A now-and-then look at the former Provident Loan Society on Houston and Essex

Over the years, we've been posting about the former Provident Loan Society building at 225 E. Houston St., on the southwest corner of Essex. 

The circa-1912 building underwent a gut renovation in 2021 and became a broadcast production facility, which has been in business at the address in recent years. However, only the other day did a business sign finally appear above the front entrance for NMP Stages. (Read more about them here.) 

Before becoming an outpost of NMP Stages, the building had been on redevelopment/demolition watch in previous years.

Let's revisit that!

Longtime owners Elsa and Dunnie Lai unveiled plans several years ago — amid neighborhood opposition — to enlarge and convert the property into a 38-unit residential building with a 12-story addition atop the existing bank structure.

What could have been!

Those plans never materialized (the DOB did approve the building permits), but by July 2018, the building went on the market for $20 million as a "prime development opportunity." No. 225 never sold, however.

Before these development plans, a string of clubs and concepts came and went here (Element, the Bank, etc.). The space also served as a studio for Jasper Johns in the 1970s. 

Here are some pics from the NYPL Digital Gallery..... the first photo isn't dated (the Provident Loan Society building is on the right, mostly cut off) ...

And from the Great Depression-era 1935... you can see the unmarked truck parked near a hydrant, ready to clog the sidewalk with Amazon packages for locals killing off the area haberdashers ...

Renovation reveal at the former Provident Loan Society building

Workers have removed the plywood that covered the windows and other sections of the former Provident Loan Society building on the southwest corner of Houston and Essex ... which has been undergoing a gut renovation this past year. (Thanks to the EVG reader for the tip!)

A worker at the scene said that this was going to be a broadcast production facility, but had no other information. And we don't know if this is accurate. Update: It's not. A place of assembly permit was recently created for an "eating and drinking establishment." (H/T Upper West Sider!)

According to approved DOB permits from January 2020, workers are here for a "general renovation of existing cabaret" with "no change to use, egress or occupancy."

Anyway, cutting-and-pasting from previous posts...  this marks a new era for the old (circa 1912) building that has been on redevelopment/demolition watch these past six-plus years.

As you may recall, longtime owners Elsa and Dunnie Lai unveiled plans several years ago — amid neighborhood opposition — to enlarge and convert the property into a 38-unit residential building with a 12-story addition atop the existing bank structure.

Those plans never materialized (the DOB did approve the building permits) ... and by July 2018, the building went on the market for $20 million as a "prime development opportunity," as BoweryBoogie reported at the time. No. 225 never sold, however.

In the past 25 years, a string of clubs and concepts have come and gone here. The space served as a studio for Jasper Johns in the 1970s.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• New renderings for the luxury building that will hang out over the Mercury Lounge

• Then and now: The Provident Loan Society of New York 

Renovations at the former Provident Loan Society building

Workers recently covered parts of the former Provident Loan Society building with sheets of plywood on the southwest corner of Houston and Essex... as interior renovations picked up ...



This marks a new era for the old (circa 1912) building that has been on redevelopment/demolition watch these past five-plus years.

As you may recall, longtime owners Elsa and Dunnie Lai unveiled plans several years ago — amid neighborhood opposition — to enlarge and convert the property into a 38-unit residential building with a 12-story addition atop the existing bank structure ... remember?



Anyway, those plans never materialized (the DOB did approve the building permits) ... and by July 2018, the building went on the market for $20 million as a "prime development opportunity," as BoweryBoogie reported at the time.

No. 225 never sold, and, according to approved DOB permits from this past January, workers are here for a "general renovation of existing cabaret" with "no change to use, egress or occupancy."

It's not known at the moment what the owners have in store for the under-renovation space. They have not responded to an email asking for details on the building's future.

In the past 25 years, a string of clubs and concepts have come and gone here. The space served as a studio for Jasper Johns in the 1970s.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• New renderings for the luxury building that will hang out over the Mercury Lounge

• Then and now: The Provident Loan Society of New York

[Updated] CB3 committee to hear proposal to landmark the Provident Loan Society Building on East Houston

[EVG file photo]

CB3's monthly Landmark's Committee meeting tonight will include a hearing on the proposal to landmark the circa-1912 Provident Loan Society Building, 223-225 E. Houston St. at Essex. (This item was withdrawn from a previous month.)

Why landmark the building? Well, for starters, to save it from receiving a 12-story extension...


[Image from Bluarch Architecture via BoweryBoogie]

As BoweryBoogie first reported in late October, the building's owners want to add 41,000 square feet for 38 residences (and a gym and bike storage) and well as commercial space. BB noted on Nov. 30 that the owners have already filed the permits for the new floors.

According to the Request for Evaluation (PDF!) of the circa-1912 building:

The Houston St. corridor continues to re-invent itself, now including new high-rises, redeveloped tenements, and dazzling penthouse additions to historic commercial buildings. Developers continue to create a newer, more diverse context with glass-clad high rises towering through unchanged rows of ornate tenements.

Unfortunately, we are losing some commercial buildings, which helped to open up the tight streets and sidewalks into their private spaces, adding to the context of this corridor. Further south, commercial spaces like this one-story branch office building are becoming less common. The Provident Loan’s branch office on Essex and Houston is a valuable contributor to the neighborhood, and helps balance the diversity of uses in the area.

After a string of random clubs and concepts through the past 20 years, the Provident Loan Society Building is currently unoccupied. The space served as a studio for Jasper Johns in the 1970s.

The Landmarks Committee meets at 6:30 p.m., University Settlement at Houston Street Center/273 Bowery.

Updated 12/17
BoweryBoogie attended last night's committee meeting, in which CB3 backed the bid to landmark the building. BB has more on the longtime residents who own the building plus the latest rendering right here.

Tumor time for the Provident Loan Society Building on East Houston?

On Nov. 17, CB3's monthly Landmark's Committee meeting will include a hearing on the proposal to landmark the circa-1912 Provident Loan Society Building, 223-225 E. Houston St., at Essex.

BoweryBoogie has had the scoop on the situation here. Back in January, BB heard about plans to demolish the building for a new residential complex.

Well, rest assured, it no longer appears that the owners plan to take down the building.

No, as BoweryBoogie uncovered back on Friday, they want to simply drop a 12-story extension on top of the existing building… which would look like…


[Image from Bluarch Architecture via BB]

Head over to BoweryBoogie for more details.

The Landmarks Committee meets on Nov. 17 at 6:30, JASA/Green Residence, 200 E. Fifth St. at Cooper Square.

After a string of random clubs and concepts through the past 20 years, the Provident Loan Society Building is currently unoccupied. (The space served as a studio for Jasper Johns in the 1970s.)

And now, a flashback to an EVG post from November 2010…

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The classic revival brick building has retained its look through the years... Here are some photos from the NYPL Digital Gallery..... the first photo isn't dated...


from 1936…


from 1935...


and today [November 2010] ...