Demolition is progressing on 14 Gay Street, a landmarked three-story residential building in Greenwich Village, Manhattan. Located in the Greenwich Village Historic District, the 196-year-old structure was deemed at risk of imminent collapse by the city and was ordered to be immediately demolished. The current owner, Nazarian Property Group under the 14 Gay Street LLC, also owns the adjacent 16 Gay Street to the north and purchased both buildings along with three other nearby sites for around $12 million last April. Howard I. Shapiro & Associates is listed as the applicant of record for demolition permits that were recently filed for the property, which is located between Waverly Place and Christopher Street.
Due to the historic nature of the building, Nazarian Property Group intends to save all of the original construction materials to be used in a replacement structure overseen by the city and LPC.
Recent photos show the top two stories already demolished and only the ground level left to be razed. Work is being performed by hand to ensure the safe preservation of the adjacent buildings’ brick and wooden party walls. A large perimeter fence had been installed over the sidewalk and onto Gay Street due to the risk of sudden collapse.
14 Gay Street. Photo by Michael Young
14 Gay Street. Photo by Michael Young
14 Gay Street. Photo by Michael Young
14 Gay Street. Photo by Michael Young
12 and 14 Gay Street. Photo by Michael Young
14 Gay Street. Photo by Michael Young
14 Gay Street. Photo by Michael Young
12 Gay Street. Photo by Michael Young
12 Gay Street. Photo by Michael Young
16 Gay Street. Photo by Michael Young
The Department of Buildings (DOB) had fielded numerous complaints about the nearly 200-year-old building due to its rundown state. Some of the concerns included the leaning and bowing of an external cellar wall in early 2020 and reports of shaking and vibrations in the summer of 2021. A team of forensic engineers and DOB inspectors were brought onto the scene this past November and discovered signs of un-permitted cellar repair work that deviated from engineering plans that were pre-approved by the DOB and Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC).
The most prominent unapproved work was the nearly complete removal of a load-bearing wall without the installation of sufficient supports. In addition, illegal work had been performed on the foundation walls of the adjacent 16 Gay Street that further damaged the building’s structural integrity. These alterations left the structure in such a state that authorities deemed it unsalvageable from total collapse. A full vacate order was promptly issued and demolition work began several days later under the supervision of the owner’s engineers.
The adjacent 16 Gay Street remains structurally compromised but is still standing. Further evaluation will be required to determine whether internal shoring can prevent the fate of its neighbor from befalling it, as well.
14 and 16 Gay Street are located within walking distance of the 1 train at the Christopher Street station, as well as the A, B, C, D, E, F, and M trains at the West 4th-Washington Square station.
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He waited until they were unsafe and is now going to build some ugly modern monstrosity there.
Not waited, but MADE it unsafe through his own actions
Thank goodness the materials are being saved at least. There needs to be more reuse instead of always dumping quality material in a landfill, especially with the emissions associated with new materials.
To bad he can’t build 80 stories and give 33% of the apartments to low income households.
Grenwich Villsge is filled with drugs and homeless and it needs to be changed. Now legal drug shops are opening.
Okay troll, I’ll play.
How would 80 stories of new apartments change what you call an area full of drugs and homeless people? Should “legal drug shops” be prevented from opening legally? Why can’t the wealthiest nation help people find homes?
The CDC states about 140,000 Americans die from excessive alcohol use each year. Over 480,000 Americans die from tobacco use each year. Shouldn’t alcohol and tobacco shops be closed?
Not a single person has ever died from excessive marijuanna use.
You deciphered more coherence from his comment than I did…
Wait until the materials go “missing”….
Should have to leave a bond with the city as well ensuring the reconstruction
This is the real concern—what if they “lose it”? A bond at least!
also owns next door #16 & “additional nearby” properties? no brainer, this has clearing the way for high rise written all over it
Corporate greed is destroying America…
Sad Street
Beautiful blue sky though..
This street was big in the ’90s.
Are the 3 buildings to the right, part of his “purchase” too?! 🤔
No, but the other properties the developer bought on on Christopher street just around the corner. And they look like in similar condition so I pray he doesn’t knock them down doing sh*tty and illegal work like this one
This infuriating situation is only made when considering historic building built just 50 years later are being torn down as I type. Those buildings are landmarked by bureaucracy but matter just as much. Mid-century modern buildings are being destroyed when they too could be 200 years old one day.
Somehow European cities don’t need to tear down their historic buildings, and they seem to largely find housing for most everyone.
Unchecked Greed will always be the cause of America’s failures.
That’s what happens with such a weak social contract… Every man for himself.
Does the adjacent house (downtown side) have wooden frame construction with just a brick veneer front?
Ny authorities don’t have the backbone to face greedy developers, pretty soon there won’t be any real historic districts. It’s all about greed.
This is a crime. These developers should be banned from working in NYC for a period of time.
It’s maddening, it’s almost like the owner intentionally ruined the structure to build over it.
A way to fight this is (aside from penalizing owners for illegal work) is to limit the new building to the same size and style, which lowers the incentive to do this type of thing