Owners of 321 Grand Street, where a fire broke out Friday night, moved quickly Sunday to protect the 125 year old building from the elements. Windows on three floors of the former Ridley & Sons Department Store are now boarded up and plastic covers holes in the roof.
The “pink building” (as a lot of people call it) has been on the market the past several years and the Landmarks Preservation Commission is deciding whether to protect the historic facade. Over the weekend, the fire department told us the blaze started at around 3:15 a.m. (Friday into Saturday) on the third floor. The fire was brought under control in about an hour.
Given the owner’s stated desire to redevelop the property, preservationists intend to pay very close attention to what happens next at 321 Grand. This photo above was sent to us by Linda Jones, a Community Board 3 member. Joyce Mendelsohn, the Lower East Side historian, said she recalled the application for landmarking was brought before the city on two separate occasions. Apparently this was due to a mistake in the paperwork during the initial hearing.
We’ll be checking with the Landmarks Commission today about the status of the application.
