Tuesday, September 12, 2017

48 Clinton St. for sale as development site


[48 Clinton St.]

Yesterday I noted that 238-240 E. Third St. between Avenue B and Avenue C is available as either a development site or as its most recent use — a theater space.

This is one of two properties that founders of the Blue Man Group sold this past summer for $18.5 million.

The other site is 48 Clinton St. between Stanton and Rivington on the Lower East Side. That rather mysterious building (pictured top) is also for sale.

According to the listing at RKF:

The property can be redeveloped up to 10,000 SF for a mixed-use development as per R7A zoning.

New residential projects include the adjacent 50 Clinton and The Ludlow, which have introduced 280 high-end residential apartments, bringing many young, affluent New Yorkers to the neighborhood.

A PDF of the property — billed as a "redevelopment opportunity" — notes that the four-level space has served as a recording studio.



No. 48 was once home to LoHo Studios, which an array of artists such Joey Ramone, Willie Nelson, Phish, Patti Smith and Joan Jett have used.

There isn't a price listed for No. 48.

Public records show that an LLC affiliated with Blue Man Productions bought the building in 2008 for $5 million.

Ummburger makes it official on 1st Avenue



The coming soon signage arrived over the weekend for Ummburger, a self-described burger bar here at 99 First Avenue and Sixth Street.

Work on the murals began over the Labor Day Weekend...and appear to be finished now...





In materials submitted to CB3 this past spring, the applicants described Ummburger as a "fast casual" concept serving a variety of burgers, including a vegetarian option. There are other sandwiches too, such as a fried chicken sandwich called the Southern Ummfort.

The previous tenant at this address, Mancora, moved across Sixth Street earlier in the summer.

H/T to EVG readers Bruce and Vinny & O for noting the progress!

Previously on EV Grieve:
Ummburger vying for the Mancora space on 1st Avenue

Dueling notes at the Miracle Garden on 3rd Street



An EVG reader shares these photos ... the above "Dear Garden Ladies" sign arrived at the Miracle Garden on Third Street between Avenue A and Avenue B ... stating:

We love this garden.

Please open it up for us. Its [sic] unfair to tease your neighbors by locking this special sanctuary.

Love your neighbors.

Someone from the garden (presumably) responded with the following letter...



...stating that "unfortunately not everyone had the respect we assume you have for the Garden & there has been severe damage (furniture broken, furniture stolen, plants trampled, plants pulled up & thrown everywhere .. etc. etc.) so for protection, we need a member around to make sure this doesn't continue."

Anyway, the letter goes on, ending with "We would love for the neighborhood to actively become involved and help."

Their monthly meeting is tonight at 7.

Just For Fen opens on 1st Avenue

Just For Fen is in soft-open mode at 229 First Ave. between 13th Street and 14th Street.

You can find some pics of their noodle dishes via the restaurant's Instagram account here.

As noted, Bago was the previous tenant at this address.

Monday, September 11, 2017

[Video] Nighttime along Avenue A on Sept. 11 and Sept. 12, 2001



Harold Kramer shared this video that he filmed on the evening of Sept. 11, 2001. Kramer, who owned the Raven Cafe on Avenue A and 12th Street, starts the clip by talking about the events of the day.

At around the 1:45 mark, he shows the Twin Towers mural that Chico quickly put up on the southwest corner of 14th Street at Avenue A. Kramer spent the bulk of the video with people at the mural the following evening.

As one New York Times reader said of the work: "It filled me with hope and sadness and some kind of love for all of the other New Yorkers living through the hours and days yet to come."

The landlord of the building eventually covered the mural with ads. The mural briefly reappeared in November 2013.



[EVG reader-submitted photos from 2013]

Noted



Spotted making a deliver this afternoon in Stuy Town... via @KarenLoew

Noted



An EVG reader shared this note to fellow residents from a building on Avenue A near 11th Street...

"If your apt is vibrating + noisy, please call the landlord."

So many possibilities...

EVG Etc.: Creating the 9/11 Tribute in Light; Reading up on the candidates


[Morning view from Astor Place]

How the 9/11 Tribute in Light comes together (Curbed)

A local Voter Guide ahead of Tuesday's Primary Day (The Lo-Down)

How the City Council candidates view the future of the former P.S 64 and CHARAS/El Bohio community center on East Ninth Street (Crain's ... previously)

A feature on the married chefs who run Fat Cat Kitchen on 14th Street (Town & Village)

A years-in-the-making restoration of "Soul City" via East Village filmmaker-artist M. Henry Jones on Thursday night (Anthology Film Archives)

Spike Jonze brings a new dance-based project to La MaMa (The New York Times)

More talks on the future of Sara D. Roosevelt Park's Stanton Street Storehouse (DNAInfo)

Senior housing for the fire-damaged Beth Hamedrash Hagadol on the LES? (BoweryBoogie)

Bird migration in Tompkins Square Park (Laura Goggin Photography)

Alex shares some photos from the summer of 2017 (Flaming Pablum)

Diversions: Sammy Hagar's influence on the early Clash (Dangerous Minds)

... and the NYPD released info on an assault that took place last month on First Avenue between First Street and Second Street.

3rd Street development site on the market for $12 million



238-240 E. Third St. between Avenue B and Avenue C is now on the market. The two-story building is next door to the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, which will be undergoing a gut renovation.

Here are the details about No. 238-240 via the listing at Cushman & Wakefield:

The lot is approximately 50’ x 106’ with a lot coverage of 5,253 SF. The building houses offices, a meeting area, and a large theatrical studio with 20’ ceiling heights. Furthermore, it was most recently used by a local entertainment company in which theatrical acts and stunts were arranged. The fire alarm, sprinkler and electrical systems have been upgraded recently. The CO allows for a maximum occupancy of 76 on the ground floor, and 12 on the mezzanine.

The building has approximately 4,500 SF on the ground floor, 850 SF on the mezzanine level and 800 SF in the basement. It is in the R8B zone, which has a 4.00 FAR for residential or community facility uses. The total buildable square footage is approximately 21,000. Note: There is an outdoor walkway alley on the westerly side of the property (the majority of the building is 43 feet wide).

This is an excellent opportunity for a developer to acquire a 50’ wide development site in the East Village. In addition, considering how unique the building is, the offering presents an incredibly rare opportunity in which the current building and configuration could be maintained for a user.

So, the options are build up for some housing... or maintain as a property for theater. Either way, the asking price is $12 million.

In a previous life the building served as a movie theater. Public records from July list two of the founders of the Blue Man Group — Chris Wink and Philip Stanton — as the previous owners, who received $18.6 million for this and another LES property.

In a deal announced in early July, Cirque du Soleil acquired Blue Man Productions. Specific terms of the deal weren't disclosed, but it is believed to be worth in the tens of millions, according to published reports.

Hear about the rezoning of 3rd and 4th Avenues to limit large-scale commercial development



On Wednesday night, CB3's Land Use, Zoning, Public & Private Housing Committee will hear an informational presentation by the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (GVSHP) on rezoning Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue.

Here's more info via GVSHP:

GVSHP will be presenting its proposal (PDF here) for rezoning the 3rd and 4th Avenue corridors to prevent oversized commercial development in this area, such as the 300 room, 13-story hotel under construction at 112-120 E. 11th St.

GVSHP is proposing and seeking zoning protections for the area between 5th and 3rd Avenues, Union Square and Astor Place, which is unique within the Village and East Village for its lack of adequate zoning and landmark protections. Community Board 3 ONLY covers the area east of 4th Avenue, so Wednesday's meeting is solely focused on 3rd and 4th Avenues (Community Board 2 covers west of 4th Avenue, and is already on record in support of our proposed zoning protections for Broadway and University Place).

If you oppose overdevelopment in this area, it is vital that you attend. We must get these zoning protections to prevent further oversized development in the area, especially hotels and office buildings. Such development is proliferating in the area in part due to the expanding tech industry, and the Mayor’s planned 14th Street “Tech Hub.”

Find more info here.

The meeting is at the Rutgers Community Center, 200 Madison St. between Rutgers and Pike. The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m.; this is item No. 4.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Look at the former Bowlmor Lanes now

Behold Civic Hall, the high-tech future of Union Square — and NYC

Post office-replacing residential building with a Trader Joe's nearing the top on 14th Street



Looks like workers are just starting on the seventh floor (of eight total) here at 432-438 E. 14th St. near Avenue A.

Entrance to the two-level, nearly 23,000-square-foot Trader Joe's will be on the 14th Street side of the building while residents will access their rentals from the 13th Street side. (The plans call for 114 residential units with 20 percent designated as affordable housing.)


[Looking to the west on Avenue A]

You can find coverage about the former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office here.

Bonus shot of the work at 500 E. 14th St. at Avenue A, where Target is taking the corner retail slot with a summer 2018 opening...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Developer withdraws zoning variance request for former 14th Street post office site

[Updated] Krust Pizzeria is back open on 14th Street



Krust Pizzeria has been out of commission in recent weeks... the food shop on 14th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue seemed to have been in a constant state of renovation at the end of the summer ...


[Top 2 photos from Aug. 26]

And some time last week, legal documents arrived on the door ...



...eviction proceedings are underway...



As of now, Yelp is showing that Krust is permanently closed.

Krust opened in the fall of 2011.

Updated 9/16

Krust pulled through and is back in business, per EVG reader Shiv today...