Former Bean space for rent on 2nd Avenue

[Photo by Steven]

The Bean's sudden departures from their spaces on First Avenue and Ninth Street and Second Avenue and Third Street on Nov. 24 took a lot of people by surprise. For starters, the coffee shops always looked crowded, and they have a loyal neighborhood following.

Owner Ike Escava told us the following: "Due to rising costs the decision to close was unfortunately the only one we could make."

Now the Second Avenue space is on the retail market. (There isn't a listing yet for the First Avenue storefront.) Here's more about 54 Second Ave. via the listing:

Amazing corner retail in the heart of the East Village. High ceilings and a no cooking infrastructure in place. Landlord will consider venting for a qualified operator. Great storage basement with walk-in, storage, etc. Very strong corner in great neighborhood. Potential for a sidewalk café and all uses are considered. Ideal for non-vented or vented food, fitness, bank, retail, salon/spa and many other types.

The asking rent is between $135 to $155 a square foot for the space, listed at 1,355 square feet.

The Bean opened here in December 2011.

The prime corner space was vacant for years, and home to the infamous "crazy landlord" who "must rent this store."


[Circa 2010]

Previously on EV Grieve:
RIP Crazy Landlord sign

'Crazy Landlord' back to being crazy!

54 2nd Ave. has been sold

The 1st Avenue and 2nd Avenue locations of the Bean closed for good yesterday

54 2nd Ave. has been sold

The four-story building on the northeast corner of Second Avenue and Third Street has been sold.

According to Kevin Darouvar, sales and acquisitions at the Living Real Estate Group, Dalan Management bought the building for $7 million from the family who has owned it since 1976.

In its current configuration, there are two living spaces: one on the second floor with a 2,600-square-foot duplex on the third and fourth levels. Darouvar said that Dalan planned to offer the units as rentals.

The Bean, the building's retail tenant, has a lease on the space through 2026. The coffee shop opened here in December 2011.

Some readers may recall several years ago when the retail space was vacant... and the Crazy Landlord just had to rent this space...

[Photo from March 2011 by Salim]

Previously on EV Grieve:
RIP Crazy Landlord sign

'Crazy Landlord' back to being crazy!

The Bean opens today at the Crazy Landlord building

Third Street and Second Avenue. Featuring mosaic signs by Jim Power.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Bean opens Monday on Second Avenue; mosaic signs going up now

The Bean will be the Crazy Landlord's new tenant on Second Avenue

Inside the new Bean on Second Avenue

Over at the former Crazy Landlord building on Second Avenue at Third Street, work continues at the new home of The Bean, which is expected to open later this month.

EV Grieve regular jdx stopped inside for a progress report...

Previously.

RIP Crazy Landlord sign

Construction continues at the incoming Bean on Second Avenue and Third Street... You can see the progress as of yesterday in this photo by EV Grieve reader Marjorie Ingall ... Notice anything different?

The plywood is gone! Which means!

NO MORE CRAZY LANDLORD SIGN!

We first noted the sign on March 30, 2009.



Then there was this addition to the sign back in March...

Thanks for the memories, Crazy Landlord sign corner...

The scene at the incoming Bean

EV Grieve reader Marjorie Ingall passes along the above photo ... There's progress at the incoming Bean location at the Crazy Landlord Building. Also known as Second Avenue and Third Street.

The Bean will be the Crazy Landlord's new tenant on Second Avenue

Work continues at 54 Second Ave. at Third Street, home of the beloved "Crazy Landlord" sign.

Despite some rumors ("garment store with sex toys"!), the storefront will be home to the new East Village location of The Bean, currently housed on First Avenue and Third Street... just a block away. Permits with the DOB confirm the new tenant.

While walking by yesterday, EV Grieve regular jdx noted a new name on the buzzer...

We don't have all the details on the move to Second Avenue. The Crazy Landlord did confirm the new tenant. We'll have more later...

Meanwhile, the Bean is finalizing their plans to open an outpost on 12th and Broadway as well.

Previous EV Grieve coverage of The Bean:
New York State seizes The Bean on First Avenue!

[Updated] Out-of-control cab kills one, injuries six on First Avenue and Third Street

Did the Bean reopen too soon?

'Crazy Landlord' finally getting his wish on Second Avenue?

Several readers told us that workers were putting up a sidewalk shed yesterday at Third Street and Second Avenue, home to the infamous "crazy landlord" who "must rent this store."

[Photo by Bobby Williams]

One reader asked a worker if this meant the space had been rented. "Yeah... I guess so," the worker said.

According to the DOB, plans to for a "new storefront and interior renovation" were disapproved in July. However, last week, the DOB did OK plans to erect the sidewalk shed here. The plans for the Belgian ale house — a "sexier Balthazar" — are apparently dead for the space.

'Crazy Landlord' back to being crazy!

Nearly two years have passed since we first noted the "crazy landlord" sign on the long-dormant corner of Second Avenue and Third Street.

Last we heard something called the Belgian was moving in... As the owner told Eater:

The large french doors will open to a wraparound sidewalk cafe sitting 40 or so under large colorful awnings. It will be romantic yet appropriate. Think a sexier Balthazar marries a corpulent Fette Sau and the offspring is The Belgian.

We've lost track of those plans. The corner has seemingly been quiet in recent months... And now, as this photo taken by EV Grieve reader Salim shows, the corner space is apparently back on the market. And the landlord just take it anymore!

Previously.

One brief moment outside the Crazy Landlord Building

Monday afternoon, I spotted someone hanging something or another on the Crazy Landlord Building at Third Street and Second Avenue...



Less than 24 hours later, the sign (I think it was a stenciled Arizona Immigration piece) had been removed by Crazy Landlord Street Art Cleaners...



Previously on EV Grieve:
"Crazy Landlord" cleans up his corner: Here comes a "sexier Balthazar"

"Crazy Landlord" cleans up his corner: Here comes a "sexier Balthazar"

On March 20, 2009, we first noted the "crazy landlord" sign on the long-dormant corner of Second Avenue and Third Street... Since then, the corner has attracted plenty of street art...




...even with the rumored Belgian Ale House coming in here...

After a back-and-forth between painters and taggers, the street art team seemed to have won, as the corner full of wheat paste and spray paint and stickers remained for months... Yesterday, though, workers came and painted the whole thing...



...even the "crazy landlord" sign came done...



This is serious!

Last week, Eater had more gory details on the new Belgian joint coming to this location... it will be called the Belgian. Here are the owner's words to Eater:

It is a beautiful high ceiling space with a very Gothic basement with a sidewalk vault all around, similar to Bacaro. The basement will have a separate bar and dining as well as beer and wine cask rooms and an area for brewing.
The main floor will have a large canopied bar, large tables beer hall style with old oak and mahogany church pews. The large french doors will open to a wraparound sidewalk cafe sitting 40 or so under large colorful awnings. It will be romantic yet appropriate. Think a sexier Balthazar marries a corpulent Fette Sau and the offspring is The Belgian.

[Sigh]

Thanks for the memories, Crazy Landlord corner...