80-88 West Broadway has new owners

The collection of buildings on the northwest corner Warren and West Broadway has been leased by the longtime owner and one assumes that the new lessees have plans to develop the site. Jaffe Real Estate Co. has leased the property for 99 years – with a purchase option included – for $55 million.

Mark Jaffe’s family has owned the property for decades, but a year ago he sold the ground lease with an option to buy to whom, I can’t tell. (I was told it was a real estate company called Brack Capital, but they emailed to say they are not at all involved.) (The addresses are actually 80-86 and 88 W. Broadway, or 70, 72 and 74 Warren.) Now I have to admit I am confused about the filings at the city’s Department of Finance (James?) but from what it looks like Jaffe leased it to himself for $55 million. So there must be an explanation here somewhere.

Whatever that may be, the development of this corner would have a big impact on the streetscape there, just south of the subway entrance at Chambers. The site now includes the storefronts from Homemade by Miriam to the dry cleaner, then around to include the first three lots from the corner, including the German School of Manhattan. The buildings go back at least before 1914, as evidenced by the photo below and these here.

Right now there are no permits filed with the DOB, but whatever happens there will be some challenges along the way including rent-controlled and loft law tenants.

 

7 Comments

  1. This is not landmarked?

  2. It is not in the historic district and while I am not an expert, I don’t think that building would ever qualify for landmarking on its own. You can see the district and all local landmarks here at the LPC’s interactive map.

  3. It will be so sad if these buildings are torn down and replaced with another high rise (that this neighborhood does NOT need). I hope the new owners keep the buildings intact.

  4. A bit older than the ’30’s (from the description on the TC main page)

    https://digitalcollections.nyhistory.org/islandora/object/nyhs%3A90805

  5. I would be curious to what a development might look like (just because you can’t imagine something better doesn’t mean that somebody else can’t).

    Anyway, I’d rather see the parking across the street be developed.

  6. “They” can’t let anything be. Especially anything with loft law tenants attached. And how is that southeast corner doing? Huh?

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