It was a dark and stormy morning

Top photo is on St. Mark's Place between Third Avenue and Second Avenue... as the storm approached from atop the Death Star ...



And a few minutes later...

Good morning ... wait for it ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/0I3rFeqYN4

— evgrieve (@evgrieve) August 11, 2018

Report: Financial firm takes the Death Star penthouse

A quick note about a new tenant at 51 Astor Place/IBM Watson Building/Death Star at Third Avenue and Ninth Street.

Los Weiss at the Post has the story.

Details!

CBAM Partners, a fast-growing financial firm with $6.8 billion under management, is moving from Hudson Yards to 51 Astor Place, where it will have a dramatic 12th-floor penthouse of 25,401 square feet.

And what of the previous 12th-floor tenant?

Its former occupant, Claren Road Asset Management, was a financial darling, but in 2015, it was rocked by billions of dollars in redemptions. The following year, backer Carlyle handed back its 55 percent stake to the founders. Claren Road’s market value was down to $891,000 last fall.

Sources said the company gave back the space to 51 Astor developer Edward J. Minskoff Equities...

Shake Shack's Death Star branch opens today

[Photo from last Friday]

The Shack Shack for 51 Astor Place/IBM Watson Building/Death Star at Third Avenue and Ninth Street opens this morning at 11.

Here's more via the Shake Shack website:

A reflection of Shake Shack’s relentless focus on excellence, experience and hospitality through innovation, the Astor Place Shack will introduce a new guest flow at the restaurant. Set to open its doors on Tuesday, October 10th at 51 Astor Place on the corner of 9th Street and 3rd Avenue, the Shack is designed to enhance operations and guest experience and will feature kiosk-only ordering, a cashless environment, and an optimized kitchen for greater throughput.

Custom-designed by Shake Shack, the Shack kiosk was developed to allow Shake Shack to serve more guests at peak times – whether in-Shack, for pickup via the Shack App, or even delivery – resulting in fewer lines, less wait time and quicker speed of service at every channel. Several kiosks will line the Shack and team members known as Hospitality Champs will be stationed around the kiosks to assist guests with their orders and answer any questions.

The Shack kiosk replicates the experience of the Shack App with a sharp aesthetic, an intuitive touch screen interface and ease of ordering. Guests simply select their food, place an order and choose to receive an alert via text when their order is ready. The new technology offers guests yet another way to experience Shake Shack – when, where and how they want it – and demonstrates Shake Shack’s commitment to digital hospitality. Earlier this year, Shake Shack launched a mobile ordering app for iOS and Android platforms and introduced the ShackBot, through Facebook Messenger and Twitter DM, to answer guests’ most frequently asked questions.

The Astor Place Shack presents an exciting testing ground for Shake Shack to strengthen operations and experiment with new and innovative ways of connecting with loyal fans. Building a business model to support digital innovation, Shake Shack will lead with a starting wage of $15 per hour to continue to be on the forefront of competitive wages and developing the leaders needed for growth.

A new guest flow... Hospitality Champs... ShackBots...

For some reason I think of this Gary Numan song now...

Shake Shack announces itself at the Death Star

As previously reported, Danny Meyer’s fast-growing burger chain is opening a 3,000-square-foot outpost in/at 51 Astor Place/IBM Watson Building/the Death Star.

On Friday, the Shake branding arrived here at Third Avenue at Ninth Street... (this location will also serve beer and wine...)



... and they are ready to Shake, rattle... and hire...

Work starts on the Shake Shack's Death Star location

Workers are prepping the corner of 51 Astor Place/IBM Watson Building/Death Star at Third Avenue and Ninth Street for Shake Shacking.

As previously noted, Danny Meyer’s fast-growing burger chain is opening a 3,000-square-foot outpost here.

Anyway, paper is up on the Third Avenue side of the building ... along with various permits...



Shake Shack has also applied for a beer-wine license. This application will go before CB3's SLA committee tonight...



And here's a look at the space from the Ninth Street side, which no one has papered over just yet...



The Post, who first reported on this new lease, said the Shack is expected to open in the fall.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Astor Place Shake Shack going for a beer-wine license

Astor Place Shake Shack going for a beer-wine license

Just a quick follow-up about the 3,000-square-foot Shake Shack coming this fall to the empty retail space at 51 Astor Place/the IBM Watson Building/Death Star...

Team Shack is on the June CB3-SLA committee docket for a beer-wine license for the space...



Select Shacks Shacks serve ShackMeister® Ale, "otherwise known as the ShackBurger’s best friend." It's made in collaboration with Brooklyn Brewery, per the Shacksite. As for wine, Shack Red® and Shack White® by Frog's Leap is available by the glass or bottle.

We'll look at other items on the CB3-SLA docket next week ahead of the meeting on June 12.

A Shake Shack is coming to the Death Star

That empty retail space at 51 Astor Place/the IBM Watson Building/Death Star has a tenant: Shake Shack.

The Post has the scoop:

Danny Meyer’s fast-growing burger chain has signed a lease on Astor Place that will open this fall...

The new location, which will span nearly 3,000 square feet on the northeast side of the building at 51 Astor Pl., “will feature some unique design and customer experience elements,” a Shake Shack spokeswoman confirmed, declining to elaborate.

Until earlier last month, this corner slot on Third Avenue at Ninth Street housed the sales office for hotelier-developer Ian Schrager's hotel-condo tower at 215 Chrystie just below East Houston.

The Shack joins the building's other retail tenants — CVS, Flywheel Sports, Orangetheory Fitness, Bluestone Lane Coffee and Chopt.

According to Lois Weiss at the Post, the Shake Shake team signed a 15-year lease.

The lease memo, reviewed by the Post, provides the Danny Meyer fast-casual joint with the ability to exclusively sell “hamburgers, hot dogs, French fries and frozen custard.”

As such, it banishes direct competitors such as Smashburger and Johnny Rockets from the building.

This will be the second Danny Meyer venture to open on Third Avenue in the coming months. His Union Square Hospitality Group is behind Martina, a pizzeria, in progress on 11th Street at Third Avenue.

A retail vacancy at 51 Astor Place

Back in September 2014, hotelier-developer Ian Schrager became the first ground-floor tenant at 51 Astor Place/the IBM Watson Building/Death Star with the sales office and model apartment for his incoming hotel-condo tower at 215 Chrystie just below East Houston.

That's all built and mostly sold now (just one residence out of 11 left!), so they've packed up and left...



Leaving a nice space for rent on the Ninth Street and Third Avenue side...



There haven't been any for rent signs posted just yet ... and no word on what might be joining the building's other retail tenants — CVS, Flywheel Sports, Orangetheory Fitness, Bluestone Lane Coffee and Chopt.

Thoughts/wishes on a new tenant? Duane Reade? An all-ages venue for unsigned bands?

Previously on EV Grieve:
You can finally shop at 51 Astor Place!

Another Death Star

Spotted on Second Street at Second Avenue... Corporate Death Star by @crispstreetart ... there's a painted version outside Julie's Vintage on Second Street at First Street...

A post shared by @eastvillagewalls on Apr 6, 2017 at 6:01am PDT

No word if there is a flaw in the super laser reactor of these Death Stars.

Another healthy choice at the Death Star: Orangetheory Fitness coming soon

Signage went up Friday for Orangetheory Fitness, opening soon at 51 Astor Place/the IBM Watson Building/Death Star.

There's a [temporary] sales office at 61 Fourth Ave., if you're interested in membership info.

Here's more about Orangetheory, which has locations nationwide... including three in Brooklyn and one in Chelsea:

Orangetheory Fitness uses the science of Heart-Rate Based Treadmill Interval Training, the efficiency of Indoor Rowing for increased power and the proven concept of Weight Training Blocks to create the fitness level and body you have always desired. Workout and Weight Loss plateaus are a thing of the past…really!

Orangetheory is located next door to Flywheel Sports, the cycling studio.

Bluestone Lane Coffee opens next week at 51 Astor Place

This, according to Twitter...

The new #AstorPlace coming so soon. Oh yeah, there's also a #BluestoneLane set to open next week there too... pic.twitter.com/4vCo4mSf33

— Bluestone Lane (@BluestoneLane) March 24, 2016

The cafe/coffee shop is on the Fourth Avenue side next to the front entrance/red rabbit of 51 Astor Place/the IBM Watson Building/Death Star ...


[EV Arrow file photo]

Bluestone also has a location across the street in the lobby of 770 Broadway.

And here's more about Bluestone Lane Coffee via their website:

Bluestone Lane offers a refined product proposition dedicated to producing the highest quality coffee and complimentary foods, delivered in an engaging way. We are focused on creating environments where customers are immersed in the experience and leave feeling like a local.

Bluestone Lane Coffee is influenced from the renowned coffee culture hub of Melbourne, Australia, where premium coffee is a way of life.

With Bluestone's opening, 51 Astor Place will have all its retail slots filled ... alongside Chopt, CVS and Flywheel Sports.

Previously on EV Grieve:
3 retail spaces available at 51 Astor Place (22 comments)

You can finally shop at 51 Astor Place!

3 new retail tenants for 51 Astor Place: Bluestone Lane Coffee, Chop’t and Flywheel Sports

Chopping soon signage up at the Death Star

Here's the Bluestone Lane Coffee signage at 51 Astor Place

Spin cycle: Flywheel Sports opening next month in 51 Astor Place

[Updated] Someone tagged the Keith Haring sculpture outside 51 Astor Place

Noted.

The sculpture has been here since Dec. 2, 2014 ... and I don't recall it being tagged much or at all to date.

Updated 1 p.m.

51 Astor Place crews quickly cleaned off the statue...


[Photo by Lola Sáenz]

[Updated] Chopt opens today at 51 Astor Place; free salads in return for a donation

Chopt opens today over at 51 Astor Place/the IBM Watson Building/Death Star ... on the Fourth Avenue side at East Ninth Street...

And the self-described globally inspired salad company has an incentive for people to eat a salad (or salad wrap!) today via their Chopt Gives Day.

Via the EVG inbox...

This Monday, Chopt will open the doors to its new location at 51 Astor Place and give away free salads and salad wraps to all customers in exchange for any donation to their charitable partner Wellness in Schools, a non-profit that promotes healthy eating and environmental awareness to kids in public schools across the US. Hours: 11am - 1:30pm, 6pm - 8:30pm.

And here's a look at the Chopt space...





Meanwhile! As for the other new businesses at No. 51 here in MiSo... Bluestone Lane Coffee is setting up shop next to Chopt ...



Looks as if they have a ways to go before opening...



And the Flywheel Sports looks to be going in right behind the plywood on the southeasterly facing side of the building...



According to Well + Good, the incoming Flywheel will feature a stadium-seating studio with more than 70 bikes. Plus! "[I]t will be the first to introduce a new, instructor-controlled LED lighting system."

Hope that doesn't disturb Watson, deep in thought upstairs.

Updated 5 p.m.

EVG reader Brian Polay shared this photo... showing that folks were lining up for the salad deal today...



Previously on EV Grieve:
3 retail spaces available at 51 Astor Place (22 comments)

You can finally shop at 51 Astor Place!

3 new retail tenants for 51 Astor Place: Bluestone Lane Coffee, Chop’t and Flywheel Sports

Chopping soon signage up at the Death Star

Here's the Bluestone Lane Coffee signage at 51 Astor Place

Cleaning the rabbit ears at 51 Astor Place

Wash day again for the 14-foot-tall, 6,600-pound red rabbit sculpture by Jeff Koons inside the lobby at the IBM Watson Building/51 Astor Place/Death Star... photo via EVG reader 8E.

The new Astor Place CVS actually opens... TODAY

Well, after faking us out once... the CVS at 51 Astor Place/the IBM Watson Building/Death Star opens today. (The sign on the door originally said Sunday, Dec. 13, which meant that we got all dressed up for nothing — except church, of course.)

As noted previously and previously, CVS will eventually be joined by three more ground-level businesses — Bluestone Lane Coffee, Chop’t and Flywheel Sports.

Meantime, see you in the Beauty section!

Previously on EV Grieve:
You can finally shop at 51 Astor Place!

BREAKING: CVS is the 1st retail tenant for the Death Star! (42 comments)

1st sign of the incoming CVS at 51 Astor Place

CVS has teamed up with Watson, IBM’s supercomputer

3 new retail tenants for 51 Astor Place: Bluestone Lane Coffee, Chop’t and Flywheel Sports

Chopping soon signage up at the Death Star

Exactly one month ago today we heard about the three new retail clients coming to 51 Astor Place/the IBM Watson Building/Death Star — Bluestone Lane Coffee, Chop’t Creative Salad Company and Flywheel Sports.

The first of the incoming trio's signage has arrived on the Fourth Avenue/Astor Place side at Ninth Street this week… Chop't! Per the window dressing, the quick-serve salad place will be "Chopping this Winter." (Wonder if they do firewood too?)



These new tenants will join what's looking like the World's Largest CVS here in MiSo.

Previously on EV Grieve:
3 retail spaces available at 51 Astor Place (22 comments)

You can finally shop at 51 Astor Place!

3 new retail tenants for 51 Astor Place: Bluestone Lane Coffee, Chop’t and Flywheel Sports

The Korean Teachers’ Credit Union now owns 49% of 51 Astor Place, which people still think is in Midtown South

The Real Deal has the story about 51 Astor Place/the IBM Watson Building/Death Star:

The Korean Teachers’ Credit Union recently bought a minority stake in Edward Minskoff’s 51 Astor Place, a deal that values the futuristic-looking Midtown South office property at $600 million. The Seoul-based credit union, which has more than $23 billion in assets under management, paid roughly $113 million to buy a 49-percent stake in the fully leased, 400,000-square-foot building.

Why?

James Yoohoon Jeon of FG Asset Management, which oversees the credit union’s investments in 51 Astor Place, said: "We believe there’s a huge potential for rent increase in Midtown South."

Previously on EV Grieve:
Facebook is moving into the neighborhood; Midtown South expands its boundaries, apparently

Report: Maps show that Midtown South does NOT include the East Village/Astor Place

Death Star inflatable rat attack!

The inflatable union rat is currently perched outside 51 Astor Place/the IBM Watson Building/Death Star ...

EVG correspondent Steven reports that occupant St. John's University is the target... via the District Council No. 9 Painters and Allied trades, who are protesting claims of the school hiring workers and not giving them the wages and benefits that were established in the area by said District Council.



The crew is handing out flyers...



Maybe later the rat and rabbit can mix it up.

Today in $370 million loans

[EVG photo from last fall]

Here's news concerning 51 Astor Place/the IBM Watson Building/Death Star via the Commercial Observer:

Two major lenders took to Astor Place for another mega-deal in the hip college neighborhood.

Bank of America and Barclays provided New York-based Edward J. Minskoff Equities with a $370 million loan on the firm’s 51 Astor Place office tower ...

The real estate acquisition and development firm is using the loan to refinance and pay off construction financing on the office building...

According to estimates, development of the building cost some $300 million. The office part of the building is fully occupied ... with the first retail tenant — CVS, woot — on its way.

What would you do with a $370 million loan?

1st sign of the incoming CVS at 51 Astor Place

Paper went up this week around the retail space at 51 Astor Place/the IBM Watson Building/Death Star that will house a CVS...



According to The Real Deal, which first reported on the building's first retail tenant last week, this CVS will cover roughly 11,500 square feet on the Death Star's ground and concourse levels … at the southern end here …

The new CVS marks the 29th large-scale drug store in the immediate area.

Previously on EV Grieve:
BREAKING: CVS is the 1st retail tenant for the Death Star! (42 comments)