We've been keeping an eye on the renovations at 170-174 E. Second St., two walk-ups that Jared Kushner picked up earlier this year for his East Village collection.
There has been a lot of drama here — gut renovations, tenants taking buyouts, tenants not taking buyouts. We'll address some of this in another post.
A more pressing matter at the moment: The impending destruction of the garden behind No. 174.
"It was built by tenants, is maintained by tenants, and we love it very much," one tenant told us.
Tenants say that Westminster Management, a division of Kushner Companies, is expected to gut the garden this week. Remaining tenants say that they have taken legal action, but Westminster might be moving too fast for the group to stop them.
Said a resident:
"To destroy the garden would be of no benefit to Westminster, and to the tenants it would be a tragedy. Our garden is not just a decorative tableau, but a part of our daily lives: during the day, it is a place to do our professional work, and to make use of the carefully constructed space dedicated to meditation. In the evenings, it has long been a place for neighbors to meet one another. We reject the notion that a community garden is not a valuable resource. In fact, we believe that it is this use of our garden — as a place to foster community — which is the reason why it has been targeted."
Previously on EV Grieve:
Inside a classic East Village tenement before the whole building is renovated
Jared Kushner not done buying every walk-up in the East Village
Two East 2nd St. buildings sell for $17.5 million; will new owner still honor Allen Ginsburg?