Construction watch: 356 E. Eighth St.

The townhouse at 356 E. Eighth St. between Avenue C and Avenue D had been on and off the market in recent years (here and here).

The listing pitched the space for "high-end apartments or a luxury home."

Now it appears the new owner — an LLC that shares the address with M Development in Queens — opted for the apartment route. Recently approved work permits show that the existing 4-level structure will receive two new floors and a mezzanine.

Here's the all-cap DOBese:

FILED HEREWITH PLANS AND APPLICATIONS TO ADD A SIX STORY HORIZONTAL REAR ENLARGEMENT AND A THREE STORY + MEZZANINE VERTICAL ENLARGEMENT WITH SIX FAMILIES TO AN EXISTING FOUR STORY, THREE FAMILY BUILDING.

And here's a look at the rendering on the plywood…

Condo conversion or single-family home among the possibilities for 35 E. 7th St.

The townhouse between Second Avenue and Cooper Square is new to the market.

Here's a look at the listing from Halstead:

...the location couldn't be better for an end-user, investor, or developer looking for an opportunity in the heart of one of the most sought-after parts of the city. Located just a half block east of charming Cooper Square and less than 400' from 2nd Ave, the property is a perfect centerpiece to the vibrant neighborhood. With turn-of-the-century details on a shady section of the street, you'd be hard pressed to find a more quintessential downtown Manhattan property with substantial upside.

The 25' wide property consists of 5 units, 4 of which are free market and 1 of which is rent controlled. Two of the free market tenants have no lease. With a max FAR of 4, the property offers approximately 2,000 additional buildable SF. Unlock substantial upside via increased rents and/or additional rentable square footage, take advantage of this prime condo conversion opportunity, or convert to an incredible single family home.

Price: $5.7 million

No. 35 is the second townhouse on this block to hit the market this past week, joining No. 25.

Juice Press is up to something on East 1st Street

There are some new messages on the windows of the empty boutique next to the flagship Juice Press … here on East First Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue…

The writing on the door reads…



"The East Village is the only hope I have left of being fucking cool. This store is the incubator for my next food concept. I hope I don't fail."

And!



Not sure what any of this is supposed to mean. Before opening the East First Street shop in 2010, JP founder Marcus Antebi put up signs announcing a Robot Daycare and NY Academy of Mime, among other things, coming soon.

Perhaps this space will serve as JP's test kitchen. They lost that space when JP closed the location on East 10th Street near Avenue A in the spring after the landlord — Steve Croman — apparently continued to drag out repairs in the building.

Raccoon sighting on Avenue A

The new marquee went up last week at 206 Avenue A, where a bar-cocktail lounge is opening in the former Common Ground space between East 12th Street and East 13th Street.

We haven't heard too much about the new establishment just yet. Last November, the proprietors of The Garret — a rather hidden cocktail lounge above a Five Guys on Bleecker Street — went before the CB3/SLA committee for a new liquor license for the address.

However, CB3 denied the application, citing concern from neighbors and the applicant's inexperience operating a business, among other reasons, according to the minutes (PDF!) of that month's meeting.

Apparently the owners were able to secure a license directly from the State Liquor Authority.

The Garret's menu on Bleecker Street includes a slate of draft beers (priced $7 to $9) and house cocktails with names like A What What and Missus Wheeler ($14-18). As for the raccoon in a bow tie on the sign, the Garret has a character named Rocco on its website.

Common Ground closed at the end of April after 10 years in the location.

At Village View's semi-annual flea market

EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by today's semi-annual sale at Village View … and met some of the residents taking part …

Week in Grieview

[Photo by Derek Berg]

RIP Adam Purple (Wednesday)

More about the Birdman closing Rainbow Music on First Avenue this month (Monday)

Woman dies after jumping from actor's East 3rd Street apartment (Tuesday)

It's diorama season at the Ninth Street Community Garden & Park (Wednesday)

Condos at Ben Shaoul's 98-100 Avenue A will start at $1.3 million; high-end gym eyed for retail space (Wednesday)

Silver Monuments Works packs up its tombstones for a move to Queens (Tuesday)

Raphael Toledano secures $124 million loan for 16-building East Village portfolio (Friday)

Construction underway at the Bea Arthur Residence for homeless LGBT youth on East 13th Street (Monday)

Where to get your shoes repaired around here (Monday)

The Marshal seizes Nevada Smiths on Third Avenue (Wednesday)

A memorial for LES Jewels, who died on Sept. 14, 2013 (Monday)

Avant Garden opens on East Seventh Street (Tuesday)

Looking at Futura's 'Concrete Jungle' on the Houston/Bowery Mural Wall (Monday)

Coffee Project New York opening soon on East Fifth Street (Thursday)

Veselka is free from its sidewalk bridge (Tuesday)

Thinking about the future (and past) of Third Avenue and St. Mark's Place (Thursday)

Party progress at Icon Realty's 205 Avenue A (Monday)

Planet Fitness muscling in on Essex Crossing (Tuesday)

Black Seed bagels about two weeks away from opening (Friday)

Kenneth Cole readies new storefront on the Bowery (Wednesday)

East Village Cheese, now with an East Village Cheese sign (Monday)

25 E. Seventh St. is for sale (Thursday)

… and here's a look at Hektad's new mural that went up last week on East 11th Street at First Avenue…

'Farm To Food Bank' Monday at Union Square

Via the EVG inbox...

Food Bank For New York City will host its first annual “Farm To Food Bank” Food Drive, in partnership with GrowNYC’s Union Square Greenmarket, to help support the 1.5 million New Yorkers who rely on Food Bank For New York City and its citywide network of charities.

Food Bank is asking New Yorkers who stop by Union Square Greenmarket to shop for their families, to buy a little extra and donate some fresh fruit and vegetables to Food Bank to help ensure that all New Yorkers have access to healthy nutritious meals.

Last year, Food Bank For New York City distributed 18 million pounds of fresh produce to New Yorker in need.

When: Monday, Sept. 21
9 A.M. – 6 P.M.

A splash of color for East 7th Street

This weekend on East Seventh Street at Avenue B, two muralists, GRIMACE and Pablo Ancona, are working on a collaborative piece ... which should be finished tomorrow...

Several readers wondered if this was something to distract people from those Theory ads (for the Gansevoort Street shop) that arrived in the window of Jillery this past week...



Photos by Bobby Williams

Promising sinkhole continues to be promising on East 7th Street

We'll continue to monitor this one on East Seventh Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue...

You'll notice the skid marks ...



We're currently analyzing the brake marks to see what the vehicle's speed was prior to being swallowed up by the sinkhole. Also, someone left behind their sinkhole measuring apparatus.

The Village View Flea Market/Tag Sale is tomorrow (aka Sunday)

Via the EVG inbox…

Village View's Semi-Annual Flea Market/Tag Sale will take place tomorrow (Sunday, Sept. 20) in the playground just behind 60 Avenue A at the corner of East 4th Street and Avenue A from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.