Showing posts with label Avenue D. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Avenue D. Show all posts

Thursday, January 3, 2013

An Avenue D now and then; aerial view of the Lower East Side circa the 1930s

A rather random now and then... happened to spot it at the La Guardia and Wagner Archives on Flickr ... this now-and-then shot shows the northwest corner of Avenue D and East Ninth Street in 1947 and 2010...


And, as a Thursday bonus...


Per the La Guardia and Wagner Archives:

From the Bowery stop on the elevated, an aerial view straight along East Broadway, under the Manhattan Bridge approach, past The Jewish Daily Forward building (at center, rear) toward the Williamsburg Bridge in the distance, 1930s.

Find more from their extensive archives here.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

From the inbox: Developer says Arabella 101 85% leased on Avenue D

From the EV Grieve inbox...


The Dermot Company, developer and manager of the 12-story residential building, Arabella 101 [at 101 Avenue D], is pleased to announce that the building is now 85% leased. This marks another milestone for the Alphabet City residence, which just launched less than two months ago, and recently unveiled its landscaped roof deck.

Arabella 101 includes a mix of studio and one-bedroom apartments on the building’s upper nine floors, containing expansive windows, designer bathrooms, bamboo flooring, tenant-controlled air conditioning and heat, video intercoms and generous closet space.

A virtual doorman, game room, fully-equipped gym, laundry facilities, and bike storage are part of the amenity package offered to all residents. Residents also have access to the landscaped roof deck which offers picturesque views of lower Manhattan and the East River, and contains a grill, plentiful seating and a plethora of year-round plantings.

Remaining rents start at $2,400 per month for studios and $2,950 per month for one-bedrooms.

Previously.

Friday, September 21, 2012

Rent this Avenue D townhouse for $5,200 a month

[Via Google]

Here at 15 Avenue D, above Mom's Pizzeria, is a new listing for a 1,500-square-foot, three-floor townhouse that's renting for $5,200 a month. Per CitiHabitats:

MAGNIFICENT TOWNHOUSE STEPS FROM THE EAST RIVER! Enjoy COMPLETE PRIVACY, 3 floors of your own private space, a fully equipped windowed kitchen with a dishwasher, your private laundry room with a washer & dryer, exposed brick, hardwood floors, strolls along the river, and so much more!

And a few photos...






Kinda seems like a deal considering the dormy new units around the corner at 326-328 E. Fourth St. are going for as high as $8,000. And those units are apparently renting quickly.

And this is the rental world that we live in today. Where $5,200 on Avenue D seems like a deal.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Lot of dreams

On Monday, we looked at some dead weeds and new medians along East Houston at Avenue D... On the topic of weeds, the lot on the northwest corner of Avenue D and East Houston remains empty... and it looks like this...


There was talk of a huge development here going on three years ago now... like this, as first reported on by the Lo-Down...


The rendering is still live at the website of Curtis + Ginsberg Architects ... under "unbuilt projects."

Have any tips about the situation here? Please send them our way via the EV Grieve email

Previously on EV Grieve:
Avenue D's future

Monday, July 16, 2012

A $4 million 'price break' for Avenue D development site

[Google Street View]

Back on May 21, The Real Deal reported that the above stretch of retail that includes a Rite Aid on Avenue D between Seventh Street and Sixth Street was on the market for $22.5 million.

The site is earmarked for a residential development that "could potentially rise 12 stories" — particularly with "the creation or preservation of affordable housing."

Well, all that will cost someone a little less... the price has been reduced by $4 million to $18.5 million...

Friday, July 13, 2012

Here's Arabella 101 on Avenue D


The Post yesterday noted the arrival of Arabella 101, the rental building that sits atop the new Lower Eastside Girls Club on Avenue D between Seventh Street and Eighth Street.

And the leasing office opens next week. Arabella 101 has 78 apartments (half of which are market-rate, the other half affordable).

Per the Post:

"Starting prices [for market-rate units] are about $2,500 for a studio, $2,900 for one-bedrooms," says Drew Spitler, director of development for the Dermot Company, Arabella 101’s developer. "And they're going up from there."

And the Arabella website has more details on the units... as well as the amenities like gym and roof deck...

Here are photos of the apartments from the website...




As we understand it, the Girls Club space is 30,000 square feet... while the residential portion of the building is 50,000 square feet. The main entrance into the Club will be on East Eighth Street while their cafe-bakery will have an entrance on Seventh Street, per Girls Club executive director Lyn Pentecost.

And the Girls Club is not developing or managing the residential component of the project, according to their website.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Passion and progress at the new home of the Lower Eastside Girls Club

Why there's an Airstream trailer inside the new Lower Eastside Girls Club home

Here is the new home for the Lower Eastside Girls Club

The great Alphabet race


We waited until last night to wade through the cover story of the real-estate section in the Post... A piece on "Alphabet City" titled "Love Letters." It's the usual blather about how expensive the East Village is getting, how people luck out and find a $4,000 apartment, etc.

In any event, we learned a few tidbits about projects that we've been watching...

• For instance, 316-318 E. Third St. — the 33-unit Karl Fischer jobbie — "should be finished in the fall of 2013."

The empty lot across the street at 321 has been sold. We've seen some activity at the location...


David Amirian, co-principal of the development firm for 316-318, told the Post "that a deal was in the works for the empty lot directly across the street by a developer."

• Amirian also that "another project adjoining his (with frontage on Avenue D) is going to be a rental with both market-rate and affordable units."

That development will be going at this now-empty field on the northwest corner of Avenue D at Houston.

This is what that field looks like now...

This is what the corner looked like at the start of demolition in July 2008 ...


This is what was in the works a few years back, as for reported on by the Lo-Down ...

And why the popularity in the East Village? To the Post...

"Inventory is so limited and so many people want to be in the neighborhood," says Elizabeth Kee, a broker for Core who lived in the neighborhood in the early 2000s. "Never in our wildest dreams did we ever imagine [prices would be this high], but it's a simple supply and demand curve."

Monday, July 9, 2012

Claim this land!

You know the empty lot over on East Second Street near Avenue D...?





Anyway, there are now signs on the Second Street side providing information on how you can use this space... Members of 596 Acres recently posted these ... (the Brooklyn-based group of gardeners have identified vacant lots throughout NYC ... they want to help empower local residents to take them over and make the land something useful and green ...)




It's a great opportunity to do something with this space... the surrounding area won't be green for too much longer. Behind this property... the Karl Fischer-designed, 33-unit apartment building is under way where 316-318 E. Third St. used to be... workers demolished the circa-1835 house back in March.

And to the east of this plot... on the corner of Houston and Avenue D ... a big development is in the works... But this particular parcel will remain empty, as I understand it...


Read more about 596 Acres in this Times feature from April.

Monday, June 25, 2012

Here is the new home for the Lower Eastside Girls Club


[ Elise Shin/HPD via Facebook]

Last Thursday, workers removed the sidewalk bridge along the front of the new Lower Eastside Girls Club Center for Community on Avenue D...

And here's how it's looking as of yesterday...









The 30,000-square-foot building will include 78 affordable and market-rate rental residences, a community facility and retail space ... not to mention an Airstream trailer... and Tyra Banks.

(Here's the official news release from 2010 with more details on what the HQ will house.)

On Oct. 29, 2010, the Lower Eastside Girls Club held their official groundbreaking here between Seventh Street and Eighth Street.

More details on all this later.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Passion and progress at the new home of the Lower Eastside Girls Club

Why there's an Airstream trailer inside the new Lower Eastside Girls Club home

Monday, May 21, 2012

Report: Space that houses Rite Aid on Avenue D hits market for $22.5 million

[Google Street View]

That above stretch of retail that includes a Rite Aid on Avenue D between Seventh Street and Sixth Street hit the market today for $22.5 million, The Real Deal reported. The site is earmarked for a residential development that "could potentially rise 12 stories" — particularly with "the creation or preservation of affordable housing."

In a news release announcing the sale, Eastern Consolidated's Alan Miller said, "The residential portion of the building will, no doubt, provide spectacular views of Manhattan as well as views of the East River and beyond."

Read The Real Deal piece here.

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Public Housing May Day Rally starts at 2


From the EV Grieve inbox...

We are sick and tired of decisions about the future of our homes being made without our input! Join us as we march up Avenue D through the public housing developments from Houston to 14th St. to raise awareness about the New York City Housing Authority's (NYCHA) plan to change many policies that will affect the future of Public Housing. Upon reaching 14th St, we will veer left to meet with masses at Union Square for the 4 o'clock May Day Unity Rally.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Report: 'World's most wanted hacker' lived on Avenue D

There are reports today that the suspected ringleader of the Anonymous offshoot group LulzSec had been living a rather under-the-radar life at 90 Avenue D in the the Jacob Riis Houses.

According to the FBI, 28-year-old Hector Xavier Monsegur, an unemployed computer programmer and father of two children, is Sabu, "the head of LulzSec, and the de facto King of Anonymous — easily the most notorious and influential hacker alive today," as Fox News put it.

Earlier today, the feds announced charges against the last members of the now-defunct LulzSec, accusing them of orchestrating an online assault against corporations, defense contractors, security firms and government sites, including the CIA.

As multiple outlets have reported, Monsegur had been working as a government informant since the FBI charged him with various hacking crimes last August.

Gizmodo has a lot more here .... and here... Gawker's coverage is here.

More later...

Friday, January 20, 2012

Report: 12th-story 'Alphabet Plaza' in the works for Second Street and Avenue D

A Queens property owner plucked down $21 million for a 130,000-square-foot development site at Avenue D and East Second Street, The Real Deal reported tonight.

Kahen Properties bought six lots at 5-9 Avenue D and 306-310 East Second Street, and plans to break ground on a 12-story luxury apartment building this spring that will feature apartments in the $2,500 to $3,600 range.


Per The Real Deal's Katherine Clarke: "The building, which will include some affordable units as part of the 80/20 program, will have a doorman, rooftop terrace, gym and outdoor space."

In addition, there are plans for a "national tenant" to take up all 10,000 square feet of retail at the building dubbed "Alphabet Plaza."

Plans for a development like this first surfaced two years ago during a CB3 committee meeting, as the Lo-Down first reported.

The original rendering looked something like this:


During the meeting, the developer's name wasn't disclosed. His reps only said that he was a "former beer distributor," per The Lo-Down.

According to The Real Deal, Kahen Properties bought the land in a Dec. 22 deal from Simon Bergson, president and CEO of Manhattan Beer Distributors, the largest single-market beer distributor in the United States.

While Bergson's plans never materialized, it sounds as if Kahen is keeping the spirit of his development intact.

Aside from Alphabet Plaza, expect developments coming to East Third Street near Avenue D ... and Houston at Ridge ...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Will Avenue D finally turn into Avenue C?

Listing appears for Houston and Avenue D development

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Is an 11-story residential building coming to Avenue D and East Eighth Street?


Back in July, we pointed out that the empty lot aka 401 E. Eighth St. at Avenue D was on the market for $5.2 million.

According to the Home section in the Post today, the long-stalled site is about to close ... "22,000 square feet of buildable space could accommodate an 11-story residential building."

Eleven stories?

The DOB OK'd permits for a six-story building in 2006. But those plans never materialized.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Meanwhile, before we christen Avenue D the next Greenpoint...

Stalled development site on Eighth Street and Avenue D asking $5.2 million

Monday, January 16, 2012

Memorial for Dashane Santana on Avenue D


Outside the Rite Aid near Seventh Street. The 12-year-old died after being hit by a van while she crossed Delancey Street last Friday.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

EV Grieve reader Kirk sends along a few more shots from the 16th Annual National Day of Protest to Stop Police Brutality yesterday... from Avenue D....


... and two photos showing the police presence on the rooftops of the Lillian Wald Houses...


Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Rite Aid paints over a memorial on Avenue D

In late September, friends of 22-year-old Makever “Keba” Brown created a memorial for him along the wall of Rite Aid on Avenue D...



On Sept. 13, Brown was struck and killed on the FDR during a police pursuit, as DNAinfo reported.

Several readers have since pointed out that Rite Aid has painted over the tributes...

Monday, October 3, 2011

Mr. Peanut and his Nutmobile to christen new peanut-shaped city park today

From the EV Grieve inbox...


*** UNDER EMBARGO UNTIL OCTOBER 3rd ***

MEDIA ALERT

Mr. Peanut to Open Planters Grove Urban Park in New York City!

WHAT: First look at a vibrant, unique urban park – the Planters Grove - as it opens to the public on Manhattan’s Lower East Side on the grounds of the New York City Housing Authority’s Lillian Wald Houses community.

WHO: Mr. Peanut and his new biodiesel Nutmobile
Margarita Lopez, Commissioner of New York City Housing Authority
Scott Marcus, Senior Brand Manager for Planters
Sally Prouty, CEO/President of The Corps Network
Lisbeth Shepherd, CEO of New York’s Green City Force
Ken Smith, Landscape Architect

WHEN: Monday, October 3

9:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Short remarks: 10:00AM
Community planting to immediately follow

WHERE: Lillian Wald Houses, Avenue D between East 4th and 5th Streets (near Houston St.)

WHY: Planters, America’s leading snack nut brand, and the iconic Mr. Peanut will commemorate the opening of a new green urban park – a Planters Grove – at the New York City Housing Authority’s (NYCHA) Lillian Wald Houses on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Residents of NYCHA will be joined by local officials, NYCHA representatives, community volunteers and youth service corps members for a day of planting and celebration.

With the goal of promoting healthy lifestyles and sustainable living, Kraft Foods’ Planters brand has partnered with The Corps Network – the nation’s Service and Conservation Corps – to transform underutilized land into unique, peanut-shaped parks across America. The building of Planters Groves and their ongoing programming encourages outdoor activity and community interaction, as well as provides the health, environmental, social and economic benefits that engaging green spaces provide a neighborhood and its residents.

In New York City, the Planters Grove is being built with the help of youth service corps members (also NYCHA residents) from Green City Force, an organization recently recognized by President Bill Clinton and the Clinton Global Initiative for its outstanding contribution to enriching young lives. Designed by New York City landscape architect Ken Smith, the New York City Planters Grove is inspired with Lower East Side influences, as well as locally-sourced reclaimed materials and native plants and flowers.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Remembering Keba Brown on Avenue D

On Sept. 13, 22-year-old Makever “Keba” Brown was struck and killed on the FDR during a police pursuit, as DNAinfo reported.

There is a makeshift memorial for him in front of the Jacob Riis Houses building where he lived at 90 Avenue D. Friends and loved ones are also leaving messages outside Rite Aid near Seventh Street...



As Patrick Hedlund at DNAinfo reported, his death has sparked tension between some in the public housing community and the NYPD, with incidents of tenants of the Riis and Lillian Wald houses "hurling items at cops out of their windows."

Per DNAinfo:

Brown was approached by police late on Sept. 13, after he was observed making a hand-to-hand drug transaction in the complex, an NYPD spokesman said. Brown took off running toward the FDR Drive at East Sixth Street with police in pursuit, but cops said they lost him before he bolted across the highway’s southbound lane and was struck and killed by a livery cab in the northbound lane about 10:48 p.m.

A viewing was held yesterday at the Ortiz Funeral Home on First Avenue. Brown leaves behind three sons, ages 7, 6 and 3, according to DNAinfo.

Brown's brother Lawrence White. Photo: DNAinfo/Patrick Hedlund

You can find more photos and the story here.