Art Gotham is the new tenant for the landmarked 4 St. Mark's Place

The upper-level retail space at 4 St. Mark's Place, just east of Third Avenue, is now occupied by the gallery Art Gotham. 

This will be the second location for the business that started in 2005. Per its website, the gallery represents "early and mid-career contemporary artists. With locations in Soho and the East Village, Art Gotham is dedicated to providing a platform for emerging talent and fostering a vibrant artistic community in New York City." 

The inaugural exhibit, "Rockstart," takes place this Thursday evening from 6-9 ...

There is no word on hours moving forward. The outpost at 478 West Broadway is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The upper level has been vacant since 2019, when Chi Snack Shop and the Imogene boutique closed. Wanyoo, Asia's largest gaming café chain, was at a lower level for a minute but never reopened after the pandemic started in March 2020. A bar-cafe called Lava Ground was the last leaseholder, a business that seemed to be open once every few weeks before disappearing.

Until February 2016, 4 St. Mark's Place housed Trash & Vaudeville for 41 years. The store relocated to 96 E. Seventh St. in 2016.

The Hamilton-Holly House (aka 4 St. Mark's Place), built in 1831, was once owned by Alexander Hamilton's son. The landmarked building, which changed hands for $10 million in the spring of 2016 for $10 million, also underwent a gut renovation and expansion.

Retail spaces at the historic 4 St. Mark's Place are now for rent

Both retail spaces at 4 St. Mark's Place near Third Avenue are now available. 

According to the listing at Meridian Captial Group, the upper and lower spaces (each at 2,500 square feet) can be leased separately. 

And the asking rent for each storefront directly across St. Mark's from the new 9-story office building:

• Upper-Level Monthly Rent — $29,000

• Lower-Level Monthly Rent — $26,000 

All uses considered!

The upper level has been vacant... as we can recall, Chi Snack Shop and the Imogene boutique were the last tenants circa 2019. Wanyoo, Asia’s largest gaming café chain, was in the lower level for a minute but never reopened after the pandemic's start in March 2020. A bar-cafe called Lava Ground was the last leaseholder, a business that seemed to be open every few weeks.

Until February 2016, 4 St. Mark's Place housed Trash & Vaudeville for 41 years. The store relocated to 96 E. Seventh St. in 2016.

The Hamilton-Holly House (aka 4 St. Mark's Place), built in 1831, was once owned by Alexander Hamilton’s son. The building, which changed hands for $10 million in the spring of 2016 for $10 million, also underwent a gut renovation and expansion.

City committee says no to air-rights transfer for 3 St. Mark's Place

It appears that the 10-story office building going in at 3 St. Mark's Place at Third Avenue will be 20-percent smaller than the developers had hoped. 

Yesterday, the City Council’s Zoning Subcommittee voted down the application by developer Real Estate Equities Corporation (REEC) seeking to transfer air rights from the landmarked 4 St. Marks Place to the new building across the street.

With the air-rights transfer, REEC would have been allowed to build 8,386 square feet larger than the current zoning allows on the northeast corner.

The Village Preservation, who had rallied support against the transfer, noted this denial via an enewsletter:

This more or less guarantees that the air rights transfer, which requires City Council approval, will not happen. Local Councilmember Carlina Rivera voted against the air rights transfer and urged her fellow Councilmembers to do the same. State Sen. Brad Hoylman and Assemblymember Deborah Glick had joined us in testifying against the application and urging its rejection, and Borough President Brewer had recommended its rejection earlier in the year.  

As we've been reporting in recents months, work has already commenced on the northeast corner of Third Avenue and St. Mark's Place, where the building has a February 2022 completion date. 

Regardless of an extra 8,000 square feet, construction will still happen. The project's architect, Morris Adjmi, has said a building of a similar height size would be built as of right.

REEC picked up the 99-year leasehold for the properties here for nearly $150 million in November 2017. 

Previously on EV Grieve:
• New building plans revealed for 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

• Concern over potential air-rights transfer for new office building on St. Mark's Place and 3rd Avenue 

Retail space at 4 St. Mark's Place, onetime home of Trash & Vaudeville, is for rent again

[Photos by Steven]

The parlor level of the landmarked 4 St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue is now looking for a new tenant.

Chi Snack Shop, which arrived here along with the Imogene boutique back in the fall, is gone.



The asking rent is $140 per square foot, according to the retail listing.

Wanyoo, Asia’s largest gaming café chain, is in the lower level, having opened this past Dec. 31. This outpost, which reportedly signed a 20-year lease here, is temporary closed during the COVID-19 PAUSE.

Until February 2016, 4 St. Mark's Place housed Trash & Vaudeville for 41 years. The store relocated to 96 E. Seventh St. in 2016.

The Hamilton-Holly House (aka 4 St. Mark's Place), built in 1831, was once owned by Alexander Hamilton’s son. The building, which changed hands for $10 million in the spring of 2016 for $10 million, also underwent a gut renovation and expansion.

As previously reported, developer Real Estate Equities Corporation aims to transfer air rights from No. 4 to add square footage to their office building coming to the northeast corner of Third Avenue and St. Mark's Place.

Under terms of the air-rights transfer, 5 percent of the $4 million sale will go into a dedicated account for the landmark to maintain its upkeep. The City Planning Commission will cast their vote at a later date as part of the city’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• Exclusive: After 40 years, punk rock mainstay Trash and Vaudeville is leaving St. Mark's Place

• 4 St. Mark's Place is for sale

Wanyoo Cyber Cafe arrives at the landmarked 4 St. Mark's Place

News arrived back in February 2018 that Wanyoo Cyber Cafe was taking part of the retail space in the renovated 4 St. Mark's Place.

The Wanyoo signage finally arrived on Friday, with a grand opening close behind (they are officially open)...



Wanyoo, Asia’s largest gaming café chain, has a location in Flushing. They reportedly signed a 20-year lease for this space in the landmarked building between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

Until February 2016, 4 St. Mark's Place housed Trash & Vaudeville for 41 years. The store relocated to 96 E. Seventh St.

The Hamilton-Holly House (aka 4 St. Mark's Place), built in 1831, was once owned by Alexander Hamilton’s son. The building, which changed hands for $10 million in the spring of 2016 for $10 million, also underwent a gut renovation and expansion.

Chi Snack Shop moved into the parlor-level space with the Imogene boutique back in the fall...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Exclusive: After 40 years, punk rock mainstay Trash and Vaudeville is leaving St. Mark's Place


[Via]

4 St. Mark's Place is for sale

More residential units and a 5th-floor addition in the works for landmarked 4 St. Mark's Place

Chi Snack Shop moves into the former Trash & Vaudeville space on St. Mark's Place

[Photos by Steven]

After three years at 22 St. Mark's Place, Chi Snack Shop has moved to a larger retail space on the block here between Second Avenue and Third Avenue...



The shop, which carries an array of Japanese and Korean snacks as well as beauty products and random lingerie, has moved into the parlor level of 4 St. Mark's Place...





The landmarked 4 St. Mark's Place — aka the Hamilton-Holly House, circa 1831 — recently underwent a two-year gut renovation. As previously noted, the renovation included an expansion in the back of the building, doubling the number of residential units from three to six.

Chi Snack Shop marks the first retail tenant for the all-new No. 4. Wanyoo, a Shanghai-based cyber cafe chain, reportedly signed a lease for the garden space early last year. No sign of them just yet.

Until February 2016, 4 St. Mark's Place housed Trash & Vaudeville for 41 years. The store relocated to 96 E. Seventh St., where it remains today.

The Hamilton-Holly House was once owned by Alexander Hamilton’s son. The Federal-style townhouse changed hands for $10 million in the spring of 2016.

In June, the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) approved developer Real Estate Equities Corporation's (REEC) plan to transfer air rights from the 4 St. Mark's Place to add square footage to their office building coming to the northeast corner of Third Avenue and St. Mark's Place. Under terms of the air-rights transfer, 5 percent of the $4 million sale will go into a dedicated account for the landmark to maintain its upkeep.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Exclusive: After 40 years, punk rock mainstay Trash and Vaudeville is leaving St. Mark's Place

4 St. Mark's Place is for sale

More residential units and a 5th-floor addition in the works for landmarked 4 St. Mark's Place

You'll be back: Look at the renovated Hamilton-Holly House on St. Mark's Place

FULL full reveal at the historic Hamilton-Holly House on St. Mark's Place

Report: LPC approves transfer of air rights across St. Mark's Place

[The proposed 3 St. Mark's Place as seen from Astor Place]

As expected on Tuesday, the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) approved developer Real Estate Equities Corporation's (REEC) plan to transfer air rights from the landmarked Hamilton-Holly House at 4 St. Mark's Place to add square footage to their office building coming to the northeast corner of Third Avenue and St. Mark's Place.

As previously reported, REEC wants to buy $4 million in air rights from the landmarked Hamilton-Holly House at 4 St. Mark's Place. According to terms of the deal, 5 percent of the $4 million — $200,000 — would go to maintaining No. 4, whose history includes being home to Alexander Hamilton's son and Trash & Vaudeville. The circa-1831 building was recently privy to a full gut renovation over the course of two years.


[4 St. Mark's Place as seen in January]

Here's Curbed with coverage from Tuesday:

LPC commissioners had reservations about the proposal, but ultimately relented and gave it the green light to ensure the continued maintenance of the Hamilton-Holly House.

“This is an important building to get right and I think it’s a tradeoff that we’re talking about,” said Frederick Bland, LPC vice chair, during the Tuesday vote. “We’re going to have that building, so let’s have the building with the landmark.”

Commissioners didn’t have say over the design of the building because it isn’t within a historic district; instead, they were tasked with reviewing restoration plans for the landmark and determining how “harmonious” a specific sliver of the new building created out of the air rights exchange is with the Hamilton-Holly House.

Gothamist was also at the meeting, and pointed out the opposition to this plan:

All told, the commission said it had received 390 emails campaigning against the project.

Despite that, of the 11 commissioners, only one voted against the transfer of air rights. Among the conditions that must be met for the city to grant the air rights is that the project must have a “harmonious relationship” with the landmarked site.

“I just can’t seem to wrap my head around this,” said Michael Goldblum, the commissioner who voted against the application. “The historical context of the landmark was a continuous row of three-to-four story buildings. That is the context in which this landmark has been seen for decades, at the very least.”

Goldblum added that he could not see how a building of this scale “could be deemed as a positive enhancement to the landmark.”

Up next: The project now moves before the City Planning Commission as part of the city’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure. City Council will have the final say.

Even if the LPC had rejected the plan, REEC's office building with ground-floor retail would still happen — only without the extra square footage from the air-rights deal.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Demolition permits filed for northeast corner of 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

End is nearing for the businesses on the northeast corner of 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

New building plans revealed for 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

Concern over potential air-rights transfer for new office building on St. Mark's Place and 3rd Avenue

Developers of 3 St. Mark's Place are looking to increase the size of their proposed office building at 3rd Avenue to 10 floors with air-rights deal

The lobbyists behind the air-rights transfer and zoning variance for 3 St. Mark's Place

Final demolition phase for 1 St. Mark's Place; more questions about lobbyists attached to project

Demolition nearing for the northeast corner of 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

Workers yesterday started erecting the sidewalk bridge around the northeast corner of Third Avenue and St. Mark's Place, marking the next phase of demolition. (H/T Steven, Nick Solares and @unitof!)

Until yesterday, the prep work was going on inside the vacant assemblage of buildings — 3 St. Mark’s Place, 23 and 25-27 Third Avenue. This has been a long time coming: Permits were filed in March 2018 to tear down the existing structures to make way for an office building with ground-floor retail.


[Photo yesterday afternoon by Steven]

The size of this new building has yet to be determined. As previously reported, Real Estate Equities Corporation (REEC) wants to transfer the air rights from the landmarked Hamilton-Holly House at 4 St. Mark's Place to add more floors and square footage to their office building.

REEC has already filed permits (last October) for an as-of-right five-story, 29,030-square-foot building on the corner. If the air rights deal is ultimately OK'd, then the Morris Adjimi-designed building at 3 St. Mark's Place would rise to 10 stories.



The Landmarks Preservation Commission heard the application to transfer the air rights back on April 9. In the end, they asked REEC and Adjimi to return with some modifications.

REEC picked up the 99-year leasehold for the properties — housing McDonald's, the Continental, Korilla BBQ and Papaya King, among others — for nearly $150 million in November 2017. The corner assemblage is owned by the Gabay family.

Meanwhile, the once-completed sidewalk bridge should make for a popular hangout this coming summer.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Demolition permits filed for northeast corner of 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

End is nearing for the businesses on the northeast corner of 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

New building plans revealed for 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

Concern over potential air-rights transfer for new office building on St. Mark's Place and 3rd Avenue

Developers of 3 St. Mark's Place are looking to increase the size of their proposed office building at 3rd Avenue to 10 floors with air-rights deal

The lobbyists behind the air-rights transfer and zoning variance for 3 St. Mark's Place

Landmarks Preservation Commission to hear air-rights transfer proposal today for 3 St. Mark's Place

This afternoon, the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) will hear an application to transfer air rights from the landmarked Hamilton-Holly House at 4 St. Mark's Place to enable an increase in the size of a planned office building on the northeast corner of Third Avenue and St. Mark's Place.

This is the next step in the approval process for Real Estate Equities Corporation (REEC), the leaseholder of 3 St. Mark's Place.

Patch summarized the steps ahead for REEC in an article from February:

REEC is asking asking the Landmarks Preservation Commission to issue a report to the City Planning Commission to allow for 10-story building. If the LPC gives the greenlight, REEC would then apply for a special permit for around 8,300 square feet of air rights and modify part of the zoning resolution through a special permit.

Once in City Planning's hands, the special permit would snake through the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP), which is ultimately sent to City Council where the local councilmember, Carlina Rivera, would have a binding vote. Rivera has not yet weighed in, but her spokesman said the councilmember is listening to community feedback.

On Feb. 13, REEC reps appeared before CB3's Landmarks Committee, who voted 2-1 against the special permit. (You can read the recaps at Curbed ... Gothamist ... and Patch.)

On Feb. 26, the full CB3 board voted to oppose the proposed transfer of development rights — 8,386 square feet in total, per the meeting minutes.

REEC has already filed permits (last October) for an as-of-right five-story, 29,030-square-foot building on the corner. If the air rights deal is ultimately OK'd, then the Morris Adjimi-designed building at 3 St. Mark's Place would rise to 10 stories.

REEC picked up the 99-year leasehold for the properties — the prepped-for-demolition 1 St. Mark's Place, 3 St. Mark’s Place, 23 and 25-27 Third Ave. — for nearly $150 million in November 2017.

The LPC public hearing is expected to start today at 1:45 p.m. in the Municipal Building, 1 Centre St., 9th Floor North, public hearing room. Village Preservation is rallying opposition to the transfer. Read more from them at this link.

Updated 7:45 p.m.

Patch had a reporter at the hearing:

Landmarks sent REEC and the architect back to the drawing board recommending they lower the structure's first setback to better match St. Mark's street wall — though some commissioners were generally supportive of air rights transfer.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Developers of 3 St. Mark's Place are looking to increase the size of their proposed office building at 3rd Avenue to 10 floors with air-rights deal

The lobbyists behind the air-rights transfer and zoning variance for 3 St. Mark's Place

Concern over potential air-rights transfer for new office building on St. Mark's Place and 3rd Avenue

Next steps for the proposed office building on St. Mark's Place and 3rd Avenue

[The current northeast corner of St. Mark's Place at 3rd Avenue]

As I first reported on Feb. 3, Real Estate Equities Corporation (REEC) wants to transfer the air rights from the landmarked Hamilton-Holly House at 4 St. Mark's Place to add more floors and square footage to their office building in the works for the northeast corner of Third Avenue and St. Mark's Place.

In the first step in this process, REEC reps appeared before CB3's Landmarks Committee on Wednesday night. The committee ultimately voted against the special permit (it was a 2-1 count). This nonbinding vote goes to the full CB3 board on Feb. 26.



Three media outlets had reporters at the meeting. You can read the recaps at Curbed ... Gothamist ... and Patch.

And a few excerpts from the various coverage. Per Curbed:

"I think a number of us are concerned. This is the entrance of St. Mark's place which is a really historic street in our neighborhood," said Carolyn Ratcliffe, a member of the board’s landmarks committee, who noted a 19th century apartment building will be demolished and small businesses booted to make way for the new office building. "It's about how we feel about that street and the entrance to that street and it’s like having the whole corner turned into a modern glass [building]."

And in response...

REEC pushed back and said neighborhood advocates are being shortsighted about the deal’s implication’s for the Hamilton-Holly House.

“People are talking about preserving the neighborhood and the way it feels but they’re not thinking about the long-term benefits of the preservation of 4 St. Mark’s (the Hamilton-Holly House) going forward simply because people are upset that there might be a building on the corner seems out of spite to want to hurt the individual landmark building,” said Brandon Miller, a managing partner at REEC.

Under the approved deal, REEC would pay $4 million for the air rights to Castellan Real Estate Partners, the owner of 4 St. Mark's Place. During the meeting, Miller said the company also contributed $500,000 toward the recent restoration of No. 4. And 5 percent of the air rights sale proceeds — $200,000 — would go into a dedicated account for future maintenance of No. 4.

And Patch lays out the complicated steps ahead:

REEC is asking asking the Landmarks Preservation Commission to issue a report to the City Planning Commission to allow for 10-story building. If the LPC gives the greenlight, REEC would then apply for a special permit for around 8,300 square feet of air rights and modify part of the zoning resolution through a special permit.

Once in City Planning's hands, the special permit would snake through the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP), which is ultimately sent to City Council where the local councilmember, Carlina Rivera, would have a binding vote. Rivera has not yet weighed in, but her spokesman said the councilmember is listening to community feedback.

Regardless, REEC already filed permits (last October) for an as-of-right five-story, 29,030-square-foot building on the corner.

The full CB3 board meeting is Feb. 26 at 6:30 p.m. Location: P.S. 20, 166 Essex St. (between East Houston and Stanton).

Previously on EV Grieve:
Developers of 3 St. Mark's Place are looking to increase the size of their proposed office building at 3rd Avenue to 10 floors with air-rights deal

The lobbyists behind the air-rights transfer and zoning variance for 3 St. Mark's Place

Concern over potential air-rights transfer for new office building on St. Mark's Place and 3rd Avenue

The lobbyists behind the air-rights transfer and zoning variance for 3 St. Mark's Place

Updated 2/14: The CB3 committee reportedly voted down the air-rights transfer.

Tonight, reps for Real Estate Equities Corporation (REEC) will appear before CB3's Landmarks Committee at 6:30 to discuss transferring the air rights from the landmarked — and under-renovation — Hamilton-Holly House across the street at 4 St. Mark's Place.

With these air rights and approved zoning variance, the Morris Adjimi-designed building REEC planned for the northeast corner of St. Mark's Place and Third Avenue would rise to 10 stories — twice the size of the original plans.

And as you sort through the various zoning documents (this link goes to the PDF on the CB3 website with details on the proposal) and public records for REEC, some familiar names emerge from behind the scenes.

As public documents show, REEC has several lobbyists working on their behalf, including Capalino & Associates and Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP.


[Click on image for more detail]

James Capalino, arguably New York's most prolific lobbyist, has ties to the Rivington House scandal... and last spring he reportedly agreed to a $40,000 settlement with the state's ethics watchdog that investigated his dealings with a nonprofit created to promote Mayor de Blasio's agenda. (In August 2016, de Blasio said that he cut ties with Capalino, who has represented several big-money developers seeking City Hall approval for their projects.)

Meanwhile, as the Post reported last November, the city paid Kramer Levin Naftalis and Frankel LLP $2.6 million, de Blasio's legal-defense bill during investigations by state and federal prosecutors starting in 2016. Investigators closed the probes in 2017 without bringing charges against the mayor. (In late January, City Council passed a bill that allows elected officials to fundraise to pay off legal bills, though it excludes lobbyists, holding companies and corporations from donating, as The Wall Street Journal reported.)

Public documents show the scope of lobbying work that the firm Kramer Levin Naftalis and Frankel is doing on behalf of REEC...


[Click on image for more detail]

This past October, REEC filed plans for a 5-story, 29,030-square-foot building at 3 St. Mark's Place.

A retainer agreement from Capalino to REEC on public record (PDF here) dated from last May 8 shows that there were already plans in place for a building larger than the current zoning allowed. The letter doesn't state dimensions for the building, only that: "Consultation will provide pre-certification and post-certification government relations expertise regarding the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure [ULURP]."

Tonight's public meeting is the beginning of the review process, which requires an application to the LPC followed by an application to the City Planning Commission for the special permit. (Read this primer on an explanation of the ULURP process.)

REEC picked up the 99-year leasehold for the properties here for nearly $150 million in November 2017. The corner assemblage is owned by the Gabay family.

The CB3 Landmarks Committee meeting tonight is at the JASA Green Residence, 200 E. Fifth St. at the Bowery.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: NE corner of St. Mark's Place and 3rd Avenue will yield to a 7-story office building

Demolition permits filed for northeast corner of 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

End is nearing for the businesses on the northeast corner of 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

New building plans revealed for 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

Developers of 3 St. Mark's Place are looking to double the size of their proposed office building at 3rd Avenue to 10 floors with air-rights deal

Concern over potential air-rights transfer for new office building on St. Mark's Place and 3rd Avenue

Concern over potential air-rights transfer for new office building on St. Mark's Place and 3rd Avenue

Updated 2/14: The CB3 committee reportedly voted down the air-rights transfer.

As I first reported, reps for Real Estate Equities Corporation (REEC) will appear before CB3's Landmarks Committee tomorrow night at 6:30 (Feb. 13) to discuss transferring the air rights from the landmarked — and under-renovation — Hamilton-Holly House across the street at 4 St. Mark's Place.

With these air rights and approved zoning variance, the Morris Adjimi-designed building REEC planned for the northeast corner of St. Mark's Place and Third Avenue would rise to 10 stories — twice the size of the original plans. (This link will take you to the PDF on the CB3 website with details on the proposal.)

Meanwhile, the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation expressed its objections to the transfer and additional height of the building. According to a new post on the GVSHP website:

The planned 10-story, 175 ft. tall office tower is part of the growing wave of office development we are seeing in this area along 3rd and 4th Avenues and University Place and Broadway, spurred on by the growth of the expanding tech industry’s "Silicon Alley," and the recent approval by the City Council of the Mayor’s Tech Hub just a few blocks away on 14th Street.

The transfer of the air rights to increase the size of the planned tower ... is subject to the approval of various city agencies. We feel strongly that the city should not abet oversized and inappropriate office development in this area. The planned office tower displaces several long-time local businesses, as well as a nearly 200-year-old house.

Tomorrow's meeting is the beginning of the review process, which requires an application to the LPC followed by an application to the City Planning Commission for the special permit.

The CB3 Landmarks Committee meeting is open to the public (and is open to public comment). The meeting is at the JASA Green Residence, 200 E. Fifth St. at the Bowery.

The links below have more history about what has transpired on this corner...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Exclusive: After 40 years, punk rock mainstay Trash and Vaudeville is leaving St. Mark's Place

4 St. Mark's Place is for sale

More residential units and a 5th-floor addition in the works for landmarked 4 St. Mark's Place

You'll be back: Look at the renovated Hamilton-Holly House on St. Mark's Place

The Shake Shack effect? McDonald's on 3rd Avenue at St. Mark's Place has closed after 20 years

Report: NE corner of St. Mark's Place and 3rd Avenue will yield to a 7-story office building

Demolition permits filed for northeast corner of 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

End is nearing for the businesses on the northeast corner of 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

The Continental gets a 3-month reprieve

New building plans revealed for 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

Developers of 3 St. Mark's Place are looking to double the size of their proposed office building at 3rd Avenue to 10 floors with air-rights deal

Developers of 3 St. Mark's Place are looking to increase the size of their proposed office building at 3rd Avenue to 10 floors with air-rights deal

[Photo from Saturday]

Updated 2/14: The CB3 committee reportedly voted down the air-rights transfer.

This past October, Real Estate Equities Corporation (REEC) filed new permits for 3 St. Mark's Place (the address of the former Papaya King) for a 5-story, 29,030-square-foot building with ground-floor retail.

These plans were actually smaller than the original specs reported for this northeast corner of Third Avenue and St. Mark's Place. According to The Real Deal in November 2017, a seven-story office building was slated for this soon-to-be-demolished assemblage of buildings.

In any event, hold everything on those 5-floor plans.

On Feb. 13, reps for the developer will appear before CB3's Landmarks Committee to discuss transferring the air rights from the landmarked — and under-renovation — Hamilton-Holly House across the street at 4 St. Mark's Place.

With these air rights and approved zoning variance, the Morris Adjimi-designed building at 3 St. Mark's Place would rise to 10 stories. Here's a look at the rendering posted to the CB3 site...



This link will take you to the PDF on the CB3 website with details on the proposal.

Here's part of the pitch, per their overview:

The Applicant is requesting the Landmarks Preservation Commission (the "LPC") to issue a report to the City Planning Commission pursuant to Section 74-79 of the New York City Zoning Resolution to facilitate the construction of a ten-story building (the "Proposed Development"! located at 3 St. Mark's Place ...

The special permit would (a) allow a transfer of 8,386 square feet of development rights from the zoning lot located at 4 St. Mark's Place (which is occupied by the Hamilton-Holly House (the "Landmark"), an individual landmark, and (b) modify the provisions of ZR Section 33-432 to allow the Proposed Development to penetrate the maximum front wall height and sky exposure plane within the 20-foot initial setback distance on St. Mark's Place. This waiver allows for a better relationship to the adjacent buildings on St. Marks Place and allows for better office floorplates.

As a condition of the special permit, the owner of the Landmarks Building has agreed to undertake additional work — more expansive in scope than the originally approved work — to restore the Landmark Building to a sound, first-class condition, and to thereafter implement a cyclical maintenance plan for the Building.

These commitments will be set forth in a restrictive declaration, binding upon the owner and its successor and assigns in perpetuity, implementing the approved continuing maintenance program.

[Photo of 4 St. Mark's Place from last month]

The Feb. 13 meeting is the beginning of the review process, which requires an application to the LPC followed by an application to the City Planning Commission for the special permit.

Back to the overview for the plan for more zoning jargon...

In its report, LPC will comment on the restoration work and continuing maintenance plan as well as the manner in which the requested waiver of the otherwise applicable height and setback regulations contributes to a harmonious relationship between the Landmark and the Proposed Development. LPC is not reviewing the actual work on the Landmark because this work has been previously reviewed and approved.

After the special permit application is filed with CPC and certified pursuant to ULURP, the request for 74-79 Special Permit will be referred back to the Community Board for the second step in the review.

So this marks just the beginning of the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP). Read this primer on an explanation of the process.

The CB3 Landmarks Committee meeting on Feb. 13 is open to the public (and is open to public comment). The meeting is at the JASA Green Residence, 200 E. Fifth St. at the Bowery. And this certainly isn't the last we'll hear on this variance request.

REEC picked up the 99-year leasehold for the properties — 1 St. Mark's Place, 3 St. Mark’s Place, 23 and 25-27 Third Ave. — for nearly $150 million, per The Real Deal in November 2017.

The Continental was the last business on the corner, with the last call happening on New Year's Eve.

The corner assemblage is owned by the Gabay family.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Exclusive: After 40 years, punk rock mainstay Trash and Vaudeville is leaving St. Mark's Place

4 St. Mark's Place is for sale

More residential units and a 5th-floor addition in the works for landmarked 4 St. Mark's Place

You'll be back: Look at the renovated Hamilton-Holly House on St. Mark's Place

The Shake Shack effect? McDonald's on 3rd Avenue at St. Mark's Place has closed after 20 years

Report: NE corner of St. Mark's Place and 3rd Avenue will yield to a 7-story office building

Demolition permits filed for northeast corner of 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

End is nearing for the businesses on the northeast corner of 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

The Continental gets a 3-month reprieve

New building plans revealed for 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

FULL full reveal at the historic Hamilton-Holly House on St. Mark's Place

Last month around this time, workers removed the construction netting and scaffolding from 4 St. Mark's Place — aka the Hamilton-Holly House, circa 1831 — after nearly two years of renovations. However, the plywood remained, covering the ground-floor and entrance.

Now, though, as you can see in the top photo, workers have taken that away as well.

As previously noted, the renovation of the landmarked building between Second Avenue and Third Avenue included an expansion in the back of the building, doubling the number of residential units from three to six.

Wanyoo, a Shanghai-based cyber cafe chain, reportedly signed a lease for the garden space. The parlor space is also available for a retail tenant. (Until February 2016, 4 St. Mark's Place housed Trash & Vaudeville for 41 years. The store relocated to 96 E. Seventh St.)

The Hamilton-Holly House was once owned by Alexander Hamilton’s son. The Federal-style townhouse changed hands for $10 million in the spring of 2016.

Find more history of the address at this 6sqft feature.


[4 St. St. Mark's Place in 1940]

Previously on EV Grieve:
Exclusive: After 40 years, punk rock mainstay Trash and Vaudeville is leaving St. Mark's Place

4 St. Mark's Place is for sale

More residential units and a 5th-floor addition in the works for landmarked 4 St. Mark's Place

You'll be back: Look at the renovated Hamilton-Holly House on St. Mark's Place

You'll be back: Look at the renovated Hamilton-Holly House on St. Mark's Place

[EVG photo from February 2017]

The freshly renovated 4 St. Mark's Place — aka the Hamilton-Holly House, circa 1831 — has made its first public appearance after nearly two years covered in construction netting and plywood here between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

These two photos are from Friday...





In December 2016, the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) signed off on renovations and an expansion for the landmarked building. In doing so, the LPC did nix an additional floor, and a few other proposed items. The expansion was to take place in the back of the building, doubling the number of residential units from three to six.

Here's more about what was to take place via New York Yimby, reporting from that December 2016 LPC meeting:

On the front of the structure, a largely new entryway would be installed, the gate at the stoop would be removed, new windows would be installed, and the grand curved balcony would be reconstructed at the first floor. The secondary stair from the ground to the first floor would be removed and a new small gate put in its place at ground level, an additional window would be added to the basement level, an existing basement door would be replaced with a window, an agree under the front steps would be reopened, and signage would be installed. The existing fire escapes would remain. The façade would also receive an overall restoration.

[Photo from Friday]

And a look at the building in 2010...



In February, Wanyoo, a Shanghai-based cyber cafe chain, reportedly signed a lease for the garden space, per The Real Deal. Another retail listing from a different broker arrived in March for the parlor space.

Until February 2016, 4 St. Mark's Place housed Trash & Vaudeville for 41 years. The store relocated to 96 E. Seventh St.

The Hamilton-Holly House was once owned by Alexander Hamilton’s son. The Federal-style townhouse changed hands for $10 million in the spring of 2016.

Here's more history via 6sqft:

Col. Alexander Hamilton Jr. was the first owner of the townhouse at 4 St. Mark’s Place. British-born real estate developer Thomas E. Davis was erecting Federal-style homes along the street at the time as homes for wealthy New Yorkers seeking refuge from the cholera epidemic further downtown. In 1833, three decades after his father died in a duel with Aaron Burr, Hamilton Jr. bought the home and moved in with his mother Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton (who was riddled with debt after her husband’s death), wife Eliza, and his sister Eliza Holly and her husband Sidney.

And, when St. Mark's Place became dead for the third or fourth time...

In 1843, the Hamiltons sold the house to oil and candle merchants Isaac C. Van Wyck and his son Cornelius. By mid-century the neighborhood had fallen out of fashion, and the homes along the street were split up into multiple dwellings. From 1903 to 1952, musical instruments firm C. Meisel Inc. housed their retail store and offices here. In the 1950s and ’60s, number 4 was used an experimental theater, including the Tempo Playhouse, New Bowery Theater, and Bridge Theater.

A bar called Eliza's Local, named for Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton, recently opened next door at 2 St. Mark's Place.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Exclusive: After 40 years, punk rock mainstay Trash and Vaudeville is leaving St. Mark's Place


[Via]

4 St. Mark's Place is for sale

More residential units and a 5th-floor addition in the works for landmarked 4 St. Mark's Place

A look at No. 4 in 1940 via the LPC...

Retail-restaurant-medical space available at 4 St. Mark's Place

A new for lease sign for retail-restaurant-medical space is up at the under-renovation 4 St. Mark's Place...



Here are the details via the listing:

Space/Size:
Parlor Level, 2,500 SF

Frontage:
Approx. 18 FT Ceiling Height: Approx. 13 FT

Possession:
September 2018

Term:
Negotiable

History:
The space was previously occupied by Trash and Vaudeville ... and has historically been an epicenter of counterculture, bohemia and rock-and-roll. This landmark building is now being gut renovated, modernized and fully restored.

Last month, it was reported that Wanyoo, a Shanghai-based cyber cafe chain, had signed a 20-year lease for the two-level retail space at this address between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

The new listing — via a different broker who was showing the space previously — is for the parlor level. Perhaps the cyber cafe is just taking the lower level? (I reached out to the brokers to learn more about the status of the space.)



The landmarked Hamilton-Holly House, built in 1831, was once owned by Alexander Hamilton’s son. The building changed hands for $10 million in the spring of 2016 for $10 million.

Trash & Vaudeville relocated to 96 E. Seventh St. in early 2016.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Exclusive: After 40 years, punk rock mainstay Trash and Vaudeville is leaving St. Mark's Place

4 St. Mark's Place is for sale

More residential units and a 5th-floor addition in the works for landmarked 4 St. Mark's Place

Former Trash & Vaudeville space on St. Mark's Place to become Wanyoo cyber café

Wanyoo, a Shanghai-based cyber cafe chain, has signed a lease for the two-level retail space at 4 St. Mark's Place.

The cafe, which has a location in Flushing, reportedly signed a 20-year lease for 2,600 square feet on the ground floor and 1,400 square feet in the basement of the under-renovation landmarked building between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.


[Via the Wanyoo website]

They optimistically hope to be open early this summer.

Until February 2016, 4 St. Mark's Place housed Trash & Vaudeville for 41 years. The store relocated to 96 E. Seventh St.

The Hamilton-Holly House (aka 4 St. Mark's Place), built in 1831, was once owned by Alexander Hamilton’s son. The building, which changed hands for $10 million in the spring of 2016 for $10 million, is currently undergoing a gut renovation and expansion.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Exclusive: After 40 years, punk rock mainstay Trash and Vaudeville is leaving St. Mark's Place


[Via]

4 St. Mark's Place is for sale

More residential units and a 5th-floor addition in the works for landmarked 4 St. Mark's Place

4 St. Mark's Place prepped for renovations, expansion

[Photo yesterday by Steven]

Workers have put up scaffolding and construction netting outside the landmarked 4 St. Mark's Place.

As reported this past December, the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) signed off on renovations and an expansion for the Hamilton-Holly House (aka 4 St. Mark's Place), built in 1831 and sold to Alexander Hamilton’s son two years later.

The LPC nixed the additional floor, and a few other items. As it looks now, the expansion in the rear of the building will double the number of residential units from three to six.

Here's more about what will be taking place via New York Yimby, reporting on the LPC meeting last December:

On the front of the structure, a largely new entryway would be installed, the gate at the stoop would be removed, new windows would be installed, and the grand curved balcony would be reconstructed at the first floor. The secondary stair from the ground to the first floor would be removed and a new small gate put in its place at ground level, an additional window would be added to the basement level, an existing basement door would be replaced with a window, an agree under the front steps would be reopened, and signage would be installed. The existing fire escapes would remain. The façade would also receive an overall restoration.

The building changed hands for $10 million last spring.

Eastern Consolidated is currently listing two retail spaces here between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

Until February 2016, 4 St. Mark's Place housed Trash & Vaudeville for 41 years. The store just celebrated its one-year anniversary at 96 E. Seventh St.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Exclusive: After 40 years, punk rock mainstay Trash and Vaudeville is leaving St. Mark's Place

4 St. Mark's Place is for sale

More residential units and a 5th-floor addition in the works for landmarked 4 St. Mark's Place

Report: LPC OKs renovation and expansion of 4 St. Mark's Place

[EVG file photo of 4 St. Mark's Place]

On Tuesday, the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) signed off on renovations and an expansion for the Hamilton-Holly House aka 4 St. Mark's Place aka the former storefront for Trash & Vaudeville.

The landmarked building (built in 1831 and sold to Alexander Hamilton’s son two years later) changed hands for $10 million in the spring.

As we first noted back in June, the building's developers, Castellan Real Estate Partners, need the proper LPC approvals before any work can take place.

The proposed plans show that the 4-floor building would increase its residential units from three to eight... with the help of a fifth-floor addition and expansion in the rear ... (the proposed renderings are on the left)


[Click for more detail]

...and the profile section...



New York Yimby has a full recap of the LPC meeting here.

A quick takeaway from NYY:

The commissioners were okay with most of the proposal, but not the fifth floor, because it would knock out the rear dormers. Nor did they like the new window at the basement level. They also had issues with the signage proposed for the front. In the end, they approved the proposal, but with the elimination of the new fifth floor and the new basement window. Without that additional floor, there might be a reduction in residential unit count. The applicant will also work with the LPC staff on the signage.

The LPC presentation included this photo of No. 4 from 1940...



Eastern Consolidated is currently listing two retail spaces at the building between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

Until this past February, 4 St. Mark's Place housed Trash & Vaudeville for 41 years. (The store is now at 96 E. Seventh St.)

Previously on EV Grieve:
Exclusive: After 40 years, punk rock mainstay Trash and Vaudeville is leaving St. Mark's Place

4 St. Mark's Place is for sale

More residential units and a 5th-floor addition in the works for landmarked 4 St. Mark's Place