Construction watch: 688 Broadway, aka 1 Great Jones Alley

Nearly two years have passed since our last look at the 12-floor condoplex that arrived at the site of the former open-air shops on Broadway near Fourth Street ...



The 16-unit project is known as 1 Great Jones Alley, whose website promises "a private paradise." Here's some more about the the residences via the 1 Great Jones website....

On the very street where Andy Warhol once lived and other artists like Basquiat and Haring exchanged ideas with musicians and writers, a new legacy is born.

According to Streeteasy, all the residences have either been sold or are in contract, including the $20-million duplex penthouse.

Meanwhile, we're not sure what became of the the $10-million lawsuit over the 137-foot alley behind the buildings. In March 2017, the co-op board of 684 Broadway, the building at the corner of Great Jones with multi-million-dollar condos, sued the developers of 1 Great Jones Alley.

As the Post reported on March 4, 2017:

The developer is “not authorized to remove and/or alter the gate that sits at the entrance to the alley … [and] do not have the right to advertise the alley as ‘private’ to potential buyers,” according to court papers.

The developer of 1 Great Jones Alley cannot even allow cars to sit and idle in the space — without the consent of 684 Broadway, the suit contends.

The co-op wants the condo’s misleading ads to end, and are asking a judge to order 1 Great Jones Alley to tell their residents no cars, or changes, will be permitted.

“The board believes that part of the alley and gate belongs to 684 Broadway, and felt that they had to file this lawsuit to protect their property rights,” said 684 Broadway in a statement via its lawyer, Robert Brown.

The 1 Great Jones website notes: "A secret alley. A private paradise. An exclusive residence." A car is still visible in the rendering...



And here's how paradise the alley looked the other day...



In May 2017, three construction workers were reportedly injured, one seriously, after a steel beam fell 12 stories at No. 688.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Retail plans revealed for 12-floor condo building replacing open-air market on Broadway

NoHo flea market gutted ahead of new condo project on Broadway

Looking at One Great Jones Alley, 'a private paradise'

At the former home of the Broadway flea market, condos will cost upwards of $22 million

Report: There's a $10-million lawsuit over use of Great Jones Alley for new development

Report: There's a $10-million lawsuit over use of Great Jones Alley for new development

[EVG file photo]

The 12-floor condoplex with a $30-million penthouse is moving skyward at 688 Broadway between Fourth Street and Great Jones.

The 16-unit project is known as 1 Great Jones Alley, which the developers say will include a "private gated alley" via Great Jones Street...the broker bunting on the sidewalk bridge promises "a private paradise" ...

However, this paradise is currently clouded in a lawsuit. The co-op board of 684 Broadway, the building at the corner of Great Jones with multi-million-dollar condos, is suing the developers of 1 Great Jones Alley.

Here's the Post with details of the $10-million lawsuit over the 137-foot alley:

The developer is “not authorized to remove and/or alter the gate that sits at the entrance to the alley … [and] do not have the right to advertise the alley as ‘private’ to potential buyers,” according to court papers.

The developer of 1 Great Jones Alley cannot even allow cars to sit and idle in the space — without the consent of 684 Broadway, the suit contends.

The co-op wants the condo’s misleading ads to end, and are asking a judge to order 1 Great Jones Alley to tell their residents no cars, or changes, will be permitted.

“The board believes that part of the alley and gate belongs to 684 Broadway, and felt that they had to file this lawsuit to protect their property rights,” said 684 Broadway in a statement via its lawyer, Robert Brown.

Here's how the alley looked in July 2015 ...



And in the rendering ...

A photo posted by Fredrik Eklund (@fredrikeklundny) on Jul 10, 2015 at 8:06am PDT

On the topic of 684 Broadway, when did that Brazilia Café in the retail space close? Only just noticed that the other day.

And you can read some history of the alley here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Retail plans revealed for 12-floor condo building replacing open-air market on Broadway

NoHo flea market gutted ahead of new condo project on Broadway

Looking at One Great Jones Alley, 'a private paradise'

At the former home of the Broadway flea market, condos will cost upwards of $22 million

Construction watch: 688 Broadway, aka 1 Great Jones Alley

Construction watch: 688 Broadway, aka 1 Great Jones Alley

It appears that the 12-floor condoplex rising at the former open-air shops on Broadway near East Fourth Street has reached the top... as the photo from the last sunny day here shows...

The 16-unit project is known as 1 Great Jones Alley, which will include a "private gated alley" via Great Jones...the broker bunting on the sidewalk bridge promises "a private paradise" ...



Here's some more about the project via the 1 Great Jones website....

On the very street where Andy Warhol once lived and other artists like Basquiat and Haring exchanged ideas with musicians and writers, a new legacy is born.

While that one sinks in... check out the private wet spa, which "pays homage to the bathhouses that once populated this area of Downtown Manhattan, incorporating Corten steel, Venetian plaster, stone, glass and wood throughout."


[Via the 1 Great Jones Alley website]

Three units, ranging from $4.95 million to $8.95 million, are currently available, according to the property's website.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Retail plans revealed for 12-floor condo building replacing open-air market on Broadway

NoHo flea market gutted ahead of new condo project on Broadway

Looking at One Great Jones Alley, 'a private paradise'

At the former home of the Broadway flea market, condos will cost upwards of $22 million

At the former home of the Broadway flea market, condos will cost upwards of $22 million

[EVG photo from last summer]

As previously noted, renderings for the 12-stories of condos rising at the former open-air shops on Broadway near East Fourth Street have made the rounds in recent years.

The Post had more details in an article yesterday titled "What it’s like to live on one of NYC’s secret streets." (H/T Curbed!)

The 16-unit project is known as One Great Jones Alley, which will include a "private gated alley."



According to the Post, sales will launch on St. Patrick's Day (woo, March Madness!). The units will will be priced from $4.62 million to $22 million. (Woo, March Madness!)

There's also a teaser site with a few more details and renderings... such as the master bathrooms...



... and the spa...



According to the One Great Jones Alley website, "the private wet spa pays homage to the bathhouses that once populated this area of Downtown Manhattan, incorporating Corten steel, Venetian plaster, stone, glass and wood throughout."

(Woo, March Madness!)

Previously on EV Grieve:
Retail plans revealed for 12-floor condo building replacing open-air market on Broadway

NoHo flea market gutted ahead of new condo project on Broadway

Looking at One Great Jones Alley, 'a private paradise'

Renderings via One Great Jones Alley

Looking at One Great Jones Alley, 'a private paradise'

Renderings for the 12-stories of condos coming soon to the former open-air shops on Broadway near East Fourth Street have made the rounds in recent years…



Curbed has more details on what to expect from the 16-unit project now known as One Great Jones Alley, which will include a "private gated alley" ...



So the residential entrance will be via Great Jones Alley off of Great Jones Street…



Here's the rendering via broker Fredrik Eklund …



And more!

A photo posted by Fredrik Eklund (@fredrikeklundny) on Jul 10, 2015 at 8:06am PDT

And even more!

One Great Jones Alley features "a private gated alley, private driveway for your car, 24hr doorman, a spa and entire level of a waterclub, yes we call it a private paradise... and then the 16 residences above.... Half and full floor apartments, and an insane penthouse with 360' views of New York City!"

As for a little history of Great Jones Alley, we'll turn to The New York Times:

The slang term "jones," meaning an addiction to drugs, is said to have originated among addicts who lived in Great Jones Alley, off Great Jones Street, between Broadway and Lafayette Street.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Retail plans revealed for 12-floor condo building replacing open-air market on Broadway

NoHo flea market gutted ahead of new condo project on Broadway

NoHo flea market gutted ahead of new condo project on Broadway

[EVG file photo from May 2013]

The long-running, open-air shops in NoHo on Broadway near East Fourth Street are no more… EVG Facebook friend Michael Hirsch noted that workers gutted the space on Saturday…


[Photo by Michael Hirsch]


[Photo via EVG Facebook friend Melanie Martinez]


[MM]

… and a little later …









This has been in the making now for the past 18 months or so. There are plans on file for a new 12-story building. Here's a look at a rendering…



The DOB hasn't approved the plans for the new building just yet. The 12-story, 13-unit project (which includes a set-back penthouse) will have 3,970-square-feet of commercial space on the ground floor. Read more about the project at Curbed here.

According to Off the Grid, the space at 688 Broadway has been a parking lot since 1960 when two loft buildings were demolished.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Retail plans revealed for 12-floor condo building replacing open-air market on Broadway

Retail plans revealed for 12-floor condo building replacing open-air market on Broadway

Time is running out on the open-air shops on Broadway near East Fourth Street... One vendor told a reader that he'd be shutting down very soon.

Curbed has been reporting on the 12-story terracotta and brick-faced condo building in the works for 688 Broadway. The Landmarks Preservation Commission reportedly raved about the new building last October. (Read that here. Read more about the luxury condos here.)

And now there's a new listing for the retail portion of the building at RKF:



The rendering shows a store called "Premium Goods." And the listing notes possession in the first quarter of 2015.

A quick look at DOB records show plans have yet to be approved at 688 Broadway. (The records show that the plans were disapproved in December 2009. Karl Fischer is listed as the architect of record on this application.)



As for the long-running, ragtag flea market that the condo building is replacing...



... back to the reader and the vendor.

I asked him where he would go. He said, "Nowhere. There's no place to go."