Time for an Essex Crossing update.
After encasing the former Essex Street Market building on the south side of Delancey Street in plywood and scaffolding, workers are beginning to demolish the 1940 single-story structure. A 24-story mixed-use building will eventually rise on this parcel, site 2 of the large development project. Annel Cabrera, community relations director for the developers, told Community Board 3’s land use committee last week that demolition should take 4-6 weeks. Crews will be working 7 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays. As we have noted repeatedly, the building housing the existing Essex Street Market, on the north side of Delancey, remains open for business! Demolition of the old fire house on site 5 should begin next month. The timetable for taking down 400-402 Grand St., two tenements on site 5, remains unclear. The city is in court with a family still living in one of the buildings.
At the same community board meeting, held last Tuesday evening, representatives of Delancey Street Associates (the development consortium) outlined proposed changes to the land use agreement governing Essex Crossing. It includes relatively small changes to two buildings in the first phase of construction, scheduled to begin in the summer. The alterations require the approval of the Department of City Planning, which put a special “large scale general construction permit” in place in 2012 specifying the project’s design guidelines.
On Site 1, architects want to create a wider sidewalk on Ludlow Street, across the street from Seward Park High School. A 14-story building, including 55 condominium apartments and commercial spaces, is planned on the parcel. The new design calls for a tapered facade, with setbacks a maximum six feet from the curb line.
On site 5, another residential and commercial building, designers want to create a lower base on Clinton Street. Under the proposal, it would rise to no more than 29 feet along most of the east side of the building, rather than 60 feet. The change is being requested to make better use of interior space for apartments. Architects said the revised deign would make for a more appealing facade for pedestrians. For the most part, the application to City Planning goes over previously known details about Essex Crossing. It reiterates, for example, that there will be a grocery store on the second floor of the site 5 building. But there was one tidbit we had not seen in the past: the cellar level of the site 5 building will include “a home goods retail store.” The specific retailer was not named.
The land use committee voted to support the developers’ application.
See below for new renderings/drawings, as well as the complete land use application.
Essex Crossing SPURA Minor Modifications March 2015 by The Lo-Down
We don’t need a Home Goods Store People on the Lower East Side if they need linens need to shop local and go to Harris Levy. Here we go again with the folks of L&M making a mall, putting out the small business owners in the neighborhood.