First sign of upcoming renovations at the former Webster Hall

[Photo from Sept. 30]

The new owners of Webster Hall are taking the first steps toward renovating and updating the landmarked building at 125 E. 11th St. for use as a live-music-only venue.

Reps of the owners will be meeting with Community Board 3's Landmarks Committee next Tuesday, Oct. 17.

Here's the agenda item:

Certificate of Appropriateness, Webster Hall, 125 East 11th St: addition of three new doors at street level within the historic façade to improve ingress and egress, provide accessibility for the disabled, and allow more efficient load-in and out of performers.

And a notice of the meeting is posted on the building here between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue...



Adding three new doors doesn't sound like the most exciting-controversial development ... just one that's necessary to help upgrade the facility and make it ADA compliant. To date, work permits have yet to be posted with the DOB.

Webster Hall closed on Aug. 10. Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment, along with AEG-backed The Bowery Presents, bought the building from the Ballinger family for $35 million in the spring.

The new owners will renovate the space, dropping the club nights to focus on live music. Some reports suggest that the new venue won't be ready until 2020. Billboard reported that there may be a name change here too.

Previously

[Updated] Construction watch: 421 E. 6th St.

[GIF via Meredith Rendall]

Late last week, workers removed the scaffolding on the west-facing wall of 421 E. Sixth St., the former Con Edison substation and Walter de Maria studio that Peter Brant is converting into an exhibition space.

This reveal provides the first look at the renovated circa-1920 building, which will reportedly host a few exhibits a year as an extension of the Greenwich, Conn.-based Brant Foundation Art Study Center ... and serve as a home for some of Brant's private art collection.

It might be worth taking a look at the progress here between Avenue A and First Avenue... starting with the Sixth Street side...





... and from the Seventh Street side...



Renovations are in the second year year. I don't even remember hearing about a completion date. "We plan to open it in a few years," Brant told the Times in October 2014 before the start of the construction.

The construction didn't really get going until April 2016. After complaints about the ongoing noise — particularly the jackhammering — the construction crew started posting a "weekly look ahead" schedule in August 2016 that outlines the work taking place.

Brant bought the building for $27 million in August 2014.

Updated 10/12

I haven't walked by in a few days... and the scaffolding is down on the Sixth Street side...



Previously on EV Grieve:
About that "giant-robot laboratory" on East Sixth Street

RIP Walter De Maria

What is your East Village dream home?

Walter De Maria's 'giant-robot laboratory' going for $25 million; inside is amazing as you'd expect

Here's what Peter Brant wants to do with his new exhibition space on East 6th Street

Work on disaster protection for Haven Plaza underway

Work started this past week on a natural disaster-resistant infrastructure to protect Haven Plaza in case of another destructive hurricane such as Sandy.

The project was announced back in the early summer for the affordable-housing complex on Avenue C at 13th Street.

Here's is a recap via the media advisory:

This new two-story structure plus basement and the upgrades throughout the complex are in direct response to 2012’s Hurricane Sandy, when the nearby East River overflowed its banks, the Con Edison East River Generating Station adjacent to Haven Plaza exploded, and, as a result, Haven Plaza lost all electricity and steam for heat. Residents – many elderly – were trapped without elevator service, electricity, heat or water. Men and women of the National Guard shared their field rations with residents until the power returned.

The $9.89-million project, which received the funding through the New York City Build It Back program, is expected to be complete in August 2018, per the new plywood signage.



Previously on EV Grieve:
Protection for Haven Plaza on Avenue C in case of another hurricane like Sandy

Shake Shack's Death Star branch opens today

[Photo from last Friday]

The Shack Shack for 51 Astor Place/IBM Watson Building/Death Star at Third Avenue and Ninth Street opens this morning at 11.

Here's more via the Shake Shack website:

A reflection of Shake Shack’s relentless focus on excellence, experience and hospitality through innovation, the Astor Place Shack will introduce a new guest flow at the restaurant. Set to open its doors on Tuesday, October 10th at 51 Astor Place on the corner of 9th Street and 3rd Avenue, the Shack is designed to enhance operations and guest experience and will feature kiosk-only ordering, a cashless environment, and an optimized kitchen for greater throughput.

Custom-designed by Shake Shack, the Shack kiosk was developed to allow Shake Shack to serve more guests at peak times – whether in-Shack, for pickup via the Shack App, or even delivery – resulting in fewer lines, less wait time and quicker speed of service at every channel. Several kiosks will line the Shack and team members known as Hospitality Champs will be stationed around the kiosks to assist guests with their orders and answer any questions.

The Shack kiosk replicates the experience of the Shack App with a sharp aesthetic, an intuitive touch screen interface and ease of ordering. Guests simply select their food, place an order and choose to receive an alert via text when their order is ready. The new technology offers guests yet another way to experience Shake Shack – when, where and how they want it – and demonstrates Shake Shack’s commitment to digital hospitality. Earlier this year, Shake Shack launched a mobile ordering app for iOS and Android platforms and introduced the ShackBot, through Facebook Messenger and Twitter DM, to answer guests’ most frequently asked questions.

The Astor Place Shack presents an exciting testing ground for Shake Shack to strengthen operations and experiment with new and innovative ways of connecting with loyal fans. Building a business model to support digital innovation, Shake Shack will lead with a starting wage of $15 per hour to continue to be on the forefront of competitive wages and developing the leaders needed for growth.

A new guest flow... Hospitality Champs... ShackBots...

For some reason I think of this Gary Numan song now...

Monday's parting shot

Photo on Avenue A by Grant Shaffer...

'Crystal' days in Union Square

[Photo looking west via @UnionSquareNY]

In case you didn't already see this... back on Friday, the NYC Parks Department and the Union Square Partnership, in partnership with Marlborough Gallery, unveiled sculptor Dale Chihuly's Rose Crystal Tower in Union Square Park (in the southeast corner).

Here's more via the Parks Department website:

The Rose Crystal Tower stands 31-feet tall and is composed of Polyvitro crystals and steel. Polyvitrois the artist’s term for a plastic material which he casts into individual chunks which resemble glass, but are lighter and more resilient. Chihuly used Polyvitro crystals in the artist’s landmark exhibition, Chihuly in the Light of Jerusalem 2000.

The tower is part of the 50th anniversary of the Parks Department's Art in the Parks program.

And here's another angle from Friday (photo by Liz Ligon for Union Square Partnership) to get a feel for where this thing is ...



The piece will be on display through October 2018.

You can read more about it at Town & Village.

Report: No charges for Sudanese diplomat who allegedly groped woman at Bar None

A Sudanese diplomat reportedly groped a woman at Bar None on Third Avenue early Sunday morning, then tried to run from police. However, according to the Daily News, the NYPD had to cut him loose because of his diplomatic status.

Per the News:

The 23-year-old woman told cops that Hassan Salih, 36, pawed her breasts and buttocks about 2:30 a.m. Sunday at Bar None on Third Ave. near 13th St., officials said.

The disgusted woman grabbed a bar security guard to report what happened and they called the police.

The cops arrived and detained Salih as they conducted interviews, and that's when the diplomat tried to make a run for it.

Salih was caught and brought to the 9th Precinct on Fifth Street. Given his diplomatic immunity, though, police released him.

Per the Post:

The website for the Sudanese Mission to the UN lists Salih as a “second officer” — a mid-level position requiring five to 10 years of experience, according to the international group.

In May, he was selected to represent Sudan on a UN committee that oversees non-governmental human rights groups, according to UN Watch.

1st signs of Ben Shaoul's Bloom 62 going condo on Avenue B?

Almost two years ago to the day news arrived that developer Ben Shaoul was planning to convert his Bloom 62 rental building on Avenue B into a condominium property.

The Real Deal reported on Oct. 8, 2015, that Shaoul, president of Magnum Real Estate Group, filed plans for an 81-unit condominium that will have a total sellout of $95.2 million, according to a summary of the offering plan filed with the state Attorney General’s office.

Meanwhile, there has been speculation that the under-renovation storefront at 44 Avenue B between Third Street and Fourth Street (a Steve Croman property) would serve as the sales office for the condos.

On Friday, an EVG reader spotted this signage on the storefront with newly tinted windows...



The sign says Liberty Toye coming soon to 62 Avenue B, Bloom 62's address ...



There's a generic website where interested parties can request more info for a building that will presumably be going by Liberty Toye...



As of this past weekend, there were 10 Bloom 62 rentals — with an average price of $4,899 — on the market at Streeteasy...



Before becoming a luxury rental, the building at Fifth Street was home to Cabrini, which closed for good on June 30, 2012. The 240-bed center — sponsored by the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus — provided health care for low-income elderly residents in the East Village. Cabrini opened in 1993 and served 240 patients and employed nearly 300 people. Shaoul reportedly paid $25 million for the property and closed down Cabrini.

After Shaoul took over, the rental building quickly became a party palace, with residents enraging neighbors with rooftop DJ parties. Shaoul cracked down on the rooftop ragers in the summer of 2015. Maybe not good for upcoming condo business.

In March 2015, Shaoul put Bloom 62 on the market … with an $80 million asking price. However, he later pulled the building off the market.

Liberty Toye will join Shaoul's other East Village condos — the A Building on East 13th Street and the incoming 98-100 Avenue A.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Claim: Ben Shaoul is the new owner of Cabrini nursing home, will convert to condos

Report: Local politicians reach out to Ben Shaoul as re-sale of the Cabrini Nursing Center seems likely

More details on Cabrini's closing announcement

A look at the 'Hip young crowd planting roots at Bloom 62'

Ben Shaoul looks to make a whole lot of money converting nursing home into high-end housing

Ben Shaoul is selling Bloom 62 for $73 million — all cash!

165 Avenue B back on the market, again

Last I heard, about two years ago, was that Sum Restaurant, serving a Cantonese-style menu, was in the works for the refurbished retail space at 165 Avenue B between 10th Street and 11th Street.

As you may have noticed, that restaurant never materialized, and a big for lease sign arrived in the front window at the end of the summer.

The listing is now online. It notes that this is a "Prime Avenue B location on a restaurant block." The asking rent is $$8,750, which is good for 1,000 square feet plus a 300-square-foot patio space.

And no post about 165 Avenue B can go without mentioning a long-ago (seemingly!) tenant — the junk-thrift shop Waldorf Hysteria.


Previously on EV Grieve:
165 Avenue B back on the market

165 Avenue B has been sold, and 2 apartments are on the market

A 12th Street Steiner East Village reveal

[Photo on Sept. 18 by dwg]

Last month (Sept. 18 to be exact), workers began removing the scaffolding and sidewalk bridge from the 12th Street side of Steiner East Village, developer Douglas Steiner's block-long condoplex.

We thought that the remaining scaffolding and sidewalk bridge would then soon come down on Avenue A and 11th Street, though that hasn't been the case so far.

So we'll go with what we have — a view of Stei Town's main entrance and private garage...



If this helps finding the garage...



The building, which features an indoor pool and 5,000-square-foot "rooftop park," also holds the distinction of having an East Village record-breaking sell-out of $225 million.

Last we saw, more than half of the 82 units were sold (that was a July report). The Steiner website currently shows eight available units.

Lastly, a look at Steinerburg Saturday morning from 12th Street...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: Developer Douglas Steiner lands $130 million loan for EV condo construction

Douglas Steiner's church-replacing condos emerge from the pit; plus new renderings

Developer Douglas Steiner presents Steiner East Village

An update on Steiner East Village, 'Usherer of Alphabet City Gentrification'

A barber shop coming to 4th Street

Signage is up for the incoming tenant at 199 E. Fourth St. — B&H Barber Shop.

The retail space here between Avenue A and Avenue B was previously the Eye Beauty Spa, which closed during the summer after 15 months in business. And before this, it was Salon Champu.

As previously noted, this building was one of six on Fourth Street that the Kushner Companies bought for $49 million from Ben Shaoul’s Magnum Real Estate Group and Meadow Partners back in 2013.

Sunday's parting shot

Photo on Seventh Street via Derek Berg...