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Photo by jdx. From Avenue A and East Third Street ... shooting diagonally toward the East River...

51 Astor Place demolition begins July 1; 17 months to build new black-glass tower

By now, you likely know what's coming very soon to Astor Place — a Fumihiko Maki-designed 430,000-square-foot tower at the site of the former Cooper Union engineering building (You can refresh your memory here.)

Last night, representatives from the developer, Edward Minskoff, and the construction company, Sciame, shared demolition plans with 50-some community members at the soon-to-be demolished 51 Astor Place.

There were several presentations... the thing will be "black glass with black granite and silver fins." A construction rep talked about how safe the site will be... as well as signage, drainage, curb cuts, Zzzzzzz....

Now to what you want to know about:

Demolition begins on July 1. The reps said the entire duration of the project is 17 months.

Actually, you won't see any wrecking balls lined up starting on July 1. First. There will be roughly 40 days of abatement, to rid the place of fun things like vermin and asbestos. The construction rep assured the audience that all this will be done to the letter of the law with the utmost safety features in place. He described it as a "controlled process."

After that! A round of inspections. Then workers will commence with a 50-day-long "surgical demolition." So the actual demolition portion should commence sometime in mid-August. Workers will encase the site, and use small machines to methodically remove floor by floor... The demolition truck staging will take place on Third Avenue at Astor...

Early on, a discussion on the hours of the demolition site nearly turned the meeting into a melee. The construction hours are the city-established 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. There will be an occasional need to work on weekends, and the crew will have special DOB-issued permits for that.

"A lot of people live around here, and we're not going to be able to sleep for two years," said one resident in the back of the auditorium.

Reps tried to soldier on with the presentation, but a few persistent residents weren't having it.

"We don't care about the project."

"Answer our questions."

"This is propaganda."

"We don't care what it looks like."

Another resident mentioned a lawsuit to stop the project.

The presentation continued. Two of the more-vocal attendees eventually wandered out early.

A few other factoids:

• The plaza area roughly where the Film Academy Cafe is now calls for an Alexander Calder sculpture, most likely one titled "Giant Critter." (CB3 will review the plaza plans in July. More on that meeting when the date is available.)

• The building is 183 feet tall.

• The building will include space for retail and educational use on the lower levels; office space on the upper floors.

• There are no retail tenants yet. The retail space will reflect the needs of the office tenants.

• The developers have had talks with NYU and Cooper Union about leasing the educational space.

And here's what the building looks like from the Fourth Avenue side... (Note that the Cube remains on Astor Place...)

More on all this later...

Bonus! Photo of the first-floor men's room at 51 Astor Place...

Previously on EV Grieve:
East Village — the new Midtown?

The demolition of 51 Astor Place means the end of the New York Film Academy Café here

So with the news that the demolition of 51 Astor Place begins on July 1... I guess it's safe to assume that the New York Film Academy Café will be closing up (possibly moving to a new location?) at the end of the month...

The Café replaced the (east) Astor Place Starbucks early last year... During a meeting last night about 51 Astor Place, representatives for the developer said that the staging for the demolition would be taking place in the area where the Café currently sits...

4 years later, developer still talking Left Bank for Extra Place

[Photo by Bobby Williams from Monday afternoon]

More than four years ago, we first heard about the plans the developers of Avalon Bowery Place had for Extra Place — "a slice of the Left Bank, a pedestrian mall lined with interesting boutiques and cafes."



While we've been documenting the mostly pedestrian-free zone along Extra Place, developer AvalonBay is still hoping for a café society here.

Monday night, Stephen Hutto, AvalonBay's director of retail, told CB3's Economic Development Committee that he is close on a deal to bring a new Mediterranean-style restaurant into an 1,800-square-foot space on Extra Place, Patrick Hedlund at DNAinfo reported.

He also said that "a popular Brooklyn-based coffee shop" is eyeing a spot on East First Street near the corner of Extra Place.

In addition, Hutto wanted the CB's blessing for future tenants to seek new liquor licenses. (In response, CB members said that they'd deal with the licenses on a case-by-case basis.) He also asked for the Board's suggestions for populating the storefronts.

Per Hedlund's article: "Some community board members cited the lack of retail diversity in the neighborhood, as bars and restaurants continue to swallow up area storefronts, recommending that AvalonBay incentivize tenancy for a wide range of businesses by setting their rents below market rates."

Previously on EV Grieve:
Extra Place now officially a Dead End

Meanwhile, Extra Place continues to maintain its proud heritage

Perhaps he just saw Extra Place for the first time in 15 years or so?

Looking at Extra Place

Tonight: Slima's art show

Tonight, you can check out the work of the one-and-only Joseph "Count Slima" Williams. All the details are in the photo of the flyer above... And here's a photo of Slima with one of his works.

Sa Aming Nayon now open in the former Wai? Cafe space

The Filipino restaurant here on First Avenue between 12th Street and 13th Street is now open. They're also serving breakfast daily from 9-11 a.m.

I don't know anything about Filipino food. So can someone tell me about their breakfast specials, such as Cornsilog — homemade corned beef, garlic fried rice and two eggs any style ($7.95). And if you've eaten here already, then please pass along a report.

Meanwhile, work continues on Avenue B where Wai? Cafe will move one of these days.

Previously.

Earlier this evening around Tompkins Square Park

Anyone have any idea why this patch of the sidewalk near the Ninth Street entrance at Avenue B is cordoned off with "Danger Do Not Enter" red tape?

Updated: Answer is in the comments...

The line for Prune's brunch is getting ridiculous

Oh, c'mon... just a shot of the usual long cab-gas line here on Second Avenue at First Street via Bobby Williams.

Avenue A, 3 a.m., June 7

At Fifth Street. Photo by Shawn Chittle

New sinkhole proves that the Bowery isn't all glam yet

EV Grieve reader Michele Campo sends along the above photo, noting that a (roughly) 6-by-6 sinkhole opened up on the Bowery just north of Broome Street just after noon today.

Meanwhile, look for the sinkhole to apply for a liquor license soon.

Former funeral home looks to double in size with help from 'the controversial penthouse king of the East Village'

Expect to see something much larger and glassy in place at the former Sigmund Schwartz Gramercy Park Chapel on Second Avenue between 10th Street and Ninth Street. Off the Grid, the blog of the Greenwich Village Preservation Society, reports that the owners have applied to make substantial changes to the 1937 building.

Per Off the Grid:

According to the Department of Buildings, an Alteration type 1 application has been filed, which is the most substantial type of alteration. Plans are to “Remodel the existing three story building and add 3 stories on top.” The ground floor will be commercial and the five upper stories will be residential (six apartments each on floors two through four, and duplex apartments on the floors five & six). This can mean anything from the existing building more or less staying in place on the exterior and three stories being built on top, to the existing building being more or less stripped down to its foundations and a new six-story building pretty much being erected in its place. The permit has yet to be officially issued.

DOB paperwork shows that Ramy Issac is the architect here. New York once called him "The controversial penthouse king of the East Village." Issac is well-know to many people in the neighborhood for his work with developer-landlord Benjamin "Sledgehammer" Shaoul.

Meanwhile, check out this history of the Sigmund Schwartz Gramercy Park Chapel at Jeremiah's Vanishing New York.

12th Street brownstone becoming mini university for Jewish education

We've been watching the work continue at this brownstone on East 12th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue...

However, this isn't your ordinary townhouse renovation.

Here's the mission statement from the Brownstone website:

The Brownstone’s mission is to use NYC as an experiential classroom to strengthen Jewish identity and peoplehood, foster community development and cultivate the next generation of leaders to ensure Jewish continuity for American Jews.

The Brownstone building, located in the heart of New York’s East Village, will be a hub of dynamic and engaging immersion learning programs for the local community and for collegiates and young adults from across the United States and abroad.

The six-story Brownstone will feature: tastefully appointed meeting rooms, classrooms, a spacious auditorium, library, sleeping accommodations, offices, lounge, dining hall and kitchen, as well as a garden and a rooftop terrace.

And, if you want to know more, then you may watch the movie...

The dog-pampering Nolitan taking reservations starting July 1

We haven't paid too much attention to the long-delayed Nolitan, the high-endy boutique hotel on Kenmare and Elizabeth. Been following the drama at BoweryBoogie, Curbed and the Lo-Down.

Anyway, happened to walk by it yesterday, and wanted to learn more... Per the hotel website, it looks as if they're accepting reservations starting for July 1 — at a special intro rate of $305 per night.

And according to a press release an article posted Friday at Delood:

When you are staying at The Nolitan Hotel you will have the best service, luxury and hospitality available to you. The staff is there around the clock to provide you with with whatever you need – And we mean WHATEVER – a shoe shine, a presentation printed, dinner reservations, or even a dog walker. All dogs from Neapolitan Mastiffs to teacup Chihuahuas are welcome at The Nolitan. In fact, the hotel has a Director of Pet Relations; a six-year old Shepweiler (German Shepherd-Rottweiler mix) named Penny. Penny will make sure all the pet provisions and amenities are in order when you let the hotel know you are coming with your four-legged friend. She’ll arrange everything from spa treatments to peanut butter ice cream and give you the scoop on neighborhood dog runs and pet friendly establishments.

Who is destroying the East Village monsters?

The other day, EV Grieve correspondent Bobby Williams spotted this dinosaur-monster thing outside La Plaza Cultural Armando Perez on Avenue C at Ninth Street...

Then, a few days later...

Flashback to the Mystery Lot...

[Via James and Karla Murray]

And, after "a storm," which is what the authorities what you to believe.

Then it disappeared.