The new-look 151 Avenue A

Workers removed the scaffolding and sidewalk bridge from outside 151 Avenue A last week, revealing a new look here between Ninth Street and 10th Street. Going with... hunter green?

The building was sold in the summer of 2018 for $9.5 million, per public records. The seller was linked to Ascot Properties NYC LLC while the buyer was listed as 151 Avenue A Member LLC with an address of their law firm.

Here's a look at the building from last fall as gut renovations were underway... it appeared that the residential portion of the building was vacant ...


[Fall 2019]

Last fall we watched workers carry in steel beams (photos by Steven!). According to the approved permits via the Department of Buildings, there was an "interior renovation of hallways and replacement of structural elements ... on floors 2 though roof. Replacement of stair bulkhead."







Throughout the renovation, the retail tenant, Quick Repair & Electronics, was able to remain open.

Gut renovations continue at the soon-to-be-expanded 264 E. 7th St.

The gutting of 264 E. Seventh St. between Avenue C and Avenue D is in full swing...





According to the approved permit filed with the city, the owners plan to gut renovate No. 264 and convert it to a two-family dwelling (from three units), apparently leaving the exterior of the building in place and adding an extension in the rear.

Things didn't look so good here in September 2016, when a permit was filed with the DOB to demolish the three-level, circa 1842 townhouse.

Preservations rallied to try to have the string of pastel-colored residences here considered for landmarking. However, in late October 2017, the Landmarks Preservation Commission refused to consider them for such a designation.

This past April, word came via the Village Preservation (GVSHP) that new owners purchased the property and were doing away with a full demolition. (Public records show an LLC paid $7.7 million for the address.)

We haven't seen any renderings for the all-new No. 264 just yet.

And as noted before, Felicia Bond lived in the garden duplex at No. 264 when she illustrated the renowned children's book "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" in the mid-1980s.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Live in the house that inspired the art for 'If You Give a Mouse a Cookie'

City says no to landmarking row of 7th Street homes, clearing way for demolition of No. 264

Not much left inside the once mysterious 84 2nd Ave.

[Photo by Steven]

The gutting of 84 Second Ave. continues.

Per previous posts, No. 84 here between Fourth Street and Fifth Street is in the midst of a gut renovation that will take the building from its current 5,829 square feet to 8,439 total square feet with a horizontal enlargement in the rear of the property. The modified No. 84 will feature new retail space as well as four residences.

EVG contributor Derek Berg got a look behind the plywood the other day. As you can see, the ground level is hollowed out, with construction equipment moving through the building to the back...





This property has changed hands twice in recent years. Highpoint bought the building for $7.8 million in the spring of 2018. According to public records, the building sold in May 2016 for $5.1 million. The Sopolsky family had owned it for years.

As we've noted several times through the years, the address has a dark past, which includes the still-unsolved murder of Helen Sopolsky, proprietor of the family's tailor shop who was found bludgeoned to death in 1974, per an article at the time.

The storefront has remained empty since her death.

The plywood rendering shows the all-new No. 84 looking something like this...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Plywood and a petition at 84 2nd Ave.

Workers clearing out the mysterious 84 2nd Ave. storefront

Renovations proposed for mysterious 84 2nd Ave.

Mysterious 84 2nd Ave. sells again, this time for $7.8 million

There are new plans to expand the mysterious 84 2nd Ave.

Renovations underway at the (formerly) mysterious 84 2nd Ave.

A rendering and vintage erotic playing cards (NSFW) at the under-renovation (and mysterious!) 84 2nd Ave.

The all-new 149 Avenue B emerges

[Photos by Steven]

149 Avenue B — sandwiched between the Christodora House and the Charlie Parker Residence — has been under renovation in recent years... and the new-look residential building emerged from behind the construction netting and plywood late last week...



First, what the five-story building was: The longtime home of the New York Gospel Mission. The property hit the market for $5.5 million in October 2012.

According to its website, New York Gospel Mission was founded in 1895 by Dr. Bernard Angel. He died in 1929, and his daughter Ruth became the director. In 1944 the mission purchased No. 149 and named it Angel Memorial House after the founders.


[149 Avenue B as seen in 2012]

As for what's next ... as you can see, the building has been transformed, including a "rear horizontal enlargement," into a 4-unit residence, including a top-floor duplex. Jeffrey Cole Architect is the architect of record. The developer is Florida-based Tompkins Square Holdings LLC, who bought No. 149 for $4.65 million in December 2012, according to public records.

No word just yet on pricing or luxury amenities at the moment.

202 Avenue A has been gutted on its way to doubling in size to become the Topanga

[Photo yesterday by Steven]

Work continues at 202 Avenue A, the four-story building on the east side between 12th Street and 13th Street.

The custom stereo shop Bright Audio had been in this storefront for five years, before relocating across the Avenue last December.

I heard that the space was being renovated. Well, that's an understatement, as this interior photo via Steven shows... oh!



As you can see, there's a lot more going on than a simple storefront conversion.

According to the approved work permits on file with the city, there's a horizontal and vertical enlargement of the existing structure. The current total square footage is 5,334; the additions will bring the total to 10,920. The work permits show that the new retail space will be roughly 2,000 square feet.

There will be 10 residences here, including a duplex penthouse with a private terrace, per the work permits.

Here's a look at the rendering of the all-new 202 — called the Topanga — via Lenart Architecture ...



Highpoint Property Group bought No. 202 in a deal that closed last December for $6.75 million, according to public records.

View this post on Instagram

We're excited to share renderings of a recent LA project - the Topanga. Catch a glimpse of this upcoming mixed-use building in New York's East Village. __________ 📷: Highpoint Property Group __________ #lenartarchitecture #highpointpropertygroup #hpg #topanga #nineties #eastvillage #newyorkplaces #development #realestatedevelopment #renderings #3drenderings #nyapartments #mixeduse #mixedusedevelopment #nyc_instagram #architecture #arquitectura #archdaily #architectwatch #architecturewatch #architecturephotography #nyneighborhoods #dailyinspo #architecture_view #nyarchitecture

A post shared by Lenart Architecture (@lenartarchitecture) on Oct 24, 2018 at 12:04pm PDT

Gut renovation reveal on 9th Street

[Image via Streeteasy]

In recent months, the four-story building at 624 E. Ninth St. between Avenue B and Avenue C had been undergoing a full-on gut renovation...


[Photo from June]

Late last month, workers removed the scaffolding and construction netting to reveal the all-new No. 624...


[Photo by Mike House]

Yesterday, retail listings arrived for two, 350-square-foot spaces on the ground floor. The asking rents are $3,500 each. All uses considered.

As for the residential portion, Streeteasy shows two units — asking $6,000 and $6,400 per month for three bedrooms and two bathrooms. (The listing notes that you get one month off the rent, making it $5,500 or $5,600 for the first year.)

Here's the blurbage for the $6,400 jobbie:

Be the very first to live in this brand new, gut renovated boutique building with a roof deck and washer/dryer's in all units. This brand new beauty is perfect for those looking to live in a quiet, sunlit, modern building on one of the best blocks in East Village.

This top floor, three-bedroom/two-bath unit offers not only double balconies but has a private, dedicated roof deck just one floor up from where you can bring your guests to view beautiful NYC views. All rooms including the living room have high wall-through AC units operated by remote controls. Stunning kitchen features brand new appliances including dishwasher and microwave, glossed cabinetry, and a breakfast bar. Bedrooms are queen sized with exposed brick and closets.

Bathrooms are luxurious with high-end finishing that will leave you thinking you are in a top hotel. Brand new hardwood flooring and recessed lighting throughout the floor-through unit that meets double balconies on both ends of the floor. Washer/dryer in-unit.

An LLC with a Brooklyn address bought the building last November for $3.3 million, per public records.

All you need is your imagination now for this new-to-market rental!

This listing for 182 E. Seventh St. (in the same building as Vazac's/7B) appeared on Streeteasy Monday:

*Rare Opportunity* - Apartment is mid GUT RENOVATIONS

New floors. New Kitchen. New bath. New apartment. BE THE FIRST TO LIVE IN THIS SPECTACULAR LOCATION - Tompkin Square Park paradise.

Massive space being turned into an UNDER MARKET 3BR for sure.

One flight walk up!

Should be available by 4/15

And the price for a space that looks like this right now: $3,995.

A few questions. Anyone happen to know what was in this space before the gut renovation? The ad states that it is a new apartment.

Are apartments in such demand that a photo like the above is good enough to sell the place?

Will the toilet remain where it is?

Will probably have more questions, but that's all for now.

The lone tenant at 338 E. Sixth St.

Rory Denis has lived in a rent-stabilized apartment at 338 E. Sixth St. since 1979. And Denis is now the last remaining tenant in the building between First Avenue and Second Avenue that is going through a top-to-bottom gut renovation.

As Serena Solomon at DNAinfo reports, his landlord "has gutted all of the surrounding units, cut off water and electricity, and flooded the area with construction workers who make a terrible racket."

"It is a nightmare," said Denis, who can only get to his fourth-floor apartment by stepping around an active work zone. "I really feel like Chicken Little with the sky falling in."

He successfully took landlord Nurjahan Ahmed to housing court earlier this year to restore his electricity and water. Ahmed told DNAinfo that she had no choice but to temporarily turn off the services because the circa 1900-building needed repairs.

1010 WINS had a report on this last night as well.

2 additional floors coming to 205 Avenue A; another Lowenberg-Issac production

205 Avenue A between East 12th Street and East 13th Street is resident-free as workers have gutted the building this past week... According to the DOB, two additional floors are on the way via developer Terrence Lowenberg and architect Ramy Issac.

Perhaps we can expect to see more dorm-like conditions upon 205's unveiling, much like the previous Lowenberg-Issac production at 326-328 E. Fourth St., where there is a six-bedroom unit available for $8,000. (The two also teamed up for the in-progress additions at 154 Second Ave.)

Meanwhile, there are two complaints dated Wednesday on file with the DOB... from next door at No. 203:

CONSTRUCTION AT THE ADDRESS LSITED IS NOT TAKING PROPER SAFETY PRECAUTIONS AND AS A RESULT NAILS, SCREWS AND OTHER DEBRIS IS FALLING ONTO ADJACENT PROPERTY

Previously on EV Grieve:
City has OK'd one-floor addition for Ben Shaoul-owned building on Avenue A and East 12th Street

Another gut renovation for 103 Second Ave.

An EVG reader passes along word about the gut renovation going on inside 103 Second Ave. at East Sixth St., most recently home to the recently gut-renovated Vandaag, which closed back in May.

We've lost track of how many eateries have been in and out of here in just the last, oh, 15 years... and each time, there's a gut renovation, which is the EVG Keyword of the Day. No big deal. You put in a new restaurant. You gut renovate the place. Just what you have to do. Until the building falls down or something. And the Vandaagers put a lot of time and attention into the interior. And someone new comes along and starts over...

Anyway, Eater had the scoop that the address will soon be home to the first "brick and mortar location" of Mighty Quinn's, a BBQ food truck, specializing in sustainable smoked meats, favored by food truck foodies in Brooklyn.

They will open after the gut renovation.