Looking at the retail component of recent East Village developments

There are currently three major upscale housing developments in progress in the East Village ... each of which will have a retail component:

• 21 Jupiter

A 4,300-square-foot TB Bank branch has inked a deal here at Second Avenue and East First Street. And there are those Mars bar comeback rumors too.

• The Jefferson



There are two retail spaces available here on East 14th Street at the former Mystery Lot...

• 84 Third Ave.

As far as we know, there aren't any deals in place yet for 84 Third Ave., the 12 story retail-residential combo coming to the corner of East 12th Street.

There you have all that.

So let's take a look back at three recent developments to see how the retail component fared...

• 2 Cooper Square



The retail space remains empty... and on the market since the apartments hit the market in 2009...

• 52 E. 4th Street



The retail portion of the 15 stories of condo on the Bowery and East Fourth Street sat empty, save a few odd pop-up shops (remember Bowery Bazaar in 2009?)... until plans for a 7-Eleven were eventually unveiled ... the convenience store opened on Dec. 23, 2011.

• The Copper Building



The retail space here on Avenue B and East 13th Street remained vacant for several years until the East Side 99¢ shop moved in last October.

So, the three high-end developments have yielded a 7-Eleven and a 99-cent shop (which relocated from around the corner). Residents are willing to pay big money to live here, but retailers aren't as interested to follow suit... What's going on here?

Dollar Plus store opens below million-dollar condos

As we've noted (here and here), the East Side 99¢ shop was moving from East 14th Street to become the first retail tenant in the Copper Building.

And on Saturday, the Dollar Plus store opened here on Avenue B at East 13th Street ... where a handful of the 17 residences top the $1 million mark, according to Streeteasy.

... and last night, with the new sign above the front door...

Early renderings of the building do not show any discount stores in the retail space...

Finding the right retail tenant in upscale housing must be difficult. For instance, a 7-Eleven opened in the ground floor at 52E4 — the 15 stories of condo on the Bowery and East Fourth Street.

Regardless, the Dollar Plus store is a good one.

2 small shops out on East 14th Street, though 1 is moving into the Copper Building

EVG reader John passes along information about the friendly fellow named Ba, a Senegal native, who has a sliver of a shop next to East Side 99¢ on East 14th Street near Avenue B.

"He works very long hours selling socks, gloves, phone chargers, etc. — all kinds of stuff," John wrote. Unfortunately, the landlord is looking for a big rent hike, and both shops will be out.

John said that Ba is looking for a new space in the neighborhood, or perhaps elsewhere. "If anyone hears of anything, it would be nice to let him know."

As for the East Side 99¢ shop, it's our understanding that they are moving into the retail space in the Copper Building around the corner on Avenue B at East 13th Street. (Several readers noted this after our post on it here.)

The stock is piling up at the store (unless a Copper Building resident is hoarding personal toaster ovens and blenders) ...

We like this addition to this corner...

[October 2010]

Is a 99-cent store going into the Copper Building retail space on Avenue B?

[October 2010]

We've been curious about what would take the corner retail space here at the Copper Building on Avenue B and East 13th Street ... home of million-dollar penthouses.

There was an a rumor about a 7-Eleven opening here... But that is simply not true — the retail-space-for-lease ad specified no delis or laundromats.

In recent weeks, workers have put up brown paper on the windows... and we finally got a look inside.... Let's see, packages of undershirts...

... and plastic toys for kids...

Looks like a 99-cent type of store ... like the ones remaining around the corner on East 14th Street. We asked a broker here last week for information on the new tenant, but never heard back.

Previously.

Copper Building retail space back on the market

We've been keeping an eye on the retail space at the Copper Building on Avenue B at 13th Street... someone removed the for sale signs back in May...



At the time, Brian Meier, senior vice president at Prudential Douglas Elliman, said via email that the space was sold to an investor, who has a contract out on the storefront...

Anyway, perhaps that original deal fell through... there is a new sign up now for the space...

Asking price is $6,000 per month... here's a look at the info... check out the restrictions (no delis or laundromats!...)

Waiting to hear about retail tenant for the Copper Building

As we noted last week, there looks to be activity in the retail space at the Copper Building on Avenue B at 13th Street.

Brian Meier, senior vice president at Prudential Douglas Elliman, said via email that the space was sold to an investor, who has a contract out on the storefront. No word just yet on who the new tenant will be...

In any event, you can likely rule out a Subway sandwich shop here.

Copper Building looks to have a retail tenant now; big penthouse also in contract

Over at the Copper Building, the "condo for sale" signs are down...



We sent a note to the folks at Prudential Douglas Elliman about the space.

Meanwhile, I suppose that we can speculate. I'm guessing the space will either be a zine store specializing in unpublished writers or an egg shop.

Oh, and meanwhile! It looks like the last remaining unit here is under contract. And it's the big one, weighing in at $3.85 million.

This 4 bedroom 4 bathroom Penthouse is one of a kind. With soaring 22 foot high ceilings and an enormous private outdoor space, this duplex is unrivaled in East Village apartments. Upon entering the apartment, you are struck by sweeping views of southern Manhattan. You will truly feel on top of it all. The apartment features a state of the art chef's kitchen, which opens to the formal dinning room. With western exposure and towering 22 foot high glass windows, the living room will capture magnificent sunsets. When you ascend the wide oak staircase to the second floor you will find 2 additional bedrooms and 2 additional full bathrooms. This penthouse is part of an absolutely unique and exceptional building.

Eh, looks nice enough. Would be a lot cooler with a stainless-steel slide.

Welcome to the Hotel Copper Building!

Over at the Copper Building, the newish high-end condo on Avenue B at 13th Street where residents are paying upwards of $3.8 million to live, you now have the opportunity to book a room there starting at $280 per night. (Five-night minimum!)

Per the description at Airbnb:

This magnificent, spacious, 1 bedroom apartment is located just 3 blocks from Tompkin Square Park, in the beautiful "Copper Building" in the coveted East Village. This corner unit is lined with windows providing copious amounts of natural light from all angles. Step out onto your wrap around balcony to experience breathtaking views of Manhattan.

With an established music scene, funky shops, restaurants and bars the East Village truly defines what it means to be hip. Close proximity to a state-of-the-art dog run, beloved by pooches all over. A block and a half from the nearest subway, it conveniently enables easy access to any area in the city

.

Looks like you have access to the building's gym too... (No word on the "zen garden.")

Despite being in an area that truly defines what it means to be hip, the hoteliers have decided that this is part of Stuy Town...

[Hat tip to our friends at Lux Living]

This is the last unit left at the Copper Building, where you can already see the Freedom Tower

That's right... the Copper Building at Avenue B and 13th Street is now all filled with residents — aka, Coppertoners.

There's one apartment left — the one-bedroom loft penthouse with views of the Empire State Building and the Eiffel Tower... and, apparently, the Freedom Tower...




Per the listing at Prudential Douglas Elliman:

LAST UNIT LEFT AT THE COPPER BUILDING

Come see the last unit at the Copper Building, a chic one bedroom loft PH with an oversized private terrace that has views of the Empire State Building. Located in the heart of trendy East Village, this incredible apartment will knock your socks off. There are 20 foot high ceilings with floor to ceiling windows that capture views of Manhattan like no other apartment in the city. You can see the iconic buildings from the Freedom Tower to the Empire State Building! This one bedroom condo has 1 1/2 bathrooms, laundry in the apartment, an open chef's kitchen, 180 views of the city, private terrace, and the list just goes on and on.

See for yourself during the opening house Sunday from noon to 1:30... And the folks were good enough to trim $100,000 (6.7 percent) off the price yesterday ... it's now going for $1.4 million. (According to StreetEasy, $1,65 million was the original asking price...)

The one rental on the market in the Copper Building

There may be just one unit left for sale in the Copper Building on Avenue B at 13th Street ... but there is also one studio for rent — unit 5C.

According to Prudential Douglas Elliman:

6 Month Minimum. $400 BELOW MARKET VALUE! NO CONDO FEES! BRAND NEW - NEVER LIVED IN! VIRTUAL DOORMAN! The Newest & Most LUXURIOUS Condo in the E. Village. No Expense Spared - This Amazing Studio features Juliet BALCONY, Floor-to-Ceiling Windows, Walk-in Closet, Central AC, En Suite WASHER/ DRYER. Kitchen features Hi-end Appliances including Dishwasher and Microwave, and Granite Counter's. The Giant Bathroom is Stone Tiled with Zuma Soaking Tub, and Kohler and Grohe finishes. FREE AMENITIES: Full-time Virtual DOORMAN, Sun deck, Private Storage, Fitness Center, BIKE STORAGE, and a private Zen garden. Located in Prime East Village steps from the L Train, Cafés, Yoga Studio, Tompkins Square Park, Union Square, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods and so much more!! Sorry, No Pets.

Price: $2,050.

13th and B, 71 years apart

Well, thanks to Pinhead, we've been spending more and more time at the NYPL Digital Library site...

So, here's a photo of Avenue B at 13th Street looking to the northeast from March 1939....



...and close enough from today... just the ConEd stacks let you know that you're looking at the same corner...



Speaking of Pinhead... here's a nice now and then via EV Transitions at First Avenue and St. Mark's Place... Alex has one too at 14th Street and Irving Place...

At the Copper Building, your luxury East Village penthouse awaits you — still

The Copper Building is nearly all sold out... only two units remain on the market, according to StreetEasy, including the pièce de résistance — the penthouse. The unit hit the market at $1.65 million, and recently the Coppertoners knocked 9 percent off to bring it down to a more manageable $1.5 million.

As the listing subtly points out:

This is the penthouse of your dreams. The 22 foot high floor-to-ceiling windows provide absolutely breathtaking vistas the moment you enter the home. Following the beautiful wide oak wood stairs brings you to the master suite and full bath fit for the king (or queen) of New York. The apartment also features a 650 square foot private terrace. Your luxury East Village penthouse awaits you.

In case you can't make it by for the open house on Sunday afternoon (2-4:30), then check out some of the scenery via the PH pics...

Noted

"Biulding?"

Copper Building now officially a gated community

Curbed had an update yesterday on everyone's favorite new condo — the Copper Building on Avenue B and 13th Street.... Per Curbed:

And as for the housing projects next door, the luxury building's way of dealing with those is to make buyers feel protected by sticking the lobby entrance behind a locked gate. Or at least that's how it looks to us. But don't worry, there' some balance to those menacing bars!

There's a calming "Zen garden" to greet those granted passage beyond the gates...

And here are some photos via Curbed...




For some reason, I have a feeling some people aren't feeling so Zen now while reading this...

Starting The Copper Age

Walking by the Copper Building on Avenue B at 13th Street at night... you'd get the idea that people have moved into the luxury condos...





Indeed, one reader has reported that he or she has seen moving trucks out front. And a Streeteasy commenter said: "I was told the first tenant will be moving in on August 4th."

Speaking of Streeteasy, just five of the 17 units remain on the market. Of those left to sell, three of the units are the super-swanky penthouses... including the pièce de résistance (which is French for expensive condo) — the four-bedroom, four-bathroom home with "sweeping" views of downtown Manhattan. Last fall, the price of this 4x4 was bumped up by $250,000 to $3.85 million, where it remains today....

Standing outside the Copper Building (waiting on a friend)

Oh, nothing really to note here at the Copper Building at 13th Street and Avenue B... just seeing how easy it will be to look into someone's apartment from street level...






Thought maybe we'd get a response out of EV Grieve reader Despiser of the Copper Crapper too...