSHP), the East Village Community Coalition (EVCC), Councilmember Rosie Mendez, State Senator Daniel Squadron, Assemblymember Brian Kavanagh, the Historic Districts Council, and the Lower East Side Jewish Conservancy held a rally and press conference ... You can check out more photos at the GVSHP Flickr page...

Per the GVSHP:

These houses were the first and only structures ever built on these sites and retain a remarkable level of original architectural detail. Having evolved from shipbuilding merchant’s homes to multi-family tenements to a synagogue to the home of an anarchist utopian arts collective, 326 & 328 East 4th Street capture New York and especially the East Village’s evolution over more than a century and a half. With all-too-few buildings in the East Village enjoying much-needed landmark protections, we must save 326 & 328 East 4th Street before it is too late!

You can read more about the ongoing conservation battle here.

And, um, any word on this from the Landmarks Preservation Commission?

Rally today to save to East Fourth Street townhouses

We've written about the historic townhouses at 326-328 E. Fourth St. between Avenue C and Avenue D destined for the wrecking ball and condo afterlife... Today at noon, the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (GVSHP), the East Village Community Coalition (EVCC), Councilmember Rosie Mendez, State Senator Daniel Squadron, Assemblymember Brian Kavanagh, the Historic Districts Council, and the Lower East Side Jewish Conservancy are holding a rally and press conference .... Read more here. And check out some photos at Untapped New York.