You may have noticed some activity in the past few weeks inside the former Essex Street Market building on the north side of Delancey Street. Workers are removing debris from the 1940s-era single story structure, apparently in advance of demolition. The facility was shuttered in May of 2019 when the vendors moved to a new market space on the south side of Delancey as part of the Essex Crossing mega-project.
Demolition and new building permits were filed last month for 116 Delancey St. (also known as 100 Essex St.) Once the market building is torn down, a 10-story tower with 99 apartments and ground floor commercial space will rise in its place. For now, the existing site remains under the ownership of the NYC Economic Development Corporation.
Last year at about this time, the MTA and city development officials announced an agreement to install three elevators in the Delancey Street Station in conjunction with the new residential project. Delancey Street Associates, the private consortium responsible for Essex Crossing, will provide an easement to the MTA. The elevators are part of larger set of upgrades needed to make the Delancey Street Station fully ASA-accessible. These accessibility improvements will be supported by proceeds from the Congestion Relief Zone.”
The Essex Street Market was built as part of Mayor Fiorello La Guardia’s campaign to rid New York City of its pushcart vendors. Opening day was January 10, 1940. There were originally four market buildings. Two of them were demolished long ago to clear the way for Essex Crossing. Simeon Bankoff, a well-known preservationist, told The Lo-Down back in 2011 that the Essex Street Market deserved protection because it was integral to the “historical and cultural identity of the Lower East Side” through many generations. At the time, some local residents were trying to protect the market building.
