Reminder: New School Updates Available

Akam informs us that we have a new managing agent, taking over for Anthony Grimaldi.

She is Inna Odesskaya, 212-986-0001 ext 142, or iodesskaya@akam.com.

It looks like shuttered Indian restaurant Babu Ji may be rising from its wage theft lawsuit ashes into the old All’onda space at 22 East 13th Street. A neighbor happened upon the space at an opportune moment, when a garbage bag hanging over a brand-new sign at the address fell down, revealing the words “Babu Ji” for all to see. It’s an unexpected changeover for the space — up until very recently, Red Farm restaurateur Ed Schoenfeld was planning to take the space for a new restaurant called The Mess. The restaurant with chef Zod Arifai was completely built out and had even hired staff and hosted friends and family in February when all work came to a halt in March. Schoenfeld previously told Eater the hold-up was initially a result of issues with the Community Board, who recommended a denial of the space’s liquor license. Schoenfeld did not immediately respond to inquiries, and Babu Ji owners Jennifer and Jessi Singh declined to comment.

The corner of 4th Ave. and 13th St. is vacant once again.

From Curbed.com:

Word of the imminent demise of Greenwich Village’s iconic Bowlmor Lanes arrived in early 2014, when EV Grieve reported that site owner Billy Macklowe—whose father is none other than Harry Macklowe of 432 Park Avenue fame—wanted to slap a condo tower up on the site. Details of the new development have been few and far between in the meantime, but 6sqft has gleaned a few primary renderings of the project that seem to confirm 1) that it’s actually happening, and 2) that it will be amongst the tallest residential buildings in the neighborhood. According to 6sqft, the building will rise 23 stories to stand a “modest” 280 feet, and will contain 56 condos averaging more than 2,000 square feet apiece.

Plans filed with the Department of Buildings list SLCE as the Architect of Record, but a design architect has yet to be pegged, at least publicly, for the project. The building, which consumes a majority of the western side of the block between East 12th and East 13th streets, will have bike parking, a ground-floor community facility, a resident lounge and terrace, a parking garage, and ground floor retail.

You may have noticed construction work speeding along at the corner of 13th St. and 4th Ave. This is to be an 11-story, 162-room hotel in the medium price range. It’s being built by Sam Chang, the king of New York hotel development. He’s famous for finding ways to squeeze hotels onto tiny lots. In this case he’s keeping the facade of the former building as a kind of pedestal. Unusually sensitive for a developer who is usually accused of having no architectural taste whatsoever.

If you like Thai food, Pranakhon on University Place is VERY good.