Looking at the future home of 14th Street's 2nd Trader Joe's

[View from 14th Street]

Trader Joe's has reportedly signed a deal to open a two-level grocery in the new development that replaced the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office at 432-438 E. 14th St. between Avenue A and First Avenue.

The Real Deal, citing anonymous sources, first reported on this late last week.

The food purveyor quietly signed a lease about two months ago with Mack Real Estate and Benenson Capital Partners ... for 8,531 square on the ground floor and 14,170 square feet on the lower level.

In May 2016, there were reports of Trader Joe's taking the retail space in Extell's incoming retail-residential complex one block to the east between Avenue A and Avenue B. Target ended up signing a lease for the corner at 500 E. 14th St. The remaining storefront at No. 500 is 14,500 square feet.

The residential entrance (there will be 114 units) to the 8-floor building will be on 13th Street... while access to the Trader Joe's will be on 14th Street.


[View from 13th Street]

The Trader Joe's will likely have a little competition across the street with, reportedly, a Morton Williams. [Updated: Town & Village reports that Morton Williams will not sign a lease now.] Not to mention the small-format Target, which will feature grab-pay-then-go food items and other groceries.

In 2014, a Facebook group was advocating for a Trader Joe's for Ben Shaoul's condoplex at 98-100 Avenue A. That retail spot is now Blink Fitness.

Will a second Trader Joe's on East 14th Street help alleviate the pre-storm lines at the current location between Third Avenue and Irving Place?

Previously on EV Grieve:
Former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office slated to be demolished

The former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office will yield to an 8-story residential building

New residential building at former 14th Street PO will feature a quiet lounge, private dining room

A look at the new building coming to the former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office property

[Updated] Report: CB3 wants alternatives for a larger 438 E. 14th St.

[EVG file photo]

As we first reported on May 31, reps for the new development at 438 E. 14h St. are lobbying to receive a zoning variance for a 12-story building — four more than the area's zoning allows.

In an analysis of the plot, the developers said that they found "unusually elevated groundwater levels and exceedingly soft and unstable soil (owing to the presence of an underground stream) ... result in extraordinary construction costs." (Apparently those soil samples from September 2014 didn't reveal this.)

On Wednesday night, the reps made their case with Community Board 3's Land Use, Zoning, Public & Private Housing Committee. It did not go all that well, per DNAinfo's Allegra Hobbs:

“If you guys didn’t do your homework, I’m not sure why the community has to suffer for your error,” said Alexis Adler of the East 12th Street Block Association. “It is going to change the total character of our neighborhood….We’re losing affordable housing and people are being pushed out so you can put up taller buildings.”

Preservationists, residents and block association reps gathered at Community Board 3’s Land Use Subcommittee meeting on Wednesday to rail against the plan, arguing that the added height would alter the neighborhood’s character, while the added market-rate units would only threaten to displace longtime locals.

In the end, the committee reportedly tabled the vote and asked the reps to return after "exploring alternatives to increasing building height and requesting a greater percentage of 'affordable' units.'"

The property here near Avenue A in Stuyraq was home for years to the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office and long lines.

Updated 11:30 a.m.

On Monday, Councilwoman Rosie Mendez and CB3 are hosting a public meeting with reps for the developer. The meeting is solely to discuss the impact of the construction on immediate neighbors. There will not be any further discussion about variance plans, etc. ... the meeting is at 5:30 p.m. June 20 at the Church of the Immaculate Conception on 14th Street and First Avenue.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office slated to be demolished

The former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office will yield to an 8-story residential building

New residential building at former 14th Street PO will feature a quiet lounge, private dining room

A look at the new building coming to the former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office property

Christening a new neighborhood

Spotted this morning on the plywood along East 13th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue...



Welcome to Stuyraq!



This is at the site of the former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office. There are currently approved plans for an 8-story, 114-unit (23 affordable, 91 market rate) mixed-use building here.

However, reps for the developers (Benenson Capital Partners in association with the Mack Real Estate Group) are lobbying to receive a zoning variance for a 12-story building. In an analysis of the plot, the developers note that "unusually elevated groundwater levels and exceedingly soft and unstable soil (owing to the presence of an underground stream) ... result in extraordinary construction costs." Read more about this here.

Officials from Stuyraq could not be reached for comment.

Thanks to EVG reader Daniel for the photos!

Developers for post office-replacing project seek variance for a 12-story building

Crews have been at work at 432-438 E. 14th St., the former site of the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office that is yielding to an 8-story, 114-unit (23 affordable, 91 market rate) mixed-use building here between Avenue A and First Avenue.

The renderings on the plywood could be a collector's item now, though...



Reps for the developers (Benenson Capital Partners in association with the Mack Real Estate Group) are lobbying to receive a zoning variance for a 12-story building.

On June 15, the reps will start with Community Board 3's Land Use, Zoning, Public & Private Housing Committee. Ahead of that meeting, there's a 300-plus page document (PDF!) on file at the CB3 website with background, analysis, engineering reports, etc.

For starters, the documents show that the East 13th Street portion of the proposed new building would be eight stories in height (80 feet), with a setback above the sixth floor. The East 14th Street portion of the building would rise 12 stories (124 feet) without setbacks. Retail space would occupy the first floor of the East 14th Street side of the building.

According to the documents, the site "is burdened by a combination of unique conditions that result in practical difficulties in complying with the applicable zoning regulations."

Specifically: "Unusually elevated groundwater levels and exceedingly soft and unstable soil (owing to the presence of an underground stream) ... result in extraordinary construction costs, which make a complying development with affordable housing infeasible." (An analysis of the project put the extra construction costs due to the substandard soil at $8.8 million.)

However, the developer's proposal of a larger building "would generate sufficient income to offset the cost of development and provide a reasonable return on investment."

The documents state that the proposed development "is contextual with the surrounding neighborhood" ... and will "provide 31 units of affordable housing." Overall, the new building would have 155 units.

In conclusion, the proposed larger development "is the only financially feasible project that can be constructed at the site."



The city's Board of Standard and Appeals has recognized substandard soil conditions "as a unique physical condition causing practical difficulties and unnecessary hardship in at least eight variances in the past seven years," per the developer's research.

The elevated groundwater levels and "soft and unstable soil" must be behind the ongoing foundation work at 500 and 538 E. 14th St., where Extell Development is putting up two 7-floor retail-residential buildings. (We have not heard if either building will include an affordable-housing component.) After more than a year, there still isn't any sign of the new buildings above the grade.

Updated:

The committee meeting on June 15 is open to the public. The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. ... in the University Settlement at Houston Street Center — 273 Bowery.

Construction enters awesome pile-driving phase at 438 E. 14th St.

While we're on East 14th Street... just noting that the pile drivers recently arrived for the start of the foundation work here just west of Avenue A...



There two for double the pile driving...



Anyway, as you likely know, plans call for an 8-story retail-residential building featuring 114 units, with 20 percent designated as affordable housing.

And here's another look at the renderings on the plywood along the former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office...





If a Trader Joe's does sign up for the southeast corner of 14th Street and Avenue A, then do you think they'd be a need for a market as depicted in the above rendering?

Previously

Renderings arrive as construction kicks in at 438 E. 14th St.

Construction activity has picked up in the last week-plus at 438 E. 14th St., site of the former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office....



And along with this work ... the renderings have arrived on the plywood here between Avenue A and First Avenue... providing the first, official look at the new retail-residential building on the way in (and up)...







The plans show an 8-story retail-residential building via SLCE Architects featuring 114 units.

We couldn't find the information about the project at the website of Benenson Capital Partners, whose company has owned the East 14th Street property since the 1940s. In February, we found the following about the new building:

Benenson and the Mack Real Estate Group have formed a joint venture to develop a mixed-use residential and ground floor retail property in New York City's East Village. The 80/20 property will provide both market and affordable housing units. The property is located less than a block from the L train and within blocks of Union Square, which is one of New York's busiest subway stations. Construction is expected to begin shortly and end in late 2016 or early 2017.

In any event, this makes seven active construction sites in a span of several blocks...

• 100 Avenue A

• 438 E. 12th St. aka Steinerville

• Thirteen East + West on East 13th Street (with construction at No. 436 and 442)

• 500 E. 14th St. and 524 E. 14th St. (counting this as two sites)

Previously on EV Grieve:
Former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office slated to be demolished

The former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office will yield to an 8-story residential building

New residential building at former 14th Street PO will feature a quiet lounge, private dining room

A look at the new building coming to the former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office property

A look at the new building coming to the former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office property

[At the former Peter Stuyvesant PO on East 14th Street]

This week, we've looked at updated renderings for three new residential developments coming to (and near!) Avenue A. There's Douglas Steiner's 82-unit building at 438 E. 12th St. ... Thirteen East + West on East 13th Street ... and Ben Shaoul's 100 Avenue A.

However, there's one new development that we haven't heard much about of late — an 8-story retail-residential building featuring 114 units at 438 E. 14th St., site of the now-demolished former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office just west of Avenue A.

Benenson Capital Partners, whose company has owned the site since the 1940s, is teaming with Mack Real Estate Group on the project. Here's info from the Benenson Capital website:

Benenson and the Mack Real Estate Group have formed a joint venture to develop a mixed-use residential and ground floor retail property in New York City's East Village. The 80/20 property will provide both market and affordable housing units. The property is located less than a block from the L train and within blocks of Union Square, which is one of New York's busiest subway stations. Construction is expected to begin shortly and end in late 2016 or early 2017.

The listing, which features two retail spaces, includes a rendering — the first that we've seen — of the new building... this is on the East 13th Street side looking east toward Avenue A...


[Click to go big]

The residential entrance to the building will be on East 13th Street... while access to the storefronts will be on East 14th Street.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office slated to be demolished

The former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office will yield to an 8-story residential building

New residential building at former 14th Street PO will feature a quiet lounge, private dining room

New plywood for the empty lot where the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office once stood

This past Friday, workers removed the sidewalk bridge from outside where the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office once stood at 438 E. 14th St. near Avenue A...





... and a view from the East 13th Street side via EVG regular Greg Masters...





Workers then put up a new plywood fence...


[GM]


[GM]

... and by Saturday...





An 8-story retail-residential building featuring 114 units is on tap. (Waiting for the rendering via SLCE Architects to appear on the plywood.)

The residential entrance will be on East 13th Street, as previously reported ... a short walk to the incoming Avenue A L train entrance.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office slated to be demolished

The former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office will yield to an 8-story residential building

New residential building at former 14th Street PO will feature a quiet lounge, private dining room

... and one last time...


[Photo by Gian G. via Yelp]

The former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office is pretty much gone

[East 13th Street side of the former PO]

Just a quick check-in to see what's left of the former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office at 438 E. 14th St. just west of Avenue A...

Well, not much...







As you probably know, there are approved permits for an 8-story retail-residential building — featuring 114 units — on the lot, which includes the former Stuyvesant Stationery shop.

Still waiting to see a rendering from SLCE Architects, whose LES portfolio includes the Blue Tower on Norfolk Street and Avalon Bowery Place.

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

[Photo from December by Peter Brownscombe]

It's time to revisit the plans for the former Mary Help of Christians lot off of Avenue A between East 11th Street and East 12th Street.

Aside from some soil testing, the lot has been quiet since late 2013 while the plans awaited city approval.

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

The permits that Steiner's reps filed with the city in October 2013 called for a 7-story, 158-unit 164,720-square-foot structure with frontage on Avenue A, East 11th Street and East 12th Street. The U-shaped building would feature rentals (and a rooftop swimming pool).


[View from Avenue A]

In addition, the project would contain 22 affordable units designated as Inclusionary Housing units ... consisting of four studios, 14 one-bedroom units and four two-bedroom units.

Apparently all this has changed. Steiner's reps told Community Board 3 on Tuesday night that the residential complex will now feature — market-rate condos. Updated paperwork at the DOB now shows a total of 82 residential units (with the pool and deck on a lower level).

This size of the development was of concern to nearby residents when Steiner's team presented the plans to CB3's Land Use, Zoning, Public & Private Housing Committee in November 2013 ... made somewhat palatable with the affordable component. Not now, though. One neighbor called the switch to condos "total bullshit."

We'll have more on the new plans here as soon as additional information is available.

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

New residential building at former 14th Street PO will feature a quiet lounge, private dining room

The new eight-story residential building coming to the site of the former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office will include exercise and rec rooms, a quiet lounge and private dining room.

The Post reported on more details on the mixed-use building for 432-438 E. 14th St. just west of Avenue A.

Benenson Capital Partners, whose company has owned the site since the 1940s, is teaming with Mack Real Estate Group on the project.

Per the article:

The 134,000-square-foot, mixed-use building is being planned to fit seamlessly into this Lower East Side neighborhood. “We are working to develop something timeless from a design perspective and contextual from a scale perspective,” said [CEO Richard] Mack of the low structure that will have plenty of light and air.

Its 114 apartments are being targeted toward millennials, while its 15,400 square feet of ground-floor retail is right across the street from the people-packed Stuyvesant Town.

Construction is expected to start this spring, according to the Post. Demolition permits were ordered in October to bring down the post office and the former Stuyvesant Stationery shop next door.

SLCE Architects are listed as the designer of record. (Any renderings floating around out there?) That firm's résumé includes such high-profile projects as the Bloomberg mothership on Lexington Avenue and the Blue building on the Lower East Side.

Meanwhile, earlier in the week, we saw that the post office doors were open … beckoning us inside, perhaps to wait in line one last time for that package that the worker probably isn't even looking for in the back room…



Previously on EV Grieve:
Today in rants: the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office

Meanwhile, at everyone's favorite local post office branch...

UPDATED: Did you hear the rumor about the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office branch closing?

Report: Closure of the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office is pretty much a done deal

First sign of more development on East 14th Street?

Asbestos abatement to begin at former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office

Davey drill arrives ahead of rumored development at former East 14th Street post office

Former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office slated to be demolished

The former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office will yield to an 8-story residential building

More info about the new development replacing the post office everyone hated

[Photo from October by EVG reader Mr. Baggs]

Here are more details about the 8-story retail-residential building coming to the former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office on East 14th Street near Avenue A.

As we noted Wednesday, the building will be 96,000 square feet, with 8,655 square feet designated for the retail space. Plans also show a total of 114 apartments.

According to New York Yimby, landlord Benenson Capital Partners, which has owned the through-block site since 1983, the development "would be made up of a north and south building, fronting on East 14th and East 13th Streets, respectively. The latter would rise to eight stories and the former to seven, with between five and ten apartments per building per floor."

Plus!

"The residential lobby would be located on the ground floor of the 13th Street building, while the nearly 9,000 square feet of retail space would sit in the north building, fronting on busy East 14th Street."

No word yet on timing for the new building(s). Demolition permits were ordered in October to bring down the post office and the former Stuyvesant Stationery shop next door.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Today in rants: the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office

Meanwhile, at everyone's favorite local post office branch...

UPDATED: Did you hear the rumor about the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office branch closing?

Report: Closure of the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office is pretty much a done deal

First sign of more development on East 14th Street?

Asbestos abatement to begin at former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office

Davey drill arrives ahead of rumored development at former East 14th Street post office

Former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office slated to be demolished

The former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office will yield to an 8-story residential building

The former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office will yield to an 8-story residential building

[EVG file photo]

The first new building permit has been filed for the former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office on East 14th Street. Plans are calling for an 8-story residential building with ground-floor retail here just west of Avenue A.

According to the DOB, the building will be 96,000 square feet, with 8,655 square feet designated for the retail space. Plans also show a total of 114 apartments.



SLCE Architects are listed as the designer of record. (Any renderings floating around out there?) That firm's résumé includes such high-profile projects as the Bloomberg mothership on Lexington Avenue and the Top of the Rock observation deck at Rockefeller Center.

Demolition permits were ordered in October to bring down the post office and the former Stuyvesant Stationery shop next door.

This post office branch just west of Avenue A closed for good in February. The USPS is leasing the former Duane Reade at 333 E. 14th St. for retail services.

No word on when the demolition might start.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Today in rants: the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office


[Photo by Gian G. via Yelp]

Meanwhile, at everyone's favorite local post office branch...

UPDATED: Did you hear the rumor about the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office branch closing?

Report: Closure of the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office is pretty much a done deal

First sign of more development on East 14th Street?

Asbestos abatement to begin at former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office

Davey drill arrives ahead of rumored development at former East 14th Street post office

Former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office slated to be demolished

Mystery mounds at the former Mary Help of Christians lot

[Photo by dwg]

Several readers have wondered what has been going on at the former Mary Help of Christians lot off of Avenue A between East 11th Street and East 12th Street ... currently enjoying the afterlife as a trash dump and graffiti canvas.

There has been some activity at the site of late ... a few dump trucks and mounds of dirt...





Not sure what the workers are doing. (Making a course for area children to snow tube and sled this winter?)

Developer Douglas Steiner is still waiting on city approval for his retail-residential complex. The city last disapproved plans here in June, according to DOB records.

During the summer of 2013, workers demolished the church, school and rectory. As for the new 438 E. 12th St., there will be 158 residential units… and maybe a rooftop pool.

Bottom two photos 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

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

A Davey Drill and a dream

Last Thursday, we noted the arrival of a Davey Drill outside the former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office branch on East 14th Street.

As the above photo shows, the drill is now across the street … doing a little soil sampling in a new spot.

EVG reader stickmanpk, who took the photo, offered some wishful L train thinking.

"Could they actually be thinking about adding a second entrance for the subway at Avenue A in anticipation of the 2,000 new residents we’ll see with the coming developments? Hey, you’ve gotta have a dream…"

Previously on EV Grieve:
UPDATED: Did you hear the rumor about the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office branch closing?

Report: Closure of the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office is pretty much a done deal

First sign of more development on East 14th Street?

Asbestos abatement to begin at former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office

New 7-floor buildings for East 14th Street include 150 residential units

Here is the future of East 14th Street and Avenue A: 7 stories of residential and retail

Davey drill arrives ahead of rumored development at former East 14th Street post office

Here's further proof of some kind of future development at the former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office branch on East 14th Street.

A reader spotted workers taking soil samples outside 438 E. 14th St. yesterday.

Signs about asbestos removal went up on Aug. 15.

A quick recap:

This post office branch just west of Avenue A closed for good in February. (The USPS is leasing the former Duane Reade at 333 E. 14th St. for retail services.) Previously, the Stuyvesant Stationery shop next door to the post office lost its lease and closed. Both single-level buildings share the same landlord.

To date, there's nothing on file with the DOB to suggest any demolition or new development here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
UPDATED: Did you hear the rumor about the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office branch closing?

Report: Closure of the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office is pretty much a done deal

First sign of more development on East 14th Street?

Asbestos abatement to begin at former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office

Looking for the deeper meaning about renting the former 99-Cent Discount Center on East 14th Street

News that the former 99-Cent Discount Center at 440 E. 14th St. is now for lease is not such big news.

However, the one-level storefront is adjacent to two other empty properties — the former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office and the Stuyvesant Stationery shop. There has been some speculation that these spaces will yield to a new retail-residential mixed-use building.

Adding to this development theory: Asbestos abatement signs recently went up outside the post office at 438 E. 14th St. near Avenue A.

But the fact that the 99-cent store property at 440 E. 14th St. is for lease makes this space unlikely for the future development. (For now anyway!) The post office and stationery shop apparently have the same landlord.

OK! Got all that? This will be on the midterm.

Previously on EV Grieve:
First sign of more development on East 14th Street?

Asbestos abatement to begin at former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office

Asbestos abatement to begin at former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office

Signs arrived Friday at the former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office noting the start of asbestos removal from the building at 432-438 E. 14th St.



This Post Office branch just west of Avenue A closed for good in February. (The USPS is leasing the former Duane Reade at 333 E. 14th St. for retail services.)

Initially, word was that the USPS was unable to come to terms on a new lease with the building's owner. However, a rep for the owner, Benenson Capital Partners, told the Town & Village blog and the Save the Post Office blog that it was actually the USPS's decision to leave because of a desire to downsize.

Last fall, the Stuyvesant Stationery shop next door to the post office lost its lease and closed. In July, the 99-Cent Discount Center to the east closed, making for three consecutive, single-level storefronts sitting vacant.

To date, there's nothing on file with the DOB to suggest any demolition or new development here.


[EVG file photo]

Asbestos abatement is often the first step before a demolition. Or, perhaps this is just for a conversion of the space to suit a retailer. Or, perhaps the landlord just wants to be proactive and clean up the place. Or, as several EVG readers believe, the three buildings will be taken down to make way for a retail-residential complex similar to what's coming to 500 and 538 E. 14th St.

Previously on EV Grieve:
UPDATED: Did you hear the rumor about the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office branch closing?

Report: Closure of the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office is pretty much a done deal

First sign of more development on East 14th Street?