Report: Plans for new residential complex on Clinton Street include 37 residences

[Photo of current 50-62 Clinton St. via BoweryBoogie]

Developer Icon Realty filed plans yesterday for the new retail-residential complex coming to 50-62 Clinton St.

According to New York Yimby, architect Ramy Isaac's building will total 37,868 square feet — good for 37 residences. Plans also call for 1,836 square feet of commercial space.



Despite the plans, one remaining tenant, Wylie Dufresne's wd~50, appears to be staying put. When asked about it last week, he told Grub Street, "We're fine. We're not going anywhere! Don't worry."

BoweryBoogie first reported this impending new construction between Stanton and Rivington back in January.

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] The future of 50-62 Clinton St will look something like this

[Updated] The future of 50-62 Clinton St will look something like this

[Photo of current 50-62 Clinton St. via BoweryBoogie]

The businesses in the single-level building along 50-62 Clinton St. have cleared out in recent months ahead of some new, unspecified development. (BoweryBoogie first reported this impending new construction between Stanton and Rivington back in January.)

An EVG reader who lives nearby pointed us to the renderings for the address ... courtesy of architect Ramy Isaac...





The Isaac-Stern website has little info about the the project, other than that:

Mix use building, residential and commercial.
7 story over cellar, approximately 50,000 sf.

Isaac is teaming up once again with the developers at Icon Realty, who are listed as the owners of the address via DOB permits filed with the city on March 11.

Updated 12:01 p.m.

The Lo-Down has an update about one of the tenants along this corridor:

While the sale included the building housing acclaimed restaurant WD-50, a spokesperson for chef Wylie Dufresne told The Lo-Down he has no plans to leave the building before his lease expires in a couple of years.

Is the under-renovation 205 Avenue A already too tall?

205 Avenue A is now all snug behind scaffolding and construction netting ... and work continues on adding a two-floor extension to the existing four-floor building via developer Terrence Lowenberg and architect Ramy Issac, aka "the controversial penthouse king of the East Village."

With all the construction gear, it is difficult to tell what is happening from out front on Avenue A. However, there's a clearer view from behind No. 205, where EVG regular Greg Masters notes that the back building is already at seven stories (the street-level story is hidden in the photo below).

And there's a palette of cinder blocks in the backyard, which portends the addition of another story. Still, as it stands now, the building is seven stories — one more than the DOB permitted. Certainly not the first time a renovated building has suddenly become taller without the OK from the city...

Previously on EV Grieve:
205 Avenue A primed for 2 new floors

205 Avenue A primed for 2 new floors

Back in August, we reported that a resident-free 205 Avenue A between East 12th Street and East 13th Street was getting a two-floor extension courtesy of developer Terrence Lowenberg and architect Ramy Issac.

Workers have been gut-renovating away these last few months... and now on the roof, the first sign of the new floors to come...

Meanwhile, here's an angle from the rear ... where it appears that workers gave been extending the back of the building as well...

[via EVG regular Greg Masters]

East 9th Street buildings will soon be taller thanks to the NYC Board of Standards and Appeals

In August, a tipster told us that additional floors were in the works for a series of buildings owned by Terrence Lowenberg of Icon Realty on East Ninth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue ... No. 329 ... No. 331 ... No. 333 ... No. 335.

However, at the time, the DOB hadn't approved any of the additional floors for these addresses dating back to early last year.

But that has changed. Off the Grid reported last Thursday that the Board of Standards and Appeals OK'd the rooftop additions.

[Via Off the Grid]

Per Off the Grid, which is the blog of the Greenwich Village Society of Historical Preservation (GVSHP):

The owner of the remarkably intact tenements at 329-335 East 9th Street sought variances from the Board of Standards and Appeals to build additional floors without full compliance with the Multiple Dwelling Law which requires updated fire and safety measures when tenements are enlarged beyond 6 stories. These building have retained their cornices and façade ornamentation and are on a historic block of East 9th Street between 1st & 2nd Avenues that is also very much intact with buildings of cohesive scale and heights.

Despite the strong arguments against these additions being permitted from GVSHP, Councilmember Mendez, and the East Village Community Coalition, the Board of Standards and Appeals voted in favor of permitting these additions.

In addition, in another doozy, the Board of Standards and Appeals decide to allow illegally built additions to remain at the controversial 514-516 E. Sixth St. Ben Shaoul's Magnum Real Estate Group is behind the enlargements.

Previously on EV Grieve:
East Ninth Street parking lot will yield to 6-floor residential building

154 Second Avenue starting to show off its girders

Two months have passed since we checked in on the progress at 154 Second Ave., where workers will be adding several new floors for "luxury rental apartments."

Kind of hard to say what's happening behind the scaffolding. EVG reader Terry Howell notes that most of July brought intermittent banging and knocking without much evidence of actual "construction."

Then! In early August, he noticed that workers delivered a pile of girders. Let's take a look at the latest photos that he shared...

Terry also hears that the remaining structure facade will not be kept — eventually it will all be demolished.

Here's what the address looked like in the 1940s, via Vanishing New York...

And one day...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Former funeral home looks to double in size with help from 'the controversial penthouse king of the East Village'

Redeveloped funeral home looking for a few live retail tenants

The walls come tumbling down at 154 Second Avenue

Ninth Street, meet your new neighbor

On Friday, we reported that a six-story building housing two residences was in the works for 327 E. Ninth St., currently a parking lot between First Avenue and Second Avenue...

Yesterday, a tipster passed along the renderings for the new building to Curbed...

The new building will feature a garage and elevator, among other amenities...

Thoughts?

Previously on EV Grieve:
East Ninth Street parking lot will yield to 6-floor residential building

East Ninth Street parking lot will yield to 6-floor residential building

Following our post on Wednesday about the current construction projects in the neighborhood... a tipster told us about a development that we were unaware of — 327 E. Ninth St., currently a parking lot between First Avenue and Second Avenue...

The city has already OK'd plans for a six-floor residential building in the space...

Per the DOB, the 7,200-square-foot building will contain two residences ... with a garage and an elevator. Per the application, our old friend Ramy Issac is the architect ... and the owner is listed as Terrence Lowenberg of Icon Realty, who has been busy with turning 147 First Ave. into a hotel ... as well as developing 326-328 E. Fourth St. ... and other properties.

Meanwhile, the tipster also points us to the adjacent buildings here along East Ninth Street...

There are additional floors in the works for 329 E. Ninth St. ... No. 331 ... No. 333 ... No. 335 ... However, so far, the DOB hasn't approved any of the additional floors for these addresses dating back to early last year...

Temporary sunroof for 154 Second Ave.

[Terry Howell]

We walked by 154 Second Ave., the former Sigmund Schwartz Gramercy Park Chapel between East Ninth Street and East 10th Street, the other day and looked inside the opened plywood. Not much left on the inside! The sun was pouring into the space from where there was a roof.

For a better angle... EVG reader Terry Howell provided an aerial view showing the progress here where workers are adding three new floors for luxury apartments...

And for some contrast... how the building looked in February...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Former funeral home looks to double in size with help from 'the controversial penthouse king of the East Village'

Redeveloped funeral home looking for a few live retail tenants

The walls come tumbling down at 154 Second Avenue

The walls come tumbling down at 154 Second Avenue

We continue to keep tabs on 154 Second Ave., the former Sigmund Schwartz Gramercy Park Chapel between East Ninth Street and East 10th Street ... where workers will be adding several new floors for "luxury rental apartments" ...

[Image from last summer via Off the Grid]

... we recently looked in the door and spotted some interior demolition... but what's going on out back?

EVG reader Terry Howell notes that workers started serious demolition this week. First, it took four guys and a scaffold to get rid of the chimney in the corner...



Per Terry: "Then a jackhammer arrived and the walls came tumblin' down..."









Previously on EV Grieve:
Former funeral home looks to double in size with help from 'the controversial penthouse king of the East Village'

Redeveloped funeral home looking for a few live retail tenants

Taking another look at the 154 Second Ave. rendering

Just continuing to watch the interior demolition at 154 Second Ave., the former Sigmund Schwartz Gramercy Park Chapel between East Ninth Street and East 10th Street.

[Friday]

Plans call for several new floors here for "luxury rental apartments" ... as well as nearly 4,600 square feet of ground-floor space "perfect for: retail store, restaurant," per the Icon Realty listing.

And there's an updated rendering for the building too.

Previously.

[Image via Off the Grid]

Previously on EV Grieve:
Former funeral home looks to double in size with help from 'the controversial penthouse king of the East Village'

Redeveloped funeral home looking for a few live retail tenants

Demolition under way inside the former Sigmund Schwartz Gramercy Park Chapel

Work is under way inside 154 Second Ave., the former Sigmund Schwartz Gramercy Park Chapel between East Ninth Street and East 10th Street. Plans call for several new floors here for "luxury rental apartments" ... as well as nearly 4,600 square feet of ground-floor space "perfect for: retail store, restaurant," per the listing.

Here's a look at the interior demolition late last week via EV Grieve reader Terry Howell...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Former funeral home looks to double in size with help from 'the controversial penthouse king of the East Village'

Redeveloped funeral home looking for a few live retail tenants

Redeveloped funeral home looking for a few live retail tenants

On Monday, we pointed out that workers have the scaffolding and sidewalk shed in place outside 154 Second Ave., the former Sigmund Schwartz Gramercy Park Chapel. Plans call for several new floors here with the help of architect Ramy Issac.

And we spotted a listing (PDF) for the retail space over at developer Terrence Lowenberg's Icon Realty....

There is nearly 4,600 square feet of ground-floor space "perfect for: retail store, restaurant," per the listing. Rent is upon request.

The rendering looks similar to Lowenberg's other current projects at 147 First Ave. and 326-328 E. Fourth St.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Former funeral home looks to double in size with help from 'the controversial penthouse king of the East Village'

Going to the former Chapel, and we're gonna get three new floors

The scaffolding and construction netting is now in place at the former Sigmund Schwartz Gramercy Park Chapel on Second Avenue between 10th Street and Ninth Street.

As Off the Grid first reported last summer, there are plans on file to "Remodel the existing three story building and add 3 stories on top."

According to the DOB, city officials have approved those plans on Jan. 10. Here's the DOB language:

REMODEL EXISTING THREE STORY BUILDING AND ADD 3 STORIES ON TOP OF EXISTING BUILDING. SECOND AND THIRD FLOORS TO BE CONVERTED TO RESIDENTIAL ONLY. FIRST FLOOR TO BE USED AS A COMMERCIAL USE.

And yes — we've run out of headlines.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Former funeral home looks to double in size with help from 'the controversial penthouse king of the East Village'

The end (of the view and daylight) is near

On Monday, we had an update on the former Sigmund Schwartz Gramercy Park Chapel on Second Avenue between 10th Street and Ninth Street. Plans call for an additional three floors here.

A reader sends along an aerial view looking north at the property. As you can see, construction hasn't started yet.

However, when it does, the folks living next door with the south-facing windows will likely lose any view and daylight. Which really sucks.

3 new floors ready to rise from the dead funeral home on Second Avenue

Renovations have started at the former Sigmund Schwartz Gramercy Park Chapel on Second Avenue between 10th Street and Ninth Street. Workers boarded up the front doors last week.

As Off the Grid first reported last summer, there are plans on file to "Remodel the existing three story building and add 3 stories on top."

According to the DOB, city officials have approved those plans on Jan. 10. Here's the DOB language:

REMODEL EXISTING THREE STORY BUILDING AND ADD 3 STORIES ON TOP OF EXISTING BUILDING. SECOND AND THIRD FLOORS TO BE CONVERTED TO RESIDENTIAL ONLY. FIRST FLOOR TO BE USED AS A COMMERCIAL USE.

The architect on this project is Ramy Issac, once dubbed by New York magazine as "The controversial penthouse king of the East Village." Developer Terrence Lowenberg of Icon Realty is behind the project. Icon is currently renovating 147 First Ave.

Check out this history of the Sigmund Schwartz Gramercy Park Chapel at Jeremiah's Vanishing New York.

Here's what the address looked like in the 1940s, via Vanishing New York...

Will a gut renovation and three-floor addition be enough to wipe out the spirits of the funeral home?

Previously on EV Grieve:
Former funeral home looks to double in size with help from 'the controversial penthouse king of the East Village'

Former funeral home looks to double in size with help from 'the controversial penthouse king of the East Village'

Expect to see something much larger and glassy in place at the former Sigmund Schwartz Gramercy Park Chapel on Second Avenue between 10th Street and Ninth Street. Off the Grid, the blog of the Greenwich Village Preservation Society, reports that the owners have applied to make substantial changes to the 1937 building.

Per Off the Grid:

According to the Department of Buildings, an Alteration type 1 application has been filed, which is the most substantial type of alteration. Plans are to “Remodel the existing three story building and add 3 stories on top.” The ground floor will be commercial and the five upper stories will be residential (six apartments each on floors two through four, and duplex apartments on the floors five & six). This can mean anything from the existing building more or less staying in place on the exterior and three stories being built on top, to the existing building being more or less stripped down to its foundations and a new six-story building pretty much being erected in its place. The permit has yet to be officially issued.

DOB paperwork shows that Ramy Issac is the architect here. New York once called him "The controversial penthouse king of the East Village." Issac is well-know to many people in the neighborhood for his work with developer-landlord Benjamin "Sledgehammer" Shaoul.

Meanwhile, check out this history of the Sigmund Schwartz Gramercy Park Chapel at Jeremiah's Vanishing New York.