Douglas Steiner's church-replacing condos emerge from the pit; plus new renderings

The very first section of developer Douglas Steiner's incoming residential building along Avenue A between East 11th Street and East 12th Street is now visible (as of yesterday) above the plywood as the condofication of the former Mary Help of Christians property enters the next phase...



...and via the handy blogger portals on Avenue A...



Meanwhile yesterday, The Real Deal learned that condos in the 82-unit building will start at $1.1 million for a 1-bedroom home. In total, Steiner hopes for "a sellout of nearly $215 million" for the project, which will be a record for the neighborhood.

Here's more from TRD:

Steiner’s property will comprise one- to four-bedroom apartments and several penthouses as well as 16,000 square feet of amenities, including a 50-foot-long pool, a spa, a gym, a library, a playroom, parking and a landscaped courtyard and rooftop gardens. Paris Forino is doing the interiors.

“It’s an epic project, years in the making, said Douglas Elliman’s Fredrik Eklund, who is heading up sales with partner John Gomes.

Speaking of years in the making, neighbors will have another 18 months of construction to enjoy until the building is complete, TRD reported.

Eklund also released new renderings of the project, which was originally going to include 158 rental units, with 22 of them designated as affordable under the Department of Housing Preservation and Development's Inclusionary Housing Program. However, in a swticheroo first announced last February, Steiner's reps told CB3 members that the building would instead be market-rate condos.

A PRIVATE RETREAT IN THE EAST VILLAGE. Excited to announce Steiner today, our new 82-unit development with one to four bedroom condominiums and penthouses enhanced by over 16,000 square feet of amenities including a 24-hour lobby concierge, 50' long pool, spa, gym, library, playroom, parking, and lush courtyard and rooftop gardens, all ensconced in New York's most eclectic, intriguing, and authentic neighborhood. This $215M sell-out at 438 East 12th Street is brought to you by the developer of Steiner Studios. Designed by Paris Forino. Priced from $1.1 million. And sold by EklundGomes. ⚡️ www.438east12th.com

A photo posted by Fredrik Eklund (@fredrikeklundny) on Feb 2, 2016 at 10:52am PST

And a better look... here's the view looking at the northwest corner of Avenue A and 11th Street...



... and Avenue A looking west on 12th Street...



Renderings by Williams New York

Previously on EV Grieve:
New residential complex at former Mary Help of Christians lot may include rooftop swimming pool

Meet your new neighbor on Avenue A

Permits filed to demolish Mary Help of Christians church, school and rectory

Preservationists call for archeological review of former cemetery at Mary Help of Christians site

The 'senseless shocking self-destruction' of Mary Help of Christians

Residences rising from the former Mary Help of Christians lot will now be market-rate condos

Ongoing construction at condoplex on Avenue A enters the swimming pool phase

Report: Developer Douglas Steiner lands $130 million loan for EV condo construction

Report: Developer Douglas Steiner lands $130 million loan for EV condo construction

As the condofication of the former Mary Help of Christians property along Avenue A between East 11th Street and East 12th Street continues, the Commercial Observer reports that developer Douglas Steiner has landed a $130 million construction loan from Bank of America Merrill Lynch for the project.

As you probably know, a mixed-use building with ground-floor retail and 82 market-rate condos is in the works. The residences were originally going to include 158 rental units, with 22 of them designated as affordable under the Department of Housing Preservation and Development's Inclusionary Housing Program. However, that changed back in February.

Steiner, who lives in the East Village, told the Commercial Observer that luxury condos hereabouts are "not the oxymoron people might have thought it was 15 to 20 years ago."

"We've seen a huge pent up demand for luxury services in the East Village, and only a few have been done," he said, referencing The Jefferson, an 82-unit luxury condo property at 211 East 13th Street.

Steiner bought the property in 2012 for $41 million. During the summer of 2013, workers demolished the church, school and rectory.

Previously on EV Grieve:
New residential complex at former Mary Help of Christians lot may include rooftop swimming pool

Meet your new neighbor on Avenue A

Permits filed to demolish Mary Help of Christians church, school and rectory

Preservationists call for archeological review of former cemetery at Mary Help of Christians site

The 'senseless shocking self-destruction' of Mary Help of Christians

Residences rising from the former Mary Help of Christians lot will now be market-rate condos

Ongoing construction at condoplex on Avenue A enters the swimming pool phase

Plywood report

Neighborhood watchdog keeping an eye on the construction at the former Mary Help of Christians property, where there will be a mixed-use building with ground-floor retail and 82 market-rate condos some day...



Photos by Shawn Chittle

Party tent down

As we like to do, we were taking in the view via the blogger portals along Avenue A … where those condos are going in between East 11th Street and East 12th Street…

This caught our eye(s) …



What went on here? What's with the party tent in the pit?

Former Mary Help of Christians lot now ready for 82 market-rate condos

500 and 524 E. 14th St. look to have some construction company soon enough.

Over at the former Mary Help of Christians property, the lot is waiting for a new retail-residental building with frontage on Avenue A, East 11th Street and East 12th Street.

As we first reported, the permits that developer Douglas Steiner's reps filed with the city in October 2013 called for a 7-story, 158-unit 164,720-square-foot structure. The U-shaped building would offer rentals (and a rooftop swimming pool).

However, Steiner's reps told Community Board 3 in February that the residential complex, which would feature 22 affordable units designated as Inclusionary Housing, will now go as market-rate condos. (Several community leaders confirmed that the residences will hit the market as condos.)

The city approved (or at least partially approved) most of the required permits for the project last month. The square footage is now 107,000 for the residential portion, 8,376 for the retail and 961 for the community facility, per city documents. The 6-floor building will house 82 dwelling units and a pool on a lower level.

Meanwhile, last week, local residents spotted Steiner and a group of people walking the site…


[Photo by Meri Micara]

Previously on EV Grieve:
New residential complex at former Mary Help of Christians lot may include rooftop swimming pool

Meet your new neighbor on Avenue A

Permits filed to demolish Mary Help of Christians church, school and rectory

Preservationists call for archeological review of former cemetery at Mary Help of Christians site

The 'senseless shocking self-destruction' of Mary Help of Christians

Residences rising from the former Mary Help of Christians lot will now be market-rate condos

Reader mailbag: What's going on with the former Mary Help of Christians property?

An EVG reader asks, "Do you have an update on the Mary Help of Christians property?"



Not really! Developer Douglas Steiner still awaits city approval for his retail-residential complex at the now-empty lot. The city last disapproved plans here in June, according to DOB records.

During the summer of 2013, workers demolished the church, school and rectory on the Mary Help of Christians lot on Avenue A between East 12th Street and East 11th Street. As for the new 438 E. 12th St., there will be 158 residential units… and maybe a rooftop pool. Some day, probably.

Enjoy the lot. It will soon look like this.

Photos last week by Bobby Williams

Previously on EV Grieve:
New residential complex at former Mary Help of Christians lot may include rooftop swimming pool

Meet your new neighbor on Avenue A

Permits filed to demolish Mary Help of Christians church, school and rectory

Preservationists call for archeological review of former cemetery at Mary Help of Christians site

Scaffolding arrives for demolition of Mary Help of Christians

The 'senseless shocking self-destruction' of Mary Help of Christians

Drill team arrives at the former Mary Help of Christians property

[December 2013]

Not much has been going on (not that anyone is complaining) in recent months at the site of the former Mary Help of Christians church, rectory and school … all demolished to make way for an apartment complex with some retail and 158 residential units (and maybe a rooftop pool).

Developer Douglas Steiner is still awaiting city approval for the new building. (The city last disapproved the plans on Feb. 12.)

Meanwhile, the city did OK a permit last week for the always sexy "drilled test pile work" (is that the name of a Guided by Voices song?) This meant the arrival of some new trucks and stuff to take photos of these past few days through the convenient blogger portals along the fence …







Enjoy the lot now. It will soon look like this.

Previously on EV Grieve:
New residential complex at former Mary Help of Christians lot may include rooftop swimming pool

Meet your new neighbor on Avenue A

Makeshift altar arrives at former Mary Help of Christians Catholic Church

[Photo by EVG reader Matteo]

Last summer, workers demolished the church, school and rectory on the Mary Help of Christians lot on Avenue A between East 12th Street and East 11th Street. Developer Douglas Steiner awaits city approval for his retail-residential complex at the now-empty lot.

In the meantime, someone has created a makeshift altar on the East 12th Street plywood… which includes a frame around the plywood portal…


[Photo by EVG reader Matteo]

..and EVG reader Alta Tseng shared these photos…







Despite the demolition, former church regulars continued to hold their daily sidewalk prayer service on East 12th Street through August.

Previously on EV Grieve:
New residential complex at former Mary Help of Christians lot may include rooftop swimming pool

Meet your new neighbor on Avenue A

Permits filed to demolish Mary Help of Christians church, school and rectory

Preservationists call for archeological review of former cemetery at Mary Help of Christians site

Scaffolding arrives for demolition of Mary Help of Christians

The 'senseless shocking self-destruction' of Mary Help of Christians

Something new to look at in the Mary Help of Christians lot

Well, while we await more news on the above residential complex at the former Mary Help of Christians property along Avenue A between East 11th Street and East 12th Street… might as well enjoy some new graffiti at the site!

These tags arrived some time during the past week or so. We took these photos last Friday...







...and via EVG reader Ruth… a fine addition!



As for the new 438 E. 12th St., there will be 158 residential units… and maybe a rooftop pool. So far, the DOB has twice "disapproved" the new building plans... the second "disapproved" is dated Monday, according to the DOB website.

Previously on EV Grieve:
New residential complex at former Mary Help of Christians lot may include rooftop swimming pool

Meet your new neighbor on Avenue A

Meet your new neighbor on Avenue A

[View from Avenue A]

Here's a follow-up to our earlier post about 438 E. 12th St., the residential-retail complex that will replace the Mary Help of Christians lot along Avenue A between East 11th Street and East 12th Street...

Somehow we missed all the renderings that CB3 posted of the new building (thanks Curbed!) ...


[View from East 12th Street]


[View from East 11th Street]

In total, there will be 158 residential units, though it kinda looks more like 11,058 units.

Meanwhile, two blocks away, here's a reminder of what awaits on the corner of East 14th Street...



Previously on EV Grieve:
New residential complex at former Mary Help of Christians lot may include rooftop swimming pool

New residential complex at former Mary Help of Christians lot may include rooftop swimming pool

Details are emerging about the residential complex slated to take the place of the former Mary Help of Christians complex that developer Douglas Steiner bought last fall for $41 million.

Plans filed yesterday with the city show that the proposed new building will stand 7 stories with 158 residential units. In total, the complex will be 164,720 square feet. (The building's address will be 438 E. 12th St., not 181 Avenue A as we originally thought.)

Here's more information (PDF) via the CB3 website:

The Project will contain 22 affordable units that will be designated as Inclusionary Housing units under HPD’s Inclusionary Housing Program. These 22 Inclusionary Housing units will consist of 4 studios, 14 one-bedroom units, and 4 two-bedroom units.

CB3's Land Use, Zoning, Public & Private Housing Committee will hear more about the Inclusionary Housing proposal during a meeting on Nov. 13.

Also, via the CB3 website:

The seven (7) story building will be "U" shaped, with interior units facing onto a landscaped courtyard. The building’s façade will be primarily comprised of brick, with metal panel at the penthouse setback level and storefront at the ground floor retail. The building will have residential apartments on all floors, including garden apartments on the cellar level. The first floor apartments will be elevated approximately 3’ above grade, and will be accessible not only by stairs but also by a rear-opening elevator. Approximately 10,000 square feet at the first floor and 8,000 square feet in the cellar are reserved for retail use. To enliven the courtyard façade and offer outdoor space, twenty-five (25) of the courtyard units will have balconies, five (5) of which will be IH Units.

The entrance to the building will be on East 12th Street, and the building will be staffed 24 hours a day by a concierge. Loading and move-ins will take place through a service corridor and entrance on Avenue A. Resident amenities will be housed in the cellar, opening to a landscaped courtyard, and on the top roof of the building. The amenities program is currently contemplated to include a fitness center and lounge in the cellar, as well as a swimming pool and landscaped deck on the roof. Access to these amenities will be fee-based. The fee will be reduced for the residents of the IH Units.

Find the renderings on this EVG post.

Last summer, workers demolished the structures on the Mary Help of Christians lot on Avenue A between East 12th Street and East 11th Street.



Photos by Bobby Williams.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Permits filed to demolish Mary Help of Christians church, school and rectory

Preservationists call for archeological review of former cemetery at Mary Help of Christians site

Scaffolding arrives for demolition of Mary Help of Christians

The 'senseless shocking self-destruction' of Mary Help of Christians

What can we expect on the former Mary Help of Christians property?