“I noticed a scaffold going up in front of 24 Leonard,” emailed Robert Ripps. “Looked more like the kind they use when doing a renovation, than a demolition, but maybe they are planning on taking it down brick by brick?”

In August of 2013, plans came to light for a nine-story building, and in January of 2014, Department of Buildings permits mentioned “selective demolition.” Meanwhile, the new DOB permit, issued this past January 12, says:

FILING TO CONVERT AND ENLARGE AN EXISTING FOUR (4) STORY 37,936 SQ FT NON-COMBUSTIBLE CLASS IB COMMERCIAL GARAGE INTO A 37,650 SQ FT, CLASS IB, NINE (9) STORY RESIDENTIAL BUILDING.

That’s not especially helpful, but thankfully, developer Charles Dunne (who was also involved with 60 Warren and the Roebling Building at 169 Hudson) was willing to explain—and even better, send over the rendering below. As you can see, it looks like it’ll be a respectable addition to the neighborhood.

The current building’s footprint is 100 feet by 100 feet, and it will remain so on the ground floor. But the floors above will be only 50 feet deep; in other words, they’re taking most of the rear of the building and stacking it on top—because people tend to prefer windows over dark cavernous spaces. (The new height is what they’re allowed as of right.) They’re replacing the façade with a limestone one, and adding “very large windows.” Apartments will be full-floor, which is not a huge surprise. More shocking, given the disappearance of parking lots and garages in these parts: They’ll be keeping a commercial parking tenant in the basement—this one will have an automated parking system.

The architect is BKSK (77 Reade, the Hubert, 124 Hudson, and the upcoming 1 Vandam). The lot lies outside the historic district. According to another reader, an attendant at the parking garage said it would be shutting down soon.