Village Blueprints

Building the Neighborhood’s Future By Brian J. Pape, AIA, LEED-AP

Another Garage on East 9th Street Bites the Dust

This rendering of the new condo building tries to pick up the industrial vibe of the previous garage. Credit: Plomp.

220 East 9th Street, a seven-story residential building coming to Manhattan’s East Village, was designed and developed by Arcus Development with Colberg Architecture as the executive architect. Although the YIMBY report by Michael Young  on June 26, 2025 said the project will involve the partial demolition and conversion of a five-story parking garage, the 74-foot-tall structure will be a totally new structure of 31,231 square feet and yield 18 condominium units with an average scope of 1,735 square feet. It will also feature a cellar level, a 22-foot-long rear yard, and enclosed parking for ten vehicles. Astor Nine LLC is listed as the owner of the property, which is located between Second and Third asvenues near Stuyvesant Street.

Units will come in one- to four-bedroom layouts. Each will have a distinct layout with board-formed concrete ceilings, custom oak kitchens, and handcrafted finishes using American-made materials. Seven of the homes, including the three penthouses, will have private outdoor terraces. Residential amenities will include a 24-hour attended lobby, a fitness center with a Pilates studio, a sauna, a pet grooming station, and a Japanese-style viewing garden.

220 East 9th Street’s anticipated completion date is slated for winter 2026.

As you can see at the site of 220 East Ninth Street, the previous structure has been demolished completely. Credit: Brian J. Pape, AIA.

West 8th Street Apartment Building Nearly Complete

181 and 177 MacDougal Street (redder brick at left in photo) will be the addresses for the residential entrances of this new development, while 38 West 8th Street will feature the ground floor retail portion (at the center right side of the photo). The brick colors and window types differentiate the facades of this handsome building. Credit: Brian J Pape, AIA

The building at the southwest corner of West 8th and MacDougal streets, just one block north of Washington Square Park, is getting its finishing touches on the exterior. 181 and 177 MacDougal Street will be the addresses for the residential entrances of this new development, while 38 West 8th Street will feature the retail portion. The seven-story mixed-use building was designed by Morris Adjmi Architects and developed by the Straus Group under the Clinton Eight Realty LLC. The project includes historically appropriate renovations to an historic tenement at 177 MacDougal Street, with designs that met the CB2 and Landmarks Preservation Commission’s approval to blend with the surrounding streetscape of pre-war buildings in the Greenwich Village Historic District.

The new structure treats the façade as two distinct volumes: the corner volume is clad in light cream brick surrounding large windows in six stories of height, while next to it is a seven-story portion of earthy tan brick with wide rows of loft-like windows with dark metal frames. The corner volume features intricate bond patterns and recessed windows along the retail fronts, while the narrow interior frontage window openings are close to the facade. Each will have historic-looking cornices. A community facility and commercial space with 104 feet of storefront windows are included as constructed by Empire State Contractors on the 4,775-square-foot parcel.

From the current appearance, it would be hard to guess that the structures are not three separate buildings, instead of two. As reported by Michael Young and Matt Pruznick on April 8, 2025 in the blog YIMBY, the 16 condominium residences in the new building, of one- to three-bedroom layouts, will be paired with pet-friendly policies, full-time doorman and concierge service, a resident manager, fitness center designed by The Wright Fit, a library lounge, dog washing station, a communal laundry facility, and a package room. Storage will also be available for purchase.

This corner has the commemorative street sign for Norman Buchbinder Way. Buchbinder was co-founder of the Union Square Partnership, the city’s first business improvement district, and founder of the Village Alliance business improvement district. He was responsible for bringing back the 8th Street area, including MacDougal Street.