Former Red Square art hauled away

There hasn't been much happening in recent weeks (so we're told!) along 250 E. Houston St. now that workers have demolished the one-level strip of storefronts here between Avenue A and Avenue B. 

One bit of activity: A reader shared these photos from Saturday... when workers hauled away the street sculpture that had been installed for years above the former Dunkin'/Baskin-Robbins...  ... and by the way, does anyone know who created this sculpture with the Einstein license plates (among other items)...?

Our previous posts at this link have more background on what's been happening to date here.

As we first reported on Jan. 18, there is a permit on file with the city for a 6-floor residential building on this property. 

However, sources tell us that this was just a preliminary filing to allow for the demolition ... and that the plans for the building will actually be closer to the size/scope of the adjacent 13-floor residences at 250 E. Houston St., the former Red Square that opened in 1989. 

Workers finish demolition of the old retail spaces along 250 E. Houston St.; now what's next?

If you've walked by 250 E. Houston St. in recent days, then you likely noticed that workers have mostly finished removing the one-level strip of storefronts.

Demoliton started in mid-November ahead of a new mixed-used building for the property here between Avenue A and Avenue B. The demolition has been a challenge/nuisance to nearby residents — especially when jack-hammering starts at 7:30 a.m. on a holiday. There have also been dust complaints, per city records. 

Here's a look from late last week at the now-empty lot courtesy of EVG contributor Stacie Joy...

EVG reader Jim Knapp shared this photo below of the retail spaces at the start of the demolition. The businesses in these storefronts either relocated closer to the residential building at 250 E. Houston St. (Kapri Cleaners and the FedEx Office Print & Ship Center) or closed (Dunkin'/Baskin-Robbins, Subway, Mattress Firm and China Town).

Jim also shared a time-lapse of the building demolition, which you can find on YouTube. 

As for what's next, there's a filing with the DOB for a 6-story mixed-use residential building, as we reported on Jan. 3 ... (click on the image for more detail) ...

However, sources tell us that this was just a preliminary filing to allow for the demolition ... and that the plans for the building will actually be closer to the size/scope of the adjacent 13-floor residences at 250 E. Houston St., the former Red Square that opened in 1989. 

For now, not much will likely happen on the empty plots. 

Revisit this EVG post from 2016 for a photo of this property before Red Square arrived in the late 1980s.

A 6-floor residential building will rise next to 250 E. Houston St.

A 6-floor residential building is in the works for the space adjacent to 250 E. Houston St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.  (H/T to the reader who shared the DOB link!)

According to the ALL-CAP style of the DOB online:

NEW 6 (SIX) STORY MIXED-USE BUILDING ON CURRENT VACANT LOT. 2 TAX LOTS (7503 EXISTING - 13 STORY MIXED-USE; 58 TENTATIVE - 6 STORY NEW BUILDING) ON SINGLE ZONING LOT. NO CHANGE TO EXISTING DEVELOPMENT ON LOT 7503.

The paperwork for the new building, still pending city approval, shows square footage of 68,531 with a proposed health club in the basement (building amenity?) and ground-floor retail. Passive-house specialists ZH Architects are listed as the architect of record for the project. 

To get an idea of the potential size-shape of the new building, check out this Google Maps aerial view ...

As we've been reporting, the businesses in the unrenovated stretch of 250 E. Houston St. have either closed or moved. Kapri Cleaners and the FedEx Office Print & Ship Center relocated to new storefronts closer to the entrance to the 13-story residential building at No. 250. Dunkin'/Baskin-Robbins and China Town have closed. The H&R Block outpost is reopening a block away in part of the former Banco Popular space.

Meanwhile, demolition continues in the old storefronts where the new building will rise. EVG contributor Stacie Joy took these photos last week...

... some pics yesterday from Salim, who pointed out that the street-sign scultpure along here has been removed (a faint outline of the art by Ken Hiratsuka embedded in the sidewalk remains) ...

... and an EVG reader shared these photos showing the demolition in the rear of the structure...

Long & Short Barber Co. cuts out of 250 E. Houston St.

Long & Short Barber Co. has closed its outpost at 250 E. Houston St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

EVG regular Salim shared the photos here ... including one of a goodbye note for patrons... Long & Short will continue with its shop in Brooklyn and the new location at Columbus Circle...

This is just the latest retail change along this strip, though this one may not have anything to do with the future development on this block.

Businesses in the storefronts just to the east of this — in the unrenovated portion — have all vacated, a list that includes Dunkin'/Baskin-Robbins, Subway (sandwich shop) and China Town. Workers boarded up the unrenovated section last month ahead of its demolition for an unspecified new development.

You can read our previous posts (all 34,567) on the topic right here. 

[Updated] Sidewalk bridge arrives ahead of planned demo of former Red Square storefronts

Workers yesterday started erecting a sidewalk bridge outside the now-vacant former shops at 250 E. Houston St. between Avenue A and Avenue B. (Thank you to the EVG reader for the photos!)

As previously reported, a demolition permit is on file with the city for the address. 

And as we've been noting, there's been a storefront shuffle along this renovated retail stretch. Kapri Cleaners and the FedEx Office Print & Ship Center moved from the unrenovated spaces a few doorways down East Houston. Other businesses, such as Dunkin'/Baskin-Robbins, Subway (sandwich shop) and China Town, closed.

The old section of this one-level strip — starting at the former Mattress Firm — will eventually come down to make way to an unspecified residential development. There's nothing new on this front to note just yet. 

The 13-floor residential building at 250 E. Houston St., the former Red Square, changed ownership in the fall of 2016 ... and underwent extensive renovations.

Updated 7 p.m. 

That's a wrap... a plywood wrap anyway... Stacie Joy shared these photos... the old spaces are now boarded up (and no full-on sidewalk bridge — yet?)...

... but there is a blogger portal! 😍

This East Village business strip has been cleared out ahead of rumored new development

As EVG contributor Stacie Joy has been reporting (here and here), the businesses in the old section of 250 E. Houston St. have either closed or moved ahead of a rumored new development here between Avenue A and Avenue B. 

Here's a recap of the moves to date: 

• Kapri Cleaners — the last day is tomorrow; moving to a new storefront in the renovated section of 250 E. Houston St. 
• China Town — closed, possible move to Avenue C in the works. 
• Subway (sandwich shop) — closed. No relocation notice. 
• FedEx Office Print & Ship Center — moved to a new storefront in the renovated section of 250 E. Houston St. 
• Dunkin'/Baskin-Robbins combo — closed. No relocation notice.
• Mattress Mart — closed. 

So that is all the businesses in the portion of the strip to the east (where the new paint stops!)...

Multiple sources along this corridor have said a new residential building is in the works for this space. Four sources have told Stacie that the one-level row of storefronts is facing demolition. Nothing about a new building or demolition has shown up in DOB records.

And we'll find out in the weeks/months ahead if, perhaps (and purely speculative now), the long-empty 6 Avenue B at the NW corner might be part of a new development... [Updated: Likely NO]

The 13-floor residential building at 250 E. Houston St., the former Red Square, changed ownership in the fall of 2016 ... and underwent extensive renovations. 

Previously on EV Grieve:

• The fall of Lenin: Iconic statue removed from Red Square on East Houston Street

• 1st look at the Lenin statue's return to the Lower East Side 

Express yourself: A look at the new FedEx space on Houston

As mentioned the other day, the FedEx Office Print & Ship Center is moving into a newly renovated space a few doors away along East Houston between Avenue A and Avenue B.

EVG correspondent Stacie Joy shared these photos yesterday of the FedExers' more modern-looking storefront... 

250 E. Houston St. is changing colors

This reader-submitted photo shows the continued transformation of 250 E. Houston St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

The bricks are changing color here now. We've already mentioned the clock work. (OK, twice.)

The Dermot Company, which bought the 13-floor building for $100 million in 2016, has stated they are "creating a more updated style and fit for the cool East Village neighborhood" with the renovations at the retail-residential complex.

And one day, No. 250 will look like this rendering...



Previously

Workers still on the clock at 250 E. Houston St.

A quick follow-up to the clock post from April 11.

Workers have been refurbishing the (purposefully) askew clock atop 250 E. Houston St., the former Red Square here between Avenue A and Avenue B.

The Dermot Company bought the 13-floor building for $100 million in 2016. Since then, they've revamped the lobby and added new retail tenants.

While the 18-foot statue of Vladimir Lenin, which stood atop Red Square for 22 years was removed in 2016 (before eventually returning not too far away), the clock appears to be in the renovated building's plans.

Renderings of the new-look No. 250 include the clock with the numbers still out of sequence...





The original Red Square developers, Michael Rosen and Michael Shaoul, reportedly put the clock in this spot to cover the water tower and elevator shaft. The distinctive clock is a take on MoMA’s "Askew" watch that features a random sequence of numbers. (Hungarian graphic designer Tibor Kalman created this version.)



Previously on EV Grieve:
Rumors: Red Square has been sold

New ownership makes it official at the former Red Square on East Houston

Apartment listings at 250 E. Houston look to offer glimpse of former Red Square's future

Long-vacant retail space hits the rental market at 250 E. Houston St.

Former Red Square lobby gets the plywood treatment on East Houston

Workers on the clock at 250 E. Houston St.

The renovations are now in the rooftop-clock phase at 250 E. Houston St., the former Red Square here between Avenue A and Avenue B.

The west-facing clock wall is undergoing a makeover now...





The original Red Square developers, Michael Rosen and Michael Shaoul, reportedly put the clock in this spot to cover the water tower and elevator shaft. The distinctive clock is a take on MoMA’s "Askew" watch that features a random sequence of numbers. (Hungarian graphic designer Tibor Kalman created this version.)



The Dermot Company, which bought the 13-floor building for $100 million in 2016, has stated they are "creating a more updated style and fit for the cool East Village neighborhood" with the renovations at the retail-residential complex.

While the 18-foot statue of Vladimir Lenin, which stood atop Red Square for 22 years was removed in 2016 (before eventually returning not too far away), the clock appears to be in the renovated building's plans.

Renderings of the new-look No. 250 include the clock with the numbers still out of sequence...





Previously on EV Grieve:
Rumors: Red Square has been sold

New ownership makes it official at the former Red Square on East Houston

Apartment listings at 250 E. Houston look to offer glimpse of former Red Square's future

Long-vacant retail space hits the rental market at 250 E. Houston St.

Former Red Square lobby gets the plywood treatment on East Houston

Retail moves at 250 East Houston

A few business switcheroos to mention over at the 250 East Houston compound, where both the H&R Block and Kapri Cleaners are relocating to retail spaces closer to Avenue B....










The 13-floor residential building at 250 E. Houston St., the former Red Square here between Avenue A and Avenue B, changed ownership in the fall of 2016.

No. 250 has been undergoing interior and exterior renovations. Several new businesses have been added to the strip: the Y7 Studio and an upscale barber shop recently debuted in the retail spaces.

Meanwhile, several storefronts remain on the market. Other current tenants here include the Dunkin'/Baskin-Robbins combo, Subway (sandwich shop), Sleepy's/Mattress Firm, China Town Chinese restaurant, the FedEx Office Print & Ship Center, a doctor's office and East Houston Wine & Liquor.



Previously on EV Grieve:
Rumors: Red Square has been sold

New ownership makes it official at the former Red Square on East Houston

Apartment listings at 250 E. Houston look to offer a glimpse of former Red Square's future

Long-vacant retail space hits the rental market at 250 E. Houston St.

Former Red Square lobby gets the plywood treatment on East Houston