Deck the walls!: Santa and his reindeer visit the Mystery Lot

Hey! Look who showed up at the Mystery Lot this holiday season...

Festive, yes?

All together now!

You better watch out
You better not cry
Better not pout
I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to the Mystery Lot

Thanks to EVG reader Katja for the photo...

Look at the Mystery Lot now

Oh, here's our monthly look inside the former Mystery Lot via EVG reader Katja, who took the above-photo on Saturday...

Eventually, one day...

[Via Curbed]

Previously on EV Grieve:
City approves new building for Mystery Lot

The Mystery Lot likely facing a luxurious end

The last days of the Mystery Lot

Mystery Lot progress report

EVG reader Katja sends along an update here at the former Mystery Lot. Any further east on 14th Street, and this might by a lake now.

Previously on EV Grieve:
City approves new building for Mystery Lot

The Mystery Lot likely facing a luxurious end

The last days of the Mystery Lot

The former Mystery Lot sinks ... and rises

On Friday, we got a ground-level glimpse into the former Mystery Lot... Now EVG reader Katja provides an update on the action from above...

Also! It is rising! Here's the first sign of the new development above ground, wedged in the space between 123 Third Avenue and Chickpea...

As we noted in May — there is a retail listing...

A glimpse into the Mystery Lot

Now that we know exactly what the future holds for the (soon-to-be-former) Mystery Lot (see here) ... we especially appreciate these last looks inside the plywood... here are two glimpses from the East 14th Street side via EVG reader Spencer Elzey...

Ah. All that graffiti, soon to be entombed behind luxury...

Previously on EV Grieve:
City approves new building for Mystery Lot

The Mystery Lot likely facing a luxurious end

The last days of the Mystery Lot

Mystery Lot killer REVEALED; bland, glassy box in custody

Good lord.

Curbed yesterday posted parts of the news released trumpeting the arrival of development sprouting right now at (officially) 211 E. 13th St., formerly the longtime home to the Mystery Lot.

Some details from that release:

Units will have nine foot ceilings, and a third will have "substantial outdoor space." There will also be six "private rooftop cabana terraces," which we assume will be connected to penthouses. Shared building amenities include a library, fitness center, residents and business lounges, and a rooftop terrace with an outdoor kitchen.

Back with more when we're done weeping.

[Some time ago]

Previously on EV Grieve:
City approves new building for Mystery Lot

The Mystery Lot likely facing a luxurious end

The last days of the Mystery Lot

The Big Dig begins at The Mystery Lot

Construction equipment arrived at the Mystery Lot back on July 23... and crews this morning are now digging in, as you can see from this photo via EVG reader Katja...

Next stop, the Lowline!

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Mystery Lot likely facing a luxurious end

The last days of the Mystery Lot

Mystery Lot plywood expands

Hey now. The Mystery Lot Plywood is eating up parts of the East 14th Street sidewalk ...

Last week!

This week!

It's called the Plywood Creep. Please let us know when it reaches the curb.

A Mystery Lot slice of life

From last evening... via EVG reader Katja... featuring an NY1 crew... an NYPD cruiser ... and more ...

Incoming construction at the Mystery Lot: A 'nightmare' or 'nightmarish'

As noted yesterday morning, workers brought in equipment to start the big dig for the 82-unit, eight-story development here at the Mystery Lot...

We looked at the site last evening... Workers put up barriers on the north side of East 13th Street, putting an end to any parking along here for the foreseeable future...

We exchanged emails with a few residents who live facing the lot... and they each used either "nightmare" or "nightmarish" to describe the impending construction...

Meanwhile, EVG reader Katja shared photos from the beginning and end of the first day of construction...

Breaking: Construction starts in the Mystery Lot

[In dramatic voiceover, maybe a little James Earl Jones like]: It has begun.

Photo via EVG reader Jodi.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Mystery Lot likely facing a luxurious end

The last days of the Mystery Lot

Mourning continues at Mystery Lot

Yesterday.

Previously.

Meanwhile: Don't delay, sneak in today!

Funny... we posted this a few weeks ago... and someone sent us an email and kindly asked us to remove the item... because they wanted to pay a visit before someone patched up the hole... it's still there!

Oh, we're kidding with that headline! We'd never, ever suggest that people do anything like enter the Mystery Lot for a photo opp via the hole in the fence along East 13th Street.

In fact, we are marching right over there this morning and patching up the hole.

Mystery Lot ready for retail

As you probably know, the Mystery Lot here off East 14th Street east of Third Avenue will become an 82-unit, eight-story development some day. The work permits, which are still pending city approval, say that the space will include 86,409 square feet for residential and 5,275 square feet for retail.

And now, the "retail opportunity" sign has arrived ...

Not a whole lot of info via the official retail listing...

However, there will be room for retail in two storefronts, which includes the current empty slot between Chickpea and the 123 condo...

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Mystery Lot likely facing a luxurious end

The Mystery Lot gates are open!

A reader walking along the 13th Street side of the Mystery Lot last night noticed that the gates were open... and the gates remain open this morning... now is your chance to go inside one last time, maybe ...

Unverified reader tip: A fight broke out in the street and spilled into the Mystery Lot last evening. Any readers know what happened here...? (Please let us know via the EV Grieve email.)

Mystery Lot wisdom

Photos by Bobby Williams.

Mystery masonry garden wall coming down at the Mystery Lot

While we wait for something significant to happen at the Mystery Lot ... we did notice a new permit from the city last week approving work for "removal of masonry garden wall." (Estimated Total Cost: $10,000.)

We're not quite sure what garden wall this is...

Short of hopping the fence, which we'd never do ... we can only guess at this moment... Photos from the weekend...

We even called in the EV Grieve satellite for an aerial shot...

Anyway, at the DOB website, there are permits pending approval related to building over this lot of bricks and mystery. The plans for the building were disapproved the first time on April 20.

As the Post first reported on Jan. 19, the space will become an 82-unit, eight-story development that should break ground this summer for a late 2013 opening. The work permits say that the space will include 86,409 square feet for residential and 5,275 square feet for retail.

Previously.

Yarn bombing the Mystery Lot fence

Over on 14th Street near Third Avenue...

It's the work of HOTTEA. BoweryBoogie has more on this former graffiti artist today right here. He has yarned(?) several fences around the neighborhood in recent days.

Thrillseekers enter the Mystery Lot for photo opps

Kids today! A little bit ago... Waited until they left to post...

The end is near(er) for the Mystery Lot

We knew this day was coming... not that it makes it any easier... an unhappy East 13th Street tipster points us to the DOB website, where there are three permits pending approval (dated March 15) related to building over this beloved land of bricks, discarded holiday trees, aliens, etc.

[EVG file photo]

As the Post first reported on Jan. 19, the space will become an 82-unit, eight-story development that should break ground this summer for a late 2013 opening. "Prices are still to be determined for the project’s studio and one-, two- and three-bedroom units," according to the Post.

The work permits say that the space will include 86,409 square feet for residential and 5,275 square feet for retail. The good news about the retail: You can likely count out an iHop ... 7-Eleven... KFC... Dunkin' Donuts...Duane Reade...

BKSK is listed as the architect of record... according to the BKSK website, their residential work includes 25 Bond Street, home of $20 million apartments and, once, Will Smith, as Curbed has noted.

We leave with this aerial view of what became the Mystery Lot circa 1913... from ConEd looking at the southeast corner of 14th Street and Third Avenue...

And you can spot the former Jefferson Theatre...

(And apologies — have had this for so long we don't recall the original source... Per Mick in the comments, this is a Shorpy photo.)