More info about the new development replacing the post office everyone hated

[Photo from October by EVG reader Mr. Baggs]

Here are more details about the 8-story retail-residential building coming to the former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office on East 14th Street near Avenue A.

As we noted Wednesday, the building will be 96,000 square feet, with 8,655 square feet designated for the retail space. Plans also show a total of 114 apartments.

According to New York Yimby, landlord Benenson Capital Partners, which has owned the through-block site since 1983, the development "would be made up of a north and south building, fronting on East 14th and East 13th Streets, respectively. The latter would rise to eight stories and the former to seven, with between five and ten apartments per building per floor."

Plus!

"The residential lobby would be located on the ground floor of the 13th Street building, while the nearly 9,000 square feet of retail space would sit in the north building, fronting on busy East 14th Street."

No word yet on timing for the new building(s). Demolition permits were ordered in October to bring down the post office and the former Stuyvesant Stationery shop next door.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Today in rants: the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office

Meanwhile, at everyone's favorite local post office branch...

UPDATED: Did you hear the rumor about the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office branch closing?

Report: Closure of the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office is pretty much a done deal

First sign of more development on East 14th Street?

Asbestos abatement to begin at former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office

Davey drill arrives ahead of rumored development at former East 14th Street post office

Former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office slated to be demolished

The former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office will yield to an 8-story residential building

More about The East Luxe, Ben Shaoul's new 20-unit rental on 2nd Avenue

Just last Friday we pointed out that Ben Shaoul's new rental building at 31-33 Second Ave. had a fancy name to go with the 1970s-student-housing architecture — The East Luxe.

For more, we turn to the news release that arrived yesterday from the brokerage firm brokering the new building:

Completely renovated and redesigned, the 20-unit building offers one bedrooms through four bedroom apartments with slated occupancy for the beginning of 2015. The building, which offers units starting at $4,235 and your 2nd month of rent free, has an elevator and landscaped roof deck with views of the Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, and the Manhattan Bridge. Each unit is appointed with condo finishes offering washer and dryer units in each apartment, stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, and marble bathrooms.

"The East Luxe is a true gem in the East Village," says Khashy Eyn, Founder/CEO of Platinum Properties. "We are excited to represent this boutique luxury property, which is distinct from any rental building that is currently on the market."

Distinct from any rental building that is currently on the market maybe ... not unlike Ben Shaoul's Bloom 62, which lists similar amenities.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Ben Shaoul planning a 3-story addition at 31-33 Second Ave.

Bracing for 3 new floors at 31-33 Second Ave.

Checking in on the work in progress at 31-33 2nd Ave., where Ben Shaoul is adding 3 new floors

Ben Shaoul's bland new 2nd Avenue building is called The East Luxe

Wine store in the works for 50 3rd Ave.

Biomed Drugs & Surgical Supply Co. closed back in the spring at 50 Third Ave. near East 10th Street.

High rents did the 20-year-old store in, the cashier told Jeremiah Moss. And what might be next? The cashier figured "a chain, a restaurant or a bar — they're the only ones that can afford the rent."

Well, that's pretty close. We spotted a notice in the window the other day noting an application for Taste Wine LLC, an off-premises package store…



Also, for a little history of the address, Jeremiah pointed out that the location was once home to the wondrous Sig Klein's Fat Men's Shop.

The Checkers sign on 1st Avenue is looking so Checkers-ish

OK! Apologies for TWO Checkers-related posts in one week. But! We hadn't seen the Checkers signage for ourselves at 225 First Ave. between East 13th Street and East 14th Street … until yesterday afternoon.

Look how it gleams in the afternoon sun!

We actually don't know a thing about Checkers. According to the Checkers franchising website: "Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc. burst onto the burger scene with their over-the-top flavors in 1986 in Mobile, Alabama."

And what do they serve?

"Burgers, Wings, Seasoned Fries and Shakes, if it's over-the-top flavor you're looking for you'll be sure to find it at a New York Area Checkers."



In April 2013, Crain's reported that Checkers was going to add another 22 restaurants in NYC by 2015.

So maybe we better get used to seeing them.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Checkers headed to 1st Avenue

Report: City not removing tire swings from Tompkins Square Park

The city isn't removing the tire swing that killed a man in Tompkins Square Park on Monday afternoon, the Post reports.

Harlem resident Aleim Perkins, 39, was playing with his 6-year-old niece in the playground off East Ninth Street and Avenue A. Witnesses have said he was aggressively pushing an empty tire swing when it struck him in the face.

"We do not plan to remove the swings at present. A close inspection yesterday found the swing to be in safe working order," a Parks Department spokesperson told the Post.

There are 53 tire swings in NYC parks. According to the spokesperson, this is the first time anyone has ever died from a tire swing injury in a city park.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Witness to a tragedy in Tompkins Square Park

Noise nightmare for neighbors comes to an end as 7-11 moves AC units to the roof on Avenue A

More than 15 months after 7-Eleven installed three noisy refrigeration units in an alleyway between 500 and 502 E. 11th St., workers arrived this morning to move them to the building's rooftop where they hopefully won't keep neighbors up all night.

Back in October, the Department of Environmental Protection ordered the Avenue A 7-Eleven to stop using the units, saying they violated the city's noise code. At the time, 7-Eleven reps said that they needed more time to sign a contract with a company to move the equipment. Landlord Westminster City Living claimed that 7-Eleven had refused to meet with them to discuss the ongoing issue.

As previously noted, the constant grinding, clicking noise caused several tenants in 502 East 11th St. to abandon their bedrooms.


[Photo via the No 7-Eleven Blog]

The crane was originally scheduled to arrive last Thursday, but the company had to amend their plans the day before the lift.

Upon hearing that news last week, one resident wrote, "We are at our emotional ends — exhausted beyond belief. We were fantasizing about the use of our living room for a Christmas tree (instead of a cluttered bedroom), and now we will have to wait… until when?"

The wait appears to be over… as these photos by Brian Katz, one of the residents who has endured the noise, show…





Previously on EV Grieve:
3 new AC units at incoming 7-Eleven prompts Partial Stop Work Order

A WHOOSHING AC unit update: 'We are roundly being ignored by 7-Eleven and Westminster NYC'

Report: 7-Eleven's AC units have forced residents from their bedrooms on Avenue A & East 11th St.

Local pols blast 7-Eleven for blocking order to remove noisy refrigeration unit at 170 Avenue A

1 year later, 7-Eleven asks for more time to move noisy refrigeration units from residential windows

Shop local tonight

Via the EVG inbox...

Shop local in the East Village tonight. The East Village Independent Merchant Association (EVIMA) is hosting the East Village Holiday Shopping Night, with more than 20 participating local merchants providing promotions and discounts for shoppers from 6-9 pm. A complete list of all participating stores and their deals can be found here.

In addition, the East Village Community Coalition will be holding a community holiday party and teen gift drive for the Women’s Prison Association in their offices (143 Avenue B, in the Christodora House) tonight from 6-10. Suggested gifts include: gloves, scarves, beanies, clothing (including winter coats), movie gift cards, lotions and fragrances (most popular item for girls, sunglasses, earphones and headphones, jewelry, watches, wallets, handbags and messenger bags, backpacks, NY teams merchandise (Mets, Yankees, Nets, Knicks, Rangers, Giants, Jets).

Is an Avenue A entrance for the L train in our future?

[Photo from September by EVG reader stickmanpk]

Back in September, EVG reader stickmanpk spotted a crew with a Davey drill taking some soil samples on East 14th Street near Avenue A. At the time, we thought it was something to do with the new development in the works for the former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office across the street.

Later, though, we heard this was for the MTA... to explore a new Avenue A entrance for the L train.

Now, via a reader, here's an MTA press release dated last Thursday that discusses the possibility of a new entrance here.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is seeking federal funding toward approximately $300 million in infrastructure improvements for the Canarsie L Subway Line, which runs from Manhattan to the Canarsie section of Brooklyn through neighborhoods that have seen the largest increases in population in New York City.

Proposed infrastructure improvements include adding three power substations to allow for two additional trains per hour, a 10% increase in service, which could carry 2,200 additional customers per hour. Other elements include installing elevators at the 1 Av and Bedford Av stations to make them fully compliant with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, and adding new street-level entrances at both stations to make it easier for customers to enter or exit the stations and alleviate platform crowding that can delay trains.

“More than 49,000 customers use the 1 Av and Bedford Av stations on an average weekday, and the stations experience overcrowding during peak periods. The area around the Bedford Av station has been rezoned to allow for almost 10,000 new residential units, and ridership is expected to continue to rise,” said New York City Transit President Carmen Bianco. “We have to increase capacity on the Canarsie Line and improve customer flow at stations to meet this increasing demand, and securing federal funding for a project of this magnitude will go a long way toward achieving that goal.”

At the 1 Av station, new fare control areas at Avenue A would double capacity – a 100% increase – up to the street from each platform. The Avenue A entrances would serve 60% of the station’s ridership, thus eliminating a 500-foot walk (from First Avenue to Avenue A) for 31,000 weekday customers entering or exiting the station.

Partial funding for the Canarsie improvements has been included in the MTA’s proposed 2015-2019 Capital Program, per the release.

According to the MTA, the L line first opened as a segment on June 30, 1924, a time when men also wore suspenders without irony.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A Davey Drill and a dream

Miracles! The DF Mavens storefront finally — REVEALED

Well! After a seemingly really long time, the plywood came down yesterday on the northwest corner of Second Avenue and St. Mark's Place... home one of these days to vegan ice cream shop DF Mavens ...



We first reported on their arrival back in October 2013. It's a bit of a mystery why this built-out has taken so long. The space was previously home to Eastside Bakery (.net?), which sold coffee and pastries and FroYo ... so it's not like workers were starting from nothing.

Anyway! Some day, the exterior will look like this...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Prepping for the arrival of DF Mavens on 2nd Avenue and St. Mark's Place (29 comments)

The 4th Avenue Spice has closed

The Thai mainstay on Fourth Avenue and East 10th Street closed for good after service on Monday.

However, you don't need to go far to find another Spice — there's one on Second Avenue and East Sixth Street and East 13th Street and University, among eight other locations in NYC.

The sign on the door points out that they are consolidating their restaurants...



Thanks to FashionByHe for the tip!

Random shirtless, bearded guy on a bike now helping market luxury condos at 277 E. 7th St.

On Tuesday, we noted that a new branding/marketing campaign is in the works for the luxury condos at 277 E. Seventh St. near Avenue D.

The place hit the market in early October, though, to date, none of the six units have sold.

So there's a new broker as well as a new name for the building — Seven East Village.

And now, as our friends at Curbed noted, there are new marketing materials to showcase these million-dollar homes.

Behold Mr. Seven East Village ...



Not even sure where to begin with this one. Well, let's start by asking why First Avenue at St. Mark's Place is subbing for East Seventh Street and Avenue C — and not even Avenue D where No. 277 is nearest.

Your turn.

Previously on EV Grieve:
277 E. 7th St. condos rebranded 'Seven East Village,' and will feature a bike-sharing program (23 comments)

Veniero's turns 120 with free cookies today; plus carolers caroling

The venerable Veniero's is celebrating 120 years at 342 E. 11th St. today.

And Veniero's is making it a dual anniversary, as Lisha Arino at DNAinfo reports:

The East 11th Street bakery will hand out about 340 cookies designed to celebrate two milestones: 120 years since the shop opened in its current location in 1894, and 120 years since the Third Street Music School Settlement opened in the neighborhood as well.

The cookies will feature the two groups' logos, as well as the words “Celebrating 120 Years 1894-2014," said Robert Zerilli, co-owner of Veniero's.

“They’re big cookies, the size of your hands,” Zerilli said.

And they'll be some outdoor caroling by the school's students ... here's a map with the caroling info...

People apparently are enjoying their bone broth to go on 1st Avenue

[EVG file photo]

Hearth chef/owner Marco Canora added a new to-go window (door?) on the First Avenue side of the restaurant back on Nov. 3.

And people seem to like his bone broth and soups, which cost between $4 and $9. Crain's reports that the to-go business, called Brodo (Italian for broth), is attracting 200 customers a day.

Eater notes that the demand is such that Canora had to install a second stove for Brodo inside Hearth at East 12th Street.

Back to Crain's:

Mr. Canora said his new concept comes as the result of personal health issues, the rising popularity of broth and a desire to utilize Hearth's unused space. After January, he hopes to add vegetarian and seafood broths. He also plans to operate Brodo year-round. For the summer, he's considering serving refreshments such as tomato juice as well as a cucumber-fennel concoction, both with broth ice cubes.

Avenue C's North Pole

A few photos via Bobby Williams showing La Plaza Cultural's transformation into the North Pole (NoPo?) on the southwest corner of East Ninth Street and Avenue C ...



This is all ahead of a holiday party on Saturday from 4-6 p.m. featuring cocoa, Santa, a toy drive, etc.



And while you're over here, check out the Ninth Street Community Garden across the Avenue ... which is equally decked out for the holidays...

Rejected headlines:
Today the North Pole, tomorrow Midtown South

Buy some art tonight at the Cherry Tavern

The VolaVida Collective is hosting a one-night only art show tonight at EVG favorite Cherry Tavern.

They'll be work on display and for sale from HEKTAD, SFA UNO and Chris Prandy. (Any art that doesn't sell will be available at the VolaVida website.)

This is the first show for VolaVida, formed by East Village resident Kate Ruby Klenfner and her partner Maurice Infinite.

"We're going to have monthly shows. Mostly at Cherry Tavern, but the one in January will be at a big photo studio in Chinatown," Klenfner tells us.

And why the Cherry Tavern as a venue?

"We want to do shows in 'real' NYC spots. The gallery model is dead," she says. "We both love Cherry Tavern, and, if we can help them make money, that would be great."

A to-be-determined percentage of the proceeds tonight will go to the National Fibromyalgia Association.

Oh, and Cherry Tavern is at 441 E. Sixth St. between Avenue A and First Avenue. The show starts at 7 p.m.

Out and About in the East Village 2014 recap

Since Aug. 1, 2012, East Village-based photographer James Maher has interviewed a variety of residents for our feature Out and About in the East Village.

Thank you to James! (And thanks to Stacie Joy who filled in when James was traveling). And thanks to everyone who took the time to be interviewed... So here's a look back at our subjects from 2014... we'll be back with a new Out and About in the East Village on Jan. 7.



Jan. 15 — Barbara Sibley

Jan. 22 — Alex Harsley, part 1

Jan. 29 — Alex Harsley, part 2

Feb. 5 — Tom Clark

Feb. 12 — Dawn Haberman

Feb. 19 — Mike Stuto

Feb. 26 — Dina Leor

March 5 — Eric Danville, part 1

March 12 — Eric Danville, part 2

March 19 — Margery Teplitz

March 26 — Pamela Joy

April 2 — Recap

April 9 — Jon Gerstad

April 16 — Oops!

April 23 — Bill Gerstel

April 30 — Karen Fleisch

May 7 — Kathy Kemp and Kimberle Vogan

May 14 — Alan and Beverly Lefkowitz

May 21 — Yehuda Emmanuel Safran

May 28 — Christopher Reisman, Part 1

June 4 — Christopher Reisman, Part 2

June 11 — Anthony Rocco

June 18 — Tim Floyd Young

June 25 — Kate

July 2 — Slackers!

July 9 — summer recap

July 16 — Alex Shamuelov

July 23 — Lauren Edmond

July 30 — Melissa Elledge, part 1

Aug. 6 — Melissa Elledge, part 2

Aug. 13 — Gary Bell

Aug. 20 — Jack Sal

Aug. 27 — Ellen Turrietta (80 comments)

Sept. 3 — Jamie, the check cashing guy

Sept. 10 — Satie Saurel

Sept. 17 — Mike Schweinsburg

Sept. 24 — Michael “Mikey” Cole, part 1

Oct. 1 — Michael “Mikey” Cole, part 2

Oct. 8 — fall recap!

Oct. 15 — Wasim Lone

Oct. 22 — Elissa

Oct. 29 — Gigi Watson

Nov. 5 — Kim Kalesti

Nov. 12 — Ben Bahud

Nov. 19 — Elinor Nauen

Nov. 26 — Thanksgiving break

Dec. 3 — Arthur Nersesian, part 1

Dec. 10 — Arthur Nersesian, part 2

The former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office will yield to an 8-story residential building

[EVG file photo]

The first new building permit has been filed for the former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office on East 14th Street. Plans are calling for an 8-story residential building with ground-floor retail here just west of Avenue A.

According to the DOB, the building will be 96,000 square feet, with 8,655 square feet designated for the retail space. Plans also show a total of 114 apartments.



SLCE Architects are listed as the designer of record. (Any renderings floating around out there?) That firm's résumé includes such high-profile projects as the Bloomberg mothership on Lexington Avenue and the Top of the Rock observation deck at Rockefeller Center.

Demolition permits were ordered in October to bring down the post office and the former Stuyvesant Stationery shop next door.

This post office branch just west of Avenue A closed for good in February. The USPS is leasing the former Duane Reade at 333 E. 14th St. for retail services.

No word on when the demolition might start.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Today in rants: the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office


[Photo by Gian G. via Yelp]

Meanwhile, at everyone's favorite local post office branch...

UPDATED: Did you hear the rumor about the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office branch closing?

Report: Closure of the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office is pretty much a done deal

First sign of more development on East 14th Street?

Asbestos abatement to begin at former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office

Davey drill arrives ahead of rumored development at former East 14th Street post office

Former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office slated to be demolished

Witness to a tragedy in Tompkins Square Park

[Image via TSP3A]

On Monday afternoon, 39-year-old Aleim Perkins of Harlem was playing with his niece in Tompkins Square Park.

Some time around 4 p.m., witnesses said that he started pushing an empty tire swing, which struck him in the face and knocked him out. He was rushed to Beth Israel, where hospital officials said he was dead on arrival.

An EVG reader was in the playground off of East Ninth Street at Avenue with his child when the incident occurred. The reader shared this:

I can't being tell you how devastated I am at the tragic death of this man.

I noticed him horsing around with the kids.

My back was turned when the incident occurred and I wasn't aware that anything had happened until I heard the playground go eerily silent.

When I walked over to see what happened, he was lying still on the ground. Someone immediately called 911 and one of the parents who had emergency training assisted Mr. Perkins, who was unconscious and unresponsive. It's tough to judge in retrospect but it couldn't have been more than 5 minutes from the time of the incident until EMS was assisting him.

This is the first time I've seen him at the playground, but I did notice the fun he was having and the joy in his face just seconds before he was struck. He was just goofing around and a one-in-a-million accident took this poor man's life.

You can read more about the story at DNAinfo.

Previously

Updated 8:11 a.m.

The Post notes that Landscape Structures, which manufactures the Arch Tire Swing, has previously sold unsafe playground equipment, prompting recalls of swings and slides in recent years. A Parks Department spokesperson said that they are investigating the tragedy ... and wouldn't say if the Department planned on removing the swings.

Updated 9:34 a.m.

According to another resident: "[He] was shadow boxing with the tire and ducking as it swung back. He was pushing it very hard. It's very unfortunate that it happened however."

Construction watch: 22 Bond St.

Just pointing out some activity at 25 Great Jones/22 Bond St., a long-dormant site that saw a handful of concepts (hotel!) and ownership partners through the years.

Now, though, the project has new life as a 6-unit condo, as The Commercial Observer reported back in the spring. (The building is officially 22 Bond Street, though it's also known as 25 Great Jones since the property extends through the block.)

Here are details via the Observer to refresh your memory:

BKSK Architects designed the exterior and TKA Studio is designing the interiors. The façade will be made of glass and Corten steel, or weathering steel, the same material that was used for the exterior of Barclays Center. The Lafayette-facing side will be painted with a huge abstract mural by artist José Parlá.

The rendering on the plywood points to a September 2015 completion.



Updated 8:28 a.m.

Thanks to a reader who passed along a link to a post on The Real Deal that reveals the pricing:

All told, the building at 22 Bond Street/25 Great Jones Street in NoHo will have six duplex units ranging in price from $9.26 million to $19.88 million ...

Pricing starts at $3,200 — a foot.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Your chance to buy a boutique hotel on Great Jones

25 Great Jones St. returns to the land of undead developments

Prime corner space on 12th and B asking $10k a month

We recently noticed that there is a new broker for the long-empty retail space on the northeast corner on Avenue B and 12th Street.

The signs were up for Massey Knakal … now Misrahi Realty Corp. has the listing, though we didn't spot it online just yet.

But here are details via LoopNet:

This massive space with extremely high ceilings make this flagship corner retail space PRIME NYC real estate. Sprawling frontage on both 12th street & Ave B make this space perfect for a Banking branch, office, gallery, retail etc...

The asking rent is $10,000.